How Ruby Transformed Her Pay, Cash Flow and Confidence Using Big-Retail Strategy in Her Small Shop

The struggle

Ruby’s business was growing fast. In 2023, she saw an incredible 66% increase in revenue. But there was a problem — her pay hadn't moved at all.

Behind the scenes, things felt out of sync. She was running lean, hustling hard, and adding more to her plate every month, but couldn’t see the money flow translating into her own income.

She was ambitious, driven, and had big goals for Still Life, but needed a smarter structure to support the next phase of growth without sacrificing profit or peace of mind.

““In 2023 my business grew 66%, but my own pay had not reflected this rise.””

The business

Still Life

Lifestyle store – homeware, fashion, gifts

Stockport

The client

Ruby Friel

Key result

Grew 66% in turnover, but finally paid herself properly

Timeframe

6 months

Service used

Retail by Design

The why

Ruby didn’t want fluff or general advice. She wanted retail expertise rooted in real strategy — systems used by bigger retailers, adapted to her independent business.

Retail by Design gave her access to merchandising principles, cash flow management tools, and deep stock planning support — the kind of commercial thinking she hadn’t had time (or headspace) to implement before.

“With Catherine’s mentoring and expertise in merchandising for big businesses I was able to implement sophisticated stock management and cash flow systems. The types of systems that big retailers use, but that I could never have created for myself.””

The work

Over six months, we focused on building out the infrastructure her business needed to keep growing without burning her out.

Here's what we worked on

Stock Planner by Product Type

Ruby now tracks sell-through, predicts buying windows, and tests new product lines with intention — not guesswork

Cash Flow Forecasting

Using the Retail by Design cash flow planner, she can see exactly where the money’s going — and shift spend based on upcoming plans

Pricing & Profit Focus

For the first time, she stepped back and asked: is this growth worth it? She started making decisions based on profit, not just revenue

Year-Round Structure

She now has a marketing and buying calendar that gives the business rhythm and clarity — and lets her plan ahead with confidence

The results

Finally increased her pay— one of her key goals

Built her most structured, intentional sales and stock strategy yet

Gained full visibility on where cash was tied up and how to manage it

Feels in control and excited — not reactive or overwhelmed

On working with Catherine

“These systems have completely revolutionised the way I work. I’ve gone from flying by the seat of my pants to running a business that works for me.”

“For the first time in nearly five years, I’ve woken up to the fact that profit matters more than just growth. I feel optimistic. I’m back in control.”

The review

“With Catherine’s mentoring and big-retail merchandising expertise, I implemented stock and cash flow systems I could never have created on my own. It’s changed everything — not just how I run the shop, but how I value my time, money and energy”