Hi Barbara,

Having spent just a few hours with Barbara before her session it didn’t take me long to realize how passionate she is about her work. While walking up and down Main Street she showed so much interest in businesses she had never seen before and I found it amazing how she wants nothing more than retailers to achieve the success she knows they can reach. Her dedication, caring nature, and enthusiasm are contagious. During her session, she absolutely captivated the audience’s attention and was so effective in her presentations that the attendees were constantly scribbling notes and shaking their heads in agreement. Her excitement and experience in the retail industry makes her an excellent public speaker and an expert in her field. She definitely lit a spark under the retailers of Antigonish, Nova Scotia and she was an absolute pleasure to work with.


Sincerely,

Shannon Long
Youth Intern Officer

Antigonish Regional Development Authority
Antigonish, N. S.

 

 

“I first met Barbara Crowhurst at the retail workshops she conducted at the Canadian Gift Show – she provided a wealth of knowledge with a very positive attitude. When we decided to relocate the Theatre Store at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival to a new space, Barbara was the natural choice for us to work with. She not only helped to redesign the entire retail space, from re-using and refreshing old fixtures, to recommending a few reasonably priced new additions that really made the space come to life with excitement and elegance, she recommended the new colour scheme and store layout and she was an absolute pleasure to work with. The entire Festival team enjoyed working with Barbara, and the in-store results are a testament to everyone’s excitement about the project. I would very happily work with Barbara again.”

Leanne Perreault
Director, Communication & Patron Experience
Stratford Shakespeare Festival
Stratford, Ontario

 

 

Hi Barbara,

My sister and I attended two of your sessions (I think they were both on the Sunday) of the CGTA Fall Show. I had been to other CGTA sessions in the past and was not impressed, but my sister convinced me to give yours a chance, but I have to say that I was a little hesitant about giving up my time on the show floor. Truth is, you totally wowed me, your session was amazing. Even up to today, when my sister and I disagree on a retail decision we often quote "the gospel according to Barbara" to win an argument.

Thank you
Rochelle Straker

 

 

Barbara,

Let me start off by saying I wish I had met you sooner! I implemented your suggestions the day after your seminar and I am absolutely gushing with delight and enthusiasm. Our sales doubled the day I
made the changes you recommended and the staff have an entrepreneurial motivation that I have never seen in them. Each and every employee is treating our customers as their own and taking an unparalleled pride in our products. The store feels like a fresh breeze has blown through it and as
an owner I feel that I am now taking control of that wind and steering our kite to new heights.

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and passion!

Kindest Regards,

Pauline Goodal
eve chocolatier

 

 

I had attended a few of Barbara’s workshops in the past and was very impressed with her. I asked her to present a workshop at our annual Flowers Canada Atlantic convention this past May.
It was the best workshop we have ever had in our history. She gave us tips after tips to use the next day in our shops to improve our bottom line, and to make our lives easier. She made concepts that we have always heard, but ignored, very easy to understand and translate into our business. The enthusiasm from the other participants only underscored the comments I have heard from other business that have used her services.

I can’t wait to work with her one on one in my business.

Eva van de Riet
Rose Bowl Flowers and Gifts
Elmsdale, Nova Scotia

 

 

Thank you for the two wonderful seminars you presented at our August 2008 Gift Home Jewelry & Resort Show. It is important for us to present seminars that are professionally delivered and contain fresh information so our buyers will be inspired to go back to their businesses and do great things. You certainly provided that in your stimulating, informative style!

Evonne Eiseman
Buyer Services Manager
Denver Merchandise Mart

 

 

On behalf of the business owners and staff that attended your business makeover seminar, I would like to thank you for your professionalism and expertise. It is so encouraging to see a room full of entrepreneurs excited to work together and to improve the environment that they all collectively do business in. After the seminar, many of the businesses went out of their way to thank us for providing them with the opportunity to listen to your suggestions and to learn about being better business owners. We are already seeing changes in many of the businesses that attended, and we’re looking forward to making Downtown Cobourg an even better place to visit.

Kelly Jessup
Event & Business Manager
Cobourg Downtown Business Improvement Area

 

"The Retail Makeover seminar presented by Barbara Crowhurst provided truly
valuable strategies for the retail entrepreneur. She covered marketing concepts that work for the small business owner in a marketplace full of big-box competition and tactics for positioning your business for the new retail market that is emerging. It also focused on the success that every shop owner can achieve with simple merchandising practices that can be done for pennies or at absolutely no cost. It really was an inspiring seminar for business owners that want to step up, stand out and shine!"

Pauline Goodal, Eve Chocolatier

 

 

Working with Barbara has been a real eye-opener for us. After ten years in the business it was great to get a fresh perspective on our customers, our products, and our store operations. She is really conversant on what works in today’s challenging retail climate, and gave us practical advice on what we were doing right and where we could improve.

Barbara had specific suggestions, including what colours to use, on how to give our store more dramatic impact, both inside and from the street. We will make these changes this winter during our off-season.

She also provided assistance on how to manage our inventory and buying practices in a cost-effective manner, which is an area where we wanted some help. With her extensive experience, she helped us develop practical guidelines and a workable plan that has already produced results.

We now have a new perspective as well as practical strategies that really work, and sales are up.

Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you!

John and Karen Ericson
Serendipity Trading Company
Estes Park, Colorado

 

 

"One of the most powerful resources in launching the new Gift & Home Channel has been the talent, enthusiasm & energy of Barb Crowhurst. She understood our vision and contributed immeasurably to our content development, our promotions and our outreach to independent retailers all across North America & Canada. Barb is a jewel in our crown"

Ray Gaulke
Gift & Home Channel
  

 

"Thank you for speaking to our downtown retailers and sharing your expertise with us.

It was nice to hear you invite guests to contact you if they had any further questions - great customers services."

Patti Brooks, Uptown Waterloo Business Improvement
  

 

"Dear Barbara,
We recently attended your Retail Makeover Seminar in Waterloo, Thank you for a wonderful insightful day. You certainly pushed a lot of buttons for us. You are such an incredibly resourceful person and we can see that you have a real passion for retail.

Thank you too, for your positive thoughts on the niche/specialty retailer position in the marketplace. We really love what we do so it is a pleasure to see customers leaving, knowing they are totally confident in their purchase. I guess that is what you said, building the business one client at a time.

We will be putting many of your "Non Negotiable's" into practise. Thank you for your wise council."

Debra Joseph & Carl Vosatka
Retail Specialists
fab Favourite Accessory Boutique

 

 

"I began working with Barbara three years ago and my sales have increased by 2 1/2 times. my store colours were changed in January and my customers think they are in a new store.

Since finishing my work with Barbara, six months ago, customers describe my shop as their favourite in town.

Barbara has been and is my lifeline to sane retailing."

Sheila, Down by the Bay gifts, Lewes DE

  

"Dear Barbara,

Thank you for participating in our AmericasMart Seminar Program during the January 2006 Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market. Your seminars “Visual Presentation Essentials” and “Botoxing Your Store” -- which taught our buyers how to merchandise their stores, from having the right product, to how to display the product, to correct lighting and widow displays -- were informative and very well attended. The participants in the seminars left feeling they’d gained important insight needed to ensure the success of their business.

We appreciate your time at AmericaMart and value your expertise as a retail makeover specialist and business coach. We would certainly recommend your services to any company."

Sincerely,

Sondra Page
Director of Marketing Events

 

"Barbara is a true professional, upbeat and specific in her references to retail customers and their behaviour and really understands the true-to-life challenges of the retail environment. Feedback from attendees at our custom tailored programs and topics have included comments such as "a pleasure to listen to and participate", "dynamic and meaningful" and "practical and informative". She has a way of taking information and presenting it in a way that people can understand."

Margo Warren
Special Events Manager
CGTA Gift Show

 

 

"Atlantic Building Supply Dealers Association engaged Barbara Crowhurst to address our delegates at the Annual General Meeting.

“Barbara is very comfortable delivering the message as a Retail Makeover Specialist.  She teased our retailers on four key topics, which in the not too distant future, will be developed into a complete workshop.”

ABSDA plans to utilize Barbara’s skills in our professional development programs."

Don Sherwood, FCGA
President ABSDA

 

 

"Barbara is a savvy and incredibly knowledgeable speaker. She is very willing to share her expertise on making your store the ultimate shopping experience."

Donna Klacza
President
Neighbourhood Toy Stores of Canada

 

 

"I am so thrilled that we decided to use Barbara's Retail Makeover by phone services. After our first meeting, I was so overwhelmed because she did a total new store layout for us! After we put her new ideas into place, our sales doubled! And that was just with one meeting! You can only imagine what we have become now! Not only did she help us with technical things, she also inspired us to become better people with better attitudes!"

Tami Potter
North Shore Sun
Knoxville, TN

 

 

"Barbara, you were a great addition to our Canada Expo. Our retail members are facing some tough challenges and your presentation provided them with much needed information. Thank you, a wonderful job!"

Stephanie A. Fisher, CMP
Education Director
PMA

 

 

"As a start up company, we had questions from the most basic to quite complex for realizing our company's vision. Barbara provided valuable insight and connections along the way, in her very gentle demeanour. Her experience is invaluable, whether you are just starting out in the business, or looking to grow your company in a new direction, she is able to very methodically help pave the way for reaching true success.
Our heartfelt thanks go out to her!"

Cindy Testa and Sheri Gorsen,
Grant Dawson, LLC.

 

 

“Your presentation to our local retailers at our Main Street Summit was simply outstanding and we would recommend you to any community”.

Andrew Redden
Economic Development Manager
Hastings County

 

 

For months, I wanted to get some professional advice on making our business better. However, trying to make a go of it with a small retail store, in a very small northern Ontario town - offers challenges that I wasn't sure many others would understand.

I had attended one of Barbara's seminars at the Gift Show, and was definitely impressed with her passion and personality, but never dreamed that my concerns would warrant her time. After a chance conversation with another northern Ontario retailer who had dealt with Barbara, I was convinced I should give her a call. In less than 2 minutes, I knew that she had a genuine interest in what we were doing, and the 3 hours we spent addressing our issues have given us a wealth of ideas and information that we needed.

It was definitely encouraging to deal with someone whose concern and honesty also produced "do-able" results, and the positive feedback that we are receiving from our customers is also very encouraging. I would highly recommend her services to anyone who wants to give their business a "boost".

Kathy Whitfield, Owner, Cedar Lane, Sundridge, Ontario.