Behind The Scenes Of A Dream with Kristin Lenz of White Arrows Home

Crystal Vilkaitis  

I could have talked to my guests for hours, we had such a good conversation and I think you’re gonna really love this conversation as well as love my guest, Kristin Lenz, the owner of White Arrows Home, Kristin started her store not too long ago, she opened in August of 2020, and has since seen phenomenal growth. She’s winning awards, she has a strong social media following, which we really get into on this episode, I think you’re gonna really get a lot out of what Kristen’s doing, how she’s doing it, her perspective on social media, how it’s helped build her store. We also talk about team. You know, she’s got people who help her with her social media one person specifically, but also just a great team that’s helping her in a lot of aspects of her business. And so she really pulled back the curtain to let us see inside of, you know, when she first hired and who she hired and what everybody is doing to really help this store, operate and be at the place that it is like winning awards and just being so successful. It’s really inspiring to see what Kristin has built in such, really a short period of time and about three years. I also really loved hearing what Kristin does with her team, like how they celebrate wins, how often they celebrate wins, something that they do to really bond and grow their culture and their relationship with each other. I think she’s a really amazing leader, and has done a really great job with cultivating connection within her team. Kristen also has a lot of great advice for independent retailers if you want to, you know, no matter what your goals are with your store and where you’re at with your store. I love her perspective of retail, of running a business, how big she dreams, the way that she just thinks about her relationship with our customers and her team and her community. And she just has really awesome advice for our retailers. No matter what stage of the game you’re at. So I know you’re gonna get a lot of value out of this episode. Before we dive in. Here’s a little bit more about my guest Kristin Lenz is the girl behind lifestyle brand White Arrows home her social media company and blog are what sparked her entrance into retail as she shared a warm and cozy mix of design ideas, inspirational style and personal journeys from the backdrop of her Lakeside log cabin home and the North woods of Wisconsin followers wanted to find ways to capture the same style. Kristen is a co-host of the podcast the cabin cast, with episodes airing weekly about travel and everything that goes into making great getaway adventures. The show appeals to a worldwide audience of cabin, cottage, lodge, and retreat owners or renters, vacationers and dreamers share a mix of interviews and commentary. Three years ago, Kristen opened White Arrows, a brick and mortar shop that specializes in antique vintage and new home decor, accessories, gifts, books, apparel, and pantry items. Customers and followers can enjoy the hospitality of shopping in person in the store, but also online from anywhere. In everything Kristen’s passion is to encourage others to find direction and connection in their life while reaching for their full potential and connecting with others in meaningful ways. She loves to help her customers and followers create spaces and moments where family and friends want to linger longer and memories are made. You can learn more at white arrowshome_the shop.com and follow Kristin on Instagram @whitearrows home. You can also connect with whitearrowshome_the shop on Instagram and let’s dive into this awesome conversation. 

 

Welcome to Rooted in Retail, the show that’s dedicated to helping independent retailers thrive in today’s ever evolving retail landscape. I’m your host Krystal Volker Titus and I’m thrilled to have you join me weekly as we explore topics that are vital to the success of your store. from marketing to mindset, money to merchandising, sales to leadership, we’ll cover it all. Each episode features interviews with industry experts and accomplished retailers who share their real life insights and actionable advice. Get ready for a great conversation on how to build your dream business with Rooted in Retail. Kristen, welcome to Rooted in Retail. I am thrilled you’re here.

 

Kristin Lenz  

Thank you. It’s such an honor we got to meet just briefly. So to get this time with you is really fun. I’ve been looking forward to it.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

I know me too. We had the pleasure of being the person who announced your award which was the retailer’s excellence awards through gifts and deck you won for social media and online initiatives. And I then immediately You because I’m in the social media industry, I immediately started stalking all of your social media. And I’m like she, of course she won. You are doing so many things. And we are going to talk about it today. So I’m just really honored to have you here.

 

Kristin Lenz  

Yeah. Thank you. Thank you.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Yeah. So okay, let’s dive in. Because we do have a lot to talk about. You know, I just want to say you, as I have been preparing for this interview, and learning more about you and seeing what you’ve built, I mean, you have really built something I think, pretty, that’s pretty special. I think a lot of our listeners today are going to find a lot of inspiration from you. And so will you share, let’s kind of start how you wound up in the retail industry and opening your store. And not that long ago in August of 2020. 

 

Kristin Lenz  

Right, it’s a baby of a store. So winning this award was just a huge surprise, which we’ll get to those kinds of things later, too. But, you know, I did not start out in this world with any business background, with any retail experience. I’m just, I think, number one, like an innate creative dreamer, who loves to chase my passion and see it come true. And so I think that’s where a lot of it is. My husband owns his own business and has really built it. So he’s been a huge inspiration to me watching him do those things. And, you know, I think, when I was, when you think about when it exactly began, in high school, my first job happened to be in an antique shop. And so you know, our business, my shop, White Arrows Home has antiques, and new home decor. It’s a big mix of old and new plus gifts and books and apparel, just everything that makes our heart happy. And we know that our customers love to, it’s kind of a whole lifestyle. But I worked in this antique shop and started collecting things myself. And I didn’t work in the retail part of it. I was a waitress, they had a tea room in the back, but I fell in love with the atmosphere. And it’s still in existence. I grew up in Texas, a little town called Waxahachie. And it’s a place called the Dove’s Nest. So for the retailer, and excellence awards that was held in Dallas, was in my neck of the woods where I grew up. And so I took my staff because I brought them along to the award ceremony. And I, I took I brought three of them with me, there were four of us. And I took them down 20 minutes south of Dallas to walk Sachi where I grew up to this tea room, an antique shop, where I think that’s where I fell in love with the retail world. And then I went to college had a career in teaching, which kept my creative juices going. But whenever I would travel or visit a store, everywhere I went, I would think I would love to do something like this, I would want to carry that I would want to do it that way. Oh, I wouldn’t want to do it like that. So it’s just kind of building and building inside of me. And then I moved way up north and Wisconsin to this special place called the North Woods is a touristy area. It’s full of lakes and forests, and people that come and visit and stay in cabins and cottages. And it’s such a unique place. I thought, I have to start writing about this. And I started blogging about living here about decorating our cabin. And people started asking, Where did you get that? Where did you get that? How did you do that? Can you help me decorate that. And I thought, well, I can’t really bring much more into my own house. And I love the treasure hunting. I love buying things, finding things, sourcing things. And people are asking for it. So maybe I should do it. So I kind of made a transition into really dreaming about this thing that was in my heart. And you know, it’s worth trying, I don’t want to look back someday and think I wish I would have done it. So that’s kind of where it all started.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

I love it. And congrats. I’m so glad that you follow that pull, because I feel like you’re really showing up for the people who are asking for it and for your community. And I also really love that you took your team to where it all started. Like I got chills when you said that that’s a pretty special moment that you guys all got to do.

 

Kristin Lenz  

It was special for sure. Yeah. And because they’re such a part of what I do. I mean, that is I mean, really, they’re the key of it. Because I really think surrounding myself, I think for any business owner, especially, you know, retail, where you’re face to face with so many people who you have on your team is vital. You know, and it’s vital for when they work with customers and for behind the scenes for us to all have fun together. I mean, that’s huge for me, and I think social media, it really shows up in that. Like, we want them to see how much fun we’re having and the silliness, how we recreate things that we put into the shop. There’s just so many ways that we can do that. But I think the team, you know, I’m not alone in anything I’m doing so That’s huge.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

It is huge. Now, when did you open your store with a team like, or what were you solo for a little bit? Well, you just kind of take us through like, the first few of your hires and when that happened.

 

Kristin Lenz  

Yeah, so when I first decided yet, we’re going to do this, I had a friend that I saw some of her painted furniture. And I said, I love this, this is something that I would love to put in my shop. And so I kind of shared my dream with her first. And she said, You know what, I have a little dream like that, too. And before I got home, she messaged me and said she wanted to be on board with this. And we got to know each other through social media, actually, she was one of my followers that we started talking and then she moved into the area. So she was newer into the area. But her background is in merchandising, her degree and her business background is all in retail, and Merchandising, and she is so gifted. So kind of it’s like putting a puzzle together, you know, you have everybody’s gifts and how they can be used, can pull everybody up together to make this wonderful thing. And I, you know, I really believe in not just bringing those great people on, but letting them do their thing. Like what they’re good at, I do not need to micromanage anyone. Just let them do their great thing. You know, just share, I may have ideas that I share with her over a vision for something, and then she runs with it. I learned from her. You know, I think that’s one of the greatest things too, is what I can learn from the people that I hire. So the next person I hired. So what for about three weeks, I was open just three days, I did kind of a quiet opening, it was just me for about three weeks, for three days a week, just kind of quietly doing it. And then Diana came on board, and she was my shopkeep. So I was just talking about. And then I brought on a bookkeeper. And I knew, I think it’s all of us knowing what your gifts are and whether or not. And I knew that I could handle keeping the books, but I knew it was something I would push off and push off. And then all of a sudden I’d be flooded with this job that made what I do not fun. And I had a friend who was in everything we volunteered in together, she was always the treasurer. She had been an accountant. So I was like, You know what she might want. You know, a lot of us were in transitions of our kids growing up, and we had a little more freedom to maybe go back to work. And so I just said, Hey, would you want to come on one day a week and be my bookkeeper. So that’s been a fabulous addition to the team too. And then I had a customer who just kept mentioning when she would come in that she would love being part of it. We started looking for somebody to help on the weekends. And so we tried her out. And she’s been amazing, too. So I have a whole, you know, kind of written out belief of what I think my employees need to be. And so it’s really important that they all support each other, that they are creative, that they jump in, you know, small businesses, right, we have to wear every hat. So whether, you know, I’m up here doing a podcast, I may be scrubbing the floor emptying the trash. After I’m done with this my day to day, Diane and I had a town council meeting for some things we’re trying to get approved for. We had and then I went to a flower garden, a gal that does cut flowers, because we want to add that layer into the shop. So we went to see her garden and talk about how that would work. And I’m on a podcast. So all the hats we have to wear. And I think that’s what, I mean when I keep talking about fun and how important that is to me. And working as a team it is that everybody chips in with everything. We keep it light. You know, I am probably gonna jump to a bunch of your questions as I jump around, right creatives, this is what we do. We jump all over the place, but I was on vacation in Montana one year. And this was just this past Christmas. And the bathroom had overflowed. Right so the whole team was in there. And they were laughing. I mean, it could have been stressful, hectic, and it was, but it’s all just like mindset and attitude and like we’re gonna get through this. It’s okay, we’ll handle it. So important to get those people. I brought on a gal a year ago that helps with social media. And that’s been a huge fun help too. Because not only do I have my shop’s social media, and website but I have my blog and my personal ones too. So they all kind of work together. But when you think about how many, you know, Instagram and Tiktok, all the different ones that’s a lot of time. So we do do a lot of scheduling, which helps to, and planning out for things. I try to not over meeting anything with all my team. But I do try to do a beginning of the week meeting with my shopkeeper, and then my social media manager, kind of my managers. So that helps a tonne to kind of stay on the same page with what we’re doing. I’ve added in, because I think a lot of it is listening to those employees too. And one of them said, It’s hard because I’m only here two days a week. So I also have a gal that I hired that helps put everything online, because that was a huge priority to us was to have everything online. So I brought somebody in that does all our online, because we knew that was going to be so important for our shop, that anything they see in the shop, they could see online as well and get all the details about it. So that is a huge project, huge project. So I have a gal, two of the people on my staff are professional photographers. And so they help take the photography and get things online. Diana, my shopkeep helps with a lot of that as well. So another team effort that we make plans for and goals for, and then try to keep up with it. And that’s a great social media thing to sharing what’s new.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Oh, absolutely. I mean, and I think we’ll, we’ll jump to social media next. But I just want to say, you know, talking about the team aspect, I say this all the time, teamwork makes the dream work. Like you just, you really can’t operate a business and grow a business without help, you have to have support. And I know that there are some retailers listening to this who might be solo, or maybe have one or two part time, but they’re doing a lot, they’re working really hard. And I just feel like that’s a fast track to burnout. And to your point, we’re not good at everything. And so if we can bring on people that can support us in those ways to allow us to give our you know, what we call unique abilities to the business. So we can spend more time with customers or spend time buying or the things that we are great at, it can help build the store, I just think that people sometimes have a fear of hiring or you know, adding more expense. And I just really encourage people to look at it as a way that you can grow, and really move into a space that you love in your business. And I just feel like you’ve done that so well in a short period of time. So things were kind of pulling the curtain behind, you know, open and showing us what’s behind there.

 

Kristin Lenz  

Yeah, because it is it is a decision to make that yes, expense. You know, I, I started something in our community. And in my head, I just call at rising tides because I love that, quote, rising tide lifts all boats. And I pulled together a lot of the women that own small businesses, and try to get together once a month with them. And I think if that’s somebody, if somebody listening is kind of on their own, that that can be a way to build a team. If even if you aren’t hiring, like to get feedback from other business owners that you meet with, you know, not to sit and complain about what’s happening. But you could say, are you seeing this in town too? Is every Tuesday dead? You know, right? Or are you seeing a shift and how much engagement you get on Instagram or just to have that somebody to bounce ideas back and forth so that you’re not thinking? Is it really something I’m doing? I think you can build your own team outside of your shop as well.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Absolutely. That’s great advice for those that don’t maybe have that help in store, even if you do talk to your neighboring businesses and hear what’s going on with everybody. Two heads are better than one. I say that all the time as well. Now, let’s talk about social media. Because you do I mean, I feel like you’re on almost every platform and you have some solid numbers on Pinterest, you’re getting about 3.6 million views a month that you have over 47,000 followers on your personal Instagram where you are talking a lot about business to though, in the store. So how crucial has social media been for the growth of White Arrows Home and what strategies have worked the best?

 

Kristin Lenz  

It is essential. I can’t imagine doing it without it for the ways that it educates me on what to do in my business too and what feedback I hear from people or what they’re asking for. But my biggest thing is relationships too. And that’s how I can get it and, you know where I live, I mentioned it’s a small town or a tourist town. on. So we have quiet times. And if I want my business to be open, and these are all decisions, you know, some smaller towns and small businesses make a decision that they’re not going to be open every month of the year, or they’re not going to open every day. And everybody makes what’s best for them. And I wanted to be open all the time. So I need to have a national audience. So building that social media, lets us send things to people from all over. I mean, we dropped off five packages this morning, we have two more getting packaged right now. And a lot of those things don’t just come from seeing it on the website, from searches, it comes from seeing it over our stories. If I do, I try to do a Monday Live tour of the shop every Monday. So I walk around and share information. I want everybody to know what’s coming up, but also see what’s in the shop. And then people can ask questions. Often we do some live sales, and showcase some certain items. So I think I mean, it’s crucial to me for building relationships with customers. And you know, getting the products out there in front of more people. Absolutely. A part of our business is also helping people decorate their homes, whether it’s a small, just come help hang our pictures in the right places, to decorating a whole empty house that they want to become a rental, you know, it’s anything and relationship building is the biggest part of that they might start being a customer, and then want to work with us in more ways. So

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

It’s so true. I mean, I’ll talk about this a lot when I’m, you know, in seminars, or if I have two different people, two different interior designers to choose from. And I am meeting you and your team and seeing all sorts of things about you on Instagram that can be personal and about your expertise and your products. And then there’s another interior designer, where I barely know anything about them. Of course, who are we going to pick, we’re gonna pick the person that I’ve gotten to know, I feel like I know, like, I feel like we’re friends because of your content, time and time again, it’s going to win. And I want you know, sometimes that takes time, it doesn’t mean like you post and then immediately you’re getting a new client or immediately you’re selling out of that product. It does. It’s all about the awareness and relationship building to your point.

 

Kristin Lenz  

Yes, and I also think, you know, as I’ve been on some of these platforms for a long time, and you have to stay flexible, and you have to try to not take things personally, you know, some things are the algorithm and some things, you know, just aren’t going to resonate every time. And so to try to stay grounded in why we’re doing what we’re doing, what we believe in, not trying to copy other people, but also learn from other people. You know, if you see something that you’re like, I love what they’re doing. I mean, how flattering to say maybe we could try something like that. So I think, you know, there’s so many free ways to learn from other people to just see what you like, but I, you know, I’ve started hiding my light counts in the last year. You know, there’s some things that help take the vanity out of it. And just look at you know, then then we can evaluate the statistics ourselves, and see what we think is working and what isn’t, and, and then bottom line deciding what we want to show and what we want it to be and stay true to that no matter what is the end thing sometimes. So you have to find that balance.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

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Kristin Lenz  

Yeah, because it doesn’t take away what you can still look at and evaluate. Right. But it takes away that, you know, just like my teenage daughters, who are whoever it takes away that, oh, nobody’s liking it yet. You know, look at it the next day. And see, I also think, because, you know, Instagram just unveiled threads recently, which is kind of like their Twitter ish. Sharing, I think it’s a good idea for any new social media or new thing out there to, to take a look at it. And if you think it’s something that can help your business, get on it as soon as possible. So because I think you’ll make bigger gains, and start to help people know you’re going to communicate in this way. And, you know, part of one of those hats that I wear is a lot of the content creation for things, and working with autumn, that helps with social media in the shop, and planning things out. And for me, if I have a set like this is what I like to do on Mondays. So nice. That flies out the window. Yeah, like, yeah, and on Wednesdays, I’m gonna review the budget, Tuesdays, I’m gonna create content. Thursdays, I’m gonna look at inventory, like I have a plan, that hopefully I can get to a little of it each day. You know, it’s very hard. But that helps my brain when I have these big huge things that I have to do, to kind of batch it together. So when I talk about like, the content and getting things because I think a lot of businesses, social media is overwhelming for them. Most of them that I know it’s overwhelming. And so if we can batch some videos, or make a content calendar and say, You know what, Fridays we’re going to showcase a piece of furniture. Thursdays, we’re going to showcase what’s new, like, pick a few things, and then stick with it for a few weeks and see how it goes. Because then it becomes easier and easier. And you have to just start doing something. We can like paralyze ourselves to do nothing. So if we can just pick something simple and start, and then we’ll get excited and we’ll grow on it. And you can use like, part of the reason I love Pinterest is because whatever we share on Instagram, or in my blog post, we can send straight to Pinterest. So any of those time because like timesavers are so helpful of you know, we can make it easier than we think it is in our heads sometimes.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Oh, we love overcomplicating social medias. I mean, and I get it if we didn’t draw, it changes all the time it feels you just feel like you have to do it all the time. And it’s going to take a bunch of time. But really I say this a lot. Social can be simple. Yes doesn’t necessarily mean it’s easy. You do need to put some thought into it. You need to create the content, you have to be consistent. But it really can be simple. And to your point of just picking some of these we call them either pillars or themes that you focus on for those days. Try them out, be consistent. See how your audience is resonating and go from there. We really don’t need to overcomplicate it. Yeah. Yeah, it’s so true. Now I have to ask, is there one platform that’s really working best for you right now? Or is it kind of a blend of multiple?

 

Kristin Lenz  

It’s a blend between Instagram and Facebook? Okay. Instagram Instagrams, my first love. So I think, you know, that’s kind of where it is. But I had, I actually had to keep a notebook because I have people communicating with me in so many places, because I’ll get emails. I’ll get DMS personally. And I say personally, my personal Instagram is my blog Instagram, so it’s still business. So my blog Instagram, my shop, Instagram, you know, Facebook, I have a couple different groups on Facebook too, that I have. So I have to remember, oh my gosh, where did they ask me that? So I have to keep a little little note. So I think for me what I like about Instagram and Facebook is it seems so immediate to me like that they can reach out. You know, I may not be checking my emails as many times during the day is when I’m walking through the shop to see what I’m going to share and I peek at it and they can ask. I do try to tell people to like I try to respond quickly. Even if it’s to tell people that I’m not going to respond for a little while. So I may say, I just want you to know, I saw your message. I’ll get back to you, hopefully by tomorrow. And then often I’ll say, if you don’t hear back from me, will you please circle back because I don’t want to miss talking with you. Because I don’t, but I can get too much going on. And then it gets lost. And so those things have been helpful to me.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Yeah, yeah, you and you, because I want to just remind people like on Kristen’s Instagram, you 47,000 people who are connecting with you there. And so that can, you can get a lot of comments, and DMS and a lot of activity there to be able to respond. And so I love the approach of just at the very least say, Hey, I read this, I see you, and I’m going to try my best. Because once you’re at that level, it can be challenging, you kind of have to manage the expectations. And when

 

Kristin Lenz  

We talked about remembering why you do what you do. I do these things, because I love connecting with people. So if I get away from that, I know that down the road, I’m going to not enjoy doing it. Yep, so I need to stay true to why I do it. Or change how I do it. So that’s what I found to do. And I think that’s a big part, though. And why I love my meetings with my staff and talking things over with them. Because I’m a dreamer. So I can think up all kinds of great things. But I have to also be a realist. You know, I have to balance those two things. And so when we talk in the week about what’s worked well last week, and what do we want to do this week? And sometimes I’ll say to them, okay, sit down, you know, me, I’m going to share some stuff with you. But I know this won’t happen yet. But then we can also look at things and say, let’s, let’s change that, you know, we have to be flexible to make changes and retail, especially as I mean, the world changes so fast. Yes. So we have to be ready for that and, and move with it. So

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Tt’s so so true. And good reminder for everybody that’s listening as well. Now entrepreneurship can have some highs and lows, I would love for you to share one challenge that almost made you rethink your decision of opening the store and/or a triumph moment that validated your journey in this industry.

 

Kristin Lenz  

Well, I have to admit that I have had challenges, but I have had none that have made me rethink what I’ve done. I think the challenges are the day to day wanting to do more than maybe my budget will allow wanting to bring more people in, you know, to relieve some of those hats we all wear so wanting things to move faster than maybe they’re going to. So it’s more of those day to day challenges that don’t make me think what am I doing here, but just make me think through my day to day things. You know, like I said that bathroom, overflowing. There may be moments like that, where you’re like what is happening here, but it doesn’t, it doesn’t derail anything. triumphs. We keep track of that daily because it encourages us so much. You know, I keep a wall behind me where I have letters posted. Oh, I mean, we get comments from people all the time or letters, we have people from far away that send us handwritten letters, you know, that bring us gifts when they come to town. So like I said, those relationship things, but we keep track at our checkout, of how many people are coming in at certain times of the day. And we keep track of comments that people make. Because then we can look back and say, oh my gosh, they love this about us or they love. So the triumphs are building on all those little success stories with each person. Because every person that comes in, you know, we want them to be happy. Now there’s people that come in that you can tell in five seconds, whether you’re going to ever make them happy or not. You can read people really quickly. But when we know, one thought, one comment that’s not positive stays with you so long, and you forget all the good things you heard all day. So keeping track of those things really, really helps us. And so we start each of our Monday, little meetings with our wins. That’s what we call it. So that’s how we start, every Monday is looking back at the wins from last week. And then we’ll head into what we need to work on or those kind of things, but to start with the positive really helps build on to those triumphs. And I think, you know we’ve changed locations. So last November. We packed up our whole shop, we were renting and now we own. So we, we made that decision and moved to a spot. So we had that move the whole shop was a big challenge too. But it went pretty much effortlessly, it really, really went well. And it was mostly us girls doing all the work carload by carload. So that was interesting. You know, triumphs, too, I like to do things with my staff. So we’ve taken a couple of trips, whether it’s just a weekend to another area, because one of the ways I love to learn more about what I want to do in my shop is traveling to other places and seeing what other communities are doing. And just get ideas that way. So I’ll do that with my staff sometimes, like let’s go have an overnight and a place like Stillwater, Minnesota, or some great little town. So just that time away from the shop to get to know each other is really fun. So I think building in those little triumphs, and just as we grow and add new things that we’ve dreamed about, like I said, I’ll tell my staff, I’m thinking about doing something like this. And then to see that it starts to happen. So we have a building behind our main shop. And we’ve been turning it into a gathering space that people can rent for an event. And we’re going to be hosting book clubs, cookbook clubs, bingo nights, workshops, all kinds of things. And so we’re in the last few weeks of decorating it and getting it ready for September. So just to see those dreams happen, and people get excited about it. And that’s where social media helps too, you can kind of lay out the little trail and get people excited about what’s coming. So

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Yep, the behind the scenes, they’re all a part of it, then it’s a better launch. And they just and then again, they build the relationship, and then talk about relationship building with your team. I mean, traveling and getting that connection and learning more about each other. And then the inspiration of being outside of your location. I couldn’t agree with that more. And I think that I feel it’s kind of rare to do those kinds of things with your team, and get outside of the store, get outside of the business. I think that better answers or more creative questions or ideas happen in new environments. And so when you take your team to those places, you’re going to find those benefits. So I absolutely love that you do that. I’m actually taking my team to New York City in October, this will already happen when this is aired. But a big reason is I just want to connect personally, I want to have fun in my most favorite city. And I want to see what comes up for us. You know, like, it’s just, there’s no agenda. It’s just like, let’s connect. Let’s have fun, and see what happens. And so I love so much that you do that with your team. That’s really awesome.

 

Kristin Lenz  

Yeah, so it’s a fun way to show some special appreciation to her for what they’re doing in a different way. So totally, yeah. Okay. Sounds so fun.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

I know, I just thought we’re going to Hamilton. Like I love Hamilton and it sounds like everybody’s pretty stoked. So I’m pretty excited. Let’s switch gears a little bit and talk just a little bit about your podcast. Because you co host the Cabincast, which I absolutely love that name. How do you juggle the world of podcasting with everything else that you’re doing?

 

Kristin Lenz  

Well, I it all goes back to the same things for me, right. It’s like the teamwork. And so co hosting helps me for sure. Because Eric, who I co host with, he’s another he owns a large retail furniture store in town. And I actually started when I first started blogging, and then started kind of growing and my business people were asking me different stores in town to help with their social media. So that put me in retail a little bit too. So I was helping them with their Instagram. And I was helping one of the garden studios in town and some other people get started. But as I was helping him and I was also a customer. He said that he had wanted to do a podcast and I said oh I have that dream too. And he was further along in his plans for it and asked if I would consider co hosting and I said I would love to so for me that teamwork of he understands more of the tech side I kind of work with getting the interviews and the social media part like finding again what works well and what doesn’t. So that has helped. Again the staying flexible we have not recorded all summer. He has little ones minor older and he just needed to spend more time with them this summer so like okay, We got it. And we’ll kick back off. But my family too, having the support of your family to understand like, why you’re spending the time doing what you’re doing. But I think that the podcasting is another one of those elements that matters to me to share stories and connect with people. And what I learned from the people we interview is so fun, and I got to interview some people that they’re authors of books I sell in my shop, or they’re, like, designers that I am in awe of, or brands that I’m like, am I really talking to these people today? You know, it’s just a really special way to share information with other people while I get to learn and have fun, too. So it’s been a really exciting, fun aspect of what I do. So I’ve enjoyed it.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Yeah, one, I feel like you pointed out something really great that if you need to take the summer off, you can. I mean, you don’t have to, there’s a lot of flexibility with shows and a lot of different ways you can do it. I feel like there’s a lot of opportunities with podcasting and retailers. It’s not going to make sense for everybody. But I do see a lot of opportunities. I think it’s going to continue to grow. And we’ll see more independent retailers with their own shows. How has your show helped build your retail shop?

 

Kristin Lenz  

Well, it’s a fun way to find out because when, I can tell when someone walks in the front door, if there are one of my followers, or one of my listeners, just by how they look at me. So you know, and then I’ll have, you know, someone’s husband, I’ll compensate. She doesn’t want to say anything. But we love listening to you on the way up. So kind of what we market our podcast is a little you know, listen to our podcast, as you drive up to your cabin for the weekend or on your way home. We’re your getaway primer for your weekend. Have fun. So a lot of people do that. And so hearing people when they come in, share how much they like it not airing the summer and finding out that they miss it. And asking when are you going to start up again, that shows how much it does matter. And people are listening, it’s been really fun to see that and to say, here’s an author, and we carry their books in our shop. Or, or when I’m in the shop, I get to say, oh my gosh, these are some of my favorite books. And we have this interview with the author on my podcast. So we keep, I have fliers about the podcast. And I also have little business card size. And it has a QR code to go directly. It opens up and whatever they listen, if they listen on Apple, they listen on Spotify, wherever it opens right to that. And so that’s such an easy, oh, well, here’s the card, you can take it and listen. So having those things ready to share with people is great. So I love that back and forth of what I can share in the shop with like I said a book or a product or, you know, we just talked about s’mores and gathering around the fire on your weekends and how important that is for great family time and with your friends. And here’s some great stuff to make s’mores we have in the shop. So it can lead to great conversations that work to build both.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

No kidding. Well. And it also goes back to the relationship building. You know how you’re saying that people come into the store, you could tell their listeners or followers or I love the she doesn’t want to say anything. But like I was in a recent example with my fiance. He’s like she wants to ask you something, you know what I’m like, oh, embarrassed and you’re meeting a star and, but that is again, like they want to come in, they want to see you. Like I just love that you’re you have that channel and how it connects. And so we’ll link to the show too, because I just, I think it’s so smart. And especially if anybody is traveling to their cabin, but love that world like well, I feel like it’s very creative. I just feel like that’s a great place to listen.

 

Kristin Lenz  

Yeah, thank you. Yeah.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

With the accolades, growth and brand expansion, how do you personally define success? And what would you say to inspire other independent store owners to chase their dreams? 

 

Kristin Lenz  

For me, success doesn’t just have to do with numbers. It has to do with continuing to love fully what I’m doing and want to keep learning more and growing. So I think that that’s a lot of success. It’s not just the things that other people can see. You know, I think as people drive by our shop, we’re right on the main highway as you come into town. They can see you know, fun Things are happening. And, you know, we repainted the outside of the store. So there’s there’s things I get to see that show continued growth and success. But personally, it’s that I still love what I’m doing. And that, that joy is going to keep that going. You know, so

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

I love it. Yeah. And what would you say? What would be your advice for retailers, for them really wanting to chase their dreams?

 

Oh, goodness, I think, you know, my daughter explained something while the other day to me when she she’s going to go to Germany, I take her Friday, she’s going to go overseas for a year and be an au pair. Because it’s a dream she’s always had. And she said, she thought, when I’m a grandma, and I look back, what will I wish I had tried? And I thought that’s so true. And as I say that, I also believe you’re never too old to do something that you’re interested in. So I think if you have dreams, one of the main things to do is make sure you’re around other dreamers, that, that it can encourage you and get it. You know, you don’t want to be allowed around a lot of the joy suckers in the world that are like, Are you sure you know, you’re like you do need those realists that help you go, you got to think through this, you need to think through this. But a lot of the things you need to think through, you can figure out, you may need to start your dream smaller. You may have a store and you are you keep thinking to about what you wish it was. And what you need to do is just focus on making what it is the best it can be. So it might not even be that you need to keep dreaming something bigger, but water the grass where you’re at and make that fabulous. So I think you know my encouragement is to just take a little self retreat, or get together with your great people. And if you have no great people you can reach out to me or crystal, I know you would love encouraging people to so so you’re nobody’s ever alone in that I would love to encourage anybody to just say, you know, start small and see what happens. Because you don’t want to wish you had it would be better to try. And I have tried things and other chapters in my life that did not work out. And I don’t regret them. I may wish I’d done it a little different. But I’m like that was that chapter and guess what I learned and, and keep going. But thank goodness, I tried it because it does build up who you are, whether it’s good or bad stuff. So I just hope everybody either waters the grass or you are to make it the best it can be. Or it could be even like my friend that decided she had a little dream too. But she loved what I was up to. And let’s do it together. When I did the podcast with Eric, I wanted to do a podcast and he was doing one. Well, that’s still my dream too, even if he started it. So you could jump in with someone else to do it together. So

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

So okay, you just gave such great advice. There are a lot of pieces in there for our retailers. So I’m so glad of what you said in there. I really appreciate that. And I just couldn’t agree more with what you said. Now, before we go into our resilience round, White Arrows Home has seen tremendous growth and success in a short span. What’s next on the horizon for you and your brand? Where’s your arrow pointing to?

 

Kristin Lenz  

Well, I have a book coming out next fall. Yeah. So you know, we talked about that, those dreams and the resiliency and like trying something and so I just turned in the whole finished manuscript, finished with my editor. And so that’ll be coming out, I’ll start sharing as we get closer, you know, and maybe nine months from now or so, a little bit more of the details, but so I have a book coming out. And hopefully it won’t be the last one. So that’s a fun journey. I shared a little bit about this back building that we’re working on. So my office is in the upstairs and then the downstairs is where we’re creating the space. And so that dream is continuing to grow. So we call it the paddle club, like I said, where we live as all lakes and and I don’t think I explained this. So I’m going to interject where my name comes from. So White Arrows when people are like what in the world does that mean? So where we live in this tourist area called the North Woods. Everywhere you go our white wooden arrow signs and they’re stacked up on posts or on trees at road intersections. And they people’s names are on them. The name of their cottage is on them a restaurant, a school, a business, and they point your way everywhere. So when I moved up here, I was like they were such an iconic, nostalgic piece of where we lived that I’m like, oh, I want to call it white arrows and So that’s kind of where the name comes from. So living in this place, then a lot of the things kind of focus on that. And that’s where kind of paddle club came from, is that I wait to gather.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Yeah, you are brand like on point with your brand here and just pulling it into the connection of the community and where you’re located. And I just love what you’re doing. And congrats on the book, I am starting the process of writing my own book. And it seems like it’s a big, you know, it’s not an easy undertaking. So congrats. So I can’t wait to read your book. Can you share what it’s about? Or are we not yet?

 

Kristin Lenz  

It is about a lot of things that we’re talking about the dream chasing, and you know, how to get from one point to the next. So I love that encouragement that I love sharing. 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

So beautiful. iIcannot wait to read it. That’s going to be fabulous. Now, are you ready for our resilience round?

 

Kristin Lenz  

I am ready.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

All right, let’s do it. Best Business Book.

 

Kristin Lenz  

I’ve read a lot. The one right now that I have just read is Unreasonable Hospitality. It’s by Will Guidara who is actually in the restaurant business. So New York, you’ll have to head to some of his restaurants.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Totally. Okay, great. And I can’t wait to check that out. I haven’t heard of that one. Yeah, that’s retail technology, like an app or software.

 

Kristin Lenz  

I always sat on this one for a little while. And I have to go back to that we love our square POS system and what that does for us in our website, and communication with customers, it just covers so many things that we need rather than having five different things. So we’ve been happy with our square programme.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Awesome. How do you keep up with the ever changing retail landscape?

 

Kristin Lenz  

The travelling is one of the things I said like what’s happening in some bigger areas of the country. What you know, what is a smaller town doing? What do we, what am I drawn to? So travel helps me see the most I love reading. So I love reading magazines. I love reading books, like you brought up what’s the favorite one right now. So just constantly trying to learn and see what’s out there. I also love watching customer shop. So every time I drive through, I have to drive through our downtown to get to work because our downtown happens to be on the main highway or main thoroughfare and seeing how many bags are they carrying? Big bags, little bags, lots of bags? Are they just walking around? As I shop in other places? What are they picking up? What are they looking at? You know, these are some of those things too. I’ve learned working with some of my teammates, you know, Diana, whose background is in merchandising, let’s see what people are gravitating to. And so looking at what consumers are doing.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

That’s a good one. Be curious. Pay attention. I love that. Because retail is ever changing. How do you recharge your batteries?

 

Kristin Lenz  

I hope and try to not do as much social media or any of that on the weekends. Like, especially Sunday. So my shop is not open on Sunday, give everybody a break. And if I can totally focus on what I’m doing, and not be having to work. My problem is I love working. I love writing. I love all the stuff I do. So it’s not like it’s a pain for me to do it at home even. But to just put it away, try to put it away more that can help me recharge, spend time with my kids, I have five of them. And whatever time I can have with any of them as my favorite.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Awesome to help retailers be stronger, more rooted in success. What’s a retail foundational best practice?

 

Kristin Lenz  

For me it all goes back to customer service. And how we can do that. You know, and going back to even evaluating if there’s something that a customer didn’t like, do we take what they said and make a change or make something different or right? Or do we look at it and saying no, they don’t have grounds for what they just didn’t like about something so. But that relationship building that leads to more shopping that leads to looking at our website to buy something when they get home thinking of us for gifts. Like I want to stop in there. Let’s see what they have going on when my friends are in town that we have to go there. We want to be the place to go. So customer service.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Mm hmm. Awesome. Finally, what does the future for independent retailers look like?

 

Kristin Lenz  

I think it’s going to be essential to be online. I think to reach people who have learned to shop in different ways in the past few years. And for the different ways that do you have to be competitive with what’s out there, even for people Selling antiques and one of the kinds, there’s other suppliers out there that people are used to looking at, and have apps on their phones and things to look at all the time to get things. So you’re gonna have to be able to differentiate yourself somehow and have it available to people wherever they are. But I think a lot of the retail, you know, brick and mortar is going to need to feel like a great destination is going to need to be worth going to for the experience. So it’s going to be, I mean, that landscape has been changing for hundreds of years, 100 years, you know, so to keep changing with that time, but make it worth somebody coming in person to see what you have. So whether things are changing often, or you make some special event that makes them want to stop in and see your keep it on their calendar, or like I said earlier, something that Oh, and your friends are in town, we gotta go there, we got to think of that for the gift that we need to stop and pick up quickly. keep educating people on shopping small and local, as much as you can, I think is really important. Because I think as small businesses, we need to keep supporting each other. So as much as we can help. People want to come to our whole community can help too. So what can we do to make people want to come here and big groups, whether it’s women’s groups, or if it’s quiet in April? What can we do in April to make it fun to come here. So that’s another one of those reaching out to people in your community and see what you can do together. So becoming a great destination and being online are things I think that are going to be really important.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Yeah, I completely agree. I love it. That’s so good. Kristin, how can people find out more information and connect with you?

 

Kristin Lenz  

Oh, so many ways, they can search anything @whitearrows.home.com. So whether that’s on Pinterest, Instagram, the blog, any of those things, and also whitearrowshome_theshop.com.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Awesome. And we will link to all that in the show notes as well. Thank you so much. This was such a great conversation. Like we dove into a lot of aspects of retail here and I love what you’ve built and that you really just shared kind of behind the scenes with us and how big of a dreamer you are. This is really a fun conversation. So I appreciate your time.

 

Kristin Lenz  

It was truly an honor. Thank you so much.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Thank you everybody. Remember that I am rooting for your success. Have a great week ahead. Bye. Thank you so much for being here. It means the world to me. Don’t forget to join the Rise and Shine newsletter which is Social Media News You Need to Know sent via email every Monday morning. Go to Crystal media seo.com/rise to join and don’t miss the newest episode of Rooted and Retail which drops every Sunday morning