What happens when the next generation returns to the family shoe store — not just to help, but to lead? In this episode, Pete Mohr is joined by Abba Carmichael (Abba Dabba’s), Jake Humphreys (Humphreys Bootery), and Keegan Keel (K&D Shoes) — three independent retailers shaping the future of footwear.

They get honest about:
→ Why they left the business — and what brought them back
→ Challenges of stepping into leadership while earning team trust
→ How they’re balancing legacy with innovation
→ Their vision for independent footwear retail in the next decade

If you’re part of a family-run business or considering a leadership handoff, this episode will give you clarity, encouragement, and ideas for how to do it right.

Connect with the Guests:
→ Abba Carmichael: abba@coolshoes.com | abbadabba.com
→ Jake Humphreys: jake.humphreys@humphreysbootery.com | humphreysbootery.com
→ Keegan Keel: keegan@kndsafetyshoes.com | kndshoes.com

Connect with Pete Mohr:
→ Website: simplifyingentrepreneurship.com
→ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/petemohr
→ Podcast: thefootwearretailer.com

PLUS: Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you move from the Operator’s seat to the Owner’s seat in your business:

1. Take the Value Builder Assessment to better understand the areas of your business that add the most value to your business - Click Here

2. Uncover your Kolbe. Whether just for you, or for your full team, better understand leadership strengths and ways you can advance your People - Click Here.

3. Listen my other podcast Business Owner Breakthrough podcast as well for quick tools and tips - Click Here

If you’re tired of flying blind in your business, this episode is your cheat code. Pete Mohr is joined by Dan Holman—retail coach, POS expert, and founder of Retail by CRS—for a no-fluff conversation about the metrics, tools, and systems that independent retailers need to grow. From breaking down what your POS system should really be doing, to tracking the few numbers that move the needle, this episode gives you actionable insights you can apply today.

Learn:
→ How to know if your inventory is helping or hurting you
→ What to track weekly (even if you're not a numbers person)
→ The simple question that boosts team accountability
→ How to move unsold stock without “losing” money
→ Why most point-of-sale systems miss the mark

📍 Guest: Dan Holman
Website: https://www.retailbycrs.com
Email: dan@retailbycrs.com
Instagram: @retailbycrs
Facebook: Retail by CRS
Linkedin: Canadian Retail Solutions Inc.
Podcast: The Wealthy Retailer® Podcast

🎙 Host: Pete Mohr
Website:https://simplifyingentrepreneurship.com
Podcast: The Footwear Retailer Podcast
Instagram: @petesmohr
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SimplifyingEntrepreneurship

PLUS: Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you move from the Operator’s seat to the Owner’s seat in your business:

1. Take the Value Builder Assessment to better understand the areas of your business that add the most value to your business - Click Here

2. Uncover your Kolbe. Whether just for you, or for your full team, better understand leadership strengths and ways you can advance your People - Click Here.

3. Listen my other podcast Business Owner Breakthrough podcast as well for quick tools and tips - Click Here

In this episode of The Footwear Retailer Podcast, Pete Mohr sits down with Terry Schalow, Executive Director of the Running Industry Association (RIA), to explore how independent run specialty stores continue to grow—even amid inflation, tariffs, and supply chain uncertainty.

Terry shares the three pillars of RIA's support strategy:

→ Elevating retailers through tools like freight savings and product data systems

→ Strengthening the channel through collaboration and peer groups

→ Attracting new customers by helping stores build diverse, connected communities

They also cover:

→ What defines a true run specialty store

→ Why the run channel has never seen negative growth in 25 years

→ How stores can prepare for the impact of upcoming tariff increases

→ Why community and communication are more important than ever in retail

Whether you're a footwear retailer or a specialty store owner, this episode offers real-world tactics to improve margins, increase connection, and survive in a changing landscape.

Learn more about the Running Industry Association: https://runningindustry.org

Contact Terry: terry@runningindustry.org

Connect with Host Pete Mohr:

Website: https://simplifyingentrepreneurship.com
Podcast: https://www.thefootwearretailer.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petermohr/

PLUS: Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you move from the Operator’s seat to the Owner’s seat in your business:

1. Take the Value Builder Assessment to better understand the areas of your business that add the most value to your business - Click Here

2. Uncover your Kolbe. Whether just for you, or for your full team, better understand leadership strengths and ways you can advance your People - Click Here.

3. Listen my other podcast Business Owner Breakthrough podcast as well for quick tools and tips - Click Here

In this episode of The Footwear Retailer Podcast, Pete Mohr sits down with siblings and second-generation owners Morgan and Everett Kunitz of Kunitz Shoes—a proudly independent retailer that’s scaled with intention, weathered challenges, and built a private label brand that speaks directly to their Edmonton customers.

From navigating family succession to building out a highly functional eCommerce platform and crossing oceans to source custom-designed footwear, this episode offers a raw, honest look into what it really takes to sustain and grow a legacy business in today’s unpredictable retail climate.

Whether you're in footwear retail, managing a family business, or just looking for smart ways to adapt your operations—this episode is full of actionable gold.

🧠 Key Takeaways for Viewers:

→ Succession planning takes time, strategy, and flexibility—learn how Morgan and Everett transitioned ownership without debt overload
→ Not all expansion is equal—hear why they closed one location, relocated another, and what they’d do differently now
→ Your website is your third store—discover how they built an online presence that fuels in-store sales
→ Private label success isn’t about scale—it’s about timing, relationships, and knowing your customer
→ Marketing doesn’t have to be boring—see how they integrate community, creativity, and local artists into campaigns
→ Sometimes the smartest move is saying no—find out how they handle late deliveries, vendor issues, and when to sit on stock for the right moment
→ Your best investment might be your own business—why they prioritize cash flow, margin, and smart inventory management

🎙️ Connect with the Guest:

🛍️ Visit their website: https://kunitzshoes.ca
📧 Contact Morgan & Everett: info@kunitzshoes.ca
📸 Follow them on Instagram & Facebook: @kunitz_shoes /

PLUS: Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you move from the Operator’s seat to the Owner’s seat in your business:

1. Take the Value Builder Assessment to better understand the areas of your business that add the most value to your business - Click Here

2. Uncover your Kolbe. Whether just for you, or for your full team, better understand leadership strengths and ways you can advance your People - Click Here.

3. Listen my other podcast Business Owner Breakthrough podcast as well for quick tools and tips - Click Here

In this episode, Melodie van der Baan, co-founder of MaxRetail, dives deep into one of retail’s most persistent challenges: excess inventory.

Rather than starting with her background, Pete will immediately lead with a thought-provoking question to set the stage for a conversation packed with actionable insights.

Listeners will walk away with:
✅ A better understanding of how excess inventory impacts their business.
✅ Practical strategies to efficiently manage and liquidate stock.
✅ Clear insights into how platforms like MaxRetail can help streamline inventory challenges.

Learn more about Max Retail:
Website: https://www.maxretail.com
Connect with Melodie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melodie-van-der-baan/

Connect with Host Pete Mohr:
Website: https://simplifyingentrepreneurship.com
Podcast: https://www.thefootwearretailer.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petermohr/

Want to join Max Retail? Click here!

PLUS: Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you move from the Operator’s seat to the Owner’s seat in your business:

1. Take the Value Builder Assessment to better understand the areas of your business that add the most value to your business - Click Here

2. Uncover your Kolbe. Whether just for you, or for your full team, better understand leadership strengths and ways you can advance your People - Click Here.

3. Listen my other podcast Business Owner Breakthrough podcast as well for quick tools and tips - Click Here

Pete Mohr welcomes Dane from Management One for a no-nonsense conversation about one of the most critical and misunderstood aspects of retail: inventory. They explore the difference between inventory management and inventory planning, why open-to-buy isn’t outdated, and how retailers can use data to stop guessing and start profiting—even in uncertain times.

What You’ll Learn:
→ Why slashing expenses won’t save your store
→ The real cost of dead inventory (and what to do about it)
→ How open-to-buy forecasting gives you control
→ The mistake of underbuying when business slows
→ Why now is the time to double down on your best categories

Guest Info:
Dane from Management One
Website: https://www.management-one.com
Instagram: @m1retailexperts
Email: dane.cohen@gmail.com

Host Info:
Pete Mohr | Simplifying Entrepreneurship
Website: https://simplifyingentrepreneurship.com
Instagram: @petemohr_coach
Email: pete@simplifyingentrepreneurship.com

PLUS: Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you move from the Operator’s seat to the Owner’s seat in your business:

1. Take the Value Builder Assessment to better understand the areas of your business that add the most value to your business - Click Here

2. Uncover your Kolbe. Whether just for you, or for your full team, better understand leadership strengths and ways you can advance your People - Click Here.

3. Listen my other podcast Business Owner Breakthrough podcast as well for quick tools and tips - Click Here

Want more customers walking through your door? This episode is a masterclass in marketing for independent shoe store owners. Pete is joined by Kody Fitzjerrells, founder of Omni Digital Group, to unpack the biggest marketing mistakes retailers make—and how to fix them.

💬 You’ll hear about:

→ The "Five-Mile Famous" strategy that puts your store in front of the right people
→ What most retailers get wrong about Meta ads
→ Why 59% of your customers only shop with you once
→ How to use your customer database to drive repeat traffic
→ Video content strategies anyone can start using this week

📌 Connect with Kody Fitzjerrells

Website: https://www.omnidigitalgroup.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kodyf

📌 Connect with Pete Mohr

Website: https://simplifyingentrepreneurship.com

The Footwear Retailer Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@thefootwearretailer

PLUS: Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you move from the Operator’s seat to the Owner’s seat in your business:

1. Take the Value Builder Assessment to better understand the areas of your business that add the most value to your business - Click Here

2. Uncover your Kolbe. Whether just for you, or for your full team, better understand leadership strengths and ways you can advance your People - Click Here.

3. Listen my other podcast Business Owner Breakthrough podcast as well for quick tools and tips - Click Here

In this powerful conversation, Pete Mohr sits down with industry legend Alan Miklofsky to unpack the real reasons some footwear retailers thrive—and others close their doors too soon. From building a business that's not dependent on you, to understanding KPIs, valuation, and exit readiness, this episode offers essential strategies for every independent shoe store owner.

💬 Topics Covered:
→ How to calculate seller discretionary earnings
→ What KPIs matter most in footwear retail
→ Inventory valuation, markdowns, and customer retention metrics
→ The mindset shift from owner-operator to investor
→ Delegation vs. abdication and building real accountability

💡 Guest: Alan Miklofsky
Alan is a long-time footwear retailer turned business coach and writer. Find his Shoe Store 3.0 Encyclopedia and connect with him here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanmiklofsky/

📩 Want to connect with Alan?

Linkedin: alanmiklofsky

🎙 Host: Pete Mohr
Pete is a Certified Exit Planner helping retail store owners create businesses that thrive with or without them. Learn more: https://theexitreadybusiness.com

📩 Want to connect with Pete?

Email: pete@simplifyingentrepreneurship.com

Website: Shoetopia & Pete-Mohr

Podcast: The Footwear Retailer Podcast

PLUS: Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you move from the Operator’s seat to the Owner’s seat in your business:

1. Take the Value Builder Assessment to better understand the areas of your business that add the most value to your business - Click Here

2. Uncover your Kolbe. Whether just for you, or for your full team, better understand leadership strengths and ways you can advance your People - Click Here.

3. Listen my other podcast Business Owner Breakthrough podcast as well for quick tools and tips - Click Here