Thank You for Understanding (TYFU)

Do you turn left, or do you turn right? In this episode, Beth and Marilla talk about how their stores are laid out and why. We'll probably hear more about this in the future as they start laying out a store together! Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Two heads are better than one, right? Partnerships are common in business and there are lots of kinds of partners. Some might offer capital, a crucial skill set, industry knowledge, or emotional support. But, different visions and personalities can make thing go south in a hurry. In this episode, Beth and Marilla talk about the pros and cons of partnerships and agree that two heads are usually NOT better than one. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign! We use signs around our businesses for customers and employees. Some are our own tags and shelf talkers. Some are for community events. Some we have to hang up because various governments say so. In this episode, Beth and Marilla talk about all kinds of business signage and whether it conveys what we intend. Sometimes signs say more than we think! Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Season 4 has arrived! We'll be recording in an exciting new location from time to time and welcoming two adorable, if preverbal members to the team. But first, Beth and Marilla ponder not being everybody's cup of tea AND drop some big news for Kelly and you! Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

We are about ready to begin production on Season 4 of TYFU, but we couldn't let our THREE YEAR anniversary go by without acknowledging the milestone. Beth is on vacation, so it's up to Marilla to break to break the news to our producer that they have visiting other podcasts on the side. Too Bad for Kelly Walker. In January, Beth and Marilla traveled to Trumansburg to guest on the excellent FLX Flow podcast, which features interesting guests from all around the Finger Lakes. You can follow the link for that episode and all of their wonderful episodes. Thanks to FLX Flow for permission to share the interview with Beth and Marilla in celebration of our anniversary. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Surprise! In the midst of the busiest season in retail, Beth and Marilla return to the Red Room Studio for a bonus holiday podcast. There's a little Today in Retail, some reflection on the season, and a whole lot of TYFU. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

The end of our third season is here. As we look back on our 55th (!!!) episode of TYFU, we're feeling one emotion stronger than others. Gratitude. This week, Beth and Marilla reflect on the things they are grateful for as they head into the choas of the holiday season in retail, but not before Marilla shares an epic Today in Retail. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

We've talked a lot about branding over the years. Marilla created one brand and then, unexpectedly, another. Beth's been thinking a lot about branding lately. This week, Kyle Knobel (who incidentally creates all of TYFU's great graphics) joins Beth and Marilla for a talk about what we mean by "brand" and how small details make a big difference. Would anybody like a New Coke? Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Some business owners are fearful of taking on debt. Others take a more "devil-may-care" approach to borrowing money. In this episode, Michael Scaglione of Finger Lakes Federal Credit Union talks to Beth and Marilla about good debt vs bad, how to know the difference, and how to use debt as a tool for growing small businesses rather than as a life raft for rescuing them. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

We all agree that it takes a certain type of person to succeed in small business, but do we all agree on what type of person that is? This week, Beth and Marilla consider the essential personality characteristics shared by different kinds of micro business owners. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

We are encouraged by how many listeners contact us to say TYFU makes them feel less alone as a small business owner. We are all in this together and want each and every one of us to succeed. Well, except for that one place down the street. We're going to bury that place! This week Beth and Marilla talk about their experiences with competition, healthy and...otherwise. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

We've talked about knowing when it's time to walk away from a business. Handing that business off to somebody else, particularly family, is a whole different matter. This week, Sarah Eighmey from one of our favorite wineries, Anthony Road, joins Beth and Marilla to talk about passing a business from generation to generation. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

What happens when you feel like your small business is taking more than it's giving? How do you deal with employee burnout, customer burnout, or your own sense of overwhelm? In this episode, Beth and Marilla discuss how to handle those inevitable moments when you feel like giving up. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

"Dress for the job you want, not the job you have." As a small business owner, the job you have is (hopefully) the job you want, so what is one to do about a dress code? Do you dress for the vibe of the store? Do you dress to impress your customers? How do you tell your employees to dress?!! Tricky questions one and all, but Beth and Marilla don't shy away from any of them in this episode. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

So...TYFU is ready to make you a deal. Listen to our latest episode and we'll throw in the previous episode for FREE. Okay, okay...they're free all of the time, but some people just love to get something on sale. This week, Beth and Marilla talk about how they feel about PUTTING something on sale. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Owning a small business means hard work, long hours, and lots of stress. Fortunately you can hire good people, delegate some of that work, gain back some time, and sit back and worry about all of the things that might go wrong if you're not personally taking care of everything. This week, Beth and Marilla explore why, with such trustworthy employees, it's still so very hard to delegate tasks in their businesses. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life. That means owning your own business is like taking a permanent vacation, right? RIGHT? This episode, Beth and Marilla talk longingly about taking a real vacation on the eve of Marilla departing for Europe. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Only two things are certain in life: death and taxes. At TYFU, we never want to be downers, so this week we talk about death. A listener and customer of Beth's suggested the topic. John Edson from Bostrom Farms Butcher Shop and Smokeshop joins Beth and Marilla in the Red Room Studio to talk about the surprising ways death can affect small business owners. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Beth raised a child as a small business owner. Our guest this week, Rachel Orlyk, who co-owns Staving Artist in Penn Yan, NY, raised a child as a small business owner. So, the big question is when will Marilla start a family? (Actually, no. That's not the question, and people should stop asking it.) In this episode, we talk about the trials and the joys of raising a family as a small business owner along with a second surprise guest who offers her own first-hand perspective. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

It seems like one day, you're opening the doors for the first time, and the next you've been a beloved local institution for decades. People in our hometown of Geneva, NY miss Area Records. Longtime owner Mikel George joins Beth and Marilla to talk about how and when he knew it was time to close up shop and the big and little factors involved in that decision. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Why sweat the backstabbing, undercutting, competing, copying, litigating, hiring, firing, and quitting when it's all "just business?" In this episode, return guest, Joe Kennedy of The Linden Social, joins Beth and Marilla to talk about the ethical and emotional implications of a phrase we've all heard (and perhaps ever uttered ourselves.) Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

A listener recently wrote in and complimented us on our 10th anniversary of the podcast. We responded that we're only in our 3rd season. They said, no. They're sure we've been running this podcast for 10 years. This week, Beth and Marilla talk about gaslighting from mundane mistakes to alarming accusations. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Sometimes customers come in to buy a book. Sometimes customers come in to refill a jar of spices. Sometimes customers come in and unload a big load of emotional baggage. This week, Beth and Marilla compare notes on the cost of being an accidental counselor to their customers. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Are you up to date with all of the cool, new social media platforms? What even ARE all of the cool new social media platforms? This week Beth and Marilla go in depth about social media. What's worked and not worked for them? How much time should be spent using it? And, is it worth it? Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

TYFU is back with Season 3! We thought about throwing a big party, but events...well...they're a lot. This episode, Beth and Marilla talk about what's good, what's hard, and what's unexpected about putting on events. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

We reached out to you, our listeners, and invited you to ask us anything. You responded. What sordid truths come to light? Listen and find out as we wrap up our second season! Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Beth isn't a big fan of Halloween. Marilla doesn't really care about it that much either. So, how did we end up with our second annual Halloween episode? Marilla's friend Garrett Coons stopped by to tell us about what it's like to run a haunted Halloween attraction. One thing led to another. Now, we bring you another spooktacular episode! Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

TYFU comes to you from the Finger Lakes in Upstate New York. Many of our small business neighbors are sustained by tourism even if our community sometimes finds them pesky. In this episode, Beth and Marilla talk to Sean Maher, bar manager of Ledger, who deals with a LOT of tourists visiting his town of Salem, Massachusetts during the spooky season. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

We've had a lot to say over two seasons of TYFU. But, sometimes we forget a story until much later. And, of course, new stories come our way all of the time. This week, Beth and Marilla revisit some of our past topics with some fresh takes. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

From venues, to caterers, to florists a couple's big day can mean big business for small business owners. Weddings aren't an enormous part of Beth and Marilla's annual revenues, so in this episode they welcome Chelsea Leone who has lots of experience making weddings memorable and who has some memorable stories to share. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

We stand behind the counter, eager to sell our great products to our beloved customers. Sometimes, that person who walks in the door is there to turn the tables and sell us something. This week, Beth and Marilla talk about how they handle sales people of all kinds in the workplace and offer some observations on some of their do and don't. Oh, and did we mention we'd be happy to sell YOU a sponsorship opportunity on TYFU? Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Our previous episode, Garden of Delights, was pretty sweaty. If you haven't listened yet, check it out now. This is our first two parter as Halie Cosgrove joins Beth and Marilla again to describe the fallout from the incident with "Randy" and how they handled it. Plus, we do talk about the fun side of crushes as well! Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Crushes can be a lot of fun, but in the workplace it gets complicated fast, especially between employees and customers. This episode, Beth and Marilla explore what happens when that line is approached, crossed, and sometimes obliterated. We have help from Marilla's store manager from Geneva, Halie Cosgrove. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

We all use clues to form assumptions about other people. Those assumptions might be based on what type of business someone owns or what kind of car they drive. But  our assumptions aren't always 100% accurate. In this episode Beth and Marilla tackle some of the assumptions made about small businesses and their owners. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

We work hard to meet every customer's expectations. We pride ourselves in taking the extra step, so long as the extra step doesn't lead us off the pier! In this episode Beth and Marilla share some very specific and possibly...unrealistic...requests customers make. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Stop me if you've heard this one. No...really...stop! Beth and Marilla are no strangers to wit and witticisms they've heard over and over, and they may use a few well worn catch phrases themselves. This week they talk about the things that they've heard (and sometimes said) a million times. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

After talking about disasters in Episode 20, Beth and Marilla thought it might be good to talk a little about insurance. Tom Burrall of Geneva's C.S. Burrall & Son, Inc. was happy to come in. All three come from business owning families, and that made for an interesting conversation about the ups and downs of growing up in small businesses. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Is it pricier to shop small businesses than big box stores? Marilla recently posted a video comparing prices for spices. Her's are a great buy, and she has the receipts to prove it! This week, Beth and Marilla talk about the perceptions and realities of pricing in small businesses. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

You are the face of your small business. But, is that who you REALLY are? In this episode Beth and Marilla explore how much your identify and self-worth are wrapped up in your small business. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Gentle listener, it has not escaped the notice of TYFU that we are sometimes witness to behaviors that are contrary to common courtesy. This week, Beth and Marilla address what Ms. Judith Martin calls "the language and currency of civility." Etiquette. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Remember when we talked about the back room being on fire? That's not always a metaphor. This week, Beth and Marilla welcome Anorah co-owner Shawna Shell to talk about the unexpected things that happen to a business that rise to scale of disasters. And, this week's 5-Star Review calls for a field trip! Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

So. You're a small business owner. Except you're much more than that. Every day you take on roles you never imagined when you decided to open your own business. In this episode, Beth and Marilla consider the many hats small business owners have to wear. Some fit better than others! Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

'Tis better to give than to receive and Beth and Marilla receive lots of opportunities to give. In this episode, we talk about donations. It's not as simple as just writing a check to a good cause. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

We may accept your return no questions asked, but we still sometimes have questions. This episode, Beth and Marilla discuss returning everything from shaving brushes to bananas and what returns mean to a small business owner. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

A firm handshake? A warm hug? A quick peck on the cheek? Hold on there! This is a business! In this episode, Beth and Marilla explore the many ways a small business owner has to maintain boundaries. They also welcome special guest Debora Kraeger of Exquisite Wax & Tan who has lots of thoughts on the topic. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

When you open a small business you spend months, maybe even years, thinking about every conceivable detail of how that business is going to operate. Still, some customers and clients have a pretty good idea that you've forgotten something fundamental. In this episode, Beth and Marilla share some of their most...memorable...suggestions for operating their small businesses. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

We're back! The holidays are behind us, and now that we've had a little time to breathe we're ready for a new season of TYFU. This episode, Beth and Marilla welcome one of our favorite neighbors (and a previous 5-star review recipient), Yvette from Earthly Possessions, for a talk about true crime in retail. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

Building a small business may be a marathon, not a sprint. But, for retailers the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are a marathon AND a sprint. In this episode, Beth and Marilla talk about what's coming both for their businesses and the podcast including an announcement about how you can show your love for TYFU. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.

You know how you're not supposed to talk about politics in polite company? Well, small business isn't always polite and neither is TYFU. As we approach election day, Beth and Marilla talk about navigating politics in the workplace where so many customers are ready to share their opinions. Please share Thank You for Understanding (TYFU) with your friends and be sure to subscribe for future episodes and rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Contact us and share YOUR story at tyfupod.com. Follow us on Instagram @tyfupod. Like us on Facebook.