Retail, The Lipstick Effect, and Why You Should Keep Selling

Have you ever looked at the news and wondered whether it's even appropriate to be selling your products right now?

If you're an independent retailer or product business owner and the state of the world is making you hesitate about showing up and selling, this episode is for you.

I'm Catherine Erdly, and this is Resilient Retail Game Plan — practical product business advice with a healthy dose of reality. This week, one of the most common questions I get from product business owners: should I keep selling when the world feels uncertain?

In this episode:

→ Why big brands never pause their marketing — and what that means for you

→ Why independent retailers are a genuine force for good

→ The lipstick effect and what consumer spending data actually shows right now

→ A practical social media tip to help you show up more consistently

📌 CHAPTERS:

00:00:00 Introduction & the question everyone's asking

00:00:44 When selling feels wrong: the shared experience

00:01:42 Why this feeling is so common in product businesses

00:02:51 The mental noise of running your own business

00:06:04 The self-fulfilling prophecy & the big brand reality check

00:08:25 Why small businesses are a force for good

00:09:55 Your duty to share what you do

00:11:30 The lipstick effect: are people actually spending?

00:12:18 A visit to Columbia Road Flower Market

00:12:57 Products are how people show love

00:13:31 None of this is trivial

00:14:23 Practical tip: separate your social media accounts

00:16:08 How Catherine implemented this herself

00:17:25 A message for every independent retailer

🔗 LINKS MENTIONED:

→ Mean Mail: https://www.meanmail.co.uk

→ Retail Roar 2026: https://retailroar.co.uk

→ Resilient Retail Club: https://www.resilientretailclub.com

🎧 LISTEN ON YOUR FAVOURITE PODCAST APP:

→ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/resilient-retail-game-plan/id1558090069

→ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2EIPFznxQFQHIXmC3QoBFQ

Mentioned in this episode:

Mailchimp

resilientretailclub.com/mailchimp