194: Know Your Endgame

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Every business journey brings bumps and bruises along the way, but keeping your end goals in mind brings clarity in the face of distractions. In today’s episode, a fellow Profit First professional shares her lifelong entrepreneurial journey–and she’s not finished yet! Even though her focus is on the boutique business space, her tips, insights, and lessons learned apply across all types of businesses. </span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ciara Stockeland began owning and operating businesses in her early teens. As a serial entrepreneur, her business mindset and tenacity led her to open her first store, Mama Mia, a high-end maternity store in Fargo, ND, in 2006. Shortly after, she opened Mode, a designer outlet store next to Mama Mia. In 2008, Ciara chose to merge her two stores into Mode and develop the concept into a franchise. Her vast experience in both retail and wholesale industries led her to launch the first to-market wholesale subscription box for boutique owners, which she built and sold within 18 months. Most recently, Ciara has launched</span> <a href="https://www.theboutiqueworkshop.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Boutique Workshop</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a coaching program for retailers. Ciara has been recognized as a Small Business Champion through</span> <em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Score</span></em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">, and most recently was awarded the Outstanding Franchise Small Business Award. She is active with</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Score</span></em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">, an organization that is the largest network of expert business mentors across the nation. Additionally, Ciara has been an active member of the International Franchise Association and an advocate for small businesses with her seat on the US Chamber of Commerce Small Business Council. On the personal side, Ciara has completed an Ironman triathlon and is currently