About Us
Our Story
We are the Retail Artisan Group — a collective of business executives who have led companies ranging from $30M to $300M in revenue. Our story didn’t begin in corner offices; it began on the ground floor of retail. We grew up in this industry — stocking shelves, managing stores, negotiating with vendors, and learning firsthand the nuances that drive success. Those experiences gave us an unshakable understanding of what really makes businesses work, from the smallest detail to the biggest strategic move.
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Over the years, we worked our way up, climbing the corporate ladder and taking on leadership roles that gave us the chance to build, grow, and transform businesses. We have launched brands from scratch, revitalized product lines, and turned struggling companies from negative margins into multi-million-dollar profitability. We’ve done the hard work, faced the challenges, and celebrated the wins — and now we bring that hard-earned knowledge to others.
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What we realized along the way is that our true passion lies in helping people achieve their own retail dreams. We combine decades of experience with in-person collaboration, deep research, and data-driven insights to craft strategies tailored to each client’s vision.
What sets us apart is honesty. We’ll tell you when an idea needs refining, we’ll cheer for you when you succeed, and most importantly, we’ll serve as the light that guides you through the retail journey. Our mission is simple: share our knowledge, walk beside you, and help transform your goals into lasting success.
Laura Finney
Principal Consultant, Retail Artisan Group
Laura’s retail journey started on the ground floor as a fitting room attendant, where she discovered a passion for people, products, and the rhythm of business. That early experience shaped her belief that great leadership is built on empathy, resilience, and an understanding of every layer of the customer and employee experience.
Over her career, Laura has built celebrity apparel brands, launched innovative toy lines, and led the turnaround of struggling companies—transforming near-bankrupt operations into profitability within just months. Her colleagues often describe her as direct and intensely focused, with an unstoppable work ethic that inspires those around her.
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But beyond the results, Laura’s greatest fulfillment comes from helping others succeed. She believes in honesty even when it’s hard, celebrating wins both big and small, and guiding people with the kind of clarity she wished she had earlier in her own journey. At Retail Artisan Group, Laura brings both her hard-won expertise and her passion for mentorship to every client, helping them not just reach goals, but truly create something lasting.
