Testimonials

“I consider Margie Johnson and Shop Talk the direct link to my retail success! Her wonderful ideas were the key elements that changed my mundane clothing store into a thriving, successful business.”
Island Breeze
Sunset Beach, NC

“Margie has become Main Street Iowa’s most trusted and respected retail consultant and trainer. From one-on-one business consultations to group training sessions, Margie has consistently met the challenge”.
Thom Guzman
Director of Downtown Resource Center for Iowa Department of Economic Development

“Margie was able to come into our organization and immediately improve the attitudes of our associates and repair any situations that might have been of concern to our clients. Years later, we are still the beneficiaries of her work.”
Wachovia Securities

“Margie brings a sharp sense of humor to the job. She works as long as it takes to get the job done, and displays the team spirit, maturity of mind, and scrupulous honesty so necessary in the teaching function of our company.”
Navy Exchange Service Command
Virginia Beach, Virginia

“Ben and I have had the distinct pleasure of working with Margie Johnson in several communities including a complex series of projects for downtowns along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. She brought professionalism and compassion to business owners coping with the most trying circumstances. Margie’s understanding of the needs of the independent retail merchant are unmatched. We are proud to have worked alongside her to help in the rebuilding process in the Gulf Coast and plan to continue working with her for years to come.”
Tripp Muldrow, AICP, President, Arnett Muldrow & Associates, Ltd.
Greenville, SC

“A huge thank-you for bringing Margie Johnson to Lawrenceville! What an inspiring seminar! She offered so many fresh ideas, some of which I have already implemented. The one-on-one visit to the shop was worth its weight in gold. To be able to get advice from someone who has been in my shoes and was successful in retail was truly amazing. Keep them coming!”
Rebekah Cline
The Paper Fairy, Lawrenceville, GA

“Your presentation as our key note speaker was received most positively by our Store Managers all across the country. Your enthusiasm for the subject is contagious as was evidenced by the audience’s response.”
Lord & Taylor
New York, New York

“Our attendees ranked your program as tops for the day and considering the slate of professionals we had on hand, that is a true compliment.”
Dallas Market Center, Dallas, Texas

“Gray’s Family Dept. Store, a family owned and operated business, is a specialty store with 6 locations located on the beautiful Outer Banks of NC, and we have been in business for 62 years. We have worked with Margie w/Shop Talk for over 16 years in many areas of concern for our retail business. She has been of immense help in staff development, customer service improvement, owner-manager-staff associate communication, attaining sales goals and helping us to increase efficiency in many areas of our business in this current very challenging economic times. We continue to rely on her and her business and recommend her highly!”
Larry Gray, Owner-Manager
Gray’s, Kitty Hawk, NC

“Your thorough knowledge of retailing and superb teaching skills have contributed greatly to the success of this program and to our customer’s high level of satisfaction with it.”
College of Business and Public Administration
Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia

“Your scope of work with us, from being a dynamic speaker at our corporate meetings to generating excellent market research studies at the property level, is unprecedented.”
Charter Oak Partners
Vienna, Virginia

“We received this week the results of your research. It is perhaps the most extensive and professional presentation of a research project we have ever received here in the corporate offices of Domino’s.”
Domino’s Pizza
Ann Arbor, Michigan

“Margie Johnson and her staff far exceeded the defined scope of service and continue to be a valuable resource. Her approach with heart and soul cannot be captured within a contract document but it came willingly.”
Roanoke Island Festival Park
Manteo, North Carolina

“Margie provided up-to-the minute stats and figures, and, based on her broad retail experience, delivered a motivational talk with reason and humor! Several merchants are still raving about her one-on-one consultation. We’ve already scheduled Margie’s two return visits later this year so that all of Delaware can get their businesses positioned for this difficult economy.”
Diane Laird
Delaware Economic Development Office, Dover, DE

“My company has dealt with Shop Talk since 2005. We have used their services for mystery shops, employee training, and employee team building manuals. Margie Johnson possesses a spirit and enthusiasm that is second to none. Her ability to energize employees is phenomenal. The products delivered and her interaction with our staff has definitely helped us be successful.”
Dave McElhaney, Virginia Beach, VA

“Margie, you were simply wonderful at our 2008 Volunteer Leadership Retreat last year. Some of the comments from participants included: ‘Margie was one of the best speakers who knew our business – hospital gift shops, not just retail. She was informative and interesting with lots of new and fresh ideas.’ We look forward to having you back in 2009!”
Sue Kaufman
Illinois Hospital Association, Naperville, IL

“Margie did a great job of leaving our merchants with specific actionable points to work on. Walking down the street, I could see a positive change in the businesses that Margie talked with one on one. They took her specific suggestions and put them into action. The new level of enthusiasm let me know that her visit was a great success.”
Kara Norman
Downtown Frederick Partnership, MD

“Belated thanks for yet another wonderful visit with you this spring. It was a delight as always – and so very helpful as we continue to move our business forward. You opened our eyes to plenty of fresh new ideas – some of which we’ve already implemented. The logo on our window is now yellow and bigger! The customer survey and 25% off coupon was a big hit, as are the “speech bubbles” now adorning our walls, with customers’ words of praise for the Dancing Bear.”
Marlene England
Dancing Bear, Frederick MD

“Margie’s commitment to service excellence is above and beyond. Her leadership has led us to achieving exceptionally high member service satisfaction ratings. Our mutual respect has resulted in a valued business partnership”.
Sue Fernaays & Angela Snyder
BayPort Credit Union

“Margie Johnson is a consummate professional who is lively, engaging, and deeply knowledgeable about topics that are critical to stakeholders who want to make their communities a better place to live, work, shop and raise a family. She is unswerving in her attention to detail and to making her presentations to all audiences relevant and enlightening. She will do an awesome job for your organization or group”.

Layne Bruce, Executive Director, 
Mississippi Press Association

“Margie and Shop Talk have been instrumental in taking our little “Beach Shop” from a small market and beach supply store to a fun, eclectic, thriving retail shop that has something for everyone who loves the beach! Her ability to marry our signature logo t-shirts and novelty items with beautiful beach inspired decor, fine ladies apparel & accessories, yummy gourmet treats, and sand buckets in whimsical cohesive one stop shopping experience has kept our customers coming back year after year! We applaud you and your staff Margie, for without your vision and your help in developing and implementing these new strategies we wouldn’t be the one stop tourist destination that we are today!”

Awful Arthur’s Beach Shop
Kill Devil Hills, NC