I'm DEANNA.
Hi!
The Founder
I'm a Retail Business Consultant who believes that to have sustainable, profitable growth in retail, you have to not think like a retailer.
Say what DeAnna?
i know what you're thinking! hear me out.
Retailers lose their way when they stop focusing on their customers and shift their focus primarily to “selling stuff”.
Sure, selling products is what classifies you as a retail business - but you're ultimately in business to solve a specific problem for your customers. How well you solve that problem, and in how many ways, is what makes you competitive and gives your brand staying power.
So, instead of thinking like a retailer when growth planning, remove the title of "Retailer" from your business and shift your mindset to "I am in business to solve X problem".
After you reframe your mindset (and stop boxing in your revenue potential), you will effortlessly come up with creative ways to solve that problem (aka revenue streams), and generate more revenue, than a traditional “retailer” does. This is my favorite part of the VIP day process with our Clients!
I spent 10 years working inside the corporate offices of some of the world's biggest brands....
Some of titles I held were Merchandising Director, Strategy Manager, Manager of Merchandise Coordination, Logistics Analyst, Buyer, Merchant. I saw the industry from retail, wholesale, and e-commerce perspectives, and managed billions of dollars in merchandise revenue.
But most of these titles (nor most of the companies) ever felt like “me”.
My creativity was always stifled by “this is how we’ve always done it”. Innovation and trends were overpowered by the “same ole same ole”. Miserable people were everywhere, just doing the bare minimum to collect a paycheck. No drive. No ambition. No inspiration. I was always working on my business ideas on my commute, and taking biz calls during my lunch breaks.
Any of this sound familiar?
any of this sound familiar?
I'd bet yes. It's what all my clients say drove them to start their businesses too.
I saw so much potential in the brands that I worked for. I knew there had to be more to the industry, and really, business in general, that I was missing.
(What was missing was me working directly with you - small and midsize businesses who bring the innovation and fresh eyes that is so desperately needed in today's business climate!)
My Journey Into Entrepreneurship
i mean i always knew i would be an entrepreneur. my mom still has my middle school posters i drew with layouts of my coworking space-slash-store i wanted to open one day.
I know. I was way before my time right?!
As draining as it was, I kept working in corporate and even hit six figures as a Merchandising Director. But it just wasn't enough. It was important for me to be challenged and fulfilled by my work. It was never about the money. I wanted to tangibly see my impact on the company.
fast forward to august 2019 when I made the leap into full-time entrepreneurship.
That was the exact moment it all changed for me. When I started owning my own story...
There wasn't this "moment" where I said that's it! I'm done. I'm quitting. I'm out, never looking back. PS - I'd already been running my business for 4 years at that point, and no I didn't have savings stacked.
This leap was 100% unplanned. Things were becoming toxic again at work and God told me that it was finally my time to be the all-in entrepreneur I was destined to be. Now, my team and I work helping Creative and Retail Businesses thrive utilizing the proven merchandising strategies I utilized throughout my corporate career and throughout the 8+ years of learnings as a small business owner.
your success is in your hands.
MY HUBBY, "COACH"
can't live without
MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT
favorite show (DON'T JUDGE)
LOVIN' ON MY BABY BOY
CURRENT HOBBY
CHASING INNOVATION
PASSIONATE ABOUT
BEYONCÉ
CELEBRITY OBSESSION
What I'm Loving
I'm ALL ABOUT
Straight talk,
proven strategies,
long money,
helping you kick fear and welcome success
I'M NOT ABOUT
Shortcuts,
bandaid fixes,
the word "failure",
get-rich-quick schemes
Recent Speaking Engagements + Press Features
Future-proofing Your Retail Business
bernina university
jul 2022
Multiply + Diversify Your Revenue with Zero Ad Spend
atlanta market
jul 2022
click here to book me to speak or explore other partnership opportunities
My Formal Bio
In 2020, After the senseless murder of George Floyd, and seeing the awakening of retail companies to their lack of diversity, DeAnna co-founded the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Diversify Retail® Inc. to connect two communities she loves to drive change and make a global impact – the retail community and communities of color. Through her nonprofit, she educates and empowers BIPOC brands and retailers to open and build retail businesses that evolve as quickly as the industry does, and that will shape the face and future of what retail looks like today.
DeAnna McIntosh is a trend-setting, results-driven Business Strategist and Retail Consultant with 17+ years of experience helping brands drive sales, conversion, productivity, innovation, and engagement (10 of those years being inside Fortune-ranked Retailers).
DeAnna is a Thought Leader and Changemaker, often called upon to speak and inspire audiences that the growth they envision is in their grasp.
She is renowned for her collaborative and energetic work style, innovation, and conducting business with integrity and transparency. DeAnna and her team bring priceless insight, original and actionable ideas, brilliant branding, organizational effectiveness, and sales-driving strategies to your company from day one.
DeAnna holds a Bachelor of Science degree in International Fashion Merchandising Management from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York, USA, and Polimoda Institute in Florence, Italy. She currently resides in Atlanta, GA with her husband and baby boy.
With a strong eye for design and her corporate merchandising experience, she has launched numerous products into retail and e-commerce platforms – with one of the most notable being the Chico’s No-Iron Linen Collection, which is now a multi-million-dollar program. DeAnna also curated the first-ever “shop local” assortment initiative at Office Depot, merchandising 10+ local Austin, Texas brands inside the 13 area stores, including consumer favorites Epic Provisions and Chameleon Coffee.
In 2015, DeAnna launched The Affinity Group International (TAGI), a Retail Business and Economic Development firm, to strategically build and fortify independent retail economies in developed and emerging markets through the company's signature retail training and development program, Revitalize Retail®. The program is facilitated through Economic Development Corporations, Small Business Development Agencies, Chambers of Commerce, and Retail Shopping Centers.
In 2018, DeAnna launched TAGI's sister, Retail Growth + Innovation Studio, Retailing Evolved®, to work directly with small and mid-sized businesses, equipping them with the proven strategies, tools, and systems she utilized daily as a Buyer and various other roles during her corporate career. She and her team help Vision-led Individuals, Retailers, and Businesses to grow their revenue, community, and [more importantly] their impact-using products.
In addition to my 10+ years in corporate retail, in my 8+ years as a small business owner I've been a Jewelry Line Owner, Event Planner, Membership Manager, Nonprofit Founder, Coach and Consultant. I've tried and tested many things. I've invested tens of thousands on educating myself on the latest and greatest systems, strategies, and tools in the business world, and I pass that directly to my Clients through your growth plans.
The customized growth plans we create for your business involve products, services, and experiences that will both increase your revenue and the depth at which you serve your customers.
I’m here to help you build a business that disrupts the status quo (and grows month after month), and sets the standard for the future of commerce.
Share your vision with us and together we'll increase both your revenue
Start here:
and impact.
