For Boutique & Specialty Store Owners Who Miss the Spark

Stop Trial-and-Error - Join Global Peers, Work Less, Make More with Proven Strategies

You didn’t start your store to feel stuck, burned out, or alone. You started it because you had a vision—a beautiful one. Let’s get you back to that.  

✅ Weekly actionable insights

✅ Global peer network

✅ Business valuation included

✅ 30 Days Free

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY
Become a founding member for free

All we need is feedback of your experience

You opened your doors to bring creativity, community, and freedom into your work. Lately, though, the daily grind—endless calls, scribbled notes, and never-ending to-dos—has you wondering if it’s all worth it.Imagine swapping that isolation for a circle of fellow shop owners who really get it. You don’t have to figure it out alone anymore.

Hi, I'm Craig Stephens

Founder, The Global Small Business Collaborative

For over 40 years, I’ve lived and breathed the world of sales. I’ve worked through market crashes, pivots, technology shifts, and everything in between—and I’ve helped build businesses from the ground up, often one hard-earned sale at a time.But somewhere along the way, I started noticing a shift. Small business owners—the backbone of every community I’ve ever loved—were falling behind. Not because they lacked talent or grit, but because the game had changed.

Technology moved fast. Customers became harder to reach. And most business tools out there? They weren’t built for real people running real shops.

So, I decided to do something about it.I created The Global Small Business Collaborative as a place where store owners, service pros, and independent entrepreneurs could come together—not for fluff, not for likes, but to share what’s actually working. I wanted to build a space where you didn’t feel alone, overwhelmed, or left out of the modern economy. Just supported, heard, and equipped to grow.

Then we built Bella, our 24/7 voice assistant that answers every call you miss and follows up so you don’t lose another sale while you’re helping a customer—or taking a well-earned break.And finally, we created Eli, your behind-the-scenes AI marketing partner. Eli writes your emails, builds your campaigns, analyzes what’s working—and makes marketing one less thing on your plate.I’m not here to sell hype. I’m here because I know what it’s like to wear every hat and still feel like you’re falling behind. If you’ve ever felt like you could do more if only you had the right help, then what we’ve built is for you.

This isn’t about staying busy. It’s about building smarter. And we’d be honored to do it with you.

Introducing: The Global Small Business Collaborative

The Global Small Business Collaborative is an online membership community for boutique and specialty store owners who are tired of doing it all alone—and ready to grow smarter.

What’s Waiting for You Inside

This isn’t just another community. It’s a lifeline for boutique owners like you—clothing, gifts, home decor, skincare, artisan goods, you name it. Here’s what you get:  

🟢 Weekly Playbooks That Actually Work: No theory. No fluff. Every Monday, you get a new, proven strategy—marketing, operations, customer retention—built from real data and real boutique wins.  

🟢 A Global Crew Who Gets It: Connect with store owners worldwide who are in the trenches just like you. Ask a question, get answers fast. Share a win, they’ll celebrate with you.  

🟢 Bella and Eli: Your AI-Powered Business Assistants: Meet your behind-the-scenes power duo. Bella helps you create sales copy, plan promotions, and even write your emails. Eli digs into your numbers and highlights what’s working (and what’s not). Together, they work 24/7 — faster, cheaper, and better than any team member you could hire.

🟢 Insider Resources: Vetted suppliers, exclusive discounts, and retail hacks you won’t find on Google.  

🟢 Learning That Levels You Up: 80+ micro-courses, 40+ eBooks—email marketing, pricing psychology, seasonal sales, and more. Updated monthly.  

- Email & SMS marketing
-
Social media tactics
- In-store experience
- Pricing psychology
- Seasonal sales strategies

🟢 Upcoming Features You’ll Love: We’re not stopping here. Members will soon enjoy Regional in-person meetups, Vendor partnership program with exclusive discounts, Quarterly virtual summits with boutique experts, Monthly live workshops, Optional 1-on-1 coaching packages

But the real game-changer? The Feed: Find Your People space. It’s the heart of our community—a buzzing hub where boutique owners swap real-time strategies, trade tips, and tackle challenges together. Struggling with slow foot traffic? Someone’s already solved it and will tell you how. Need a display idea that converts? You’ll find it here. It’s like having a 24/7 mastermind group that actually understands your world.

Meet Bella and Eli — Your Ultimate Business Sidekicks.

Bella is your 24/7 outbound and inbound call agent, managing customer calls with professionalism and care so you can focus on running your business. Meanwhile, Eli is your AI-powered marketing assistant who helps you write emails, craft social posts, generate promo ideas, and plan campaigns that actually convert—faster than any freelancer or agency. Eli also analyzes your business data to spot what’s working and what’s not, providing clear, actionable insights to help you make smarter decisions. Together, Bella and Eli handle the heavy lifting so you can grow smarter and faster.

Here’s What Your Future Looks Like

Picture this:

✨ You wake up to a new tactic that doubles your email open rates—by lunch, it’s done.

✨ You post a question in the Feed, and within hours, boutique owners all over  drop gold—ideas you can use today.  

✨ You’re not guessing anymore.

✨ You’ve got data, strategies, and a crew cheering you on.  

✨ That joy you felt when you first opened your doors? It’s back.

This isn’t a dream. This is what the Global Small Business Collaborative delivers.

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY
Become a founding member for free

All we need is feedback of your experience

Who Is This For?

The Collaborative is designed for boutique and specialty store owners who want clarity, connection, and growth—without wasting time on guesswork.

If you run a boutique or specialty store—clothing, gifts, beauty, decor, artisan goods, baby, books, pets, wellness, gourmet foods—this is your spot. If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or like you’re missing the “secret” to growth, you belong here.  

Your 30-Day Founding Member Invitation

As a founding member, you’ll enjoy: 

🟢 Full Community Access: Playbooks, workshops, vendor deals—everything.

🟢 Bella AI Call Agent: Set up in your voice, answering every ring.

🟢 Eli AI Marketing Assistant: Crafts your emails, social posts, promo ideas, and analyzes your data so you know exactly what’s working.

🟢 Direct Influence: Your feedback will shape our next playbooks, AI features, and community resources.

🟢 Zero Risk: No credit card required—cancel anytime, no questions asked.

Plus, get a personalized business valuation + growth roadmap ($450 value) created using Retail benchmarking data, Key performance indicators based on your store type, Specific marketing and product strategies to increase revenue

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY
Become a founding member for free

All we need is feedback of your experience

This Isn’t Just a Membership—It’s a Movement

The Global Small Business Collaborative is for dreamers who do. For boutique owners who pour their heart into their stores but need a smarter way to grow. You’re not here to play small—you’re here to build something that lasts. We’ll help you get there.

Still on the fence? That’s why we give you 30days free. Full access. No strings. If it’s not for you, walk away. But I’m willing to bet you’ll stay—because this is the support you’ve been craving.  

Let’s Scale Your Vision—Together

You didn’t build your store to stall out. You built it to thrive. Join the Global Small Business Collaborative, and let’s make that happen.  

🟢 Your next big idea.  
🟢 Your first real breakthrough.  
🟢 Your people.

They’re all waiting for you in the Feed.

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY
Become a founding member for free

All we need is feedback of your experience

Frequently asked questions

Q: What exactly is the Global Small Business Collaborative?
A: It’s a free, members-only community for boutique and specialty store owners to swap real-world playbooks, attend live workshops, get exclusive vendor discounts, and tap into two AI tools—Bella and Eli—to streamline calls and marketing.

Q: Who are Bella and Eli, and how do they work?
A: Bella is your 24/7 AI call agent. She answers every incoming ring in your brand’s voice, books appointments, captures customer details, and follows up automatically.

Eli is your AI marketing assistant. He writes your emails and social-media posts, brainstorms promo ideas, plans multi-step campaigns, and analyzes your sales data to pinpoint what’s actually moving the needle.

Q: How does the 30-day founding member trial work?
A: Sign up—no credit card needed—and instantly get full community access plus Bella and Eli. Use every playbook, attend workshops, engage in forums, and test both AI assistants for 30 days. If it’s not a fit, simply step away before your trial ends. No obligations.

Q: What’s expected of me as a founding member?
A: We ask that you explore the resources, try Bella and Eli in your day-to-day, and share honest feedback through a short monthly survey or quick chat. Your insights will guide our next round of improvements.

Q: Is there any cost after my trial ends?
A: After 30 days, you’ll have the option to continue as a full member (paid) or step away—no automatic billing. We’ll send a friendly reminder before your trial expires so you can decide what’s right for you.

Q: How much time will this require?
A: You control the pace. Weekly playbooks take about 10–15 minutes to review and implement. Workshops run 45–60 minutes once a month (with replays available). Bella and Eli handle calls and marketing tasks in the background, freeing you to focus on your shop.

Q: Who should join this community?
A: Boutique and specialty store owners—whether you’ve been in business for months or decades—who want to reclaim time, capture every opportunity, boost sales, and learn from peers around the globe.

Q: How do I cancel if it’s not for me?
A: Log into your membership dashboard and click “Cancel Trial.” You’ll retain access through day 30, and no further charges will occur.

Q: When does enrollment close?
A: We’re capping founding member spots at 25 this month. Once filled, enrollment will pause until the next quarter. If you’re ready to reignite your passion, now’s the time.

Q: How do I get started?
A: Click the “Join our community” button, fill out a quick welcome form, and you’ll receive instant access and onboarding instructions via email. You’ll be up and running with Bella, Eli, and your first playbook within minutes.

Ready to See What’s Working Right Now?

The best boutique owners don’t go it alone—they go together.
Let this be the moment you say yes to better strategies, stronger support, and your next stage of growth.

All we need is feedback of your experience