The Power Up ⎯ SN.03/EP.02
Here's Exactly How To Use AI & Google Trends In Your Store
The saying goes, “If you’re not growing, you’re dying.” And Javier Casillas saw it in action for his small business. He opened the store in 2018 to offer a better variety of high-quality sleep solutions. His customers were so impressed with his selection, they wanted to come to Live Well for their other furnishing needs as well. That led Javier to expand the business to showcase pieces from eight major furniture brands. Then the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
Javier knew he had two choices: sail a sinking ship or evolve yet again. So, he opened a boutique inside the store. Javier explains, “We did the boutique in 2020 because the money stopped flowing and we needed to find a way to pivot during that horrible time. We used savings and brought in an entire boutique as far as PJs, candles, skincare, and gift ideas. That in itself has kinda taken off. So it’s been an interesting ride the past couple of years”
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About The Business
Business name: Live Well Mattress & Furnishing
Founded: 2018
Owner: Javier Casillas
Location: Alamogordo, NM
Website: https://livewellfurnishings.com
Sales diversification strategy: Furniture showroom, e-commerce, storefront boutique
About Our Guest
Social media, paid advertising, and email marketing are critical to Live Well’s success. But, a small business owner can only do so much in a day which means it’s all about working smarter, not harder for Javier. This means using AI tools such as Chat GPT and Gemini on a daily basis. Javier views AI as an approachable and affordable consultant that allows him to maximize his time spent working.
That’s not all Javier uses the internet for though. When considering how to open a boutique-side of the business he first started by asking his customers what their top retail products they purchase, and then he got to researching. Skincare was a popular request, so using tools like Google Trends he discovered that goat milk-based products were the direction he wanted to go in.
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