ABOUT
The name says it all —
Get the adaptable knowledge base for retailers building profitable businesses
My name is Chris Guillot. I’m so glad you’re here!
I’m a retail professional and educator with 28 years of experience. It’s a career built on both practical expertise and a deep commitment to the power of entrepreneurship.
My journey began in the nonprofit sector at Georgetown University, where I earned a business degree with a sociology minor. I worked as a retail buyer for the sole campus café, a nonprofit that served the student body, and expanded my community-based work by studying organizations that provide entrepreneurial services to people in poverty.
Seeking a hands-on role in economic empowerment, I volunteered to help shape Georgetown’s first combined undergraduate/MBA course on microfinance. As part of the curriculum, I took an internship with the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship, where I trained to become a Certified Entrepreneurial Instructor — at just 20 years old, I was the youngest at the time.
I taught a 125+ hour entrepreneurship curriculum to cohorts of underserved yet highly committed teens, guiding them as they launched and operated their own micro-businesses. With a small infusion of capital, they secured student-sponsored business licenses, giving them a real stake in their success.
Determined to develop substantive professional skills that I could bring back to the small business community, I charted an intentional career path that immersed me in nearly every aspect of retail:
Inventory Strategy
Merchandise Financial Planning
Retail Buying
Store Planning
Product Development
Manufacturing
Vendor Managed Inventory
Supply Chain Management
Learning and Development
Recruiting (Corporate and Field)
Store Management
Store Activations
My corporate work?
Managing multi-million dollar businesses, while also teaching other retail professionals how to do the same.
In 2012, I began supporting and coaching retail entrepreneurs. What started as a project within my consultancy developed into Merchant Method — part niche consulting firm, part retail trade school.
We take the strategies of billion-dollar brands and make them practical, accessible, and actionable for owner-led small businesses.
MERCHANT METHOD KEY IMPACT METRICS
Entrepreneurs and
Retail Professionals
4,000+
SERVED
Programs, Workshops,
and Public Speeches
110+
DELIVERED
Press Interviews and Digital Media
70+
FEATURES
Whether you're expanding your 7-figure company or simply earning enough to hire part-time help, here’s how we offer right-sized solutions that grow with you.
Take the guesswork out of growing your business. This chart makes it easy to find the right solution for you.
