Meet Ciara Stockeland | Profit Strategist and Inventory Genius

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ciara Stockeland and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ciara, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor behind the success of my brand is that I have a deep empathy for my clients. As a Fractional CFO I work closely with my client’s financials, helping them find maximum profit through inventory management. Often a business owner will have intense shame and guilt around how they have managed their money. I am equipped to help them well and with empathy because I remember what it was like to lose sleep at night knowing payroll was due Monday, I know the pain of paying everyone else in the company before paying myself, and the shame around the business debt I carried. I also know the feeling of freedom and relief when I finally understand how to use the numbers in my business to create profitability and peace of mind. There is something special about how having been in your client’s shoe at one point uniquely positions you to best help them. I am thrilled that every day I get to wake up and help another small business owner succeed in their business venture!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am a third generation entreprenuar and so it was only natrual that small business would be my career choice. I opened my first retial concept in 2006. I grew and franchised the brand and ever almost a decade found my self with no brand, no money and my hopes of a multi million dollar retail brand dashed. After losing it all, I had a choice. I could sit on the couch with my bottle of Tums and my box of tissues, growing bitter and resentful, or I could give myself a little time to mourn what could have been and then get up and do it again, this time differently. I could take the “what ifs” and turn them into the “here’s how.” Build a new inventory-based business with an entirely different perspective. One that focused on profit instead of sales. One that chose to look at my inventory as the counterpoint to my success instead of the opportunity to buy and sell pretty things. One that wrote me a consistent paycheck every month. I chose the latter and throught the profitable growth of that next company began to devolpe a framework that would help thousands of other inventory based business owners find financial success as well.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We would visit Arrington Vineyards to kick off of weekend and then we would meander our way through the beautiful back roads of TN, visiting little shops and restaurants, taking in the country music scene and enjoying the rolling TN hills!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
It takes a team to create winners! Randy was my Fractional CFO and was the first person to really help me understand the numbers in my business. He was the first person to give me the confidence to take charge of my business financials. Books like “Atomic Habit” and “Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn” showed me how to execute on what I had learned.

Website: www.ciarastockeland.com

Instagram: @ciarastockeland

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ciarastockeland/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/inventorygeniusclub

Youtube: @ciarastockeland

Image Credits
Abbey Anderson