Steve has over 30 years experience in the retail industry, and is a trusted advisor to leading independent merchants across the country.

He founded Blacks Retail in 2005 with the goal of combining inventory planning expertise with innovative technology for apparel retailers. He is also a lover of fashion and design, with deep knowledge of the vendor landscape.

Learn more about Steve’s experience here.

Connect with Steve on LinkedIn.

Matt Pruitt joined Blacks full-time in 2015, and quickly become a trusted consultant to many men’s and women’s wear retailers, both online and off. He also specializes in multi-store operations, creating store-by-store plans that roll up to unified goals.

Connect with Matt on LinkedIn.

Scarlet leads marketing, research, and client services at Blacks Retail. She keeps her finger on the pulse of the retail industry, gathering the trends, insights, and strategies that matter most to independent retailers.

Each month, she shares a “weather report” on the state of the market, helping Blacks’ clients understand what’s changing, what’s coming next, and how to take action.

With more than 11 years at Blacks, Allan is a valuable and trusted member of the team. He’s planning expertise is what helps make our clients’ sales and inventory plans accurate and responsive to changes in the retail landscape.

Before joining Blacks, Allan was a buyer at Paul Stuart and a regional manager at Nordstrom, bringing years of real world retail experience to the table.

Connect with Allan on LinkedIn.

Mike is a retail veteran who has spent decades doing trend analysis and business planning with retailers large and small. He has deep experience in inventory planning and supply chain management.

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Mike McSheffrey brings more than 20 years of retail experience, from independent retailers to corporate offices at major big-box chains, giving him a deep understanding of merchandising, planning, and retail operations. With over 25 years in customer- and client-facing roles and 15 years of analytical and planning experience, he combines strong communication skills with a data-driven approach to helping retailers grow profitably.

A History graduate of the University of Connecticut, Mike applies analytical thinking and pattern recognition to retail strategy and performance. He also brings strong expertise in retail technology and reporting tools, using platforms like Blacks’ client Portal to help clients understand trends, improve decision-making, and keep key business metrics on track.

Connect with Mike on LinkedIn.