The Hidden Cost of Not Having a Planner (and How One Brand Fixed It)
If you're a founder, operator, or leader in a small product-based business, you’ve probably had that moment: staring at your inventory spreadsheet late at night, trying to make sense of what to order, when, and how much. Maybe you’ve relied on gut instinct. Maybe you’ve pulled numbers from your Shopify dashboard and hoped for the best.
It’s common. But it’s also costing you—quietly, consistently, and more than you think.
When Planning Falls on the Founder (or No One at All)
In growing retail businesses, inventory planning usually starts as a shared task. Founders, ops leads, or buyer/merch hybrids try to juggle it alongside everything else. And that’s fine—until it’s not.
Without a dedicated planner or demand forecasting process in place, you’re likely experiencing:
Stockouts on your bestselling SKUs, right when demand is highest
Overstock on slower-moving items, tying up precious cash
Uncertainty about what to buy, how much, or when
Stress from inventory fire drills and reactive decision-making
You might even feel like you’re doing something wrong—but the truth is, you’re not alone. This is a systemic issue for growing retail brands without the resources for a full planning team.
The Real Cost: What Inventory Guesswork Is Doing to Your Business
Let’s get specific. Here’s what we often see when inventory planning isn’t handled with intention:
1. Missed Revenue from Stockouts
We see headlines like, “The life-changing product that sold out in 10 seconds flat” and it’s easy to think of selling out like it’s a good thing. But, the truth is running out of your most popular product isn't just frustrating—it directly affects revenue, ad performance, and customer experience. Your marketing spend goes to waste when shoppers click through only to find "Sold Out."
Worse, a stockout sends your customers somewhere else—and not all of them come back.
2. Cash Trapped in Inventory That Won’t Move
Overordering feels safe until you’re sitting on three months of a style that didn’t sell. Suddenly, you’re facing markdowns, holding costs, and a cash flow squeeze.
Those dollars could’ve gone toward product development, wholesale growth, or your next campaign. Instead, they’re locked up in boxes.
3. Team Burnout + Founder Fatigue
Without a clear forecast or restock plan, every inventory decision becomes an emergency. Your team is working weekends pulling numbers, ops leads are making gut calls, and you—the founder—are still the backstop.
It’s not sustainable. It keeps your business reactive instead of strategic.
A Real Example: How One Fierce Brand Took Back Control of Their Inventory
Let’s talk about Larken—a postpartum and maternity brand on a mission to make life better for moms. Their products are innovative, beautifully designed, and in high demand. But like many product-based businesses, they hit a point where managing that demand internally became overwhelming.
Larken was founded by legal experts—not inventory planners. As the business scaled, their team needed help tracking finished goods, managing raw materials, and building the infrastructure to support growth. Their bestselling products sold out often, and without the right systems in place, they couldn’t move fast enough to restock or plan ahead.
What We Did Together
When Larken partnered with Boon, our goal was simple: bring clarity and control to their inventory operations so the team could focus on what they do best—serving moms and building their brand.
Here’s how we made it happen:
Weekly Strategy Sessions: We met regularly with the Larken team to create structure around planning and production, and to act as a true thought partner as their business scaled.
Dual Forecasting Models: We built two customized sales and inventory forecast models tailored to their assortment and marketing calendar—ensuring better visibility into future demand.
Production & Raw Materials Tracker: Larken needed more than finished goods forecasting—they also needed to manage raw materials across their supply chain. We created a custom tracker to help them manage both sides of the process.
Cashflow Planning Tools: With custom reporting and a total business cashflow model, they gained confidence in their purchasing decisions and financial planning.
These tools weren’t just helpful—they were transformative. They gave the Larken team the ability to make fast, informed decisions without second-guessing or backtracking.
The Results
After implementing the tools and support provided by Boon:
Larken is on track to more than double their sales this year
Their team saves over 15 hours per week on inventory planning tasks
They’re able to get back in stock significantly faster—keeping customers happy and revenue flowing
With the confidence of better reporting and forecasting, they’ve freed up internal bandwidth to focus on growth, not chaos
““What the Boon team has built is a GAME CHANGER for us. I’m thrilled to be working with the team and so impressed with the results.””
What a Demand Planner Really Brings to the Table
Many founders assume that inventory planning is just a numbers game. But here’s the truth: good planners don’t just crunch spreadsheets. They bring structure, foresight, and clarity to your entire product lifecycle.
Here’s what a planner (or planning partner like Boon) helps you do:
Translate marketing into inventory strategy
Plan buys that align with your budget, goals, and lead times
Avoid reactive restocks and panic orders
Forecast growth and new launches with real visibility
Build a foundation for scale that’s calm—not chaotic
Whether you’re prepping for a seasonal spike, launching a new product line, or adding a wholesale channel, having a dedicated planning resource can be the difference between spinning wheels and strategic momentum.
You Don’t Have to Guess Anymore
If you're still making inventory decisions based on gut feel, reactive sales reports, or “what we did last time,” it might be time to rethink your approach.
You don’t need a full planning department.
You just need a partner who can step in, bring clarity, and help you make smart, confident decisions.
At Boon, we support retail brands that care deeply about their customers and want to scale with sustainability—not stress. Our fractional planning model gives you expert guidance without the overhead, so you can stop guessing and start growing.
Ready to get off the inventory rollercoaster?
Let’s talk about what’s possible with a smarter plan.
👉 Book a free discovery call and get the support you (and your business) deserve.
