Meet the Team

Margo Kopman

Stylish Visionary : Ambitious Multi-Tasker : Retail Junkie

Margo Kopman lives, eats, and breathes all things retail. With over 15 years of retail consulting experience as the president of Project Retail, Margo is extremely passionate about inspiring clients with her vision and authenticity when tackling the complex business of the independent retailer. She believes that you can achieve the highest levels of success if you work hard, believe in your dreams, and stay focused on results.

She grew up in a family that instilled a strong work ethic and a character built on integrity. Soon after graduating from Southern Methodist University, she followed her dreams and opened Byrd, a contemporary women’s boutique in her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. As an owner & buyer of an independent retail store, she understands the ins and outs of the business, having experienced it firsthand.

Margo’s passion for the science of retail-led her down the path of consulting independent retailers like herself. Because of her ability to simplify complex data & analytics paired with her strong critical thinking skills, she coaches her clients to maximize the opportunities while facing the challenges head-on. Margo embodies the skill set and the drive for success needed in the independent retail world of today.

In her free time, you can find her soaking up the Los Angeles, CA sunshine. She loves being outdoors, surfing, cooking, traveling, and spending time with family & friends. Margo is committed to the pet rescue movement through animal rescues and shares her loving home with her little white dog, Bubbie.

Natalie Woods

Sassy Entrepreneur : Quick Witted : Friendly Foodie

In 2004, after 10 years in the live event marketing and promotions business, Natalie Woods decided to begin a retail journey. With the counseling of one of Management One’s™ affiliates, the success of the store quickly grew and changed Natalie’s life as a retailer. It was the missing element in putting her retail store over the top while helping reduce the levels of financial stress that come with owning a retail operation. Natalie understands the challenges a retailer faces and uses her background, experience, and planning to overcome those challenges.

Lenore Elbrecht

Organizational Queen : Optimistic Cheerleader : Dance Party Enthusiast

With over 25 years of fashion experience, Lenore Elbrecht has dedicated her career to empowering entrepreneurs to thrive by optimizing efficiency to achieve their goals. As an operations specialist, she excels at creating and refining processes that bring clarity, accountability, and productivity to businesses and individuals. Lenore takes pride in being an ‘operations nerd’ and leveraging her expertise to drive success.

Collaboration is at the heart of her approach. Lenore guides clients through collaborative, cross-functional initiatives, providing end-to-end support and ensuring seamless completion. Whether it’s managing data, shouldering responsibilities, or offering education on retail matters, she is their dedicated sounding board and partner in success.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Lenore finds solace in nurturing her green thumb through gardening, as well as embracing the joy of impromptu dance parties.

Sarah Garlich

Confident Trendsetter : Dynamic Networker : Experienced Retailer

Sarah Garlich has always been a lover of all things retail. Her background in retail started when she was 16 years old as a sales associate at various stores from the Gap to Nordstrom. After graduating from Arizona State in 2006, she moved to St. Louis, Missouri, got married, and opened her first contemporary women’s clothing boutique in St. Louis, MO in 2010. This was when she was introduced to the world of retail and how incredibly important inventory management/planning is for a small business. With 13 years of experience owning her own women’s stores ( topping out at 3 brick and mortar, and an online business) working with a Retail Expert has always been a top priority for her business.

With the passion that Sarah has for retail and her first-hand experience of owning a small business through a recession in 2010, COVID, and the real everyday ups and downs of owning a retail business she knows she can bring expertise in a variety of areas, such as buying, inventory planning, merchandising, social media and more.

Sarah’s philosophy is, at the end of the day you will always know YOUR business better than anyone else, but having a steady sounding board who will always have your best interest at heart to her is priceless. There is something about an independent retailer that is so inspiring and also challenging. She loves the thought of always being able to grow and learn. You can learn something new every day!

She has always seen the power of inventory management for her own businesses and hopes to help others see the value and how much it will help you grow, be successful and have a clear idea of where your business can thrive, what needs work, and where it currently is.

When Sarah isn’t doing all things retail she is hanging with her 3 kids and husband and dog Poppy. She’s a lover of all Pilates and currently getting certified in that as well! She stays as active as possible by playing indoor soccer, pickleball, and basketball! She also absolutely loves traveling anywhere warm and being with friends!

Alex Madden

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE EXPERT: LOYAL HYPE WOMAN: PERSONAL STYLIST AT HEART

With over 13 years of hands-on experience as the owner of a successful boutique, Alex Robertson Madden knows firsthand the challenges and triumphs of running a retail business. From curating the perfect inventory to navigating cash flow and marketing strategies, she has lived every aspect of the industry—making her uniquely equipped to help other retailers thrive.

Before joining Project Retail as a consultant, Alex was a longtime client, relying on the team’s expertise to guide her through inventory planning, sales strategies, and operational efficiencies. Their insight was instrumental in her boutique’s growth, and after selling her business in 2024, she knew she wanted to pay it forward by helping other store owners find the same clarity and success.

Now, Alex works closely with retailers to refine their buying strategies, improve profitability, and create actionable plans for sustainable growth. With a deep passion for small businesses and a keen eye for both the creative and analytical sides of retail, she’s here to help stores not only survive—but thrive.

When she’s not working with clients, you can find Alex exploring local boutiques, reading, playing Mahjong, or enjoying life in her new home of Austin, TX, with her husband and dogs, Annie and Winnie.

Danielle Douglas

Danielle was first introduced to inventory management as a buyer for an independent retailer so knows firsthand how crucial time and planning can be. Inherently drawn to the analytics, it was clear to her how beneficial merchandise plans and reports were in ensuring a clear roadmap for success.

With the introduction to retail so early, she pursued and received a BS in Fashion Merchandising from the University of Delaware. From there she worked in the buying world for over 7 years in a few different capacities with companies such as Life is Good, CCS, Motherhood Maternity (Destination Maternity), and Global Pursuit, ultimately leading her to more of a consulting role. In moving to Los Angeles, she went on to work as a retail analyst with RMSA for 7.5 years until finally joining the Project Retail team.

She always knew working with independent retailers was what she enjoyed most. She finds each type of retailer unique and likes the challenge of being able to bring a different perspective to the table. Along with her love of the independent retailer, she frequently teaches buying classes at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles.