[Moms Unfiltered] Recession Indicators, Coupons & Consignment

Zuryna Livermore: Hey, hey.

Welcome back to Operations
Unfiltered, the podcast that takes

you behind the scenes of influencer
marketing and content creation.

I'm your host and your favorite
marketing project manager, girly Zuryna.

Okay.

Today we're talking about something that
you've probably felt in your wallet way

before you even heard it on the news.

I'm talking about recession indicators.

If you're like me, the word recession
might be a buzzword that evokes

extreme emotion, usually negative.

For me, I like to find a real Housewives
analogy to help me break down complex

situations or words that I truly don't
understand, and I'm partial to Real

Housewives of Atlanta or Potomac, so most
of my references are from those shows.

So basically a recession is when
the whole cast trip turns into Great

Falls, Virginia instead of Portugal.

Still, shades still drama, but
definitely on a tighter budget.

Now you might be wondering, what
does a recession look like outside

of those charts and the Wall Street
Journal reports and stock tickers?

Sometimes it looks like coupons.

I know.

You know what I'm talking about.

Those papers that our moms and grandmoms
used to swear by at the grocery store,

I used to be so embarrassed when my
grandma would pull out all her coupons.

But if you grew up like me, then you
remember it was a whole situation.

Saturdays you would get your paper
scissors in your hand, clipping and

stashing away deals for the week.

But now fast forward to 2025 and
that nostalgic experience is gone

because everything is digital
apps, QR codes, loyalty codes, and

convenience is nice, but it raises the
question, are we missing something?

Is something being lost?

Here's the twist.

There is the rise of creative hobbies.

My friends are scrap
journaling scrapbooking.

People are really searching for
tactile, nostalgic experience.

So maybe there is a lane for
paper coupons to make a comeback.

I mean, could you imagine
blending, crafting with budgeting?

Now your journal becomes a money
saving scrapbook and honestly, in a

recession that might not just be cute,
it might be a practical solution.

Okay, so keep that in mind.

And here's another shift that has
been quietly happening that I'm

not sure if you guys are aware
of this, but major retailers are

tightening the reins on their loyalty
programs and their coupon codes.

For example, target and giant grocery
stores and other retailers are no

longer accepting competitors' coupons.

Now that might sound small, and
some of you might not even have

known that these companies were
doing this, but it's a huge change.

For families who are used to stacking
deals, it means less flexibility,

less breathing rooms, and higher
out-of-pocket costs in, in already

challenging economic times.

This is awful.

Now I'm a project manager
in my professional life.

I'm also a project manager of
my household, and I wanted to

know, what does this mean for us?

Because let's be real, managing a
budget is one of the most complex

projects you'll ever run in your life.

You've got the scope, which is your
bills, groceries, daycare, moms, you

know, you know daycare is a huge expense.

You've got resources, your paycheck
or any other side hustle income.

And then you've got stakeholders
like your preschooler, who suddenly

only eats one brand of yogurt.

She only likes the Sky Dan
Animal's yogurt, by the way.

So there's that.

And when competitor coupons
disappear, it's truly like losing a

key resource in your project plan.

Now we've gotta pivot.

Now I've gotta rebalance the
schedule and reallocate funds.

It's project management, but
with grocery bags, hate it Here.

And you guys, this is where we're seeing
another interesting recession indicator,

the rise of consigning and thrifting.

People aren't just hunting
for deals at thrift shops.

They're making money back by
consigning their own items.

I'll give you guys a quick example.

Over the past year, well two years
since I've had my daughter, I've

made a few hundred dollars consigning
everything from old beach equipment

to car seats and even a bassinet.

Things that my family no longer needs
turned into actual cash, which then got

funneled back into other projects like
daycare costs or a quick giant run.

It's like closing out a project,
reclaiming unused resources and

putting them into work somewhere else.

And that's the perfect
lead in to today's guest.

Robin is the founder of Top Swap
Consignment, which is an incredible

business that helps families
buy and sell gently used items.

She's built a model that not only
saves people money, but also creates

a community around sustainability
and financial flexibility.

I'm happy to report that I've
consigned with top swapped two years

in a row, and I've made some coins.

So let's chat with Robin about all things.

Consignment and financial
security and flexibility through

the top swap consignment.

Robyn: It's so interesting 'cause
the way that from when I started

to now and how marketing and online
has evolved, it's so fascinating.

I'm fascinated by all of that and.

Zuryna Livermore: So

Robyn: Oh, I,

Zuryna Livermore: your origin story.

'cause I

Robyn: yeah,

Zuryna Livermore: like how do we
land at top Swap like the, it's the

most, it's the most innovative idea.

And my husband and I laugh as we're
dragging all of our stuff in there.

Every time we're like.

This lady's a genius.

How did you do this?

And I was like, you know what?

I'm sick of asking

Robyn: I'm not.

Zuryna Livermore: I'm gonna ask her.

So here we are.

Robyn: Yes, here we are.

And actually I don't take credit
for that because it wasn't my idea.

So, yeah, so I, I, I actually
always worked in the event

planning industry, so I was

It's evolved over the
years, that's for sure.

The things that we've been through,
uh, hopefully you don't see it as the

customer, but we've gone through a lot.

But it has evolved and I honestly,
I was doing other events and I ran

across this concept and I was like.

Oh my gosh, this is just genius.

I, because I was, I had my first son
at the time and I actually, before

I got on with you, I meant to go
back and look because I'm, I think

2026 is my 20 year anniversary.

So

we went through COVID, we've
been through tornadoes, we've

been through power outages.

We've been through it all.

Zuryna Livermore: You
were an event planner.

How did your career land you here?

Where, how did we get here?

Robyn: Well, I was doing, I was
actually, floating around at different

event planning companies and I actually
left a job that I absolutely hated.

And then I started, , college
fairs and I was taking

and I, I went on the venue, actually was
looking at other events that they have,

and that's where I ran across the concept.

And that's why I was
like, oh my gosh, genius.

Because I firmly believe in the concept.

I absolutely believe in
recycling and reusing.

And not only that, but just like for
families to make a couple a hundred

bucks, like four, three or $400 by
selling their stuff each season.

Zuryna Livermore: For me, what I love
about consignment is that it challenges

the old stigma about secondhand.

I'm putting air quotes around
secondhand because honestly, it's

not just about being frugal, it's
about being smart, especially in

such challenging economic times.

It's about project managing the
lifecycle of your purchases.

So instead of items sitting in a closet
or worse going to waste, you extend their

use and recover some of your investment.

When I had my daughter and that
first year, I spent so much money

on clothes that she never wore,
clothes that she wore once, clothes

that I literally took a picture of
her and, and took her out of it.

And I kid you not, I made
$300 my first consignment and.

That's why I was like,
this lady's a genius.

Wow, why didn't I think
of this type of situation?

Because I just, it really
helped me and I needed that $300

because daycare is expensive,

Robyn: Yes.

Zuryna Livermore: we appreciate you.

Robyn: Yes, absolutely.

And I think everybody does, right?

At the end of the day, who
couldn't use 300, 400 bucks, right?

Everybody could, no matter what
place you are in life, you can.

So, and I think that just,
and even like you look at like

a Fisher-Price toy, right?

Zuryna Livermore: Yeah.

Robyn: That you bleach
that up, you clean it up.

Perfect.

It's just as good as it was
when you bought it brand new.

So I just, I firmly believe that reusing
those things and reselling them, giving

them to another home is so valuable.

But, but like you said, you spent
so much money on those things, so

you're not looking, you're not trying
to make back what you paid for it.

You know, you're being realistic that
there's a resell value to something, but.

You want a little bit back because
the mom on the other end is paying

significantly less than what she
would've paid if she bought it brand new.

So I think it's a win-win.

It really is a win-win for the
family who's selling it and

for the family who's buying it.

And when I have,

Zuryna Livermore: Oh my gosh.

Financial insecurity is crazy.

And honestly,

Robyn: my God.

Zuryna Livermore: gonna throw away my
car seat that I put there, and my husband

was like, why don't we bring that?

And we ended up selling it.

So, to your point, it's just, I was
gonna throw it away like I really was.

So, I'm, grateful for this opportunity and
I'm, I really feel like you filled a gap.

honestly with the way things are going,
do you anticipate it being bigger?

And how do you anticipate
growing with the bigger growth?

Robyn: Well, you know, I, it's
always had its ups and downs, right?

I mean, COVID.

We, we we're recovering.

So it'll be a very interesting to see.

I think I think because of the political
climate last year, at the end of

last year with things were just iffy.

I think families, no matter where
you stand, people are just a

little bit fearful and not sure
with how they were spending their

money, what they were doing.

But now that we're in this year
and things are kind of, you know.

We're realizing where things are, right.

So I, I do think that this year
coming, people still have, like

you said, that insecurities.

I think that that is, uh, things
are so much more expensive now.

It's crazy.

So I do think that we're gonna have
a little bit of a surge this fall.

I don't think, you know, it's gonna
go off the chart, but I do think we're

gonna have a little surge and, you know,
people will be coming back and we'll

be realizing that okay, there they're.

They're ready to do it,
you know, this fall.

So, I mean, we've been, we've
managed, like we've managed

at different levels, right?

So if we had that surge,
we can handle just fine.

So we hope for the surge, right?

Zuryna Livermore: a
very well-oiled machine.

It is and even the new additions you
guys have made this past year with

the cones and the drop-off zones.

I was like, oh my goodness, I
could, I scheduled it during

lunch break, so I was in and out.

It's honestly really, it's well organized.

You guys, let's be honest, thrifting has
become chic again between sustainability

trends and TikTok, thrift halls.

Buying secondhand isn't just a
money move, it's a cultural shift.

This means consigning is no
longer just something your

aunt once did in the nineties.

It's a legit organized system
where people are running their

households like a business.

Now for me as a corporate project manager,
a booking agent for influencers and a

content creator myself, here's how I think
about project management in the household.

Your budget equals your project plan.

Coupons, whether paper or digital
used to be a task dependency,

and if that task get removed, you
need a workaround consignment.

That's your risk management strategy.

It's your plan B air quotes
around plan B revenue stream.

If you have an unexpected daycare
bill, I mean moms, if you know, you

know that annual registration fee.

I hate it, but it comes consign,
last year's summer stroller that

you're no longer using and now
you can cover your daycare bill.

And the last thing, thrifter
equals stakeholder engagement.

Because let's face it, the stakeholders,
which are your family, still expect

results even if your budget is tighter.

So when we zoom out, these
shifts in coupons, competitor

policies and consignment aren't
just random trends there.

Honestly, early warning signs,
indicators of how the economy is

squeezing families and how we have to
adapt with creativity and strategy.

Speaking about content creation,
if you could collaborate with your

dream influencer, your dream content
creator, who would it be and why?

And what would you envision them
doing or how would you envision

them promoting the Tot Swap?

Robyn: I don't think I
have one in particular.

I, because you know, when you think
about your dream influencer there.

You know, these people who have
millions and millions of fans.

But for me it's just the local families.

You know, that's, and that's from
a marketing perspective, right?

For, for tot swap marketing perspective
is I just, you know, these moms who

just have the influence locally, right?

They're micro influencers.

That's really, those are the people
that I really wanna reach out to

and work with our micro influencers.

'cause even those, those
influencers that have hundreds of

thousands of fans, they're really.

Broad spectrum, like, you know, all
across the United States or even

worldwide, you know, where somebody only
has like a couple thousand followers.

They're really niche,
they're really more local.

There's the people that I really, uh, you
know, that are more, I think, up my alley

Zuryna Livermore: yeah.

I love that you said micro influencer and
the fact that you said that literally my

heart fluttered because you as a business
owner can, you're able to delineate

between micro, you know what I mean?

I love that because that
shows that you're invested in.

your business as far as marketing's
concerned, and I think you are spot on.

What is one myth or misconception
that people have about consigning

this industry, this business?

What do you think is a myth or a
misconception that they have about it?

Robyn: I, you know, like that, the,
that, that they're buying like, that

it's like a flea market there's nothing
wrong with the garage sale yard.

So there's really nothing wrong
with the flea market too, but, and

you know, I feel like we're kind
of that middle level, you know.

We're not Neiman Marcus,
we're not Walmart.

We're kind of like
target, Nordstrom, right?

Zuryna Livermore: Yeah.

What

sets you guys apart?

Like what are the key things?

I know what it is for me as a
shopper and both as a consignor.

I, for reference guys who are listening,
I brought my Ralph Lauren items, I brought

my Juicy Couture baby items that were

Robyn: Okay.

Zuryna Livermore: You know what I mean?

Robyn: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Zuryna Livermore: So

Robyn: Well we, yeah,
and we have that, right?

We have all of it.

We have, and, and actually it's funny
'cause we do a lot of buying, so, but as

a buying, we only buy the high end stuff.

Right?

But if you're selling.

On your own.

You can sell your Carter stuff, you can
sell your Old Navy stuff, that's fine.

But you can also bring your Ralph
Lauren and your mini boat in and

your lily polzer and all that stuff.

So it really runs the gamut
of all price ranges of things.

So, and it's quality stuff too.

So, but I think the biggest difference
is when you're shopping, yard

sale, flea market, or garage sale.

Organization, right?

So if you know you need girls three T,
you're going straight to that section.

So you know, you don't have to shop around
and spend all these hours searching.

You just come right to one place
and you find it all in one spot,

and it's very easy to shop.

Zuryna Livermore: Can you talk a
little bit about the other types

of things that you guys sell?

Because I know it's tot swap.

I know you have the car seats, the
sleepers, the baby items, but what

are some of the other things you have?

I know you have books.

I know you have board games.

I know you have that, but what
are some other categories that

Robyn: From tot to tween
and everything in between.

Plus maternity, right.

Zuryna Livermore: yeah.

Robyn: We have home decor.

Home decor is actually, I actually
like the home decor section.

I would like this the
decor section to grow.

'cause as our moms grow
or get older, right?

That, that their kids
might, uh, grow out of it.

But there's still the home decor stuff.

Zuryna Livermore: How has running
Top SWAP changed you as a person,

and what would, what is the moment
that you were like, aha, this is it.

This is why I do what I do?

Robyn: I think it's just confidence,
and like really believing in my

capabilities, like I, I do, like, I,
I, I've had a very successful company.

I mean, it's been 20 years I've been
doing this and I've been very successful.

So, and I need to remind
myself of that sometimes.

But I think it definitely has
given me a lot of confidence

over the years, for sure.

Yeah.

Zuryna Livermore: Oh, I love that.

And then of course, I know we
can keep up with you online,

but what's next for Tot swap?

Can you tell us the dates
of the all the next sales?

I know, and then I'll, I'll of
course put it all in my episode

description, but what's next?

Immediately for Tots Swap.

Robyn: Okay, so, so the dates we
have coming up gosh, I'm not gonna

have the exact dates, but it's all on
our website, which is tot swap.net.

But in September we're
in Rockville, in person.

We have also, uh, Westminster in person.

In September, October we have
Frederick, and then we're back

in Timonium in October, and then
November we're in Howard County.

And then December is our
online Rockville sale, so

Zuryna Livermore: some a, a
time to shop all year pretty

much for the rest of the year.

I love this so much.

Robin, you are like, yeah.

Robyn: yes,

Zuryna Livermore: The best when I tell

Robyn: yes.

Zuryna Livermore: are that girl.

You are

Robyn: Aw,

Zuryna Livermore: I

Robyn: you're so sweet.

Zuryna Livermore: I love it.

Robyn: You're so sweet.

Zuryna Livermore: And thank you so
much for joining me on this episode.

I cannot wait to share this with
my audience and thank you so much.

Robyn: I love meeting you.

You're wonderful.

You're so sweet.

Like I love this.

Thank you so much, and
let's definitely connect.

Zuryna Livermore: Thanks so much to
Robyn for sharing all those gems.

More than any-anything.

I think the bigger takeaway from
all of this is that financial health

isn't just about earning more,
it's about managing the operations

of your household with intention.

Key two words with intention.

It's about knowing when to cut, when
to repurpose, and when to innovate.

Just like with any good project.

So as always, thank you for
tuning into Operations Unfiltered.

Huge thank you to Robin from Top Swap
for joining me and sharing her expertise.

If you've been curious about
consigning or thrifting, maybe

this is your sign to give it a try.

You might be surprised at
how much you make and save.

Don't forget to follow the podcast.

Share this episode with a
friend, and of course, check

out top swaps upcoming events.

I'll share the link in today's show notes.

But until next time, make
it a great day or not.

The choice is always yours.

Until next time