While talking with a rural shoe retailer a few days ago, I asked how many people walk in front of the store on an average day, including walk-ins. She had no idea. Never has paid attention to such a number. asked how many walk-ins she gets in an average day. Not a clue. It's a beautiful store inside and out. Set on a gorgeous town square kitty-corner from the courthouse. But like many small, rural stores - it's in trouble. So what did we do? We set up a Conversation Station (No,not a blog. Not yet anyway). Count the people that walk across the street. As best we can, count the drive-bys. MORE >>

Between the ages of 15-20 , I learned to drive, learned a 2nd language (Spanish), found I loved architectural drafting, was with a girl in a WOW way (she didn't lose her pancakes), learned to start over with new friends (we moved again), bought a car, wrote my first check, went to real estate school, managed a retail shoe store, and a humoungous list of many other things. What can you accomplish in 5 years? don't eat pancakes any more, so.it doesn't matter how young or old we are, if we treat today like the first day of the rest of our life - we can accomplish anything. Go get 'em. MORE >>

When I was in the retail business, I had a regional manager once asked me how my sales of “blank wall space” and rental of the “vacant carpet squares” were going? This is retail. raised my eyebrows and waited for the lesson to be delivered. didn’t have to wait long: “I love white space as much as the next person,” he said. “But we’re not in advertising. Floor space and Wall space? That’s for our inventory. Keep ‘em full, clean, and looking good. Move a few things around once in awhile. My Friends Should See This. MORE >>

walk into a rural retail business. It’s so sad, I sometimes get angry. The bell above the wooden door rings as I walk in. head pops up from behind the glass display counter. She stands and pushes up the eyeglasses from the edge of her nose. “G’mornin’ Can I help you?” ” A tired smile appears. We talk a little bit about her store and how she got started. She was laid off a few years ago and decided to have a go at her own. There’s plenty of street parking, she says. There has been for a few years now. Nobody comes around much anymore. And its sad. MORE >>

Whether giving birth to a baby or launching a product, writing a book or getting a retail store ready for opening day – conception can be messy. “The hospital room may be spotless and sterile, but birth itself will always take place amid chaos, pain, and blood.&#. Steven Pressfield in Do the Work (Location 222 of 920). Conception can be a beautiful thing. Its newness. Untested. Plenty of promise, potential, and possibilities. Can you feel the breath of a sigh as we look upon it? wonder if the sigh is an “ooh-aah&# or a sigh of relief. The reality: Conception is Messy. MORE >>