Category: Perspective

Enough Already with the Uncontrollables

7/11/2022

A frequent recommendation for how to navigate the current economic uncertainty is to be more diligent about controlling expenses, and focus on profit. (You'll see; we challenge that below.)

Hmm. Concentrating on profits is easier said than done in today's environment, with cost increases proliferating under the umbrella of inflation.

Workers are able to "shop around" for higher wages and benefits.
Shipping costs are increasing.
Fees for online services are increasing.
Transaction costs, from listings to advertising to warehousing to fulfillment for e-commerce services are increasing.

Digital-First Retailers Discovering Merits of Physical Retailing

6/20/2022

The basic definition of retailing is "selling to the ultimate consumer."

As you know, HOW that is done, and in what location or format, continues to change and evolve.

So, we were intrigued by this recent post on the Shopify Retail Blog: The Future of Physical Retail in a Digital-First World.*

The "retail digital-first world", of course, is either the "pure play e-commerce retailers," those who sell only online, or the "brands" (what we used to call manufacturers) who have embraced the "DTC model," selling direct-to-consumer.
And as you know, Shopify is one of the largest platforms for e-commerce businesses. Definitely a leader of the retail digital-first world.

To us, the blog post was essentially a wide-ranging journey of discovery(and perhaps even some new-found respect for those "physical retailers".)

Be Ready – New Kind of 4th of July Is Coming

6/13/2022

We think this may be a very different 4th of July Holiday weekend.

It will not be just about red, white & blue window displays, or flag waving, or fireworks displays. Instead, there is a new mood, a new attitude that is emerging.

First, we believe that all shoppers are reeling from being swamped by some major and concurrent attention-grabbing events and trends affecting all of us. Seemingly with no end in sight.

"Unprecedented." What? Again??

6/6/2022

Consider these front-page headlines and the accompanying chart (see above) from the June 6 Wall Street Journal* – "Surplus Inventory Piles Up", "Stores Are Stuck with the Wrong Items."

Look at it carefully, and think of your operation in comparison. How do your numbers compare? Are you as shocked as we are?

How did this happen?

Partly as responses to the unprecedented impacts of the pandemic.

Business Reality for High-Tech Startups...and You?

5/31/2022

Have you seen what the Silicon Valley venture capital firms are saying to the startup firms they've invested in?

While it may be tempting to smile and nod approvingly at this dose of business reality, there's a ripple effect to be aware of.

As reported in the May 31 edition of the Wall Street Journal*, "Their advice includes cutting costs, preserving cash, and jettisoning hopes that hedge funds or other investors will swoop in with big checks."

The Owner's Trifecta: What's Yours?

5/9/2022

You may be one of the many retail owners who share our vision of why to own your own business: “Making money. Having fun. Doing good.”

You see, we believe that Owners do not have to choose just one goal for defining "success" in their business. Goals do not have to be mutually exclusive; they can converge. Just like in a Venn diagram.

Here's a fun exercise. Make your own Venn diagram for your own business. Start now to make that convergence come to life.

VUCA: The Acronym for These Times

5/2/2022

Every day, there are all too many headlines of things outside our control.

The war in Ukraine.
The global energy crisis.
Inflation.
Rising interest rates.
The falling stock market.
Wildfires.
Droughts.
Supply chain disruptions.
Rising costs.
Crime rates.
Social injustices.
The latest coronavirus variant.
And...And...And...

The drumbeat of news about these events is relentless. And wearing.

While retailers are notably resiliant and optimistic, there IS a limit to how much uncertainty one can continue to take.

Then we discovered that there is a name for all this: VUCA.

<<Previous

Forward>>