(Nov/Dec 09)

Leadership and management are often thought to be the same. If someone is a manager, it is assumed they are also a leader. From my experience, I have not found this to be true. Though both are vital to the success of any business, leadership and management are two different roles and often a good manager is not a good leader and vice-versa....

The vital role hormonal balance has in the workplace

Much has been written about the importance of maintaining hormone balance for a healthy body, yet little can be found about the vital role it has on the health of a business. Stress and the over-production of cortisol creates adrenal fatigue. Many people lay awake at night worrying about work. Why is it that Monday mornings produce more heart attacks than any other time in the week? Should the health of the company be more important than the health of the people who are working there or running it?...

Recently, I attended a seminar on making the most of your time, and it got me thinking about the reps we as an industry employ and if they are making the most of YOUR time during their visits to your store.  As the seminar moved on, the topic touched on an interesting concept: would customers be willing to pay for a visit from an account manager?...

As an entrepreneur, you've likely read more books about marketing than there are stars in the sky. And many of them are about as exciting as watching snow melt. But in her book Step into the Spotlight!, marketing consultant Tsufit shares a new perspective on getting noticed, based on her years in show business.

Here's how to bask in the glow of success:...

The short answer to this age-old question is... absolutely. You bet it does. For over 200 years, retailers of all types and sizes in a number of very diverse industries have employed advertising to build their businesses. And for the most part, this marketing strategy has paid off handsomely....

Teens are the future of the green movement – encourage them! I know that I'm not typical in any way (just ask anyone that knows me), but when I go to the mall with my daughter (still her favorite destination, as with most 15 year old girls), I know I'm raising a teenager that many people will find scary. I have been telling her for as long as I can remember that her power really comes from her pocketbook and she needs to "vote with her dollars," not the string of "strongly worded" letters that she sends to our MP and to the Prime Minister of the day."..."

Here is a common challenge for all retailers, from the independent store, to the major mass retailers. Almost daily, sales reps come in to ask you to buy more products and more skus. However, sales are flat; maybe slightly declining in this environment. So, adding more choice is a great way to drive sales, right? Does adding skus increase sales?"..."

Health food stores are leaders of the natural lifestyle in North America. Back before the 1940’s, most people ate pretty much only natural organic whole foods. Heck, that is all there was. Health food stores began springing up in the 40’s to maintain unadulterated whole foods and provide supplements to replace the nutrients no longer available in our modern mass-produced foods. Thank goodness there were people to lead the charge and protect our food choices. I wonder – if we are what we eat, have artificial foods helped create artificial intelligence?