[dropcap cap=D]o you have a place where you can be creative? Someplace where you are completely away from all the distractions? Where you can think big thoughts?[/dropcap]
If not, you need to find one. And you need to go to that place at least once a week (and maybe even two or three times a week) for an hour or an hour-and-a-half each time.
For me, the place is the pool at our housing estate. I go there a couple mornings a week with a cup of coffee and my iPad. When I started, I would sit next to the pool and write. But that wasn’t good enough. Now, I actually stand in the pool while writing. (What can I say … Bangkok is a hot place.)
Important note: By big thoughts, I don’t mean big thoughts along the lines of “Why am I here?” or even “Where will my business be 10 years from now?” That’s great once in a while, but that well will run dry quickly.
What I mostly mean is creative thoughts on the smallest details of your business. Like: “What’s a fun idea for a new case display?” “What are some creative ways to build my e-mail list?” “What funny Facebook status updates can I write that will make my customers laugh over the next month?” “What can I stuff in bags that will make customers feel good?
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Invest yourself in doing this, and your business can’t help but see big results.
Wishing you the very best in business!
dsquires@instoremag.com
[span class=note]This story is from the September 2010 edition of INSTORE[/span]
Four Decades of Excellence: How Wilkerson Transformed a Jeweler's Retirement into Celebration
After 45 years serving the Milwaukee community, Treiber & Straub Jewelers owner Michael Straub faced a significant life transition. At 75, the veteran jeweler made a personal decision many business owners understand: "I think it's time. I want to enjoy my wife with my grandchildren for the next 10, 15 years."
Wilkerson's expertise transformed this major business transition into an extraordinary success. Their comprehensive approach to managing the going-out-of-business sale created unprecedented customer response—with lines forming outside the store and limits on how many shoppers could enter at once due to fire safety regulations.
The results exceeded all expectations. "Wilkerson did a phenomenal job," Straub enthuses. "They were there for you through the whole thing, helped you with promoting it, helping you on day-to-day business. I can't speak enough for how well they did." The partnership didn't just facilitate a business closing; it created a celebratory finale to decades of service while allowing Straub to confidently step into his well-earned retirement.
