Brainstorms

Here’s How to Figure Out What “Non-Essential Things” to Cut

Author Leidy Klotz calls it a “reverse pilot.”

Published

2 months ago

October 8, 2024

INSTORE Staff Instore October 2024 Issue

Here’s How to Figure Out What “Non-Essential Things” to Cut

PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO

You’ve no doubt heard the advice to stop doing “non-essential things” or to trim the services you offer as a way to bring increased focus to your management and your business. But it’s hard to know what to cut. Everything seems to have some value or you wouldn’t have done it in the first place. Leidy Klotz, a professor of engineering and author of Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less, suggests running an experiment, which he calls a “reverse pilot.” Unlike a regular pilot project, in which you temporarily try something new, a reverse pilot calls for temporary subtraction. Just stop doing something for a bit, says Klotz, and see what happens.

Retiring? Let Wilkerson Do the Heavy Lifting

Retirement can be a great part of life. As Nanji Singadia puts it, “I want to retire and enjoy my life. I’m 78 now and I just want to take a break.” That said, Nanji decided that the best way to move ahead was to contact the experts at Wilkerson. He chose them because he knew that closing a store is a heavy lift. To maximize sales and move on to the next, best chapter of his life, he called Wilkerson—but not before asking his industry friends for their opinion. He found that Wilkerson was the company most recommended and says their professionalism, experience and the homework they did before the launch all helped to make his going out of business sale a success. “Wilkerson were working on the sale a month it took place,” he says. “They did a great job.”