Editor’s Note: Start Me Up!

Published

19 years ago

March 2, 2005

LET’S GO BACK TO THE VERY BEGINNING…

IN LIFE, we all start the same way ? bald, nude and crying.

And you know what, it’s pretty much the same way when we start off in retail. (Of course, we’re talking metaphorically here.) But the fact is, every one of us is once again an infant when we open our first business. Every choice seems a terrifying puzzle. What locations to choose? How much inventory to carry? Should we advertise? And every new experience is a shock. First customer. First sale. First complaint. First return. First cash crunch.

Little by little, we gain our feet. And with increasing frequency, we start to think, ?You know what, I can really do this!? And then even that thought stops coming, because it’s no longer a point of surprise ? it’s a given. It’s an important stage of development, but also one that’s bittersweet. Because, face it, we will all miss the drama inherent in the beginning of all things.

This month, we’re going to give you that feeling again. In our lead story, called ?Beginnings?, five different retailers share the stories of their starts. All faced challenges, all dealt with fears and doubts, and all came out on the other side as solid, profitable ? and in some cases even wildly successful ? businesses. It’s a story we think you’ll enjoy for the lessons our retailers have to share ? not to mention the vicarious opportunity to start your business all over again. Enjoy the tales!

Wishing you the very best business …
David Squires
Executive Editor And Associate Publisher
(Click here)

When There’s No Succession Plan, Call Wilkerson

Bob Wesley, owner of Robert C. Wesley Jewelers in Scottsdale, Ariz., was a third-generation jeweler. When it was time to enjoy life on the other side of the counter, he weighed his options. His lease was nearing renewal time and with no succession plan, he decided it was time to call Wilkerson. There was plenty of inventory to sell and at first, says Wesley, he thought he might try to manage a sale himself. But he’s glad he didn’t. “There’s no way I could have done this as well as Wilkerson,” he says. Wilkerson took responsibility for the entire event, with every detail — from advertising to accounting — done, dusted and managed by the Wilkerson team. “It’s the complete package,” he says of the Wilkerson method of helping jewelers to easily go on to the next phase of their lives. “There’s no way any retailer can duplicate what they’ve done.”