Creative Retail Talks with Clint O'Rear

Stories from David & Adam Blumenthal covering 144 years and five generations of an iconic yarn brand in the creative industry. From how it got its name to what keeps it strong and growing.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: Lion Brand has been around for 144 years Lion Brand was the sole supplier of yarn to Target for many years up until Target discontinued the category Lion Brand has been on the web longer than Google The key to keeping the business within the family and successful is that no family member is forced to be a part of the company. Every member of the Blumenthal family that has worked for Lion Brand did it because they wanted to Lion Brand is fueled by a passion for the business and a willingness to change and adapt Hiring people that have an interest in yarn and appreciate that Lion Brand is a family business has been the key to integrating non-family member employees into the company Lion Brand has been able to build a strong connection with its customer base and is very proud to continue to do that Partnering with Vanna White and others has been a huge boost for the visibility of the brand SUGGESTED ACTIONS: Think long term Hire people that are a fit for your culture Stay passionate about your vision and adapt along the way as needed Find interesting ways to increase visibility of your brand!    

When your company has a Dean of Leadership Development and twelve Character Commitments, you know they take servant leadership seriously. Jim Iyoob, Chief Customer Officer of Etech Global Services, shares the culture that began with a vision “to make a remarkable difference for each other” — clients, team members, and community.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Etech is an outsourced contact center that has organically grown from 400 to 3500 employees that focuses on making a remarkable difference for their customers Continuous growth and training are essential for all levels of employees Servant leadership comes down to treating your people, customers, and community well to produce a wonderful experience for them Etech has a Dean of Leadership, Melissa Wood, that helps design courses for all levels of the company to help with continuous learning and growth Jim started as a call center agent at Dunn and Bradstreet and has worked his way up to Chief Customer Officer at Etech with the help of Matt Rocco You have to be able to recognize areas you need improvement in and be able to learn from experiences as everything is a lesson Leaders develop leaders – You must focus on developing the next generation of leaders if you want sustained success More about Etech's Character Commitments SUGGESTED ACTIONS Have a plan for continuous growth As a leader, be intentional about developing other leaders  Read at least 1 article per day – LinkedIn is a great source ______________________

Retail authority Michael Barker shares his philosophy on how Happy Customers + Happy Employees always leads to a Healthy Business [Podcast first published November 2021] KEY TAKEAWAYS Happy Customers + Happy Employees = Healthy Business If you reduce employee turn 20% you increase profits by more than 20% Happy employees make Happy customers AVID Insights creates a Health ID score to measure the level of satisfaction and engagement of both employees and customers. Employee engagement is the #1 driver of customer satisfaction. 95% of products are developed with ZERO research - a huge mistake! Key areas to research Product development Shopper satisfaction Research data must be reviewed for quality to be accurate and useful. AVID Insights creates a Health ID Score for both shoppers and employees to measure engagement and satisfaction. If you can take a shopper's Health ID Score up by 10%, they will spend 37% more. AVID Insights process Ask the questions — Right questions, in the right way, to the right people Analyze the data - critical Display the results - how you display is part of the analysis AVID is a high value, low cost model for research and insights. SUGGESTED ACTIONS Measure employee engagement and create a culture that creates happy employees. Measure customer satisfaction and listen to their feedback. Do research and get consumer insights before launching products. ______________________

Garry Ridge, retired CEO of WD-40, is this amazing combination of a confident leader and a very humble servant who has led his tribe very well. Although he was in the oil products business, in this episode we talk about a lot of things that have nothing to do with oil but everything to do with how to grow your business and grow your people. [Podcast first published May 2021] KEY TAKEAWAYS 70% of people who go to work everyday are disengaged Aristotle - “Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.” From Ken Blanchard's class at University of San Diego in the Masters of Leadership program, Garry learned that a leaders role is to create a place where people go to work everyday where: They make a contribution to something bigger than themselves They learn something new They are protected They are set free by a compelling set of values And therefore they go home happy Happy people create happy families Happy families create happy communities Happy communities create a happy world You need to love and involve your people in everything you do! Comparison of Al the Soul Sucking CEO with the Servant Leader

As Dean of Global Leadership Development, Melissa Wood spearheads all learning and development business-building programs for Etech. She shares insights into the next generation of leaders and how you can build your personal leadership development program. KEY TAKEAWAYS John Maxwell had a tremendous influence on Etech and Melissa ever since he spoke at an Etech company event. Etech is more than willing to invest in leadership development tools to produce the next generation of leaders. Melissa's passion is working with people one on one and helping develop their leadership skills. Lessons learned about the next generations through teaching and mentoring kids and young adults for the last 15 years. Reinvent continuously to keep up with the changes of the new generations The next generations want relationships Grouping information is key when relaying new things to the next generation Melissa's biggest takeaway for new leaders is to remember that you are not your smartest when you're on your own. Tap into the different gifts and talents of the people around you. If you want to grow as a leader and must develop your leadership skills on your own, sit down and sketch out what you think a leadership program looks like with key core concepts. Sketch out a foundation Search for content online Partner with someone Start! ______________________

Creating a more colorful, connected, comforting and caring world with yarn. KEY TAKEAWAYS Lion Brand has an amazing Purpose Statement with four key words Colorful Lion Brand produces high-quality, uniquely colored yarn that stands above the competition Connected Lion Brand stays connected to the craft and the community that the craft creates Comforting Knitting gives people comfort and stress relief Lion Brand employees feel comfortable and supported working for the company Caring Lion Brand puts lots of care behind every decision they make, products they produce, and associates and customers they have Lion Brand's Schitt's Creek yarn line was an idea a Lion Brand employee came up with after watching the show and it's been a success David Blumenthal's key message is for people to treat people with kindness and respect, no matter their occupation or position Adam Blumenthal's key message is for people to continue to learn from past mistakes and failures to create futures successes ___ Skein Tones (lionbrand.com), a modern neutral palette aiming to complement a wide spectrum of skin tones. ___

When employees and leaders choose to share their talent with your company, give them opportunities on their journey. Melissa Wood shares the 12 character commitments of Etech culture and the 5 Pillars of Education to produce the next generation of leaders. KEY TAKEAWAYS Etech has 12 character commitments for their company culture Humility Integrity Positive influence Communication Creativity Courage Accountability Teamwork Valuing people Adaptability Teachability Vision Etech has 5 Pillars of Education to help with ongoing learning and producing the next generation of leaders Aspiring Leader Employees that are not in leadership apply to be in this program; after rounds of interviews, a select few are chosen New Leader Assimilation Employees are equipped with the tools to be a successful leader at Etech Coaching Suite Employees are taught how to coach the people they lead Etech has a program called Remarkable University to help with this Employees gain certification after passing all classes and submitting videos of them properly coaching employees Continued Education Etech offers classes on various topics Zone Reinforcement Etech uses this to reinforce topics employees should have learned but are not excelling in that area This pillar also involves discovery sessions with Melissa to talk specifically about the employee's team that they are leading ______________________

A comment on the Tonight Show leads to a 30-year partnership with Vanna White. The mindset of giving back and making a difference has led to #HATNOTHATE, donations to charities like St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a wider spectrum of skin tones (Skein Tones), and sustainability. KEY TAKEAWAYS Lion Brand has stayed in the family because family members like Adam have wanted to come back and work for the family business Lion Brand Yarn was selected as the outstanding family business in New Jersey Vanna White was a customer of Lion Brand's and talked about knitting on Johnny Carson. Lion Brand then partnered with her, as she was very passionate about knitting and yarn The Lion Brand Yarn & Vanna White partnership has lasted 30 years and is still going, which has led to over $2 million being donated to St. Jude's Children's Hospital The Hat Not Hate program has distributed over 92,000 hats to help fight against bullying - www.hatnothate.org Lion Brand has started a program called Skein Tones, where more colors of yarn are created to better represent the skin tones of people of color Lion Brand is working to make the manufacturing and disposable process of yarn as sustainable as possible ___ St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (stjude.org), leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. HatNotHate.org, #HATNOTHATE was launched in 2018 as an anti-bullying campaign founded by Shira Blumenthal. We encourage people to make, wear, and post handmade blue hats, adding #HATNOTHATE when sharing on social platforms. Hats are distributed to schools nationwide, educating students about the message of kindness. Check out the Blue Lemonade podcast. Skein Tones (lionbrand.com), a modern neutral palette aiming to complement a wide spectrum of skin tones. Sustainable Stitching Yarns (lionbrand.com), includes renewable and recycled fibers ___

Melissa Wood turns the table and interviews Clint about his WHY and his passion for servant leadership. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Melissa Wood flips the interview on Clint and interviews him for a few minutes Clint talks about the influence his Dad had on teaching him about Servant Leadership starting with listening to cassette tapes of Zig Ziegler Clint also learned Servant Leadership from many of his football coaches in high school and college Clint has also been influenced by Garry Ridge, outgoing CEO of WD-40, and his principles of Servant Leadership and Tribe Culture Melissa is similar to Clint in that she is very passionate about leadership and relationships Covid caused many business sectors to become transactional rather than relational Melissa originally applied to work in the distribution center of Bealls, but HR immediately saw she would be better suited for the retail call center which is where she started her career Her job at Bealls is where she first saw the dividends from investing in your people and leadership development Melissa started working in leadership development at Etech after being hired by CEO Matt Rocco Matt had character commitments written on a sheet of paper and wanted help making them come to life in the Etech culture Melissa promised to help Matt not just put words on a wall but to walk out what they say they believe!   Her role is to create an atmosphere and culture that aligns with Etech's character commitments.   SUGGESTED ACTIONS: Don't see people where they are - see them where they can be! Don't make mistakes - have learning moments As John Maxwell says, when you fall down pick something up while you're down there

If you make a living in the fiber arts, whether it's a side gig, full-time gig, small store, mega store or multinational store, h+h americas 2022 is the place to be. h+h americas will become the U.S. based sister event of the German h+h cologne, the world's leading trade fair for the handicrafts industry.  Starting in 2022, h+h americas will take place every June in the Chicagoland area. h+h americas June 22 - 24, 2022 hh-americas.com Chicago, Illinois Donald E. Stephens Convention & Conference Center in Rosemont The event is open to anyone who makes a living in fiber arts, no matter what background or industry sector. h+h americas is an all-inclusive industry event uniting all types of handicrafts. Become part of h+h americas by exhibiting, taking classes, sourcing for new products or participating in our event program.  ______________________

Stories covering 144 years and five generations of an iconic yarn brand in the creative industry. From how it got its name to what keeps it strong and growing.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: Lion Brand has been around for 144 years Lion Brand was the sole supplier of yarn to Target for many years up until Target discontinued the category Lion Brand has been on the web longer than Google The key to keeping the business within the family and successful is that no family member is forced to be a part of the company. Every member of the Blumenthal family that has worked for Lion Brand did it because they wanted to Lion Brand is fueled by a passion for the business and a willingness to change and adapt Hiring people that have an interest in yarn and appreciate that Lion Brand is a family business has been the key to integrating non-family member employees into the company Lion Brand has been able to build a strong connection with its customer base and is very proud to continue to do that Partnering with Vanna White and others has been a huge boost for the visibility of the brand SUGGESTED ACTIONS: Think long term Hire people that are a fit for your culture Stay passionate about your vision and adapt along the way as needed Find interesting ways to increase visibility of your brand!    

Mentoring isn't just talk at Etech Global Services. With a formal program that promoted over 300 people last year, Jim Iyoob and other company leaders mentor the next generation of leaders.  Which fits perfectly with Jim's belief that you need to ‘get out of the stand and onto the field' with your people. KEY TAKEAWAYS You want and have to be intentional about mentoring for it to be truly effective Finding the next generation of leaders must be an active, ongoing process Etech operates on very similar principles and philosophies as WD-40 with a servant leadership culture. (Listen to episode A Formula to Create Happy Employees...) The art of agreeing to disagree is something that has been lost in our culture Don't aim for perfection, aim for excellence Knowledge is power - Jim reads at least one article every day and encourages his team to do the same. Stop fearing failure - if you never fail you never grow. Leaders must spend time with their people and must be able to operate on the field instead of just in the stands   SUGGESTED ACTIONS Find a mentor, Be a mentor Get out of the stands and onto the field with your people to have a full understanding of the environment they're working in Read at least one article per day.   ______________________

When your company has a Dean of Leadership Development and twelve Character Commitments, you know they take servant leadership seriously. Jim Iyoob, Chief Customer Officer of Etech Global Services, shares the culture that began with a vision “to make a remarkable difference for each other” — clients, team members, and community. KEY TAKEAWAYS Etech is an outsourced contact center that has organically grown from 400 to 3500 employees that focuses on making a remarkable difference for their customers Continuous growth and training are essential for all levels of employees Servant leadership comes down to treating your people, customers, and community well to produce a wonderful experience for them Etech has a Dean of Leadership, Melissa Wood, that helps design courses for all levels of the company to help with continuous learning and growth Jim started as a call center agent at Dunn and Bradstreet and has worked his way up to Chief Customer Officer at Etech with the help of Matt Rocco You have to be able to recognize areas you need improvement in and be able to learn from experiences as everything is a lesson Leaders develop leaders – You must focus on developing the next generation of leaders if you want sustained success More about Etech's Character Commitments SUGGESTED ACTIONS Have a plan for continuous growth As a leader, be intentional about developing other leaders  Read at least 1 article per day – LinkedIn is a great source ______________________

Jim Scatena, a legend in the creative industry, discusses what it's like to work with two of the most creative companies  — Crayola and FloraCraft — and the life and leadership lessons he learned. KEY TAKEAWAYS Keep an eye on your goals. They'll help you make the moves to grow your experience and expand your skills Sometimes you can impact your most loyal market by creating a new market. Which turns you to finding new and innovative ways to  motivate that original market.  Invest in making it easier for your customers (large and small) to order from you. "Reserve the right to change your mind"—  if you realize you're going down the wrong path (even if you chose it) you may need to change directions. Don't let your ego and pride get in the way. SUGGESTED ACTIONS Look at your goals, what skills and experience do you need in order to reach them?  Go get it. Build a culture of service and dedication where everyone is valued. Listen to your customers and consumers, they're the geniuses. As the leader, reserve the right to change your mind. ______________________

Creative Industry legend, Jim Scatena, reveals the secret to trade show success and looks ahead at trade shows, supply chain management, and the need for innovation in the craft industry. KEY TAKEAWAYS The real success of trade shows comes from focusing on networking and education Meetings between suppliers and retailers at trade shows are valuable, but it's also valuable for suppliers to meet with digital content creators AFCI and NAMTA are combining to create a bigger, more educational trade show Next one — Orlando in April — Art Materials World Featuring Creativation The craft industry overall is doing a great job of improving supply chain logistics and management The biggest weakness in the craft industry is the lack of innovation — there is a need for more newness Consumers are more likely to try and cross over into different types of arts and crafts than they used to be Listen to your consumer and be creative in meeting their needs Treat everybody with kindness, 1+1=3   SUGGESTED ACTIONS Come back and engage with the industry at the new combined trade show in April — Art Materials World Featuring Creativation Develop and promote new ideas to keep your sales and sales in the industry growing overall Meet the needs of consumers by listening to their needs. ______________________

Creative Industry legend Jim Scatena on the importance of being engaged in your community, the power of content creators, and stories of industry connections. KEY TAKEAWAYS Take care and look out for your community Mentors are a necessity for success Wilton launched in JCPenny, not in the Craft channel Wilton success was largely attributed to having a direct connection to the consumer Organic consumer recommendations for a product are more powerful than an ad run by a company Craft companies must take advantage of social media trends and do everything they can to connect with consumers tied into those trends SUGGESTED ACTIONS Focus on others, not just yourself. Get involved in mentoring — find one and be one Develop your social media strategy, and use it to connect with consumers organically ______________________

Retail Authority Michael Barker Shares His Philosophy On How Happy Customers + Happy Employees Always Leads To Healthy Business KEY TAKEAWAYS Happy Customers + Happy Employees = Healthy Business If you reduce employee turn 20% you increase profits by more than 20% Happy employees make Happy customers AVID Insights creates a Health ID score to measure the level of satisfaction and engagement of both employees and customers. Employee engagement is the #1 driver of customer satisfaction. 95% of products are developed with ZERO research - a huge mistake! Key areas to research Product development Shopper satisfaction Research data must be reviewed for quality to be accurate and useful. AVID Insights creates a Health ID Score for both shoppers and employees to measure engagement and satisfaction. If you can take a shopper's Health ID Score up by 10%, they will spend 37% more. AVID Insights process Ask the questions — Right questions, in the right way, to the right people Analyze the data - critical Display the results - how you display is part of the analysis AVID is a high value, low cost model for research and insights. SUGGESTED ACTIONS Measure employee engagement and create a culture that creates happy employees. Measure customer satisfaction and listen to their feedback. Do research and get consumer insights before launching products. ______________________

Creative Industry Icon Joann Pearson shares why in creating there are no mistakes, just happy accidents. KEY TAKEAWAYS In creating there are no mistakes, just happy accidents! As you learn in the creative process, share and help others learn.  Be open to learning from those who will share with you.   SUGGESTED ACTIONS For Suppliers and Retailers - listen to the suggestions from creative experts to help develop new products. Share new product ideas before it goes to market to get feedback and input. ______________________

Rich Ezra shares how Schitt's Creek inspired a new product line that has hit an emotional chord with fans of the show, plus how competing against mega brands inspired Lion Brand to find unique and innovative ways to carve out a niche. KEY TAKEAWAYS When competing against mega brands with huge advertising dollars you have to find unique and innovative ways to carve out your niche. You have to focus on the fundamentals of connecting with the consumer. Chief Marketing Officer = Chief Customer Officer — to understand what the consumer wants. The job of Marketing is to put a strategy together to drive sell-thru on the shelf. The customer will decide in 3 seconds if they're going to stop and pick up the product to engage. Lion Brand's goal is to give back to help repair the world Hat Not Hate started by Shira Blumenthal to bring attention to the problem of bullying Mental Health America to help support mental health through crafting Skein Tones: yarn for all skin colors to make dolls with a heart of inclusivity Schitt's Creek yarn product line — started as an idea that has hit an emotional chord with fans of the show. Emerging trends Edutainment through virtual classes - people want to learn in a fun way through a combination of education and entertainment SUGGESTED ACTIONS Life lesson — the more calm you are in a situation, the more impact your words have.   Life lesson — don't be afraid to be vulnerable and admit when you are wrong. Career advice for someone younger — take time to say “thank you” and be appreciative, and take time to enjoy your successes. ______________________

Abby Glassenberg's journey started as a blogger and dollmaker. The journey then evolved to the business side of the craft industry, eventually launching Craft Industry Alliance, while still running her sewing business. KEY TAKEAWAYS Craft Industry Alliance (CIA) is made up of businesses of all sizes, from small Etsy shop owners to large companies. CIA provides Community, News, and Education for their members. They have a monthly member roundtable to help members connect and discuss current events and provide a support system. There is also a Facebook Group for CIA members to interact and share info together.   Abby and her team publish a weekly newsletter to share relevant business updates in the craft industry. They have a monthly webinar to increase education to share info on key topics relevant to owners of craft related businesses. Future of the creative industry A lot of crafting happening on TikTok, which is inspiring the younger generation of crafters and makers!   Retailers will offer more experiences, expertise, and community in stores to stay relevant. Challenges for the creative industry Will be important to learn and implement e-commerce online presence to interact with consumers directly Future of Craft Industry Alliance Continue to grow community!  (ex. Regional Zoom Meetings) Expand news content to help expand membership SUGGESTED ACTIONS For retailers, make brick and mortar stores more experiential and a place to build community For retailers and wholesalers, continue to learn and implement e-commerce strategy and increase your online presence Go to CraftIndustryAlliance.org to learn more about the association and to see what benefits are available to members. ______________________

Lifelong Crafter, Author & Creative Industry Icon Joann Pearson Entertains and Delights Us With Her Life of Crafting Adventures. KEY TAKEAWAYS Listen as Jo Pearson shares how she got started in the Creative Industry and about her journey as she was the creative leader for one of the largest craft retailers in the world.    SUGGESTED ACTIONS For Suppliers and Retailers - listen to the suggestions from creative experts to help develop new products. Share new product ideas before it goes to market to get feedback and input.   ______________________

Lawrence Hoffman, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Marvy Uchida, shares how Le Pen became the most recognizable product of the Marvy Uchida brand. He and Clint discuss how Marvy Uchida is now working with influencers to bring people together in the creative industry. KEY TAKEAWAYS Lawrence is VP Sales for Uchida. Customers are endeared to Uchida because they remember the products from many years ago and love the quality. How does Uchida engage with the customer? Direct consumer contact - changed website platform to Spotify Social media channels - Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest Respond to feedback in a timely manner What Uchida product is the most recognizable - Le Pen, one of the original Fineline markers from over 25 years ago Drew Barrymore Show reached out and said they were putting Le Pen in their online digital book because Drew loves Le Pen Vanity Fair magazine - a celebrity called out Le Pen as one of their favorite items AFCI is trying to evolve to provide a more well-rounded experience that goes beyond just a trade show. NOTE: Since recording this interview and publishing the episode  Association for Creative Industries (AFCI) and the International Art Materials Association (NAMTA) have announced their intention to merge. Read the NAMTA announcement here. What is the role of trade shows in the future? Still a need for people to connect in person face to face. Lawrence thinks trade shows will still be a vital piece, but thinks the purpose of the trade show will evolve. It doesn't cost anything to be kind!   SUGGESTED ACTIONS Be kind to people and build a legacy of respect.   ______________________

Clint talks to craft industry influencer, Alexa Westerfield, Founder of Swell Creative Media, as she reflects on her journey from the early days at DecoArt and Duncan, as well as how Kathy Cano-Murillo, The Crafty Chica, impacted her life in a big way. KEY TAKEAWAYS Who has influenced Alexa's life? Kathy Cano Murillo - Crafty Chica Has been a guiding light of positivity Her Mom and Grandmas Being nurtured to craft as a kid Exposed Alexa to creative products Taught her to encourage crafting as a positive outlet Crafting has been an outlet for people to express themselves and connect through the pandemic What is Alexa doing now? Working with brands on social media strategy A great place to start is to audit current strategy Helping build Pinterest strategies Building a studio to create content Pinterest has the biggest “simmering” rate with the longest shelf life for social media platforms SUGGESTED ACTIONS Use your brand to encourage crafting as a positive outlet Assess your social media strategy to determine next steps to maximize connections with consumers Consider Pinterest as a key part of your social media strategy ______________________

Kathy Cano-Murillo, author, artist and founder of the award-winning brand Crafty Chica shares her strategy for being consistent and knowing the end goal.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Kathy's “Gospel of Glitter” - be positive and make space for a successful outcome! It's about giving and sharing - if things are going bad in your own life go do something nice for someone else. Persistence - know the end goal, and if you are procrastinating or don't want to do something, do it for your Future Self.  Law of Belief: believe in what you can have for yourself and take action because you believe. Kathy takes a mini book at the end of each day and writes down 3 to 4 things that went right that day.  Kathy's Planning Process for Success — she has to stay organized for Future Kathy! Start in January with a Vision Board with every month mapped out Prep for the coming week every Sunday night What does she need to finish this week? Every night make a To Do list for the next morning  This keeps her from wasting time Power of Visualization - Kathy has moved ideas forward by visualizing the future outcome - her book on a shelf in a bookstore, writing down what she wanted for her next hire, etc. Financial mindset shift - it's not about squeezing a dollar out of a dime, it's about turning $1 into a $100 - abundance mindset instead of a scarcity mindset. Take one idea at a time and follow through with it! Believe you can do it and make a plan for it! You don't have to reinvent yourself — evolve yourself!    Be proud of what you've done in the past because those things play a role in where you are right now that allows you to go to the next level. Kathy likes to have a meaningful purpose in everything she does - so she promotes positivity through creativity.  You are the sum of the 5 people you spend the most time with, so choose those 5 people wisely.   SUGGESTED ACTIONS Make a To Do list and do it for your Future Self.  At the end of each day, write down the things that went right for you that day. Have a planning process and follow through with it daily to achieve your goals. Continue to evolve yourself. Choose 5 people to spend time with who motivate and inspire you  - spend the majority of your time with these people. ______________________

In Part 2, Charlie Leichtweis, founder of Experts in HOW LLC, digs into Results and Relationships in leadership (100% of both). Charlie shares the value of no longer doing what you're not getting paid for with his unique Direct Profitability Model. KEY TAKEAWAYS Leadership has an equal emphasis on Results and Relationships. When you build the relationship you can get laser focused on results without running over people, or without being negative. Set goals and metrics tied to the results you want to achieve, and when things aren't going right look for root causes and solutions instead of blaming people.  Figure out what the barriers to success are, and engage everyone on the team to mitigate the barriers.  Tie compensation and bonuses to employees' contribution to achieving results. Communication from the top down and across functional areas is key - it's important to give people hope about what you're building and to help them understand how their role ties to the overall results. An important part of the communication process is to give people a voice to share issues, concerns, and frustrations.   Everyone has a right to ask questions, and everyone has a right to get answers to their questions - open communication! Measure both leading and lagging indicators and understand the data that you need to help people get better at what they do - business intelligence. DPM - Direct Profitability Model Product level - foundational direct cost Customer level - aggregate of products for that customer Market level - aggregate of customers in that market Identify fixed costs not directly attributed to the aggregation of product, customer, and market cost and understand who is directly responsible to measure and report on those costs to get to enterprise profitability.  Goal is to stop doing what you're not getting paid for. Golf swing example - connecting the dots The perfect golf swing involves multiple elements - grip, posture, club, etc. - you won't have the perfect golf swing by focusing on each one individually, you have to relate them to one another to produce a result. In business you have to avoid silos and share knowledge and data across functions in the organization to produce the results you want and execute sustainable profitable growth with your customers.   Main takeaway Learning “How” is not a problem - nobody knows “How” before they start doing things.   SUGGESTED ACTIONS Understand and apply the balance of relationships and results in leadership. Set goals and metrics for the results you want to achieve and communicate those goals and metrics to everyone involved in achieving the results. When things go wrong, look for root causes and solutions instead of blaming people. Create open communication on your team where everyone has a voice and has the opportunity to ask questions and share issues. Understand your direct costs and your fixed costs - make sure someone is responsible for measuring and managing the fixed costs that aren't direct. Stop doing what you're not getting paid for! Share knowledge and data across departments and functions to produce results. ______________________

Charlie Leichtweis, founder of Experts in HOW LLC, shares his approach to organizational development to help leaders with the HOW to create sustainable, profitable growth - and it all starts with the people! The hallmark of trust begins with respect. Part 1  KEY TAKEAWAYS The Power of Respect in Business About Leadership Leadership is equal emphasis on Results and Relationships - 100% of both Charlie developed an approach to organizational development to help them with the HOW to create sustainable, profitable growth - and it all starts with the people! Emotional Scale - it's important to understand what the triggers are that move you up and down the emotional scale to move you from effectiveness to ineffectiveness People want to know how what they do matters to the organization The hallmark of trust begins with respect! John's Story - Listen Longer! How? - Practice! - Talk to people you don't agree with and listen. Think about your emotional scale as you're listening You don't have to agree with the other person or make them agree with you - but it's important to understand their beliefs and find where you connect. All Rise - Judgement It's ok to have judgements, but it becomes problematic when you become judgmental.   Being judgmental impacts communication and relationships, affecting others in a negative manner. Road Rage Story  When you encounter someone that is acting negatively, don't engage them and invite them into your life SUGGESTED ACTIONS As a leader, focus equally on results and relationships Understand your triggers that move you up and down the emotional scale from calm (effective) to angry (ineffective) Learn to listen to people without interrupting or arguing — listen longer! Make judgements about people and situations without being judgmental ______________________

Garry Ridge, CEO of WD-40, is this amazing combination of a confident leader and a very humble servant that leads his tribe very well. Although he is in the oil products business, in this episode we talk about a lot of things that have nothing to do with oil but everything to do with how to grow your business and grow your people. KEY TAKEAWAYS 70% of people who go to work everyday are disengaged Aristotle - “Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.” From Ken Blanchard's class at University of San Diego in the Masters of Leadership program, Garry learned that a leaders role is to create a place where people go to work everyday where: They make a contribution to something bigger than themselves They learn something new They are protected They are set free by a compelling set of values And therefore they go home happy Happy people create happy families Happy families create happy communities Happy communities create a happy world You need to love and involve your people in everything you do! Comparison of Al the Soul Sucking CEO with the Servant Leader

Consumer anthropologists, Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender, discuss their watershed moments and how the pandemic has changed the retail landscape for the better. Despite the rise of eCommerce, Brick & Mortar is here to stay.  KEY TAKEAWAYS We are at a fork in the road moment for many businesses right now.  Another fork in the road in retail was when Big Box retail entered the US retail landscape, especially for small town retailers.  It required a shift in thinking. Stores are living organisms — constantly changing. You think you're in control of your business and of your life — you're not! The pandemic has forced all of us to rethink who we are, what we do, and how we do it. It will make all of us better in many ways.  This is not the “new normal.” It's the “now normal.” Future of retail: Once an online retailer hit's a certain plateau, it is too expensive for them to grow sales online without a brick and mortar platform. Visiting a store is the “icing on the cake” for customers. Buy Online Pickup In Store will be a large driver for brick and mortar. Shopping is social - that will never go away. People are looking for experience, and for many products they want to touch and feel things. How is the consumer changing? Customers have always held the cards, but since COVID they hold every single card. Retailers have to figure out how to engage them and keep them loyal. Where consumers go will depend on what the retailer does to attract them - BOPIS, curbside pickup, and other conveniences, as well as how the store keeps them safe.   To contact Rich and Georganne, you can reach them at info@kizerandbender.com. Or find them on LinkedIn at Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender. If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint O'Rear at Clint@CreativeRetailTalks.com. Learn how Clint and his team at Creative Sales Consulting connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries to build stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products. ______________________ Music: "Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Everyone wants to be seen, and brands need to start taking steps to help everyone be seen by and feel included by the brand.  Clint discusses inclusion in today's craft industry with Alexa Westerfield, Founder of Swell Creative Media. KEY TAKEAWAYS It's time to take a look at how we are serving a diverse base of consumers People want to be seen - we need representation of all races and walks of life It's not just big initiatives - it's also the little things like signage, packaging, projects where all consumers need to be represented Start with small steps and add to them Life principle from Frozen 2 - do the next right thing! It's a process and will take time. It will be a learn as you go process. SUGGESTED ACTIONS Start taking steps to review how you are serving a diverse base of consumers Think about who is being represented In Social Media content On packaging On signage You can reach Alexa Westerfield at swellcreativemedia.com or find her on Instagram at @swellcreative or LinkedIn at Alexa Westerfield. If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint O'Rear at Clint@CreativeRetailTalks.com.  

Lawrence Hoffman, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Marvy Uchida, cut his teeth in retail when he was 12 years old, working for Michael Dupey/MJ Designs. Lawrence and Clint discuss what it's like to work with world class retailers and manufacturers. KEY TAKEAWAYS Mike Dupey, was the father of Arts & Crafts Retail - one key to his success was putting a team together with the right people in the right seats on the team. Mike impacted many people and companies on his journey. Howard Hoffman, Lawrence's dad, was the chief merchant for Mike Dupey's organization. He would see anyone, because he knew he could learn something from anyone and never knew where the next big opportunity was going to come from. The Dupey team worked hard, but had a lot of fun also.   Forks in the road may not always seem positive, but whatever path you're on, learn as much as you can because you never know when that knowledge will help you.   Lawrence's faith has shaped the direction of his life.   Major lesson from a trend fashion retailer that failed - test concepts in multiple markets on a small scale for major shifts in strategy to confirm results before rolling it out to a full chain. Crawl. Walk. Run. To contact Lawrence Hoffman you can reach him at lawrence@uchida.com or find him on LinkedIn. If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint O'Rear at Clint@CreativeRetailTalks.com. Learn how Clint and his team at Creative Sales Consulting connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries to build stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products. ______________________ Music: "Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Kathy Cano-Murillo, author, artist and founder of the award-winning brand Crafty Chica shares the magic formula of what inspires her creative journey. KEY TAKEAWAYS Kathy's love of creativity goes all the way back to fifth grade when she found that by sharing a story that she created with her class, she found a magic formula that connected with people. “That really became the foundation of everything that I do - just sharing my creativity with people to help them be creative. It's universal.” Kathy initially struggled with feeling insecure about her creativity until she met her husband, who encouraged her to make stuff and sell it. She was manager of his band, and she would set up a craft table at their gigs. She would make more from her craft table than the whole band made for the night. That convinced her not to worry about what anyone thinks. Kathy received a big break that helped launch her writing career with a newspaper in her hometown. The editor had one of Kathy's flower pots on her desk in the interview and decided to give her a chance. Kathy went on to write a celebrity interview column that got syndicated, with interviews with people like Ewan McGregor, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Renee Zellweger.  She realized from her experience at the newspaper that while some people go through the front door using a traditional path, it's always worth a shot to see if there's another way that is less conventional.  Her editor then asked her to write a craft column that got picked up by Gannett News Service. This taught her to design for a broader market, while still keeping her unique style.  Kathy got 2 book deals, which led her to speak at a major crafts trade show. She went with product samples she made, intending to get her own product line. And she did! She became the national spokesperson for Tacky Glue, and in 2007 that became a major turning point. Reflecting on this moment, Kathy said, “Even though I loved my job at the paper, I just felt like there was something else I was meant to do. I'm really glad that I listened to my gut instinct, and that I made that decision and took that risk. You just really have to listen to your gut instinct.” She continued to struggle to believe she would be successful long term, but never stopped creating content and engaging with people online. “There's a lot of inside work and outside work that has to go on at the same time.” Kathy said her priority has always been to “show up and share.” She said, “We have one life. Let's do all the things we want to do and all the things we're curious about.” On her books, “The novels that I write are about the situations and experiences that make us want to craft because usually when we craft there is an emotion behind it.  I use the books and their characters to show why they turned to crafting - like what was the emotion that pushed them to where they needed to release that energy and feeling through creativity, and how it helps.” The first time she noticed the power of crafting in easing tension was when 9/11 happened.  People really turned to recognizing what is most important to them.  Then, she saw the same thing happen during the recession in 2008, and again in the COVID pandemic in 2020.     SUGGESTED ACTIONS Kathy is a great example of someone who fought through insecurities to find her inner passion. When she decided to follow her heart and trust her gut instincts to pursue that passion, she found great success. Follow your passion Trust your gut When the front door isn't an option, find another way in Take Kathy's advice - “You have one life — do all the things you what to do and all the things you're curious about.” To contact Kathy Cano-Murillo, you can reach her CraftyChica.com or find her on Instagram at @craftychica. If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint O'Rear at Clint@CreativeRetailTalks.com. Learn how Clint and his team at Creative Sales Consulting connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries to build stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products. ______________________ Music: "Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  

Consumer anthropologists, Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender, discuss generational diversity and the retail experience with Clint O'Rear. KEY TAKEAWAYS As a supplier or retailer, it is important to understand the changing needs of your consumer base. One of the biggest demographic trends in America is the aging of the population, and many retailers and suppliers fail to think about what changes are necessary to adapt to the needs of these aging consumers. Georganne - “You have to adapt to what each generation needs, when they need it - not when you think you're ready to do it.” Rich - “You have to be a mind reader - by watching customer interaction in the stores, and by using the store as a live entity/organism that interacts with you.”  Don't wait 10+ years to check the lumen density of lights Watch how fixtures are set that might create shadows on layouts If you are in a business that interacts with customers in any way, you are in the retail business, but you may not think of yourself as a retailer. (Example: funeral home operators) There's never been a better time to study, learn, create, and impact retailing than in the current COVID environment. It will change the way we look at everything in retail.  Retailers should give their team members in the stores both responsibility AND authority to present the store to the customer in the best way.   SUGGESTED ACTIONS For Retailers: When you are merchandising a section that aging consumers might shop, think about how limitations such as arthritis, vision impairment, and limitations to lifting heavier items can impact shoppability. Use a store layout and shopping aids, like shopping carts and baskets, that will be easy for aging consumers to navigate and use. Check store lighting to see if it is adequate for aging consumers - it takes 3x's the amount of light to see as well in your mid 60's as it takes in your mid 20's. Make your store environment safe for aging consumers - if they feel safer in your store they will subconsciously want to visit your store more often without even fully knowing why. Rotate and change your floor in some way regularly so the customer isn't seeing the same thing.  50% of your store is never seen by customers because they shop on their desired path.   For Suppliers: When you are developing packaging for products that older consumers might purchase, think about layout and font for customers who have impaired vision. Help retailers with creative new products, and creative new ways to display products.   For Both Retailers and Suppliers: Use the current COVID retail environment to assess what you need to change to adapt to the new ways customers are buying and interacting with information.   To contact Rich and Georganne, you can reach them at info@kizerandbender.com. Or find them on LinkedIn at Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender. If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint O'Rear at Clint@CreativeRetailTalks.com. Learn how Clint and his team at Creative Sales Consulting connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries to build stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products. ______________________ Music: "Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Build your social media strategy around where your customers are, not where you think the cool place is to be. Clint O'Rear has a frank discussion with craft industry influencer Alexa Westerfield, Founder of Swell Creative Media, about using social media strategy to build your brand. KEY TAKEAWAYS Brands previously told consumers what to do with their product, but now the consumer is telling the brand what they WANT to do with the product and what they ARE doing with the product. When finding creative people to collaborate with for social media marketing find those people that are already really good at using your products on social media. Where do you look: #1 - Pinterest #2 - Facebook groups related to your product category Instagram #Hashtag Emerging - TikTok When determining the best social media platform to focus on, look to see where people are the most engaged when you post something - don't go where you think it's cool to be, go where the analytics tell you people are engaging with you. Pinterest is where people go for creative ideas - it's not even social media anymore, it's a discovery tool. And it's where people are looking to purchase product. Idea - Implement links into your Pinterest strategy for people to go to your Amazon links or your website to purchase product. Older people are moving to TikTok. Locate people who are using your product on TikTok and engage them to be an influencer for you on TikTok. They might work with you just for free product. Note - don't try to do your own TikTok videos. Use people that have back end TikTok knowledge and know how to curate the video to make it organic content. How to find an influencer for your product: Know which type of crafter you're targeting - know your lane Go find the crafters/makers that are already in your lane Focus on Bloggers doing full step our projects Also look for people active in Facebook groups for your category Facebook groups are replacing brand's customer service because someone can go in a room and ask questions to a bunch of experts that have used the product. Each brand needs a custom social media and influencer strategy - there's not a cookie cutter approach. SUGGESTED ACTIONS Determine where people are engaging with you on social media to prioritize your target platforms. Find people on social media who are already using your products and commenting on your products and engage them as influencers to help you increase exposure to your brand. Start the process by looking for your brand or product category on Pinterest, in Facebook groups, and on Instagram using hashtag search. Find a Social Media Strategist to help guide you   You can reach Alexa Westerfield at swellcreativemedia.com or find her on Instagram at @swellcreative or LinkedIn at Alexa Westerfield. If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint O'Rear at Clint@CreativeRetailTalks.com.