Field Notes for Retail Leaders

Hey Leaders, How many conversations have you had like this with your boss? ⬇️ Oh, you want to move up from your store manager position to a DM?That's great!But ...You have to be an area manager first. How do you do that?Well, um, you need to be asked.No, you can't apply.We ask you. I know, you want to move up. And we've hired a lot externally. And you can be a DM someday. Yes, absolutely. But yeah, you need to be an area manager. But you need to wait some more until we ask you. Got it?Yay!...

Hey Leader, I just hopped off a webinar with my friends at Retail Control Systems. At the end of the webinar, we hosted a Q&A. Here's the question that's still swimming around my brain. How do you motivate someone who seems like they don't want to be at work? This is a tough one. We all know what that's like. Has this person had all the training they need? (Have they? Make sure.) And they're fluent in what's expected of them and the job requirements, but their whole vibe is wet blanket....

Are you a Thinker or a Driver? Maybe you're a Motivator! There are 4 types of leadership styles. In my latest training, you learn about all 4, uncover what kind of leader you are, and unleash your superpower! This was the most-loved training I did in my stores. It changed the way we worked together because we understood each other soooooo much better, and it helped me write schedules and plan our weeks. I cannot wait for you to check it out. Discover your superpower! Alright, on with the...

Hey Leader, We're rounding out our fiscal 2025 and heading into '26. You made it through holiday and inventory (if not, hopefully soon) and you're eyeing '26 like, "Let's go already!" I know. Me too. But before your store is clean and your spring inventory is fully set, your company will ask you to start writing your employee reviews. It seems like one more thing you have to fit in. But giving employee reviews is an important part of leadership. Getting one on one time with people is...

NRF is here! What's that, and what's it to you? I got you. NRF is the acronym for the National Retail Federation. This is the world's largest trade organization that advocates for the retail industry. Every retailer—from grocery stores to small, local shops to massive retailers—NRF reps everyone. They also track retail data and support retail education. Every January, they put on a massive conference in New York City. It attracts retailers globally. That's one of my favorite parts of...

You made it! You made it through another holiday season. You did it. Congratulations! Getting through holiday is never easy, but this one was particularly challenging. Call-outs. No-shows. Last-minute changes from HQ. Navigating all this without losing it takes soooooo much skill. You're a badass and you did it. I went quiet with this newsletter for a few weeks on purpose. I wanted to give you space to run your stores during your peak season. Learning and strategy are important, but they...

She was in a car accident, head on. She was in high school, working at our store part-time. She had an excellent work ethic. She was kind and honest. When I heard about the accident, worry set in. They said she walked away from it, but you don't walk away from an accident like that. The crash wasn't her fault. She was driving home at night, and a car turned onto a major street, going the wrong way. She was alone. Alone at night, navigating the wreckage of an accident, knowing she had school...

Hey Leaders, You're swamped. I know. So, this will be super fast! 1.) I have a new leadership course that's now live! Discover Your Superpower with Leadership Styles Are you a Thinker? Maybe you're a Motivator! There are 4 types of leadership styles. Learn about all 4, uncover what kind of leader you are, and unleash your superpower! You can access this course for 20% off this weekend! Snap it up now and go through the lessons at your own pace, whenever you want. Go to Leadership Styles! 2.)...

Good Morning, Next week is the last full week before Thanksgiving. If you're a retail veteran, you know this week is operationally heavy. You're receiving massive amounts of shipment and probably managing a giant re-merchandising of your store. My leadership team and I used to call it Hell Week. It's all hands on deck. It's long hours. It's a marathon. I got some flack on LinkedIn last year for calling it Hell Week. Some leaders were like, "In my sore we have so much fun getting ready! Hell...