Yesterday’s online edition of The Wall Street Journal included a great piece about why it’s better to holiday shop with independent, locally owned brick and mortar merchants. If you missed it, check the article out here.
Thanks to the team of WSJ editors who reminded us all why going “indie” is the best bet. After all, which expression do you want to hear after someone’s opened your gift:
“This is so cool! Where in the world did you find it?”
or
“I already have one”
“I’ve been seeing this everywhere.”
“I remember from an online clearance sale.”
“Wasn’t this the doorbuster deal at Big Box XYZ?”
This one, admittedly, warms my heart. You see, I grew up in Grand Island, Nebraska, where a field reporter from KOLN/KGIN TV (CBS) came to interview me about The 3/50 Project last week. Standing inside Conestoga Mall, the site of my first full time job (outside the family business), certainly brought on a couple of full circle moments...and a confession.* [click here to continue…]
Please note: As of summer 2011, neither I nor The 3/50 Project support SBS. For an explanation, please see this. If I’d known then what I know now….
Are you half as excited as me about The 3/50 Project and Small Business Saturday getting facetime on Fox & Friends this Saturday morning? Well…..gonna have to be a teeny bit more patient since the time slot just slipped back an hour (which I see as a good thing, given how many folks will be lounging around that morning, thanks to the holiday).
Adjust your TiVo accordingly:
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Fox & Friends
Fox News Network (national, not the local stations)
6:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Small Business Saturday segment: Approximately 7:45 a.m.8:40 a.m. EST*
* This is shown as EST, but most? all? times zones adjust going west (ex: it airs from 6:00-9:00 in CST zone too, with a one hour time delay). Check your listings, and be sure to look for the national Fox News channel…not your local Fox affiliate.
Now…how am I going to keep my feet on the ground for another two days??? Sheesh, this is exciting!
If you’ve been in an audience for one of my sessions about The 3/50 Project, you know about my personal goal—to see the “local, independent, brick and mortar” message on one of a national morning program. Unless you’ve been completely asleep the past two weeks, you know I’m also cheering the AmEx OPEN initiative, Small Business Saturday, focused on the same topic, targeting this Saturday.
Okay Facebook users. It’s time we start a little online wave. You know…kind of like we used to do in high school or college, but this time, no one has to stand up and put their arms in the air (or yell, but hey, if you’re so inclined…). [click here to continue…]
“A new report finds charitable giving dropped by 11% last year because of the recession. That is said to be the worst decline in at least twenty years.”
While it’s no surprise that personal donations dropped as households tightened their belts and jobs became scarce, the reality is that another (often taken for granted) donor pipeline is over-stressed: locally owned, independent, brick and mortar businesses.
Do they want to continue helping out? Sure they do–assuming, of course, the non-profit asking for support is, in turn, supporting the merchant. [click here to continue…]
There’s been a lot of buzz about the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act recently passed in Washington, yet I’m amazed at how many small business owners know little about what’s included for them. From health insurance write offs to erasing capital gains taxes, there’s a lot to be happy about if you’re an independent brick and mortar. In my opinion, one of the best things to come from this is the influx of $30 billion pointed toward smaller, community based banks.
You know…the ones who actually loan money to small businesses (unlike their behemoth counterparts that typically don’t).
There’s a pretty concise rundown of the major points on the USA Today website. Check it out, call your accountant, and see if a piece of this pie has your name on it.
Seriously. I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried.
Give me an independent brick and mortar manned by a knowledgeable staff who understands wine, an owner who appreciates customers, and an environment where people have a passion for what’s in the bottle and I’m happy. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed those pleasures (as well as some extremely good vino), thanks to shops like Hennepin Lake Liquors in Minneapolis and Gourmet au Bay in Bodega Bay, California. [click here to continue…]
Yesterday’s online edition of The Wall Street Journal included a great piece about why it’s better to holiday shop with independent, locally owned brick and mortar merchants. If you missed it, check the article out here.
If you’ve been in an audience for one of my sessions about 
Okay Facebook users. It’s time we start a little online wave. You know…kind of like we used to do in high school or college, but this time, no one has to stand up and put their arms in the air (or yell, but hey, if you’re so inclined…). 
From NBC News this morning:
There’s been a lot of buzz about the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act recently passed in Washington, yet I’m amazed at how many small business owners know little about what’s included for them. From health insurance write offs to erasing capital gains taxes, there’s a lot to be happy about if you’re an independent brick and mortar. In my opinion, one of the best things to come from this is the influx of $30 billion pointed toward smaller, community based banks.
As someone who adores good wine, this one has me stumped. According to an article in USA Today, the state of 
