• the new retail: Why shouldn't shopping become entertainment and why can't we get art by the truckload? This story about retailing may be the next challenge to the Walmarts and the cookie-cutter malls. Not far off Main Street, here merchandising is all a matter of the heart.

• THE TRANSCRIPT. Reading the entire script of this episode of the show causes one to reflect on key ideas in critical ways. You will find that you can easily bounce from the transcript to the case study guide from within that dialogue.

• EXPLORE THE CASE STUDY. In the beginning these case study guides were prepared for the special broadcast by PBS into the schools and universities throughout the USA. Since that time, Prenctice Hall and Thomson Learning have include these case studies in their best-selling business textbooks.

• Do You HAVE A PRODUCT IDEA?: Do some research before quitting your full-time job! Also, it might be good to intern on the weekends with a firm with products like the one about which you are thinking. Get a feel for the energy of their day. Also, align yourself now with one of the national trade associations in that field. You'll meet future colleagues and the exchange of ideas is priceless. Visit their websites, you'll be inspired one way of the other.

• Your Comments and Questions are always invited about each episode.

Santa Fe, New Mexico: This show has more going on behind the scenes than you'll hear. And then, what you do hear is quick-then-slow, direct-then-obtuse, and simple-then-complex. This week's MasterClass teacher drops ideas quietly, irreverently, and sometimes obtusely.

Right at the outset, you'll see his dog -- the spirit of this place is casual and open -- and he comments, "If you're having a sale, it needs to be something that people need at that time, not something that's overstocked on or no one wants." Then he goes into a description of a beatific experience, a perfected state of being, when he got the inspiration and vision of this very different store.

Certainly not the typical shop keeper --with an MBA, Wall Street background, and Harley Davidson affections -- he is profoundly "into" understanding the meaning and value of life. The name of his store captures a vision where the art, poetry and myths of the old West can be rediscovered within the mundane, and people discover beauty in unexpected ways and unpredictable places.

His joy of life and his worldview are filtered and nurtured by The Santa Fe Institute. Darby has taken their chaos theory and lifted it up into his merchandising and management.

Come meet this soft-spoken gentleman, a free spirit who dreams dreams. Meet Darby McQuade.

He is somewhat symbolic of the kind of place that Santa Fe is. You can find the world in this quiet city (and state capital) of 65,000 people. And so much of it is within Darby's four acre compound. Folk art, pottery, weavings, and furniture come from most of Africa, Bali, Central and South America, China, Egypt, India, Thailand, and Vietnam.

• CONTACT:
  Jackalope
  2820 Cerrillos Road
  Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
  Tel: 505-471-8539
  E-mail: Click here.
  URL: http://www.jackalope.com/

• BUSINESS TYPES. Review the stories of other businesses within your business type.

• THE NEW MEDIA. Watch or listen to the show again!
  OLD MEDIA: The Family PhotoAlbum.

• KNOW YOUR COSTS – KNOW ALL YOUR NUMBERS – AND WHAT THEY MEAN. Explore this key episode about understand your critical ratios.

• FIND YOUR STEP AND CHART A COURSE TO THE NEXT. If you already have a business, explore Steps 5 - 8. If you’re just getting started, spend time going through Steps 1 - 4. Three-dimensional business modelling is part of our research of critical ratios.

• FIRST PRINCIPLES: Starting a business is the road to economic independence for most of us average people. Read a little more to see why incorporating a business keeps the passion of the American revolution alive! The Santa Fe Institute does first principles research. Just a short drive up the hill from Jackalope, Darby has found his place to search for the biggest truths, an all-embracing approach to living. But, this is no soft-thinking place. Three Nobel Laureates were involved with its founding, including Murray Gell-Mann (Physics). They are ready to ask the question, "What are the implications of quantum mechanics on value theory?"
  
  And that returns us to our opening, "Will there be a convergence of retail with the world of ideas?" Here is a link to learn more about what the institute does.

• 2000+ Questions and Answers within SmallBusinessSchool. Within every show there are about 15 questions and answers. Within the school, there is a place to record your answers to these questions. Your answers to the same questions that Hattie asks every business owner becomes part of your own secure database where you have options to re-display your best answers within this site as your own profile page (that is this page), essentially an executive summary , a study guide and/or a transcript.

• Work with your local office of the following organizations:
  • Chamber of Commerce. Both the local and the national Chamber are well worth your time. Some of these people could be on your own board of advisors.
  • NFIB. An advocacy group for small business, the National Federation of Independent Business has been looking at legislation from the city to the state to the federal governments.
  • SCORE. Contact your local SCORE person.
  • Small Business Development Center. Associated with the Small Business Administration (SBA), there are over 1200 in the USA and they are an excellent resource for help and continuing education.
    

• SUPPORT PUBLIC TELEVISION:
  Become a member of your local station. If you are already, great. If not and your business is doing well, consider joining the Producers' Club ($1000).

Perhaps retailers of tomorrow will become total systems integrators: "One of the main things that the Santa Fe Institute studies is what they call complex adaptive systems ... we have our limitations, but a little extra effort we can make a huge difference." - Darby McQuade