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Sell Happiness2:46 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Nicole Miller built a very successful business selling happiness through her youthful clothing designs for women. More...
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Be Willing to Buck the System2:56 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Co-founder Bud Konheim says that a customer's happiness correlates with the price they must pay for your goods or services.
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Feed And Trust Your Instincts1:49 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Nicole Miller's inspiration starts big and works its way into every detail of her seasonal line.
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Make It At Home1:05 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
From design to manufacture, the Nicole Miller collection is made right in New York City.
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Create A Win-Win2:31 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Nicole Miller's designs and Bud Konheim's sales skills helped build a profitable division of a conglomerate which they "bought out" to create their own business. Be sure to study the transcript.
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Stumble Into Millions1:07 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
By making her luck, Nicole Miller launched a very successful tie collection for men which led to her handbags, eye glass cases, socks and other novelty items.
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Break With Tradition1:14 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
When they were trying to grow their business, Nicole and Bud dropped out of expensive runway shows and hit a home run with an alternative marketing plan.
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Develop Multiple Sales Channels1:34 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Nicole Miller products are sold in her namesake shops, department stores and through special licensing agreement with other companies. More...
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Promote From Within2:56 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Design students line up to intern at Nicole Miller because it is an exciting place to learn how the fashion industry really works.
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Make Your Organization Chart A Circle2:46 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
To owner, Bud Konheim, Nicole Miller is is an ideas-driven company and all ideas can be valuable.
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Make People More Important Than Cash4:37 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Founder Pam McNair learned early that people are more important than cash. More...
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Treat People With Deep Respect2:16 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Pam McNair knows that people are the raw materials you must commit to working with, day in and day out, if you want to grow a company. More...
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Think Hard About What People Need2:16 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
For founder Pam McNair, employees are family and making--and admitting--mistakes is the basis for building trust.
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Do it Differently - Be Honest - Be Fair0:54 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Pam turned the tables on the industry standard with a focus on regular training and education geared toward the employee's success. The IRS studied this business to lift it up as a role model within the industry. More...
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Teach Communication Skills1:09 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Pam understands that communication is the oil in the service machine and gives her employees tools to keep interpersonal communications running smoothly.
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Inspire Employees To Learn2:47 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Gadabout sets high expectations but helps employees achieve them through expert training and state-of-the-art facilities.
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Put Controls in Place2:27 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
R.J. Duffy is the CFO at Gadabout and she implements the financial policies that support a strict by-the-book management philosophy.
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Set Your Ego Aside3:09 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Pam McNair's philosophy is to treat her employees as she wants them to treat the customer.
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Be Minister, Social Worker & Therapist1:15 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Host Hattie Bryant heard employee after employee at Gadabout speak to the tremendous impact Pam McNair has had on their lives.
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Delegate With Design2:46 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Like a true artist, owner Pam McNair said you must delegate with design. More...
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Stay Connected1:08 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Gababout established a Web presence early on, affording visitors to the site a sense of spa experience as a well as the ability to view services, book appointments and puchase gift certificates online.
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Try A Heterarchy3:48 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
At Wahoo's Fish Taco, based in Santa Ana, California, the owners take an unconventional path to getting things done. More... More on Wahoo's...
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Make Shopping an Adventure4:12 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
There is plenty to see and buy at Jackalope. Customers wander through acres of products organized into fascinating boutiques.
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Use Metaphor to Teach4:01 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Darby searches the world for products and for ideas to help grow his business. Go to the Jackalope homepage linked within the Episode tab. More...
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Be Your Market - Become a Tribe!1:31 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
The founders of Wahoo's love to surf, and they make food they love to eat. They figured that plenty of surfers, skateboarders and snowboarders would want to eat what they make. More...
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Do What You Know1:44 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Wing Lee was taught how to cook by his parents who own a Chinese restaurant. More...
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Refine A Trend1:41 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
In the past 30 years this country has been obsessed with nutrition, health, diets and high performance foods. Surfers want healthy food and Wahoo's serves it up.
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Turn Tradition Upside Down4:14 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
The three brothers who founded Wahoo's agreed that the baby should be the CEO. Meet Mingo Lee who gets to tell his older siblings what to do. More...
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Give it Away; Don't Discount2:33 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Launching a business with zero marketing budget forced Wing to be creative.
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Think - The First Shall Be Last2:24 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Steve Karfaridis, the fourth owner, says they have built a flat organization chart.
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Grow Your Own Leadership1:45 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Felicia Sorboni started at the bottom and is now general manager in La Jolla.
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Find Fun Ways To Measure Success3:13 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
To grow you must set standards then measure to insure that quality is delivered.
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Measure the Right Things1:06 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
At Wahoo's learning a customer's name is more important selling extras.
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Create Chaos Out of Order1:40 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Ed Lee makes sure that this franchise doesn't look like one.
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Pay Your Debts Cheerfully2:22 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Wing Lam and his brothers were happy to pay back their parents for a startup loan.
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Make The Old New2:01 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
FastSign founder Gary Salomon said that temporary sign business is a niche that big companies weren't interested in so he jumped in with a technology solution.
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Put Systems In Place2:21 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Founder Gary Salomon opened one location and ran it himself to establish all of the systems and procedures needed to insure that a franchise owner could achieve success.
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Create a New Breed of Owners5:46 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
This former banker and now FastSigns franchise owner is the type of person Gary goes after. Gary had the idea that seasoned executives who are highly trained and bright people might love to take a stab at owning their own business.
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Seek Out Mentors4:28 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Don DeBolt is President of the International Franchise Association and as a member Gary can depend upon sold support and advise from Don.
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Buy an Unexploited Idea0:24 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Most inventors are not business people and most business people are not inventors.
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Stop Doing and Start Leading5:03 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Founder Gary Salomon found a great technology which makes it easy to produce professional signs quickly and much cheaper than the old methods. By teaching thousands of others how to sell and create the signs he has grown into a large business.
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Look for Neglected Customers2:25 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Blair Taylor owns and Athlete's Foot Store in Compton (near Los Angeles). He says no retailer or business owner should shy away from any neighborhood if he has a product that the people in that neighborhood want or need. Blair is now the CEO of the LA Urban League.
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Tap Into Experts1:35 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Dr. John Hayes is just one of the country's franchise experts. Gary and his team take advantage of training offered by John and the International Franchise Association.
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Work On Your Ecosystem3:40 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Deland won the Great American Main Street award because merchants pulled together.
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Pay with Sweat2:03 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
When the founder of Feasel was ready to retire, a long-time employee was ready to buy.
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Recruit From Big Business3:06 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Pete Gregory worked for big chains then joined his brother to help grow Feasel Paint.
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Enjoy Serving2:27 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Owner John Gregory says that the secret to success is to find joy in helping people.
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Offer Your Customers Expert Advice2:17 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Customers want quality products and they want insight on how to use what they buy.
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Hire Those Who Want To Learn4:31 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Employees stay where they are challenged to learn about new products and technologies.
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See The Big Picture3:16 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
On Deland's main street, host Hattie Bryant, says that all of the merchants pull together.
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Talk Through Problems2:03 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Pete Gregory and his brother keep smiling because they keep talking even when it's hard.
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Take Time to Teach2:50 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Employees learn how to give plants everything they need to thrive and in turn they can educate their customers to care for and enjoy their purchases.
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Have Fun3:19 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Owner Lorraine Miller works hard to get employees and customers to laugh.
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Boss Is A Four Letter Word1:25 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Host Hattie Bryant says that the owner's success with people is based upon her willingness to let employees do their work without smothering them.
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Take Control of Your Life3:09 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Lorraine Miller is a successful business owner because she was willing to leave a bad boss. Now rather than dreading going to work, she looks forward to being the first person in every day.
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Leverage Your Cash4:12 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
When the city needed the land of her original location, Lorraine took their cash payment to buy land and build a greenhouse of her dreams.
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Advocate for Your Industry1:46 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Employees can now earn a degree in horticulture at a nearby college.
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Make A Little Go A Long Way1:14 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Jose Navarro of Navarro Discount Pharmacies in Miami started his near-billion dollar operation on a shoe string. More...
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Take Dozens Of Investors3:30 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Chef Thomas Keller sought safety in numbers--many investors investing small amounts of money--to launch what has been called one of the best restaurants in the world.
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Be Willing To Change Everything4:20 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Bart Mahan nearly lost everything before he got his business model right.
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Start Young1:36 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Carol Schroeder always dreamed of having her own shop, and at the age of 21, she bought the building on Monroe Street and started selling furniture. More...
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Use Money to Borrow Money1:15 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
The Schroeders were able to get a loan to buy this building by using their own cash as collateral.
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Stay Focused on Your Target0:41 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Carol Schroeder wrote the book on specialty retailing. She says that successful shopkeepers who have made it through the Wal-Mart shake out know that they can not sell anything people can buy at Wal-Mart.
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Build a Database1:27 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Building a database should be one of the primary components of a business owner's total business plan. It's absolutely critical that you retain key information about your customers.
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Offer the Hard to Find2:07 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Assuming you understand your target market thoroughly, the next task you have is to find things customers will want to buy that they can't find conveniently any place else. More...
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Encourage Employees to Take Charge2:20 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
At Orange Tree employees are involved in many decisions and on many different levels. More...
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Turn Workforce Planning Upside Down2:09 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Owner Carol Schroeder has taught her team to staff the shop on their own and she rewards them for being collaborative.
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Treat Employees Like Family1:34 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
We found this artwork on the wall in the owners' office. We're sure that there's a new family tree being created to include employees who have joined the company since the 20th anniversary.
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Transform Your Entire Neighborhood3:11 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Orange Tree Imports is on the historic Monroe Street with other specialty shops. The owners all work together to create a unique shopping experience. More...
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Be a Team Player1:11 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Employees at Orange Tree Imports feel that they are part of a team and this is one of the key reasons that they enjoy their work.
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Create Event-driven Traffic1:54 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Carol Schroeder builds bridges between her vendors and her customers by hosting events where customers can buy items Carol would never be able to stock in the store. More...
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Love People2:07 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
It is not enough to love the products you sell. You must also have a profound love for people to build a successful specialty retail shop.
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Put Your Own Skin in the Game1:27 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid... Redford risked his income from doing this movie to buy land to launch his new business, Sundance. After watching this video and reading the Q&A (case study guide), you can go to the homepage for this episode or click on the key question for other insightful answers.
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Admit What You Don't Know2:44 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Harry Rosenthal had proven himself in the catalog business and was hired by Redford to launch the Sundance Catalog business. More...
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Hire People Who Have Done What You Want to Do1:31 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Brent Beck went from working in the Sundance Lodge gift shop and scouting the country to find American crafted items that fit into the image of the lodge, to catalog buyer.
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Live, Eat, Sleep the Business1:48 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Entrusting the vision behind the Sundance Catalog is not for people who want to work 8-5.
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Use A Famous Face2:15 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
More than just the owner, Robert Reford symbolizes the environment and arts that are represented in the carefully-selected items sold in Sundance Catalog.
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Attach Yourself to a Cause2:26 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
The Sundance Catalog is dedicated to helping American artisans by marketing their creations and generating cash to support their unique work and to to protect wilderness areas. After watching this video and reading the Q&A (case study guide), you can go to the homepage for this episode or click on the Key Question for other insightful answers about best business practices.
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Build a Brand1:07 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Hattie reflects on how Redford built a brand around the Sundance name by using it on the wilderness lodge and the catalog that goes to millions every year. More...
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Buy and Apply Technology1:35 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Technology will either help or hinder you. It's best if your technology is slightly ahead of your growth.
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Sell a Lifestyle, Not a Product4:07 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
People who visit Sundance Lodge want to take a piece of the lifestyle home with them, and the catalog offers it to them every month.
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Anticipate Poor Cashflow1:20 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Running a business requires good planning, realistic expectations and preparing for the worst.
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Expect to Fail1:36 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Experience teaches that you will fail along the path to growing your business.
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Make Customers Not Sales4:32 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Owner Buddy Roybal never worried about selling and that has made him rich.
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Find Suppliers Who Help2:15 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Founder Tom Gegax tell us that TiresPlus financed its growth by plowing the earnings of the business back into expansion and by borrowing from suppliers.
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Understand Investors and Risks1:52 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
The founders of Tires Plus decided that going public would be too distracting.
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Serve The Low Profile Segment2:55 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Victoria is like millions of little girls. She has a horse in her backyard. Country Supply reaches these customers with a catalog that offers low prices. More...
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Live Like Your Customers Live1:15 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Scott Mooney started his business to serve other horse owners. This is Scott with his children on their family farm where they live and where Scott has his company headquarters. More...
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Do The Tedious Work To Target2:15 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Horse owners spend millions to enjoy their hobby and many look for bargains. Scott spent years finding the names and addresses of these potential customers. More...
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Ask Vendors To Be Your Bank2:04 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Country Supply customers brag on the company's catalog and its personal service. More...
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Learn from your Customers2:08 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
The founder of Country Supply has to stay close to customers even if he has 500,000 of them. More...
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Price To Turn2:31 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
The Country Supply catalog offers unique products priced to please. More...
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Help People Find Their Gifts1:03 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
The small team at Country Supply works hard to get their customers to smile. More...
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Generate Energy Naturally1:39 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Founder Scott Mooney is energetic because he is doing what he does best.
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Change Tactics As You Grow1:54 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Horse owners flocked to Country Supply products and growth demanded change.
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Turn Bad News Into Good News2:00 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
The dot-com bust left plenty of fulfillment capacity forcing prices down to help Country Supply.
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Hire a CFO Sooner Than Later1:20 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Bringing in finance expertise will add, not take away, from your bottom line.
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Grow With Retained Earnings1:44 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Country Supply was forced to grow on retained earnings which kept it efficient. More...
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Reinvent Yourself4:58 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Richard Stanley and his partner Joe Wasserman tried to quit. They came separately to Great Barrington to relax, retire and, perhaps, fiddle around real estate and whatever caught their fancy. They met while attending a town meeting, and as entrepreneurs will do, they talked about their dreams for improving Great Barrington's historic business district.
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Learn Bank Speak2:51 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Bring plans, collateral and a speadsheet showing how you will pay it back and you have a chance at getting a banker to make you a loan.
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Offer An Alternative3:47 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
There was a movie theater in Great Barrington, but it only brought in the big blockbuster films. Richard and Joe knew they personally preferred the smaller budget and foreign films. They calculated that since Great Barrington is a week-end and summer retreat from both New York City and Boston, there would be plenty of people like them.
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Hire Experience1:10 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Running a movie theater requires some specific skills that founders Joe Wasserman and Richard Stanley didn't have. They were smart to hire people with experience who helped them get off to a fast start.
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Create Value for Others1:24 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Host Hattie Bryant says that the founders of Triplex Cinema chose to create something useful rather than stay bored by retirement.
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Develop Multiple Revenue Streams4:14 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Joe Wasserman and his partner Richard Stanley are working to turn their theater into a multi-use gathering place for the community.
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Be Patient2:30 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Veteran entrepreneurs Joe Wasserman and Richard Stanley knew it would take years before they started earning real money from their theater.
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Grab Attention2:49 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Marketing adviser, John Wargo, says you can reach every customer in a specific zip code on a very small budget.
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Target Your Marketing3:10 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
A.G.A. Correa & Son uses catalogs to successfully market its high-end nautical-design gold jewelry to discriminating buyers worldwide. You meet Tony and his son, Andy.
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Treat Customers Like Family2:59 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Perry Gates, an owner of Maine Gold, produces a fantastic maple syrup that is surpassed only by the sweet smell of success earned through a loyal customer following.
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Anticipate all Future Possibilities4:25 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Succession planning should not be left to the survivors. When founders of business die, the business often dies with them. Not so at President of Hot Dog On A Stick. Freddie Thode talks about the founder's decision to set up an Employee Stock Ownership Plan as a succession planning tool.
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Keep Dreaming2:06 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Dreams fire our imaginations but a dream without action goes cold. Thomas was broke when he saw the location he now owns and by taking action he kept the dream alive. More...
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Go Where the Guys Are1:29 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Hattie introduces us to women who are turning their sweat equity into cash and success in the business world.
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Build On Your Education2:44 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
A classic family business, three generations of compassionate people are involved at every level of the operations. They left Cuba with nothing when Castro took over and today their pharmacies are the most productive in the USA. More...
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Do A Lot With A Little2:23 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
In 1940, operating out of a single pharmacy in Havana, Cuba, Jose Navarro, Sr. taught his sons the true meaning of customer service. People don't get sick just during banker's hours, and Navarro worked long into the night to ensure that his customers' prescriptions were filled promptly. More...
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Pour Your Earnings Into The Future1:52 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Marcel Navarro told us that Navarro Pharmacy moved from a 38,000 square foot warehouse to a 97,000 square foot warehouse in 1997. This allows them to offer more competitive prices as they can stock larger quantities of their private label products.
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Be Part of the Market You Serve1:34 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Another way to say this is, "Speak your customer's language." The Navarros are Cuban and they all speak Spanish. All of the employees speak Spanish and they serve communities in Miami which is 50% Latin. Here are Jose and Gloria Navarro in their first location decades ago!
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Hire People Who Want To Move Up1:27 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
In the early years, most of Navarro Pharmacy's employees were family members. But their success in growing their business soon made that impossible.
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Inspect What You Expect2:15 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Navarro Pharmacy is big now. There's a corporate office and it would be easy for the owners to sit at their desks and look at reports generated by the company's sophisticated software. However, Luis Navarro visits stores everyday and on this day he lets Hattie tag along.
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Change To Meet Demand1:59 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Consumer spending habits change constantly. One of the biggest challenges a retailer faces is determining what products to offer. This is as much of an art as a science. Through it all, Gloria Navarro keeps the stores staffed and the staff happy.
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Increase Profit Margins With Private Labels1:29 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Navarro Pharmacy stocks approximately 3,000 items with their own brand. In many cases, the private label brand is the #1 seller in the product line.
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Enroll The Next Generation In The School of Hard Knocks1:51 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
In the US, 80% to 90% of businesses are considered to be family owned. Only 30% will survive to the 2nd generation, 12% to the 3rd and just 3% to the 4th. The reason it is so important that family-owned companies succeed is that they create 78% of all jobs in this country.
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Put Others Ahead Of Yourself1:16 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Hattie learned at Navarro that customer service starts with deep respect for other people. From their customers and their employees, the overwhelming sentiment we heard from all the Navarro's was that people, not inventory, are what matter to them.
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Be A Team Player1:54 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Family businesses work because of what we can't see. In the case of the Navarro's, it's heart.
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Develop Core Beliefs2:44 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Many people within business make references to their religious beliefs. Yet, business, science, and religion generally operate independent of each other. It is rare to find people who align all three.
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Please Yourself5:23 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Founder Sue Callaway jumped on the chance to dump her white nursing uniform.
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Partner With Experience3:54 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
The founder took on a partner to speed her into mass production.
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Pick the Right Time2:39 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
The founder's husband encouraged her to grow out of her home-based sewing room.
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Use a Story to Sell2:30 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Research shows that S.C.R.U.B.S. catalog recipients don't just look at the pictures, they read the copy too. Catalog sales are dependent upon great images and compelling stories about the products.
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Test and Track4:25 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
To mitigate risk, test an idea on a small mailing or email list before you unleash it on your entire database.
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Wow Your Customers4:03 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Find ways to reduce hassle and save time for your customers.
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Do What You Love3:17 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Joan and Bill Keller started trekking some of the world's most remote places in the early 70s. They are explorers and adventurers who have tales to tell about places most people have never heard of before they become customers of Joan and Bill's shop, Le Travel Store. More...
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Start Small1:11 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Joan Keller says that she and her husband did what most of us do; they started their business with what they could scrape together.
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Hire People Who Sparkle1:23 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Owner Joan Keller says, "...we love diversity... age diversity (and) ...ethnic diversity." The key ingredient is that everyone loves to travel and they share that enthusiasm with customers. More...
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Turn Insight Into A Product2:25 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Bill Keller says that the insight his customers and employees share contributes to Le Travel Store's unique knowledge base.
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Reinvent Yourself1:37 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Bill and Joan talk about reinventing Le Travel Store in relationship to their location because they thought about their lease cycle as a type of alarm clock. More...
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Buy a Building1:55 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
After 15 years of paying rent to landlords, Bill and Joan Keller figured they should buy their own building. Le Travel Store is an important part of the Historic Business District in downtown San Diego.
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Invest in Your Neighborhood1:34 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Learn how Joan and Bill Keller grew their business by helping an entire shopping district thrive.
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Stick with Core Products2:43 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Bill Keller said the travel pack, which looks like a large backpack, has been critical to the success of Le Travel Store since they started selling it in 1977.
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Stick with Core Customers2:05 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Host Hattie Bryant says that for Joan and Bill, some things have never changed and some things have never stayed the same. What hasn't changed is their focus on the independent international traveler.
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Respect Your Partner's Talent1:14 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Bill Keller and his wife Joan are a two-person admiration society.
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Prepare for Unknown Unknowns3:36 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Joan says they budget for the "unknown unknowns."
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Deploy a Customer Retention Plan1:08 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Direct marketing expert, Parvin Salehi, says too many businesses take customers for granted.
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Add a New Market2:53 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Use a free offer to gather names, addresses, emails and phone numbers .
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Make the Cash Flow5:58 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
In 1948 Angelo DeLucia started selling an old family recipe.
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Save to Impress a Banker2:26 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Angelo DeLucia was able to save money even when he was only earning 32 cents an hour. A banker recognized the discipline this took and was happy to invest in Angelo's ideas.
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Franchise to Grow5:08 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Del's franchise owners work very hard in the hot months then take it easy in the winter.
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Keep Improving3:32 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Dr. Dimitri Kazantzis is a food scientist and he is responsible for new product development and for quality control.
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Work Long and Hard2:02 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
When it is hot, customers want a Del's morning, noon and night.
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Save Money on Mail2:35 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
John Wargo tells host Hattie Bryant that many owners spend more than they need to when they use direct mail to reach customers and prospects.
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Be Willing to Reinvent Yourself2:48 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
To move out of an executive office and back to serving customers, George Granoff bought an anemic little chain of art supply stores.
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Choose Where to Shine2:45 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
George Granoff says a retailer needs to dominate the market in two out of three categories: assortment, price, service.
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Offer Insight1:27 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
The sales team at The Art Store is made up primarily of working artists who understand how each product can be used to create a desired result.
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Infuse Fresh Thinking2:39 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
There is no back room so all inventory is on display and tracked with bar code technology.
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Database Everything5:26 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Sophisticated technology tracks all 17,000 SKUs in each location.
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Buy a Tired Business0:46 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Geroge Granoff left big business to rescue a sagging company.
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Sell an Emotion2:55 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Customers at The Art Store are shopping for the perfect items to combine into an experience which allows them to express themselves in a wholly unique way.
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Hire Helpful People1:27 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Employees at The Art Store are artists themselves and they enjoy helping other artists figure out exactly what they need to bring their vision to reality.
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Build Strong Vendor Relationships1:43 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Stocking the shelves with 17,000 SKUs is complicated and a friendly vendor can make your life easier.
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Be Obsessed with Numbers2:25 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Like any veteran merchant, George can't sleep until he knows the day's gross sales.
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Keep Your Name in Front of Customers1:05 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Rick Presant used supplier catalogs until customers pushed him to do his own.
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Work Long, Hard Hours for Years3:33 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
One college course in wine tasting and Bob Orenstein was in love for life. His hobby became his business when he quit his job running the tax department at American Airlines to become an entrepreneur.
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Step Out Ahead of the Crowd2:09 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Florists were very slow to embrace online ordering so it turned out to be a non-florist who pulled the entire industry onto the web. Bill Tobin's life is all about planting, cultivating and harvesting businesses. He loves business. He has a passion for life. More...
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Work Smart To Earn Online Customers2:30 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Online customers are even more demanding than those who can look you straight in the eye.
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Deliver Value Pricing and Gold Service Online2:55 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Sue England is one of the top notch, hand-picked florists who is able to meet the high service standards set by PC Flowers.
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Understand Your Customer3:09 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Keep customers coming back by surprising them which how much they get for a reasonable price and nearly no effort.
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Learn from Your Childhood1:42 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Bill Tobin says he knew early in life that he wanted to work for himself. Like most of us, he got his first business loan from his Mom.
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Face Down the Establishment3:27 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Bill Tobin explains how hard it was to break into an established industry with a fresh idea.
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Execute Near Perfection1:40 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Customers doing business online expect ordering to be quick and easy.
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Modify Your Philosophy2:39 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
The founder explains to host Hattie Bryant that he had never taken partners until he got involved with the Internet. He insists that the web is one huge partnership.
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Keep Your Job2:47 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Bill Tobin points out that starting and running a business is harder than it looks.
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Make Your Work Your Life3:46 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Jim is proud of his business and of his life and there is nearly no place else he would rather be than with his employees taking care of his customers.
More videos about starting a business...
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Sell A Cause4:02 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Jim Morris Environmental T-Shirts works to educate the world about nature.
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Let Your Mission Attract Employees2:10 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Employees at Jim Morris Environmental T-Shirts are proud to be part of the environmental movement.
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Ask Vendors and Customers to Finance You1:24 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
When Jim Morris had no cash and orders to fill, he asked his t-shirt supplier
to send the shirts on his promise to pay.
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Be Patient4:18 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Jim has slowly cultivated his customers. He writes a personal message for every catalog.
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Do It Your Way1:25 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Hattie says that Jim Morris is the perfect example of a business owner who marches to the beat of his own drummer.
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Spend on Quality2:22 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Quality equipment makes it possible for Jim Morris to deliver exactly what his customers demand.
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Act Like Your Customers Act4:34 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Jim Morris is one of those owners who is literally his own customer. He loves nature and his customers depend on him and his web site to inform them about the environmental movement.
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Be The Continuity3:19 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
When the company producing the candy Dr. Alvin Smith loved to give as gifts was struggling, he bought it.
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Take Advantage Of The Obvious1:55 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Al Smith, the owner's son and former social worker, uncovers a special talent for marketing.
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Hire Slow2:54 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Al Smith is very careful when he adds employees to the payroll.
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Enjoy The Problems1:40 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
A leader's job description always includes: solve problems.
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Market Your Whole Neighborhood2:07 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Angel & Phelps' owners' hunch paid off when they purchased a building and got involved in their city's downtown revival.
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Keep Marketing Messages Fresh1:40 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Bruce Camber, our executive producer, and John Wargo talk about marketing messages.
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Integrity selling is not an oxymoron.2:13 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
Ron Willingham is the author of a dozen books and hundreds of courses. Among his books are: Integrity Selling for the 21st Century, The Inner Game of Selling, Integrity Service, The People Principle, Hey, I'm The Customer, and The Ten Laws of Wealth & Abundance (new window).
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Follow your dreams4:34 | Register or Log in | Become a Member
From an episode of Small Business Today, we discover a high-end women's dress shop which is named after the founder, Yvonne La Fleur. Yvonne has us consider six key ideas (right column). Each key idea has a key question. Cursor over the question and click. Sometimes it opens up more answers!
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