Episode 357: Construct a Résumé of Failures to Discover Something New

Episode Notes

I like going below the surface to understand what makes people who they are. I love all the stuff. The successes, the failures, how people overcome challenges and setbacks, what brings people joy, and all the transformative moments that shape our character and entrepreneurial lives. I love being part of people’s evolutionary process and connecting them with people and resources.

An unexpected package arrived on my doorstep during last week’s epic snowstorm. It looked like someone covered our neighborhoods with soft-serve ice cream and swirls atop the snow drifts—remnants of severe winds. The storm hit the Midwest. A whopping 11.3” of snow fell in Golden Valley, leaving us a winter wonderland view.

Inside the bubble-wrapped package were a note (You’re in the book!) and a signed early copy of Joanne Lipman’s book, Next! The Power of Reinvention in Life and Work. Oh, how I love books. The smell. The purple book cover, yellow-colored hardcover, and binding. The chapter headings, content, and print. Everything.

My mind went to the beginning of 2021. I received a call from a pioneering journalist and author. Joanne Lipman was the voice on the other end of the phone line. I didn’t know of her at the time. She listened to my 2018 podcast conversations with Art Fry, the inventor of Post-It Notes. Joanne said she was writing a book about the power of reinvention in life and work and wanted to interview Art. She asked if I could connect the two of them.

 Next! The Power of Reinvention in Life and Work provides a toolkit to make meaningful transitions in life. It is chuck full of case studies, personal interviews, and the latest research on how people reinvent their lives and how they work. Joanne is a brilliant storyteller and avid researcher.

I quickly opened to the Acknowledgement section on p. 282, where I am mentioned. “To podcaster Nancy Meyer for putting me in touch with Art Fry.” Wow! Tears snuck into my eyes. Joanne took the time to acknowledge me in print.

Then, I flipped to chapter 3, Eureka!, where Art Fry’s story unfolds. Joanne described both the journey of Spencer Silver, who invented the 3M glue he couldn’t find a use for, and Art, the intrapreneur at 3M, who came up with the Post-it notes idea while singing in his church choir. Art used Spencer’s glue to improve our lives. I use Post-it notes almost every day! The ‘aha’ moment for both of them was years in the making, and Joanne outlines Art and Spencer’s journey beautifully and accurately in her book.

Back to the beginning of the book, I immersed myself in reading every word. Her book is divided into two parts; the disparate ways in which we pivot and navigate change when we have no choice. After hundreds of personal interviews and academic research papers, Joanne observed a specific pattern when people pivoted in their lives and careers. This particular pattern, she suggests, could be a Reinvention Map. Although the pattern seems straightforward on the surface, like Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey, it isn’t.

There are four aspects to reinvention she tracks through history. We start with a search, then we struggle. An event causes us to stop what we are doing before a solution emerges and a path forward is revealed. She outlines variables as when you are on a post-traumatic grow...

Episode 356: Leading with Practical Intelligence, Part II

Episode Notes“Practical intelligence,” says Robert Sternberg, who coined the term, “includes knowing what to say to whom, knowing when to say it, and knowing how to say it for maximum effect.” Malcolm Gladwell writes in Outliers: The Story of Success (2012) that practical intelligence is “knowing how to do something without necessarily knowing why you know it or being able to explain it.” I discuss examples of both aspects of practical intelligence.Knowing What, When, and How to Say Something One of the many jobs I had before starting WeMentor, inc. was as a phone solicitor for the Minnesota Special Olympics. The first skill I learned was rehearsing a prepared script that described the importance of contributing to our Special Olympians and a variety of answers for when people would say no. “Do you mind telling me why you cannot donate right now?”My manager, Don, was terrific. He knew how to coach and knew how to motivate me. A pat on the shoulder. A quick pep talk when I needed it. Strategies for overcoming rejection and emotional roadblocks. Don did this for everyone. And he kept a close watch on the numbers. He would whisper in between calls how close we were to reach our hourly goals. The room was filled with about 7 to 11 other telesales people. My only request was to have my desk in front of a six-inch window slit to see outside. I needed a focal point.In the first week, I became the #1 telesales person in the New Hope office and Minnesota. I made 30 to 40 calls per hour from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., five days a week. New people were trained by sitting next to me and listening to how I talked with potential donors and closed the sales. I refined what I needed to say to whom and knew when to venture off script to engage the person on the other end of the phone. Week after week my numbers were impressive, and I was motivated to do well.All was going well week after week. I started listening to motivational tapes while riding my bike to work daily. Zig Ziglar was my favorite. “You can have everything in your life you want, if you will just help enough people get what they want.” This famous quote of his resonated with millions of people, including me.About eight weeks in, I get into a funk and lose my mojo. I made sales but couldn’t maintain my #1 status. It was torturous every hour for five days straight; I couldn’t hit my sales goals.Don put things into perspective, saying it happens and encouraging me to stick with it. Some of the others were glad I wasn’t perfect. My funk allowed someone else to shine while I got a dose of humility.Outside of calling hours, I went on a few deliveries to meet the people making the donations and attended some Special Olympians in training. This helped me understand the bigger purpose of my efforts.After that downer of a week, I regained my groove and broke my #1 sales goals. A new inspiration emerged. I asked Don what becoming the national #1 telesales person would take. I remember the sales numbers being within reach. At the five-month mark, I became the #1 telesales person in the country. Outside of that one week, I was able to be #1 at something. It felt great.Years later, I was told my sales record took years to beat nationally and a few decades locally. Cool, I motivated others to generate more donations to support athletes with intellectual disabilities. They count on salespeople like us to help them change their lives and better their circumstances. Gotta love that.I learned from that experience that knowing what to say to whom, when to say it, and how to say it for the maximum effect paid off in generating thousands and thousands of dollars to support a great cause. Tailoring my message to fit an audience of Twin Cities residents started with a tailored message...

Episode 355: Leading with Practical Intelligence, Part I

Episode Notes

Practical intelligence is on my radar screen. Who has it, and who doesn’t? Why is it a critical aspect of small business success and life fulfillment? Our society would be better off if practical intelligence were valued as analytical and creative intelligence and not belittled. We need all three types of intelligence in entrepreneurial leadership and life. And here’s why.

I listened online to a panel discussion in 2010 of three MBA students who became entrepreneurs. A Stanford Graduate School of Business professor assembled a forum to discuss “what they don’t teach in business school about entrepreneurship.” All three panelists have had major successes and a few failures. I realized that what they described as lacking in their education was practical intelligence. 

They learned about sales but were never required to sell. They received accolades for their strengths but needed guidance on their weaknesses, which helped forge complimentary business partnerships. Having all the answers worked at school but not in starting new businesses, where trusting the discovery process is critical in finding your niche.

Listening to the panel reminded me of another Stanford student, Elizabeth Holmes, who dropped out of school and founded Theranos, Inc. at 19 in 2003. Amazingly, she raised over $70M touting a breakthrough technology that could give you information from a simple finger prick blood sample. Theranos, Inc. was valued at $10 billion in 2013. The Theranos technology or automated devices didn’t stand up to scrutiny. The devices had a fatal flaw; they didn’t work.

Why weren’t the venture capitalists and private investors trying the devices for themselves? Blind faith and believing the hype? Or were they missing practical intelligence? They trusted without verifying the equipment. This skill comes in handy when raising a teenager. Trust and verify.

If we embraced practical intelligence, we would be less vulnerable to manipulation, exploitation, and scams. We would invest monies in entrepreneurs who demonstrate how they can shift and do what is necessary to build a business or lead a democracy. We would know how to see through the hyperbole and falsehoods and dismantle the narcissism behind the mystic. Next week I will showcase examples of entrepreneurs demonstrating practical intelligence.

Where do we learn practical intelligence if analytical and creative intelligence is taught in school? We learn practical intelligence through experience in a wide variety of environments, adapting our behavior and expectations on the spot, and through meaningful conversations with others who share their experiences. It is referred to as ‘street smarts’ or ‘common sense,’ with the contrast being book smarts.

What if we equally valued, encouraged, and integrated the development of all three forms of intelligence in all classrooms and all subjects? We would be more appreciative of the benefits of acquiring analytical, creative, and practical intelligence. We would probably feel more whole and confident because society isn’t downgrading a vital aspect of our humanness; adaptability and responsiveness.

Robert Sternberg coined the phrase practical intelligence and developed the triarchic theory of intelligence; analytical, creative, and practical intelligence. 

* Analytical intelligence “plays a significant role in one’s overall intelligence. It involves critically analyzing one’s cognitive and physiological strengt...

Episode 354: Why I Am Doing This Podcast

Episode Notes

Why am I doing this podcast? Here is the semi-long answer to that question. It is more exciting when you hear me answer the question.

The bottom line is that resilient relationships flourish with meaningful conversations. I knew that. I also knew that we learn best through stories. When we get the nudge to change, it helps to hear how others redefine how they lead as they redesign their businesses. I have had thousands of conversations since I started WeMentor in 1992 to change the leadership in this country and worldwide, and guest what? I needed a platform to capture those stories and share them with others.

This podcast has been a gift from the source. It was divine intervention—a game changer. I had been looking for a medium to capture the conversations that I was having with clients. I didn’t know when my search would manifest into something worthwhile and affordable, so I stayed on the hunt, gathering information as I went.   

A 2015 family road trip to the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming inspired and answered my search. This wasn’t my first visit to the Tetons. I worked in the 1980s at the Grand Teton National Park one summer in between college semesters. On this trip, I wanted to show my old stomping grounds to my husband, Matthew Foli, and our 13-year-old daughter, Olivia (I mistakenly said 8 years old). I cleaned bathrooms and fire pits and painted picnic tables.

I was proud to be the first woman to have a cabin and be in charge of 50 campsites at one location and a five-mile bike ride to clean about 20 other campsites by Jenny Lake Lodge. Movie stars stayed at the main lodge. I saw Angie Dickinson from afar. Angie was a movie star and became famous in 1974 for her role in Police Woman.

A photographer took a photo of me biking at Jenny Lake for his travel brochure. A mouse was my cabin mate. I fed her breadcrumbs and talked to her. It was a fantastic summer hiking, biking, meeting people from all over the world, making new friends, and having friends and family visit. They could set up camp next to my cabin.

One day that summer, my boss showed me a letter he had received from a camping patron who said the bathrooms were the cleanest she had ever used in a national park. I told him it must have been during the weekend my parents visited. My mom, bless her soul, she crossed over in 2020, helped me clean those dirty bathrooms with a toothbrush—the memories.

An ’aha’ moment surfaced during that 2015 road trip. To get to the Grand Teton National Park, we made a big oblong loop from Minneapolis to Wyoming and hit the Badlands in South Dakota on the way back. We drove through Iowa and then headed west through Nebraska. As we approached the upper northwest corner of Nebraska, we lost our radio connection and almost ran out of gas. Matthew took out his iPhone and plugged it in to listen to some podcast episodes he had downloaded before we left. We were getting into podcasts at that time. Krista Tippet’s, On Being podcast captivated our attention. Immediately, I was enthralled by the lack of commercials and uninterrupted listening. My senses were alive. The On Being podcast focuses on immersive conversations and explorations into the art of living. This episode was about yoga. The audio was crystal clear, and Krista’s voice was soothing and informative. I fell in love with the platform.

The Grand Teton National Park was unrecognizable as we approached it. The Grand Teton mountains were still there, but the campsite areas had been totally renovated. Nothing of what I remembered was there; even the entrance to that park area was different....

Episode 353: A Hilarious Conversation with My Youngest Sister Monica

Episode Notes

Do you need a little mid-winter pick-me-up? A little humor to brighten your day? When I was young, we six siblings would debate about who was the funniest in the family. My youngest sister Monica Olson emerged as the winner. I encouraged her to do stand-up, but she would instead share her humor with family and friends. And now, you can hear her for the first time.

Before the holidays, Monica offered to let me tape our conversation. She wanted a relaxed conversation, and I needed a guinea pig, so we discussed my new role as podcast editor instead of having an in-depth conversation about her life as a multi-venture entrepreneur, raising four children, divorce, and remarriage. You wouldn’t think that taking on the editor role of a podcast would be funny, but as it turns out, we found it hysterical. I hope you can laugh with us and alleviate the pressure and stress in your day.

My reason for airing this conversation is to emphasize that we need to bend someone’s ear when facing difficulties. I was fortunate to have my husband, Matthew, and my youngest sister, Monica to keep things in perspective with acquiring a new skillset under pressure and deadlines. The good news is that we don’t need hundreds of people. We need one or two encouraging people.

Our conversation is like many with her. A breath of fresh air and hilarious. I want to do more podcast conversations with Monica. Could you give me your feedback?  What do you think? Would you like to hear more from Monica? Please let me know any other topics you would like to hear about too. Respond HERE.   DOWNLOAD

 

 

NEXT STEP after listening: Challenge yourself and do the Conscious Attentive Leadership Mentoring (C.A.L.M.) Activities, below.

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Episode Resources

About Eagle Bend, Minnesota

About Eagle Bend

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After listening, do these three C.A.L.M. Activities:* Take this risk or do this adventurous task: Who, outside yourself, is a source of humor and support in your life? If you don’t have a person, imagine that kind of person showing up in your life and how good that would feel.   * Apply Self-Compassion: Appreciate humor where you find it. Bask in it. Relish in it. Find joy and inspiration in it.* Welcome Appreciation: I greatly love and appreciate my youngest sister Monica. She is a delight, a source of comfort, and an empathic listener. She also gives me solid advice and a dose of reality when needed.

Episode 352: Building Multi-Million Dollar Businesses with Skip Thaler, Part V

Episode Notes

In my fifth conversation with Skip Thaler, we discuss change. The kind of change we initiate and the type of change forced upon us. Skip describes a problem he had to recognize before selling 25 rental properties. A hard truth to face when he and Jill, his wife, were adding their 25th and last property to a portfolio that took 20 years to acquire, beautify, rent, and manage.

Skip’s eyes opened up to the government not protecting property rights during the covid-19 pandemic, riots in Minneapolis and St. Paul, rising expenses, and the inability to pass on the increased costs to renters. The confluence of events led to the new opportunity Skip pursued. He has a lifetime of turning lemons into lemonade. Skip believes that “unsolved opportunities opened his eyes to another opportunity.”

A peer gave him some good advice as Skip worked through the emotional side of this life-changing decision. One of Skip’s fellow landlords told him they were only stewards of the properties for a certain period of time. That statement helped Skip let go.

In preparing to talk with me, Skip was talking over with Jill their life changes since 2020. Jill summed up their life perspective succinctly. She said, “We always have to be prepared to pivot.” And pivot they did.

Skip goes into the details of what it took to work through 50 real estate and investment transactions. All were completed in zoom meetings. The life of the entrepreneur is learning while on fire. Skip needed to determine whom to sell to and be present at 25 real estate closings. Once he sold the rental properties over nine months, he needed to research and invest the proceeds quickly for tax purposes. I love how he and Jill went about exploring new opportunities. The research led to new opportunities to invest in private REITs and move their residence.

Florida is a tax-friendly state that does not impose an income tax on individuals and has a 6% sales tax. According to Investopedia, corporations that do business in Florida are subject to a 5.5% income tax. You are exempt from paying state income tax if you are an LLC, sole proprietorship, or S-Corporation. Based on their research, Skip and Jill decided to sell their Lakeville, Minnesota home to one of their sons and move to Florida.

On the investment side, Skip discusses purchasing private REITs and how you can and cannot evaluate warehouses in Macon, Georgia, that Amazon owns, and Lowe’s warehouses. “Private REITs are not traded on a national stock exchange or registered with the SEC. As a result, private REITs are not subject to the same disclosure requirements as stock exchange-listed or public non-listed REITs.” Skip, and Jill are willing to take the risks that accompany the purchase of private REITS, even though their access to information is limited.

In this conversation, I learned the profound resiliency of Jill and Skip Thaler. It is essential to pivot to land on your feet, which Skip and Jill have a track record of doing. Assess the opportunity. Collect the data, analyze the facts, work through fear, and then apply your intuition to discover what is important. Taking charge of your journey,

Episode 351: Building Multi-Million Dollar Businesses with Skip Thaler, Part IV

Episode Notes

In our three-part podcast series, Skip Thaler generously shared what it took for him and his family to build several multi-million-dollar businesses. Today you will learn the confluence of events that led to Skip’s decision to sell his 25-rental properties. The properties he and Jill worked so hard to acquire, fix up, and rent out. You will find out how our prior podcast conversations played a part in selling his last 7-bundled properties to one buyer.

Skip dives into how he made the decision and how it affected his wife, Jill, and their three adult children: Tim, George, and Sara. You will also hear Skip’s concerns for future landlords with rental properties in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. There are long-term consequences to the social unrest and violence after George Floyd’s murder and a Renter Protection Ordinance passed by the Minneapolis City Council that went into effect on June 1, 2020. Plus, I found new rules for screening renters in effect for 2023. Please read it HERE. 

In 2021, another life-changing decision was made. Skip, and Jill moved to Bonita Springs, Florida. Find out why moving from Lakeville, Minnesota, to Florida made sense.

A Brief Recap of Skip’s Multi-Million Dollar Businesses

Skip’s first job out of school was in sales with IBM. He left there to start as a manufacturer representative, a business selling Fleetwood tires. That led to the most successful Fleetwood Franchise in the United States. Skip created a brokerage business to sell discontinued and blemished tires that grew into $13M in yearly sales. This financial success positioned him to merge his company with Tires Plus, combining the sales volume to $25M.

At Tires Plus, Skip worked to help grow the business to $50M, selling his ownership in 1991 to his two business partners. Semi-retirement allowed Skip to pursue his love of sailing and found an international tire wholesale business, Intercontinental Marketing Corporation (IMC) while upholding his 5-year United States non-compete agreement. IMC is the birthplace of three pledges Skip made to himself. No more hiring of W-2 employees. IMC will not carry accounts receivable. He will not own inventory.

Keeping faithful to his three promises, Skip prepared his company for George, his son, to join him in 1998 to learn the tire trading business. They diversified into motorcycle tires and used truck tires (casings) for retreaders. That business generated more than $10M in sales. Uniquely positioned in the marketplace, they kept their expenses under 8% of their gross profit, so 92 cents out of every dollar went to the bottom line.

In 2012, his other son, Tim, joined the business as Skip transitioned into a new business—the business of acquiring brownstone apartment buildings in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Skip acquired 25 buildings with more than 400 apartment units.

In our third podcast conversation, we learned that in December 2019, Skip purchased his 25th and last acquisition, an 8-unit complex Brownstone apartment building built in 1890 by the Cathedral in St. Paul, Minnesota. Skip enjoyed 20+ years of renovating and restoring these 100-year-old apartment complexes making each complex a standout in the neighborhood. He describes himself as the opposite of a slum lord investing to make everything appealing, from the curbside to each building’s inside. Skip’s attention to detail was apparent with the purchase of his 25th property, too.

Original photographs from the late 1800s of the Brownstone properties were adorned in the hallways and entryways,

Episode 350: An Honest Self-Assessment of Mental Health with Daniel Libby

Episode Notes

Enmeshment is common amongst entrepreneurial leaders. Whether you have a psychology degree or not, it is natural, almost necessary, to be totally engrossed in realizing a big vision. I am not talking about workaholism, where there is a hyper-fixation on work with little joy, although that might be some of what Daniel Libby, Ph.D., is sorting out. I am talking about implementing a big vision that, to achieve it, encompasses your entire being. Dan gives an honest self-assessment of his mental health at the end of his 12-year reign.

Dan acknowledges how difficult it has been to separate his identity and self-worth from Veterans Yoga Project. A national organization he built over 12 years. Separating your identity and self-worth from your entity is a real thing. We can be so focused on achieving the mission that we forget about the people in front of us, as Dan realized. Almost always, these are the gems we uncover during significant life changes like the sale or closing of a business or in Dan’s case, transitioning out of a nonprofit enterprise.

He is taking the first quarter of 2023 to reflect. This includes a 10-day Vipassana Retreat. We discuss the purpose of a silent retreat and what he fears.

During the last six months of 2022, Dan deliberately planned to pass his Executive Director role to the well-respected veteran Brianna Renner. It took courage to recognize that this next growth phase for Veterans Yoga Project is best carried out with a new leader and operations officer, Brianna Renner. Thankfully, his leadership team and board of advisors agreed.

At the start of 2023, as a freed-up man ready to take a sabbatical to figure out the next phase of his lifework. He is looking forward to self-focus and self-growth and discovering something that can be as rewarding, joy-inspiring, and fulfilling as the work he did to advance Veterans Yoga Project, only on a smaller scale. His statement reminded me of a friend who finished an Ironman Triathlon saying she would never do that again. A few months later, she is contemplating her next Ironman Triathlon.

To refresh your memory from last week’s podcast conversation, Dan worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Yale University Department of Psychiatry at the West Haven VA Medical Center, Connecticut. “While providing psychotherapy for veterans recovering from PTS(D), he found that those who developed empowering self-regulating practices had better outcomes — they moved through post-traumatic stress to post-traumatic growth more quickly and gracefully,” as summed up on the website. Thus, the idea for the VYP was born in 2010.

The Veterans Yoga Project (VYP) was formalized in Alameda, CA, in 2014. They are on a mission to support recovery and resilience among veterans, military families, and communities.

We explore more of what Dan learned as a leader. One basic leadership lesson was to allow people to be who they are and let them do what they need to do as executive team leaders, volunteers, or staff members. We also discuss his excitement for the future of VYP and re-emerging with a new vision once he accumulates all the wins and integrates the lessons he learned along the path of self-leadership mastery and life success.

My Reflection on Balance

I don’t believe an equal balance is achievable in small business ownership and entrepreneurial leadership. We need to be ‘all in.’ I mean invested, determined, and committed to the entrepreneurial journey, which is all about trial and error, learning as quickly as possible, and cash flowing our life as we realize our vision and live our mission.

Instead, we are better off focusing on meeting the seven

Episode 349: Daniel Libby Passes the Leadership Baton of Veterans Yoga Project

Episode Notes

Daniel Libby, Ph.D., and I are both in transition. He is in a huge transition; mine is a blip on the Adobe Audition editing screen. We discuss his evolution that coincides with an abrupt departure from my sound technician and my quick learning to edit WeMentor Mondays with Nancy PODCAST. At the end of 2022, Dan passed the leadership baton at the Veterans Yoga Project to Brianna Renner.

Dan started 2023 as a freed-up man ready to take a 6-month sabbatical to figure out his next step. He is looking forward to self-focus and self-growth after founding and growing the Veteran’s Yoga Project (VYP) over the last 12 years. Maybe develop a private practice?

Dan was working as a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Yale University Department of Psychiatry at the West Haven VA Medical Center, Connecticut. “While providing psychotherapy for veterans recovering from PTS(D), he found that those who developed empowering self-regulating practices had better outcomes — they moved through post-traumatic stress to post-traumatic growth more quickly and gracefully,” as summed up on the website. Thus, the idea for the VYP was born in 2010.

The Veterans Yoga Project (VYP) was formalized in Alameda, CA, in 2014. They are on a mission to support recovery and resilience among veterans, military families, and communities. We talk about his leadership accomplishments and the excitement for the future of VYP.

When I called Dan to let him know I was reposting our podcast conversations, he informed me of his decision to pass the baton of leadership to Brianna Renner. VYP is a nonprofit educational and advocacy organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of military veterans.

By providing support to all veterans, whether they are currently struggling with severe symptoms or focused on increasing resilience and giving back to others, VYP is doing its part to serve those who have served in our armed forces. Trained instructors teach over 100 free yoga classes weekly for veterans and their families across the country. They partner with veterans, active-duty military personnel, student veterans’ organizations, and other non-profit organizations. 

In October of 2022, I reposted our two 2018 podcast conversations (see Episode Resources). After re-listening to them, I was reinspired about life and leadership and heard what takes precedence your entity or its mission; and how we can create space for post-traumatic growth. Those conversations helped me as I committed to taking on the editing role of this podcast for 2023. My phone call with Dan sparked my curiosity to schedule a new podcast conversation so you can hear how Dan’s leadership baton passing is going.

In entrepreneurship, learning new things under pressure is what we do. The intensity of our emotions is ever present because we need to learn new things fast while keeping the cash flowing. In learning this new editing role, we discuss a core component of psychological well-being, frustration tolerance, and an example of how Dan works with his 10-year-old daughter as she bumps into the frustration of learning something new.

The tools of self-mastery that we learn through yoga, meditation, and breathing practices help us during these transitions and learning opportunities, so “we don’t absorb the stresses of that thing, causing us anxiety. We can stay in the present moment,” says Dan. That is the goal. Stay in charge of our emotions, not letting them control us and our behavior. We can be grounded and focused on solving problems without moving into muddled thinking or a rigid mindset. Real growth for a yogi is expanding your practice beyond the yoga mat. I had a chance to do just that.

Episode 348: Up Level Your Brand to Reflect Consumers’ Changed Behavior with Ann Anderson

Episode Notes

With so many creative people making products people love, why are some brands making them on retail shelves and online stores while others never get their products into the average consumer’s hands? Ann Anderson of Retail Partner Solutions explains how big-box retailers have changed, current trends in consumer behavior and which group of consumers are leading these trends. Learn how to Level Up your product brands to bridge the gap between brands, retailers, and consumers.

 Ann’s positivity and joy radiate through the sound waves as we start with how she separates her identity from her business cash flow fluctuations, from one product launch to the next and from one client to the next. We continue with Ann’s experience as a business owner and what her 30 years of retail expertise and services can do to get your products on store shelves and in the hands of consumers.

The flow of our conversation is organized so you can engage in learning without feeling overwhelmed. Ann is a fast talker releasing a plethora of valuable content. I found myself as inspired to take notes as I did when I first aired our conversation on August 16, 2021.

Leveling Up topics we discuss:

* What Leveling Up your brand means and how to do it.

* What it takes to get products into specialty stores, grocery stores of all types, regionally expand, and increase chances of getting into mass retailers.

* The gestation period for getting products online and on big-box retail shelves.

* Certifying your business can be a game-changer with big-box retailers if you qualify. Certification websites are outlined in the Episode Notes.

* Social media from the client’s perspective or consumer, and what big-box retailers look at and consider when going with a brand or not.

* Benefits of pro bono work as a brand strategy.

* Wholesale Case Study: How to modify a product strategy from a retailer and channel perspective.

* Building Buyer Relationships. Ann’s extensive database of buyers and different levels within big-box retailers (the chain of command) and what you need to know.

* E-Commerce Product Process: determining where you are.

* Supply Chain Logistics: scaling capabilities, quantity, and timeliness to replenishing store shelves. What to be aware of right now within supply chains.

* Marketing and Customizing Brand Sheets. What information to include when approaching a retailer?

* Handling Negotiations. What you need to know.

* Product Differentiator. Sustainable products and packaging can be reduced, reused, and recycled. Find out how else you can differentiate your products and services.

* Trends Affecting Big-Box Retailers and Consumer Behavior.

* Do a quick search exercise on Target.com.

* Ways to be responsive to consumer behavior changes.

We finish with Ann highlighting critical Up Leveling strategies so you can close the gap between your brand, retailers, and consumers.  DOWNLOAD

 

 

 

 

NEXT STEP: Challenge yourself and do the Conscious Attentive Leadership Mentoring (C.A.L.M.) Activities,