I will cover the Mantra of “Not all customers are good customers”. I will say from the beginning that we must continually seek to enhance our customer service and focus on building our relationships with customers. Just like in growing a bush or tree, we must actively cultivate and prune our customer base for healthy growth. read more...

As we are bombarded with sales promotions and endless discounts while watching the economy worsen seemingly by the minute, a key question comes to mind—is discounting the only way to drive sales these days? read more...

It seems that the next big buzz word for specialties is affordable luxury. The trends of consumers trading down their purchases due to the weakening economy while staying at-home to re-connect and enjoy the finer things in life are fueling a new perspective in Americana. Add the fact that consumers are demanding higher quality products, faster without the added cost or complexities; affordable luxuries seem to have found the perfect storm in the late 2000’s. read more...