Alf's Blog

Space Rental in Trendy Shopping Spots Helps Entrepreneurs

Artists and entrepreneurs are foregoing traditional advertising and PR in favor of shelf rentals in established retail stores, mini-boutiques and warehouse type buildings with independent stalls. In New York, young designers are lining up for a space in EMERGE*nyc. Available on a month to month basis, the spaces, sized from 50 to 150 square ft, go for USD 1,400 to USD 2,500 a month. With such high demand for a space in this part of downtown New York, owners of EMERGE*nyc carefully select designers that fit the profile and aesthetic of the entire space. Springwise gives a more detailed report on this growing trend.

To Listen You Must First Shut Up!

In these times of bombast and braggadocio, where everyone feels entitled to his/her fifteen minutes in the spotlight, it is now obvious that the art of listening has been leeched from the American character.

In the media, TV pundits, of the O'Reilly and Hannity type engage in the homicidal pastime of death-by-decibel. Any gaggle of politicians gathered together soon results in oxygen starvation for those unfortunate enough to be assembled in the same room. This drive to be heard, to foist one's opinion upon the other, is nothing more than the equivalent of barging in line, of breaking into the queue. The behavior is probably symptomatic of a need to be heard and acknowledged, perhaps even loved. Explanations are best left to the sociologists.

For the business practitioner, the failure to listen ultimately results in business loss or failure. It's one of the primary reasons why, in a nation where the practice of business generally provides the "best practices" for the rest of the world, the consumer is still exposed to inferior customer service, and brand fatality is not uncommon.

The "hows" of listening

The rules of good listening are based on a platform of courtesy, good manners and common sense. It doesn't require the experience and training of a business ethicist or management guru to appreciate the need and value of the "do unto others" philosophy that drives good listening behavior. Read More

Black Friday in the Green for Online Merchants

Doom sayer predictions for this year's Black Friday had Joe Consumer in-debt, over-spent and un-willing to pull out his wallet for the annual after Thanksgiving shopping work out. Preliminary numbers are proving our skeptic financial friends to be wrong. Depending on what you're reading, retail sales look to be down 1 percent from last year. The bigger picture is unfolding in the world of online consumerism, with initial reports showing a 28 percent increase in online buying over the same time period last year. Solid sales figures for the weekend after Thanksgiving have traditionally predicted strong holiday sales through the New Year, but much is yet to unfold, and retailers are pursuing agressive price cutting strategies to get our attention.