The Gray Cat Blog
A growing library of practical business articles and insights created to help entrepreneurs, small business owners, franchisees, and multi-unit operators strengthen leadership, improve operations, drive growth, and build more profitable organizations.
Micromanagement can be the detriment for any leader.
Â
Transforming from being a doer to someone who oversees talented people is a very big leap for new leaders and founders.
In this podcast episode with Dilan Abeya, we discuss this key evolution.
Opening a new retail location is one of the most exciting milestones in business. Months—or even years—of planning, investment, construction, merchandising, and staffing finally come together as you p...
Turnover has a hidden cost to organizations. Â In retail, turnover can be one big revolving door.
Creating a work environment for employees that keeps them around is a huge benefit - both in continuit...
Having a wide-ranging corporate background enables Gray Cat to bring a breadth AND depth to any project and/or multiple projects for my clients.
In this podcast episode with Arif Moriya, we discuss t...
Shooting for targets - be it initiatives, projects or financial - puts a stake in the ground to focus the organization.
In this podcast episode with George Lowe, I talk about implementing a "Daily Sa...
In this podcast episode with Bea Guzman, we talk about what makes a bad leader.
On the flip side, exhibiting leadership traits that allow the team to do their respective roles for a common goal - mak...
Budgets are tight, but you need to move top line sales – fast! What is a quick and easy way to expand your customer base? Partnering with noncompeting retailers to help your broaden exposure is a simp...
One of the hallmarks of successful brands is consistency. Whether a customer encounters your company online, in-store, through advertising, or at a community event, the experience and message should...
Few responsibilities have a greater impact on profitability than labor management.
Schedule too few employees, and customer service suffers. Long lines, empty shelves, delayed orders, and poor expe...
One of the most common questions I hear from convenience store operators is:
Should we partner with an established foodservice brand, or should we build our own?
The answer is simple:
Both strate...
Be honest.
You probably wish you were a better networker.
The good news? Networking isn’t a personality trait reserved for extroverts. It’s a skill that anyone can develop through consistency, cur...
