The Gray Cat Blog
A comprehensive collection of blogs designed to assist small business owners and multi-unit operators.
Nobody saw this coming.
Just two months ago, we were in our eleventh year of an economic expansion; unemployment was at a 50-year old low; and March Madness was right around the...
Gift cards continue to grow leaps and bounds allowing retailers that have implemented a program for their stores to reap vast benefits. In fact, total spending on gift cards in 2019 is expected to...
Over my career – both in the corporate world and on my own – I have had the privilege of working with some fantastic and talented people. In most cases, I have learned more from them,...
The fight for share-of-customer by retail stores to effectively capture sales has never been fiercer. Retail stores that sit back and wait for their business to improve will have a very long road...
Well, we didn’t see that coming!
How many of us would have predicted that for the better part of two years, the entire planet has had their professional lives turned upside down due to...
Conducting a diagnostic store assessment is an excellent way to gain opportunistic perspectives for your location. Walking through and evaluating your store – from the eyes of the...
About a decade ago I began to publish a blog focused mainly on improving processes within small business. Many of these blogs are derived from having worked many years in larger organizations and...
Try These Calendar Management Tips
It seems that with every passing year, time management becomes harder and harder to get your arms around. With new ways to communicate seemingly appearing...
Who are we?
That is a question I hear all the time from companies that are trying to better communicate to their customers. All too often, companies have grown in spite of the fact of not really...
The art of understanding your business from a financial perspective is a critical step for any entrepreneur. Knowing your business – financially – will provide the business owner the...
In-store marketing is a critical and oft-overlooked marketing strategy for any size retailer. Successful retailers make their customer feel welcome and comfortable in their store, building repeat...
For the multiunit operator, managing a retail real estate portfolio is tricky business. Keeping winning stores in tip-top condition – both physically and financially – is the key to...
