Big implications for Small Business Saturday

By Monica W. Wamsley

Hayley Goodman is the fifth generation of her family to own and operate Goodman’s Department Store in the small Colorado mountain town of Pagosa Springs. Established in 1899, Goodman’s is among the oldest continuously run stores this side of the Mississippi — and its fate rests squarely on Hayley’s shoulders.

Small business is the heartbeat of southwest Colorado. Although we do have some chains here and a couple more on their way, the main road in town is lined with small businesses, independently owned by those who have grown up at 7,200 feet and those who are gutsy enough to move here and give it their all.

Downtown Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Hayley is different from her great-great-grandparents for obvious reasons (like her store’s presence on Twitter and Facebook), but even one conversation with Hayley reveals the required similarities: her work ethic and her view of community. When asked in public why Hayley looks familiar, I have witnessed her calm response: “I work at Goodman’s,” she says — not “I own Goodman’s.”

Hayley Goodman

But Hayley has much to be proud of, and odds are good you will see Hayley when you stop in at Goodman’s, because small-business owners are hands-on, in their businesses and in their communities.

Goodman’s will be closed on Thanksgiving, not only because of tradition but also out of respect for employees and their families.

“We are closed on Thanksgiving. It’s a day for family,” Hayley said.

However, Hayley’s store will be open this Friday and Saturday, typical of the holiday rush.

Between the traditional Black Friday and modern Cyber Monday is a relative newcomer on the holiday shopping scene: Small Business Saturday.

2013 is Small Business Saturday’s fourth year. It was introduced in 2010 by American Express — which is not what comes to mind when you picture a small business. Instead of taking away from the goal, the contrast supports the sentiment: Small business is important to everyone.

AmEx, for its part, offers free advertising resources for small businesses for The Big Day. It promotes ways to connect for ideas and help on its “shop small” Facebook and Twitter pages, features notable campaigns, provides printed Small Business Saturday signage, and has created social media templates.

Lest this appear too corporate because of AmEx’s involvement, take a peek at U.S. Small Business Administration’s page dedicated to the initiative. Here, small-business owners can take advantage of Web chats, marketing materials, and preparations for holidays.

While parts of America are caught up in the throes of Black Friday, let small businesses re-energize you with their innovation and great customer service; they are, after all, your neighbors. These stores are the underdogs — underdogs that are pillars of our economy, serving locals and tourists, employing people with families, striving to bolster their communities, and encouraging the next generation of entrepreneurs.

When you shop at small businesses (and you can use the hashtag #ShopSmall on Twitter to share where you’re doing this and to find places to do it), your money stays in those communities. It goes to local salaries, local revenue, local improvements.

The portion of U.S. Highway 160 that runs through Pagosa Springs has a few names: San Juan Street, Pagosa Street, and Main Street. Without Pagosa’s small businesses, it’s just a highway — there is no Goodman’s, no Hayley, no personality, no community.

So this weekend, as you decorate your homes and shop for loved ones, shop small, with the merchants who love their work.

Higher Orbits: What's in a name?

By Monica W. Wamsley

I’m sure that if you asked your parents you’d learn the details of your name — something meaningful, maybe evoking a family memory; something distinct, but not so cumbersome that your given name doesn’t stick; something that grows with you.

The same kind of care and thought that goes into naming a child is used in naming a nonprofit organization and getting it off the ground.

“It’s not rocket science.” Well, this time, it is.

Higher Orbits (@HigherOrbits) is the brainchild of Michelle Ham (@spacechelle), former Mission Control and astronaut instructor.

“My nonprofit’s mission is to promote science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects along with leadership through the use of space flight. Mankind’s journey into space serves as an ideal launchpad to excite students of all ages about STEM, leadership, and working to fulfill their dreams and ambitions,” says Ham.

Over the course of a few days in July (including brainstorming with Ham, white papers from Dr. Witzig, and feedback from her Millennial associates), Higher Orbits emerged with its meaningful, distinctive, positive, future-oriented name.

Ideen associates were particularly big on the name’s combination of higher education and space, its conveyance of the mission, and its gravitational pull, as it were — but the name had to appeal to the target audience and their parents, too.

But lest I lead you to believe Ideen had to just come up with something catchy, consider this: There can be several Michaels on your street, but that’s not so with nonprofits. Is the name available? Are there trademark issues? Is the domain name taken? Are there organizations with similar names? Are there organizations with similar missions? How do we condense the mission statement and make it a great tagline?

You can read Ham’s account of her decision and her next steps here on her blog.

Bookmark higherorbits.org and follow Ham on Twitter to watch this rising star.

Code of the West, Small Business & Branding

We recently had the pleasure of traveling to Wyoming for Cheyenne Frontier Days.  While the event is best known for its rodeo – branded as the “Daddy of ‘em All” – we were there to immerse ourselves in the spirit of entrepreneurialism and individualism. 

We were not disappointed.

Major sponsors such as Coors, Coca-Cola, and Bank of the West are important for the financial health of CFD, but the small mom-and-pop businesses fascinate the crowd with their creativity, clever products, and down-to-earth approach to marketing.  We started examining this spirit, and in doing so, rediscovered the Code of the West or Cowboy Ethics (ala Jim Owen). 

The Code of the West isn’t complicated or complex, but in an age of hyper-branding and misleading marketing, it is particularly relevant:

• Live each day with courage
• Take pride in your work
• Always finish what you start
• Do what has to be done
• Be tough, but fair
• When you make a promise, keep it
• Ride for the brand
• Talk less and say more
• Remember -- some things aren't for sale
• Know where to draw the line

We saw many small businesses exemplifying the elements of the Code. Individuals and families invested not only their money, but also their love for their products and hours of hard work.  They took time to talk with their customers, customize their products to customer needs, and deliver value.  This wasn’t about the hype created by social media or “uber” brands that tend to dominate the landscape.  This was about integrity. 

The concept of “brand” is about making a promise and delivering on it.  At CFD, craftsmanship abounded, business was brisk, and entrepreneurs were building a personal brand. 

Lest this appear overly simple in our puffery-filled world, we’re not alone in seeing the connection between the Code and the value to business. The Wall Street Journal asked, “Where have all the cowboys gone?” in an article last September that examined cheating scandals across the country and how the Cowboy Code could be used to counter the trend.  We would suggest that the Code is thriving among the small businesses in Wyoming and provides a marketing lesson for us all.

When Things Get Hot: How to Lead Like a Fire Chief

When Things Get Hot: How to Lead Like a Fire Chief

By Allyson Pratt

“Grabbing life by the horns” -- Ideen has been fortunate to cross paths with a Texan who does just that. During a recent trip to Austin, Texas, we had the unique experience of meeting the chief of Austin’s Fire Department -- Chief Rhoda Mae Kerr.  On 31 May 2013, a group of young and eager cadets of the Austin Fire Department made their way across the stage to receive badges that confirmed an end to a long, exhausting six months of training at Austin’s Fire Academy. Administering the badges was Chief Kerr, Austin’s first female fire chief.

My first impression of Chief Kerr: commanding presence, constant smile, genuineness. A female chief in a male-dominated field is an impressive feat; her enthusiasm and energy completely won over her audience. I couldn’t help but want to know a little more about her.

Fortunately, Chief Kerr was gracious enough to answer a few post-ceremony questions, via email, about the evolution of her exciting career. As I sifted through her responses, I was impressed with how leadership qualities permeated every answer, qualities that are applicable to leaders in any field. 

We felt it important to share them with you here:

Inspiration -- Initially, Chief Kerr was a physical education teacher and coach until a friend suggested she apply to the Fort Lauderdale Fire Department. The idea intrigued the fourth-generation fire fighter, though she says it was not her first career choice in life. She explains, “...I came to realize that sometimes, the second or third choice ends up being the best one.”

Keeping the door of opportunity wide open could lead you somewhere you never thought you could be if you didn’t try. I love this, because I don’t know anyone who has stuck with one job without wondering about different avenues.

Confidence -- It’s key, right? It sounds obvious, but it can be harrowing to pull up your work boots in the face of adversity. As Chief Kerr explains, “As a woman in a predominantly male field, I have faced many challenges and struggles. Women in the fire service have to work harder, and will be more closely scrutinized, than their male counterparts.” She advises anyone, women particularly, with apprehension about applying for this job to embrace their vision and ability and to be swayed by no one.

Unfortunately, folks in the professional world are sometimes judged on things outside typical job parameters. The importance of believing in your ability and playing to your strengths could mean the difference between success and defeat.

Stay positive -- When negativity surfaces in the media or elsewhere in her profession, she offers a simple coping solution: smiling. Chief Kerr maintains it will “make you feel better in any situation--just smile!” Why not?

She may be on to something, as smiling has been confirmed by research to improve your mood. The bottom line is, staying positive will not only help carry you through any sudden hell that arises in your career, but it will also benefit the mood of employees or co-workers.

Balance -- Chief Kerr talks about help outside the office: “Surround yourself with individuals who are encouraging, positive, uplifting, and love what they do, and remember, life is all about balance. I work hard to stay healthy, eat well, take care of myself, and have a fulfilling personal life outside of work. I seek advice from friends, family, co-workers, and even those who don’t always agree with me. The more brains at the table sharing ideas, the better!”

Commitment -- Regarding leadership qualities she looks for in other people, honesty, loyalty, courage, respect, and integrity were the winners. She demands the same qualities of herself.

In leading by example, one commits herself to inherent values and earns the respect of those following in her footsteps.

Chief Kerr says the most rewarding thing about her job is “working with awesome people in the best city in the country.” Perhaps we’re not all cut out to be fire chiefs, but when we adopt the right attitude and make the right impressions, we can certainly lead like one. If we unearth our confidence, exude constant positivity, maintain a balance of personal and business life and, perhaps most importantly, commit ourselves to this daily, who’s to say we can’t? 

What Barbecue Can Teach You About Your Business

Summer is right around the corner, and grills across the country are being fired up for the sole purpose of indulging in that great tradition of barbecue. But like all skills, there is always room for improvement, so there must be a Barbecue University. At Barbecue University, students learn not only the basics of grilling, but also the artistry that separates the amateur griller from the grill-master. Interested in their powerhouse marketing scheme, Lisa enrolled in a class at BBQU and live-tweeted the lessons she learned, and what she discovered may surprise you.

It may not seem obvious, but many of the lessons involved in barbecuing can be applied to business practices. For example,

There’s only so much you can learn by rote in the way of barbecue, and many people attribute their skills at the grill to a mentor. So too with business: often a guide who has trodden the path before you and made his or her own mistakes can be more helpful than any manual. While mentorship can help the next generation thrive in the workplace, it can also create a bond of trust and mutual understanding that brings an interpersonal element into an otherwise un-personal setting.

As important as it is to learn lessons from past mistakes or people who have “been there first”, great achievements are nearly always founded on risk-taking, carefully calculated or otherwise. Whether it be inventing a new sauce or devising an innovative workflow, risk taking and challenging tradition can, in some circumstances, sow the seeds for great rewards.

Like all projects, though, there must be one person to spearhead a new initiative. As Lisa puts it vividly,

Another great lesson comes in the form of something many of us have been told our whole lives:

Certainly in the current economy, many people are becoming much more prudent about the way materials and resources are consumed. Quite simply, many of us can’t afford to be wasteful. Good business practice indicates that if you can put something to good use rather than throw it out, you should.

Product placement is also crucial for retail companies, and a local business in Denver donated a pit barrel to Barbecue University for instructional use. By doing so, they were able to advertise a product through demonstration and endorsement by an established institution.

Finally, one of the most important lessons came in the form of teamwork, in which students had to work as a team to barbecue a Brazilian rib roast. In grilling as in business, when everyone on a team is working toward a shared goal, the results can be spectacular, and in this case, delicious.

-Hilary Adams