I've written in the past about Barnes and Noble, when I had hoped they were figuring out how to turn things around. However, it doesn't look like they have. They couldn't turn Nook into their savior, their CEO stepped down, and they are planning a "strategic review". But what they should really do is listen … Continue reading Why Barnes and Noble should listen to me.
Category: Business
Anniversary Blog – 12 years
This past Thursday I completed my 12th year with my company. That's a long time. I started at the store level, worked all three shifts, was the stockperson, did accounts payable, was the manager of our Austin stores, and finally moved laterally to product buyer (who also does web, social media, marketing, and merchandising). I've … Continue reading Anniversary Blog – 12 years
Examples of “keeping what works”
I decided these examples should be a post of their own, because it was making the previous post way to long. So what follows are two examples of how I "tried a lot of things, and kept what works" and "fired bullets, then cannonballs." Example 1 I was looking for project management software to help … Continue reading Examples of “keeping what works”
Try a lot of things, keep what works
I'm a big fan of Jim Collins. If you haven't read his books, I recommend buying them all. One of may favorite ideas that I gleaned from his books, as well as books by others, is the idea of "try a lot of things, and keep what works." As a small business your primary advantage … Continue reading Try a lot of things, keep what works
Social Media and business
I was reading the latest issue of the Economist (always wanted to say that), and there were was an article on social media titled Too Much Buzz (their Schumpeter column). It discusses the ways in which businesses are having to deal with social media. There are many complaints about too much data. Some say it's a … Continue reading Social Media and business
Quick thoughts on SaaS
I work for a small business. Our IT guy should have quote-marks over his title. Google is our IT guy in truth. This is what a small business has to deal with. We need software solutions, but we can't spend tons of money on software. This is why Software as a Service (SaaS) is so … Continue reading Quick thoughts on SaaS
A tale of 2 Black Fridays
I just got back from Thanksgiving Weekend and I have a business tale to tell. This was the first year I went to a Black Friday sale. My sister wanted to get a couple Kindles that were actually a remarkably good deal at one of the big box stores (who shall remain nameless). Our experiences … Continue reading A tale of 2 Black Fridays
Barnes and Noble – figuring it out?
I’ve been keeping up with how Barnes and Noble is dealing with being in an “industry in transition”, similar to where I currently work. E-book sales are on the rise and brick and mortar bookstores are seeing declining sales. Borders went out of business, I believe, partly because it didn’t take seriously the shifts in … Continue reading Barnes and Noble – figuring it out?
Joe Robles 