Company Blog

No One Is Coming

by Adam Zack — May 11, 2022

We are each responsible for ourselves.

In the movie Castaway Tom Hanks is stranded on a very remote, deserted island all alone. He figures that since his plane crashed, searchers would be looking for him and eventually he’d be rescued. Weeks go by, and he comes to the realization that no one is coming. His survival and any chance of escaping the island is totally up to him. It’s like that for our personal paths to success and happiness. Prince (or Princess) Charming isn’t coming to sweep you off your feet and whisk you off in a Rolls Royce to live in the castle. No one is coming to motivate you to work harder so you get that promotion you want. No one is coming to make you a better money manager to pay off your bills. No one is coming to tell you to eat better and exercise so you can lose weight. No one is coming to clean your house and cook your dinner. (Unless you have a housekeeper and a personal chef!). My wife, who gets many of her life hacks off Tik-Tok and saw the no one is coming video, reminded me that we are each responsible for ourselves. In this era where blame and finger pointing are the norm, it’s time to control our own destiny and make it happen, because no one is coming.

...
read more

Above Average

by Adam Zack — May 4, 2022

“It takes so little effort to be above average.”

My mom was in town visiting last night and we were all sitting at the dinner table eating and we got to talking about employees, and just how hard it has been lately to really find good help. She said something very insightful. “It takes so little effort to be above average.” Wow, that really made a lot of sense. I got thinking that “average” is smack dab in the middle. Not horrible, not exceptional, just middle of the road, solid C material. So often we think about wanting to be great, and to develop greatness that we lose track that even a small step toward bettering ourselves, or bettering our employees elevates us to being above average. It is easily achievable and when just a small effort is made by management to improve the entire staff of average employees to being above average, you are now better than your competitors. The idea can even be applied to below average AND above average people improving a level. It’s not hard, and it’s not a major undertaking. Think of one thing you can do, and do it. Turns out that there is a book by Florence Littauer written nearly 40 years ago called “It Takes So Little to be Above Average.” Sounds like a quick read. I ordered it just...

by Adam Zack — April 27, 2022

“These employees are really having a good time.”

As a parent one of the greatest, purest joys of parenthood is the sound of your kids having so much fun as they play that the sounds that they emit are uncontrollable laughter. Their smiles are ear to ear and contagious, and the innocence of their fun makes you want to be a kid again. It’s tremendously satisfying to observe kids of all ages be blissfully happy. Then we grow up and there’s this thing called work that happens and the belly laughs and unabashed joy seem most of the time like distant memories. Bosses get serious and production is much more important than having fun. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Instead of being the boss that shushes employees that appear to be goofing around or being a little bit too boisterous, think back on the joy you felt when your kids were so happy they’d pee their pants rather than come in and miss out on the fun. Creating a culture at the workplace where everything, all the time, is not hush hush, strictly professional, don’t disturb the customers is a great feat. Instead of focusing on keeping it all buttoned down, think how your customers must feel shopping in a store where the employees can joke and laugh and actually seem to enjoy their job. They...

by Adam Zack — April 20, 2022

You make that effort, see results, and then gradually (or sometimes suddenly) slip back into old habits.

PONDER: to think or consider especially quietly, soberly, and deeplyI’m thinking about how hard it is to be a good listener. I think about it every day. I can kind of relate it to the person who wants to eat healthier. You do it for a while, focus and start to see results. Conversations are clearer and more meaningful. Interaction is mutually satisfying. The weight of having to speak and anticipate what your answer should be starts to drop off. You’re feeling good about yourself and those you interact with daily. You’re getting to be a good listener. That wasn’t so hard, right? Then when you’re getting comfortable, the unexpected double cheeseburger is before you. Just one, right? You listen to the guy explain what’s in the smoothie for breakfast, then you add ice cream (because it’s so delicious). A bag of chips here, Fettuccine Alfredo instead of grilled chicken and salad. Two cookies and a Bailey’s instead of no dessert. Your good intentions, initial success and great feelings are back the way they were not long ago. It’s the same with listening. You make that effort, see results, and then gradually (or sometimes sudd...

by Adam Zack — April 13, 2022

Promise fair prices and a convenient way to keep our customers’ families fed and healthy.

Remember two years ago when the president promised that the Covid pandemic would be over by Easter? It was something that everyone wanted to hear and believe, but as you know it just wasn’t true. More than any other holiday, Easter is based on belief and faith. Belief in resurrection and afterlife. Belief in forgiveness and redemption. Belief that hollow chocolate bunnies and dyed eggs are delicious and fun. OK, that last one is more provable than any of the other beliefs surrounding Easter. Like that promise two years ago, as retailers we have to promise to deliver what we can actually do. We promise clean stores and friendly service. We promise freshness and selection. We promise fair prices and a convenient way to keep our customers’ families fed and healthy. Unlike promises that can only be verified after death or science, our promises are easily fulfilled. And when we fail to live up to them, our customers start looking for another store that will. Or another president.

Read More – Accurate Self Assessment

...

by Adam Zack — April 6, 2022

The people we see most often are the ones we most take for granted.

“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”
– Eckhart TolleThe people we see most often are the ones we most take for granted. The little things that happen every day – from that customer who buys a coffee and a muffin every single morning to your spouse who makes sure your work shirts are clean and looks you over to make sure you have no boogers showing before you head to the store. Proximity and familiarity are the easiest thing to take for granted because they’re, well, they’re just there, everyday. Routine becomes part of the landscape and you don’t miss that routine until it’s not there anymore. Just like real listening takes effort and thought, your appreciation level needs a kick in the ass every now and then too. It’s the spouse who one day thinks “I’ve been making his coffee every single day for 20 years and he hasn’t even said thanks for at least five. In fact, when’s the last time he even made me a cup of tea?” And the next thing you know the routine is interrupted because the need for ap...

by Adam Zack — March 30, 2022

The chance to deeply, permanently impact someone’s life is the rare reward that only happens occasionally.

“A good mentor hopes you will move on. A great mentor knows you will.” – Leslie Higgins “Ted Lasso”A lot of people, in fact most, love that show Ted Lasso. Being of limited patience and deeply rooted in “Oh, come on, be serious, that’d never happen” vision, I am not one of them. I only gave it a one episode audition, so I’m clearly not a good judge. I do get regular updates from my wife on how sweet the show is, how optimistic it is, and how it really inspires with its combination of innocence, hope and perseverance. Mentoring is a privilege and an extraordinary responsibility. The chance to deeply, permanently impact someone’s life is the rare reward that only happens occasionally. Some people never get the opportunity to mentor anyone. Many people never get mentored. It’s an extremely unselfish undertaking that requires an abundance of time and patience. More than that, it takes a deep, authentic sense of caring about the success and g...

by Adam Zack — March 23, 2022

Authentic speaks of honesty, reliability, transparency and trustworthiness.

I’ve been thinking a lot about authenticity lately. I don’t know why, but in personal encounters I find myself thinking about not only my authenticity, but more closely about the person I am conversing with. Am I getting the truth about who this person really is and what their values are, or am I getting some kind of glossed over People magazine version of them telling me what they think I want to hear. Authentic speaks of honesty, reliability, transparency and trustworthiness. Authentic people display their true values in their actions and words. It’s the real thing and is verified by what we do everyday. But there are some people that are authentic a-holes. Their true character is one of deceit, selfishness and dishonesty. Keeping authenticity at the top of your mind will automatically direct you to relationships that share your values. Our relationships with the businesses we deal with share a similar authentic relationship. Once a store promises to deliver something you want, then fails repeatedly to deliver, you start to see that their authenticity is not what was initially represented. It’s like People Magazine or Instagram and ...

by Adam Zack — March 16, 2022

Is your advertising distinctive or does it look and sound like any other vanilla market that’s out there?

1-877-CARS-FOR-KIDS, 1-877-CARS-FOR-KIDS. K-A-R-S CARS FOR KIDS, DONATE YOUR CAR TODAY…Is there a more irritating and abrasive jingle on the radio. It gets into your head, and for me at least, activates my reflex to immediately change the radio station. I remember being in another city across the country in a rental car and on came the jingle.. 1-877-CARS-4… Aaagh! It’s not just in Southern California! I don’t know anyone who likes it or has donated their car because of it, but I sure do know a lot of people who can remember the number because of that stupid radio ad. Various versions of the ad have been on for nearly 20 years. As much as it makes most of us want to punch the radio, they must be effective. Radio airtime is not cheap, and it’s got to be paid by these donated cars. So who donates their car? And how does that come up? I imagine something like “Grandpa died and his piece of crap old car is in the garage and won’t start. How do we get rid of it? Who should we call? [Thought bubble pops up] 1-877-kars….” So the point is, is your marketin...

by Adam Zack — March 8, 2022

“Agh! I’m human Wagyu!!”

I was watching The Simpsons last night and Homer said one of the funniest lines I’ve ever heard in a while as he was being chased in the forest by a wolverine. “Agh! I’m human Wagyu!!” referring to the ultimate Japanese steak, which is so richly marbled with fat. But that has absolutely nothing to do with this week’s blog, I just thought of it when I was trying to remember what I was watching when I heard the line “You only get to start from where you are.” It was so impactful I made note of it right away. Throughout the pandemic, how many times have you heard the phrase “When things get back to normal.” Projects and initiatives have been delayed or cancelled. Action has halted. Progress has stalled. I thought of it in the bigger, longer picture of waiting to take action because “the time is not quite right”, or “I’m not ready yet”, or “When I’m in a better place.” Wait for sometime in the future, and you’ll still be starting from where you are. You don’t get to start from a better position, place, or time. You only get to start from where you are, so get going.