Company Blog

Help

by Adam Zack — June 17, 2026

“On shortcuts, also-rans, and the road that actually gets you there.”

“The bravest word on any team —

and the one leaders most often forget to use.”

Help! I need somebody

Help! Not just anybody

Help! You know I need someone

Help!

-John Lennon

“What is the bravest thing you’ve ever said? asked the boy.

‘Help!’ said the horse.

‘Asking for help isn’t giving up,’ said the horse. ‘It’s refusing to give up.”

– Charlie Mackesy, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

The longer you work with your team, the stronger you all get. All of our stores have had to endure a business climate that seems to tighten by the week. The challenges we have all faced head on have at times seemed overwhelming. Surrendering has never been an option. Screaming in retreat is not an option. People have to eat, and we have to feed them. Employees need to work, and we are there to pay them. They need security, and we take every step we can think of to provide it.

As margins keep getting squeezed and shoppers keep trading down to stretch every dollar, we have to realize that there are still many on our teams who may need help, either in what they do for us at their jobs or in their personal lives. As leaders, we need to actively ask our teams if they need any help. We’ve got a pretty good handle on the fundamentals now – the private label push, the AI tools, the discipline it takes to run a tight store. 2026 will still bring great opportunities, that if we plan and execute for, will cement our customer loyalty for many years to come.

As leaders, sometimes we need help, too. Our teams want to help us so much, and simply directing them and not asking for their help yields results that could have been so much better. Let’s kick some butt for the rest of 2026 together. I get by with a little help from my friends.