Do You Have What It Takes To Succeed In Retail?

Starting any kind of entrepreneurial endeavor is a risky business and it is not guaranteed to succeed. It is absolutely critical that you make the right decision on what kind of business you want to be in. If you follow your passion you may not love every minute of it, but at least you will be working with something you enjoy will be more likely to succeed. Starting a retail clothing store poses some unique challenges. Here are some questions you should be able to answer.


Do you love people? In retail it is all about building relationships and networking. You need to understand how to communicate with people in a positive way to build these bridges. If customers feel you care about them they are more likely to return to your store when they need something or even just to visit. It is just as important when working with suppliers. You will relate differently with customers than the guy who supplies your clothes hangers. You also need to be able to attract, train, motivate, and lead a top notch sales force.


Do you have what it takes to deal with the long work hours? Most retail businesses are open 12 or more hours each day. With other duties such as inventory and accounting retail business can keep you on your feet morning to night. Especially in the beginning or during a crunch time you may find you are working 14 or even 16 hours each day just to stay on top of it. You also need to be willing to do whatever is necessary at the moment even if it is something simple like putting clothes back on the hangers. This takes enormous amounts of energy and the ability to push through fatigue when it is required.


Can you stay organized? You will be responsible for day to day operations, pay roll, hiring and firing, training, accounting, inventory, and a plethora of other aspects. This mostly comes down to time management. With so many pressures on your time you need to be spending your time on those things that matter the most. Just being busy is not enough. If you find you are spending all your time putting clothes back on hangers than you are likely to fall behind on those duties that will really affect your success. A general rule is the bigger your business gets the less involved you become in the details. If you are disorganized you store is likely to mirror that fact. No one is going to shop at a messy store with wrinkled garments and clothes hangers scatted every where.


If at all possible find a mentor. This should be someone who has a proven track record in related industry that you can trust. Drawing on this person’s experience you can learn things about retail not found in textbooks or school classrooms.
About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of the Closet Hanger Factory, a leading online provider of clothes hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.closethangerfactory.com.

Cedar - The Wonder Wood

Most people are aware of the different uses of cedar. It is commonly used as a building material in construction. Lap siding, roofing shingles, decks, handrails, furniture, and tree houses are just a few examples of its application in this field. Cedar hope chests and armoires, and even clothes hangers repel moths, protect clothes, and leave them smelling fresh. It’s also found in the kitchen taking the form of salad bowls, utensils, and serving platters. But not everyone knows why cedar is so useful for making these various items. The purpose of this essay is to inform the reader of the attributes of cedar that make it so useful in so many ways.

King Solomon, well known for his wisdom in legal matters and 40 year reign over the kingdom of Israel, used the cedars of Lebanon in the construction of his temple in Jerusalem. Cedar is naturally decay resistant which makes it a wise choice to construct anything you want to last. In addition to it being decay resistant, it is also weather resistant. Cedar is able to endure the elements without cracking or warping making it a popular choice in construction of homes and furniture.

Whether it’s an old wives tale or not, most people believe that cedar can repel moths. No one likes to find little holes in their favourite wool sweater, or silk blouse. Experts say that it is the larvae of the brown moth that are responsible for those holes. The brown moth larvae feed on natural fibres such as wool, cotton or silk. The larval stage of the brown moth lasts from 71-145 days. Cedar contains aromatic oil that under the right circumstances can kill small moth larvae. An air tight, enclosed space, such as you would find in a cedar hope chest, is ideal for attaining the concentration of oil fumes needed to annihilate the unwanted larvae.

Cedar is light weight, easy to work with, and naturally durable. The natural oils it contains are capable of repelling water. The Native American took advantage of this by crafting canoes, cook ware and even clothing. They would weave clothing from the cedar fibres creating apparel ideal for the rugged environments they lived in. Cedar’s ability to withstand extreme temperatures allowed Native Americans to make bowls they could put heated rocks into to cook their food. Kitchens today hold many items made of this highly functional material.

With so many beneficial applications, construction, bug repellent, and daily tools, cedar can truly be called a wonder wood.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the Vice President of S & L Store Fixtures, a leading online provider of clothes hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.closethangerfactory.com.