PCA Magazine Summer 2022

PREMIUMCIGARS.ORG VOLUME 3 2022 | PCA The Magazine 51 Take a deep breath. You are not alone in any of these thoughts. I maintain that there are only two things we can control in our life: our attitude and our actions. That is not to say we should disregard the external impacts to our businesses. Our energy moving forward, however, should be that: energy moving forward! Is our glass half empty or is it half full? Do not confuse me with New Age pillars likeMarilyn Ferguson who famously stated, “Achievers have an enabling attitude, realism, and a conviction that they themselves were the laboratory of innovation. Their ability to change themselves is central to their success. They have learned to conserve their energy by minimizing the time spent in regret or complaint. Every event is a lesson to them, every person a teacher.” I don’t subscribe to the notion that we can just will ourselves to success. That is a bit too Aquarian for me. What I do believe is that we should avoid regret and focus on solutions that lead to success. Let’s examine some troubles and then I’ll offer some practical ways ahead for your consideration. My new POS system is not working for me. I would immediately schedule a call with your POS rep and discuss the challenges you are facing. Be specific. Having spent more than 20 years in the software business, I know that technology should always be an enabler. Many times, the problem lies in installation and training. If there are gaps in what your new system can do, you need to begin focusing on what it can do and adjust your business practices. We lost a key staffmember! Two years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer. On that very week, my general manager gave me her notice. That was a big problem for me andmy wife. However, we had some discussions with some loyal supporters of our business and were able to hire someone trusted for six months while I worked through 8.5-hour chemotherapy infusions. Was it perfect? No! But, today, my cancer is in remission, and I survived a key employee loss. My biggest customer just moved or is now buying online. This situation is highly relational. I would suggest scheduling an off-hour meeting with them at your business. The job is not to convince them to do anything. The purpose is to express how important they are to your business. Make them feel like a valuedmember of your family. If the customer has moved away, offer free shipping. Suggest creative ways to exceed the benefits of shopping online. I have found that personally texting key customers has a massive impact on howmuch time andmoney they spend inmy business. This economy/government might tank and take me with it. We are guaranteed nothing in this life. None of us has a crystal ball to see the future. Again, we can control our attitudes and actions. With interest rates up, we should consider carrying less debt. Maybe that expansion can wait until next year. Perhaps it is time to do some direct customer engagements with handwritten thank you cards! We are all competing for discretionary spending, so be likeable. Cash is king and customers make or break us. Stay close to those two things, and you position yourself for success regardless of the economic realities you can’t control. I chose the Dwight Schrute quote for a very specific reason. In nine seasons of the NBC classic sitcom The Office , Dwight had a clear goal, to become theManager of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company office in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Through 201 episodes, we got to watch Dwight fumble his way through every manner of adversity, situation and opportunity. What I found interesting about this fictional character is that there were very few regrets in his wanderings. He was oblivious to the things that stood in his way, including himself at times. In the end, it was his singular love for his workplace and coworkers that allowed him to achieve his goal … in the 200th episode. While Dwight is fiction, the lessons learned fromhim are worth considering. We could all do with a little perspective that Dwight offers. Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica. I don’t subscribe to the notion that we can just will ourselves to success. That is a bit too Aquarian for me. What I do believe is that we should avoid regret and focus on solutions that lead to success. ” T H E T O B A C C O N I S T