Creative Retail Talks with Clint O'Rear
Clint OβRear, a leader amongst suppliers & retailers in the creative arts & home dΓ©cor industries, hosts insightful conversations with other leaders and experts to share different insights and perspectives on the retail industry. In most cases the discussion will be related to the arts/crafts/creative/makers segment of retail.
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The Lion Brand Story Revisited
03/07/2023
The Lion Brand Story Revisited
Stories from David & Adam Blumenthal covering 144 years and five generations of an iconic yarn brand in the creative industry. From how it got its name to what keeps it strong and growing. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Lion Brand has been around for 144 years Lion Brand was the sole supplier of yarn to Target for many years up until Target discontinued the category Lion Brand has been on the web longer than Google The key to keeping the business within the family and successful is that no family member is forced to be a part of the company. Every member of the Blumenthal family that has worked for Lion Brand did it because they wanted to Lion Brand is fueled by a passion for the business and a willingness to change and adapt Hiring people that have an interest in yarn and appreciate that Lion Brand is a family business has been the key to integrating non-family member employees into the company Lion Brand has been able to build a strong connection with its customer base and is very proud to continue to do that Partnering with Vanna White and others has been a huge boost for the visibility of the brand SUGGESTED ACTIONS: Think long term Hire people that are a fit for your culture Stay passionate about your vision and adapt along the way as needed Find interesting ways to increase visibility of your brand! πππ©ππ πππ¨π ππ‘π§πππ, Chairman of the Board of Lion Brand Yarns. Read the Inc article Earliest yarn memory? Going to the office at 54 Canal Street, at the corner of Canal and Orchard Streets, where we had offices and a warehouse. It was the tallest building on the Lower East Side of New York. I was about 7 or 8 years old and I would sweep the floors and empty the wastebaskets. Going into the office with my father was a really big deal for me. ππππ πππ¨π ππ‘π§πππ, VP Brand/Product Development and Digital at the Lion Brand Yarn Company. You can reach Adam on LinkedIn at . ππππ‘π§ π’βπ₯πππ₯, president and owner of , has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products. For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit . If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint OβRear at . ______________________ Music: "Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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Revisit Servant Leadership and Company Culture with Jim Iyoob
02/07/2023
Revisit Servant Leadership and Company Culture with Jim Iyoob
When your company has a Dean of Leadership Development and twelve Character Commitments, you know they take servant leadership seriously. , Chief Customer Officer of , shares the culture that began with a vision βto make a remarkable difference for each otherβ β clients, team members, and community. KEY TAKEAWAYS Etech is an outsourced contact center that has organically grown from 400 to 3500 employees that focuses on making a remarkable difference for their customers Continuous growth and training are essential for all levels of employees Servant leadership comes down to treating your people, customers, and community well to produce a wonderful experience for them Etech has a Dean of Leadership, Melissa Wood, that helps design courses for all levels of the company to help with continuous learning and growth Jim started as a call center agent at Dunn and Bradstreet and has worked his way up to Chief Customer Officer at Etech with the help of Matt Rocco You have to be able to recognize areas you need improvement in and be able to learn from experiences as everything is a lesson Leaders develop leaders β You must focus on developing the next generation of leaders if you want sustained success More about SUGGESTED ACTIONS Have a plan for continuous growth As a leader, be intentional about developing other leaders Read at least 1 article per day β LinkedIn is a great source ______________________ πππ ππ¬π’π’π, Chief Customer Officer of Etech Global Services, is a 33-year veteran of the call center/BPO industry. Jim is a subject matter expert for call center solutions, with specialties including Strategy, CX, Chat, Operations, Training and Developing Leaders, Relationship Management, E-Commerce Strategy and Reporting, Quality Monitoring, AI, IT & Outsourcing and Social Media Strategies. He has helped develop, implement, and retain some of the most successful and award-winning programs. Jim has co-authored three books with his lifelong friend, mentor, and coach, Matt Rocco (President & CEO of Etech Global Services). Quality Monitoring in a Contact Center The Future of Contact Centers Delivering Customer Experience That Matter You can reach Jim at , on LinkedIn at , or at ππππ‘π§ π’βπ₯πππ₯, president and owner of , has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products. For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit . If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint OβRear at . ______________________ Music: "Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
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A look back at how Happy Customers + Happy Employees = Healthy Business
01/03/2023
A look back at how Happy Customers + Happy Employees = Healthy Business
Retail authority shares his philosophy on how Happy Customers + Happy Employees always leads to a Healthy Business [Podcast first published November 2021] KEY TAKEAWAYS Happy Customers + Happy Employees = Healthy Business If you reduce employee turn 20% you increase profits by more than 20% Happy employees make Happy customers AVID Insights creates a Health ID score to measure the level of satisfaction and engagement of both employees and customers. Employee engagement is the #1 driver of customer satisfaction. 95% of products are developed with ZERO research - a huge mistake! Key areas to research Product development Shopper satisfaction Research data must be reviewed for quality to be accurate and useful. AVID Insights creates a Health ID Score for both shoppers and employees to measure engagement and satisfaction. If you can take a shopperβs Health ID Score up by 10%, they will spend 37% more. AVID Insights process Ask the questions β Right questions, in the right way, to the right people Analyze the data - critical Display the results - how you display is part of the analysis AVID is a high value, low cost model for research and insights. SUGGESTED ACTIONS Measure employee engagement and create a culture that creates happy employees. Measure customer satisfaction and listen to their feedback. Do research and get consumer insights before launching products. ______________________ π ππππππ πππ₯πππ₯ Since starting a mail-order company while in college (before the Internet was a thing), Michael has spent his entire career in retail-related companies. Whether developing new CPG products, conducting consumer research for national chain stores or marketing ecommerce software, his goal is simple - empower retailers to differentiate themselves and drive measurable results. While at Momenta, Michael built a consumer research team that drives the company's product innovation and provides shopper insights to national retailers. He now serves as CEO of AViD Insight, a web-based platform that enables retailers and suppliers to leverage real-time consumer and employee insights to drive growth and profitability. You can reach Michael at or . ππππ‘π§ π’βπ₯πππ₯, president and owner of , has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products. For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit . If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint OβRear at . ______________________ Music: "Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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Taking a Look Back at How to Create Happy Employees Who Create a Happy World
12/06/2022
Taking a Look Back at How to Create Happy Employees Who Create a Happy World
, retired CEO of WD-40, is this amazing combination of a confident leader and a very humble servant who has led his tribe very well. Although he was in the oil products business, in this episode we talk about a lot of things that have nothing to do with oil but everything to do with how to grow your business and grow your people. [Podcast first published May 2021] KEY TAKEAWAYS 70% of people who go to work everyday are disengaged Aristotle - βPleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.β From Ken Blanchardβs class at University of San Diego in the Masters of Leadership program, Garry learned that a leaders role is to create a place where people go to work everyday where: They make a contribution to something bigger than themselves They learn something new They are protected They are set free by a compelling set of values And therefore they go home happy Happy people create happy families Happy families create happy communities Happy communities create a happy world You need to love and involve your people in everything you do! Comparison of Al the Soul Sucking CEO with the Servant Leader πΌπ‘ π©ππ ππ€πͺπ‘ ππͺππ ππ£π πΎππ/ππππππ§ Has the biggest office in the building Always has to be right Always has all the answers Leads by fear Doesnβt think learning is important at all Is corporate royalty Doesnβt follow through with commitments If things go wrong itβs never him/her - blames someone else Isnβt clear about what he/she wants to achieve with the team Goals are sketchy Praise isnβt part of his world His/her ego eats his/her empathy instead of his/her empathy eating his/her ego All about them and greed and whatβs in it for them πππ§π«ππ£π© ππππππ§ Loves and involves their people Always in servant leadership mode Expect their people to be competent Thrives on learning Connected with emotional intelligence Their empathy eats their ego, instead of their ego eating their empathy They donβt make mistakes - they have learning moments They reduce fear Have a heart of gold and a backbone of steel Champions of hope Know micromanagement is not scalable Do what they say theyβre going to do They love feedback As part of this culture, Garry uses a new kind of talent review system for members of his tribe to βhelp them get an Aβ and have greater success: At the beginning of the year, you sit down with your coach and identify the top 3-5 essential functions of your job description Then, the coach (manager) describes what an βAβ looks like Everyone agrees to go for the βAβ Then, you set short term goals together Finally values are reviewed and discussed Then every 90 days the coach sits down with the tribe member (employee) for him/her to do a self review to grade themselves. The coach asks the following questions: How are you doing? What is getting in your way? What can I move out of the way to help you be successful? How do we help you get to the next stage so at the end of the year you get an A? How have you lived out our values in the past 90 days? This culture has helped WD-40 achieve the following: Increased employee engagement from 40% to 93% 98% of employees globally say they love to tell people they work for WD-40 97% of employees say they know what is expected of them 98% are excited about the companyβs future - a sign of trust! Garry uses the word βtribeβ instead of team because of what the idea of a tribe means - a group of people that come together to protect and feed each other On Gratitudeβ¦ Book Leading with Gratitude by Chester Elton Research has shown how healthy gratitude is Taking time to reflect and to be in a positive, pragmatic mindset is important From the Dalai Lama - βOur purpose in life is to make people happy. If you canβt make them happy, at least donβt hurt them.β Spreading gratitude helps make people happy Itβs important to show that you are grateful for life as a gift - donβt send it back unwrapped. Garryβs 5 personal Core Values for Leadership Caring - helping people step into the best version of themselves Candor - no lying, no faking, no hiding Mutual Trust and Respect - treating people with respect and dignity Learning and Teaching - be continually curious Persistence - never, ever, ever give up! βLearning Momentsβ 70% of what we try fails, and failure can paralyze us Take the word failure out and focus on learning The definition of a Learning Moment A positive or negative outcome of any situation that needs to be openly and freely shared, to benefit all people. Itβs about getting people in a situation where theyβre comfortable with vulnerability so they can bring out the best of themselves. On quarterly pressure of a public companyβ¦ Playing the infinite game, not the finite game Planning and executing to a 5-6 year goal Must win battles are identified But all in the context of doing the right thing with little focus on quarterly results The long term results have been phenomenal Revenue up 5x Market cap up from $300 million to $3.54 billion On having Ken Blanchard as a mentorβ¦ Taught Garry about being there to serve his people An absolute champion of servant leadership Leadership is not about being in charge, itβs about taking care of the people in your charge Garryβs lessons for emerging leaders 3 most powerful words youβll ever say - βI donβt know.β Itβs not about you, itβs about those who you lead. Leadership is a sacrifice, but itβs a wonderful sacrifice. SUGGESTED ACTIONS If you are a leader of a company or a team, study the principles that Garry shares on leadership to build a culture where your team is engaged and goes home happy. Donβt be Al, the Soul Sucking CEO that creates a toxic environment - instead learn how to be a Servant Leader to help people succeed. As the leader itβs not about you so lead based on empathy and gratitude. Think about implementing Garryβs talent review system to help people get an A through coaching and self-assessment. Spread gratitude! For yourself and your team, donβt focus on failure - turn those situations into learning moments to remove fear and build trust. Keep your focus on where you want to be in 5-6 years out and do the right thing each day instead of focusing on quarterly financials. You can reach Garry Ridge at , find him on LinkedIn at or follow him on Twitter at @learningmoment. πππ₯π₯π¬ π’. π₯ππππ, The Culture Coach and Chairman Emeritus of the , is passionate about learning and empowering the organizational culture he helped establish at the WD-40 Company. His vision and leadership positively impacted the WD-40 Company in both measurable and immeasurable ways. Garry joined WD-40 Company in 1987 and rose through the company in various management positions in the company. Garry retired as the CEO in 2022. Garry is an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego where he teaches the principles and practices of corporate culture in the Master of Science in Executive Leadership program. In 2009, he co-authored a book with Ken Blanchard outlining his effective leadership techniques, titled A native of Australia, Garry holds a certificate in Modern Retailing and wholesale distribution and a Master of Science in Executive Leadership from the University of San Diego. ππππ‘π§ π’βπ₯πππ₯, president and owner of , has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products. For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit . If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint OβRear at . ______________________ Music: "Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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ETechβs commitment to servant leadership for the next generation of leaders
11/01/2022
ETechβs commitment to servant leadership for the next generation of leaders
As Dean of Global Leadership Development, Melissa Wood spearheads all learning and development business-building programs for . She shares insights into the next generation of leaders and how you can build your personal leadership development program. KEY TAKEAWAYS John Maxwell had a tremendous influence on Etech and Melissa ever since he spoke at an Etech company event. Etech is more than willing to invest in leadership development tools to produce the next generation of leaders. Melissaβs passion is working with people one on one and helping develop their leadership skills. Lessons learned about the next generations through teaching and mentoring kids and young adults for the last 15 years. Reinvent continuously to keep up with the changes of the new generations The next generations want relationships Grouping information is key when relaying new things to the next generation Melissaβs biggest takeaway for new leaders is to remember that you are not your smartest when youβre on your own. Tap into the different gifts and talents of the people around you. If you want to grow as a leader and must develop your leadership skills on your own, sit down and sketch out what you think a leadership program looks like with key core concepts. Sketch out a foundation Search for content online Partner with someone Start! ______________________ π ππππ¦π¦π πͺπ’π’π, Dean of Global Leadership Development at . With over 20 years of leadership experience Melissa spearheads all learning and development business-building programs for Etech. She drives the organizationβs talent management efforts including high potential identification and succession planning, leadership development, coaching, mentoring, performance management, career and development planning, all within a dynamic and changing environment. She is a contributor in the nationally recognized Walk the Talk published book βHey Leader, Wake Up and Hear the Feedbackβ. Outside of Etech she has a pulse on the next generation of Leaders. Teaching leadership and innovation is critical to our society and future. With tomorrowβs leaders she says you simply cannot wander βyou must know. Get your boots muddy! Lead and learn along beside them. Melissa has served for over 10 years as Youth Director communicating to todayβs teens, college students, and their families. You can reach Melissa at . ππππ‘π§ π’βπ₯πππ₯, president and owner of , has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products. For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit . If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint OβRear at . ______________________ Music: "Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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Purpose and Insights from David and Adam Blumenthal
10/04/2022
Purpose and Insights from David and Adam Blumenthal
Creating a more colorful, connected, comforting and caring world with yarn. KEY TAKEAWAYS Lion Brand has an amazing Purpose Statement with four key words Colorful Lion Brand produces high-quality, uniquely colored yarn that stands above the competition Connected Lion Brand stays connected to the craft and the community that the craft creates Comforting Knitting gives people comfort and stress relief Lion Brand employees feel comfortable and supported working for the company Caring Lion Brand puts lots of care behind every decision they make, products they produce, and associates and customers they have Lion Brandβs Schittβs Creek yarn line was an idea a Lion Brand employee came up with after watching the show and itβs been a success David Blumenthalβs key message is for people to treat people with kindness and respect, no matter their occupation or position Adam Blumenthalβs key message is for people to continue to learn from past mistakes and failures to create futures successes ___ (lionbrand.com), a modern neutral palette aiming to complement a wide spectrum of skin tones. ___ πππ©ππ πππ¨π ππ‘π§πππ, Chairman of the Board of Lion Brand Yarns. Read the Inc article Earliest yarn memory? Going to the office at 54 Canal Street, at the corner of Canal and Orchard Streets, where we had offices and a warehouse. It was the tallest building on the Lower East Side of New York. I was about 7 or 8 years old and I would sweep the floors and empty the wastebaskets. Going into the office with my father was a really big deal for me. ___ ππππ πππ¨π ππ‘π§πππ, VP Brand/Product Development and Digital at the Lion Brand Yarn Company. You can reach Adam on LinkedIn at . ___ ππππ‘π§ π’βπ₯πππ₯, president and owner of , has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products. For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit . If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint OβRear at . ______________________ Music: "Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
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Producing the Next Generation of Leaders with Melissa Woods
09/06/2022
Producing the Next Generation of Leaders with Melissa Woods
When employees and leaders choose to share their talent with your company, give them opportunities on their journey. Melissa Wood shares the 12 character commitments of culture and the 5 Pillars of Education to produce the next generation of leaders. KEY TAKEAWAYS Etech has 12 character commitments for their company culture Humility Integrity Positive influence Communication Creativity Courage Accountability Teamwork Valuing people Adaptability Teachability Vision Etech has 5 Pillars of Education to help with ongoing learning and producing the next generation of leaders Aspiring Leader Employees that are not in leadership apply to be in this program; after rounds of interviews, a select few are chosen New Leader Assimilation Employees are equipped with the tools to be a successful leader at Etech Coaching Suite Employees are taught how to coach the people they lead Etech has a program called Remarkable University to help with this Employees gain certification after passing all classes and submitting videos of them properly coaching employees Continued Education Etech offers classes on various topics Zone Reinforcement Etech uses this to reinforce topics employees should have learned but are not excelling in that area This pillar also involves discovery sessions with Melissa to talk specifically about the employeeβs team that they are leading ______________________ π ππππ¦π¦π πͺπ’π’π, Dean of Global Leadership Development at . With over 20 years of leadership experience Melissa spearheads all learning and development business-building programs for Etech. She drives the organizationβs talent management efforts including high potential identification and succession planning, leadership development, coaching, mentoring, performance management, career and development planning, all within a dynamic and changing environment. She is a contributor in the nationally recognized Walk the Talk published book βHey Leader, Wake Up and Hear the Feedbackβ. Outside of Etech she has a pulse on the next generation of Leaders. Teaching leadership and innovation is critical to our society and future. With tomorrowβs leaders she says you simply cannot wander βyou must know. Get your boots muddy! Lead and learn along beside them. Melissa has served for over 10 years as Youth Director communicating to todayβs teens, college students, and their families. You can reach Melissa at . ππππ‘π§ π’βπ₯πππ₯, president and owner of , has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products. For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit . If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint OβRear at . ______________________ Music: "Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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The social impact and customer loyalty inspired by yarn
08/02/2022
The social impact and customer loyalty inspired by yarn
A comment on the Tonight Show leads to a 30-year partnership with Vanna White. The mindset of giving back and making a difference has led to #HATNOTHATE, donations to charities like St. Jude Childrenβs Research Hospital, a wider spectrum of skin tones (Skein Tones), and sustainability. KEY TAKEAWAYS Lion Brand has stayed in the family because family members like Adam have wanted to come back and work for the family business Lion Brand Yarn was selected as the outstanding family business in New Jersey Vanna White was a customer of Lion Brandβs and talked about knitting on Johnny Carson. Lion Brand then partnered with her, as she was very passionate about knitting and yarn The Lion Brand Yarn & Vanna White partnership has lasted 30 years and is still going, which has led to over $2 million being donated to St. Judeβs Childrenβs Hospital The Hat Not Hate program has distributed over 92,000 hats to help fight against bullying - Lion Brand has started a program called Skein Tones, where more colors of yarn are created to better represent the skin tones of people of color Lion Brand is working to make the manufacturing and disposable process of yarn as sustainable as possible ___ (stjude.org), leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. , #HATNOTHATE was launched in 2018 as an anti-bullying campaign founded by Shira Blumenthal. We encourage people to make, wear, and post handmade blue hats, adding #HATNOTHATE when sharing on social platforms. Hats are distributed to schools nationwide, educating students about the message of kindness. Check out the . (lionbrand.com), a modern neutral palette aiming to complement a wide spectrum of skin tones. (lionbrand.com), includes renewable and recycled fibers ___ πππ©ππ πππ¨π ππ‘π§πππ, Chairman of the Board of Lion Brand Yarns. Read the Inc article Earliest yarn memory? Going to the office at 54 Canal Street, at the corner of Canal and Orchard Streets, where we had offices and a warehouse. It was the tallest building on the Lower East Side of New York. I was about 7 or 8 years old and I would sweep the floors and empty the wastebaskets. Going into the office with my father was a really big deal for me. ___ ππππ πππ¨π ππ‘π§πππ, VP Brand/Product Development and Digital at the Lion Brand Yarn Company. You can reach Adam on LinkedIn at . ___ ππππ‘π§ π’βπ₯πππ₯, president and owner of , has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products. For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit . If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint OβRear at . ______________________ Music: "Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
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Melissa Wood turns the table and interviews Clint
07/05/2022
Melissa Wood turns the table and interviews Clint
Melissa Wood turns the table and interviews Clint about his WHY and his passion for servant leadership. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Melissa Wood flips the interview on Clint and interviews him for a few minutes Clint talks about the influence his Dad had on teaching him about Servant Leadership starting with listening to cassette tapes of Zig Ziegler Clint also learned Servant Leadership from many of his football coaches in high school and college Clint has also been influenced by Garry Ridge, outgoing CEO of WD-40, and his principles of Servant Leadership and Tribe Culture Melissa is similar to Clint in that she is very passionate about leadership and relationships Covid caused many business sectors to become transactional rather than relational Melissa originally applied to work in the distribution center of Bealls, but HR immediately saw she would be better suited for the retail call center which is where she started her career Her job at Bealls is where she first saw the dividends from investing in your people and leadership development Melissa started working in leadership development at Etech after being hired by CEO Matt Rocco Matt had character commitments written on a sheet of paper and wanted help making them come to life in the Etech culture Melissa promised to help Matt not just put words on a wall but to walk out what they say they believe! Her role is to create an atmosphere and culture that aligns with Etechβs character commitments. SUGGESTED ACTIONS: Donβt see people where they are - see them where they can be! Donβt make mistakes - have learning moments As John Maxwell says, when you fall down pick something up while youβre down there π ππππ¦π¦π πͺπ’π’π, Dean of Global Leadership Development at . With over 20 years of leadership experience Melissa spearheads all learning and development business-building programs for Etech. She drives the organizationβs talent management efforts including high potential identification and succession planning, leadership development, coaching, mentoring, performance management, career and development planning, all within a dynamic and changing environment. She is a contributor in the nationally recognized Walk the Talk published book βHey Leader, Wake Up and Hear the Feedbackβ. Outside of Etech she has a pulse on the next generation of Leaders. Teaching leadership and innovation is critical to our society and future. With tomorrowβs leaders she says you simply cannot wander βyou must know. Get your boots muddy! Lead and learn along beside them. Melissa has served for over 10 years as Youth Director communicating to todayβs teens, college students, and their families. You can reach Melissa at . ππππ‘π§ π’βπ₯πππ₯, president and owner of , has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products. For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit . If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint OβRear at . ______________________ Music: "Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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h+h americas and Darrin Stern
06/07/2022
h+h americas and Darrin Stern
If you make a living in the fiber arts, whether it's a side gig, full-time gig, small store, mega store or multinational store, h+h americas 2022 is the place to be. h+h americas will become the U.S. based sister event of the German h+h cologne, the worldβs leading trade fair for the handicrafts industry. Starting in 2022, h+h americas will take place every June in the Chicagoland area. h+h americas June 22 - 24, 2022 Chicago, Illinois Donald E. Stephens Convention & Conference Center in Rosemont The event is open to anyone who makes a living in fiber arts, no matter what background or industry sector. h+h americas is an all-inclusive industry event uniting all types of handicrafts. Become part of h+h americas by exhibiting, taking classes, sourcing for new products or participating in our event program. ______________________ πππ₯π₯ππ‘ π¦π§ππ₯π‘h+h Americas Show Directorp: +1-773-326-9925c: +1-773-727-0337 ππππ‘π§ π’βπ₯πππ₯, president and owner of , has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products. For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit . If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint OβRear at . ______________________ Music: "Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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The Lion Brand Story with David & Adam Blumenthal
05/03/2022
The Lion Brand Story with David & Adam Blumenthal
Stories covering 144 years and five generations of an iconic yarn brand in the creative industry. From how it got its name to what keeps it strong and growing. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Lion Brand has been around for 144 years Lion Brand was the sole supplier of yarn to Target for many years up until Target discontinued the category Lion Brand has been on the web longer than Google The key to keeping the business within the family and successful is that no family member is forced to be a part of the company. Every member of the Blumenthal family that has worked for Lion Brand did it because they wanted to Lion Brand is fueled by a passion for the business and a willingness to change and adapt Hiring people that have an interest in yarn and appreciate that Lion Brand is a family business has been the key to integrating non-family member employees into the company Lion Brand has been able to build a strong connection with its customer base and is very proud to continue to do that Partnering with Vanna White and others has been a huge boost for the visibility of the brand SUGGESTED ACTIONS: Think long term Hire people that are a fit for your culture Stay passionate about your vision and adapt along the way as needed Find interesting ways to increase visibility of your brand! πππ©ππ πππ¨π ππ‘π§πππ, Chairman of the Board of Lion Brand Yarns. Read the Inc article Earliest yarn memory? Going to the office at 54 Canal Street, at the corner of Canal and Orchard Streets, where we had offices and a warehouse. It was the tallest building on the Lower East Side of New York. I was about 7 or 8 years old and I would sweep the floors and empty the wastebaskets. Going into the office with my father was a really big deal for me. ππππ πππ¨π ππ‘π§πππ, VP Brand/Product Development and Digital at the Lion Brand Yarn Company. You can reach Adam on LinkedIn at . ππππ‘π§ π’βπ₯πππ₯, president and owner of , has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products. For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit . If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint OβRear at . ______________________ Music: "Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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Growing the Next Generation of Leaders with Jim Iyoob
04/05/2022
Growing the Next Generation of Leaders with Jim Iyoob
Mentoring isnβt just talk at . With a formal program that promoted over 300 people last year, and other company leaders mentor the next generation of leaders. Which fits perfectly with Jimβs belief that you need to βget out of the stand and onto the fieldβ with your people. KEY TAKEAWAYS You want and have to be intentional about mentoring for it to be truly effective Finding the next generation of leaders must be an active, ongoing process Etech operates on very similar principles and philosophies as WD-40 with a servant leadership culture. (Listen to episode ) The art of agreeing to disagree is something that has been lost in our culture Donβt aim for perfection, aim for excellence Knowledge is power - Jim reads at least one article every day and encourages his team to do the same. Stop fearing failure - if you never fail you never grow. Leaders must spend time with their people and must be able to operate on the field instead of just in the stands SUGGESTED ACTIONS Find a mentor, Be a mentor Get out of the stands and onto the field with your people to have a full understanding of the environment theyβre working in Read at least one article per day. ______________________ πππ ππ¬π’π’π, Chief Customer Officer of Etech Global Services, is a 33-year veteran of the call center/BPO industry. Jim is a subject matter expert for call center solutions, with specialties including Strategy, CX, Chat, Operations, Training and Developing Leaders, Relationship Management, E-Commerce Strategy and Reporting, Quality Monitoring, AI, IT & Outsourcing and Social Media Strategies. He has helped develop, implement, and retain some of the most successful and award-winning programs. Jim has co-authored three books with his lifelong friend, mentor, and coach, Matt Rocco (President & CEO of Etech Global Services). Quality Monitoring in a Contact Center The Future of Contact Centers Delivering Customer Experience That Matter You can reach Jim at , on LinkedIn at , or at ππππ‘π§ π’βπ₯πππ₯, president and owner of , has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products. For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit . If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint OβRear at . ______________________ Music: "Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
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Servant Leadership and Company Culture with Jim Iyoob
03/01/2022
Servant Leadership and Company Culture with Jim Iyoob
When your company has a Dean of Leadership Development and twelve Character Commitments, you know they take servant leadership seriously. , Chief Customer Officer of , shares the culture that began with a vision βto make a remarkable difference for each otherβ β clients, team members, and community. KEY TAKEAWAYS Etech is an outsourced contact center that has organically grown from 400 to 3500 employees that focuses on making a remarkable difference for their customers Continuous growth and training are essential for all levels of employees Servant leadership comes down to treating your people, customers, and community well to produce a wonderful experience for them Etech has a Dean of Leadership, Melissa Wood, that helps design courses for all levels of the company to help with continuous learning and growth Jim started as a call center agent at Dunn and Bradstreet and has worked his way up to Chief Customer Officer at Etech with the help of Matt Rocco You have to be able to recognize areas you need improvement in and be able to learn from experiences as everything is a lesson Leaders develop leaders β You must focus on developing the next generation of leaders if you want sustained success More about SUGGESTED ACTIONS Have a plan for continuous growth As a leader, be intentional about developing other leaders Read at least 1 article per day β LinkedIn is a great source ______________________ πππ ππ¬π’π’π, Chief Customer Officer of Etech Global Services, is a 33-year veteran of the call center/BPO industry. Jim is a subject matter expert for call center solutions, with specialties including Strategy, CX, Chat, Operations, Training and Developing Leaders, Relationship Management, E-Commerce Strategy and Reporting, Quality Monitoring, AI, IT & Outsourcing and Social Media Strategies. He has helped develop, implement, and retain some of the most successful and award-winning programs. Jim has co-authored three books with his lifelong friend, mentor, and coach, Matt Rocco (President & CEO of Etech Global Services). Quality Monitoring in a Contact Center The Future of Contact Centers Delivering Customer Experience That Matter You can reach Jim at , on LinkedIn at , or at ππππ‘π§ π’βπ₯πππ₯, president and owner of , has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products. For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit . If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint OβRear at . ______________________ Music: "Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
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Life and Leadership in the Creative Industry with Jim Scatena
02/01/2022
Life and Leadership in the Creative Industry with Jim Scatena
, a legend in the creative industry, discusses what it's like to work with two of the most creative companies β and β and the life and leadership lessons he learned. KEY TAKEAWAYS Keep an eye on your goals. They'll help you make the moves to grow your experience and expand your skills Sometimes you can impact your most loyal market by creating a new market. Which turns you to finding new and innovative ways to motivate that original market. Invest in making it easier for your customers (large and small) to order from you. "Reserve the right to change your mind"β if you realize you're going down the wrong path (even if you chose it) you may need to change directions. Don't let your ego and pride get in the way. SUGGESTED ACTIONS Look at your goals, what skills and experience do you need in order to reach them? Go get it. Build a culture of service and dedication where everyone is valued. Listen to your customers and consumers, they're the geniuses. As the leader, reserve the right to change your mind. ______________________ πππ π¦πππ§ππ‘π Iβve spent my entire career (since 1976) in the creative industries! You can reach Jim at or on . ππππ‘π§ π’βπ₯πππ₯, president and owner of , has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products. For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit . If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint OβRear at . ______________________ Music: "Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
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The Secret to Trade Show Success with Jim Scatena
01/04/2022
The Secret to Trade Show Success with Jim Scatena
Creative Industry legend, Jim Scatena, reveals the secret to trade show success and looks ahead at trade shows, supply chain management, and the need for innovation in the craft industry.
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Community, Content and Connections with Jim Scatena
12/07/2021
Community, Content and Connections with Jim Scatena
Creative Industry legend Jim ScatenaΒ on the importance of being engaged in your community, the power of content creators, and stories of industry connections.
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Happy Customers + Happy Employees = Healthy Business
11/02/2021
Happy Customers + Happy Employees = Healthy Business
Retail Authority Michael Barker Shares His Philosophy On How Happy Customers + Happy Employees Always Leads To Healthy Business
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Life as a Professional Crafter with Industry Icon Joann Pearson
10/05/2021
Life as a Professional Crafter with Industry Icon Joann Pearson
Creative Industry Icon Joann Pearson shares why in creating there are no mistakes, just happy accidents.
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How Schitt's Creek inspired a new Lion Brand product line that strikes an emotional chord with fans of the show.
09/07/2021
How Schitt's Creek inspired a new Lion Brand product line that strikes an emotional chord with fans of the show.
Rich Ezra shares how Schitt's Creek inspired a new product line that has hit an emotional chord with fans of the show, plus how competing against mega brands inspired Lion Brands to find unique and innovative ways to carve out a niche.
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From Dollmaker to Launching Craft Industry Alliance with Abby Glassenberg
08/10/2021
From Dollmaker to Launching Craft Industry Alliance with Abby Glassenberg
Abby Glassenbergβs journey started as a blogger and dollmaker. The journey then evolved to the business side of the craft industry, eventually launching Craft Industry Alliance, while still running her sewing business.
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Craft Industry Icon Joann Pearson Shares Stories About Her Life as a Crafter
07/27/2021
Craft Industry Icon Joann Pearson Shares Stories About Her Life as a Crafter
Lifelong Crafter, Author & Creative Industry Icon Joann Pearson Entertains and Delights Us With Her Life of Crafting Adventures
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Looking Ahead at Career & Life with Lawrence Hoffman
07/13/2021
Looking Ahead at Career & Life with Lawrence Hoffman
Lawrence Hoffman, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Marvy Uchida, shares how La Pen became the most recognizable product of the Marvy Uchida brand. He and Clint discuss how Marvy Uchida is now working with influencers to bring people together in the creative industry.
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Who Has Impacted Your Life? with Alexa Westerfield
06/29/2021
Who Has Impacted Your Life? with Alexa Westerfield
Clint talks to craft industry influencer, Alexa Westerfield, Founder of Swell Creative Media, as she reflects on her journey from the early days at DecoArt and Duncan, as well as how Kathy Cano-Murillo, The Crafty Chica, impacted her life in a big way.
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Sharing the Gospel of Glitter with Kathy Cano-Murillo, The Crafty Chica
06/15/2021
Sharing the Gospel of Glitter with Kathy Cano-Murillo, The Crafty Chica
Kathy Cano-Murillo, author, artist and founder of the award-winning brand Crafty Chica shares her strategy for being consistent and knowing the end goal.
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Understanding the Balance of Results and Relationships in Leadership with Charlie Leichtweis
06/01/2021
Understanding the Balance of Results and Relationships in Leadership with Charlie Leichtweis
In Part 2, Charlie Leichtweis, founder of Experts in HOW LLC, digs into Results and Relationships in leadership (100% of both). Charlie shares the value of no longer doing what you're not getting paid for with his unique Direct Profitability Model.
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The Hallmark of Trust Begins with Respect! HOW to create sustainable growth with Charlie Leichtweis
05/18/2021
The Hallmark of Trust Begins with Respect! HOW to create sustainable growth with Charlie Leichtweis
Charlie Leichtweis, founder of Experts in HOW LLC, shares his approach to organizational development to help leaders with the HOW to create sustainable, profitable growth - and it all starts with the people! The hallmark of trust begins with respect. Part 1
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A Formula to Create Happy Employees Who Create a Happy World with Garry Ridge, CEO of WD-40
05/04/2021
A Formula to Create Happy Employees Who Create a Happy World with Garry Ridge, CEO of WD-40
Garry Ridge, CEO of WD-40, is this amazing combination of a confident leader and a very humble servant that leads his tribe very well. Although he is in the oil products business, in this episode we talk about a lot of things that have nothing to do with oil but everything to do with how to grow your business and grow your people.
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What's Changed and What Does the Future Hold for Retail with Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender
04/20/2021
What's Changed and What Does the Future Hold for Retail with Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender
Consumer anthropologists, Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender, discuss their watershed moments and how the pandemic has changed the retail landscape for the better. Despite the rise of eCommerce, Brick & Mortar is here to stay.
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Inclusion in Marketing with Alexa Westerfield
04/06/2021
Inclusion in Marketing with Alexa Westerfield
Everyone wants to be seen, and brands need to start taking steps to help everyone be seen by and feel included by the brand. Clint discusses inclusion in today's craft industry with Alexa Westerfield, Founder of Swell Creative Media.
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Looking Back with Lawrence Hoffman
03/23/2021
Looking Back with Lawrence Hoffman
Lawrence Hoffman, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Marvy Uchida, cut his teeth in retail when he was 12 years old, working for Michael Dupey/MJ Designs. Lawrence and Clint discuss what it's like to work with world class retailers and manufacturers.
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