Latest Articles
Mega Black Manic Cyber Monday – An Identity Crisis?
November 29, 2010 Comment, eCommerceThe biggest online shopping day EVER is having an identity crisis.
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Cover design: the mystery of the unopened catazine
September 3, 2010 Comment, MarketingThe Autumn 2010 Joules catalogue has been lying around in our house for over a week now. The trouble is, it’s still in its polywrap. Unopened.
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Managing the loss of a key employee
April 5, 2010 ManagementDo your staff-related anxieties betray a lack of ‘readiness’? Ask a small business owner what worries them most in relation to staff or employment issues and one answer crops up again and again: how would I cope with the sudden loss of a key employee? Isn’t this a great metaphor for the ‘growing up’ of [...]
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A course for ecommerce success
December 30, 2009 eCommerceMany niche multi-channel retailers don’t have an organisation big enough to support the in-house marketing expertise they need to grow their business at the pace they’d like. Often, the owner/manager will be working with limited resources, trying to navigate through an array of online tip-sheets and free advice to discover a strategy that’s effective, economical [...]
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Why independent retailers are worth the effort
December 3, 2009 CommentBetween Tesco and Amazon, I could buy everything I need this Christmas. I’d be confident about having huge choice, paying reasonable prices, and getting decent service. It sounds like a no-brainer – so why would I rather sell my soul to the devil than make my holiday shopping so simple? The answer is that I’m [...]
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Angel funding
October 1, 2009 InvestmentAngel funding is often an attractive option for businesses that need a fresh injection of finance. If you find the right investor, it can be quick and cost effective. Often, your angel investor will be willing to contribute time as well as money to help safeguard their investment and push for an exciting return. Usually, [...]
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A bluffer’s guide to incisive IT supplier evaluations
May 28, 2009 ManagementHow to cut through geek-speak to unmask a supplier’s viability. Ask the right question and a prospective technology supplier will reveal wonderfully useful information to help you in your evaluation. While merchant’s can feel intimidated by acronyms and jargon, you *can* talk tech about the product you’re thinking about buying. The secret is to ask [...]
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Funding & recovery
May 15, 2009 Consulting, Funding, InvestmentHaving been through a “recovery” myself, I understand the challenges faced by businesses in the multi-channel retail sector facing a distress situation. I’ve therefore assembled a consortium of investors willing to provide recovery finance, management input and board level advice to small and medium sized multi-channel retailers. If this is of interest to you, please [...]
Read More »Consulting & advice
January 27, 2009 ConsultingI’m not currently offering consultancy services as I’m fully occupied with my investment group (Gramar Investments) and its investee businesses. However, I’m always willing to connect with colleagues in the industry and am happy to have an informal discussion on any subject. My client-side experience includes a number of multi-channel start-ups and relaunches. I have [...]
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Building an effective team in a growing business
January 22, 2009 Management“Your team is your greatest asset, and its overall value to your business is much greater than the cumulative value of the individuals within it.” The sentiment behind this well-worn maxim is one that is impossible to resist, and many owner-operators of growing catalogue businesses yearn for that “dream team” of sparky, committed and hard-working [...]
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