Sunday, February 8, 2009

Time, Time, Time...


I was browsing blogs of retailers and ran across an interesting post. Kaari Meng, proprietress and creative director of the remarkable and remarkably successful retail store French General in Los Angeles, wrote about her take on 'hours of operation' for her business. You can read it here. It's a funny post, but it also addresses an interesting dilemma that many retailers face: conducting business in a way that you prefer and your customers respond well to. In Kaari's case, it has to do with days & hours of operation.

Her message - and the resulting comments left by readers - runs parallel to thoughts I've had lately. Thoughts about why it is that some of us in the world choose to start-open-have our own businesses, what that really entails, and how we deign to order our days-lives-kingdoms, all too often in the face of debate-defiance-complaints from others.

This all boils down to a few questions: Is it necessary to conduct business 'as usual' or 'as expected' in order to succeed? (And really, who is defining that success, anyway?) Or can a person set up their business in a way so as to provide them with a living and a fulfilled life AND happy customers? Isn't that the POINT of owning our own businesses? Where is the balance point?

If you will, check out Kaari's post and let me know how your business handles this kind of thing. I'm curious to hear things from retailer's AND consumer's points of view.
02/15: Thank you for your comments! Keep 'Em Coming.....

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