4 TODAY MAR-APR 22
“Show me a good loser and I’ll show you a loser.” Those words most often attributed to legendary Green Bay Packer coach Vince Lombardi have unfortunately become the iconic default cliché used by some professional athletes and coaches to justify post-game tantrums. Readers might be interested to learn that the original version of the “Loser” saying is actually credited to Knute Rockne the famous Notre Dame football coach who died in 1931. Rockne’s original quote which didn’t appear until 1943 several years after his death was “Show me a good loser and I will show you a failure.”
Competitive Spirit
I think it would be safe to say that most competitive people don’t like to lose. Losing sucks! It reminds us that our efforts were inferior to that of the competition. Who in their right mind enters into a competitive situation be it a sport or business dealing thinking it will be just fine to end up at the bottom of the heap? No one ever remembers who came in second and no one cares.
Application to Retail Business
Think how that might apply to your retail business. My guess is that you want winners in your organization. If not why then do we have contests for sales associates if not to identify the top salesperson? What are incentive-based sales programs designed to do if not to reward the best salespeople for superior results? During the hiring process are you looking for someone who has demonstrated success or do you settle for someone who’s been plagued by the incompetency of their past? When scouting a new location do you fight for the A spot or do you settle for the less desirable B or C area?
Reflecting on the Past
Reflect for a moment on the not too distant past. What did you do to survive in 2020? You had choices. Many found creative ways to do business from curbside pickup to developing a stronger online presence. You applied for assistance when it was offered and you negotiated aggressively with landlords and vendors. You didn’t do that to
Survival and Success
You did it to survive which is to say you WON! You are still here; many aren’t. Some took this as the perfect time to “retire” and in some cases it might have been. Others lacking the willpower to put up a fight simply threw in the towel and closed their doors.
Handling Competition
How do you handle a situation when told that a competitor has a line that you would love to have? You have two options as I see it:
1) You can wait until the competitor closes or loses interest in the line or
2) You can remain in constant contact with the resource demonstrating the many reasons why your store is the better choice to represent the line.
Option 1 is passive and potentially costly while option 2 is what winners do.
Winning with Inventory Control
How do you win when it comes to controlling your inventory? Are you open to new ideas and outside input that has been proven to maximize ROI and outperform industry benchmarks? Or would you rather maintain the status quo and choose to do the same thing that you have always done even if sales are declining and cash flow is a constant challenge? Do you seek out independent outside unbiased counsel or does your ego rule the day and convince you that you have all of the answers and no one could possibly know anything that could help your business? How you answer these questions oftentimes reveals if you possess a winning or losing approach to business.
Wisdom in Losing
“Winning brings happiness losing brings wisdom” – Dan Bauer
Unfortunately the second half of Lombardi’s quote is not nearly as widely known as the first part. The coach actually continued by saying “But show me a gracious loser and I’ll show you someone who will always be a winner.” This half of the quote completely redirects what many believe to be the ultimate intent of the first half of the quote. You have not lost if you have done everything to the very…
Best of your ability and your actions were not met with the success you anticipated. Continued on page 5
Published in the March/April 2022 issue of Shoe Retailing Today Copyright © 2022 National Shoe Retailers Association Tucson AZ www.nsra.org. All rights reserved.
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NSRA.org
Kerry Massagli
Accounting Manager
The most recent addition to the NSRA staff is Kerry Massagli. Kerry came on board in June 2021 as Accounting Manager.
“I love accounting and this job allows me to use most if not all facets of it. NSRA provides a great work-life balance and scope for individual growth. I notice an importance given to professionalism and work environment which helps improve productivity and enhances company … and reputation” he said.
Just prior to working for NSRA Kerry was the Business Manager at a small veteran-owned computer numerical control (CNC) machine shop in South Tucson. The machinists made metal housings for the U.S. Navy (SPAWAR) Raytheon University of Arizona and other government aerospace contracts.
Kerry’s first job was working for the California Teachers Association a credit union in the Bay Area. He worked in the records department and eventually in the loan department. When he started working there it had a family atmosphere but it changed over the years when a new business plan was initiated. The plan was to merge with smaller credit unions increase memberships and in doing so the assets grew substantially but it lost its small neighborhood/family appeal.
Kerry’s dad was a college professor so like being in the military they moved a lot living in Minnesota Arizona California Massachusetts and Nebraska. As an adult he has lived in California Arizona and Alaska. While he and his wife were living in Anchorage Kerry had the opportunity to visit Nome – which is the most unusual and favorite place he has been to. He and his brother who was visiting from…
California
Saw the start of the Iditarod in Anchorage and then flew in a small 76-seat jet to Nome to watch the mushers and the dog teams finish. He remembers the village as being small and it was surrounded by nothing but snow and frozen sea for what seemed like hundreds of miles in any direction.
Traveling to Israel
Traveling to Israel is on Kerry’s bucket list. “I want to see all the standing structures and waterways of what went on back in the first 100 years (AD) in that area of the world.”
Volunteer Work
In his time away from work Kerry volunteers at St. Joseph’s Hospital on Saturdays assisting the chaplain with spiritual care in patient rooms ICU and Trauma and Emergency departments. He also loves a good history book and history in general especially the Renaissance and ancient civilizations.
Kerry Massagli
NSRA STAFF PROFILE
The very best of your ability and your actions were not met with the success you anticipated. Assuming you reviewed what you could have done differently and learned from the experience then in my opinion you are a gracious loser and possess the traits of a winner by gaining wisdom. Losing traits on the other hand are ambivalence nonchalance inflated ego and continually blaming others when things don’t work out as you had wished. You can decide what it is you want to be a winner a gracious loser or just a loser. Which best describes your organization?
Ritchie Sayner
Ritchie Sayner is with Advanced Retail Strategies LLC an affiliate of Management One. Sayner’s book Retail Revelations: Strategies for Improving Sales Margins and Turnover (2nd Ed.) is available on Amazon. He can be reached at advancedretailstrategies.com.
Sayner continued from page 4
Article Summary
The article explores the competitive nature of business and sports emphasizing the importance of striving for success and the perspective that losing can bring wisdom. It highlights the original attribution of a famous quote about losing to Knute Rockne and discusses how a winning mindset applies to retail business strategies such as inventory control and handling competition. The article also introduces Kerry Massagli the new Accounting Manager at NSRA and details his professional background and interests.
“Winning brings happiness losing brings wisdom” – Dan Bauer
Real-World Examples of Competitive Spirit and Winning Strategies
The article discusses the importance of a competitive spirit and strategies for winning in business and sports. Here are some real-world examples that illustrate these concepts:
- Amazon’s relentless focus on customer satisfaction and innovation has positioned it as a leader in e-commerce. The company continuously seeks new ways to improve its services such as through Prime membership benefits and advancements in logistics demonstrating a winning approach by prioritizing customer needs and staying ahead of competitors.
- Tesla’s aggressive push in the electric vehicle market exemplifies a winning strategy. By investing heavily in research and development and focusing on high-quality innovative products Tesla has managed to outperform traditional automotive giants and capture significant market share showcasing the importance of a competitive mindset in achieving business success.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic many small businesses adapted by shifting to online sales and implementing curbside pickup options. This adaptability and willingness to embrace new business models helped them survive challenging times reflecting the article’s emphasis on the importance of being proactive and resourceful in the face of adversity.
