Big Business Thinking

By Jeffrey Barman

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Free Business Plan Outline

In this month’s new column in The Journal, I offered my readers a free detailed outline to help you write a business plan for your store.  If you would like to receive a copy, simply email me using the Contact page.  I will send it to you by email shortly thereafter!  Thanks for reading, and for [...]

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Free Business Plan Outline»

In this month’s new column in The Journal, I offered my readers a free detailed outline to help you write a business plan for your store.  If you would like to receive a copy, simply email me using the Contact page.  I will send it to you by email shortly thereafter!  Thanks for reading, and for [...]

When the Economy Forces a Move from Market Price Followers»

Nation’s Restaurant News recently reported that Chipotle Mexican Grill, a fast-casual chain with over $1B of annual sales of sort-of make-your-own burritos, is raising prices by 6%, having already raised prices 4% earlier this year.  Look at this quote from Steve Ells, the company’s founder and CEO:
We do not predict that there will be no [...]

Timeless Customer Service Lesson from a Low Price Leader»

Our nation’s retailers (not to mention our car companies) have almost universally announced terrible October sales.  Except for Wal-Mart.  Here’s a snippet from a New York Times story that immediately caught my attention:
All of the factors that analysts have identified as hurting October sales at most retailers — unemployment, declining stock prices, the credit crisis, [...]

What This Week Means to You»

I have been in the corporate finance world my entire career, and I find it shocking to realize that means about 20 years.  This is an unusual time, and I believe it is only the fourth inning or so.  Let’s talk about you and your store.
I am not an investment advisor.  Consider these ideas me [...]