Altar'd State’s Post

If you need a jolt of joy and a virtual fist bump 👊 you need to check out this video!

Starbucks recently welcomed its new CEO, Brian Niccol. And while I appreciate coffee - and coffee chains - can be a polarizing topic, there was something in his message that caught my eye. Here are the four areas that he and his team will focus on initially: 1. Empowering our baristas to take care of our customers. 2. Get the morning right, every morning. 3. Reestablishing Starbucks as the community coffeehouse. 4. Telling our story. While it's a back-to-basics approach, #4 stood out to me. Storytelling is an incredibly powerful tool and everyone has a story to tell. It creates emotional connections, making brands relatable and memorable. Through stories, brands can communicate their values, mission, and personality in a way that resonates with audiences on a deeper level. Stories evoke emotions, foster trust, and engage customers by showing rather than telling what the brand stands for. This helps differentiate the brand in a crowded market, builds loyalty, and turns customers into advocates. Storytelling also simplifies complex ideas, making it easier for people to understand and connect with a brand's message. Storytelling is peopley... and #PeopleLovePeople. Are you using storytelling in your strategy? Want to learn more? Let's talk... reach out via DM or send me a message via our website. https://lnkd.in/ezAqaxyh. #TellAStory #StrategicStorytelling

Stay Tuned ..

Creativity! One of the things that we #leaders and professionals have the opportunity to do is to tap into our ability to innovate. In fact, I believe that #innovation is one of the key components of an EPIC culture that is Empowering, Purpose-Driven, Innovative and Collaborative. Yesterday, as I dashed around prepping for a quick “staycation” with the man I love, I was transported into a #mindset of whimsy and fun…. Yes, thanks to a grocery store! (The Publix in Riverview on 301 by Belmont) #publix . If creating an emotional state of possibility is a winning sales strategy, this Publix gets an A+++. The store looked more like a high end sweet 16 party than a place to pick up a box of Fruit Loops. Not only was the floral department brimming with balloons and flowers (even an entire section of balloons in Spanish), but every single aisle throughout the store cried out with Valentine’s Day playful whimsy. I can only imagine how much labor and inventory went into creating this Valentine’s Day experience and I would guess that some might have had reservations about committing to this expense. However, what I witnessed was a breath of surprise and awe from every single person who stepped through their front door. Virtually every single shopper stopped and picked up the bigger bouquet of flowers, the fancier balloon, the curated presentation of chocolates and a stuffed animal. It was so #easy and inviting. By buying into these products, it felt as if you were buying into the perfect magical Valentine’s Day experience. So as I sit here on this glorious day representing love and human kindness (including kindness to Self), I am reminded of the wonder that we each have the capacity to ignite when we step boldly into the realm of #creativity and innovation. Creating unexpected experiences is something that we as individuals can initiate or be part of in the context of our organizations and businesses. I would guess that some team members of that Publix may have felt that their role in inflating all of those balloons was insignificant, if not mundane. To me, those balloons serve as a reminder that the “mundane” tasks that we perform in the context of our companies might turn out to be that remarkable, “brighten your day” moment for one of our clients. So no matter how “small” your role, don’t underestimate your value. Even James Bond needed his Q. So on this lovely Valentine’s Day, what remarkably creative experience will you choose to create? And can you amplify your innovation by collaborating with someone else? Ideas? #leadershipdevelopment #keynotespeaker #motivation #epic #resilience #grit #gritmindsetacademy #meridithalexander #business #podcast #valentinesday

🐮🍎 Whether you’ve heard of the brand or not, there’s no denying that Stew Leonard's has redefined the grocery shopping experience by turning it into a theme park-like journey and, in doing so, standing out in a traditional market. This goes beyond selling products to shaping expectations and delivering a unique brand experience. #BrandExperience #CustomerExperience #DistinctiveBrandAssets

🐮🍎 SMILE IT'S FRIDAY... When food meet entertainment ; great and quick read before Easter. Whether you’ve heard of this brand or not, Stew Leonard's, a US brand, has redefined the grocery shopping experience by turning it into a theme park-like journey and, in doing so, standing out in a traditional market. This goes beyond selling products to shaping expectations and delivering a unique brand experience. #BrandExperience #CustomerExperience #DistinctiveBrandAssets

KING OF CSO This weekend it will be #King's Day in the Netherlands. An occasion to spotlight the King of CSO for once: Dennis Wijnstra Travelling all the way from the far north of the Netherlands, we had Dennis visiting us during our induction days. Alongside the regular team of Bente van den Bomen Peter Gronenschild Jordy Verdaasdonk Vaia M. Killian Nally Andreas Amukugo and, of course, our LP toppers Annemiek Verstegen Vincent Jansen Yanir Francisca en Robert Spitse, Dennis was present to tell a bit more about his work at The TJX Companies, Inc., Inc. Central Store Operations (CSO).   In 2016, Dennis started his retail career at TK MAXX as a Teamleader in #Groningen, under the inspiring leadership of Henk van der Spek. (today lead by amazing Hayley Gauna)   He was then promoted to Assistant Store Manager and worked in the Almere and Arnhem shops. Eventually, he moved to a position in CSO.   In this role, he is the business partner for all digital communications for our TJX Europe shops. The CSO Helpdesk is also one of his responsibilities. What exactly does that all mean? In a nutshell: If a department within TJX wants to communicate something via our Internal Associate Engagement App, this department tries to make that possible. I personally find this app a great medium, as it keeps me informed of all the fun things happening in the shop, such as parties, promotions and holidays. And there are quite a few of them. CSO s is the heart of all (digital) communication. This is also where all questions are answered as proactively as possible, everything you need to know on how to operate in a store. That is why it's important everyone has the app. Now, we recently hired a lot of new colleagues. That's why Dennis came especially to the south of the country, for a nice presentation and also to personally activate everyone in the system as part of our introduction day. Dennis had never done anything other than retail before, and was keen to know what else was behind this huge organisation. The opportunity at Central Operations gave him access to the operational heart of the organisation, where he was directly involved in implementing changes on the shop floor. For all communication issues and solutions but also operational questions that, for example, the manager cannot answer, Dennis and his team are there to save the day. Dennis is proud to work for TJX Europe: It is fantastic to notice how well we do in creating and maintaining the right working atmosphere. But also the diversity and development opportunities that TJX have are exceptional. It's fantastic to see that in such a large organisation we have a very open door approach, in the sense that everyone is equal, you dare to express your opinion, but above all you dare to be yourself. That is what is essential to us.

Dancing in the Aisles:   The Power of Fun and Friendship in Business… For the past six years, I’ve chosen to hand-deliver Mid-Day Squares products to one special store manager, Stuart, at Les Marches TAU. Why?   Because business isn’t just about transactions. It’s about the people, relationships, and having fun along the way. Every time I get the phone call from Stuart, it's go-time. I don’t just drop off our bars that he ordered and leave. We make it a tradition. I walk into the store, we blast some tunes, and suddenly the aisles transform into our own dance floor. The store staff gathers around, shoppers pause, and we put on a show. The “Dancing Duo” has become a spectacle. It’s not just about delivery; it’s about making every interaction memorable and having a damn good time doing it. Over the years, Stuart and I have become more than business transactions, we’re friends. He’s not just someone who cares about getting our products on the shelves. He genuinely cares about our shared success, and you can feel that energy. When you’re around people who truly care, it’s contagious, and it spreads to everyone around them. We’ve now sold over half a million Mid-Day Squares sold across Marche TAU's six locations. But beyond the numbers, it’s the joy of winning together that counts. It’s about showing up, dancing, laughing, and making magic happen. Because, at the end of the day, If you’re not having fun in business, what’s the point? #sales #grocery #marketing #cpg #chocolate #retail 

One sure way to tell if a local celebration is coming up is to observe a grocery store. Whether you know which national festivity is coming up or not, you'll be able to spot a pattern: similar colors, similar characters - red for love and Valentine's Day, ghosts for Halloween, flags for independence and national days. But how do retailers know how to prepare their merchandise? Scott Heyer's written an easily digestible yet insightful article about the topic in Retail World Magazine, take a look at pp. 50-51! #Insight #Retail

One sure way to tell if a local celebration is coming up is to observe a grocery store. Whether you know which national festivity is coming up or not, you'll be able to spot a pattern: similar colors, similar characters - red for love and Valentine's Day, ghosts for Halloween, flags for independence and national days. But how do retailers know how to prepare their merchandise? Scott Heyer's written an easily digestible yet insightful article about the topic in Retail World Magazine, take a look at pp. 50-51! #Insight #Retail