Wonderful Sales’ Post

A lovely way to round off the week! Just received the wonderful news that we are LIVE on the shelf in all of the PCC Community Markets. This one feels pretty special to me. And it is a lovely tale of just how zig-zag the retail sales journey can be. It all started way back... such a long, long time back... Way back in the days when Maxwell and I were still green... We had ring-fenced Vermont as our market to test tweak and iterate, we landed the local natural stores here and managed to get fantastic data showing we could outsell category leaders, so much looked good... but Vermont was too small and wise counsil Curt Alpeter told us 'get thee to expo east" and we did. At Expo I met Steven Jamieson and the team at PCC, and we had a great conversation about their hydration set, customer and their store ethos and I got so excited about the prospect of working together. Then after Expo back in front our desk and plotting everything out, we just couldn't justify opening up the PNW as it was such a stretch for two guys in Vermont. At the time we had just landed Foxtrot, selling directly with them, after some promising early sales, we started jumping through the hoops to open up Romeoville and Maryland, it was all going to plan, we could spread south and west and wouldn't over stretch ourselves. We started planing how to maximise those DC's with INFRA stores and other indies, we set up an east coast broker relationship to help us do so. Things were looking good. So again when I bumped into Steven again at Expo West in his frankly glorious sequin jacket, the timing still wasn't right... Then we were hit with a couple of sucker punches. Foxtrot fell, the DC's fell through, and we had some delays with production, and all of a sudden we were forced to rethink our distribution plans. We just didn't know when to give up, did we, so we looked again at the PNW and said hey we have to get on a plane to Maryland. So why not get on a plane to Seattle?? We called up Steven and managed to finally make this match made in heaven work. A happy ending, which is in fact a happy beginning. Really excited about this partnership, Maxwell drew the long straw end gets the first store sampling tour which begins at the end of next week. I can't wait to meet new people and grow our community of plinkers on the West Coast. Wow if you got here, fair play to you, not sure I've seen a post this long in a while. High 5. There are hidden half-quotes quotes from a book, a play and a film. Name them for a prize ;)

Amazing conversations today on the power of Marketplaces and Retail Media at the Mirakl London Summit and great to be on stage with Octavie Gosselin, Nagi Letaifa and Ekow M. “At Havas Market UK, as the commerce specialist agency within Havas Media UK we see a common theme of brands seeking profitable, incremental growth opportunities and the excitement around Retail Media stems from ability to potentially solve for the brand, performance and commerce goals a brand may have. The lines between the various marketing disciplines are being even more blurred and we need help our clients to better understand the journeys their customers are going on, ultimately to help them design more connected experiences (across all consumer touchpoints) that deliver more relevance, action, and business impact.” #retailmedia Mirakl x Havas Market #marketplaces #ecommerce

An excellent reminder from Martin Newman about the things that matter in building and growing a healthy business. Whilst many of us quote Peter Drucker’s remark that culture eats strategy for breakfast … it’s not to imply that building a winning business culture is an easy choice for a leader … it’s actually much harder than crafting a ‘perfect’ strategy. But if you are prepared to invest the leadership courage, energy and long term commitment (and are able to take your owners with you…) there’s no doubt that you can create a more resilient and creative business, and gain real advantage over your competitors.

Why participate in Retailer Excellence Award - Retailer Battle? nbda.com/rea 🔵A forced, in-depth analysis of your business practices that you can continue going forward 🔵Gain valuable insights and takeaways from other retailers  🔵Gain valuable insights and takeaways from your staff 🔵Strengthen the industry by showcasing your personal retailer excellence.  🔵Show staff, suppliers, and consumers alike your commitment to and receptiveness of continuous improvement 🔵Because it’s important – show your support for the bicycle industry 

Looking forward to a great event! Retail media is the buzz. But how can you make it transactional and benefit from the monetisation opportunities both onsite as offsite in a privacy compliant and cookieless world. Let me know if you are there for a meet up! #cleanroom #datacollaboration #firstpartydata #digitalAudience

Today marks a pivotal moment in our journey. The union of CROSSMARK Product Connections with the Acosta Group is more than a merger—it’s a transformative leap forward. As Talent Acquisition Manager, I want to share my perspective on what this means for us and the industry. Strength in Unity: Our combined forces create a powerhouse. CROSSMARK and Product Connections bring fresh perspectives, diverse talents, and a wealth of experience. Together, we amplify our impact. As we welcome our new colleagues, let’s foster collaboration. Reach out, learn from each other, and build bridges. Our collective strength lies in our connections. Endless Possibilities: The horizon is wide open. We’re not just acquiring companies; we’re gaining opportunities. Imagine the innovations, synergies, and breakthroughs waiting to unfold. To our new teammates, Your journey starts now. Dive into the incredible work, brands, and retailers we serve. Let curiosity guide you. People First: Existing team members, embrace this chance to learn and grow. Show our spirit—the very essence that makes Acosta Group exceptional. Business as Usual, Elevated: Our operations continue seamlessly. We remain steadfast in delivering excellence to clients and customers. Let’s celebrate at our All Hands Town Hall. Together, we’ll explore how our combined strengths make us truly ‘Better Together.’ The future is bright. Let’s seize it!

So excited for the exposure this class will give me to real world business functions and challenges.

Surprisingly, auditing and compliance are often overlooked areas in-store. Field Force shines in these critical aspects, ensuring your field sales and merchandising efforts are not marking their own homework. Enhance your compliance and maximise your market presence by calling us now on 086 177 6826. #AuditingModel #ComplianceExcellence #ReturnOnInvestment

Congratulations to David Roselle, VP of Ecommerce Sales, Randa Apparel & Accessories, for being named one of The Lead Direct 60 honorees. The Direct 60 List honors executives redefining the go-to-market strategies for the world’s most iconic brands. These leaders leverage technology, digital innovation, and next-generation strategy to drive growth and position their brands for success in a consumer-centric, data-driven world. The Direct 60 List Honorees respond to evolving market conditions by leveraging technology and restructuring business practices. They deploy a combination of initiatives to meet the brand’s #growth objectives: strategic investments in #technology; advancing brand relevance and appeal (with existing and new customer segments); developing new products (or categories), effectively meeting #customer expectations or needs; spotting and mastering innovation trends; creating delightful, unique and optimized customer experiences; achieving agile, customer-centric, and data-driven organizations. #Retailing #Sales #Leadership

Events are one of the ways that retailers can differentiate their brand and grow revenue. Read Aptos' latest iPaper for tips on successful store events - and how modern POS solutions can help.