The one where I feel like talking about competition

It’s on my mind this morning, so I thought I would talk a bit about competition in business.  I’m all for it, we absolutely need it.  I sometimes get the feeling that others don’t feel the same way.  When I walk into another shop, whether locally or elsewhere, I am doing many things:

 

I am not a spy, and I am not checking out what lines you carry so I can carry them too,  I am not stealing your design ideas or thinking “I can make this”.   On the contrary, I want my shop to look as different as possible from other shops, and I don’t want to sell the same lines as the shop down the street.  I respect your art and creativity and your right to earn a living.

 

I do go in to other shops for inspiration, mostly in the form of  “wow, this is good, I really need to spend some more time on my displays, that I will create in my own style”.

 

The main reason I go in is for my customers.  I am sure you do, as I do, get customers that are looking for a specific piece.  If I see that piece at another shop and send them your way it’s a great thing for everyone.  I send my customers to other shops all of the time, and they remain loyal to mine.  They appreciate that I just want to help them find what they are looking for.  If they discover a great new shop in the process I’m happy.

 

Another thing that I do to encourage competition is to council other shop owners.  I’m not saying I’m an expert, but I will give you any information that I have learned to help you open up or just go further in your own business.  I’m an open book, I have strong beliefs in how we as women should act towards other women business owners, their customers and their vendors.  This is a hard but endlessly rewarding, if not terribly profitable career, and many of us are single and don’t come from a mountain of money 🙂  I love my “sisters in business”  (brothers too!) and I want us all to be terribly successful and happy, don’t sweat the small stuff, and embrace the competition.  If I may be cheesy for a moment:

 

There was a time,

oh, when they used to say

that behind ev’ry great man,

there had to be a great woman.

In these times of change,

you know that it’s no longer true.

So we’re comin’ out of the kitchen,

’cause there’s something we forgot to say to you.

We say, Sisters are doin’ it for themselves,

standin’ on their own two feet

and ringin’ on their own bells.

Sisters are doin’ it

for themselves.

 

That’s right.  Thanks for reading.