Business introductions are a networking staple—and they run the gamut from the ho-hum ‘We are here to sell you something’ to the dynamic, ‘We love to support communities and make a difference in people’s lives.’ As co-ops continue to seek out ways to innovate, offer more goods and services, and reach out to new communities, it is worth the investment of time and resources [...]
Remember the first time you walked into a food cooperative? Maybe your initial reaction fell somewhere along the continuum of “I found my people” to “what in the world is this place?” Maybe you liked the food. Maybe you liked the mission. Or the people were nice. And that convinced you to stay. Ultimately, when people walk into a food co-op, we want them [...]
Research suggests that public speaking tops the list as the number-one fear-inducing activity for most people. Put that together with asking people for money, and you’ve got a potent combination for high anxiety.
In a world where individualism is often romanticized, there are still some who never doubt that groups of people can be mobilized for the common good. They know that when given the opportunity, most people want to do their part. The great leaders cultivate a belief in everyone’s capacity to contribute to a vision and get things done. Marilyn Scholl is one of those [...]
Marilyn Scholl has inspired a whole generation of cooperators. Here’s what those who have worked with Marilyn have to say about her personal and professional impact on people and co-ops. Marilyn has been an inspiration, mentor and friend for as long as I can recall. Her commitment to food co-ops and especially the people of co-ops is unwavering, calling us all to become better [...]
According to Gallup News State of the Workforce report in 2017, overall only 30% of employees feel engaged at their jobs. This dismal statistic is a strong invitation for employers in all business sectors to consider the type of work culture that might contribute to a sense of disaffection and actively work to change it. Employees who do feel a sense of connection are [...]
The author Stephen Covey made “begin with the end in mind” a famous touchstone with his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Beginning with the end in mind is “Habit #2.” Of all the habits he writes about, this one involves the most reflection, pushing the reader to consider whether what they are doing is by design or default. Habit #2 encourages [...]
In our digitally-connected universe, there has been an explosion of stories—and many of them come to us like processed food. Quick, canned, too many empty calories. So much of what people encounter in the form of news or stories about organizations or individuals feels inconsequential or insincere. All of us have experienced what that feels like, wading through an information overload to try to [...]
If you were to ask, most people would say that they are against racism and intolerance. Yet our society has imposed many powerful economic and social barriers to those from disenfranchised racial and economic backgrounds. Most people live in separate spheres and have limited interactions with different races and classes. For nearly a generation, food co-ops have attracted mostly white, educated and affluent people. [...]
Customer service experiences are a very hot topic, especially online and in social media. People regularly share the good and the bad, and social media has become the new word-of-mouth. It’s where people hear from friends, family and acquaintances how they “rate” the businesses they frequent. The Amazon acquisition of Whole Foods has upped the ante on how customer service for groceries is going [...]
