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Marketing tip #001: Get out of the office

One of the best marketing tools doesn't cost a thing. Well, maybe it costs a little. But it's worth the investment in a tank of gas. So, what is it? Leave the office. Go visit your stores. Walk your clubs. Spend time where your customers actually experience your brand. Watch what they do. What do they notice first? Where do they hesitate? Which team members create great interactions without anyone asking them to? What questions are customers asking? What are they taking photos of? Ignoring? Talking about? Dashboards tell you what happened. Your customers will show you why. Some of the best ideas I've implemented over the years didn't come from a conference room. They came from walking a club floor, talking with members, listening to team members, or simply noticing something that didn't feel quite right. Those visits have influenced everything from marketing campaigns and sales tools to club layouts, member communications, and training. It's easy to get buried i...

How to make friends as an adult.

Making friends as an adult feels hard. It doesn't have to be. Here's the whole system. Get a dog Go outside and walk. You will meet so many people. Dog people talk to dog people. It's basically a cheat code. A dog gives you an instant, low-stakes reason to stop and chat with a total stranger. Don't want a dog? Doesn't matter Go outside and walk anyway. Talk to the dog people. They're friendly, I promise. Most people with dogs are happy to stop for thirty seconds and let you say hi. I'm telling you, in a week you'll meet 5 new people. Next time you see them they are already an acquaintance. Double down and go to a local neighborhood coffee shop. Sit by the dog people. You'll have the best neighborly conversation ever. Here in Sac, if you go to Temple, Peet's or Chez Luc you will find your people. One catch: take notes You're going to meet a lot of people fast, and you will forget names. So take notes. Like today. Don and I were walking, and we...

We Should Do This Again

Last night I attended a Celebration of Life for a former colleague from my BevMo! days. Brian was our spirits buyer. He was also my self-appointed annoying brother—always teasing me, playing pranks, and finding new ways to make my job just a little more difficult...and a lot more fun. I left BevMo! in 2015. What surprised me most wasn't just hearing the stories about Brian. It was walking into a room filled with people I hadn't seen in more than a decade. I had forgotten how much history you can share with people you haven't seen in years. Within minutes, we were laughing like no time had passed. As the evening came to an end, we all found ourselves saying the same thing: "We should do this again...under happier circumstances." I hope we do. But I also know life has a way of getting busy. On the drive home, I called Melissa, another BevMo! coworker and friend who couldn't make it. Several people had asked about her throughout the evening. We talked the whole w...

Mom's Home

A few weeks ago, my mom had been in the hospital for several days, so I flew to Surprise, Arizona, to stay with my 95-year-old dad. My parents live in a wonderful retirement community. Their apartment is small—one bedroom, one-and-a-half baths, a cozy little patio, and just enough room for my dad's books and all of my mom's holiday decorations. It's a constant negotiation. I slept on the sofa bed in the living room. Before going to bed that night, I turned off the lights around 11:30. I never even checked to see if the front door was locked. In their community, neighbors stop by, doors are often open during the day, and it simply felt...safe. The next morning, I was sitting on their little patio enjoying a cup of coffee before Dad woke up and our day began. Suddenly I heard him call from inside the apartment. "Kris... Mom's home." I froze. Home? How was that possible? She couldn't drive. She didn't even have the car. Why would the hospital release her ...

So...What Do You Do?

Last weekend we went wine tasting at a winery where we've been members for years. Or...were members. One of the first things we've done since I lost my job is pause the extras. Wine clubs, subscriptions, little luxuries. They're wonderful when life is steady. Right now, they can wait. While we were tasting, the gentleman pouring our wine asked the question everyone asks when they're making small talk. "So, what do you do?" Without even thinking, I answered with my old job. The words came out before my brain had a chance to catch them. The minute he walked away I thought, *Why did I say that?* The answer surprised me. Because I don't know what to say now. I'm no longer the title I've carried for years. I'm not ready to introduce myself as "unemployed." And "I'm looking for my next opportunity" somehow feels like an explanation instead of an introduction. It's strange how much of our identity gets wrapped up in our wor...

I Hope You Enjoy the Time Off

Yesterday, someone said something kind. "I hope you can enjoy this time off." He meant well. I know he did. But the truth? I can't. Not yet. When you're employed, it's easy to assume that if someone is laid off with severance, they've been given a chance to breathe. Maybe they can sleep in, catch up on projects around the house, take a vacation, finish writing their book (hint, hint!), fill the calendar with fun day trips and hiking adventures, or simply enjoy the summer. I used to think that too. Now I'm living it. Here's what it actually feels like. It feels like waking up every morning with uncertainty sitting at the edge of the bed. It feels like wondering how long it will take to find the next opportunity. It feels like doing mental math about mortgage payments, insurance, and all the responsibilities that don't stop just because your job did. People ask how I'm doing. I smile. "I'm exploring new opportunities." "I...