Do you work in retail? Do you love what you do? How has this year affected how you define success?
This week, we chatted with Ron Thurston author of Retail Pride: The Guide To Celebrating Your Accidental Career on what success looks like (especially in 2020) and the actions it takes to be successful in retail, regardless of the category.
Success does not necessarily equal sales. Yes, selling product is necessary to keeping a business going, but as Thurston pointed out, “There’s no one resource, there’s no one platform that says, ‘if you do this, then you will be successful’.” Success is a mixture of factors and just because your work doesn’t deliver a sale today doesn’t mean it was a meaningless exercise.
Additionally, the impact you have on people goes further than you will ever know. In our conversation, Thurston mentioned fellowauthor Brett Russo who details her journey through IVF in her book, The Underwear In My Shoe. Russo writes an entire chapter on how, during her lowest days, she would go to into one of Thurston’s Intermix stores and try and on clothes because the salespeople always made her feel beautiful and empowered.
How you treat people on normal of days leaves an impact far greater than the sale and you may never even know about it—until someone like Russo writes a book. Every interaction is an opportunity to create delight in someone’s life.
