Canadian Music Trade - February / March 2020 | Page 20

A 2020 Retail Refresher
New Ideas & Approaches for the New Year
DESIGNED
By Andrew King
It’s
a common refrain among small busi-
ness owners and managers – the idea
that running a business can often feel
like running in a hamster wheel. With
your gaze permanently fixed forward,
you’re doing all you can to maintain
momentum and keep everything in good working order. Decisions are
made and problems are solved as they emerge to keep it all running
smoothly.
Of course, many are up to the challenge and even excel under
pressure. But when all of your energy is dedicated to surviving, it
doesn’t leave much room to thrive – to assess performance indicators,
set and reset goals, and incorporate new ideas or approaches that can
20 CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE
help the business grow.
The annual NAMM Shows are ripe with opportunities to do just
that – to take a break from the daily grind (or at least the daily in-store
grind), zoom out, and take in educational programming from industry
experts on the various facets of your operation. But funny enough,
the hamster wheel analogy can be just as applicable to the shows,
where there never seems to be enough time to check out all of the
gear, connect and reconnect with your contacts, generate new business
opportunities, and tap into some of the expertise on offer.
To help bridge the gap and share some actionable ideas in an
easy-to-digest format, Canadian Music Trade connected with the
presenters behind some of The 2020 NAMM Show’s most engaging
and forward-thinking sessions.