IT’S GOING TO TAKE MORE THAN A PIVOT THIS TIME ROUND

Never in our lifetime have we been so challenged, on an almost daily basis, to chart our lives and our businesses according to such erratic, changing times. The most overwhelming change agent, of course, has been the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. The restrictions this crisis has placed on all of us have affected our approach to business, to customers and to relationships, both professionally and at home.

Add to this reality the further challenges of inequities in policy that have h ammered independent business, while big players have worked to make sure their workers, customers—and assortments— have been addressed to meet the changes.

Issues of diversity and inclusion have taken an important role in our conversation, and this spreads right into how your customers are treated, and how your workers are evaluated. Diversity will only grow as a reality as immigration continues to be the growth driver of our population and economies across the country.

The many ways we have all had to adapt to new habits in recent months keeps adding new layers of stress and challenge. The changes have become so fundamental to how we live our lives and run our businesses that the idea of pivoting, once considered so hip and proactive, is now an essential part of our business. It’s now the time to cultivate our ability to completely pirouette—to reinvent how we think and act.

The future of this industry, and the whole country, rests in the hands of a new generation of store owners and managers. This generation is best equipped to adapt to those new ways of thinking and acting. We will continue to do our part to help promote and share the successes of these individuals through the pages of HHIQ, and through our Outstanding Retailer Awards, which identify and celebrate great retail in our industry.

Like you, we have been re-evaluating how we go to business, what we stand for and how to communicate that. This magazine will continue to be dedicated to helping retailers and managers operate their businesses better. But as the challenges to your business change, our direction must evolve and adapt as well. I invite you to join us in embracing those changes.

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