Simple Management Group Newsletter- April 2023

A Message from the President A Message from the President

"Hire the Hungry, Not the Starving"

What is the difference between a hungry person and a starving person?

Hungry people have a zest and zeal for life regardless of their circumstances; they have a vision for their life and a willingness to work, grow, and put in the time it takes to excel and provide for their families. Starving people on the other hand, have little vision and a low expectation for their life; they're resigned to a life of mediocrity (or worse), and they quit too soon. The “starving” person will continue to starve; they’ve lost hope in themselves. Except for their attitude, the starving person is capable, but continues to look for a handout instead of a hand up. The “hungry” person aspires and has ambition; give them an opportunity and they will run with it.

The size of one's bank account or financial statement does not determine whether one is hungry or starving. We need people who bring positive energy to the room. You can have all the right education, experience, and accolades, but you can't train passion, energy, commitment, or hunger. I'm always looking for someone who is eager to solve problems, can be resourceful in a pinch, has great ideas to propel us forward, and has passion. When I mention passion, I mean a heartfelt, deep, and authentic excitement about work and people. It's these people who are going to grow, push limits, surpass goals and engage customers like never before.

Often you hear me say “hire the hungry, not the starving”. Why do I say this? The hungry learn and earn, while the starving complain. When we hire a person, we first hire a person’s attitude toward themselves. At SMG, selecting the right person for the right job will create a win-win situation for the company and the team members. This motto is what will make us “BEST IN THE WORLD”!

TCI, Downtown

1st Place Winner (Main Bracket)

(Carl Joseph, Ethline Wilner and Andy Florvil)

GA1, Puerto Rico

2nd Place Winner (Main Bracket)

(Jose Muniz (SM), Jose Dominicci (AM), and Jaqueline Anaya (TLA)

Kingston 2, Jamaica

1st Place Winner (Consolation Bracket)

(Lashana Haynes (SA), Nyoka Blake (SM), Omar Barnaby (SA) and Nastassia Thomas (SA)

GRAND OPENING DAY!

On March 5 we celebrated the Grand Opening of La Familia Pawn & Jewelry (OR10) in Orlando, Florida!

LOCATION: 6608 Old Winter Garden Rd, Orlando, Florida 32835

Management Camp

Congrats to everyone that completed March Management Camp!

Management Camp is at HC3 in Auburndale, Florida on April 11-12!

Webinar Training Schedule

Take the lead -April 3rd

The 3P’s(Part 1) - April 10th

The 3P’s(Part 2) - April 17th

Boosting your PLO -April 24th

This 2-day management training was held at the OR1 training facility on March 7-8. Store Managers that attended: Back row: Ivan Davila (OR3), Joe Heinrich (VS2), Juan Collazo (KM2), Reggie Tisdale (OR2), Larry Velez (OR9), Joe Genovese. Front row: Rosa Wedge, Kathy Ortiz (HC2), Joe Baldyga (KM5), Jorge Garced (HC1), Gloria Malave (OR4) Hector Velentin (VS1) .

PROMOTIONS

Natalia Soto Fonseca SLA (CG1)

Marilyn Ortiz Nieves ASM (AR1)

Enid Orengo SLA (PO1)

Rodolfo Soto Salas Key Holder (SJT1)

Kimly Bonheur SLA (Nassau)

Gregory Bowles SLA (Nassau)

Dayana Cruz SLA (Downtown TCI)

Christina Plummer AMT (Kingston 1)

Rheba Cummings Assistant Manager (Grenada)

Tashara Pilgrim Assistant Manager (Bridgtown)

Aloha Wallace Assistant Manager (Kingston 2)

JEWELRY TRAINING

Jewelry Sales

PUT IT ON AND MAKE MORE SALES!

All Retail Studies show that when customers touch, hold and wear items they are considering purchasing, they are far more likely to buy it.

When showing a bracelet to a customer, always open it and hold it near their wrist to put it on them; it is natural for the customer to move their wrist closer to you when you do this.

When showing a chain, don’t ask them to try on; say something like, "Here, try this on. It’ll look great on you!” Then get the counter mirror so the customer can see it on themselves.

If a man is shopping for a female, get one of our female team members to “model” it for so they can picture it on the recipient.

Using these types of techniques will increase the customers emotional attachment, makes their shopping experience more fun, and absolutely increases the odds that they will buy the item!

Now go put some jewelry on your customers and make more sales!

Greg Weiss, AJP, G.G. (GIA), Director of Jewelry Operations

OR7 $50,000 Sale with $45,000 profit!

OR5 $14,000 Sale with $7,000 profit!

HC1 $4,140 Sale with $2,640

Congratulations on the top 3 Home Runs!!! Best teams in the world! profit!

April Birthstone DIAMOND

Diamonds have been prized since the 4th Century BC, mostly for their unique look and the fact that they are the hardest natural substance known and can only be cut with other diamonds The name Diamond name comes from the Greek word "adamas," which means “invincible” or “unbreakable ” Diamond is also unique as it is the only gemstone formed from a single element known as Carbon, yet it does not have “carbon spots” inside of it, but often contains little black diamonds and other gemstones that get trapped inside during its formation 200 miles below the surface of the planet, that gets brought to the surface through Super Volcanoes that erupt every 100,000 to 200,000 years.

Gem quality diamonds are very rare, with most mines yielding 2 grams (1ct) of diamonds per every 40,000 pounds of earth mined Only 2 out of 10 diamonds mined are attractive enough to be used in jewelry, the rest are used for industry Diamonds come in all colors of the rainbow, with white to off white being the most common colors used in jewelry. While “colorless” diamonds are the rarest color & highest value out of the normal white to yellow & brown tones, “Fancy” colored diamonds like Blue, Red, Purple, Green Orange, etc are the rarest and most valuable colors and cost Millions of dollars per carat! Many ancient civilizations believed that diamonds were lightning becoming real when it struck the Earth Perhaps this is the reason that diamonds have often been associated with great healing powers Old legends stated the diamond could cure disease, be an antidote to poison and provide protection against the plague Some claim that wearing it will give you longevity, strength, beauty and happiness The first diamond engagement ring on record was given by Archduke Maximillian of Austria to his betrothed, Mary of Burgundy, in 1477. Diamonds are found in Africa, Russia, Canada, Australia and in small quantities in several South American countries

Congratulations South Florida team celebrating breaking all jewelry sales records in February!

JEWELRY TRAINING

2023 Training Schedule

Apr.10 PR@SJ3/Manati/PO1

Apr.17 Cayman

May1 Barbados

May15 Freeport/Nassau

May22 Antiqua

Jun.12 TCI

Jun.19 Grenada

July10 Dominica

July24 MontegoBay

Aug.14TP/HC/MT@Auburndale

Aug. 21 OR/KM/St. Cloud/NSB/VS @OR1

Sept. 11 Jamaica @Portmore

Sept. 18 PR @SJ3/Manati/PO1

Oct. 9 Barbados

Oct. 16 Cayman

Oct. 23 Hollywood/WP/MI @Dunkin

Nov. 6 TP/HC/MT @Auburndale

Nov. 13 OR/KM/St. Cloud/NSB/VS @OR1

Nov. 27 TCI

Dec. 4 Freeport/Nassau

Jewelry training in session...in Puerto Rico!! Best teams in in the world!

IN THE NEWS

Autism month is celebrated in April. It's a story that impacts my personal life since I have a son with Autism named Noah. Since we were diagnosed, it has changed our lives completely. It is a condition with quite a few obstacles but also with a very nice teaching. It made me see life differently and appreciate everything we have. My boy Noah has been our greatest blessing. The OR7 team is supporting our community of children with autism.

This month, our team will be participating in various activities and providing ice cream in our store to every child who visits us. It is important to bring awareness of this condition that affects many children in our lives. We are wearing Autism Awareness shirts in honor of kids with autism and our special ones, Noah (Franco’s son) and Maverick (Jose's son).

We attended an event and donated a basket of goodies and a gift card from our store. It was a great event for parents to talk about the process of coping with this condition and where to get support and help. For more information: www.autismspeaks.org

IN THE NEWS

MI1 and MI2 stores are volunteering 40 hours this month at The Salvation Army MiamiDade helping to distribute food to the local community in need. Doing the most good!

onated a popcorn & ne and gave over 300 popcorn at the Village gs community event!

Greg Jules in Dominica and team on the streets getting business to come inside the stores by offering free jewelry authentications and appraisals!

CA2 team celebrated the start of the WBC 2023 with coffee and donuts for our customers. Supporting Team Rubio. Play Ball!

Oistins had well over 100 NEW

Congratulations to FJ1 team for the first time reaching $200K in PLO!

Congratulations BR1 for surpassing 200K PLO in 13 months of operation!

Team HU1 celebrates the WBC Customer Appreciation Day with hotdogs and sodas!

Store Manager Will Medina and team at Tampa 1 had a St. Patrick's Customer Appreciation Day!

Great start from Natalia Soto, new hire from CG1, on her first day sold $1,276 and $2,500 in PLO!!

Celebrations! Celebrations!

Jazzell Hernandez

Leticia Cofrancesco

Omar Armijo

Jose Hernandez

Yxela Santiago Rios

Larry Velez

Julie Brownewell Walker

Anybell Flores

Keena Laing

Elizabeth Ramirez Zapata

Christian Vargas Almeyda

Javier Perez-Alverez

Je'Vaughn Lockhart

Rodolfo Soto Salas

Leonel Oriz Tamayo

Ivan Perez

Trisha Fagg

Jam Cabrera

Jean Carmona

Jaheim Holness

Maria Marcano-Lopez

Dionne Luke

Anisdalia Pagan Ortiz

Joseph Heinrich

Ebony Williams-Stuart

Cynthia Ajoy-Burbano

Bryan Cancel

Bailey Castleberry

Arlyn Gonzalez

Brittania Jackson

Carlos Maysonet

Juan Collazo

Eric Deanda

Ricardo Rosado-Ocasio

Iris Guzman

Reinaldo Burgado Diaz

Tameka Payne

Oscar Navarro

Marinelly Rivera

Kyunteh Baker

Neyda Rivera Vega

Ricky Acosta

Randall Mahon

Rheba Cummings

Jorge Sanoguet-Diaz

Jose Medina

Shanise Stewart

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Daniel Rivera-Cruz (SJt3) 10 years

Daniel Lozada (FJ1) 9 years

Brenon Victor (Dominica) 9 years

Naomi Barbour (St. Vincent) 8 years

Bryan Cancel (OR9) 8 years

Magaly Cardenales 8 years

Roberto Del Valle (AG1) 8 years

Mike Desamours (OR2) 8 years

Virginia Jimenez (AG1) 8 years

Randall Mahon (Grenada) 8 years

Gabriel Nieves Algarin (MY1) 8 years

Yashira Reyes Alverio (HU1) 8 years

Joel Roman Rivera 8 years

Paula Laureano Torres 8 years

Victor Elias Barbosa (AG1) 7 years

Cynthia Ajoy-Burbano (KM1) 7 years

Luis Centeno (OR3) 6 years

Jean Carmona (SJ3) 4 years

Erica Diaz (SJ3) 4 years

Anybell Flores (HDQ) 4 years

Elton Gonzalez (OR7) 4 years

Danielle Grant (Kingston) 4 years

Zulay Gutierrez (KM2) 4 years

Jazzell Hernandez (KM8) 4 years

Yisel Diaz (TP3) 3 years

Orlando Rosa Hernandez (AG1) 3 years

Jacqueline Anaya (GA1) 2 years

Daniel Wilson (Simple Pawn 1) 2 years

Cassinque Oliver (Freeport) 1 year

Yaritza Baez (TP1) 1 year

Kyunteh Baker (MI2) 1 year

Rafael Castro (OR4) 1 year

Cruz Duarte (OR4) 1 year

Laura Ngo Pimentel (OR6) 1 year

Joseph Quinones (TP3) 1 year

Jeanalis Resto Santana (SJ1) 1 year

Alysia Rivera (KM1) 1 year

Blanca Vargas Camacho (SJT3) 1 year

Keisha Villanueva (HC3) 1 year

OUR MISSON

To be the largest and most profitable chain of pawn stores in the world.

OUR PURPOSE

Best at whatever we do; because our family, customers, community & company derserve it.

CORE VALUES

Great Teams

Excellence in Every Role

Green and Clean

Open Culture of Trust and Accountability

Celebrate Our Accomplishments