The Bear Necessities of Business Building a Company with Heart

by Clark, Maxine; Joyner, Amy

• ISBN13: 9780470139059
• ISBN10: 0470139056
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-08-31
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

Build-A-Bear Workshop? is one of the most successful retailing concepts in recent history. Starting with just one location in 1997, the company now operates more than 200 stores worldwide. Leading the way is Maxine Clark, the company's founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Bear. Clark is widely recognized as one of the nation's leading and most creative entrepreneurs. In The Bear Necessities of Business, she reveals how she built this amazing global business from the ground up, while arming you with the tools you need to start, run, and market your own company in today's tough competitive environment. While primarily drawing on real-life experiences from Build-A-Bear Workshop?, Clark also offers wisdom gained throughout her entire thirty-plus-year career, including lessons and examples from some of the other great companies that do so much right.Straightforward and accessible, The Bear Necessities of Business is divided into seven parts, each built around an essential element that will allow you to stand apart from the crowd. The short, accessible chapters show you everything you need to: Get your business started Become a great boss Connect with your customers Add value to the overall experience Effectively market your company Plan for future growth Give back to your customers, employees, and community Best of all, these principles can be applied to any industry and are proven to work whether your target audience is children, teenagers, baby boomers, seniors, or any age in-between.Whether you're looking to start a new business, improve an existing one, be a better manager, or hire the best employees, The Bear Necessities of Business contains the insights and information you need to succeed. Even if you work for some-one else and have no plans to strike out on your own, you'll still benefit from the advice found in this book. After all, the best employees-and those who consistently rise to the top-are those who think like entrepreneurs!

Author Biography

Maxine Clark is the founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Bear of Build-A-Bear Workshop®. A veteran of the retail industry, she has been widely recognized for her innovative work and is regularly featured in the media. Clark spent more than twenty years with The May Department Stores Company and later served as president of Payless ShoeSource, which she turned into the number one seller of children's licensed footwear in the world. Since 1997, Clark has focused her attention on Build-A-Bear Workshop®, a retail store that lets customers create their own stuffed companions. The first store opened in 1997, and there are now more than 300 locations worldwide.

Amy Joyner is an award-winning business reporter who has written on entrepreneurship for many years. She is a small business expert as well as author of The eBay Millionaire, The eBay Billionaires' Club, and The Online Millionaire, all published by Wiley.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Getting Started

Dream the Dream Supreme

Let a Child Inspire You

Do What You Love

Beware of Conventional Wisdom

Pour Your Heart Into It

Envision the Core User

Imagine Your Company from the Inside Out

It's All in the Details

Develop String Partnerships

Be Financially Secure

Put Your Plans in Writing

Make Investors Come to You

Being a Great Boss

Show a Willingness to Do Any Job

Seek and Find Those Who Share Your Passion

Create a Fun Place to Work

Celebrate Mistakes with a red Pencil Awed

Respect Those Around You

Empower Your Employees to Contribute

Know What You Don't Know

Seek the Help of Outside Experts

Keep Score

Read, Act, and Share

Connecting with Your Customers

See Yourself Through the Public's Eyes

Learn from Your Customers

Build an Advisory Board

Bring Out the Child in Everyone

Spending More Creates More Value

Don't Cater to All Audiences

Ensure that Each Person Feels Special

Answer Customer Letters

Creating an Incredible Experience

Make First Impression Last

Turn Every day into a Holiday

Emulate the Five Pillars of Success

Keep Inventory in Check

Pay Attention to Packaging

Offer an Escape from the Ordinary

Using Essential Marketing Strategies

Be a Great Brand

The Best Advertising IS Free

Target your Pitches

Respond to the Media

Advertise Smart

Create Buzz

Use the Web Wisely

Embrace Viral Marketing

Growing Your Business

1 + 1 = 10

Live in the Now... and the Future

Learn from the Experiences of Others

Grow Without Compromise

Be Prepared for the Unimaginable

Innovate Incessantly

Speak in All Languages

Turn "No" into Your Own "Yes"

The Harder You Work, the Luckier You Get

Five Questions That Will Help Propel Your Business

Giving Back

Good Works Are Good Business

Begin in Your Own Backyard

Share and Share Alike

Bearisms to Live and Work By

Acknowledgments

About the Authors

Index

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