Helping Amy while tagging accessories, she told me how she uses the style number system for her store. It helped me understand how she tracks all her items when she puts them in the POS. Amy says this way its easier to know what's in the store and how many of them there are, so she can manage products more efficiently. She told me a story how when she first started off, a customer shoplifted her store right in front of her, and at the time she didn't know what to do, but since then she's gotten a lot better at keeping track of everything and not letting thing like that happen.
The highlight of mentoring this month was attending a Maple Boutique event. Amy invited customers to come in and create floral crowns for Coachella week, which was a huge turnout. Not only were there a lot of customers to make the crowns, but a lot of customers for sales. I've been to previous events at Maple, but this was by far my favorite because I got to see more of how Amy's employees act towards customers to exceed great customer service; which is one of my answers. Not only that, but it was a great environment, and it helped me open up to speak to customers more and assist them with anything they needed.
While interviewing Donna this month (owner of The Grove Boutique) I realized how many different managing styles there are. Donna is very more laid back and doesn't do much managing as lets say her daughter does for the store, while Amy is very hands-on and always on top of everything that goes on in her store. I admire Amy for that because it shows me how committed and how much her store is really her passion. The one thing both owners have in common is believing in having excellent customer service, which if I was doubting as my best answer to my EQ before, is now for certain. It was definitely nice to get a different perspective from another owner, so I could compare between managing styles in small businesses.
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Independent Component 2
LITERAL
(a) I,Yuritzi Mora, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 32 hours of work
(b)
(c) My hours are updated(d) For my independent component I completed 32 extra hours of mentorship. Originally my plan for independent component 2 was to take a class up at Cal Poly on psychology. Unfortunately, all the classes were either filled, or the professors told me they weren't taking any I-Poly kids at the moment. When psychology classes didn't work out, I decided to look for accounting classes or anything that could help me learn about finances more, but almost all the classes on that had prerequisites. That's when I decided to just talk to my mentor and ask if I could come into the store more often to complete extra hours with her.
INTERPRETIVE Defend your work and explain the component's significance and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work.
While completing extra hours working/mentoring at Maple Boutique, Amy explained to me a lot more about the business side in retail. I learned how to complete order and sales forms, then, how to sort the store's finances. I also asked Amy how she started her store's website and she showed me what's important to include, and what draws customer's in. For most of my mentorship, a lot of what I was learning was how to deal with customers or how to organize around the store, so I was very happy and content when Amy gave me the opportunity to expand my business knowledge. For the extra hours I mentored, there was also plenty in store events which allowed me to see how Amy organizes events for her store and how she interacts with larger groups of customers. Attending these events also made me open up and speak to customers, rather than steaming or tagging clothes like I usually do.
APPLIEDHow did the component help you answer your EQ? Please include specific examples to illustrate how it helped.
One answer to my EQ is maintaining a visually striking yet organized website, and the other is having great customer service. Amy was able to show me how both work so well for her store. Like previously explained, Amy showed me why having a website for her boutique is so important. She explained to me why she chooses to have a simple layout rather than something that will overwhelm visitors. She taught me what should be excluded and what MUST be included. At the beginning of when I started mentoring she told me her website didn't include online shopping, but she decided to input it because it's what her customers wanted and found more convenient. I found this extremely helpful as it explained more to me why a website can bring in more profits for a small business. My last answer is customer service and I was definitely able to see how good customer service, keeps customers coming back. Amy and her employees are by far one of the best examples of great customer service I have seen in ANY store. Not only are they kind and welcoming, but they make customers feel like they are part of the store and will go out their way to assist anybody. I appreciated how well they handled groups of customers at the store events, and how they would constantly made everybody feel included. Out of all my time mentoring at Maple, not once have I heard a customer complain, and that showed me everything I learned from Amy is valuable.
(a) I,Yuritzi Mora, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 32 hours of work
(b)
- "10 Ways to Deliver Great Customer Service." BusinessNewsDaily.com. Purch, 6 Oct. 2011. Web. 27 Mar. 2015.
- Sisson, Natalie. "7 Key Tools To Run Your Online Business From Anywhere."Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 25 Aug. 2013. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.
- Moskowitz, Robert. "How to Safely Expand Your Small Business | QuickBooks." QuickBooks. Intuit, 04 Mar. 2013. Web. 29 Jan. 2015.
(c) My hours are updated(d) For my independent component I completed 32 extra hours of mentorship. Originally my plan for independent component 2 was to take a class up at Cal Poly on psychology. Unfortunately, all the classes were either filled, or the professors told me they weren't taking any I-Poly kids at the moment. When psychology classes didn't work out, I decided to look for accounting classes or anything that could help me learn about finances more, but almost all the classes on that had prerequisites. That's when I decided to just talk to my mentor and ask if I could come into the store more often to complete extra hours with her.
INTERPRETIVE Defend your work and explain the component's significance and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work.
While completing extra hours working/mentoring at Maple Boutique, Amy explained to me a lot more about the business side in retail. I learned how to complete order and sales forms, then, how to sort the store's finances. I also asked Amy how she started her store's website and she showed me what's important to include, and what draws customer's in. For most of my mentorship, a lot of what I was learning was how to deal with customers or how to organize around the store, so I was very happy and content when Amy gave me the opportunity to expand my business knowledge. For the extra hours I mentored, there was also plenty in store events which allowed me to see how Amy organizes events for her store and how she interacts with larger groups of customers. Attending these events also made me open up and speak to customers, rather than steaming or tagging clothes like I usually do.
APPLIEDHow did the component help you answer your EQ? Please include specific examples to illustrate how it helped.
One answer to my EQ is maintaining a visually striking yet organized website, and the other is having great customer service. Amy was able to show me how both work so well for her store. Like previously explained, Amy showed me why having a website for her boutique is so important. She explained to me why she chooses to have a simple layout rather than something that will overwhelm visitors. She taught me what should be excluded and what MUST be included. At the beginning of when I started mentoring she told me her website didn't include online shopping, but she decided to input it because it's what her customers wanted and found more convenient. I found this extremely helpful as it explained more to me why a website can bring in more profits for a small business. My last answer is customer service and I was definitely able to see how good customer service, keeps customers coming back. Amy and her employees are by far one of the best examples of great customer service I have seen in ANY store. Not only are they kind and welcoming, but they make customers feel like they are part of the store and will go out their way to assist anybody. I appreciated how well they handled groups of customers at the store events, and how they would constantly made everybody feel included. Out of all my time mentoring at Maple, not once have I heard a customer complain, and that showed me everything I learned from Amy is valuable.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
March Blog Post
The month of March was very productive in my mentorship hours, due to the fact that I have learned more about the business side in retail. Amy began teaching me more about order sales. What an order sale is, is basically the reciept for what you have ordered and from what designer. Each order sale has what you purchased and how much you bought it for. At the end of each list, you sum up everything you have bought from that designer to find out the total. Then, you file them away to have handy. For instance, if the store is running low on clothes you can check what's comjng in for the next month, call the company and ask them to send your clothes sooner if they have them ready.
At first I was a little intimidated since these are her finances, and I didn't want to miscalculate anything. Once I got the hang out it, it became relatively easy and helpful for me to see how she spends her money throughout the store.
I am now preping for my interview 4, which I am excited to do. At first, I wasn't looking forward to this last interview since the person I was going to interview wasn't exactly who I would want to ask questions to. Amy was kind enough to offer her help; she told me she would be more than happy to contact one of the other business owners in the village so I could interview them. Now I have to come in contact with whoever it is she will be willing to set me up with, and clean up on my questions. I feel this final interview will be extremely helpful, since getting a different opinion on business besides my mentor is always a good thing. Business had so many aspects to it and every owner runs their business differently. The more perspective I have on how to run a business, the more experience and knowledge I will have towards it.
At first I was a little intimidated since these are her finances, and I didn't want to miscalculate anything. Once I got the hang out it, it became relatively easy and helpful for me to see how she spends her money throughout the store.
I am now preping for my interview 4, which I am excited to do. At first, I wasn't looking forward to this last interview since the person I was going to interview wasn't exactly who I would want to ask questions to. Amy was kind enough to offer her help; she told me she would be more than happy to contact one of the other business owners in the village so I could interview them. Now I have to come in contact with whoever it is she will be willing to set me up with, and clean up on my questions. I feel this final interview will be extremely helpful, since getting a different opinion on business besides my mentor is always a good thing. Business had so many aspects to it and every owner runs their business differently. The more perspective I have on how to run a business, the more experience and knowledge I will have towards it.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
20 Questions
1. What would you say are the main differences between owning the business and managing it?
2. What is the toughest part about managing a business?
3. Who helps you maintain the business the most?
4. Where do you find vendors?
5. What are you guidelines when hiring new employees?
6. What is the most important thing your business needs to provide in order to keep customers happy?
7. What do you do to keep your team cohesive and motivated to sell?
8. How did you chose your target audience?
9. What are some classes that would be crucial or helpful to take in order to get a better understanding of managing?
10. What has shaped you to become a better manager?
11. How do you provide quality customer service?
12. Does your store have a website or do you run a blog to renovate more business or interest amongst customers?
13. Why did you pick this location for your business? What about this location made it stand out for you?
14. Most important thing to know about finances in a business?
15. About after how long did it take for you to get accustomed in managing the store and what comes along with it?
16. What do you feel you can improve on as a manager?
17. Do you have a strategy going into each month about how to reach the store's goals?
18. What do you do to solve any disagreements your employees may have with each other?
19. What do you think is the most effective way to manage a business?
20. Important qualities a manager must have?
Monday, March 2, 2015
Answer 3
1. EQ
What is the best way to maximize profits in a small retail business?
2. Answer 3
Great customer service keeps the business's consistent customers, while bringing forth new ones by generating positive word-of-mouth
3. Three details to support your answer 3
Besides my first answer, I can say this is my strongest answer. I'm excited to research more for this especially since my mentor believes a strong customer relationship is what makes your business. Customer service is definitely one of the top 3 key factors when determining how well your business is going to do; will your customer service bring in more people, or disinterest new and old customers from coming back?
What is the best way to maximize profits in a small retail business?
2. Answer 3
Great customer service keeps the business's consistent customers, while bringing forth new ones by generating positive word-of-mouth
3. Three details to support your answer 3
- Decreases barriers to buying (ex. more likely to entice a hesitant buyer)
- Increase how often a customer buys from you
- Better/more customer loyalty
- "What Is Customer Service?" Customer Service: Why It Is Important. ABN, n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2015.
- Goltz, Jay. "How a Small Business Becomes a Big Business." Youre the Boss How a Small Business Becomes a Big Business Comments. NY Times, 22 Dec. 2010. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.
- Burke, Gerad. "How to Take Your Small Business into the Big Time."Marketing Donut. Atom Content Marketing, n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.
Besides my first answer, I can say this is my strongest answer. I'm excited to research more for this especially since my mentor believes a strong customer relationship is what makes your business. Customer service is definitely one of the top 3 key factors when determining how well your business is going to do; will your customer service bring in more people, or disinterest new and old customers from coming back?
Saturday, February 28, 2015
February extra post
This month I had the opportunity to interview my mentor for my third interview. I'm glad I was able to use her for this interview, because she did a great job of throughoughly answering all my questions with honesty. The interview with her allowed me to think more deeply into my second answer for my EQ and how I can properly answer it. My first answer was using social media, and for my second answer I was going to say a website is what helps expand business. During the interview though, she mentioned how important customer service was in order to keep and gain more customers. I am stuck between using customer service for my second answer, or keeping that in the back of my mind for my third answer.
Luckily I have been learning a lot from Amy just from observing what she does around the store and how she approaches customers. Amy told me how appreciative she is of me to help around the store, but she would like to help me in the same way by knowing what is is I want to find out more about managing businesses. There are so many aspects of business management, and so much I want to find out about; I defintely have to do my research as to what can help me the most.
Besides that, I continue to help out at the store weekly, and gain more information to further my knowledge of business management.
Luckily I have been learning a lot from Amy just from observing what she does around the store and how she approaches customers. Amy told me how appreciative she is of me to help around the store, but she would like to help me in the same way by knowing what is is I want to find out more about managing businesses. There are so many aspects of business management, and so much I want to find out about; I defintely have to do my research as to what can help me the most.
Besides that, I continue to help out at the store weekly, and gain more information to further my knowledge of business management.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Answer 2
1. What is your EQ?What is the best way to maximize profits for a small retail business?
2. What is your first answer? If you get your business known through social media, then profits will increase due to popularity.
3. What is your second answer?If you create and maintain a visually striking, yet organized website, then more customers will be drawn to your business, thus increasing profit.
4. List three reasons your answer is true with a real-world application for each.
6. What other source supports your answer?
7. Tie this together with a concluding thought.
Websites not only get your business known through customers that haven't visited your store, but those who HAVE visited your store can get more out of an online business that may provide more than that of in-store.
2. What is your first answer? If you get your business known through social media, then profits will increase due to popularity.
3. What is your second answer?If you create and maintain a visually striking, yet organized website, then more customers will be drawn to your business, thus increasing profit.
4. List three reasons your answer is true with a real-world application for each.
- Draws attention- It only takes a couple seconds for a first impression. A website that is appealing, yet well established speaks loads about what your business is like.
- Makes you stand out- Plenty small businesses such as boutiques don't have websites; offering an online business makes you different then the rest.
- Offers your merchandise online- Selling both in-store and online gives the opportunity to expand your customers, and more customers means more profit.
6. What other source supports your answer?
- Barr, Corbett. "Top 10 Mistakes in Starting an Online Business." Fizzle Top 10 Mistakes in Starting an Online Business Comments. Fizzle, 09 July 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2015. <http://fizzle.co/sparkline/top-10-mistakes-in-starting-an-online-business>.
- Zlotnick, Milton. "Steps to Starting an Online Business - Bplans Blog." Bplans Blog Steps to Starting an Online Business Comments. Palo Alto Software, 13 Dec. 2007. Web. 09 Jan. 2015.
- Moon, Allen. "How to Start a Business Online." Entrepreneur. Entrepreneur, n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2015.
Smale, Thomas. "4 Reasons Why an Online Business Is the Best Investment You Will Ever Make." Entrepreneur. Entreprenuer, n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2015. <http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/241759>.
7. Tie this together with a concluding thought.
Websites not only get your business known through customers that haven't visited your store, but those who HAVE visited your store can get more out of an online business that may provide more than that of in-store.
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