Telefini Small Business Blog

For as long as I can remember, my dad has been a loyal Nordstrom customer. I always liked the smell of the perfumes as you first walked into the store, and hearing the pianist play beautifully near the escalators. As I grew up and to this day, I still appreciate the fantastic selection of children’s shoes - my close friends and family know that with my very small feet, it’s quite challenging to find “grown-up looking” shoes (i.e. shoes that aren’t neon colors or doused in sequins). Now as an entrepreneur, I have developed a true admiration of the Nordstrom way, particularly for their perseverance, commitment to customers, and overall reputation.

Perseverance & Steadiness

In 1901, Wallin & Nordstrom was founded by Carl Wallin and John W. Nordstrom, and in 1928 John’s sons, Elmer and Everett Nordstrom, bought out Wallin’s share of the company. With father and sons in full ownership, the company was ready to go – then came the Great Depression.  It’s astounding to think about this family, with a couple small shoe stores in Seattle, maintaining courage, commitment, and sheer will to continue growing the company. It’s even more incredible to think about where Nordstrom is today. 

For me, Nordstrom epitomizes the potential of a small business growing into a national company, yet retaining the values and personality of a local business. This was due, I’m sure in part to the ability of the company to pass smoothly from one generation to the next - from grandfather, to sons, to grandsons, and now great grandsons. Moreover, each generation was able to find a system that worked best for them with regard to sharing or transferring power and leadership responsibilities – a common pitfall of many family owned businesses. Another tradition contributing to Nordstrom’s resiliency was that for each family member, being a part of the business was always a choice, and regardless of who you were, you had to earn your way to the top. Bruce Nordstrom attributes the success of the company to their ability to maintain an entrepreneurial feel in a multi-billion dollar company, and of course, their understanding of the customer’s role in business (they’re everything)!

Customers & the Inverted Pyramid

...Don’t let your business repeat the mistakes of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar

Every year in my high school English classes, we’d focus on one of Shakespeare’s plays. While Julius Caesar was actually my least favorite, I always liked the line, “Beware the Ides of March.”  In thinking about running a business, this quote, along with a simple analysis of the character, Julius Caesar and surrounding events, can provide some insights to ensuring your business strategy is successful.  Disclaimer: I did not major in English Literature, and I fully admit that I’m focusing on a very narrow aspect of the play.  Disclaimer aside, I see three key errors that every business should take heed to avoid.

Mistake 1: Ignoring or misreading warning signs

Very early in the play, Caesar and his entourage enter a public square. A soothsayer (fortune teller) approaches Caesar and exclaims “Beware the ides of March.” While Caesar asks the soothsayer to repeat his statement, he ultimately dismisses the soothsayer as a dreamer and goes about his way. The Ides of March (March 15^th in the Roman calendar) is the day Caesar is betrayed by his fellow men and faces his ultimate demise. Caesar continues to ignore potential threats when he dismisses Artemidorus who tries to give him a letter outlining the individuals involved in the plot against him. Beyond ignoring warnings that he’s in danger, Caesar and those around him grossly misread numerous omens and signs of foreboding until it’s too late.

Key Take Away: Understand your environment

The Mattress Queen? In case you’re wondering, I’m referring to none other than Sunny Kobe Cook, founder of Sleep Country USA. Sunny started her business in 1991. While she is currently an author, professional motivational speaker, and successful businesswoman, I can recall key lessons I learned from Sunny during college that have stayed with me throughout the years. Beyond Sunny, Sleep Country USA also provides some useful practices to consider when developing your business.

Take the leap

It was the end of my junior year of college, and I was attending the Boys & Girls Clubs Scholarship Banquet - as a scholarship recipient. I had heard that Sunny Kobe Cook was going to be the keynote speaker, but I admit, I wasn’t all too impressed before I went. Much to my surprise, however, I was completely drawn into her address. Of course, I had no idea at the time that her message would be so directly applicable to my professional life.  It’s been long enough that I can’t recall how the story started, but Sunny began talking about cliff diving and her realization of just how much she had in common with a cliff diver. When I first heard this, I remember thinking to myself “what in the world does selling mattresses have to do with cliff diving?!”

The answer:

Any success in life is like cliff diving in that you have to jump off the platform when all you see are rocks below you, and you have to have faith that the water will be there! I’m sure she said it much more elegantly than I just did here, but when I think about her message, I can clearly envision myself looking far down from the top of a cliff, and seeing just jagged, sharp rocks beneath me. Then I leap off. I see this image every time I make a big decision – most recently, when I chose to leave the comforts of a salary job to start a business. I wasn’t able to see the water beneath (and I’m still not), but I have faith that it is there.

Be proud of who you are and what you’ve done