Lemonade and Fireworks
“Growing up in a small town in Oklahoma, summers always started with lemons. My lemonade stand wasn’t elaborate. I simply sold cold lemonade, earning enough money each year to buy fireworks to enjoy with my cousins at our family farm.”
More than just a cherished memory, these early summers offered a simple but important lesson in retail that I would later see illustrated over and over again throughout our association’s membership at NAMM—when life gives you lemons, make lemonade, and the results can be explosive!
One such perfect example is Larry Noto of Music Land in Bel Air, Maryland. When his father passed away in 2015, he was faced with the decision to either close down the store or keep his father’s legacy alive. Larry had no industry experience; but he didn’t let that stop him. He resigned from his current job and took over the family business.
Shortly after, Larry attended Summer NAMM and soaked up every last piece of advice he could get at the NAMM U Idea Center and Retail Boot Camp. More importantly, he went back home and applied what he learned to his business.
Never in his wildest dreams did Larry anticipate winning “Best Store Turnaround” at the Top 100 Dealer Awards, just 12 months later. Talk about turning a sour situation into a firecracker year!
Summer NAMM is just a few months away. As you read this, many NAMM members have finalized their 2018 Top 100 Dealer Awards submissions.
"As your trade association, it is NAMM's honor to bring the retail community together for one night and honor the passion that ignites our industry."
Now in its eighth year, the entries continue to get stronger, inspiring greatness in our industry and giving our retail members the opportunity to learn from one another. Through shared innovation, new approaches and evolving business models, this awards show has truly cultivated a trusted network and supportive retail community.
Already, 293 companies from 44 states and 11 countries have been honored. In fact, 11 stores have been recognized on the Top 100 Dealer list all seven years! If your store is among this impressive list of retailers, congratulations and THANK YOU. Your retail success has fired up an entire industry and illuminated a path for our 2018 nominees.
Maybe 2018 is going perfectly for you so far—but if it isn’t, there are ways to increase profits, generate customer loyalty or make positive, lasting impact in your community that you have yet to tap into. Summer NAMM, and in particular the Top 100 Dealer Awards, will ignite your passion, imagination and know-how in these areas and more.
I hope to see you at this year’s Top 100 Dealer Awards on Friday, June 29 at 7 pm. As always, there will be some regular standouts and surprise winners. But I promise you, there will be plenty of lemonade on hand and the fireworks will be spectacular.
See you in Nashville!
Causby Challacombe. CAE
NAMM Director, Membership