A new year, a new beginning. Out with the old, in with the new. I’m sure I could find many more ways to express this sentiment. But I know you get the drift of the message. The beginning of the year is always the perfect opportunity to wipe the slate clean and start anew. Who doesn’t love a brand new calendar, with those crisp white pages just waiting to be written on—especially with brightly colored pens and highlighters for noting important details throughout the year?
But most importantly, the clean slate is a great reminder that we are in charge of filling up our calendars and our time. It doesn’t fill up on its own, even if we feel like it does sometimes. So how are you choosing to fill up each day? I learned long ago that I cannot do everything. I am not Super Woman. (Dang, I really wanted to be!) Each day, I need to and have to make decisions as to what is most important. I’ll tell you those decisions got easier after reading author Greg McKeown’s Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less. The book isn’t about being a minimalist, but rather more about knowing how to organize and prioritize what is important and essential to do in your life. It’s a game changer!
With all of the challenges of 2020, I want to keep my calendar wide open for those fresh beginnings in 2021. We know business can be different and good when we’re forced to change. How can it be different and good when we want to change? Let’s open ourselves up to the amazing possibilities of what is ahead of us.
Keep in touch with me—I want to know what you need to keep you going in 2021. Reach out at Heidi@AmericanQuiltRetailer.com. In This Issue
- From the Editor
- Get Sticky: Tom Shay helps you lead through curiosity, discipline and knowledge.
- Plan with Success: Learn a step-by-step process for creating online events with Sommer Leigh.
- Embrace Change: Life coach Beth Montpas assures us a healthy boss means a healthy business.
- Let Them In!: Keep your front door spinning with 50 ideas from Kizer & Bender.
- Materials Matter: Find the latest fabrics and designs about to hit your store shelf.
- Hot Picks: Check out products and notions to offer to your customers.
- Book Nook: Learn more about three new books via interviews with the authors.
- One Person at a Time: Gwen Bortner shares the benefits of working one-on-one with staff.
- Tackle Taxes Like a Pro: Understand your taxes better with help from Jacob Curtis.
- IG 1, 2, 3: Use images to connect with your customers on Instagram.
- Free-to-Use Pattern: Quilt shop owner and pattern designer Shelley Robson combines her enthusiasm and quilting knowledge to create patterns and run her shop. Her pattern, It’s All About the Squares, showcases the perfect project for a block panel in our Free-to-Use Project this issue.
- Online Resources: Take advantage of the many resources on our website.
