Blog

Scrolling the 9/11 tributes in my social media and news feeds this past weekend served as an excellent reminder of how we all can bounce back from great difficulties. And the reminder seems especially poignant now as our nation (and Menard business owners like you)...

With the way that the economy is going, inflation, the market gyrations, etc ... ANY business seems like good business.Until it isn't.Consider ...Have you ever been in a store when a customer starts yelling at the employee behind the counter for something tiny? The...

In today’s online-driven world, it’s no surprise that securing sensitive information is essential. Just like you cover your Menard business for other possible risks (property damage, theft, injury, etc.) so should you also be thinking of how to keep your business safe...

It seems like everywhere SMBs and retailers are short-staffed (and hiring). At the same time, with high inflation plaguing the country, other businesses are in the middle of layoffs.It seems as if these two realities would meet together, and establish an economic...

Fill in the blank: It takes a village to ______.While you’re probably thinking of child-rearing right now, I’d like to suggest that it applies to your Menard small business as well. And particularly during inflationary times. The 2020 world made it painfully obvious...

This year has been a rollercoaster for Menard business owners like you. Heck, the last few years have been. After all of the junk in 2020 and 2021, “inflation” and “supply chain shortages” have been the recent flavor of our wild ride together. Though that said, there...

Before I dive into discussing the pros and cons of a C corp, I briefly want to touch on some other things relevant to you as a Menard small business owner.Recession. The threat of it hangs in the air like a midwest thunderstorm. And as you anticipate it, you...

Prepare, prepare, prepare. As a recession is bearing down on us all, figuring out how to prepare for economic downturns is something you should be concerned with in your Menard business. I know I am.Now, while you and I can’t prepare for every eventuality, we can put...

Is your hustle muscle feeling strong right now? I hope so because if your business is going to make it moving forward, it’s going to have to be – at least for somebody on your business team. This inflationary environment virtually demands it (as does a likely...

As a small business owner, you’re battling on a lot of different fronts right now. You’re doing your best to keep employees happy, raise prices without driving away customers, pivot to alternative supply options as your current ones dry up, adjust for changing...

The unfortunate reality of things right now is that businesses across the board might need to raise their prices. Inflation’s increasingly pervasive effects, as well as continued supply shortages, demand that pricing models change – or at least be...

Everywhere I turn there’s a Menard business with a “Now Hiring” sign in the window. Are you seeing this too? Staffing is an issue in every industry across the country. Part of that? Making money isn’t the only reason people want a job. 2020 certainly shifted...