Stories from David & Adam Blumenthal covering 144 years and five generations of an iconic yarn brand in the creative industry. From how it got its name to what keeps it strong and growing.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Lion Brand has been around for 144 years
  
  
• Lion Brand was the sole supplier of yarn to Target for many years up until Target discontinued the category
  
  
• Lion Brand has been on the web longer than Google
  
  
• The key to keeping the business within the family and successful is that no family member is forced to be a part of the company. Every member of the Blumenthal family that has worked for Lion Brand did it because they wanted to
  
  
• Lion Brand is fueled by a passion for the business and a willingness to change and adapt
  
  
• Hiring people that have an interest in yarn and appreciate that Lion Brand is a family business has been the key to integrating non-family member employees into the company
  
  
• Lion Brand has been able to build a strong connection with its customer base and is very proud to continue to do that
  
  
• Partnering with Vanna White and others has been a huge boost for the visibility of the brand

SUGGESTED ACTIONS:

• Think long term
  
  
• Hire people that are a fit for your culture
  
  
• Stay passionate about your vision and adapt along the way as needed
  
  
• Find interesting ways to increase visibility of your brand!

𝗗𝗔𝗩𝗜𝗗 𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗟, Chairman of the Board of Lion Brand Yarns.

Read the Inc article How I Did It: David Blumenthal

Earliest yarn memory?

Going to the office at 54 Canal Street, at the corner of Canal and Orchard Streets, where we had offices and a warehouse. It was the tallest building on the Lower East Side of New York. I was about 7 or 8 years old and I would sweep the floors and empty the wastebaskets. Going into the office with my father was a really big deal for me.

𝗔𝗗𝗔𝗠 𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗟, VP Brand/Product Development and Digital at the Lion Brand Yarn Company.

You can reach Adam on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/adblumenthal.

𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗧 𝗢'𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗥, president and owner of Creative Sales Consulting, has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products.

For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit CreativeRetailTalks.com.

If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint O'Rear at Clint@CreativeRetailTalks.com.

______________________

Music:

"Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

When your company has a Dean of Leadership Development and twelve Character Commitments, you know they take servant leadership seriously. Jim Iyoob, Chief Customer Officer of Etech Global Services, shares the culture that began with a vision "to make a remarkable difference for each other" — clients, team members, and community.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Etech is an outsourced contact center that has organically grown from 400 to 3500 employees that focuses on making a remarkable difference for their customers
  
  
• Continuous growth and training are essential for all levels of employees
  
  
• Servant leadership comes down to treating your people, customers, and community well to produce a wonderful experience for them
  
  
• Etech has a Dean of Leadership, Melissa Wood, that helps design courses for all levels of the company to help with continuous learning and growth
  
  
• Jim started as a call center agent at Dunn and Bradstreet and has worked his way up to Chief Customer Officer at Etech with the help of Matt Rocco
  
  
• You have to be able to recognize areas you need improvement in and be able to learn from experiences as everything is a lesson
  
  
• Leaders develop leaders – You must focus on developing the next generation of leaders if you want sustained success
  
  
• More about Etech's Character Commitments
  
  

SUGGESTED ACTIONS

• Have a plan for continuous growth
  
  
• As a leader, be intentional about developing other leaders
  
  
• Read at least 1 article per day – LinkedIn is a great source

______________________

𝗝𝗜𝗠 𝗜𝗬𝗢𝗢𝗕, Chief Customer Officer of Etech Global Services, is a 33-year veteran of the call center/BPO industry.

Jim is a subject matter expert for call center solutions, with specialties including Strategy, CX, Chat, Operations, Training and Developing Leaders, Relationship Management, E-Commerce Strategy and Reporting, Quality Monitoring, AI, IT & Outsourcing and Social Media Strategies. He has helped develop, implement, and retain some of the most successful and award-winning programs.

Jim has co-authored three books with his lifelong friend, mentor, and coach, Matt Rocco (President & CEO of Etech Global Services).

• Quality Monitoring in a Contact Center
• The Future of Contact Centers
• Delivering Customer Experience That Matter

You can reach Jim at jim.iyoob@etechgs.com, on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimiyoob/, or at https://www.etechgs.com/

𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗧 𝗢'𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗥, president and owner of Creative Sales Consulting, has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products.

For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit CreativeRetailTalks.com.

If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint O'Rear at Clint@CreativeRetailTalks.com.

______________________

Music:

"Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Retail authority Michael Barker shares his philosophy on how Happy Customers + Happy Employees always leads to a Healthy Business [Podcast first published November 2021]

Happy Customers + Happy Employees = Healthy Business

• If you reduce employee turn 20% you increase profits by more than 20%
• Happy employees make Happy customers

AVID Insights creates a Health ID score to measure the level of satisfaction and engagement of both employees and customers.

Employee engagement is the #1 driver of customer satisfaction.

95% of products are developed with ZERO research - a huge mistake!

Key areas to research

• Product development
• Shopper satisfaction

Research data must be reviewed for quality to be accurate and useful.

AVID Insights creates a Health ID Score for both shoppers and employees to measure engagement and satisfaction.

If you can take a shopper's Health ID Score up by 10%, they will spend 37% more.

AVID Insights process

• Ask the questions — Right questions, in the right way, to the right people
• Analyze the data - critical
• Display the results - how you display is part of the analysis

AVID is a high value, low cost model for research and insights.

SUGGESTED ACTIONS

Measure employee engagement and create a culture that creates happy employees.

Measure customer satisfaction and listen to their feedback.

Do research and get consumer insights before launching products.

______________________

𝗠𝗜𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗞𝗘𝗥 Since starting a mail-order company while in college (before the Internet was a thing), Michael has spent his entire career in retail-related companies. Whether developing new CPG products, conducting consumer research for national chain stores or marketing ecommerce software, his goal is simple - empower retailers to differentiate themselves and drive measurable results.

While at Momenta, Michael built a consumer research team that drives the company's product innovation and provides shopper insights to national retailers. He now serves as CEO of AViD Insight, a web-based platform that enables retailers and suppliers to leverage real-time consumer and employee insights to drive growth and profitability.

You can reach Michael at mbarker@avidinsight.com or www.avidinsight.com.

𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗧 𝗢'𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗥, president and owner of Creative Sales Consulting, has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products.

For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit CreativeRetailTalks.com.

If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint O'Rear at Clint@CreativeRetailTalks.com.

______________________

Music:

"Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

As Dean of Global Leadership Development, Melissa Wood spearheads all learning and development business-building programs for Etech. She shares insights into the next generation of leaders and how you can build your personal leadership development program.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• John Maxwell had a tremendous influence on Etech and Melissa ever since he spoke at an Etech company event.

• Etech is more than willing to invest in leadership development tools to produce the next generation of leaders.

• Melissa's passion is working with people one on one and helping develop their leadership skills.

• Lessons learned about the next generations through teaching and mentoring kids and young adults for the last 15 years.

  • Reinvent continuously to keep up with the changes of the new generations

  • The next generations want relationships

  • Grouping information is key when relaying new things to the next generation

• Melissa's biggest takeaway for new leaders is to remember that you are not your smartest when you're on your own. Tap into the different gifts and talents of the people around you.

• If you want to grow as a leader and must develop your leadership skills on your own, sit down and sketch out what you think a leadership program looks like with key core concepts.

  • Sketch out a foundation

  • Search for content online

  • Partner with someone

  • Start!

______________________

𝗠𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗔 𝗪𝗢𝗢𝗗, Dean of Global Leadership Development at Etech Global Services.

With over 20 years of leadership experience Melissa spearheads all learning and development business-building programs for Etech. She drives the organization's talent management efforts including high potential identification and succession planning, leadership development, coaching, mentoring, performance management, career and development planning, all within a dynamic and changing environment.

She is a contributor in the nationally recognized Walk the Talk published book "Hey Leader, Wake Up and Hear the Feedback".

Outside of Etech she has a pulse on the next generation of Leaders. Teaching leadership and innovation is critical to our society and future. With tomorrow's leaders she says you simply cannot wander –you must know. Get your boots muddy! Lead and learn along beside them. Melissa has served for over 10 years as Youth Director communicating to today's teens, college students, and their families.

You can reach Melissa at melissa.wood@etechtexas.com.

𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗧 𝗢'𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗥, president and owner of Creative Sales Consulting, has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products.

For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit CreativeRetailTalks.com.

If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint O'Rear at Clint@CreativeRetailTalks.com.

______________________

Music:

"Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Creating a more colorful, connected, comforting and caring world with yarn.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Lion Brand has an amazing Purpose Statement with four key words
  
  
• • Colorful
  • • Lion Brand produces high-quality, uniquely colored yarn that stands above the competition
      
      
  • Connected
  • • Lion Brand stays connected to the craft and the community that the craft creates
      
      
  • Comforting
  • • Knitting gives people comfort and stress relief
    • Lion Brand employees feel comfortable and supported working for the company
      
      
  • Caring
  • • Lion Brand puts lots of care behind every decision they make, products they produce, and associates and customers they have
      
      
• Lion Brand's Schitt's Creek yarn line was an idea a Lion Brand employee came up with after watching the show and it's been a success
  
  
• David Blumenthal's key message is for people to treat people with kindness and respect, no matter their occupation or position
  
  
• Adam Blumenthal's key message is for people to continue to learn from past mistakes and failures to create futures successes

___

Skein Tones (lionbrand.com), a modern neutral palette aiming to complement a wide spectrum of skin tones.

___

𝗗𝗔𝗩𝗜𝗗 𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗟, Chairman of the Board of Lion Brand Yarns.

Read the Inc article How I Did It: David Blumenthal

Earliest yarn memory?

Going to the office at 54 Canal Street, at the corner of Canal and Orchard Streets, where we had offices and a warehouse. It was the tallest building on the Lower East Side of New York. I was about 7 or 8 years old and I would sweep the floors and empty the wastebaskets. Going into the office with my father was a really big deal for me.

___

𝗔𝗗𝗔𝗠 𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗟, VP Brand/Product Development and Digital at the Lion Brand Yarn Company.

You can reach Adam on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/adblumenthal.

___

𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗧 𝗢'𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗥, president and owner of Creative Sales Consulting, has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products.

For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit CreativeRetailTalks.com.

If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint O'Rear at Clint@CreativeRetailTalks.com.

______________________

Music:

"Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

When employees and leaders choose to share their talent with your company, give them opportunities on their journey. Melissa Wood shares the 12 character commitments of Etech culture and the 5 Pillars of Education to produce the next generation of leaders.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Etech has 12 character commitments for their company culture
• • Humility
  • Integrity
  • Positive influence
  • Communication
  • Creativity
  • Courage
  • Accountability
  • Teamwork
  • Valuing people
  • Adaptability
  • Teachability
  • Vision
    
    
• Etech has 5 Pillars of Education to help with ongoing learning and producing the next generation of leaders
  
  
• • Aspiring Leader
  • • Employees that are not in leadership apply to be in this program; after rounds of interviews, a select few are chosen
      
      
  • New Leader Assimilation
  • • Employees are equipped with the tools to be a successful leader at Etech
      
      
  • Coaching Suite
  • • Employees are taught how to coach the people they lead
    • Etech has a program called Remarkable University to help with this
    • Employees gain certification after passing all classes and submitting videos of them properly coaching employees
      
      
  • Continued Education
  • • Etech offers classes on various topics
      
      
  • Zone Reinforcement
  • • Etech uses this to reinforce topics employees should have learned but are not excelling in that area
    • This pillar also involves discovery sessions with Melissa to talk specifically about the employee's team that they are leading

______________________

𝗠𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗔 𝗪𝗢𝗢𝗗, Dean of Global Leadership Development at Etech Global Services.

With over 20 years of leadership experience Melissa spearheads all learning and development business-building programs for Etech. She drives the organization's talent management efforts including high potential identification and succession planning, leadership development, coaching, mentoring, performance management, career and development planning, all within a dynamic and changing environment.

She is a contributor in the nationally recognized Walk the Talk published book "Hey Leader, Wake Up and Hear the Feedback".

Outside of Etech she has a pulse on the next generation of Leaders. Teaching leadership and innovation is critical to our society and future. With tomorrow's leaders she says you simply cannot wander –you must know. Get your boots muddy! Lead and learn along beside them. Melissa has served for over 10 years as Youth Director communicating to today's teens, college students, and their families.

You can reach Melissa at melissa.wood@etechtexas.com.

𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗧 𝗢'𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗥, president and owner of Creative Sales Consulting, has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products.

For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit CreativeRetailTalks.com.

If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint O'Rear at Clint@CreativeRetailTalks.com.

______________________

Music:

"Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

A comment on the Tonight Show leads to a 30-year partnership with Vanna White. The mindset of giving back and making a difference has led to #HATNOTHATE, donations to charities like St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a wider spectrum of skin tones (Skein Tones), and sustainability.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Lion Brand has stayed in the family because family members like Adam have wanted to come back and work for the family business
  
  
• Lion Brand Yarn was selected as the outstanding family business in New Jersey
  
  
• Vanna White was a customer of Lion Brand's and talked about knitting on Johnny Carson. Lion Brand then partnered with her, as she was very passionate about knitting and yarn
  
  
• The Lion Brand Yarn & Vanna White partnership has lasted 30 years and is still going, which has led to over $2 million being donated to St. Jude's Children's Hospital
  
  
• The Hat Not Hate program has distributed over 92,000 hats to help fight against bullying - www.hatnothate.org
  
  
• Lion Brand has started a program called Skein Tones, where more colors of yarn are created to better represent the skin tones of people of color
  
  
• Lion Brand is working to make the manufacturing and disposable process of yarn as sustainable as possible

___

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (stjude.org), leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

HatNotHate.org, #HATNOTHATE was launched in 2018 as an anti-bullying campaign founded by Shira Blumenthal. We encourage people to make, wear, and post handmade blue hats, adding #HATNOTHATE when sharing on social platforms. Hats are distributed to schools nationwide, educating students about the message of kindness. Check out the Blue Lemonade podcast.

Skein Tones (lionbrand.com), a modern neutral palette aiming to complement a wide spectrum of skin tones.

Sustainable Stitching Yarns (lionbrand.com), includes renewable and recycled fibers

___

𝗗𝗔𝗩𝗜𝗗 𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗟, Chairman of the Board of Lion Brand Yarns.

Read the Inc article How I Did It: David Blumenthal

Earliest yarn memory?

Going to the office at 54 Canal Street, at the corner of Canal and Orchard Streets, where we had offices and a warehouse. It was the tallest building on the Lower East Side of New York. I was about 7 or 8 years old and I would sweep the floors and empty the wastebaskets. Going into the office with my father was a really big deal for me.

___

𝗔𝗗𝗔𝗠 𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗟, VP Brand/Product Development and Digital at the Lion Brand Yarn Company.

You can reach Adam on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/adblumenthal.

___

𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗧 𝗢'𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗥, president and owner of Creative Sales Consulting, has worked in the Retail industry since 2000. Clint and his team connect suppliers & retailers in the creative arts industries for stronger relationships and strategic sales growth, in order to bring joy to consumers through artistic creative and decorative products.

For more insightful conversations with leaders in the Arts & Crafts Retail industry visit CreativeRetailTalks.com.

If you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, reach out to Clint O'Rear at Clint@CreativeRetailTalks.com.

______________________

Music:

"Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/