Franklin Fixtures Podcast

Tweak #063: Keeping it Connected

Whether you're a solo bookseller or part of a larger staff, keeping the various parts of our bookselling world connected is a challenge. It's like we have one head space for social media and another for events, and still another for curation and display sometimes. When it comes together it feels nice -- we all have experienced that -- so how do we make that happen every day? 

Tweak #062: First, Figure Out the Size of the Pie

In this episode, we're exploring a single thought about reverse-engineering your payroll to find your store income objectives... figuring out what you need and then collectively working to achieve that so that everyone can get paid equitably. It's a sort of mind flip that has worked for some -- could it make a difference for you?

Tweak #061: Bookselling is a Profession

What we do matters. Let's talk about how and why.

In today's tweak, we're pondering the power in talking about the profession of bookselling with staff and customers. We're framing what we do as a social science/art/business competency set and lingering on nuggets of wisdom from experts. Click to listen now!

Tweak #060: Hiring in a Sansdemic

In this episode we're following up on the art of hiring when flexibility, fun and feeling good is today's currency. Bookshops have a special advantage -- click to listen now as we talk about leveraging that advantage in ways that work for everyone and move the mission forward.

Tweak #59: The Four Questions for Employees Today

We're thinking about staff and volunteers and about the ways that bookstores can be models of a new adult-adult working relationship (shifting from the parent-child expectations of employer/employee in the past). There are four great questions to ask when someone leaves... and it is a good idea to put those questions on the table on the first day as well, setting the expectation for their contributions, their development, and their ability to move forward and stay connected with our book culture work in some way. 

Tweak #58: Do you have your 3 things?

Taking a cue from author Donald Miller, Lisa and Plenty Bookshop store manager Ashley identified three critical actions for booksellers every day... a way of aligning the action and really building cohesive progress. Hear how it's working and what three they chose, while thinking about your own in this 2 minute moment. 

Tweak #57: Wheee — The Ladder Ride

Bookstores are happy spaces. And it's so wonderful when people let their happy really shine. In the face of so much that is tough about life right now, those things that make us giggle are more important than ever.

Tweak #56: Creating Child Caves

We all love spaces that make us feel big -- an important part of creating welcome in our bookshops. With a fresh story that happened yesterday, Lisa revisits the pattern language known as "Child Caves." 

It's a small idea (wink) with big potential for all of us. Click to listen now.

Tweak #55: What They Brought

They brought things. Our customers brought treasures for the store. If you've experienced that, isn't it gorgeous? It doesn't happen anywhere else that I know of in the world of retail which suggests that our world of bookshopping is a rare space -- one that others feel inspired to add to.

Let's explore that a little in today's Two Minute Tweak. Click to listen now.

Tweak #54: Spaces that make us feel big

In this episode, we're exploring the power of child caves -- and thinking about the adult equivalent too. Do you have spaces that make people feel big? Ensconced?