Back to work
I’ve been out of pocket. Invisible. Out of touch. Incognito. Since 2020. But now, I’m back! In May, I celebrated 22 years as a coach and consultant. But it wasn’t much of a celebration. I moved last February. And my house has been consuming my energy. I moved to get...Sales Starts with You
Does your entire team support the sales division, or do they look at sales as a necessary evil? Does the accounting department harp on late expense accounts? Does the finance department complain about margin erosion and sales promotion costs? Does marketing create...Why Storytelling Is Not Enough
How big is your community? Three hundred? Three thousand? Three million? What does it take to go viral? How long will the notoriety last? How does your story connect to the typical consumer? I mean that literally. If you are on the shelf in one of the 40,000...Be Everywhere: The Push and Pull of Customer Acquisition
As we approach “getting back to normal”, perhaps it’s time to reconsider our modus operandi regarding sales and marketing. Sales activities represent the PUSH to get our products onto the shelf, while marketing, especially brand building activities,...The Myth of “What’s new?”
This cheerful greeting at trade shows causes many companies to create new products that cannibalize their existing product sales. I challenge you to find another way of answering this question. You can have a new promotion, new labels, new certifications, a new sales...2021 Planning, Projections and Budgeting
“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail” is a stalwart adage. “Numbers are the language of business” is another favorite. In 2020, there have been extreme winners and extreme losers. Some people have gained time that used to be spent commuting;...What’s Fine about The Future of Food as a Business (more f’s)
During the Great Recession, many restaurants went under. Their business models of $35 entrees and $150 bottles of wine just weren’t working any more at a time when mortgages were failing and people were losing their jobs. But by 2010, new restaurants started to open...F*** **U, 2020
Are you ready for 2020 to be over already? It seems like we keep getting hit physically, emotionally, financially, and politically. I wouldn’t blame anyone who wants to just crawl into a ball with their favorite blanket, zone out on Netflix and drink through their...Team Building is a Matter of Culture
Plant what you want to reap. Company culture results from the organic material you plant. What attitude do you want to have in your company? Collaboration? Results-driven? People first? Strong work ethic? Accountability? Inclusion/diversity? Innovative? Who doesn’t...Contact Coach Maz
Deb Mazzaferro
Coaching & Consulting for the Specialty Food Trade
Tel: 941-350-5723
