Extra Space Storage’s Post

2025, the year of the snake in the Chinese Zodiac – a time for shedding the old and stepping into growth. A year of transformation, and for me, a time for new beginnings. I’m excited (and a little emotional) to announce my departure from Lazy Acres and wanted to take a moment to reflect on the last 8 years, a time that has truly shaped me. Leaving my role as Vitamin Department Manager was not an easy decision, but looking back, I’m so proud of everything I accomplished: • I created sales strategies that increased department sales by over 30%. • I developed operational systems that improved efficiency and cut down labor hours at the store level. • I designed engaging, hands-on training programs that empowered my team and helped build Lazy Acres into a trusted destination known for knowledgeable staff and drove customer loyalty. • Merchandising became one of my favorite parts of the job – creating beautiful, strategic displays that caught the eye and boosted sales. • I created a warm, welcoming vibe in the department that people noticed. Whether it was heartfelt messages, gifts, or compliments from my team, reps, or customers, their appreciation always reminded me how meaningful that environment was to everyone. • I made it a priority to highlight local American businesses and brands engaged in Regenerative Agriculture, advocating for their success in both the CPG and supplement space, and sharing their stories with my team and customers. These years also taught me so much about myself: • I learned how to manage a team effectively (and, thanks to 3 managers before me, also learned how not to manage). • I discovered how to sell in a way that leaves people feeling confident and empowered. • Most importantly, I learned to step outside my comfort zone, take initiative, and trust myself. Lazy Acres was one of my favorite chapters, and I'll always cherish the memories, growth, and connections I made there. But now, it’s time to move forward, and I couldn’t be more excited about what’s next which I will share more about soon!

Retail Today / Retail Renaissance: Still trying to figure out, what will have the biggest impact on your customers in 2025? S.S. Kresge Personnel Handbook: 1959 “THE CHECKER’S CREED’. Do you think this is old fashioned? Out of date? Social Skills don’t matter? How you present yourself to the customer? Ask Publix Super Markets ? Publix’s: “Where shopping is a pleasure” ! The Checker’s Creed 1️⃣ Courteous 2️⃣ Personal Appearance 3️⃣ Speed/Efficiency 4️⃣ Accurate 5️⃣ Good Housekeeper 6️⃣ Supplies/Equipment 7️⃣ Cooperative Attitude 8️⃣ Rules/Regulations 9️⃣ Smile 🔟 Thank You This is even before my time, but I was coached from this generation. Is it “Handmaid’s Tale” or how “simple it is to be effective”? #peoplefirst #customerservice “Bringing Common Sense Back To Retail” PEOPLE - PRODUCT - PRESENTATION - PROCESS #retail #retailtrends #retailindustry #shoppingexperience #brandexperience #publix #acehardware #TopRetailExpert

Let's talk about good service (and good food) 🍗 The other night I went to Hickory's smokehouse and may have had the best meal of my life to date 🤤 I mean how good does that food look??? I basically had to be rolled home 😂 What also stood out was the service - It was amazing and I've told EVERYONE I know about it This got me thinking about how much of an effect a positive experience has and how word of mouth travels ✔️ In recruitment, if you're giving a top service, word's going to spread and who doesn't want to be known for being good at what they do 🤷♀️ The feedback from people I've been working with recently has been that things seem super transactional and there's a lack of human touch 👎 In a job that revolves around people, this shouldn't be the case 👎 I try and get to know/ understand my networks needs and value add as much as possible, with relationship building at the heart of what I do It may be my 7 years working in customer service but I love making people feel like they're valued and giving them a best in class experience 💖 Lets do better as an industry and try to raise that bar a little higher! P,S if anyone has any food recommendations around Dewsbury/ Wakefield, please send them my way - I've just moved #food #foodie #goodfood #goodservice #customerservice #customerexperience #meat #smokehouse #recruitment #techrecruitment #bestinclass #techcommunity #techcareers #yorkshire #leeds #northwest #manchester

I started in retail at 18 years old- now turning 35 I spent almost 14 years at Walmart, moving up the ladder. Never once interviewed for a job up the climb. The challenge of working and planning such a complex company was exciting and rewarding. Never did I see myself leaving Walmart but life happens. Joining Ollies as a Store manager after needing to relocate back to Pa and again tried to climb the ladder. An Ollies Store Manager their mission is simple and clear. Plan your manifest, make room for the freight, crush it in 2 days, easy lets roll. I grew bored and moved over to District LP. Covering four states worth of stores and endless travel, this became clear I should of stayed running a store. Me sitting still and searching for internals was not my thing. Petco Store Manager- before training was over it knew it wasn’t for me. Took a jump based on the pay specifically. I knew this was not for me. As an animal lover the idea of being over animals sounded great, till you as the gm are the one cleaning the cages. Very limited hours due to volume size, with a stock price hovering under $2.00 Gabes Store Manager- Great bigger box than Ollies so time to roll again. More money so lets make the jump again. Five trucks a week, perfect lets plan some freight. If only it was that simple. Inconsistency with processes would be an understatement. I’m not sure if retail management is getting stale, or once you work for the giants of the world everything else seems less rewarding. Retail and retail management is surely changing.

Did you know that there isn’t an official Warehouse Appreciation Week? 🤯 Well, there is now because we are excited to announce that the week after July 4th is officially Warehouse Appreciation Week for Hayden Beverage! 📅🎉 This week, we’re raising a toast to the unsung heroes behind every cold drink! Our dedicated warehouse teams, across Idaho and Montana, keep our market shelves stocked, the delivery trucks loaded, and the good times rolling. While you’re sipping on your go-to beverage or refilling your cooler, our warehouse warriors are working behind the scenes to receive, store, and pick the products that you love. 💪🏻📦 We couldn’t ‘pick’ a better team to work alongside and to recognize this week. The week may be made up, but the gratitude is 100% real. To our early risers and the late-nighters, the heavy lifters and the detail checkers, the team leaders and our new hires – this week is for you! 🙌🏻 Join us in raising a glass, can, or bottle to celebrate our Idaho and Montana HBC warehouse teams – not just this week, but every single day. Here’s to them! 🍻 #haydenbeverage #warehouseappreciationweek #warehouse #warehouseemployee #employeeappreciation #unsungheroes #warehousewarrior #beveragedistributor #winedistributor #beerdistributor #montanadistributor #idahodistributor

Ever wonder what it's like selling coffee for a living? Recently met up with Logan Mahoney to learn about his world at Atomic Coffee Roasters. Logan and I have a lot in common, starting with both attending St. John's Prep & Bentley University but it extends much further than that. Our views on customer relationships, the types of roles we enjoy, and how we build strong teams have lots of similarities 🙌. Here are three interesting facts about life as a salesperson at Atomic: 1. ~60% focus on new biz, ~40% on servicing customers 2. You don't just sell coffee to cafes and restaurants...but also train their employees on using the equipment, how to make a perfect coffee, and intricate latte art. It's a full-cycle role that I would LOVE! 3. Prior sales experience isn't the #1 thing Logan looks for when hiring Want to learn more? I'm featuring his story in tomorrow's newsletter dropping @ 9am EST (sign up here: https://lnkd.in/eE2e-jwb) For those that live near Beverly/Danvers, Atomic Coffee Roasters offers free tours of their roastery PLUS a 2-hour course to become an expert in making espresso & latte art. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/enwe5Z9U

We all remember our first jobs. For many of us, it was working at a fast food restaurant, retail store, or some other service industry gig. At the time, we probably thought it was just a way to make some extra cash and not much more. But in hindsight, those first jobs taught us invaluable lessons that have stuck with us throughout our careers. My first job was at McDonald's. While it may not have seemed glamorous, my time there taught me the power of systems, processes, and standard operating procedures. McDonald's had a detailed SOP for everything, from taking orders, cooking fries, assembling burgers, even cleaning the bathrooms. These SOPs ensured quality control, allowed new employees to get up to speed quickly, and enabled the restaurants to run efficiently at scale. The importance of standardized, optimized processes was ingrained in me during my time at McDonald's. I've carried these lessons with me throughout my career. In every role I've had in my professional career, I've used these skills to look for ways to streamline operations, helping companies reduce costs, drive efficiency, and improve quality, ensuring employees were working cohesively, and business control were in place. I've built my career off of standardizing, optimizing and digitizing processes and its all because of that first job. So don't underestimate what you can learn from even the most basic first job. The fundamentals of process excellence, teamwork, customer service, and operational efficiency translate across all industries. We all have to start somewhere, and those first jobs shape who we become as professionals. https://lnkd.in/gwfrRzhE

I haven’t posted recently about my day job, so here’s an update!! Yesterday we officially opened the 3rd brick and mortar location! Crazy right? In ONE year we have opened three completely new stores starting from less than nothing to be fully built, stocked, merchandised, staffed, and operating. This experience has been somewhat of a challenge, yet in my opinion has also been a fairly easy achievement. And no, it hasn’t been easy in the sense that it’s easy work or a simple feat to undertake. You see, it’s all about how you approach things. If you approach things with the confidence that you can accomplish any task necessary, you and your staff will not only be more effective at doing so, but it will be more fulfilling as well.

Today, I had the opportunity to go on a ride-along with one of Baldor Specialty Foods' delivery drivers, and it was an incredible experience. Seeing the final step of the process — where our products go from warehouse to customer — gave me a whole new perspective on the teamwork that makes everything come together. As a former chef, I always appreciated when my orders arrived on time and in perfect condition. But today, I got to see the effort and care that happens on the other side of that delivery. Here’s what I learned during the ride: 🚛 Customer connection matters: Drivers are often the face of the company, and their professionalism and friendliness leave a lasting impression. 🕒 Timing is everything: Just like in the kitchen, efficiency is crucial to keeping things running smoothly. Every stop on the route is carefully planned to stay on schedule. 📦 Teamwork doesn’t stop at the warehouse: The coordination between sales, warehouse, and drivers is what ensures every order meets customer expectations. Being out in the field helped me better understand how my role as an Inside Sales Representative ties into the bigger picture. It also reminded me that every part of the process, from order to delivery, requires precision and collaboration. To all the delivery professionals out there: Thank you for being the bridge between businesses and customers. Your hard work doesn’t go unnoticed! Have you ever shadowed a team outside your department? What did you learn? #CareerChange #FromChefToSales #TeamworkInAction #BaldorSpecialtyFoods #NewPerspectives

Over this first semester of Work Based Learning maintaining a job at Apricot Lane Boutique, I have learned many beneficial things to better my future. I gained valuable insights on things like how to help shoppers have an enjoyable shopping experience, and what they need in regards to "help". In retail, I've noticed that the most a customer talks and leisurely looks at items, the more likely they are to buy things. You can tell a lot about your customers by things like body language, communication, and the pace at which they shop. Having this knowledge in the back of my mind will be a tremendous help when I have my own store. I feel confident in my skills that I presented this fall/winter season at Apricot. I strived to work hard and give it my all. Even doing things like tidying up the small things can make a big impact. Come spring, I will be working at a new boutique called "Dare to be Different". In doing so, I'm thrilled to learn the in's and out's of the store as well as the customers. It will be a challenge to learn the new ways of operations, but it's a challenge I will push myself to work towards. I'd like to be running things at an operative level quickly and its a goal i strive to achieve. A couple of other goals id like to set for myself this next spring season is to be more engaged with customers, as well as organized. As far as job standards, I plan to surpass them by learning new tasks and ways to help and maybe look into the merchandising side of things. #cherokeewbl #georgiawblworks