Operations

Earlier in this issue, we met this year’s first Top Guns Awards honoree, David Enmark, who shared how important it is to empower the next generation in the independent home improvement channel to become those next leaders. Engaging with the …

By Mike Aylen In a recent post on social media, I recounted a question I am often asked by retailers: “What is the easiest way to improve margin?” My answer is always the same: “Start with the margin you are …

By Jeremy Melnick What’s the shortest amount of time a new hire has lasted on the salesfloor before quitting or being fired? A month? A week? A day? An hour? For me, it was 10 minutes. “I don’t sweep or …

When we opened our first larger home center 22 years ago, we decided to jump into the live goods business. We had never been in the garden center business before, so it was all new to us. Needless to say, …

No other event this year will bring the independent channel together or provide meaningful ROI like the 2026 Independent Home Improvement Conference (IHI), hosted by the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) and The Hardware Conference. Drawing together retailers, …

All retailers “slip” sometimes on most aspects of delivering their customer service. It is natural and unavoidable. But can these slips be neutralized in the minds of your customers? I’ve reviewed hundreds of customer surveys with candid comments about store …

Always ready. Always there. The venerable motto of the U.S. National Guard is what Tim Kromholtz lived out during his time in the Washington Air National Guard and still adheres to in his executive role in the independent home improvement …

While not unique to the independent channel, wage challenges can cause extra stress on small business owners already juggling tight margins. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in February 2026, wages rose more than expected, increasing 0.4% for …