I received a call from another newsagent yesterday saying they think they will have to close in a couple of months if things don’t pick up. They are hoping something in their area will improve their situation. I encouraged them to lean into their challenges, to embrace them. I pointed them to my post from two weeks ago: An Urgent Action Plan to Avoid Closure of Your Retail Newsagency.

Some newsagencies are closing which do not need to. The tougher your challenges the more open you ought to be to aggressive change.

I’m flying to the Gold Coast for the day today for the first day of a trade show in another retail channel. This will be my fifth trade show this year and my look at a fourth retail channel outside the newsagency channel. I look for opportunities that can apply to my newsagency business to give me a point of difference. Some trade shows are better than others for the opportunities they present.

As our businesses evolve so, too, must our supplier base. Gone are the days when newsagents can rely on traditional suppliers to provide innovative products through which we can define the relevance of our businesses.

Another aspect that is different outside the traditional newsagency channel supplier is the grant of exclusivity. I like the opportunity of dealing with suppliers who are prepared to respect committed retailers and not bring on another too close to an existing outlet.

At a trade show for a new marketplace you not only see new products, you get to connect with other retailers and learn from their experiences. It’s exciting and challenging all at once.

It is inspiring to see through facebook and other forums how newsagents in Tropical Cyclone Marcia affected Far North Queensland have dealt with the disruption, havoc and damage caused. They have got on with it – not only in their businesses but in the broader community, helping others to deal their own personal situations.

While politicians of all colours like to fly in for a photo op, it is small business people like newsagents who do real work in their businesses and communities for the greater good at times like this.

Every newsagent in Australia should be proud of the lets get on with it approach of our FNQ colleagues.

I have been contacted by a representative of the ATO who is visiting newsagencies to review record keeping of sales information. This person contacted me as the owner of Tower Systems seeking information on records collected by the software. They did not identify the state in which they working or specific businesses they were targeting.

You’d be a fool to try and manipulate your business records or computer stored data in order to avoid paying tax.

In the 1990s some newsagents with whom I had no relationship used technology with a tax avoidance back door to systematically under report income. The actions of few gave our channel a bad reputation back then.

Make sure your processes and record keeping would withstand scrutiny.

Heard from a newsagent today in Melbourne of reports of fake $50 notes circulating again. Take care. Be sure to review the counterfeit notes information at the Reserve Bank Banknotes website.

Customers are saying goodbye to the manager of my newsagency who is moving to a new role in another of my businesses. Some customers are bringing in gifts while a couple left this card in which they wrote some touching words of gratitude.

Some people working in our newsagency businesses pass through unnoticed while others are appreciated and missed. It is a good feeling for these people, that they are acknowledged, and a good feeling for the business that it has employed well.

The experience I’ve had recently speaks to the experience of personal service in a small business newsagency compared to the almost faceless volume based experience in a large retailer. Good people do make a difference. It is wonderful when our customer notice and appreciate that.