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Combatting Smoldering Burnout
| Bill McCurry
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>> Published Date: 6/25/2012
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 Spring after spring in the garden center can be soul-crushing. Find out how one retailer renewed his love for the business in a rather unlikely way.
Burnout. Most times it hits you like a freight train and you didn’t even see the railroad tracks. This email came from a retailer I had only met twice over the years.
“I’m frustrated and don’t really know why. Business is good. In fact, better than it’s ever been before! However, after 13 years of running this business—10 of those owning it—I’m exhausted. I feel as if my employees and customers are like ferocious piranhas, nipping and biting, wanting more and more of me. I have nothing left to give. Then I go home. Do you seriously think I have any ambition after a 10-to-14-hour day? I’m tired ...”
This email arrived a week after I had talked with another retailer I’ll call George. George has 30-plus years operating garden centers, hardware and lumber yards. By most standards, he had a good business, but George was burning out. Frustration with landlords, governmental inspectors, noncompliant employees, etc., had taken the spring out of his step. Business was no longer fun.
Burnout can be a natural result of continual pressure with no perceived relief in sight. The garden centers weren’t as clean as they used to be—not filthy, but you could see the junk collecting in corners. Displays weren’t changed. Aisles were cluttered. The level of customer service was slipping. Cashiers weren’t smiling and customers weren’t engaged. George’s burnout smoldered throughout the organization.
George decided to get involved in something he liked outside the business, where he could escape. He’d always been fascinated with wildlife and birds of prey. A local wildlife rescue program “adopted” injured wildlife and birds, as well as young orphaned critters. He volunteered, took classes and eventually could hold and feed injured birds, including hawks. Over a three-year period George threw his limited free time into volunteering. He enjoyed the birds, the animals and making a difference to his community. The other volunteers knew of George’s business success and asked him to sit on their board of directors.
The center needed cash donations. Very few people knew of the work they were doing so a public outreach campaign was necessary. Ideas were discussed. In a blinding flash of the obvious, George volunteered to hold a public event at his retail location. A few “residents” of the rescue center would meet the local community. They called the event “Raptor Sunday.”
It sounds simple, but it was new to George. He hadn’t thought of it as a retail promotion. He was focused on how to help the rescue center gain visibility and community support. George enlisted the employees’ participation and they helped to promote the event in store, online and through the rescue center’s social media outreach. He wasn’t focused on the fact it was scheduled on a Sunday in May—normally a very busy time. Between the heavy seasonal traffic, the unique concept of meeting birds of prey up-close and the social media, the place was packed. The center educated attendees about living with wildlife. Donations were collected and George got a surprise.
His birding section was fairly extensive at about 650 sq. ft. with a good selection of houses, poles, accessories and feed options. On that Sunday, he sold out of every birdhouse in stock. Most of his birdseed was gone. His bird department looked like he was selling empty shelves. Obviously, people attracted by meeting a raptor would also be likely to be feeding birds. In retrospect, the tie-in was obvious, but not apparent until it happened. George’s focus wasn’t on doing a store promotion. He was just helping the center.
The Tuesday after Raptor Sunday George confided how this had totally changed his perspective on his business. He had been ready to retire and sell off the place for a nickel. Now he understood how to help the community where he’s been retailing for decades. Instead of a tired merchant, he was a builder of good things in his community. He had the spring back in his step and a smile on his face. Even better, his employees showed new energy, too. Each person’s situation is different, but George’s cure for burnout might work for you. Focus on helping someone else and your perspective could change. GP
Meet Bill!
See Bill at the OFA Short Course July 14-17 in Columbus, Ohio (www.OFA.org). He’ll be at these money-making sessions: “Management Idea Exchange,” “More Money For Me” and “Grow It Or Buy It?”
Bill would love to hear from you with questions, comments or ideas for future columns. Please contact him at wmccurry@mccurryassoc.com or (609) 688-1169.
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