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Be a Sponge!

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | Nov 17, 2025

Be a Sponge! A wild thought. You’re heading to AAPEX, VISION, or ASTA. You’ve got your schedule packed — breakout sessions, networking events, maybe even a few supplier dinners. You’re ready to soak up every idea, insight, and best practice you can. During the event, you’re engaged. You’re taking notes,…

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All Articles and Blog Posts

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 11/23/2020

Flipping through channels, there it was, the beloved ‘Wizard of Oz’. I just can’t help but stop and get…

How Can You Help the Next Generation of Shop Owners

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 09/15/2020

If you had known then what you know now, would you have opened your own shop? Every day new…

Are You Meeting Your Customer Expectations?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 09/08/2020

Customers want a great experience. They have preconceived expectations on how their experience with you is going to happen.…

Is it Just Me or Do You Feel the Forces of Change?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 08/31/2020

Are change forces blowing harder and faster than we realize? And are we creating them? A restaurant in my…

How Good Are Your Customer Basics?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 08/23/2020

Flour, water, salt, and yeast makes bread. Just about every recipe has these ingredients. That’s pretty basic and most…

A Rolling Billboard Got Me Thinking

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 08/23/2020

Traveling on the New York State Thruway I came upon a semi with a massive ad, on its back…

Ingenious. Clean – Part of the New Normal

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 07/27/2020

Visiting a Tim Hortons Coffee shop I experienced what is the new normal as it comes to cleanliness at…

Mastering

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 07/19/2020

Mastering I recently saw a Lexus commercial that was themed ‘Mastering’. If you are like me and look outside…

No One Gets There Alone

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 07/09/2020

I did it my way. Remember the song? If I would ask any successful business person if they flew…

Down Time – What To Do With It!

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 04/20/2020

For many of us, there is some extra time in our schedule. Imagine the times we used to think…

Binge Worthy Listening Part 1

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 03/17/2020

We may have some downtime on our hands as we deal with COVID-19 It is time to schedule training…

Secret Sauce. Really?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 03/01/2020

Secret Sauce. Really? Keeping secrets thinking that someone will duplicate what and how you do things is furthest from reality

Eleven Tips for Creating ‘Extreme Employee Loyalty’

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 10/19/2019

It is not important that you love to come to work and enjoy what you do? With my ear…

The Power of Your Story is Effective Marketing

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 07/30/2019

I picked up a book recently and could not put it down. I mean it. It grabbed me and…

Do You Know the Enemy of Leadership?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 06/16/2019

I recall a few leadership lessons I learned in my life that continue to haunt me. I would bet…

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