I love all the looks that you highlighted. Anthropologie really has a great distinctive look. And of course, a sale is always phenomenal.
If I'm going to listen to someone about building a business, there is nobody better than Richard Branson. Not only is he incredibly successful, but he seems to have an amazing quality life. He really appears to have found the perfect balance. So, I will take those words to heart. And I think it is funny what he said in response to George Clooney's comment. Too funny.
I used to do theater improvisation and we were trained to act on impulse. The reason? You do very entertaining things when you don't give yourself a chance to really think. And while that works well for theater, I can't imagine it would be good for a business. I will admit, I've rushed into decisions in the past. But I definitely agree that thinking through the problem will give you a more rational approach.
I don't think there will ever be a way to make everyone happy. Living in the US during this turbulent times has made me even more aware of how different our wants and desires can be from that of our neighbors. But I do think that companies can decide whether or not to try and listen to their employees. The more companies factor in feedback from the employees, the more likely they are to have a majority of happy employees. But you will never have 100% agreement, And I think achieving a true democratic vision in a company where employees have a say in electing leaders and shaping the future of the company would be difficult in most situations.
One of the women I follow as a leader for female entrepreneurs is a woman from Saudi Arabia. She has a very successful online business, mostly catering to U.S. female entrepreneurs and she is amazing. .I've learned so much from her. I don't know for sure her religion. But I know she is a very strong woman coming from the Middle East.
I wish people would stop equating ISIS with Islam. You make such a good point that ISIS women are just a tiny fraction of all Muslim women. .
It is a simple concept to ask customers if they're happy. But it is also amazingly revolutionary. Customers rarely get asked that question and are often resigned to go to Yelp or any review section to unleash their discontent. While you can't please everyone, I'm sure many would appreciate being asked for their opinions. And by identifying those who are happy, you can really work on helping them spread the word. Because I listen to word of mouth from people I know before I would listen to any other review.
I'm always envious of those who are bilingual. I took years and years of French in school. And I was very proficient at writing the language. But I had so little experience speaking the language outside of class. I wish I had back then an opportunity to speak it more so it would have stuck but I haven't had much opportunity for travel The funny thing is that when I finally did get to France, I approached the French people speaking French and they would respond back in English. I'm like no....I actually want to speak French!
Though I imagine that if I was submerged in French culture, I would pick it up probably within a month or two from my history. But learning a language in a vacuum without real everyday practice is so difficult.
I'm with you that actions speak louder than words. And I think that applies to all situations in life, not just business. It devastates me to hear women say, "he treats me like crap, but always tells me how much he loves me." People tell you who they are by their actions, not their words. And when someone is all talk in business, I quickly start assuming that I shouldn't expect much from them.
A fact about me that might surprise people is that I hate doing yoga. I've actually practiced quite a bit because it always seems like something I should like, but I finally accepted that it wasn't for me. All the upside down back to right side up makes me feel ill which might be because I had neck surgery as a child. However, I still recommend many of my clients because it is life changing for so many people. And I love Tao and think she is an amazing 98 year old. I went onto her website and noticed that she teaches in Scarsdale NY which is where my 96 year old grandmother lives. My grandmother is amazing and spunky for 96 (though not nearly as limber as Tao) and I would love for her to do a modified version of one of her classes.
I agree with what someone else said as far as asking for recommendations or referrals. It is easy to assume that some will just naturally pass on your name to others if they are happy with you. And that will work some of the time. But people are often absorbed in their own life and will overlook doing this, even if they are happy with you. So if your instinct says that this person has had a good experience, it is in your best interest to mention that they can pass your name along to anyone else looking for your services.
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Erica 
Experiment