Below you will find helpful and relevant articles that we carefully curate for the benefit of our B.R.A. Retail Members almost every day. Be sure to scroll through the most recent article or use the Search/Lookup feature to find topics and keywords related to articles that may help you to lower costs, increase margins or create more remarkable customer experiences.

“CARV Expo Shakes Up the Board Sports Industry With a New West Coast Trade Show That Promises to Be More Than a Brand Showcase” PR via Surfer Mag

by Doug Works | Apr 10, 2025 | Community, Industry, News, Resources, Retail Strategy, Skateboard, Snowboard, SUP, Surf, Trade Shows

Image of a vintage copy of The Surfer Quarterly over from when an issue only cost $.75 courtesy of Surfer Mag SAN DIEGO — CARV Expo, taking place June 20–22 at the San Diego Convention Center, will bring together board sports brands, retailers, athletes, media, and...

“THREE TWEAKS THAT BRING SIGNIFICANT CASH FLOW” by BRA Advisory Member, Retail Consultant, and remarkable speaker Dan Jablons

by Doug Works | Mar 26, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, News, Resources, Retail Strategy

Retailers often think that the next boost in their business is going to come from finding the next amazing line of merchandise, or discovering a new marketing tool (the next Facebook?).  Sometimes they believe it will happen because they hire a killer...

“Combined book and speaker review for ‘All In’ and its remarkable author (and record-breaking waterman/ ocean pioneer), Chris Bertish” by Doug Works (BRA Executive Director)

by Doug Works | Mar 6, 2025 | Book Review, Industry, Reviews, SUP, Surf, Surf Expo, Trade Shows

Leading up to the most recent Surf Expo Trade Show, George (BRA Chairman and owner of Modern Skate & Surf) and I were evaluating potential guest speakers for our Board Retailers Association (BRA) Surf Expo Kickoff Breakfast, which was slated to happen on Day 1 of...

“Unlocking the Power of Engaged Retail Employees” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by Doug Works | Oct 24, 2024 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, HR, Resources, Sales Training, Staffing

The Importance of Employee Engagement According to Axonify’s 2024 seasonal hiring survey, almost 60 percent of retail managers state that the quality of applicants this year regarding skill set, professionalism, and job-related experience is much lower than...

“Hubi’s Surf Atlas and Wiilder Adventures & Animals A-Z Book Review” plus OR Summer giveaway by Doug Works (BRA Executive Director)

by Doug Works | Jun 17, 2024 | Book Review, News, Opinion, Product Reviews, Surf, Trade Shows

Last Summer, I started noticing a few Instagram posts from a number of our Retail Members including BRA Distinguished Retail Member Hansen Surf Shop in Encinitas and a number of outdoor adventure shop members about this interesting surf adventure book for kids called...