At the risk of sounding like a luddite, I still love reading books and the newspaper in print. However, I know a digital library is more efficient and nearly every book is available on Audible. Fortunately for me, Barnes & Noble, the brick-and-mortar bookstore chain, is thriving. Recently, James Daunt, the CEO, sat down with Jeff Berman of the podcast Masters of Scale to discuss how he turned physical bookstores into growth stories. He did it not by competing on convenience, but by doubling down on everything Amazon can’t replicate: curation, discovery, local judgment, and empowering his employees. I love that section in every store where I can see what the associates are reading. That creates connection, and it’s what I crave. This one is worth a listen. Now… back to my book.
-John