As committed retailers and entrepreneurs, you know that to start a business and grow it to be a profitable enterprise is not straightforward or quantifiable.

There is no magic formula you can anoint yourself with or express train you can embark on. Success is not a science or an art. It’s a mixture of both. As someone once said; where Science is the system of acquiring knowledge, Art is the application of knowledge.

With that in mind, we thought we would invite you to take an opportunity to learn from expert industry insiders who share the best advice they learned that inspired their professional life and success in business.

Earlier this year, The Guardian newspaper raised an “unpalatable” warning concerning the distribution industry. It reported that in the event of a no-deal Brexit, palletised goods could be prevented from transiting between the UK and the EU due to a “dire shortage of the ‘right-sort’ of pallet to import and export goods”. “If the UK leaves the EU without a deal the overwhelming majority of wooden pallets, used to transport a vast range of consumer goods from breakfast cereal to pet food, beer and chocolate, will not meet strict EU rules designed to stop the spread of bark beetles and other pests.” (Source: The Guardian).

“The UK organic market continues to experience steady healthy growth, with sales increasing by 5.3%. That means almost £45 million a week is spent on organic in the UK” tells the Soil Association in its ‘Organic Market 2019’ report. (Source: Soil Association 2019 Report)

The report cites the growth within the organic sector to be fuelled by relevancy, as our culture shifts towards consumers making conscious, ethical choices on food and drink and other aspects of daily life such as waste, packaging and energy. “Organic’s integrity and values fit well with mindful consumerism, environmentalism, veganism and vegetarianism – trends which are dominating the market”.