Mary Liz Curtin

Don’t laugh at this phrase! Although it is often used for a giggle, it is not a joke- these words are money makers and should be paraphrased in every business. This simple question, uttered by millions of order-takers in hundreds of languages, has helped make Ronald McDonald a very wealthy clown. Those six words fatten not only the customers: they have increased the fast-food chain’s revenues monumentally.

What is the big deal about margins? Why do I continue to rant and rave about them? Oh, solvency, profits and the future of your store are a few small reasons. Many years ago the keystone markup was a dream…but now doubling the wholesale price is simply not enough. All of our costs have risen and many of us are reporting slower sales, so we have to be even more vigilant about profitability in order to survive.

Mary Liz has been very effective with the eBay seminars for several reasons.  First and foremost, she immediately establishes credibility with the audience.  She understands small retailers, writes her own column for small retailers, and owns her own home furnishings store.  She is also an avid eBay user and technology geek.  Second, she is an energetic speaker who is clearly passionate about the subject matter.  And lastly, she skillfully integrates eBay into her overall small retailer presentation in a way that made eBay relevant without selling too strongly to the audience.

Your seminar was exciting and inspiring; based on what you said during that hour I started making changes to my store (and the way I do business in general) the first day I got back from the show; I swear I’ve already seen the benefits!