The SBAC believes the success of small businesses is a critical component of local communities and the nation’s economy. We have spent the last decade alongside small business owners fighting for reasonable policies that foster a healthier small business environment - economically, socially, and culturally. The SBAC’s non-partisan approach continues to shape local, state, and federal small business legislation.

Prepare To Shift is a workbook outlining proven principles to shift your business from the early stages to growth. With close to 20 years of corporate retail experience, ten years as a successful entrepreneur, and 15 years coaching small business owners, Terrand Smith walks you through mindset and action shifts every entrepreneur needs to take their business to the next level. Each principle includes an exercise that uncovers strengths, opportunities, and next steps for both you and your business. By the end of this workbook, you will have the tools necessary to unstick and a road map to guide you toward growth.This quick and easy read makes the complexities of growing a business more digestible and manageable. It is a must-read for any early-stage entrepreneur, a loved one who recently started a business or a supplement to any entrepreneurial or business program.Purchase on Amazon and SOKONIshop.com

Helping Chicago’s creative entrepreneurs build profitable, sustainable and scalable businesses.

37 Oaks Consulting is a commerce development and learning laboratory that educates and prepares small businesses for growth online and in retail.• Designed and implemented over 30 courses, curriculums & workshops to increase the commerce, distribution and retail acumen for local entrepreneurs and the workforce that supports them (37 Oaks University). • Created a B2C brick & mortar + ecommerce local commerce distribution platform to help entrepreneurs test new markets and grow distribution in a low risk environment. (SOKONI).• Launched the Retail Technology and Innovation Conference, with a goal of reducing the intimidation factor and debunking myths around retail tech and innovation to local product entrepreneurs. • Successfully led consulting engagement with numerous Economic Development Organizations and Municipalities to leverage assets to revitalize neighborhoods through local commerce.

SpaceHQ is the simple way to create and manage your workspace. • Led the process of creating an operating business from concept stage. Led the company to about $100K in sales per year. • Developed lean processes to operate and grow a business with limited finances and resources. • Established vendor criteria and on-boarding process to successfully launch the back end of our product. • Managed a bi-coastal remote team in sales, marketing and project management efforts. • Researched and translated customer needs to product features on our website. • Lead and implemented initiatives around Human Resources, Finance, Vendor Relations, Marketing, Product Assortment and Website. • Prototyped new processes, while still offering a great customer experience.

Streamline inefficiencies across all departments to drive sales and profits.

- Mange categories through competitive analysis; consumer behavior tracking; sku optimization; price optimization; promotional planning and merchandising techniques to exceed P&L budgets.- Prototype new segments within HBC to learn critical points required for a successful launch. - Identify and execute product and vendor opportunity gaps that help define our stores as a HBC destination. - Utilize Revionics software to establish pricing strategies and guidelines to support the positioning of HBC within our stores and in our communities. - Maximize Open to Buy dollars by developing inventory strategies that monitor key items; effectively plan seasonal and opportunity buys; and reduce the amount of unproductive inventory in stores.- Identified a need, and then created a Circular Block Productivity report to help measure the true performance of circular ads.- Monitor market trends and consumer behavior, and determine if related opportunities are applicable to customer. - Negotiate significant increases in vendor support to improve category margin and increase marketing spend.- Streamline processes and improve inefficiencies with team of direct and indirect reports.

- Defined problem statements, led collaborative brainstorming sessions and synthesized data to generate multiple ideas and concepts for corporate growth. - Identified and evaluated high potential opportunities by using business frameworks, filters and design thinking methods.- Led execution of a new business prototype by defining brand standards, influencing marketing mix, establishing learning cycles and ensuring brand compliance- all while merging the systems and culture of a global partner.- Evaluated the current state; understood customer needs; quickly identified opportunities and chose the best sales generating ideas to prototype for a new venture. - Led marketing strategies and execution using the Critical Thinking process and Lean Start Up principals. - Saved New Venture team 30% to 70% of time by spearheading a project designed to improve operational processes using Lean principals.- Identified as a key contributor to collaborate with cross functional project team in developing a corporate point of view around the next generation of Knowledge Transfer.

- Managed $150 million business with approximately 2,000 style numbers and 300 dealerships. Responsible for sales, profitability, and quality metrics. - Outpaced business unit sales by 35% by using marketing techniques such as defining and communicating clear positioning; identifying and targeting opportunity markets; and creating a simple customer experience. - Grew shares of Montage system by identifying opportunity market; crafting a strategy and leading a successful execution.- Grew incremental sales of 11% by streamlining customization process which increased tailoring capabilities and strengthened product value proposition. - Led re-positioning strategy to define the differences and relevance between product brands. - Increased distributor mindshare by developing and implemented training and displacement strategies for my products. - Expedited employee productivity, increased loyalty, reduced recruitment costs and increased retention by developing and modeling a training and orientation process for remote global team members.

- Managed a P&L for $150 million business, consisting of over 600 SKUs in 6,200 stores. - Developed and executed strategies for promotions, product assortment, distribution and pricing by using internal and industry data and by maintaining a constant connection with consumer and industry trends. - Increased margin over 700 bps by leading a direct import initiative for Hair Accessories and by developing and executing a successful private label program. - Increased productivity in multi-ethnic stores by determining assortment for various store clusters and POG versions. - Grew Ethnic Hair Care over 1.7 share points within the first year- beating any Food, Drug or Mass competitor reporting to IRI. - Increased vendor funding by 50% in Ethnic Hair Care by establishing category standards and leading strong negotiations. - Controlled inventory costs by reducing lead times, cost of goods and case packs sizes.

- Improved category performance by 10% through effective management of a $200 million category. - Improved product assortment on a national and regional basis using external industry data, POS data and sku optimization processes. - Negotiated with key suppliers to generate lowest cost of goods to improve category margins. - Reduced inventory costs by accurately forecasting product quantities based on seasonality and customer demand. - Optimized category sales and profitability by analyzing competitive information, determining optimal price points and understanding customer trends.

- Improved category performance by 7% through effective management of a $180 million category. - Applied a 6% incremental gross profit dollar increase to my category by developing strategies, setting and communicating goals and referencing best practices for 8 corporate divisions. - Exceeded sales expectations and increased store participation by 50% by developing a program that successfully launched a bestselling video game. This helped to define 7-Eleven as a media destination. - Simplified a national program of over 32 regional magazine wholesalers by streamlining back end and front end processes. - Designed a publication mainline fixture to ensure optimal merchandising of newspapers and magazines.

- Rotational program designed to strengthen management and leadership skills through mentorship, challenging projects and highly visible performance. - Departmental projects included Merchandising, Operations, Legal, Supply Chain, Marketing, IT and Procurement.