Here’s a press release from Downtown Whitewater —
Downtown Whitewater, Inc has the pleasure to announce that it will be hosting highly acclaimed speaker, trainer, author and consultant Margie Johnson, to aid in equipping entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills to lead to higher profitability and performance. Mrs. Johnson will be in Whitewater November 16th and 17th for a special two-day program supported by the Wisconsin Main Street Program.
Margie has a thirty-year career as an entrepreneur and business expert who operates Shop Talk, a Virginia Beach based specialized consultation and research firm concentrated in independent retail, hospitality, health care, and financial industries. Margie brings a wealth of experience in business development that has led to a highly successful second career helping companies achieve their best performance. Her focus on customer-centered strategies and solutions has benefited hundreds of businesses by giving them the competitive edge needed to survive and thrive.
Margie will tour Downtown Whitewater the morning of November 16th, followed by in-store visits and consultation with local independent retailers. On the evening of the 16th, Margie will lead a round table discussion on business retention and recruitment to the Downtown Whitewater, Inc. Economic Restructuring Committee to provide education and capacity-building for Downtown Whitewater, Inc.’s service to downtown businesses. Margie will visit additional businesses in the late morning and early afternoon on the 17th.
Margie will deliver a workshop on November 17th from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. entitled Sustainable Success Strategies, which is designed to stimulate, educate, and challenge participants regarding the new realities that are facing independent businesses. In an environment of rapid change in the marketplace, coupled with economic difficulties at all levels, retailers must rethink all the rules if they are to successfully complete. This workshop is open to all, and will discuss trends in the retail sector, key factors shaping the retail landscape, trends in consumer purchasing habits, independent retail business best practices, and more. The workshop will be held at the Cravath Lakefront Community Building and is open to the public.
Margie’s accolades include the Fred Lazarus National Retail Federation Award, North Carolina Employer of the Year Award, Inside Business 2006 Women in Business Achievement Award, 1998 Outstanding Woman of Hampton Roads, and recognition in Who’s Who in America. She has received coverage in the Virginian-Pilot, the Washington Post, Women’s Wear Daily Specialty Stores Newsletter, at the National Retail Federation, and on WHRO Public Television and NBC’s Today Show.
Downtown Whitewater, Inc was formed in 2006 to facilitate historic restoration and economic vibrancy in downtown Whitewater. Downtown Whitewater, Inc is comprised of a Board of Directors and four committees that meet monthly and oversee the organization’s downtown revitalization efforts as carried out by the Executive Director, Tami Brodnicki, Board Members, and volunteers under the auspices of the state Main Street Program.
For more information on Downtown Whitewater contact Executive Director Tami Brodnicki at director@downtownwhitewater.com or (262) 473-2200.