I have to admit I am filled with admiration for Cinda Baxter. This is one former retailer who read the writing on the wall that was there for the world to see before it became visible to most. When she had a store, she differentiated her invitation business by doing so much in store printing and customization so she would not be used as a library and as an immunization tool against the web. She started dialogs among retailers and established a company to help retailers, something she is most qualified to do.
Her latest initiative is what inspires me because I live my life to make a difference and what she established in the 3/50 Project which encourages support and preservation of the local retailer is brilliant and perhaps can resurrect a loyalty, passion and understanding in consumers that is being muted by overexposure to a computer screen.
Every bit of publicity she gets is well deserved and as a retailer who opened a store at age 23 and has been a small independent retailer for 28 years (even though I officially retired from active duty in 1996 but my wife carried on), I motivated to spread the word of this initiative. Take a look at the 350 Project. I am sure this will be the talk of the Stationery Show.