Oct 15, 2021
While others run away from bricks and mortar retail, Doug Putman races in. What began as a single fruit stand in his teens, now bears billions of dollars in sales.
Today Doug Putman owns HMV in Canada and the United Kingdom, Toys"R"Us and Babies R Us in Canada, FYE - For Your Entertainment in the USA, T. Kettle in Canada, Sunrise Records and he is only 37 years old.
This is his incredible story and within, Doug offers so many lessons and my standing ovation for believing in retail and all `the energy and jobs it provides to the community and economy.
So how did Doug accomplish so much in under 20 years?
1)His first retail venture was owning a Fruit Stand, which he quickly scaled to five. Learn the lessons he learned about cash flow, perishable fruit, and why hiring friends isn't always the answer.
2)His next big move was dropping out of first-year University as this wasn't his path. Doug joined his family's small collectible business as a warehouse helper making minimum wage.
3)Doug moved into sales, honed his ability to evaluate risk and reward, and his family let him try ideas and fail.
4)One day, an opportunity came from his top customer, Sunrise Records, and an owner that was retiring. That opportunity changed his life. Doug went from being their supplier to becoming their owner.
5)Today, Doug Putman is proving that retail is viable in Canada, United Kingdom and the USA, if you execute according to the lessons he has learned, and willingly shares.
Please share with entrepreneurs, small business owners, those who aspire to be in charge of their own destiny and all who love retail.
To chat with Doug Putman:
Linked In: linkedin.com/in/doug-putman
HMV: https://www.hmv.com
FYE: https://www.fye.com
Toys R Us Canada: https://www.toysrus.ca
Sunrise Records: https://www.facebook.com/sunriserecords/
To chat with Tony Chapman.
Web: https://chatterthatmatters.ca
Twitter – @TonyChapman – https://twitter.com/tonychapman
Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonychapmanreactions/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chatterthatmatters/ Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcGvzmw9MFkUcGylrFA2xCQ
RBC - https://www.rbc.com
RBC Small Business Navigator:
https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/business/small-business-navigator/index.html
RBC Upskill - https://www.rbc.com/dms/enterprise/futurelaunch/rbc-upskill.html
RBC Business Banking - https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/business/index.html