For nearly two centuries, Baker & Taylor (B&T) was one of the most trusted names in publishing. Founded in 1828, the company built its reputation distributing books and media to libraries, schools, and bookstores across America. But in October 2025, B&T announced it would shut down operations, ending a 197-year run. Why?

A Slark Consulting Group Insight Brief by Rick Slark, Fractional Strategist Trend: The Numbers Beneath the Season The data this year tell a quieter, more disciplined story. Deloitte’s 2025 Holiday Retail Survey projects a 10% decline in planned consumer spending , bringing the average holiday budget to $1,595 per shopper —the sharpest pullback since 1997. More than half of consumers— 57% —believe the economy will weaken in the next year, surpassing the pessimism of 2008. Cate

How to Build a Culture of Care and Accountability By Rick Slark, Fractional Strategist — Slark Consulting Group Every leader wants a...

Why Strengthening Operations Is the Smartest Growth Move You Can Make Every business wants growth. But not every business is built to handle it. Growth has a way of revealing what your systems can actually bear. The sales increase, the team expands, the workload multiplies, and suddenly, cracks appear in places that used to feel solid. The truth is simple: strategy sets direction, but operations determine whether you ever arrive. The Hidden Cost of Weak Operations Operations

An SCG Editorial Feature by Rick Slark The Craft Beer Slowdown Isn’t a Collapse. It’s a Correction. After two decades of unbroken...

Two paths to a powerful career: own a company or become an indispensable player. Use this self-check and soil test to choose wisely and avoid burnout.

Your calendar is jammed. Your inbox is overflowing. Every decision, every problem, every new responsibility finds its way to you —...

Starbucks is under pressure. With sales slipping and customer loyalty waning, new CEO Brian Niccol is pushing a back-to-basics reset — reclaiming the “third place,” simplifying the menu, and tightening operations. Whether the strategy works is still uncertain, but leaders can learn by watching. The real question isn’t what Starbucks will achieve, but what lessons apply to your organization.

Why Small Businesses Must Keep Re-Defining Their Market A Welding Shop Lesson: Customers Don’t Stand Still Last year, a small welding...

Discover how small business triggers can cut inefficiency, save 20–30% in lost revenue, and build simple micro-systems that keep your operations running smoothly.

Many business owners hit a wall around year five—not because they’ve failed, but because they’ve succeeded. With growth comes complexity, and the systems that once worked start to break down. This post explores how I typically come alongside owners during this critical phase to bring structure, rhythm, and strategic clarity through my SCG Priority Access program.

None of us want to be the pushy salesperson—but avoiding sales altogether isn’t the answer either. If you own a business, you must sell. The real question is this: are you persuading with clarity and respect, or manipulating out of pressure and fear? This post unpacks the subtle difference and why it matters more than ever for business owners who want to grow with integrity.

When uncertainty creeps in, even the best business plans start to wobble. This post isn’t about making a new plan—it’s about how to steady yourself when the ground shifts. From protecting cash flow to narrowing your focus, here are four moves that can help you stay grounded, visible, and effective when the future feels unclear.

In The Growth Blueprint: 10 Essentials for Building a Thriving Business, fractional strategist Rick Slark outlines the ten most common traits found in successful growth-stage companies. From clarifying your value proposition to building leadership layers and tracking key data, this guide offers practical insights, stats, and action steps to help business owners scale with intention—not chaos. Whether you're navigating growing pains or preparing to level up, this post serves a

Urgent leadership will stall your business. Learn why strategic growth starts by shifting from firefighting to building—and how your leadership drives it.