I had to pick myself up and get on with it, do it all over again, only even better this time.

I learned a lesson which has stuck with me all through the years: you can learn from everybody. I didn't just learn from reading every retail publication I could get my hands on, I probably learned the most from studying what John Dunham was doing across the street

Keep everybody guessing as to what your next trick is going to be. Don't become too predictable.

If you want a successful business, your people must feel that you are working for them - not that they are working for you.

Great ideas come from everywhere if you just listen and look for them. You never know who's going to have a great idea.

I'd still say that visiting the stores and listening to our folks was one of the most valuable uses of my time as an executive. But really, our best ideas usually do come from the folks in the stores. Period.

Curiosity doesn't kill the cat; it kills the competition.