Jay Sachetti joined Jeff O’Brien, partner at Husch Blackwell and Dyanne Ross-Hanson, president of Exit Planning Strategies talked about the market for mergers and acquisitions, exit planning opportunities for companies that don’t end up for sale and how companies can maximize their eventual sale price during an early October panel at the first Upsize on Tap event at Summit Brewing Co. in St. Paul.
When the state Legislature passed a law requiring employers to provide paid leave and safe time for employees, Justin Bieganek started hearing differing details from friends, colleagues and peers.
Like you, I’m bombarded with offers supposedly designed to reward my loyalty to various businesses, yet I was thinking recently how most of those programs actually turn me off. The last thing I want is another code to punch in or email to clutter up my jam-packed inbox.
Panera Bread and the instructions it gives cashiers to repeat the exact same lines every time: Do you have a Panera card? Do you want to add a pastry for 99 cents? No and no, I say every time, usually to the exact same server who just asked me the other day.
Caribou Coffee and its incessant pitches to donate coffee. Do you want to buy Amy’s blend to fight breast cancer? Do you want to donate a pound to our military troops? I’m told each employee has a quota to sell, and they’re under great pressure to push, push, push. If corporations wish to donate to a cause, they should do so, and leave their employees and customers alone.
Walgreen’s and the phone number you have to punch in EVERY SINGLE TIME to allegedly get rewards. I really don’t care if I get 10 bonus points or whatever for buying toilet paper.
Black & White Market, and other retailers, which hand you a coupon for 25 percent off, starting in three weeks, after you’ve just forked over a boatload of cash to purchase a new fall wardrobe. How about giving me a discount today?
Macy’s and its piles of coupons good on everything in the store, except of course for what I am actually purchasing.
Red Wagon, the new pizza parlor in my south Minneapolis neighborhood, greets my son by name when he joins us after his football game at Washburn High School every Friday night. They ask him how the game went, and split the Caesar salad for my husband and me, including an extra soft-boiled egg without charge.
Café Maude starts my brunch beverage as soon as we take our seats: a mimosa with just a “whisper” of orange juice and a side of ice. The bartenders even joke about my request, and it’s become a saying among them.
Café Ena, where we are regulars, seats us at the first available table although we don’t have a reservation, and Marcelo, our favorite waiter, describes which special each of us will enjoy the most that night. (And he’s always correct.)
Sparrow Café makes the most delicious cappuccinos, in hefty ceramic cups, and brings them to our table when we stop in before our Saturday walk.
OK, by now it might be obvious why I just can’t seem to lose weight these days, so I’ll add a non-restaurant favorite.
Settergren Ace Hardware employs plenty of staff members, including many young people from the neighborhood, and then trains them to greet me at the door and lead me personally to whatever obscure item I’m looking for.
