Jama Rice

Are You Happy?

Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth, because I’m happy! If you’ve heard Happy by Pharrell Williams you know that it’s an upbeat, finger-snapping, move-your-feet song that makes the day seem better just by listening.

Do you know that Pharrell is also famous for his hats? He auctioned off the Vivienne Westwood mountain hat he wore to the GRAMMY Awards to support his foundation. He wore a similar one to the Oscars that host Ellen DeGeneres used to collect money for the pizza she ordered for the audience mid-show.

Museum Store Association members are famous for their hats as well. At MSA’s conference in Houston in April, there were sessions on merchandising, business planning, speaking a CFO’s language, and so much more technical subject matter—all necessary talents that reflect the many different hats you wear well. Unlike a large retail operation in which there is a person for every detailed area of the business, you may have to take on each and every one of these responsibilities.

How do you become expert at all of these skills? How do you demonstrate to your colleagues, your management, your visitors and patrons your ability to extend the experience of your institution, satisfy your customer’s wishes and run a business that contributes to your institution? How do you learn to wear all of those hats as well as Pharrell wears his? That is the purpose of MSA: to provide you with the learning and resources to strengthen your skills in operating a distinct and thriving retail operation that is meaningful to your customers and your colleagues, management, institution and community.

That’s certainly some happiness to clap along to.

By Jama Rice

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