News and Trends

• United Natural Foods earnings decrease in Q4
  United Natural Foods, a distributor of natural foods and nutritional supplements, says its fiscal 2008 fourth-quarter earnings dipped, citing its Millbrook acquisition and higher costs. The Connecticut-based company reported $12.8 million in quarterly net income, compared to $13.1 million for the fourth quarter of last year. The company also released its guidance for fiscal 2009 in which it forecasts a higher profit. RTT News (9/3) , Forbes/Associated Press (9/3)

• Distributors should evaluate inventory practices
  When sales are on the rise, attention to inventory management sometimes falls by the wayside, but with the economy in a challenging period, distributors may now be taking a close look at their inventory management practices, according to Jon Schreibfeder, president of Effective Inventory Management. Modern Distribution Management (9/2)

• Consumer spending slows, Federal Reserve says
  The recently released Federal Reserve Beige Book economic report based on data from 12 Federal Reserve Districts in the U.S., reveals flagging residential real-estate markets, as well as less demand for commercial and office space. Manufacturing activity was soft or on the downswing in most of the districts, but showed improvements in others, per the economic report. Modern Distribution Management (9/3)

• Other News

• HD Supply signs deal for new warehouse after yearlong search
  GlobeSt.com (9/3)

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Best Practices

• Study of business failures spotlights top mistakes
  A new study examines the missteps prompting several key business failures in U.S. over the past 25 years -- roughly half of which the authors maintain could have been averted had certain common pitfalls been avoided. Harvard Business Review (9/2008)

• When company gets stagnant, realignment may be needed
  Companies need to be periodically aligned -- just like tires on a car. Managers typically can sense when things are trending in a shaky direction, and providing incentives for workers to offer suggestions for keeping customers satisfied is one way to keep a business running smoothly. CustomerThink (8/29)

Sales

• Tips for making the most of LinkedIn profile
  Many people are expanding their professional networks by placing their profiles on the business-social hybrid networking site LinkedIn. Making the most of your LinkedIn experience includes building a tight network of "highly relevant, high value people," instead of haphazardly adding a large number of contacts, this article suggests. Selling Power (free registration) (9/2)

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by NAW SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Sales mistakes that set up prospects to just say no (Manage Smarter)

• Reward change, not longevity (Manage Smarter)

• Applied Industrial acquires Fluid Power Resource (RTT News)

• Have a plan for making warehouse slotting more efficient (Industrial Distribution)

• Ricoh to acquire Ikon Office Solutions for $1.62 billion (Forbes)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Small Business Manager

• Busy business owners save time, money using Web
  Many business operators are finding they can conduct a good deal of their work and even have meetings with clients through the Internet instead of in person. "Relationships are still very important, but what we're finding is that people are busy, and in the past four or five months gas prices have gone up so much that working virtually appeals to a lot of people," said Ron McArthur, head of WSI, a Canadian franchiser that provides Web services. The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)/The Orange County Register (Calif.) (9/2)

Executive Life

• World's weirdest spa treatments described
  Health and beauty treatments at spas are getting more innovative -- and unusual -- every day. A list of the "world's strangest spa treatments" includes massage services provided aboard a gondola in Venice or visiting a ranch in Jackson, Wyo., where the resident horses are said to impart Reiki healing energy to their riders. Travel + Leisure (9/2008)

• Cocktails get the molecular mixology treatment
  Some bartenders are turning liquids into solids and think they are reinventing the cocktail with drinks you can eat. Others say the trend is "gimmickry." This mixologist makes two-bite "drops" in flavors such as lemon drop, port wine and hazelnut, mojito, and Godiva/Grand Marnier. The Kansas City Star (Mo.) (9/2)

NAW Insider

• Register for NAW's Large Company CEO/COO Networking Roundtable
  NAW's Large Company CEO/COO Networking Roundtable, Chicago, Sept. 24 to 25, brings together CEOs/COOs from distribution companies with sales of $100 million and above. Topics are based on CEO/COO responses and address specific needs of the group, including an Economic Overview; In a Difficult Economy: How Are You Adjusting Your Company to Fit the New Realities; Optimizing Profitability and more. Register now!

• Brand new: Make your operations lean in challenging times
  Becoming lean in distribution is more important than ever in today's challenging economic market. Applying lean concepts makes sense because becoming lean means becoming a more effective distributor. And becoming lean will lead to higher profitability. Lean Operations in Wholesale Distribution focuses on the lucrative operations area and discusses steps distributors must take to design and manage a lean culture.

Weekly Poll

• Are you a member of professional networking Web site LinkedIn?
  After voting once, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page as often as you'd like.

	Yes, I am an active user.
	I have an account but rarely use it.
	I do not have an account, but I am considering signing up.
	I do not plan on creating an account.

VP of Information Systems D&H Distributing Company Harrisburg PA. Director of Finance Custom Manufacturing & Engineering, Inc St. Petersburg, Florida

SmartQuote

Work is either fun or drudgery. It depends on your attitude." --Colleen C. Barrett, president emeritus of Southwest Airlines