Everything’s Expensive

Jun 1, 2026

Things are expensive these days.

If anyone would like to create an immediate and deeply visceral response in a conversation, talk about money. In fact, it makes up one of the four ubiquitous, off-limits conversation topics: politics, religion, sex, and money. If that wasn’t enough, not only is our financial situation one of the most personally sensitive points of view, but it’s also a leading catalyst for divorce and overall relational conflict.

Therefore, money, specifically what we have, how we spend it and where, will always be a thing we hold close to our chest as we make our choices in our fixed and discretionary spending.

When it comes to things being “expensive”, well, that is relative. I contend everything is expensive until value has been established. Then it becomes a balancing act of to what extent our value meets our capacity to pay for the thing or things we want, need, or desire.

“During these economic times…”

Ok, first off, let me temper everything that follows with acknowledging the realities of the cost of living. I am not immune to this very real thing each day, week, month, and so on. Here’s the thing, I am not sold on the idea that these current times are unique. Every generational group has had an economy with which they have had to navigate their spending realities.

Times with market crashes, world wars, pandemics, and a variety of local, national, and global events of all categories have challenged our ability to buy, sell, transact, save, invest, and so on. If we have a little or a lot, the zeitgeist, or the spirit of the times, influences our wallets.

Context is everything.

I am going to challenge “During these economic times” through the lens of retail, and specifically what we do as retailers, which is to sell lots of stuff. Let’s start right there. When one works in retail, the job, regardless of whether it is customer facing or not, is 100% about selling what it has or supporting those who do the selling within some respective organizational role.

You see, I started in an era of retail where it seemed the three most important KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) were CR, AS, and IPS. That is to say…Conversion Rate or how many sales vs. opportunities. Average Sale or the total dollar amount of each transaction. And Items Per Sale or…well, that one seems obvious. The key thing uniting all three, the more the better.

My first legit retail job was selling clothes. I learned early on that it was unconscionable to sell just one thing. For example, we never let a suit go out without two dress shirts, three ties, a belt, and maybe some shoes. Why that much? Because a suit was an investment, and the goal was to ensure the customer could make the most of their purchase.

Now pivot over to wireless. The same is true, and even more so. Here’s why. It wasn’t that long ago at a wireless convention, maybe 16 years ago, where the idea of someone spending the money to buy a smart phone was a question mark. The price point seemed too high. And now, we cannot even imagine not having a smart phone. We went from about a 25% take rate then to being well over 100%. In fact, our saturation rate is way over 100%.

Which challenges the question, especially to someone who is new to retail, “during these economic times”, will people buy more than just the phone? And I say resoundingly, “heck yeah”. Just like the suit, it’s an investment. We go everywhere and do everything with our handheld, minicomputer. It links us to almost every aspect of our life. It requires protection, power, and performance to maximize overall value and usage. As well as all the connectivity with family, lifestyle, and business opportunities.

In fact, wherever we are and whatever we do, we will never give up our phones…even in and especially during these economic times. We probably depend on them more now. And we need more than just the phone. Each item offered adds value to our customers’ lives, and we get to help with that.

‘Value’ and ‘Service’ Prevail Over ‘Expensive’ and ‘Economy’ 

Let’s be real, price does matter, even when value is being established. What makes a distinct difference is when we help the customer align what they want and what they need with the most reasonable and cost-effective solution. Where the selling focus is not to blindly get the customer to buy more, but to intentionally help them buy right.

The key to making that happen is the quality of service before, during, and after. Beyond the disclosed features and benefits that align with the customer’s buying decision. It’s the relationship created and the behaviors demonstrated to each customer. It’s in the crafting of the relationship through…asking the questions, getting to know the customer and their wants, needs, and desires, making the recommendation for the total solution, working through setting them up properly, and then ending with a transaction AND establishing a relationship that lasts.

Bottom line, expensive, economy, price, value…it’s all relative. Keep that in perspective. The focus is making the most out of the investment. At Russell Cellular, maximizing value is the common denominator in all that we do. Caring for every person is how we do it.

#Verizon #5G #LTE #Fiber #RussellCellular #BetterTogether #LeadershipMatters

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Culture and Growth

May 19, 2026

As a District Sales Manager, Muhammad brings a leadership perspective shaped by his own journey through Russell Cellular – from new hire to leader. His experience reflects the impact of strong onboarding, supportive leadership, and a culture built on growth. He shares these reflections in his own words:

Looking back, I remember well what it was like to be new at Russell Cellular – but now, as a District Sales Manager, I can clearly see how impactful that experience truly was.

 

From day one, my onboarding felt both supportive and structured. The leadership team made sure I had the resources, guidance, and training needed to succeed, but what stood out most was the collaborative environment – everyone genuinely wants to help each other improve and win together.

 

One of the reasons I was drawn to RC was its reputation for growth  and its family-like culture, where hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. That became real for me almost immediately. Building relationships early on helped me learn quickly, ask better questions, and develop trust with the people around me.

 

Now, in my role as a leader, I try to create that same experience for others.

 

If I could give one piece of advice to new hires, it would be this: be coachable. Ask questions, take feedback seriously, and focus on building strong habits early. Most importantly, stay aligned with our mission – delivering the best wireless experience to every customer, every time.

 

If you stay consistent, keep a positive attitude, and take care of your customers, the results will follow.

#Verizon #5G #LTE #Fiber #RussellCellular #BetterTogether #Perspective

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The Task Doesn’t Change; We Do.

May 1, 2026

Turning Hard Tasks Into Growth

I offered this in a conversation with someone I am mentoring. They were lamenting about the difficulty of doing this specific task. As they shared their process, they seemed stuck in only one way to do it, and they couldn’t get past a mental wall they had created in getting it done.

Their focus struck me as misdirected. They seemed to place all their focus on the task. The task seemed to be their tripping point each day. It was hard. It just seemed impossible to do.

Ok, I get it: a task can be hard to do. Until it isn’t. We eventually figure it out. Another thing, two people can look at and engage in the same task. For one, it’s hard. For the other, it’s easy. Same task. What’s the difference?

It’s NOT Rocket Science.

I have used this idiom before, and it especially strikes a nerve with team members who may struggle with specific tasks. The meaning of the saying is obvious. It defines a task or concept as simple, easy to understand, and not complex. It is used to reassure us that this requires little specialized knowledge, often implying that a task should be easy to complete.

Easy is relative, though, isn’t it? Whatever the job or industry, all tasks come with their own brand of easy and hard. So, our response in qualifying what we get to do will always be subjective, personal, and dependent on experience, perspective, and circumstance.

Maybe our challenge is engaging others, asking a question or two, or closing the sale. Why? Why is this particular task hard? Or why is it hard for me and not for someone else? Or what’s the root cause underneath my saying this, feeling it, or realizing whatever the adjective is what it is?

My advice would be to start with some curiosity – ask why. Before we make it “rocket science”, let’s figure out if we are really unpacking the science of rocketry or merely doing whatever it is consistently and with purpose.

Easy Things Should Be Easy, and Hard Things Should Be Possible.

Let’s be real, the goal is to make hard or difficult tasks easier and to find the best and most efficient ways to make that happen. However, sometimes we choose easy or easier because we want to avoid the hard or difficult stuff.  Call it the path of least resistance. Why choose that?

Well, it can be a couple of things. It can be psychological and behavioral tendencies to prioritize comfort, simplicity, and no pushback over labor-intensive, high-risk alternatives. We may want to minimize physical or mental exertion. Sometimes it’s our hardwiring. Our brain favors known, repetitive behaviors over the mental effort of decision-making and overcoming challenges when things get hard. And face it, sometimes we just get lazy, and easy trumps hard.

Imagine a wall. An obstacle that can trip us up. A thing to overcome and keeps us from our mission of getting to the other side. We can go over it, around it, or even through it. Or we could take the easy way out…turn around and walk away. The thing is, the other side is our mission. It will require intentional effort. Therefore, hard will be our pathway to achievement. With pain comes gain.

Bottom line, if easy is easy…fine, let it be so. If what we have is hard and it needs to be hard, don’t choose the comfortable path. Choosing this path can lead to wasted potential, mediocrity, and avoiding necessary personal growth. Acknowledge the task as hard, accept the challenge, and resolve to overcome the extra effort and do the next right thing.

Remember, Simple Doesn’t Mean Easy.

Essentially, this suggests a task or concept can be straightforward, clear, and uncomplicated to understand, yet still require immense effort, discipline, or even flexibility to execute. The challenge seems to lie between the simplicity of understanding and ease of execution. It still begs the question, what makes tasks perceived as ‘hard’ easy or at least easier?

Case in point: I have been with team members who shy away from doing specific tasks as part of their selling routine. Why? They say it’s hard. I wonder is the task too hard or the fear too great? Is it doubt? Is it that they’re uncomfortable to make happen? Because it doesn’t appear to be the task itself. It seems like it is more a skillset-thing. Maybe even a mindset-thing. Either way, the task doesn’t change.

Well, to be fair, yes, tasks can go through change. Maybe they alter due to new or better efficiencies or pivot in direction and focus. Even though it’s still an expectation, the next step is how we get it done. The change we bring into the next step is about the choice we make in how we engage our ability and attitude – our approach.

And that was my challenge and encouragement to the team members. First, find a different “why” – you may need to reframe the question and change your attitude about the answer. Next, take it apart. Break it down into smaller tasks or steps. Rearrange them if needed. Then, study what’s in front of you. Seek to better understand and learn from different perspectives, like asking someone else about their approach. And then, put it back together and engage in it one thing at a time. With a dedicated focus, we’ll find the task doesn’t change its being-ness, we change our doing-ness.

Today, the main thing is to keep it simple. Yes, things can and will be hard to do. BUT, when we invest in them and improve our skillset and mindset to do them, with time and commitment, they become easier. The task AND our ability to do it.

If you’re looking to move from simple to easy, and easy to easier, consider the following questions.

• Define easy, or hard, or any other adjective that comes to mind.
• Where and when does it typically show up in your day-to-day?
• Is this task part of our routine or something we’ve never done before?
• What have you done to better understand and become knowledgeable about it?
• What’s the real issue – the task or our attitude about the task?

#Verizon #5G #LTE #Fiber #RussellCellular #BetterTogether #LeadershipMatters

Check out other RC blog articles.