Turn Summer's Biggest Challenge Into Your Competitive Edge

Michele Barnes, KRC Founder & CEO: 'Summer doesn't have to be your productivity enemy.'

I've been through 30+ years of retail summers. From VP roles at major brands to running KRC. I've learned something counterintuitive: Summer isn't the problem. Poor planning for summer is.

Most companies treat summer like bad weather. Something to endure. That's exactly backward. Summer separates you from the pack.

The Challenge We All Face

Let's be honest about what's really happening.

Seventy percent of retail construction project managers report major scheduling conflicts. Not minor hiccups. Major conflicts.

Sixty percent of project delays happen because decision-makers are unavailable. Your brand director is in the Hamptons. Your store operations lead is in Europe. Your visual merchandising manager is at camp.

Meanwhile, the calendar doesn't care about anyone's vacation.

Back-to-school deadlines are non-negotiable. Miss that window, you're looking at lower sales. Each week of delay costs $50K to $250K.

I watched a major apparel chain lose $4 million. Eight stores missed back-to-school. Eight.

Here's what makes this personal for me. I've never accepted that summer means slower progress. When I was at VP level, summers were expansion seasons. We opened more stores, faster, with better results.

The difference? We treated summer like strategic opportunity, not operational obstacle.

Why This Matters More Than You Think

Missing summer deadlines isn't just about one store. You're giving competitors a head start. While you're delayed, they're capturing market share.

You're damaging landlord relationships. Miss promised opening dates, good locations become harder. You're burning through team credibility. Nothing kills momentum like explaining why projects slip.

But here's the bigger picture. Retail construction that delivers consistently becomes invaluable.

Landlords prioritize you. Brands trust you with critical locations. Your reputation becomes your competitive moat.

I've seen this firsthand. Teams that master summer execution dominate. They become go-to choice because everyone knows delivery.

Why the Usual Approaches Fail

Most companies try one of three things. None work.

Approach #1: Push through anyway.  

Just expect everyone to work around vacations. Result? Burned-out teams, quality issues, delays with drama.

Approach #2: Build in extra time.  

Add weeks to schedule "just in case." This moves problems to fall holiday prep.

Approach #3: Wing it with coverage.  

Hope someone fills in when key people away. Then spend September explaining why temp decisions need redoing.

I've watched all these approaches fail. They treat summer like something happening TO projects. Instead of planning FOR projects to thrive.

The real issue isn't heat or vacations. Most teams don't redesign their approach for summer.

At KRC, we've developed our Summer Surge Framework to turn seasonal challenges into competitive advantages.

Our Proven Summer Success System

At KRC, we've developed our Summer Surge Framework. Here's exactly how it works:

Step 1: Map the Ecosystem Early  

Before any project starts, we identify every stakeholder. Brand teams, operations, visual merchandising, legal, landlords. We get their summer schedules in March.

Step 2: Create Decision Proxies  

For every critical approval, we establish authority coverage. Not "figure it out later." Written delegation with clear parameters.

Step 3: Front-Load Critical Decisions  

Move all major choices to spring. Summer becomes execution-focused, not decision-heavy. Decisions made poolside rarely go well.

Step 4: Pre-Book Everything  

Specialized trades, equipment, materials get secured in May. While competitors scramble in July, our resources are locked.

Step 5: Daily Coordination Rhythms  

Short daily check-ins replace weekly meetings. When half your team is distributed, you need frequency. Lighter touches maintain momentum.

Step 6: Relationship Insurance  

We over-communicate with everyone. Clients get updates whether they ask or not. Contractors know they can reach us anytime.

The Results?

Our framework delivers. KRC clients consistently hit back-to-school deadlines. We've reduced summer delays by sixty percent. Build-out times drop twenty-five percent when everyone else slows down..

Your Action Plan

Summer doesn't have to be your productivity enemy. Make it your competitive advantage.

Start planning your summer strategy now. Map your stakeholders. Secure your resources. Build your coordination systems.

Your competitors are already planning to slow down. That's your opportunity.

Until next time,

Michele  

KRCrossing Consulting

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P.S. Our Brand Backstory series continues next issue. We're profiling an athletic company that built their empire on one radical principle: never compromise on quality, even when everyone said they should. From humble Boston beginnings to global dominance without losing their soul - their retail expansion story will surprise you.