Why is Sam’s Club Ordering Truckloads of Management Wisdom Guides?

Minneapolis, March 24, 2005 – Tom Gegax, cofounder of the Tires Plus national retailer and Gegax Management Systems, today announced that Sam’s Club placed a single order for 50,000 copies of Gegax’s forthcoming book, BY THE SEAT OF YOUR PANTS: The No-Nonsense Business Management Guide. The nation's largest retailer serving small businesses will provide the guide to attendees of its April small business expo.

In BY THE SEAT OF YOUR PANTS, Gegax has created the ultimate, at your fingertips resource for practical business management that can help business people raise profits and reduce stress day-to-day.

“Stocking a wealth of materials and supplies in each store, Sam’s Club is an invaluable resource for people working to grow a small business,” said Gegax. “Similarly, By the Seat of Your Pants is the perfect resource for Sam’s Club’s small business membership who want long-term business growth without being overwhelmed by the anxiety of seat-of-the-pants management.”

Fifty thousand copies (109,000 pounds) of BY THE SEAT OF YOUR PANTS will be delivered to Sam’s Club corporate headquarters in three full-capacity tractor-trailers.

BY THE SEAT OF YOUR PANTS helps professionals hungry for answers to daily challenges and dissatisfied with rows of business books offering magic pills and gobbledygook. The guide taps into the mind, body and soul of an entrepreneur who grew a less-than-sexy business from a sketch on a restaurant napkin to a leading nationwide retailer.

As CEO of Tires Plus, Gegax spent much of the ‘80s struggling to grow his company, all the while being a gruff, seat-of-the-pants leader. In 1989, Gegax experienced three emergencies at once: cancer, a divorce, and spiraling company profits. He made a massive change in leadership systems and style. The result: the company grew from 30 to 150 stores, and was so profitable that he could bypass outside investors and retain ownership control. After selling his company in 2000 to one of the world’s largest companies, Gegax committed to helping others increase profits and lower deadly stress levels. Whether she’s an entrepreneur with a slingshot to take on corporate Goliaths or a seasoned exec searching for an A-to-Z guide for managing, BY THE SEAT OF YOUR PANTS is an asset. It concentrates Gegax’s experience, research and insight into a swift manual containing a hundred business books’ worth of information packed into 440 pages. Its solutions read as clearly as the front page of a USA Today.

About the Author, Tom Gegax
Tom Gegax, founder of Gegax Management Systems (www.gegax.com) and author of the forthcoming By The Seat Of Your Pants: The No-Nonsense Business Management Guide (April 2005; Expert Publishing) served as Chairman and CEO (head coach) of Tires Plus Stores for 24 years. By the time Tom sold the company to Bridgestone/Firestone in July 2000, it had mushroomed from a concept sketched on a restaurant napkin to a market leader with 150 upscale stores (complete with art prints, cappuccino, in-store movies, and kids play areas) in 10 states and $200 million in revenue.

Tom was a pioneer of the tough-minded, warm-hearted “coaching” style of management. Tires Plus’ healthy corporate culture was legendary for its focus on the well-being of its employees and customers (or, as Tom preferred to call them, teammates and guests). The unique pairing of hard-nosed efficiency and a caring environment was one core ingredient in the company’s secret sauce. Tom’s comprehensive, no-nonsense management system catapulted Tires Plus to the top of this industry.

By The Seat Of Your Pants: The No-Nonsense Business Management Guide is receiving rave reviews from top business leaders across the country, including Ken Blanchard (The One-Minute Manager), Harvey Mackay (Swim with the Sharks), Marilyn Carlson Nelson (Carlson Companies) and author of the book’s foreword, Richard Schulze, Founder and Chairman of Best Buy. Tom’s guide connects the dots between all aspects of a business with unprecedented breadth and depth.

Tom founded Gegax Management Systems in 2000 to share his business management system with growing companies. He crisscrosses the country consulting, conducting seminars and delivering keynote speeches. His one-on-one executive coaching sessions help business leaders sharpen their management skills.

Contact Information:

Eric Davis or Rob Davis
Haberman & Associates 612-338-3900 eric@habermaninc.com
rob@habermaninc.com

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BY THE SEAT OF YOUR PANTS: The No-Nonsense Business Management Guide
By Tom Gegax
Publication Date: April 2005
Price: $47.00, Hardcover, 440 pages, 9.5 in. x 6 in.
ISBN: 1-931945-16-0
Publisher: Expert Publishing Inc.