News and Trends

• US Electrical Services to be bought by CED
  US Electrical Services, the roll-up distributor of electrical products that has acquired 11 companies since its inception fewer than two years ago, is being bought by electrical distributor CED. "[USESI and CED] share a common, optimistic vision of the electrical distribution industry's evolution, and most significantly, that the regional hub and spoke model that USESI employs is a distinct operating model and skill set that CED did in fact highly value," said Richard Worthy, USESI's founder who will retain his CEO position. TED Magazine (10/10)

• Gases distributor will raise prices to keep pace with overhead costs
  Airgas will raise prices on bulk and packaged gases because of the increased costs of plant operations and raw materials, the specialty gases distributor said. The company, based in Radnor, Pa., has set Dec. 1 as the date for price increases that will range between 8% and 30%. American City Business Journals/Philadelphia (10/10)

Best Practices

• Don't let long hours dominate your life
  Long hours don't necessarily have to wreak havoc on your life. Some tips for making work and play time more enjoyable include getting a full night's sleep, taking power naps and keeping to a regular exercise routine in order to prevent overreactions at work. Forbes (10/4)

• Working too much? Discussion may be in order
  Business and work are important, but work may be consuming too much of your time, industry consultant Rick Johnson says. If you or your family harbor concerns about your work-life balance, what may be in order is an honest discussion about whether you are a workaholic, and what changes can be made if you are. CEO Strategist (10/10)

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Sales

• Don't let negative values project onto customers
  Negative values and attitudes held by sales professionals toward their own jobs and products can be unconsciously communicated to customers, influencing their buying decisions. If customers aren't being receptive to your pitch and continually seem to be holding out for a lower price, "Reflect on your attitude and your values and see if the root of the problem isn't there," business expert Dave Kahle writes. DaveKahle.com (10/2)

Hot Topics

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

• Hagemeyer: Sonepar bid not enough (Industrial Distribution online)

• HDTV prices still dropping, but questions linger (SeattlePI.com)

• Hagemeyer announces new marine product line (Modern Distribution Management)

• Who trained your forklift drivers? (DC Velocity magazine)

• Confidence goes a long way in dealing with haggling client (Manage Smarter)

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

Small Business Manager

• Helping companies address their growing pains
  The founders of three companies describe the growing pains a company can experience and the solutions they employed to overcome them. One founder, for instance, had the problem of hiring experienced people but not being able to afford their six-figure salaries, and the solution was to put together a good compensation package. Entrepreneur.com (10/2)

Executive Life

• Wii not getting a price cut for the holidays
  Nintendo will likely keep the $249 price tag for its Wii console this holiday shopping season. Officials have stated that continued strong demand for the system dictates that price cuts aren't currently needed. Yahoo!/Reuters (10/11)

• Survey: Culinary events have appeal as adventure travel
  American travelers have embraced food and culture as new types of adventure travel, according to a new survey from Hyatt Resorts. The survey found that 66% of Americans consider destination-specific culinary fare such as a Texas barbeque or a Hawaiian Luau to be an adventure travel activity. They ranked cuisine above activities including water sports and mountain climbing. TravelPulse (10/11)

NAW Insider

Weekly Poll

• Do you consider yourself a workaholic?
  After voting once, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page as often as you'd like.

	Yes, I have to admit that I work a lot.
	I would not say so, but my family and friends may disagree.
	No, I know I do not work too much.

Credit Manager Gustave A. Larson Company Pewaukee, Wisconsin

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SmartQuote

Conventionality is not morality." --Charlotte Bronte, English novelist