Bob Negen

Bob Negen

Bob Negen founded the Mackinaw Kite Co., a chain of specialty toy and kite stores, in 1981 when he was only 23 years old. He had just graduated from college, didn’t want to get a “real job” and loved flying kites.

He spent the next twenty years learning the lessons of small business, providing an experience his customers loved and helped create, among other business accomplishments, a yo-yo craze that generated over 2 million dollars selling yo-yos and accessories.

In 1999 he founded WhizBang! Training and has dedicated himself to helping independent businesses thrive in today’s super-competitive business market.

Bob says “kites, yo-yos, plants or panty hose, it’s all retail, it’s all about giving your customers the kind of experience that makes your business memorable”.

Interviews with Bob Negen

Bob Negen
How to shift to an “omni-experiential” retail strategy
Bob Negen
How Main Street retail has pivoted in the pandemic era
Bob Negen
The weird 2020 holiday season got weird in April
Bob Negen
How retailers had to shift to survive
Bob Negen
The weird 2020 holiday season got weird in April
Bob Negen
How retailers had to shift to survive
Bob Negen
Grow a stronger culture with the ADD approach
Bob Negen
The key to retail survival in the middle of a pandemic
Bob Negen
Grow a stronger culture with the ADD approach
Bob Negen
The key to retail survival in the middle of a pandemic