This year, RSR will celebrate its tenth anniversary. That’s pretty amazing. We have no CEO, no corporate hierarchy (really!); we’re just 5 people who work together with a common purpose: to understand and convey how retailers can succeed with the support of technology.

We have all year to take a look back over these ten years. Today, I’ve been asked to take a look ahead. What are RSR’s New Years’ resolutions? Times change, and so should we.

Number 1: We’re going to make our content more consumable. Think of it as one big “Have it your way ” fiesta. We know our benchmarks are long: very long. We also know there’s really good data contained within, along with our insights. But no one wants to read an encyclopedia while they’re waiting for their Uber to show up. So we’re going to create companion pieces that form spotlights on aspects of the main reports themselves. In many different formats.

Number 2: We’re going to offer several new products and services. It’samazing but true that among the four analysts, we each have a pet project we’d like to shepherd into the marketplace.

Look for “Retail Pulse ” coming your way soon, a quick snapshot of industry health, updated regularly.

Also look for a new report and engagement format called “STARTER. ” STARTER will be geared especially for retailers and act as a pragmatic readiness assessment for different aspects of what we know will continue as a fast-changing retail environment.

There will be more to come, hopefully all unveiled before our anniversary on June 15.

Number 3: We will keep a relentless focus on the future of the store. We believe the fundamental store model needs to change in most verticals or else it will become a rare species, rather than the ubiquitous face of retailing it is today.

We also know that it’s easy to say “change the store ” and a lot harder to do it. There are merchandise vendor contracts to unwind, challenges to hundred year old assumptions and the constraints of the fundamentally low operating profits retailers live in. Still, there isn’t a lot of choice in the matter. Quite simply, it’s change or die. We’ll continue our pragmatic assault on the status quo, while continuing to make equally pragmatic suggestions for change and reinvention.

Number 4: We will strive to be the best people and company we can be. Sure, that sounds hokey, but the truth is, our world could use a lot more honesty, wisdom and ultimately, more kindness. We’ve always had a somewhat altruistic vision of our role in retail: giving back to the industry that has served us.

That hasn’t changed.

It isn’t always easy. Sometimes companies take solace in their hierarchies. Individual responsibilities are simple and clear, and there’s a chain of command to follow. Our chain of command is…none. The thread that binds us together is a passion for the industry, for data and for speaking and writing about all of the above. It’s not always easy, but we’re determined.

So our promise to you for 2017 is more of the same, but better.

And if at any time, ever, you have a suggestion – from wherever you sit in the retail ecosystem: merchandise vendor, distributor, retailer, logistics provider, educator, or technology provider – please pass it on to us. We’re always open to new ideas, or at least we try to be. J

Remember, no one monitors the “analysts ” email address, so please make sure our names are included in the email address when you send us a note. We’re always willing and able to listen. In fact, feel free to comment on this piece!

Happy New Year, and I hope to see you all very soon.