Gail Nickel-Kailing: Editor/Co-Publisher
Gail began her business career managing Swiss Colony Restaurant and Cheese Shop, which generated nearly $1 million in sales annually. A move to Swiss Colony Catalog, as a designer of food products, gave her the opportunity to market seasonal and holiday food products through more than 20 million catalogs per year.
Leveraging her retail and direct marketing experience, Ms. Nickel-Kailing then acquired Houseworks, Madison WI, where she sold imported fabrics, home décor, and gifts.
It was her interest in mail, direct marketing, and distribution that lead to a position at the US Postal Service where she advised companies of all sizes on optimum methods of designing and preparing large quantities of correspondence, publications, and products to be carried through the postal system.
Because volume mailing required sophisticated computer technology, Ms. Nickel-Kailing joined software pioneer, Postalsoft. During her tenure, she progressed to Vice President of Corporate Planning. Postalsoft (later re-named FirstLogic and finally acquired by Business Objects/SAP) grew to more than $30 million in revenue and over 300 employees.
A move to ImageX.com (acquired by Kinkos/FedEx), an early ecommerce company, allowed Gail as Director of Strategic Marketing to participate in the development of complex online marketing, sales, and distribution of customized products. Explosive growth – from 70 to 700+ employees – an initial public offering (IPO) and secondary offering totaling more than $120 million and six acquisitions honed Ms. Nickel-Kailing’s skills and encouraged her to open her own consulting business.
Business Strategies Etc. which Gail opened in 2001, specializes in strategic marketing and business planning, marketing communications and promotion, and technology implementation. Author of hundreds of articles which have appeared in numerous trade publications, she is also a public speaker and consultant. Gail’s goal is to help keep small businesses IN business.