As SIBA prepares to hold its 40th regional conference in Raleigh, N.C., September 18–20, its executive director, Wanda Jewell, shares 40 pieces of advice for getting along in the book industry, gleaned from her 25 years with the group.

1. Ask for the moon, accept a star.

2. The answer is yes, whatever the question. Most people want a reasonable outcome to their problem. Help them get reasonable when they may not be their most rational selves.

3. When faced with an angry client, ask, “What can I do for you right now?”

4. People want to help; let them. Everybody wants to be an insider, and the quickest way to the inside is usefulness.

5. Invest in shoes, and people. Comfortable, hard-working shoes are never too expensive. And people who keep coming back to help are priceless. Invest in them.

6. Money is energy. Keep it moving. Money should move around. Move it out of the coffers to move more back into them.

7. Do what you say. Say what you do. Keep your commitments. Follow through, and if you can’t, say so, and make it right. People remember when you make something right.

8. No is a complete sentence. Don’t explain, justify, defend, or excuse. Particularly when people haven’t asked you to. The ball is in their court; let them have the ball.

9. Silence is powerful. I have learned to sit in long, tense, awkward silence without feeling a need to fix or fill it. There is so much power in the silence. Live there.

10. Read the fine print. And read it again. I always read agreements before I sign them, but I have learned to revisit them on a regular basis. Vigilance.

11. Collaborate, delegate, instigate. Don’t be afraid of crazy, outrageous ideas. I know I’m onto something if people seem nervous and unsure. Let it simmer. Get them involved.

12. Start at the end and work back. Even during the early planning, I always imagine myself driving home from the Discovery Show afterward, going through the events backward in my head: every detail and event, everything that needs my attention.

13. Try things. Don’t be afraid to fail. It has been in the failures that I have learned the most.

14. Let things go. Clean slate every day.

15. Things don’t happen to me. Things happen for me. Learning that everything is an opportunity for me to learn and grow has been the most exciting thing of all. I’m grateful for all the difficulties and challenges. It has made me fear less.

16. Everything is a learning thing.

17. Stay in today. I stay in the tasks that most need to be done this day.

18. Work away anxiety. When I am feeling anxious, I work until it goes away. And then I work some more, because I enjoy it the most when I am not anxious. It helps to love your work.

19. People want to say yes. Help them. I often ask, “What is your heart’s desire?” and then I try to deliver it. That usually gets to a yes.

20. Booksellers are activists.

21. Activists respond to passion.

22. Passion can save the day. I am so fortunate to work with people who challenge me, my thinking, and my beliefs, who have taught me about myself, and about the world, and who bring their passion and activism to the frontlines every single day. We are not competitors, but compatriots.

23. Respond within 24 hours.

24. Show gratitude for the complaints. Without them, I don’t know what went wrong, what could be better, and how people are feeling about their role and our customer service.

25. Show gratitude.

26. Decide the budget and let the chef decide the food. I leave it to the chefs to stay in the budget, and to create something they will enjoy cooking and they will be proud to serve.

27. There’s a book for everything.

28. There’s someone for every book. Every book has taught someone something. Books are magical. They always find a reader who benefits from having experienced it.

29. It’s okay not to know. I don’t know is my very favorite sentence. Try it. You’ll dig the freedom.

30. It’s okay to make a mistake.

31. Engage professionals.

32. Plan to subtract when you add.

33. Review and renew.

34. Be willing to walk away. Sometimes things just aren’t working, and that’s a sign to me that it isn’t meant to happen.

35. Money is never a good reason.

36. It’s never as bad as you think, unless it’s worse.

37. Embrace technology.

38. Laugh every day.

39. Let people know they matter.

40. Tomorrow’s another day.