Jamie's Blog

And...some mistakes to ponder for 2006

Abby giving mean eyes
Originally uploaded by mama_lentz.

December 30, 2006.

And so, now I must list some of my mistakes, screw-ups, guffaws, idiotic things that I did in 2006. I hate to get all schmaltzy and emotional with y'all (previous blog) and not give ya the, "what the f*&$ was I thinking? " side also. 

The photo is my daughter with her famous "mean-eyes"....which I um, may have may given to uh....someone once or twice (gulp) this year.....

And, without further ado, my JPD Screw-Ups to Ponder for 2006 (and oh how I ponder these):

• Did not fully comprehend the cost of moving the business out of the house (there are SO many hidden costs)
• Kicking a soccer ball during my daughters soccer game and hitting her square in the face....uh, ya I can't seem to forgive myself for that one either
• Paying a bill late
• Reprimanding an employee for another persons error (uh, mine)
• Spending upwards to $2000 for a partnership with a LARGE on line retailer, and a fee per transaction and still not making all the money back
• Assuming a star employee would stay with us, even after she continued to increase her class load
• Assuming that my 'way' of doing things was the 'correct way' of doing things....you can always improve and change
• Not paying wholesale for EVERYTHING we order
• Wait till the last minute to ship new samples to Atlanta Gift Show, and end up shipping everything over night
• Forgetting to purchase Thanksgiving plates for daughters party and driving 3 towns over to find them night before the party
• Hiring family friends' children after SWEARING I would not do it again...another story
• Taking a store order without credit card since they were the 'IT' store and then having them refuse to pay for samples
• Not acting quicker on a store that went bankrupt
• Not listening to my instinct on dissolving a partnership with a Sales Representative
• Not insisting payment sooner on a channel that owed us a A LOT of money
• Not raising prices sooner
• Not getting it in writing
• Not thanking contract employees enough for their hard work, I feel I can never thank them enough...

Though I do try VERY hard not to obsess over my mistakes, I do go over and over them in my head...truth be told it's usually 4:00 a.m in the morning and I am also tossing and turning over not having scrapbooks/no valentine photos/thank you cards not done/no homemade cookies for school party/no clean sheets/no play dates for kids that week.....you fill in the blank.

As this year comes to a close I would like to observe the wisdom of one very insightful seven year old  who said to me one time I screwed up....err, made a mistake and I continued to obsess over it, "Mommy, mistakes are wonderful opportunities to learn".  Thanks, sweetie, Mommy needed that pat on the back!

Happy New Year Everyone!  Thanks for reading my blog, thanks for sometimes actually commenting on it....or not, thanks for checking it out!!   

Merry....errr...Happy New Year?

IMG_0320
Originally uploaded by mama_lentz.

December 28, 2006

As 2006 is coming to a close I will be addressing my 'New Years' cards today. For the first time ever I did not send out Christmas cards. Well, one year truth be told I sent them out three days prior to Christmas and some lucky souls got them right before the holiday.

I took the advice from a good friend and fellow entrepreneur, Vicki Bodwell, she wrote about how she looked so forward to reading her friends cards, but could not ever get it together to get her own out. Her goal was to send out New Years cards after the crazy holiday season.

Each year, I also look forward to cards from friends and family, near and far. I love to see the photos and catch up on the special events of their lives. We get one card in particular that I can not wait to open and read each year. Our friend always makes her own cards, no not with a paste, glitter and some snowflake doilies.  Her cards are beautiful and creative with different paper and ribbons. They also have a 'point to ponder', an inspiration or a real good "food for thought" quote.  I save the points to ponder each year, and post it somewhere easy to read when I need some, uh, inspiration.

Taking her cue, I thought I would list my points to ponder for others that started a business or are thinking of starting one, or just take that leap of faith and jumping back into the work force, or uh, just hanging out. Here are my JPD Points to Ponder for 2007:

• The most destructive habit.................negativity, it spreads like wild fire
• The greatest sound...........................laughter, it is contagious
• The greatest joy................................giving back to your community, you should give back
• The greatest loss..............................loss of not doing, not taking the leap
• The most satisfying work...................doing what you love, and love what you are doing
• Our greatest natural resource.............our minds, it is a terrible thing for you to waste
• The greatest shot in the arm...............a pat on the back, even from yourself
• The greatest problem to overcome.......fear of not trying, go ahead and try
• The most effective sleeping pill............happiness with self, life and life choices
• The most crippling failure disease........excuses for why now is not the right time
• The most powerful force in life..............support of others, others will then support you
• The most dangerous pariah..................jealousy and gossip, it can eat you alive
• The most incredible computer..............your brain, your brain, your brain (got it?)
• The worst thing to be without...............hope, tomorrow is a new day
• The deadliest weapon.........................you, you can convince yourself out of anything
• The most powerful words....................."I can do this!"
• The greatest asset..............................faith in yourself and your vision
• The most worthless emotion................worry, it is money paid on a a debt you don't have
• The most contagious spirit..................enthusiasm!

Now go on out there and do something!!  Good luck, happy new year and happy resolutions!  I hope you all are able to make your wildest dreams come true in 2007!  To quote the sergeant from Hill Street Blues, "Hey people, let's be careful out there!" 

This is 2006.....um, are we smiling?

IMG_0340
Originally uploaded by mama_lentz.

December 18, 2006.

What a difference a year makes! Organization, only two carts of products for ribboning and two days left to ship.... we even have make-up, and smiles. Yes we actually were able to shower this year.

As I stated earlier, the processing of orders was drastically changed just a little over a week ago. I was skeptical at first, and even when I grabbed my ribbon scissors to help with the shortage of bow people I was still not confident about the process.

However....as I stated earlier - not - my - problem. Worked for everyone else. They also switched to clip boards when I turned around one day (used to use binders). I am not confident about this one at ALL.....having the possibility of losing orders. It's working though, so......not - my - problem.  If it ever does not work I do jump right in and 'fix' the problem, but for now all is good.

I am learning a valuable lesson this year it's called "Bite My Tongue 101". I have walked out of my office to see some change in the work room and literally had to stop my self on numerous occasions to not say anything. It has actually been good practice for me. I am someone who repeatedly puts my foot in my mouth, blurts out before thinking.

Being our fourth full Christmas I have learned to expect what I am like after the fact. Every year after the Christmas rush I am so inspired with new ideas and new products. I have so many places that I want to expand, and get no exposure, and customers, etc. I have been taking notes, jotting down ideas, painting even.....but it's hard when the 'vision' is in your head and you wait till March to act on it.

My goals for 2007 are lofty and probably out of reach. There are only so many hours in the day and the week for me to do all that I want to do. My first one is to get the new products done, and a meeting on what worked and did not work, and more channels, and more products in successful channels, oh and do a trade show....But my biggest and mostest (yes great grammar I know) important goal for 2007 - " A happy and healthy year, spending as much quality time with friends and family"

Cheers!

That was then: Christmas Party 2005

The 2005 JPD Team
Originally uploaded by mama_lentz.

December 13, 2006.

This is a photo from our 2nd Annual JPD Christmas Party, held at a local restaurant with all contract employees, volunteers (yes, some are family members).

How times and employees have changed:

• Ribbon Expert - moved on to bigger and brighter things.  She got too quick, too good and ended up leaving after Christmas Rush
• First Painter/Inker - my first contract employee, and a good friend ended up leaving to help coach her son's basketball team and volunteer more in her kid's classrooms.  She is also happily expecting baby number 5 this March
• Professional Calligrapher/Inker/Art Manager - took time off to finish school and focus on her degree
• Inker and Expert Dog Painter - had too many jobs, took time off to finish school and focus on her art
• PR/Office Person/ All around helper - needed to focus on graduating, took time off to graduate and move forward with career (has since taken a job for next Spring with TV Station in LA)
• Volunteer - she'll be back, helps out in times of crunch...will hire her when have funds
• Moved business out of the house in February of 2006
• No Christmas Party this year.....1 Year Anniversary Party in February
• Changed the way we 'create' the tiles, eventually eliminating positions that existed in the past

Our company has changed and grown so much in the last year.  Only six of the people in that photograph are still with JPD today (one is me, and 3 are family members..ya, ya I know you are saying they can't leave).  It seems like moving a business out of a home, and becoming a 'non-home based business' really changes things more than you could ever imagine.  Having to deal with rent, and business expenses, and um that rent thing.....it changes your bottom line in ways you never (or didn't want) to imagine.

The last year has brought on many, many changes at JPD.  Some that I will eagerly discuss in this blog, others are company secrets that I would have to kill you before divulging (kidding...but um, not really - please don't call and ask HOW we do it, hmmm cause it is proprietary).

I am eager to see what 2007 will bring to JPD, this year alone has brought on many changes and new challenges that we never even imagined a year ago.  Being a small business you have to be able to roll with punches, go with the flow, accept the inevitable and move on. 

I think the moving on is the toughest part for me.  Working with someone is different, you make a friend, you have a common goal, you have camaraderie, you have jokes, you have horror stories (and if you worked in a garage with that person for two or three years...you got to know them real well).  And when that friend leaves, you are still there.  You forge ahead.  You need to make do without that person.  Although the move may be good for both, you the business owner, and you the employee....it is still a change.  And....all together now, "Change is Good!"

That Was Then 2005 II

December 2005
Originally uploaded by mama_lentz.

December 12, 2006.

Oh my!  I am looking good....now I know this was late at night, I can tell since there is a beer there. Please know this was one stressed out CEO....in 2005.  The wait of the world on her shoulders, working, working....

Fast forward to December 6, 2006:

Things were starting really pick up last Tuesday. We were already up to our arm pits in orders...and then they REALLY started coming in.  December 8th was our cut-off for us to guarantee orders by Christmas.

So I went and got myself a fever and stayed in bed for three days.  My doctor thought I had strep throat, which meant no one wanted me any where near the office for at the last three days of last week.

But...er, however, time marched on, orders kept coming and work had to be done without me.  Unlike years past time did NOT stand still when I got sick, went on vacation, took an hour lunch or basically did not give 120% to the business.  What happened is that I have officially been removed of my duties in the office/shipping/work room.  I had been trying for an entire year to remove myself from the office duties.  Who knew a good bout of sickness was all that was needed?

I have to say other than being absolutely miserable with a fever it was a good, good thing.  The processing of orders, the organizing of orders, the way shipping is done, the way we kit our products, the way we process our 're-do' or 'rush' orders.....not me!  In fact when I came in this weekend I had to ask where the orders were, I had no idea who, when, where, what came in, nor did I care.  Ignorance is bliss.....

My husband has been telling me for a long time that I need to not be concerned with this part of the business.  He claims that my time is better spent; creating new products, developing strategic partnerships, preparing for upcoming trade show, writing business plan, getting PR (fill in the blank depending on what rant he is on).

Although today I am still able to rattle off which order was missing a name plaque ("That was a special request, we did a soccer ball with Jimmy's name on it, I did it last week..").  Give me a few weeks, I am sure I will be absolutely out of the loop come February...I hope.

That was then...

Tiles waiting to be ribboned
Originally uploaded by mama_lentz.

December 6, 2006.

Oh, I am so nostalgic this time of the year, looking back on our by-gone days with wonder and with it stirs up fond memories of sugar plums in my head.....

You can not see but I am basically sitting on the washing machine in the Manufacturing Department of our Garage last year. I had to bend back and contort my body into some strange shape to get this photo.

I can not decide if this picture makes me feel successful or crazy. It would be nice to walk out in the garage right about now with my fuzzy slippers and old sweat shirt and start working on tiles. Now I have to get up and get dressed and showered before venturing ten minutes away to the office.  Back a year ago when I could not sleep (was awake at 4:00 a.m. this morning, and pretty sure my immune system is shot because I am sick once again) I would get up and work to relieve the stress.....now leaving home to to work on a Wednesday morning at 4:00 a.m. (in my pajamas) sounds a bit crazy.

We are successful, but I think it's mostly the will to survive, this is the reason some small business crumble while other march on, and on and on.  I have a can-do attitude, I do not take no for an answer (well I take no, but will just do it myself if someone says no, or go back time and time again till they say yes).  I have read countless books and magazine articles on entrepreneurs, small business success and failure stories.  One thing that gets me up in the morning, keeps me going when I have a fever (now), work when I don't want to is that I never ever think for a moment this won't survive.  Nor do I do believe we will not succeed.

Hmmmm......reading what I wrote just now maybe I am a wee bit crazy also (4:00 a.m. sounds so much crazier when you see it written down).

It was the best of times.....

Christmas 2005 in the garage
Originally uploaded by mama_lentz.

December 3, 2006.

....it was the Worst of Times.

Another view of the 'factory' that was Jamie's Painting & Design in the garage....Having to increase your work load to 3x the normal capacity (in one week) is a hard thing for any company to do.  Let alone we were one with 4 college students, 3 Stay at Home Mom's,4 family friends and a stressed out partridge in a pear tree. 

I still can not believe we stayed in the garage for over three years, doubling year after year our sales and what we pushed out the door (and oh how we pushed...).

As far as learning from last year a couple things do come to mind:

First of all, we did what had to do to get things done.  And I do mean 'we', everyone pitched in, everyone worked extra, everyone helped out to do what had to be done.  We had zero mistakes, we had zero breakage, and we had VERY happy customers and channels.  We stayed the path...we stayed in the garage, though crowed and painful...and I am officially breaking cardinal rule number one that is posted on the wall....as I was saying it was Bootstrapping 101.  To be successful in business you have to persevere, you have to charge ahead and you have to scrape by to make ends meet.

Second, as I stated many, many times I spent some of that RUSH time in tears.  I was not the nicest, nor patient person last Christmas (Clara, I owe you a drink....).  In fact when I was working 12 to 14 hours in my office scrambling to get work finished my husband posted a sign on the door, "DON'T INTERRUPT THE OVER-WORKED, OVER-STRESSED MICRO-MANAGER'S OFFICE".  Ya, need I say more?  I am doing everything in my power to NOT be that person this year. I am checking it once and checking it twice, working weekends, making calls, bringing food and drinks to all...

I keep saying I won't repeat history,and I need to learn from mistakes.  My good cyber-friend's blog (http://mylittledish.blogspot.com/) had this quote last week that resonated with me (as it did her), "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different outcome!"

I am posting this over the door to my office and anywhere else that I might need a gentle reminder (or kick in the face) before good ol' hubby posts a different sign for me. 

What Happens in the Garage Stays in the Garage

last day shipping Christmas 2005
Originally uploaded by mama_lentz.

December 3, 2006

This was 2005, last Christmas Season in the Garage. We have a 2 car garage, that a year ago JPD housed the following:

- A Shipping Department

- A Manufacturing Department

- A Ribbon Department

- An Inking Department

- Two computers

- Three Printers

- Drying Racks

- A Washer & Dryer

- A TV

- Upwards to 9 people on any give night those last two weeks of December

This photo alone (and the following) give me claustrophobia to say the least.  We were literally making tiles, ink, ribbon, ship.  Those last two days were crazy.  They don't even show the entire garage (see next blog).  The fact that we got anything done in that sweat-shop I now call a garage is insane.  I am happy and relieved that we are no longer there....