Jamie's Blog

Just a Few Fabulous Blogs

July 29, 2007

As I was avoiding work the other day, or a week  ago or a month ago.....but who is counting (yes, I do goof off at work but please don't tell my boss, you may have heard she is a real b*tch) I stumbled across a few great blogs you may want to read.  Truth be told I love reading blogs, but find so many of them lose my interest or say....well it nothing new to read, and yawn just a "Day in the life of....".  I love when they do one of the following:

A. Talk about tile (well no, I am kidding, but that would be cool)

B. Tell the truth

C. Have a sense of humor or are self-deprecating

D. Discuss things I actually care about

D. Relative to my life, my business or my industry

Starting a Baby Btoutique & Starting A Children's Clothing Line

This blog is a great read, a company that documents what it takes to run a business.....all of what it takes to start a business.  The woman who writes is a mother and, well a female (obviously) entrepreneur.  She gives point by point details on what she is going through and holds nothing back.  She did it a bit different from me, it is not as obvious what the actual company it is - and maybe that is better, she can be REALLY honest.  If I had started blogging five years ago, this might be what I were writing, now I tend to tell it NOW and then back-track a bit.  Going back through the archives is highly entertaining and very well written.

                                                                     The Zen of Motherhood

I am sure I have read this blog before, it's been around awhile and it is hysterical.  This mother is so funny, so sarcastic and so true and honest (again I like that).  I recommend this blog to anyone and everyone that has had children.  Some of her posts are like looking into the mirror and thinking - why I thought that same thing...I just did not say it out loud.  Other posts are pure humor and self-deprecating at what us mothers go through day after day.  She has some amazing feed back, some press, some sponsors and probably a book deal....darn her, no kidding = bravo!

Hello My Name is Heather

This is a blog I have read for awhile and I follow it weekly, waiting and watching to see, what is going to happen with her company.  This is a woman is a mother, a fabric designer, an artist and boy can she sew.  She gives away patterns, advice and teases us readers with snippets of what is happening with her new products....she is doing some amazing hair thingie trash ties thing that I CAN NOT figure out what they are.  Her photographs are amazing (um ya I asked same quesition, what IS she bad at?) and I am just waiting to find about this latest product launch.  So, even if I am (um okay very much) impatient about what is going on - I enjoy it immensely.

Julie Lenzer Kirk (Hmmm, that name sounds SO familiar....)

Anyhoo, she is an expert entrepreneur, and someone who built, ran and then sold a company.  She is a coach, a writer, an author, and a mother - did I miss anything?  I had the good fortune of meeting her - via my blog (of course, doesn't that sound so hip and like we are 20-something?  Oh, well no not on myspace, guess I am NOT so hip).  She has a blog and she another one on Working Mothers site.

I was honored to get an early copy of her latest book, had the good fortune of  actually reviewing her book, "The Parentpreneur Edge".  This is a great read, and an inspirational read for those that are running a business or those thinking of starting a business, or wishing they could run a business...and yes it does become relative if you are a parent.  The book is about mistakes, choices and basically situations that are both relative to raising children and uh, raising your other baby....no not your husband....your BUSINESS.

The choices that she, and other "Parentpreneurs" made are very relative to us entrepreneurs.  If you have not had to make the tough choices about whether to do this, or be there for that event...you are not an entrepreneur.  I applaud the honesty (when they use there own names) of the people interviewed and Julie's own recollection of her experience when running a company AND raising children.  A good summer or vacation (a vacation, what is that?) read for any independent thinkers in the group! 

So - just so you know I am still working on my account of the Atlanta Gift Show (for you AND my accountant) but......er, however I did not want to jump the gun, or give a premature account of my experience.  So many times (which is hard for me, you KNOW how impatient I am) these shows are more about connections, contacts, and even sales made after the show is over.  I am continuing to make sales, make contacts and get inquiries even two weeks after the show is over.  Next post is about the first day....I promise! 

 

Say Goodnight Gracie

July 25, 2007.

I happen to catch a glimpse of an article about Oprah's fortunes, and how she is the highest paid woman, most successful, blah blah blah....but I had to read - you know how I love her!  Then I caught a glimpse of another article about the death of her dog - I was shocked.  I was so sorry to see her little Golden Retriever, Gracie had passed away, though I did not know I her I did have a connection to her...no I do not mean a strange stalker type, read on:

Way back in the summer of 2005 I was having a brainstorm session with a company we do products for.  We were discussing ideas, options, possibilities for new products - gabbing on and on.  She mentioned some press she had gotten, and we were commenting on the possible company's that would be featured on Oprah's Favorite Things Show (now defunct).  I then had an idea - why don't I make ornaments for her two cocker spaniels, and her three new golden puppies? 

We were giddy with excitement, I quickly painted samples for all five of her dogs and shipped them out.  We had them hand delivered to Mrs. O herself with a kind note.  They were a gift from our two companies.

Nothing happened.  The months went by and we never heard back.  No call to be on her show, no phone call for our products to be in her magazine.  No plane ticket in the mail to ask for me to join he for the holidays.  No thank you card in the mail.........wait a minute, what was this? What did we get in the mail come October?

An official Oprah Winfrey Show Thank You card - "....Ms. Winfrey received the Christmas ornaments you sent for Sophie and Solomon, Luke, Layla and Gracie.  Thank you for sharing such a wonderful gift with Ms. Winfrey and her little people with fur.  Please know she appreciates your kindness.  Sincerely, Executive Staff"

I made everyone in the office touch it for good luck.  I rubbed it all over myself for good Oprah luck - no not really, but it did seem magical.  An acknowledgment anyway - wow, an ada' girl from Ms. Winfrey - pretty cool.   And.........that is why I started my personalized line of ceramic pet products- we thought, if Oprah likes the ornaments, won't everyone want one?  I am pretty sure Oprah does not realize that she was the reason I started making personalized pet products, but she was.   

So, I just wanted to say how I am truly sorry for Oprah's loss.  I know what it is like to lose a pet, and it breaks your heart, especially such a young dog.  Sadly, this is not the first time we have lost a customer or someone that received one of our plaques.  A loss of any loved one, whether it be an animal or a human, makes you stop and look around and appreciate life.

Trade Show Lingo

Chapter 3.

Pay Attention.........there will be a test people!

I recommend having all your ducks in a row before going to a Trade Show.  Whether you are walking a show before exhibiting (highly recommended by me and all other expert types) or you are exhibiting, you should KNOW a few things, terms and such:

Buyers

A buyer is someone that purchases products for a store, a catalog, or a website.  You want buyers in your booth, you want buyers to BUY your products.  Even if every other vendor at the show loves your booth (which is nice, thank you very much for those of you that came by) you are there to sell.  The buyer can be hired by a store, or can be the owner of a store.  Buyers from websites are attending trade shows more and more, scouting for new products.  Now, this may not end in immediate sales (if you drop ship that is - that is when you ship it to the customer directly, instead of a sales channel carrying an inventory) but it can open doors for you in other ways.  At a show I never say no, it is a bad word, go home and research or let them down easily - be nice at the show.

Your Company's Story

What is your story?  How did you get your company started?  Why do you make those whatcha-ma-callits?  What will you and will you NOT divulge to the buyer?  How do you explain your product line?  Where else is it sold?  What makes your product special?  This is selling 101 - you are on parade, as much as your product and your booth.  Let me tell you something - in the south they can tell a pretty tall tale, spin quite a yarn if you will....this girl from the north could learn a few things from those southern belles.  So, get it straight, stick with it and by all means tell the same story, don't get caught in a lie, or a fib, or an exaggerated truth (uh a lie)....they will catch you!

A Package

Some companies will have a package they sell to a store.  Like an opening package for a Luggage company may consist of 8 purses, 4 wallets, 4 money clips, 10 suit cases and 2 backpacks.  An established company may only offer the best sellers or the newest products at any given show.  Packages can work if you seeing existing customers and if your products lend themselves to good sales IF they are featured in a large grouping.   Also, it works if you know what sells and what does not.  My Lil' Buckaroo Name Tiles sell like crazy in Texas..........not so much in say, Maryland.  Again, this is information you should take with you to the show, know how these stores should sell your products.  Packages do not work when you have 251 (yep that would be our products) different items and if you are introducing a brand new line of products, i.e; coasters, picture frames, door hangers........you get where I am going with this?

Minimum Order

What is your minimum order?  This is asked as soon as they (buyers) set foot in your booth, or if they just stop and nod at you........What is your minimum order?  Some vendors have an opening order at a set price (this is to start working with your company they NEED to spend some $$ to carry your product) and then all re-orders at another price.  Large companies with high ticket items may not blink an eye at opening orders starting in the thousands, or in multiples of 4 per product.  You want the store to feel comfortable with your set price, and confident they will order again, and again from you.  When we attended the ABC Kids Expo we had no minimums - our goal was to pick up as many accounts as possible - so at 35, and then growing to 40 after the show, it was good.  However, stores closed, stores never ordered again and some that only purchased a couple items never even put the samples out or ever acknowledged we had an account with them.

Presentation

You are your product and please do not ever forget it.  Do you sell clothes?  Should you wear your creations?  An apron?  Should everyone in the booth dress alike?  Should you wear a t-shirt with the company logo on it....wait do you have a logo?  You need to think about these things and your first impression the buyers will have of you and your company.  At the very least look professional, bring mints and please......smile.  The lady that sits in her booth with her face in her hands and scowls as buyers walk by (true story) will not, uh get many people in her booth (and no it was NOT me....it was London........no I am kidding!)

Sales Representatives & Show Rooms

Sales representatives that represent permanent show rooms can and will walk the show looking for new products to sell.  They may not let on to this when they walk the show, or who they represent...this is back to being nice to everyone that comes to your booth.  They represent your product and company - they are on a commission base, which means you do not pay them UNLESS they sell something.  And, yes you do pay them a 15% commission per sale....and they deserve it.  They can show your products to stores that may never acknowledge you, or may not even meet with companies with out representation.  I see many newbies and in-experienced companies saying no to these sales reps - but they should think of the pay off - I mean are they really going to attend every major show across the country to get stores - that would be two shows a year at Dallas, Minneapolis, Las Vegas, New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta & Chicago.  I know from experience they can open doors, I mean throw them WIDE open when they would have been closed to a small company forever!

Bottom line is be nice....I should not need to say this, but it must be said.  Be informative and be consistent with everyone who enters your booth.  You never know who is going to come into the booth.  Treat each one with respect, equally (pst....January Show) you just never know.  And trust me on the mints....

 

Setting Up...takes a long, long time

Chapter 2.

It's getting hot in here so....no, do NOT take anything off - I was going to say start unpacking

Anyone who had any grand and romantic ideas that setting up a trade show booth was fun, I am going to let you down easy.  It is not any of those things, it takes a lot of time.  It is exhausting and back-breaking work - if you do it yourself that is.   I am sure there are some major large companies that actually hire people to do it for them, alas that is not me.  We have to ship our products over a month ahead of time to a company that stores everyone's booths and products they will display for the show.  That very company ceremoniously just dumps the boxes in your booth, some boxes may (and will) be smashed.  It is a messy, people un-packing, hanging things, sweating, bubble wrap, boxes, crates, tape, sweating, tables and bags of garbage everywhere.  Still sound like fun?

This being the first time I set up the entire booth by myself, I did not realize how much time it took.  I also packed way too many products,  a 10 x 10 booth, missing one wall not much space for hanging wall art.  Let me back up a minute :

My Little Dish and Jamie's Painting & Design had two booths side by side.  We had hard walls put up by the company that does booth displays for the back of the booth and both side walls.  Well they actually made a mistake on one of the side walls.....but it was free, oh oops make that second thing free in Atlanta!  Looking back we should have had 1/2 the booth one color and the other 1/2 a complementing color, our booths did tend to mesh together a bit.

So, it took about 8 hours to set up the booth.  It would have been easier had I packed better and used less product - here are a few tricks of the trade I wish I knew:

A large company that had tons of traffic, shipped all the products in large plastic crates.  After removing all the sample products, they turned the crates over and covered them with table clothes that were fitted to make it look like tables.  They then put the samples on the top of the crates - voila' table for booth.  Those of us that shipped in card board (remember the smashed boxes?) had to actually put stickers on every single box we put behind, or next to our booth that said "HEY DO NOT THROW THIS AWAY we NEED to ship them back".  Wonder how they thought we would get them home?

Another smart company (okay it was London) had sleeves of bubble wrap that she just slipped each and every plate out of and placed on her shelves.  I uh, sort of hated her (kidding) as I cut the tape off and un wrapped every single flipping tile....

Shipping products and making products for a Trade Show can be painful and expensive.  Each box costs money to ship, money store, products inside cost money to make, and then money to ship back.  One Vendor I met actually rents a small storage space in Atlanta with her standard products and IKEA shelving (note to self MUST go to IKEA) for the two shows she does there a year.  Then, she keeps another storage locker in New York, with samples and shelving for those two NY Shows she does a year.  She actually spends less money then if she kept re-shipping product to the show.  She also (dang she is SMART) puts a little sticker on the NEW products, so buyers know what is new at a quick glance.  I just stood around and pointed, oh and that one, and that one is new.....blah, blah, blah.  It would have been much better to have little NEW signs next to new products.

IKEA(damn you IKEA -why did I not go there?)  has these great white 12 x 12 tables, with legs that screw on, and stack easily, on top of each other.  That company (from across the way) had those also, and they snapped and clicked them together in 14 seconds....I used tables from show, had to put table cloths over them, then begged a steamer from another wonderful vendor who came.....prepared.

So, again 8 hours on my feet, I am exhausted sweaty and in need of some food...and adult beverages, we FINALLY left the Gift Mart; Tomorrow is SHOW TIME!  Having spent many, many hours, days, weeks and months on this I am glad we are almost ready.  I have let other things in my life and in business slide, and invested a lot of money.........I sure hope this is a success!

Get me to Atlanta....pleeeze!

Day One - going to Atlanta

Things looked promising the day before I left for the gift show:

Getting ready for a trade show (as I have addressed earlier) is like a mad dash to finish.  Whatever was not done I decided I could do from the hotel – because I had like you know – a day and a ½ for that……right?

July 11, 2007

• Up at 4:00 a.m.
• Cab picks me up at 5:00 a.m.
• Get to the airport early (yeah for me!) and check in, get coffee, sit at gate for five minutes
• The crew shows up – mumble to each other, “flight canceled” then walk away
• Look at flight sign thingie – red lights flash FLIGHT CANCELED
• Run-walk all the way back to the service desk while saying a baaad word in head and trying very hard to NOT cry
• Stand in long line, behind everyone that was late (swear at self for being early)
• Get on cell phone with customer service agent
• All flights booked – they will NOT get me out today
• Customer service agent at airport sashays by (yes she did not read the urgency on any of our faces) and mentions our suitcases are being held in a “secure place” so we need to stay in line – STAY!  Staaay....SIT!  Good dogs!
• One hour later, we have not moved, still standing in line
• Customer service lady (another one) starts yelling, “Go get in line on another plane, book a flight we will reimburse you…..except Delta and Continental”
• Those are the two….yes only TWO airlines that can and will fly me to Atlanta direct.
• She then tells us our bags have been in the baggage carousel the whole time – shit!
• Go get suitcase at baggage check
• Stand in long line at Delta
• Pay for new ticket – leaves in four or five hours ( but who is counting now?)
• Go home for nap for one hour
• Come back at 12:30
• Get frisked and then sent through EXTRA security because I may have a bomb.  Go through very embarrassing and personal security check (read blow air up my shirt..ya I said air)
• Need a beer – sit in bar and eat sandwich and drink one (or two) beers
• Flight is delayed
• Flight is delayed a bit longer......finally board plane
• Get picked up on by young man wanting to show my friend and I around Atlanta, oh and he wanted a job too – he was a painter (note to self do not talk to strangers)
• He reads over shoulder as I work on laptop, reads Press I got, thinks those are my goals for year, I choke on water - almost five years of what I have DONE– Oh, he really wants a job now
• Turn on i-pod so can be left alone
• Finally arrive at Atlanta Airport around 11:00 p.m.
• Get taxi cab – sit in traffic for over 45 minutes
• Arrive at hotel at 12:15 a.m.

Not a good start to my week in Atlanta, however with all of the extra time I had on the plane I was able to write the rest of my biography and my history for our press packets.  There is a press room at every Trade show, this is where the press can read about your company, talk amongst themselves, eat……you know.  This is an easy way to get your information to the press.  I was able to leave 10 Press Packets there (this can include a short bio, picture of company owner, a history of company, brochure, other press, information on products).  Not sure if this will turn into any press – but it is exposure.  It is free too – this was the only thing that was free in Atlanta.

Came...up...for..a....Breath

July 6, 2007.

I have finally come up for a breath and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I swear it is clouded with a to-do list that is wrapped tightly around my neck, an empty suitcase and an empty wallet....but I am almost out of the woods.  I have honestly missed blooging ( I really typed that).......oh god I have been gone so long I don't even know what this is called!  Someone help me.......uh bleg, blug..............BLOG - thank god my brain is still in tact!  I meant to say blogging, sorry major brain fart, or more like aneurysm!

The fact of the matter is you are probably as tired as I am of discussing the Atlanta Gift Show.  The good, the bad and the drama of this show has most definitley aged me considerably.  I honestly can say that I forgot (similar to child birth) how painful it was to exhibit at a trade show.  At last count, I have 250 SKU's and we are at over 300 when we start to look at the pet products and the exclusives I have done for other companies.  I have been building an on line catalog or a download for our existing customers, a pdf (whatever that is, well I know what it is, but how to make one is still a mystery to me) if you will.  After this weekend I will know what a pdf is, I swear.  I have spent hours adding all of our products to this, this, THIS on line catalog.  Let me tell you that it is a LOT of themes and products.

So, at one point I decided to see what the rest of the world was doing and I decided to log on to some websites, looked at my magazines, read a few blogs and basically re-entered society.  I thought MAYBE I would read something new, something fresh, I thought things would have changed......but no.........as much as everything changes it all stays the same and then some craziness is added in for good mix.   After 10 + hours staring at the computer you start to oh, kind of lose yourself.  Luckily nothing changed and I found I was right back where I started:

Why is it a badge of honor for someone to brag that they had No Formal Art Training? 

An attorney, a salesman, a teacher, or a doctor would never say "I had no professional training...".  Being someone who went to college, got a degree (um that would be an official art degree) and continued to take art classes to hone my craft, I find it a bit offensive.   I mean, with the art programs in school dwindling, it is like we as a society  justifies this "no professional training" is okay.  I have to say everything I learned about art I basically learned at college.  I learned how to create a portfolio, all graphic design, programing, Photoshop tutorials, animation, a style guide, perspective, drawing the human body, understanding anatomy and even accepting an art critique....I learned in college - not from uh a painting class at Michael's or my local Recreation Center's weekly painting class.  Not to say that some people are not born with the artistic talent - I mean you got it or you don't.  Years of education will not help someone that can not draw.  Yet, I worked hard for my degree and I would NEVER highlight my weaknesses (Stay at Home Mom Starts Business with no business degree....what was she thinking?).  Yet artists ( so-called) feel the need to puff their chest out and brag, yes BRAG that they had no formal training.  What is the world coming to?

If Oprah calls I am saying No Thanks?

Okay, I have sat on this particular blog entry for over a week, and it still makes me scratch my head and say.....what the?  This entrepreneur has stated that she is saying no to Oprah....oh and Paris too, like Paris even knows how to use a phone to call her?   I mean, she is saying that being on Oprah's show is not part of her 10 year plan (she is on schedule to retire at 35 or something like that).  She says that maybe (yes I said maybe) if she gets a chance she will be on the show after retiring, and meeting all of her goals, then, THEN she will say YES to Oprah - okay, ya Oprah will be begging by then....  Is anyone else's head exploding?  I find it so self-serving for an entrepreneur to state that they will say no to....an offer that does not exist, and on a public forum (a blog)!    Being someone that sort of understands publicity and blogs she is contradicting herself.  She is linking her name to Oprah (anyone that searches for Oprah will end up at her blog - trust me try it) yet she is insulting her hero (come on we know she likes her).  Being a fellow small business owner, being on Oprah is like striking gold!  Being linked to one of the country's biggest philanthropists is not such a bad thing either!  It is a thinly veiled attempt at publicity and recognition, and by me saying thinly I mean STUPIDLY, I mean who did not see this ploy for publicity?  But it's okay, when Oprah calls me I will tell her to NOT call her...

The Bitch is Back!

This one hits a little closer to home for me.  Good or bad, real stress or perceived - makes you look REAL close at your business.  When you are spending thousands (yes that is what it takes just to GET to a trade show, and no that does not include food!) you start to look at the numbers, where your money is spent and what employees are doing all day long.  So....I had to be um a bitch I guess.

• First I had to tell the company in our business complex, that had not one but TWO vans in our parking spots to move.  You see they were selling them ( the nearby company that was closed, yes closed for the summer, but they thought they could leave them in our two parking spots ALL Summer with signs that said for SALE).  I had to go tell them to move them....like now.

• A couple was going through our garbage, well our recycle bin on a regular basis, removing cardboard and re-selling it.  I knew this because the recycle bin in the back of our office complex was empty more times than not.  Well this week (yes of course it was this week) I caught them.  Now, before you call me scrooge or a capitalist please know I pay, I said I pay for the recycle bin - we have to pay for it!  And it has been EMPTY for months, so I pay for nothing.  I reported them to our land lords.  I told them to stop going through our garbage first, when they ignored me then I called the landlords.  I do feel bad, everyone has to make a living, but please do not do it at my expense....and not this week!

• I had to have a difficult conversation with a co-worker.  This has been building for almost two years, yet with the state I am in, and the amount of money on the line it gave me the courage to have the conversation.  Fear, frustration and lack of sleep can make me a fearless leader.  I am relieved that I finally had this conversation and without giving too much information away,I will sleep easier at night.  I should have done it years ago - but I try not to obsess on that.

•   Explaining to an employee the cost of our fixed costs, their hourly rate, the shipping rate, the rent, the other employees that touch the product is a must.  This was done by our Accountant not by me.  Yet, I feel it was worth doing, and worth mentioning.  I do not think most people realize the cost that goes into that one knick-knack that sits on your desk; 

$1.50 to purchase the ceramic whatcha-ma-call-it (not to mention shipping cost to warehouse)

$2.00 to paint it and fire it

$1.00 to ship it

.50 cents for box and shipping supplies

$1.00 for the office work for processing the order, making the shipping label and then invoicing the store for the product

Cost to Make Product: $5.50, profit is only $4.5o (Not to mention the rent, the insurance, the marketing, advertising, publicity......). 

If this product is sold for $10.00 wholesale, and $20.00 retail...well you do the math.  This is the problem for small businesses and businesses in the USA.  You can be profitable, but you must, you must ( I am so on a repetitive theme this blog no?) make the most of your money. 

Do you see where I am going with this?  If an employee spends an hour or two on a product the profit is gone ( for argument sake let's say they make $10.00 an hour).  This is something that most employees (I never did) think of when they dilly-dally, or zing-zang, or goof-off at a company.  If an employee spends an hour researching what the product is or figuring out what is wrong with it - we as a company make no money, and we are out of business.  WE need to make money to stay in business.  A small business lives, literally for those pennies and dollars from each product.  If you are not super productive and efficient your profit goes down, if it is not gone entirely.

So, I am happy and dismayed that the business world has not changed as I put my nose to the grind stone these past few weeks, if not months.  I will happily be blogging about the good, the bad and I am sure the FUGLY at Atlanta next week.  I am sure I will have many stories, many photographs and many southern expressions (Don't Cha Just LOVE it?) that I will share with you.

Please wish me luck.........I am going to need it!!