Jamie's Blog

Be Your Original Best.....Everyone

Years ago (okay around 2007 and then again in 2008) I came to a crossroad, not a major life changing one where I could not decide whether I wanted a paper or plastic bag, but one where my scruples & my integrity came into play.   I noticed an artist in my industry continued to get copied over and over by dozens of other artists.  I just felt that I had to say something - and I used my blog to do it.  Ironically my designs would soon come under a similar attack and I was forced to address the situation head on.  Happy Times?  Ya, no.  But as I have always said, with success comes copying.  It is just a shame it is and was so prevalent in the Children's Industry.

I refused to stand in the middle, I did not want to waiver.  I had to make a decision as to where I wanted to be, and where my alliance stood.  There really was no doubt, nor was there time for me to contemplate what to do - I went with the side I thought was right. It wasn't that I ever doubted who was right, it was just that I decided to say something about it.  

Let's Stay or At Least Stay Positive

I went back today and read my posts about plagiarism and copy cat artists and I was pretty wound up.  It is strange to go back and read your past posts and think, "ouch - that kind of stings."  Yet, even though I was brutally honest and a tad bit nasty - I feel that it was worth being said.  Copying is wrong and if you are going to do it  - then get ready to get called out on it.  And, that is exactly what I did.

Fast forward to the end of December, where I mentioned a short time ago about an industry friend who has been copied again, yet she keeps on creating art.     I am not sure if it was the hair that broke the camel's back or so shall we say the last hair in her paintbrush.  But, this I know - she was at the end of her rope.  If she is anything like me, she probably started yelling, "I am mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore".

Be Your Original Best

Unlike me though, she decided to take a negative and turn it into a positive.  She started a blog, a movement, a facebook page that literally called us artists out on our own weakness.  She made, or asked us to take a pledge to be original, to be unique and to be honest about where we got our inspiration from.  It was not negative, it was not combative, hell it was not even specific as to who or what had ticked her off.  It was basically, "Let's all band together and find a way to educate artists about what the difference is between copying and finding inspiration in others art.  Let's educate each other on what is right and what is wrong.  Let's all get along."

 Shelly Kennedy decided to make lemonade (or lemon drops if you ask me) out of a dire situation.  She started the movement "Be Your Original Best".    She is even looking for guest bloggers, so I would suggest going on over there and taking a gander at what she is doing.  

Shelly took the high road.  She acknowledged she has been copied, yet she decided that we could all learn from what had happened to her, we could all educate each other so it did not happen again.  The day her blog launched it was all puppies and rainbows and love all around.....and then not so much.

Why Get All Nasty?

Her post on her personal blog just let readers know about the movement/blog and how we should all be aware and educate each other on the in's and outs of copying.  Anyhoo - it was all very positive.  Readers started leaving inspirational and "You Go Girl!" comments.  But then things turned the corner.  Take a look at this comment:

Anonymous said...

You guys have nothing phenomenal to be proud of. I can't see anyone wanting to copy you so stop flattering yourselves

WED JAN 26, 10:21:00 AM EST

drooz studio said...

wow... yikes... now that's not nice!

1st: 
i'm against "anonymous" comments ( i really should remove that comment option)
comments are available to create constructive conversation that is "on topic"..
this comment seems to be neither.

2nd: even though it is an anonymous comment - i can track "who" was
on this blog when the comment was made... (again..shout out to PA!)

3rd: 
I will leave this comment "public" just to stress the point that 
is is such a tough topic, and a "nasty" situation -there are obviously
lots of crazies out there who just don't get it 

4th:
this comments reeks of a copy catter. you should spend more time 
working on your "original ideas" and less time reading my blog

WED JAN 26, 10:58:00 AM EST

Anonymous said...

I've watched u slander my mom and her artist friends over the years and despite her attorneys and others telling u that you're wrong and have no claim against them, u continue. My mom stays true to herself even though u try to hurt her. Wonder what ur followers wld think if they knew the real story of how u stole her first design in 2003 n claimed it as ur own. She is a good Christian and refuses to say anything-she turns the other cheek. But as her son and someone who cares about her i am asking u to take a good look at urself and all te wrong u do just to get ahead. Im proud of my mom. Wld ur kids b proud of what u have done to harm so many other artists over the years with the way u bully every new artist that comes along?

WED JAN 26, 10:58:00 AM EST

drooz studio said...

ok - REALLY not nice... really? 

IF (IF) you are a kid... why aren't you are school right now?
(its' mid day/ mid week... and looks like your spelling 
could use a bit a school help!) again - another anonymous
comment ?

i proudly, LOUDLY stand behind ALL of my designs. (why would i go to all this effort to protect images and ideas that weren't really mine?)

-it is not slander if it is true. i have fought for my rights - that's all.
- i have never stolen anyones design. on contrary - i have had ideas that i was about to launch, and decided NOT to when 
others hit the market w similar designs. i go out of my way to achieve a look that is MINE. 
-after copy cats, my next pet peeve is hypocritical- religious folk.
- my kids have SEEN my heartache. they are very proud of what i do- and i have done my best to teach them to be original!

(oh.. PS i have copies of all my emails from 2003 - i have carefully recorded the events of that terrible year (at recommendation from my lawyer) i don't think your mom told you the entire story!)

i'm open for comments - but if you'd like to be taken at all seriously - i'd advise you to stand behind your comments, not hide behind an anonymous claim.

WED JAN 26, 11:20:00 AM EST

 I am at a loss for words to be honest - and that does not happen very often to me.  I don't understand why someone would take what Shelly was doing as negative or a reason to lash out at her.  It is obviously someone with a personal vendetta and if I may go out on a limb, the person, I mean their mother sounds guilty.  The expression "Why doth protest so much?"  comes to mind. Like I said loss for words.   Where is Rodney King when we need him? 

 

 

 

Live Chatting with Sears

The Fridge is Freakin' Out

So for about a month our Kenmore refrigerator has not been working quite right - it's not been on it's A-Game if I must be honest.  In December everything in the fridge was freezing and there was a constant drip of water from the freezer into the fridge.  There was either free standing water on every shelf, or a sheet of ice on every shelf. Each day we'd open up the fridge and we are not sure if our bread was going to be a wet mushy mess or the arugula was frozen solid (both true stories).

That was then, the last few days my freezer and fridge have really been putting on a good show.  It now looks like my freezer was hit by a blizzard, and not the good kind you get from the Dairy Queen.  My freezer is covered in ice, everything has a nice coating of snow on it.  The top of my freezer has icicles dripping down and the bottle of vodka is a frozen solid block of ice. I don't know much about alcohol but I was pretty sure it should not freeze.  

And while my freezer has been covered with a gorgeous layer of white pristine snow - I am not amused.  My fridge on the other hand is about as tepid as a warm glass of milk, oh and yes the milk went bad.  Gone is my frozen (or unfrozen) fridge lake.  Nothing is hot, but nothing is that cold.

My Uneducated Diagnostic Prediction of the Fridge

We were pretty sure that it is the seal around the freezer door is loose, and air is getting in.  And by we I mean my parents came by last night for dinner and they being older and wiser pointed out the loose seal.  I am not really in the mood (read afford) to go buy a new fridge right now and I was optimistic a repairman might be able to fix it.  I didn't even know if that was something a repair person could do, so I went on the good ol' Sears website to find out.  As I was trying to find the 800 number this screen kept popping up asking me I wanted to Live Chat.  I thought that it might go better than a long drawn out phone conversation.  I was wrong:

Live Chatting it Up with Robert Jones

Dear Customer, please wait while we connect you to a Blue Crew member to assist you. 
You have been connected to Robert Jones. 
Robert Jones: Thank you for choosing Sears. My name is Robert. How may I assist you? 
Jamie: Does Sears replace rubber seals around a freezer door? 
Robert Jones: Hi Jamie. 
Robert Jones: I will be glad to check and help you further. 
Jamie: Uh, ya hi Robert.   Does Sears replace seals on freezer doors?  It has come loose on our Kenmore Elite - the fridge was purchased in June of 2001. Our freezer is frozen - with ice everywhere and our fridge is NOT very cold 
Robert Jones: I'm sorry to hear that you are facing a problem with your fridge. I'll be glad to check and help you schedule a repair service on this fridge. 
Robert Jones: I wish I had an option to help you replace the appliance right away, however our technician need to check the appliance first. If he is unable to fix it, he will further help you in replacing the unit. 
Jamie: Um, I don't know yet if I have to replace the fridge, I want to know about repairing it, if at all possible.  So can you please let me know what the criteria would be for replacing the rubber around the door? I don't want to have a repair person come out - pay the fee and have him tell me that he does not replace or fix the seal. We just went through this with our dryer and after he told us it could not be fixed he gave us a coupon - that I had to use at Sears and that was only a small amount of money off the new dryer. 
Robert Jones: I'm sorry, I will be unable to provide technical assistance over the chat as I'm not technically qualified. However, let me provide you the link for a website that has the user manuals for most of the appliances and you may be able to fix the appliance on your own. 
Robert Jones: Please log in to www.managemyhome.com, if you wish to fix the appliance on your own. 
Jamie: Even though the fridge is over ten years old? 
Robert Jones: All of our technicians have been trained and certified by Sears so you know the service you are receiving is the best in the industry. 
Jamie: Um can you speak regular English and answer my questions Robert Jones? I just want to know IF they replace loose seals on fridge/freezer doors.
Jamie: I did not ask if your technicians were trained, I asked numerous times if your technicians replaced the seal around a freezer door. 
Robert Jones: Jamie, I apologize since the appliance is not covered under warranty. 
Jamie: Warranty?  I asked if they would work on a fridge that is ten years old.  Neither question have you even tried to answer.  What is the point of live chat if you can't answer any of my questions? 
Jamie: Just out of curiosity where are you located? 
Robert Jones: We are located at one of the many support call centers for Sears. 
Jamie: Ya, I got that - since I am on Live Chat on a Sears website.  In what country I meant? 
Robert Jones: I am afraid we're unable to disclose that information. All our technicians have been trained and certified by Sears. I am sure they will be able to fix it. 
Robert Jones: If your fridge cannot be repaired, our technician will provide you with a coupon towards a new appliance at Sears.
Jamie: Oh please, again with the "trained and certified".
Jamie: I KNOW your technicians have been trained and certified, you have already told me that! 
Jamie: Also I know that I will get a coupon - I had that with my dryer earlier in the year....as I already mentioned. Do your Repair Technicians (that are trained and certified by Sears) EVER replace seals on freezer doors?  Do you even read what I wrote? I know about the coupon!
Robert Jones: Jamie, once the technician diagnoses the fridge then only he will be able to decide, it is worth to repair or not. 
Robert Jones: May I schedule a repair service on your appliance? 
Robert Jones: I will remain available for another minute if you need further assistance. 
Robert Jones: We are ending this chat since we have not hear from you.

Forget the Live Chat

After Robert Jones typed in  "diagnoses the fridge" & "have not hear from me" I pulled out most of the hair on my head and banged my head against my laptop for a good ten minutes.  Then, I called the 800 number like I was originally going to do.   After only two minutes on the phone the lovely lady on the phone told me that yes Kenmore did replace seals on doors and yes they may be able to fix my fridge.  All I had to do was make an appointment with a Repair Technician (kindly she did not tell me how trained and certified they were.....I would have lost it).  Notice I said lovely - not quick.  After I told her the fridge was ten years old she then followed that up with, "And what year is the fridge?"

The thing that really irked me about Live Chat was, I really would have rather just typed my question and not bothered with using the phone, getting put on hold and asked what year my fridge was.  I like to multi-task and I am a pretty damn quick typist.  The customer service person was clearly not located in this country, he was answering with a script, he had no idea what the repair technician did (but he was positive the technician was trained and certified).  I am not even sure he understood the questions I was asking (ya I am real quick like that).  Also, I am not a genius, but I am pretty sure his name was not  not Robert Jones either!  And this is not a rant against aliens (illegal or not) nor is it a call to arms about how we should not send our jobs overseas.  It is just a company that did not execute the whole "let's chat on line to make your life easier and make this transaction cheaper" very well, at all.

Appointment is tomorrow.....maybe the vodka glacier will have thawed out by then.

These Are & Those Were The Days

As I already tweeted or facebooked (is that even a word?) we are downsizing , and we are doing it big time.  I am not saying that I was not sad (okay, yes I cried a few tears if you must know) by the huge change and pressure to downsize.  We are sub-letting space(s)  and moving some employees to work from home.  We can actually do that you know - without sounding like we losing the battle with the Economy.  I am not saying I am thrilled, but to be honest thinking smaller, meaner and leaner sounds pretty good to me these days. 

When we rented our space 4 years ago we were growing in leaps and bounds and had at any night up to 8 employees in the studio working.  It was very cramped and it was exhausting to manage everyone's schedules.  From morning till night we had people coming in and out of our home.  It wasn't their fault, heck I hired them - it was just too much for me to handle.

The Dog Days Are Over....Almost (oh and yes, yes I do  LOVE that song!)

The Economy still...uh sucks, and retail is um oh well it is challenging (I am trying my best to not be negative or have a potty mouth - so work with me) to say the least.  The Economists (the ones that are not totally bipartisan) claim that we will start seeing some real job growth and recovery in the summer of 2011.  I figure the worst is behind us and we can only get better, right?  Like I mentioned in last post - it could be worse, and right now I soooo know that.  I am thankful for all I have and I am still willing to pull up my pants by the boot straps (okay what does that even mean?  Stir-Up pants? Suspenders? Booty straps maybe?). 

Out With the Old In With the....Not Much New

Anyway - our lease is up and we are outta here.  I have actually started to get excited about scaling down and getting rid of extra baggage.  I already have a pile of decorations, frames and office decor on the table in the work room just ready to throw on Craig's List.  I also have a butt load...ton of inventory/samples/errors/duplicate orders to get rid of.  I am thinking 65% to 75% off retail to my Facebook Fans.  We won't have the space to just keep tons and tons of inventory and samples, which again is good and smart (I think).

So, while pulling a part my office space I have been doing a lot of thinking.  Just ripping nails out of walls and photographing all the samples we have in our warehouse has made me think a lot about the past, and mistakes I have made.  While cleaning out our space I came across some interesting items, and by interesting I mean all my notes, invoices and orders from our eight years in  business.  Most importantly (or most depressing) we saved them from 2005, probably the most prosperous year for Jamie's Painting & Design and the worst year for me personally. 

2005....It was the Best of Times, it was the Worst of Times

So after pouring through the entire year in sales for 2005 I am able to look back with (I hope) an un-biased and rational eye.  The good, the bad and the oh so ugly literally jumped off the pages at me.  The orders, the notes take me right back to that year.  The way we stamped each order and signed off on the inking, the ribboning and the shipping - it was so time consuming.  I can see the mistakes we made and I can see the right decisions we made.  I can remember what it felt like, I can recall most of that year.  It was my last year of not sharing (that is code for before I started this blog) of hiding in my "in-house studio/garage" and finally realizing I was/am a really bad manager.  It was a simpler time back then, or so it seemed.

The Worst of Times in 2005:

• My Living Room had popcorn and bubblewrap  in one corner
• We never entertained because of our employees/business/supplies that flowed into every room
• My un-remodeled Master Bath was un-usable due to boxes and boxes of tiles stored in it
• My life was my business, and my business was my life
• I started work  (and my husband also) at 6:00 a.m. and usually till well past midnight 7 days a week
• We got an order for birth certificates for triplets from a channel, but one was still-born.  We refused to charge them for the 3rd birth certificate.  We got a heart-wrenching thank you letter from the customer.
• My daughter was put in the hospital the middle of December because she could not breathe.
• A few days before our drop dead date Warm Biscuit Bedding sent us a 100 page fax with more than 100 missing orders, due to a malfunction in their system (good for orders - bad that we were having a hard time filling all orders).
• At least 30 plates were shipped 2 day  (on our dime) and overnight (again us) to make our guaranteed Christmas deadline
• I was a bitch to everyone
• No really I was not a nice person

The Best of Times in 2005:

• Our orders were huge, people ordered Name Tiles for their daughter ISABELLA....now they order an I
• Everyone paid their bills on time
• Most companies gave us credit cards and they were never over their limits....NEVER!
• My employees made a lot of money and were paid top dollar to paint/ink our tiles
• I never had to take off my slippers to go to work
• That was the year Roy Disney ordered a tile
• We grew the business by 50% from the year earlier
• Darin (husband in case you are new) worked with me a lot - which I totally enjoyed.
• We had our first TV appearance at the un-godly hour of 6:00 a.m.......for one of our ornaments on The CBS Early Show.
• I got to work with some fabulous women, and I so looked forward to when they came into the office/studio/garage.

 The Past is in The Past

I am not one to really focus or obsess on the past.  I have never been that person, and I do not plan on changing.  When my friends were crying because our children stopped breast feeding, or started walking & talking - I was celebrating.  I approached parenthood like a project, with me checking of an invisible box when my child reached a milestone.    After each big event I gave a big "Hoo Ha!" and waited for the next.  I embraced change, I encouraged growth and I detested trying to hold our children back, but instead focused on moving them forward.

My business, though not as monumental or important as raising my children I have tried to come at it with the same philosophy.  It is hard for me to talk with young (wait for it, I am not being evil)  entrepreneurs that only came into their business within the last 2 or 3 years.  It is just that being an Entrepreneur during a Recession is not like being one during the Glory Days.  Yes, some things are similar - most are not.  Their growth is nothing like mine was and their losses are nothing like mine are/were.  Though in their defense they are probably smarter, leaner and more timid when it comes to taking risks.  Even as little as their companies  grow, they see the best, they are so positive - they are me from five, four or even eight years ago, an even though I do not want to go back to 2005, I wish I could talk to that me.  I wish I could give the me of January of 2005 a bit of advice.  And not that I have given it much thought (oh but I have), my speech would go something like this;

"Look Jamie I know that the last three years have been amazing and your business has been all that you can think of (or talk about - and trust me, your friends & family have all heard just about enough about it), but times are changing.  This year is going to be your toughest yet.  You will find yourself hiring a large number of employees. Please remember, with managing people comes a great responsibility.  You may (will) have to acknowledge that you are not a very good manager.  While we are discussing your weaknesses, I happen to know that  you do not separate business from personal life very well either.   Don't shoot the messenger, but this year will bring you to your knees - literally, not metaphorically.  You will be forced to accept that you can not separate business and home life and let's face it your business may (well will, but I am the wiser Jamie of 2011) over-run your home life.  Sales will be good or dare I say it better than ever."  

"Though I ask you at what cost?  I advice you to stay calm, stay sane and realize that this growth you have experienced will not keep up forever.  Look at the history of our country.  Lastly Jamie - try not to be so tightly wound and anal.  Try really hard not to be a.....uh a bitch.  You will thank me later.  Also, don't be in such a hurry to move the business out of the house.  Times are not as bad as you think, and you can work better/smarter/more efficient if you are willing to look at other options.   Lastly I would suggest you breathe, just breathe and enjoy your success - it will not last forever." 

Back to the Future of 2011

Oh how I wish like Back to the Future the Older Marty McFly could have sat me down and gave me that speech....oh wait I guess it would have been the older wiser Jamie McFly.  Anyways, if anything at least I have learned and grown from my very very hard lessons.  I hope I did not hurt those that worked for me.  I hope that they have forgiven me for the way I was.  As I look to downsize I think quite a bit about all those employees that worked with me in my garage.  I look around my now empty garage and wonder what they think of those years.  I may never know,  but I hope they know I am sorry and I wish I had handled that year better.

Top Ten Things I Didn't Share in 2010

When I was a little girl I always loved the end of the year specials on the news.  They would go over the highs and lows of what happened that year.  I was always so upset if I missed "The Year in Review".  As I got older I became obsessed with the top 10 songs of the year or the top 10 celebrities, top 10 books - I still get all sucked in to those stories. 

I thought maybe I should do that, well not 10 best things but my Year in Review on the blog.  Then I realized that was pretty much the easy way out and I would only be me just cutting and pasting parts of posts I wrote this past year.   Instead I am going to share the top ten things I did NOT share with you this year.  Sometimes I did not feel it warranted a whole post, other times I did not want to share.  Yet, here we are at the end of the year and I figured what the hell I will share what I have learned and what I have NOT blogged about;

1. The End of Warm Biscuit Partnership

Sadly we ended our 6 year relationship with The Warm Biscuit Bedding Company.  There was not knock-out drag out fight or an email battle, we just went our separate ways.  I will only say that with the tough Economy we need to be paid within our 30 day agreement or have a credit card on file - times are/were/still are tough.  Some larger companies are not able to do that - so that is that.

Truth is I really do miss working with them and the friendship I had with their founder, Vicki Bodwell.  What I miss most is the collaborative designing her like I used to do.  She was and is one of the most creative and talented people I have ever met.  Talking  to her could be exhausting at times, she would bounce from one idea to another - I could not take notes fast enough to keep up with her very active mind.  Yet, even if I was exhausted after the call I was ALWAYS energized, motivated and inspired.  I miss those calls.

2. Wall Tiles Fundraiser Project & Then Again

We did another wall tile fundraiser for a local grammar school in San Mateo.  The project lasted most of the first part of 2010 and was finished right before school ended.  When we ordered the tiles from our supplier and discussed the tiles being hung outside and in the sun, there response was something like (and yes I may be exaggerating, but they did say OK) "Okey Dokey sounds fine by us.....how do you want to pay for that?"  What they should have said was, "Um you should not have our tiles hung in direct sunlight because they will fade.....how do you want to pay for that?"

What happened is we had to do the tiles twice, because they were hung in direct sun light.  It was an unfortunate incident and I felt awful for the school.  However, I did the right thing and I got a discount when we re-ordered the tiles....again for the school.  Our supplier apologized for not being forthright and then asked for our credit card number.  A hard lesson to learn during a very hard year.

3. No Sales + Late Payments = Late or No Rent

For the first time in the last four years of renting our space we have NEVER not been able to pay rent.  This year I got to give the 'ol "Never Say Never" speech.  It was a very depressing fact and it was sobering to watch our sales slow down even more than the previous year.  If 2008 saw the Economy collapse, then 2009 was flat I would say 2010 just sucked.  Almost every one of my channels that I spoke with agreed with me - sales were worse in 2010 then 2009.  Other small business owners that I spoke with had similar experiences with their business.  So, we paid rent late and sometimes we paid it even later.  It was not my finest moment - but we survived. 

4. Businesses Are Still Closing Down

Sadly this year we said good bye to some fabulously talented women and businesses in our industry and some other industries.  Some of sales channels closed their doors, other companies focussed on direct and some artists closed up shop.  I will miss talking shop with these talented women;

• Kristen Sloop of Kootie Bug Designs
• Carrie Sommer of Sommer Designs
• Diane Cullen Page of CCC Gifts

There are countless other small boutique stores and websites that quietly closed their doors this year.  Many of them were run by some amazing women that I used to enjoy talking with over the past eight years.

5. Drooz Studio is Copied....Again

Even though I am amazed and maybe some would say a tad obsessed with artists copying other artists, I am still shocked when it happens.  And, it always seems to happen to the very talented Ms. Shelly Kennedy.  I almost wish she would just release new products she would put a disclaimer on the back of each piece that says something like;

"This original piece of artwork is great isn't it?  Please do not copy it - because I will find out.  I will not be happy and it is NOT legal.  Did you catch that last part?  It is illegal."

I do not know what or if anything happened when Shelly saw this product, her product copied and sold through another channel.  I can only imagine and hope she make them stop it.

6.  New Blog Home at The Mommie's Diaries....for a short time

After the demise of Silicon Valley Mom Blog this summer I wanted to find a new home where I could write about life with children.  I tried it out at Parenting on the Peninsula for a few months but it the end I bit off more than I could chew.  I had to blog once a week and it had to be up by 11:00 a.m Sunday morning.  I can't even blog on my OWN blog once a week let alone someone elses!  And, if you must know I do love me some sleeping in on the weekends when I am not being forced to hall my ass to some softball or soccer game.  So there.  I sadly had to give my resignation and I no longer blog for anyone but me!

7. 80 Ornaments You Say? Why, Yes We Can!

For the past three years we have gotten a rather huge order from a housing development back East.  And this year we got the same order.  We give the wonderful customer a small discount andd we make 80 ornaments for them to pass out to their entire neighborhood at their annual holiday party thing.  I had every intention of photographing the large order going out and then they were ribboned and shipped, but then I felt sort of weird about it and did not want to be a braggard.  So, for the record I am not braggin - just saying it was not all bad in 2010.

8. Celebrity Client Drew Brees & Then Some

Okay, so I have had celebrities before.  For the record Charlize Theron has my dog plates, Roy  Disney ordered a birth certificate for a relative, Oprah & Ellen have ornaments by me,  and Nicole Kidman got a birth certificate for a gift.  The woman who wrote Legally Blond once ordered 50 princess plates for her daughter's birthday party.  Larry Sanders sent a birth certificate to Adam Sandler and now I have made ornaments and a birth annoucement for the one and only Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints.

These are all just cool little tidbits I get to throw out there at cocktail parties and um when I try to impress an ex-boyfriend or a reporter.  Until one of these celebs decides to either have their child's room filmed for People Magazine or wanders around outside with my birth certificate around their neck - my business won't be changing much.  But still - happy to have 'em and shout out to Mr. & Mrs. Drew Brees and his family .

9. Moving On Down....Not Up

We are leaving our rental space and soon.  We need to find smaller and cheaper space.  It may even be (though doubtful) in another city.  When we got this space we had 4 other employees and it was the smallest space available in Foster City, oh and times were booming.  Now - not so much.  The thing is we could run the company in about half of the space we use now, and I could work from home more. 

We had a perfect place that I was super excited about moving into....and yes, re-decorating smaller, smarter - I had so many ideas.  And then while signing the 35 page contract I saw on the last page in itty bitty (well maybe not but still) font there was an extra $255.42 (yes I memorized it) added on to each month's rent.  Not that much you say?  Well, no it is not - but yes, it sort of is these days.  Worst yet was that it was SNUCK in there, had I not paid attention and signed the contract I never would have known.  So, I am back to trying to find us a new rental space.

10.  Life Is Shorter in 2010

This year has seen many friends get sick, marriages dissolve and worse - people have passed away.  I have seen first hand the devastating effects of disease and the loss of loved ones.  I have vowed to live more, love better and enjoy life.  I realize that it is not the end of the world if business is slow or even if we do close our doors.  Life is so short and so precious that I pledge to live each day to all it is worth.  When asked this holiday season how business was, I was able to honestly say, "It was not great, but that was fine.  I am healthy happy, my kids are healthy - we were good." 

Here is to wishing everyone who has taken the time to read/comment/spam my blog a very happy healthy (and maybe wealthy) new year.  May you have a better 2011 than 2o10 and may you live life to it's fullest.

Flying, No Busing it to San Diego

Disclaimer: "I am not mad (any longer) at my husband for his mistake (more on that later).  It is not his fault (though I may beg to differ) that the weather was bad.  I do not expect any jewelry (though I would like it) for Christmas to make up for his horrible/terrible/expensive mistake."              - Jamie Lentnzer

Thursday, December 9, 2010.

1:48 p.m  I just got  back to the office after getting my hair done and I went to print out my boarding pass.  Wait, let me back up to get you up to speed.  I was flying out to San Diego to meet my husband for his Christmas Holiday Party Friday night.  I was "supposed"(yes that is me doing air quotes and I am rolling my eyes if you must know) to fly out at 10:30 a.m Friday morning.  His company is based there, and no we are not separated he works out of the house here in Foster City (so many people looked perplexed when I said San Diego & Company party in the same sentence).  Any hoo - he flew in earlier in the week for some sales meetings and I was flying in Friday morning....so I thought.

After close inspection....no not really when I tried to print my boarding pass it said I had to wait 24 hours before my flight and I could not print it yet.  I took a double take at my itinerary and saw I was flying out at 10:30 p.m.........yes P.M!!  I calmly picked up the phone and called my husband - ya right I was practically hysterical when I told him, he booked the flight for me. 

2:15 p.m.  Darin called me back with the news and it was all bad news.  To fly on United the next day I would have to pay $1,100.00, or to change to Virgin American and fly tonight it would cost about $300.00.  Ya, I took the latter choice, only problem was that I had not packed and I had to make sure my kids (and dogs) had a place to sleep.  My fabulous wonderful totally amazing Mom agreed to take the kids & dogs an extra night. 

5:04 p.m.  After taking my son to soccer practice (and picking him up) I frantically packed my bag with what I thought was appropriate for a weekend away in San Diego.  I packed warm clothes, spring clothes and summer clothes.  I packed my kids clothes and my dogs stuff.  I rushed to my parents home and then I was off to the airport.

8:50 p.m. After slamming a beer at the airport bar I got ready to board my plane.....ya  not so fast there sister.  Our flight was late.  We boarded late left the airport at 9:30 p.m.  We then proceeded to circle San Diego for a long, long time.

Lucky for me I had two traveling companions on either side to keep me company.  On my right was  a woman who just wanted to be left alone, and how I knew that was the fact that she wore a sleep mask and pretty much gave anyone who woke her a look of death.  To my left was a Dude (yes I said Dude) who had a tail that was 3 feet long, a hat that was sideways with stickers, tattoo sleeves on both arms and had stolen Tina Fey's glasses from her.  As soon as he sat down he put his ipod on and went to sleep.  He then continued to breathe on me the entire flight.  He smelled like Chinese food, bad breath and gas.  I do not like to be breathed on.

10:25 p.m An announcement over the loud speaker from our lead steward told us we had been circling San Diego and could not land due to severe weather.  This was code for the fog was way too thick to land.  So we circled one more time and tried to land.  I was still being breathed on.

10:52 p.m. Sadly we were unable to land in San Diego so we were going to Los Angeles to either get  more fuel or get on buses and drive to San Diego.  So go ahead and guess which happened?  We got to sit on the plane until about 11:30 p.m.  The Steward claimed we would only have to wait 30 or at the most 40 minutes for buses to pick our asses up and distribute them in San Diego.  Piece of Cake, right? Ya wrong.

The Dude woke up next to me, or actually his friend decided to shake him till he woke up and yell in his face, "Dude (hence the nickname I coined) we are not in Kansas....we are in LAX!"  His response was peppered with explicatives that rhymed with Duck  and he proceeded to yell them over and over as we sat on the plane.  Oh, and he continued to breathe his horrid breath on me as he yelled them out.

The Bathroom Incident Friday, December 10, 2010 12:07 a.m

After finally being let off the plane we all rushed to the nearest bathrooms, which seemed logical since we were all eventually being put on buses that would drive over two hours to get us back to where we were supposed to land.  It was not only our airlines that was unable to land in San Diego, but countless other airlines that were stranded at LAX.

After asking numerous rude airport personal where the nearest bathroom was I found a woman's bathroom.  I stood in a very long line and waited.  Soon after getting in line a rather interesting older woman got in line behind me and she talked the entire time we were in line.  She explained how she had taken a bus before and it was not that bad, she talked about where she came from (Hawaii) and what airline she flew out on.  After each announcement she said ya,ya.  She poked me over and over and asked if I knew if there were more toilets (the answer was no).  She spoke like the Rain Man.

The line was long and we were in line for a long time.  As I stood there I continued to be bombarded with questions from Rain Woman.  She kept poking me and pointing to the bathroom section with the sinks and asking if I thought there were toilets there.  I kept saying no.  I almost yelled "I DON'T WORK HERE!", but I was too tired.  By the fourth poke I almost suggested she go pee in the sinks, but I thought better of it.

As I got closer to the toilets (Did I mention the line was long?) a young 8 year old blond girl with dark glasses (stole from my neighbor on the plane I assumed) pushed and shoved her way to the front of the line.  When she arrived at the front of the line she just stared at the stalls.  A woman asked her if she was looking for someone, she did not answer.   The woman then asked her what she wanted - again no answer.  Finally she asked if the little girl could wait, then the fun started.  From way back in the end of the line we heard at about 100 decibels, "NO SHE CAN'T WAIT!!!".  The poor woman looked around and asked the girl what she needed, still no answer.  Then we heard it again, "NO SHE CAN'T WAIT!".  She reluctantly let this little girl cut in line.  Small girl did not  even say thank you.

At last I finally got to a stall and just as I closed the door I heard this from somewhere in the back of the line, "HEY DO YOU KNOW WE ARE 20 DEEP IN LINE AND WE NEED TO GO TO THE BATHROOM!"  Um, ya WTF?  I had, had it.  I quickly respondedyelled with my own tirade, "Ya We are Having a Frickin' Party in Here!  WE are peeing as fast as we can thank you very much!"

After I left my stall, Rain Woman gave me a strange look and then she asked me if I was okay.  I told her yes and then she proceed to say since I was YELLING at myself she was worried.  Um, okay.

Other Tidbits & Fun Facts While Waiting in Airport

The Virgin Airlines staff was kind enough to pass out water to us.  When the gentleman reached me two older short women proceed to take the rest of the waters and fill up their pockets with water.....I got no water.

A older stocky gentlemen in a trench coat hacked and coughed the entire time we waited for our flight.  Not only did he cough and not cover his mouth he walked around coughing on everyone.

One of the stewardesses had a very small (under 5 pound) puppy that she carried around, changed it's clothes, coddled it and gave it water.....bottled water, that I did not get.  She also did two costume changes at the airport.  Her co-worker not to be one upped also changed - into a super short royal blue dress, tights, thing high boots and put on some fantastic bright red lipstick.  Apparently she was dressing up for our long drive in the middle of the night to San Diego.

The Ride on the Bus, December 10, 2010. 1:30 a.m - 3:30 a.m.

The Bus was crowded, but we all got seats and though Virgin promised that we would be on a bus in 30 minutes, what they really meant was like an hour and a half.  The drive to San Diego was two hours and it was not nearly as entertaining as my time in the bathroom line, but then again I was dozing in and out of conciseness, but this I remember:

• Driver texted most of the way to San Diego
• Driver checked directions about 7 times while driving
• For two straight hours a girl smacked and cracked her gum
• The fog was so thick our driver had to press on the breaks numerous times
• Driver had no idea where she was going and got stuck in the wrong terminal
• A bus driver wearing a Santa hat can not be trusted, unless it is actually Sant

I finally got to bed at oh um 4:30 a.m. in the morning on December 10th.  To say I was not looking my best on Friday would be an understatement.  And even though the flight left me with an entertaining story I did have a good weekend.  And, when I got to the airport on Sunday to fly home - I was upgraded to first class.  Score!

 

 

 

 

 

 

New York Times Baby

As I mentioned in my last post I had the good fortune of being interviewed by the frickin' New York Times a few weeks ago.   And, then the misfortune of the photographer coming to photograph me for the piece.  It went live last night and I was able to post it on Twitter and Facebook.  Most everyone was very positive and gave me major props.   If you read all the way through you will see my good friend Jennifer Christensen (she was my inspiration for saying NO) interviewed also.

So this morning I did go rush out and purchase one, okay three copies of the paper.  I kept singing the old "Cover of Rolling Stone" all day today.  I thought it was funny....my kids not so much.  My new nickname around school is Jamie "No I'm Not" Lentzner.  I heard that the article was passed around a lot today around some Bay Area schools, amongst volunteers, PTA boards and us ex-volunteers who were happy to NOT be at school.  You can read the article here:

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Frazzled Moms Push Back Against Volunteering

Drew Kelly for The New York Times

Jamie Lentzner, of Foster City, Calif., feeling overwhelmed, put an end to her school volunteering.

By HILARY STOUT

Published: December 1, 2010

IT was last spring, somewhere between overseeing Teacher Appreciation Week and planning the fifth-grade graduation party, when Jamie Lentzner, mother of two in Foster City, Calif., reached her breaking point. 

She had already designed the fifth-grade T-shirt, taught art twice monthly to three different classes, and organized movie night, restaurant night and beach night fund-raisers. She was overscheduled and exhausted. She had scant time to help her children with their school projects because — coincidentally — she was always working on projects for their school. “You’ve got to stop,” said her husband, Darin, who worried that the constant stress she seemed to feel was damaging to her health.

Ms. Lentzner realized that she had spiraled out of control. She vowed to put an end to all this volunteering — and to recapture some of the serenity in her family life that had vanished because of nothing more than a well-intentioned desire to pitch in.

Today, more than three months into the school year, Ms. Lentzner is a new woman. She has yet to attend a PTA meeting or decorate so much as a classroom doorknob. When she saw her name listed as chairwoman of the annual Donuts for Dads Day (another event she oversaw last year) on a volunteer sign-up sheet, she whipped out a Sharpie and crossed it out.

“No, I’m not,” she wrote.

Her business — she designs children’s room décor — improved, and at home, the change has been striking. She has time to play Ping-Pong and Wii with the children. She hosted 27 relatives and friends for Thanksgiving last week, and for the first time in years she enjoyed the holiday. “I told my husband, ‘I am not stressed,’ “ she said. “I did not have some event hanging over my head, or a T-shirt design that had to be done. I think I finally have my priorities in the right place.”

Around the country there are a number of altruistic, devoted and totally burned-out mothers just like Ms. Lentzner who are becoming emboldened to push back against the relentless requests from their children’s schools for their time. What started out as an admirable civic gesture somehow snowballed into an inability to say no to any committee assignment or project request, and spiraled into night, weekend and after-school commitments, middle-of-the-night e-mail exchanges, as well as frozen dinners, takeout pizza and baby sitters at home.

With the holidays approaching, the call for parental help at school has reached a fever pitch, but this demand is not just seasonal. As local and state economies continue to struggle, budget cuts to rich and poor school systems are increasing the reliance on unpaid parent help. The need is so great that some school districts, like a couple of specialty schools in Prince William County, Va., have made it mandatory to commit to a small amount of volunteer time, and others are considering it. In San Jose, Calif., one elementary school district has been discussing a proposal that the families of its 13,000 students commit to 30 hours of volunteer work during the year.

Many parents are happy to volunteer uncoerced, and most everyone recognizes the worthiness of the cause. But the heightened need and expectations are coming at a time when many parents have less and less time to give.

“Volunteerism is way down at our school this year,” said Gary Parkes, the PTA president at Carmel Elementary School in Woodstock, Ga., a suburb of Atlanta. At the school’s recent annual fall festival some games had to be closed down because of a lack of adult volunteer supervisors.

Economic necessity, Mr. Parkes said, has forced some stay-at-home mothers to go back to work. “People are so busy trying to stay afloat, they just do not have as much time as they would like to give,” Mr. Parkes said, adding that he has heard similar laments in regional PTA meetings. “This seems to be a problem for a lot of schools.”

(Mr. Parkes has been getting creative. He reached out to the Cub Scouts to help with the fall festival and recruited the girls’ lacrosse team at the high school to operate the crazy-hair and face-painting stations. He is also exploring arrangements with the R.O.T.C. and with corporations that have public service programs.) 

Other forces are at work besides the lack of free time. The growing world of mom blogging has provided ample forums for exposing the darker feelings of motherhood, and a number of women have taken to cyberspace to gripe about school volunteer work. Some complain that the system preys on maternal guilt and that it creates a sense that a mother’s worthiness is measured in how many hours she puts in at her children’s schools. Under the headline “Just Say NO to Volunteering,” Sarah Auerswald, a former PTA president in Los Angeles, wrote in June, “What I am about to say is not very PC, so get ready: Moms, stop volunteering so much.”

Ms. Auerswald, who estimated that she had sat through 1,000 meetings over the last 10 years as a volunteer, said all her work for the schools had left her “a run-down, crabby, resentful wreck.” Worse, she said in an interview, “My kids got really resentful.” When she would leave them with yet another baby sitter, or drag them along for yet another Saturday Clean-up Day at school, they implored, “Why is it always you who has to do everything, Mom?”

Ms. Auerswald emphasized that her children’s school had a very real need for parents’ volunteer work. But she said she has learned that parents need to set realistic expectations about what they can accomplish and how much of themselves they can give.

Because the work is unpaid, some volunteers say, few realize the toll it can take on people. “I know a woman — the work she did for the public schools was so critical — she made me look like a loafer,” Ms. Auerswald said. “Then her husband left her because she was never home.”

That news was startling to Ms. Auerswald. “Not that my husband was leaving, luckily,” she said, “but he was not happy about how much I was doing.”

Part of the burnout stems from the fact that in most schools a small number of volunteers shoulder the vast majority of the work.

Everyone recognizes this, but they can’t help but wring every ounce of commitment out of those who seem willing. Consider the case of Zan Jones.

Ms. Jones is a mother of two in Keller, Tex., who works part time as a booking manager for professional speakers. This fall she was co-chairwoman of the Scholastic Book Fair, a commitment of five full days on top of the multiple meetings required to organize the event. And the decorating.

This year’s theme was superheros, so Ms. Jones made the sign with Superman saying, “It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a book fair!” She made tall buildings out of cardboard boxes. She stuffed the Spider-Man costume that she had found and bought herself. When it was over, she helped pack everything up and take the money to the bank.

That’s a lot of work — especially since her children don’t go to the school anymore.

Near the end of the summer, Ms. Jones’s children, a third grader and a fifth grader, were accepted to a charter school, but she felt uneasy about breaking volunteer commitments she had made to their old school. And, apparently, the school was desperate for help.

“They were panicked,” Ms. Jones said. “There was not one mention of ‘Oh, don’t worry about it.’ If there was, I probably would have taken it and run with it.”

Still, Ms. Jones insisted that she was happy to help, and no sooner did she fulfill her commitments at the old school than she started volunteering at the new one. She has chaperoned three field trips, worked in the library and helped set up a “mad scientist” dry ice center for a Halloween party. But she admitted she considered bowing out.

“Selfishly, I thought, ‘Oh my God, this is my chance for a clean break,’ ” she said. “I thought, ‘I can go somewhere where no one knows me, and I can sit silently under the radar and not volunteer.’ ”

But, she explained: “My kids really like me volunteering. Their faces light up when I’m there.”

That is what most parents assume — that school volunteer work is in the best interests of their children. But some veterans are skeptical. Jen Christensen’s epiphany came on her 41st birthday in May 2009. She was presiding over Teacher Appreciation Week at her children’s school in San Mateo, Calif., and getting up daily at 4 a.m. to work on the school auction. She was so overcommitted, she said, that she could not find time to celebrate.

What hit harder still was that she had given up working when she had children to be home with them — and now she was continually leaving them with baby sitters because she had to attend a meeting at school.

The next fall, Ms. Christensen declared herself off-limits to all school volunteer requests. “I said: ‘I’m done. I quit. Don’t call. Don’t e-mail.’ I said I have given so much of myself. I’m spending 50 hours a week working on a volunteer position. Where does it end? You want some blood? I wouldn’t even let my husband write a check.”

Ms. Christensen added: “It felt fabulous. I took a step back and was able to see what was wrong and appreciate the opportunity I have. I don’t have to work, and being able to spend time with my kids is what my job really should be.”

She noted the simple pleasure of reading with her 8-year-old son, Owen, in their special “reading chair.”

“It was calmer in our home and I think everyone was much happier,” she said.

Some of the push-back stems from just plain irritation over the way volunteer requests are made, often involving large numbers of increasingly desperate-sounding e-mails. A few years ago, Karen Bantuveris was on a plane on a business trip. “I looked down and literally saw my BlackBerry fill up with reply-all e-mails about whose turn it is to help at recess and to bring snacks,” she said. “The more I talked to working moms, the more I heard: ‘I can’t volunteer anymore. This is ridiculous.’ ”

Ms. Bantuveris put her training as a management consultant to work. She invented an online system — similar to the popular Evite invitation service — that sends a calendar of volunteer opportunities and allows parents to sign up for those of their choosing without multiple e-mail exchanges. She now runs a company called VolunteerSpot that markets the system, coordinating 460,000 volunteers, 75 percent of them parents in schools.

Even among those who have made the break from volunteering, there is always guilt. “There is such a need,” Ms. Christensen said. Her year of saying “No” ended when school started this year. But still she is a far cry from her old über-volunteer self.

She agreed to be a “room parent” for the third grade, which means she plans class parties. And she did consent to oversee the kitchen-tour fund-raiser, but she is now “kind of regretting it.” It is scheduled for September 2011, Ms. Christensen said, noting, “I still have time to get out of it.”

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So that is that, I was in the New York Times.  I can scratch it off my bucket list (I don't have one but if I did I would put be in the New York Times on it).  Once I get on the Oprah Winfrey Show (you did not think I would not reference her did you?  I only have till September 2011) and my products in People Magazine I can say I have done everything.  Everything as far as publicity goes that is.

New York Times Came a Knockin'

Just A Silicon Valley Blog Post

After the supposed end of The Silicon Valley Mom Blog I didn't give my posts much thought.  I owned them, I could re-post them and/or just let them live in the Blogosphere.  I enjoyed writing for the Silicon Valley Moms Blog a lot more than I thought I would.  I wrote about events at school, my crazy family and mostly my children. 

This June I was very fed up, frustrated and burnt out from volunteering at my children's school.  I listed all that I had done on this blog and then made a public pledge to not do it again on SV Moms Blog.  I got a lot of comments on and off line from other volunteers like myself that were done with a capital D with volunteering. 

Two weeks ago I received an email from a reporter at the New York Times  who read my post.  She asked if I would speak to her about my volunteering or lack their of.  She wanted to hear how this year was going and if I had kept up my pledge.  Without thinking I said "Hell to the Yes!", or maybe I thought that in my head and just replied very polite like in an email.  Either way I was interviewed the following day.

New York Frickin' Times Interview

Rule one when you get an interview with a very reputable news paper (or any publication) - get the  time correct.  And me being a veteran of countless interviews (okay a dozen or so) I am always prepared and I always get the time right.  Ya, not so much.   I bounced, or stumbled out of bed at 6:30 a.m. and downed two cups of coffee for my 7:00 a.m interview.  Then I waited and waited.  I waited some more. And then waited a little bit longer.  Then I drank more coffee. 

By about 7:45 a.m. I was freaking out and bouncing off the walls.  I looked at the email for the 45th time that morning and realized I had the time wrong.  Don't ask me how or why but I was under the impression the interview was at 10:00 a.m Eastern Standard Time....and uh, it was actually 10:00 a.m my time, Pacific Standard Time.   So now I was wide awake just waiting for the interview.  By the time she called (the correct agree time)  I was the babbling laughing volunteer from Hell.  I was interviewed for over 30 minutes and am pretty confident that I sounded like an insane rabid parent.  Yes, I am scared of what will be taken from the interview.

I calmed myself down by remembering some past interviews.  Having been interviewed in the past I was not even confidant my interview would even be a part of the article.  This happens more than I care to admit.  I have said it before, and will continue to say it - press is good.  All press is good (Jamie's Painting & Design never came up in this interview).  I am fine, the whole article may  not even ever be published.  I did not get my hopes up.  Then last week I got an email.  I had to be in a Photo Shoot, with my children like in a few days........ah, come again?

Ready for My Close Up

When picking out our clothes I tried not to over think it, but I wanted us to look good - so I totally over thought the whole thing.  I figured my kids should dress as casual as possible without looking like we were trying to be too causal - this is not as easy as it sounds.  The urge to dress my children in their holiday finest, get hair cuts and polish their shoes was very tempting.  Sadly I cancelled the fancy up-do, professional make-up artists/stylist and put away my formal gown, diamond tiara and fur.  We were the Lentzners, and we were going with jeans.

Last Wednesday the photographer arrived at my home.  Now, I have to preface this with the fact that the exterior of my house is a disaster.  We are in the process of having the entire house stuccoed, painted and we are replacing all of the lights.  When I answered the door I caught our photographer looking around at the plywood very skeptical.  His eyes kept darting back and forth from the plywood srewed to the house, and a bulb hanging where my light would be.  When he finally made eye contact I could have sworn I saw him sigh.  He was probably expecting Ma Kettle wearing overalls and smoking a pipe.

I took him to all the rooms, seeing which one had the best light or the best angle for him.  Even with turning on every light in the house my home for him, he was not sure about where to photograph us.  After walking back and forth for about ten minutes he still had not found a good spot.  The front yard was out of the question since it would look like we lived in an Appalachian Wooden House and the playroom ( that would be the garage) had ourdogs in it.  I was starting to get nervous.  After two tours of the Lentzner home I caught him eyeing the backyard.  This was not going to be good.

We Have Dogs & Standing Water

As he leaped out our back door and into our backyard swamp I blurted out, "We have Dogs! Watch   where you....step."  I watched him grimace as he took big then small steps while trying to examine his surroundings.  He danced around, eyeing the ground as if he were about to step on a land mind.  With the 3 solid days of rain, followed by 3 days of near freezing weather - my kids had not been out to uh, clean up after our pets. It was not a pretty sight, puddles, mud, poop and some dead plants - I was mortified.

And of course he decided to photograph outside.....yep, even though I was casual I was still rocking my cute suede boots.  Boots I did not want covered in dog excrement.  The children to were told to play soccer and look natural.  After they fought over which ball to bring outside we all dodged dog poop and mud for 10 to 15 minutes.  I am sure the look on my face was part disgust and part shock while I was being photographed.  Nothing says "Working Mom" like a mother and her children playing soccer in a mud/poop swamp.

We then took photos in our kitchen, in my office and me looking out the window at my dinning room table.  I still don't know if I was supposed to look happy, sad, confused or dignified.  I just hope the pictures came out decent.  The article is scheduled to be published Thursday, December 3, 201o.  I am hopeful that we/me sound and look decent and normal and sane.  It could happen.

Big Bedding Companies Should Take Advice from the Little Guys

I don't enjoy failing or falling on my face.  First off it hurts my pride, second of all it hurts my darn face.  I hate to have people to know I have failed -I like to succeed.  I don't know what the big deal is - everyone fails, it makes us who are....blah, blah I get the positive spin on it.  I don't  know who says it but I do believe that as awful as failure is, it is part of growing , changing and learning from my mistakes.  That being said, even though I failed....I turned this failure into an opposite of failure?  A success after a failed attempt?  Oh hell, I made lemonade out of lemons.  Read on;

Submitted Products to Pottery Barn Kids

In January of 2010 I took the advice of a dear friend and I sent 4 product samples to Pottery Barn Kids.  I spent an entire weekend on 6 or 8 designs, painting, researching and looking at trends.  I spent a great deal of time on their site, trying to figure out what their designers wanted, comparing my ideas to their bedding and pretty much immersing my self in Pottery Barn Kids 101.  I wanted to design Nursery & Kid's Room Decor products that complimented their products.  I really felt I had one chance to make a good impression and I wanted to make a great one.

Of the 8 designs I created, I felt that four of them were good, no not good - really good.  I got feedback from friend's in the industry, I made the tiles and shipped them off.  I spent the next two weeks checking my email and voicemail almost every 5 minutes to see if they loved my stuff....I knew they would love it.  After no response I sucked it up and I called them.  The Head Buyer lady said they would review Jamie's Painting & Design at their next Design meeting, and I would hear from them.  I never heard from them. 

Rejection.....Sucks

I waited for weeks that soon turned into a month and I did not "hear from them".  After countless phone calls and emails I finally got the Buyer on the phone.  When I re-introduced myself and asked if they had made a decision on my products  her reply was, "We are not interested."  Ouch!  She did not let me down easily, she did not sugar-coat it.  Pottery Barn Kids did not give a reason and they did not apologize for their (her) short and to the point answer.  I was so shocked I did not even rebuke her or ask what they did not like my products.  I am usually pretty good about asking the right questions and where do we go from here...this time, not so much.

I spent the next few days, okay weeks feeling very bad.  I could not believe I had it so wrong - I always got it right.  Well, not right, but the chances of 1 our of 4 of my designs being what they wanted, or liked - I had done my damn research!  Most times after tons of research I got the design factor down.  I felt I was like Austin Powers and I had just lost my mojo (is that even how you spell it?).  I know it was not the end of the world, but I just felt crummy about the designs and my ability to make good products.

Making it Work

By summer I decided fu.........um, I mean screw it they were still my designs.  I really liked, dare I say loved the four designs that would forever be known as PBK rejects in my mind.  I dusted them off sucked in my pride and I added them to my 2010 line of new products.  I figured they did not own me, they did not own my designs....I did.  I did not hold up much hope of them being best sellers, but I thought maybe somebody somewhere would like them.

Within 24 hours of the Butterfly & Flower Birth Announcement going live on numerous websites we sold 3.  This may not seem like such a huge deal, but it takes awhile for Google to crawl sites, it takes customers a while to purchase new designs.....this was odd.  The Zoo Animals Birth Announcement has also had the same success, we sold 10 and it has only been out there for a short time.  The Butterfly Garden Name Plaque & The Space Name Plaque  sold for the first time last week a few times for both.  A few of my other designs have had limited success, but right the gate these four, the PBK Four as I have re-named them seem to have some legs.  Week after week these four designs are selling.

With new designs and even with old designs sometimes we don't sell a design till it has been on the market for 6 months to a year.  It may take a good customer review, press or just word of mouth.  We have been ahead of the game on designs and then when a bedding design has come out our product has sold like crazy.  We have been known to go week after week selling one design over and over, for months sometimes years and then see the sales stop all together. 

Am I Gloating?  Why, Yes....Yes I Am

So, even though I am disappointed that Pottery Barn Kids did not select my products I sort of feel vintigated with my artistic talent.  I am Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman.  The scene where she walks back into the exclusive Beverly Hills Boutique that refused to sell her clothes with bags and bags of clothes and she is dressed up in her new fancy shmancy outfit and she asks the woman if she remembers her, tells her what a big mistake she made.  Ya that is me.

[Jamie, smartly dressed and carrying many tiles, stops into Pottery Barn Kids Corporate Office.]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100405/Jamie: Do you remember me?
Pottery Barn Kids Buyer: No, I'm sorry.
Jamie: I sent you plaques and birth announcement designs. You didn't like them?
Pottery Barn Kids Buyer: Oh.
Jamie: You work on commission, right?
Pottery Barn Kids Buyer: Ah, yes.
Jamie: Big mistake. Big. Huge! [turns away] I have to go make tiles now!

Business Is Going

"No matter where you go.....there you are." ~Buckaroo Banzai 

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai was a movie I watched in the late eighties - it was campy, funny and the special effects were awful.  I am not even sure you could use the word effects.  As bad as the movie was I loved it, and thought it was hysterical.  The music was awesome too, so awesome I sat with my recorder and recorded the songs right off the TV.  That was about as technical as I was in my mid-teens.  I don't recall much about the movie  now, but I do remember this quote - and it about sums up me and my business these days.

Going Down, Down, Down

As 2010 comes to a close and the Economy seeming to just sit still, I get asked; 

"How's Jamie's Painting & Design doing?"  

Just like I got it asked in 2009 and the end of 2008.  Everyone wants to know how my business is doing.  And as much as I enjoy sharing about what I do for a living, I inwardly sigh when I am asked this.  I tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  My response:

"Bad.  Times are tough and sales are down."

I have spoken to many people in retail, and lots of other Entrepreneurs and they all agree - people's spending habits have changed.  I know the boom time bathing in money days are over, but I feel they I am optimistic that things will turn around.  History repeats itself and things will get better.

Most times, people just agree, we commiserate and we go on to other topics.  Topics like how our children are doing in school, the weather or what the latest is on Facebook.  But in the last two weeks these were a few zingers I got from some industry peeps, partners and friends:

"Oh, you mean it started when Obama was elected?"

"Oh sales are down because of the Democrats?"

"It is because you are all crazy in California, you voted in some awful people."

"Won't people start spending when the Republicans gain power?"

"It is all Obama's fault, someone should tell that man."

My response everytime goes a little something like this;

"Uh............okay no I do not agree, I actually strongly disagree with you.  I don't really care whether you are a Republican, a Democrat or a Tea Bagger...er Partier.  I don't.  I don't blame either party entirely.  My sales started going down slowly in 2007....did you hear me 2007?  They really fell off a cliff on September 30, 2008 - the day of the Financial Meltdown thingie (before Obama was elected).  I just would like someone to fix the Economy.  Fix it I say!  I don't care how, I just want people to start spending money again....money on my products!"

What People Mean

I know that people mean well, and they think they are saying the right thing.  I also know it is really much easier to just play 'The Blame Game' when faced with adversity or possible financial ruin.  I get it.  I just don't agree with it.  Politics and business do not mix well, nor do politics and people that do not have the same political views I have.  I am not saying anything brilliant, but I am just saying.....why must we blame one person and one political party?  Does anyone recall who was president when the country fell of a cliff?  I mean - could it be both their faults?  Could it then be both their responsibility to fix it.  With unemployment at about 10% I can see why people are not spending like crazy on gifts and wall decor for their children.  I just can't wait for them to start.

Moving Away from Honesty

To help me with these uncomfortable and often right sided conversations I think I need to change my response.  Maybe honesty is not the best policy, maybe they don't really want to know how I am doing.  It could be that they are just making small talk and I should do the same.  I think moving forward I am going to change my response to one of the following:

"Fine"

"I am keeping myself busy."

"It is what it is"

"What on earth did you do with your hair? I LOOOOVE it!"

"Why do you want to know?"

"None of your business."

"I don't want to talk about (sobbing and tears soon to follow) it"

"Have you ever heard of Buckaroo Banzai?"

Yes, instead of killing them with kindness, honesty and real tangible information I will be rude, deffensive and possibly dillusional.  If all else fails my last resort will be showing them a dog swimming with a dophin youtube video on my new phone.  That will change the subject I am sure.

Ladies Don't Start a Business, Just Have Babies?

I read a blog post yesterday that really made me think about what it took to own/start a business.  Penelope Trunk, founder of Brazen Careerist wrote a post on Tech Crunch titled, Women Don't Want to Run Startups Because They'd Rather Have Children.  In the post she touches on many broad points and makes tons of assumptions about women entrepreneurs and mother's that own their own businesses.   She does this of course AFTER she has decided to pretty much take a step way back and let other people run her third Start-up.   She is pretty much pointing her finger at VC backed Tech companies - but she makes some bold and assumed statements about female entrepreneurs. 

Here are the highlights, if you don't have the time (or stomach) to read it:

• Starting a business can be Hell
• Women are under pressure to have kids - they have biological clocks
• Women don't want to give up their personal life in exchange for the next big Thing
• She won't even go there regarding women with young children that start a business
• She compares the stupid farms people build in Farmville to how Men and Women differ
• Women want a lifestyle business, so they can control their time, work & be flexible with raising kids

Just for the Hell of it, let me counter, question or decipher her points:

Starting a Business Is Hell

Yes, yes, yes sister  it sure can be Hell!  But uh, anyone in this day and age that does not know that has been living under a rock or is really lacking in the whole brain department.  I mean, gee thanks for starting the obvious.   I sort of loathe people that fail (and yes I know harsh words, but she did fail) at something and then tell everyone else NOT to do it.  It is demoralizing and patronizing.  I mean she is right about the whole starting a business is hell....but it is also a hell of a good time.  Those first two years for me  were mostly exciting, amazing and exhilarating.  Everything was so new and so much fun.  I was Leo DiCaprio in The Titanic, "I'm on top of the world!"

Women Are Under Pressure to Have Kids - Due to Their Biological Clocks

What?  Really? Is it real? No, it is not it was actually conceived as a metaphor for the sense of urgency some women feel regarding reaching menopause, being childless or arriving at her thirties unmarried and without a suitor.  We don't really have the biological clocks - but some of us do have the need, want and desire to have children.  I don't like the fact that she lumps all women into this nice little decisive statement.  Even though I am not who she is talking about, since I started my business after I threw the damn clock away.  I already had my children....then I started the business thank you very much.

Women Don't want to Give Up Personal life for the Next Big Thing

The funny thing is when I started Jamie's Painting & Design I thought, no I knew I was going to be the next big thing.     Okay not like Mark Zuckerberg or Bill Gates....but I was positive I was the next Rachel Ashwell or even Martha Stewart.  I had such conviction and an ego that was huge.  I could actually taste that desire for total world domination thing.  And, for those first few years I did give up a LOT of my personal life....a lot.  Our social card was empty, I worked while the children slept, I was  thinking and talking about my business all of the time (shout out to those friends that are still my friends....I must have been hell-a annoying back then).  It consumed me, like most entrepreneurs - I was obsessed with my baby.  But, back to her statement, it is so final and um broad reaching.  She, Penelope decided to quit.  She decided she wanted more of her personal and private family life.  I mean, she is even sort of snide saying that she wants to be the center of her family NOT her company.

The Impossibility of Starting a Business with Young Children

The crazy thing is she did this, her sons are young, she even says it in the article.  But, back to the fact that she did not succeed at it, soooooo no one else should try.  I did take offense to this part of the article since I was the one who did exactly that, but then I realized she has no idea who Jamie Lentzner is or what the hell to the L what  Jamie's Painting & Design does.  Since I am not going after VC money and I don't make some snazzy tech gadget...I am not that woman she is thumbing her nose at.  But, I still don't like the statement - so there.

Playing Farmville Shows the Differences Between Men & Women

I hate, hate, hate Farmville.  I never ever had the desire or time to play it.  I have seen it, I have watched it being played...and I don't get he attraction.  Maybe I am biased due to my total disregard and violent hatred of the game but still, I am not sure about her comparision.  She claims that women build colorful fun farms and men build big McManssion farms, proving that is why so few women pitch to Venture Capitalists and that even fewer get funding.  Okay?  So I say to her - what does my (if I had one) fancy farm have to do with me asking or not asking for money?  That means nothing to anyone.  I think it proves that these men spend way too much time on their computers and Facebook.  Or the men that built these huge farms are actually over compensating for something. 

Women Want a Life Style Business - To Control Their Life

Okay now I am thinking she is looking at me.  I have said this, wrote this, blogged this, cried this and screamed this.  I like the control, but doesn't everybody?  I have yet to meet a 40 something woman that did not like being in control of her own life.  We can't stay 3 forever people - we need to learn how to get dressed, earn a living and use the toilet.  Am I right?  I think men start their businesses for the same reasons - to control their own destiny.  Most uber successful entrepreneurs (I am thinking Donald Trump not Louie my Dry Cleaner) even have enormous egos and love being in control of their own lives.

But What Kind of Entrepreneur am I?

The post, as you can imagine got a ton of comments (482 at last count) and most were from women  with and without biological clocks screaming at her.  When I first read it I did take it personally and got all, "Oh no she didn't...." and I wanted to write a nasty comment.  Then I read it a few more times and I was not as irritated as I sort of confused.  I mean, I agree with her on some parts of the article (that would be one part), but coming on the heels of deciding she can not and will not do it all, sort of sounds like sour grapes. 

I do know one thing, oh she is so not talking about me or  Jamie's Painting & Design.  She doesn't even know my name (see another Sixteen Candles reference...I think I will start slipping them into EVERY post from here on out).  She knows nothing about what I do, or other like-minded women in small industries do.  I tend to buy into the whole You can have it all, just not at the same time theory and my personal favorite quote, "Life is hard...deal with it".  But I also think that a woman should not be held back by a ill-concieved pretend biological clock, or her real biological children.....I am just sayin' from experience and all.

Going from Good to Great

September 20, 2010.

My son has been playing on a competitive soccer team for almost three years.  What started as just a fun after school sport has turned into an all out way of life for the Lentzner Family.  Our weekends are spent at soccer games, tournaments, wearing our favorite jerseys and subscribing to the cable soccer channel.  You don't even want to know what it was like during the World Cup - we were fanatic.  One summer afternoon while my kids were....wait for it, playing soccer I found myself devouring a special soccer edition of Sports Illustrated.  At that point, I knew we had gone too far.

Ball to the Walls

I am not sure when the constant banging started, but it has been at least a year.  The Thud. Thud. Thud, Thud, I would hear through out my house.  When my son was awake he was constantly kicking a ball, any ball around my house.  As the days morphed into weeks and then months I noticed he was always touching a soccer ball. 

If he could not find a soccer ball he would kick a beach ball, a basketball - hell I once found him juggling with balloons.  He was always methodically touching the ball as he walked through our home.  The ball was always with him, no matter where he was - he was tapping the ball. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.  Whether he was doing homework, watching TV or just putting clothes away - he was always touching the ball.  Walking to get a glass of water took 14 touches, 3 turns and then he balanced the ball on his right foot as he drank his water.  Taking a shower was heading the ball against the walls or trying to rainbow the ball into our sink before he did the dirty deed.  

At about this same time he started watching soccer on TV and attending any games he could.  He would beg us to stay for the next game on a Saturday, or watch his competition while he waited for our next tournament game.  While watching TV he started analyzing the plays, the tricks and he watched how the players controlled the ball.  He memorized the stats of European players.  He knew the Premiere league from the league in America.  He reads about soccer too, books, magazines, the internet - he has immersed himself in the sport.  

He's Got Balls Too

At one of our many soccer games last weekend I mentioned my son and his ball touching....err honing his ball skills, and how he was kicking the ball around our house to a few other parents.  I asked them if their sons did anything like this. 

One Mom laughed out loud and nodded at me.  She then went on to describe her son doing the exact same thing as my son, daily.  The hard word floors were easy for him to push the ball around effortlessly, in socks even.  However, not only did he have a soccer ball at his feet, most days he also had a baseball in his right hand, as he dribbled the soccer ball around the house. Talk about multi-tasking, I can only imagine him doing a maradona around the kitchen table while he practices his knuckle ball with his right hand.  I felt better about my son's 'touches', yet I still did not know why he did it.

That Kid Has Balls....Skills That Is

Like I said, it has been over a year of kicking the ball around and as much as I loved my son's commitment to the sport, I was tired of the Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.  All of my pleading, begging and crying for him to stop with the soccer ball in the house, only ended with me being frustrated and him continuing to touch the ball.  In one exasperated moment I blurted out to him while he was laying still reading in bed, "Why? WHY? Why are you kicking the darn ball around the house day after day, after day??"

Without missing a beat, or putting down his 500+ page book my son replied to me, "Remember about a year ago when Dad told you about how to be an expert?  I heard him say if you want to be an expert at something you need to do it a lot to get really good at it.  I want to be good at soccer, I want to play it and if I can't play in high school, college and professionally, then I want to coach.  And after I coach it maybe I will do something else.  Don't you remember Dad telling saying that?"

Actually I did recall that conversation, but I did not know he was listening.  We discussed many other factors about how success takes time, not always talent, the expression 'Practice makes Perfect' was thrown around.  Our children were in bed and we were having quite the late night intellectual conversation.  The original quote was after a sales meeting my husband attended, and his exact quote was, "If you want to be an expert at something you need to do it at least 5,000 times".

All Balls Out 

It is so simple, and so true - experts or even professional athletes do not succeed without lots and lots of practice.  I once saw Joe Montana speak at some Inspirational Positive Lecture thing.  He told this amazing story about how he first mastered throwing a football through a tire, then his Dad swung the tire and he mastered that.  His father just kept making it harder for him, and until he mastered it - he practiced. 

The thing is my son is quite good at soccer, he is very cerebral and he has great ball skill.  He is not by far the best or biggest on the team - but he there.  He is quietly honing his skills, practicing while others goof off, juggling while some play video games.  I am pretty sure he is not the Joe Montana of soccer, but he sure is trying to be.

Being an expert takes a long time, and is a huge commitment.  I started to wonder if I was an expert at running Jamie's Painting & Design?  I have made over 5,000 Name Plaques and Birth Certificates.  I am sure we have shipped over 5,000 products.  I have worked over 5,000 hours on my business and at the same time cried 5,000 tears.  Calling myself an expert sounds sort of pompous and arrogant, not sure I would stamp that on my business card. 

Becoming an expert takes time, not just talent.

Have I Said Everything?

I do not want to go back to the year I apologized constantly about my lack of posting - but my posts are lacking, or I am lacking the ability to post.  The last time this happened I got a large amount of emails and phone calls of people begging me to just shut up and blog.  Everyone was so sick of hearing me start each blog blushing with my head down and twisting my hat in my hands, begging for forgiveness.  I am older and not quite in the mood to ask for forgiveness these days.  I feel more like Popeye these days, swinging my muscled arms and stating, "I am what I am".

I have been asking myself how I have gotten to this point.  How could I have written all there is to write?  It is not like I have an army of apprentices that I call grasshopper.  I did not sell my business to Google or receive that most coveted call from The Oprah to feature my product.  None of those things have happened - so how could I know everything? Why do I have writer's block?  What is wrong with me?  This is what I have thought about so far:

Why This Even Started

I started writing this blog because I felt I had something to say, something that people wanted to hear.  I found nothing on the Internet that gave help, advice or even an honest view of what it took to run a business.  and not just any business, but a business run by a woman and most likely a mother.  Our problems were different, our solutions were creative and our failures were unique.  The words literally came bubbling out of me, like nothing I had ever known.  I did not realize I had so much I needed to share, or wanted to share.  I had to be vague sometimes and coy not sharing too much.  I felt that if my competition read this I would be in trouble.

As the years went by and some of my competition fell by the way side, went bankrupt or just kept hand painting, I became more open.  I am not being cruel or mocking them - I decided I just decided not to hand paint my tiles.  I felt I could either paint or I could design more and manufacture products.  I shared what had worked for me and I tried to explain how I did it.  I could produce more products (and better) for my customers, lots and lots of customers.  I am happy with my choice and I am not quiet about it.  I think my way was right, and um well it worked for me.  Yet, I am second guessing myself these days.  Did I share too much?  Was it better when I was not SO honest?

The Economy....Really Must We Go there Again?

The last two years have been hard...how many times have I written that sentence.  Anyone that can answer that question gets a years worth of SPAM and some new Ceramic Tiles for their child's room. I think I have beaten that poor dead horse enough.  Even though it has all but consumed me or the past years, I have sort of become a broken record

How many times can I discuss how hard the last two years have been?  Maybe not everyone has felt the pinch, probably the smaller the business the harder it has been.  Or it could be some industries suffered more than others?  Until the Economy rebounds and we are all spending money again, this weighs heavy me, hence why I write about it....a lot.  But, even I am getting tired of writing about it....I am sick of it - fix the Economy already!

Blogging to Blog or Blogging to Connect

Sadly, I sort of wonder if I have said everything I have to say that about running a business.  Without giving a list of my sales channels, my press releases and all of my bank account numbers I wonder if I am of done.  But still, I love to write - I enjoy to connect with others.  I am trying hard to find new topics to discuss.  I am not giving up, I am not closing down.  I am just wondering....what the hell else can I write?  (pst....that is not an open ended question either...I would REALLY like to know).

Do not worry, this is not my swan song, I am not riding my horse off into the sunset today.  I just thought I would be honest here (lying not my thing so much....but you knew that right?).  Truth be told I am frustrated.  I literally bang my head against the wall weekly, trying to figure out what to wear......write.  Not much has changed in the past few years, hence the head banging.  I am sure I will figure something out, or something will happen - it always does.

Don't Try This At Home

I have posted on this topic before, but I find that life just keeps repeating itself.  I don't want to say I put on my cranky pants today, I just feel like sometimes (being your elder and all) I need to give you some harsh lessons.  If you are an experienced business owner like moi, then this post will you do you no good.  However, if you think you may have once or twice (haven't we all?) over-stepped your bounds, read on. 

I find the longer I am an entrepreneur and own my own business the shorter my temper is and my ability to entertain idiotic odd requests.  These are in no particular order so do not think one holds more importance than another.  So if you are new to owning your own business and especially if you are a woman or a Mom, please read this list of things NOT to do:

What Not to Do in Small Business

1. Do not ask someone to borrow their biography/pitch/time line for your own publicity.  Do your own work!  Write your own biography and figure out what makes you and your company tick.  My story.....is MY STORY!  You can not use it, because it is mine.  You can try, I mean really - it is not hard I have had the story written over twenty times (and no I am not bragging), just do not ask me if you can borrow it....the answer is no.

2. Do not ask someone you do not know for contacts to a buyer, publicists, business owner or Oprah.  If you do not know them, you have no repertoire with them.  If you think it is okay to ask a total stranger for a contact that probably took them 3 years to get - then you are crazy.  Just because you read a blog post about someone does not make them required to share their contacts.  For the record, I do not know Dr. Phil personally, and I will not give you his phone number.

3. Do not copy my anyone's artwork or design.  I have gone over this for years, it is just wrong.  Come up with your own damn design....remember the Cheese it's commerical - get your own box.  If all you can do is look at someone else is doing and copy it, you are in the wrong line of work.  You are an entrepreneur, go create something amazing.

4. Do not spy on another company's booth at a Trade Show.  I mean by all means know what your competition is doing, but do not go up after they left and touch, pick, scrape and tap your competition's products.  They are probably watching you do that, and you look pathetic.  Take the high road, acknowledge them and then go back to your booth and do what you came there to do - sell products.

5. Do not screw your partners.  I believe in KARMA, and I think if you are a business owner and you refuse to pay the company's you work with then you are a big fat meany.  Worse yet is if you just up and walk away and leave those poor small companies without being paid - you suck.  Word gets around, us small business owners talk - it is not nice to steal from us.

6. Do not take what you have not been given.  Do not go and take photographs from some company and throw them all willy-nilly on your website.  We will find out.  Those photos are copyrighted and we own them.  Even though I am confident that you can copy/trace/duplicate any of my designs, that is not the point.  You have no right to offer to replicate them - it is against the law....and again not nice.

7. Do not tell one of your sales channels how you are going to copy a competitor.  Tsk, tsk, tsk on you.  You should be smarter than that now really.  All industries talk, and it does not take much to get us to spill the beans.  If you are planning on ripping off an idea one of your competitors has pretty much owned the market on, then keep it to yourself.  Your competitor will find out.....or she will figure it out.  I would actually suggest doing what you do well and minding your own business...but then again what do I know?  I have never had that happen to me.

8. Do not lie, be honest.  No one likes a liar, and we all know you are lying.  Tell it like it is - be honest.  If sales are down, own it.  If the Economy is kicking your butt - announce it.  Nothing ticks me off more than someone blogging, writing or tweeting (barf) how great business is and how the Recession is not affecting them.  Really?  Okay well if that is the case, and I doubt it - keep it to yourself.  When 95% of the country is suffering you should have the gumption to shut up, if you are doing so fabulous that is (and I doubt you are).

9. Do not blog just to get traffic.  I have been blogging for a long time, and I do it because I love it.  I am not Steinbeck, but I love to write and I felt I had something to share with other like-minded women.  If you are just blogging to brag about your accomplishments, announce a new design or because your web designer told you all the "kool kids" are doing it - you suck.  Yes, I meant that.  Blogging takes hours, it takes time and it takes someone with a huge backbone to blog about their industry and trials and tribulations of their business.  And on that note....blogging once every 3 months does NOT get you any more traffic, nor does it make you a writer.

10. Don't Lie or Fake it.  I have often written about how I would never let on how small my business was when it was run out of the house.  However, I did not lie - I always said, "We are in the studio" and that is where we were.  Faking it as an artist, designer or a very successful sales channel does not do anyone any good.  You just tend to  jeopardize your reputation.  People will find out if you are lying about your sales, employees, accounts or where you got your ideas.  Liars forget they are lying - remember that.

Okay, did not mean to be so negative....and no the Economy is not picking up.  I can honestly say some weeks are good, others are bad and a few are actually horrid.  I talk to lots ot people and this is the truth.  If you have rent and have employees - you get what I am saying.  I may not be saying it eloquently - but I am being honest.  So, to quote an old show from when I was a kid (Hill street Blues), "Let's all be careful out there."

Curse my IT Department!

When I worked for The Learning Company if I ever had a computer problem all I had to do was contact the IT department to come help me out.  Within 5 minutes one particular IT guy would come to my little cubicle and make everything right.  He had glasses, long sideburns and always wore large belt buckles.  If I am not mistaken he had a love for country music and trucks.  I may have been invited to a concert once or twice.  Regardless, he made everything all better; like when I did not understand why our connection was down, or the printer did not hook up or um even when I could not figure out where the network was. 

Small Business has No IT guy

Sometimes I sit and wonder where my IT guy is now, I daydream that he might some day come in and sweep my computer off my desk and make all my computer problems go away.  I miss him, I miss my IT guy, I have no IT guy.....I am the IT guy.

Today was one of those days where I sat and wondered about my IT department.  The reason was due to a snafu or a "reasons we can't explain" as the lovely lady at AT&T called it.  My internet went down and I had to figure out why, yep me, myself and I on the phone with AT&T.

Tech Support On The Phone

First I argued back and forth with tech support regarding the fact that we had changed our plan and changed our DSL lines and I was pretty sure that AT&T had turned off the wrong line (it has happened numerous times and only AFTER we turned a line off or changed it).  The guy told me his name was Angel....yes he said Angel and he could help me.  He also said no, he was sure my router was broken, or my phone line, modem or....maybe rabid squirrels ate through the cables and reconfigured my computer while I was out - I sort of stopped listening after the seventh possibility.  Well maybe he did not say squirrels, but he might have - I had no idea what he was talking about. 

We went back and forth with what could of happened for about ten minutes.  I finally interrupted him and asked him to help me fix it...just explain to me slowly what I had to do.  I may have gotten a tad irritated but I did not start crying (been there, done that).  He started by explaining to me what cord to un-plug from the modem, and back into the router, the phone, then the computer. The phone conversation went something like this; 

Angel: "Take the blue cord from your router and put it into your computer.  Now ma'am take the cord from your modem and put it in your router, now put the cord from your Modem into your computer.  Did you do that ma'am?"

Me: "Yes I (grunt, whimper) sorry I had to pull my hard drive out and I am now laying (breathing hard)on the ground plugging and un-plugging cords...I did that."

Angel: "Are you okay ma'am....you sound like you are struggling ma'am."

Me: "I am fine Angel, just having to tear my entire system apart and plug and un-plug things."

Angel: "Phone line working or not ma'am?  What about the internet ma'am?"

Me: " I am on the phone so that works. No Angel, the internet is not working."

Angel: "Try to plug this number in....now this one...now this one....does that work Ma'am?"

Me: "Nope, no not that one....no that does not work either."

Angel: "What does your router say ma'am?" 

Me: (It doesn't say anything.....hahahahaha but it blinks) "Sorry I was day dreaming, um it is not lit up, it is blinking."

Angel: "Do you have internet now ma'am? How about now? Now ma'am?"

Jamie: "No, no....wait now it works.  It works!  It works in safe mode and when I bypass the router."

Angel: "Okay good that is a start.  Is your modem old or new ma'am?"

Jamie "Um, here is the deal could you please stop calling me ma'am?  I hate being called ma'am.  It makes me feel old and I am not old enough to be called ma'am....call me Jamie, please."

Angel:"How old are you ma'am....er Ms. Lentzner.......I mean Jamie?"

Jamie"I am 40."

Angel "Wow - that's how old my Mom is.  I am 22"

Jamie "Never mind, Thanks - ma'am is fine."

How do I talk to an Angel?

All kidding aside after 2 hours on the phone with Angel I was ready to get his home address and send him a Christmas card.  He was very patient and not once told me that I may be a total ignoramus for not understanding my internet, or remembering ANY of my passwords.  We discussed our past vacations, how he still got carded and his lack of a Texas accent (he was working at a call center in Texas).  I was a tad bit smitten by him - he had helped me and all was good.  All was going to be hunky-dory....until he told me this.

Angel: "Um Jamie (yes we got past the ma'am formality) I am not certified to take this call any further.  I need to forward you to the Tech Support that handles router problems.  Uh.....and they will be charging you for the call.  I am real sorry, you can ask for a payment plan...."

Me: "Fine, whatever....thanks for your help, you have been very nice.  Sorry for uh being rude in the beginning. Take care.....(call me?)"

Angel:"You too Mrs. Lentzner, ma'am....Jamie I mean.  I will send you an email"

Three Hours Later

I got into a fight with another more senior IT department person, her name was Talon.  Is it just me or have I entered like a strange universe with names?  It was like a Percy Jackson book, or a Greek Mythology novel I may have read in college.  I was sure that her supervisor Zeus was going to get on the line.

Anyway, I was trying to prove that my phone line was NOT disconnected since I was talking to her on it.  I also go to argue that NO I could not go on the website to fix the problem because....I HAD NO INTERNET!  My accountant (mother) came in to the office on her day off to help with the problem.  She got to argue and fight with Tallon also.  And, once again we were reminded no less than 7 times that this was our problem and we had to pay for this service.  Ya....that would be the service that AT&T screwed up when they turned off one of our phone lines, then turned it back on - this screwed up our Internet address.  We finally got a tech support person (I was hoping his name was Falcon, Medusa or Apollo....but I think it was Frank) to get our Internet working. 

And That's The End

At the end of the day all was well at Jamie's Painting & Design.  Our internet was up, email was working and the birds were chirping............uh not really, but we had internet so Hallelujah!  We (me and my Mom) did get it all up and running, even without an IT department and me having not one idea which cord went where or what the hell I was doing.   Guess my IT department consists of me, my mother, Talon, Angel and Frank.  I hope Angel doesn't come into my office tomorrow and try to get me to go to a Billy Ray Cyrus concert....I may have to say yes.

Getting into Pottery Barn Kids

My very, very good friend London Edwards has done the impossible.  She has her products for sale in the Pottery Barn Kids catalog and website.   There were ups and downs, good and bad days.  It was a very long process that started last fall and just finally came to fruition last week.  Her products debuted on the Pottery Barn Kids site late Thursday, July 22, 2010. 

If you are like me and wondering how the hell...er heck did she do that - well I found out.  Actually, I lived through it with her most of the past year. She was nice enough to answer a few questions to help others that might (like who wouldn't?) want to get into Pottery Barn Kids.

Can we get a little history about your Company, My Little Dish?

London - I started My Little Dish in 2001.  Began wholesaling immediately with local stores, I never did any local shows.  We did our first trade show in the first few months and again 6 months after that.  Even though now I think trade shows are a waste of money, but I did learn the term "Licensing" from a neighboring booth.  That turned out to be helpful in 2004 when I licensed some of my products.

How did you get into PBK? Did they contact you? 

London- They called late one afternoon. I didn't answer because it was after hours and normally don't even check voice mail until the next day. Something told me to check right away and when I did, I about fell out of my chair.  (I still have that voice mail saved on my phone.  I also have the voice mail from when she called to confirm they were adding them to the new line.)  I called them back and spoke to the senior buyer, who said they needed samples immediately could I overnight them!

I guess I should have asked her how on earth they found her, because I still do not know.  I am guessing that if the buyer was searching for personalized dishes or plates, My Little Dish would be one of the first to come up.  Something I wish I knew when starting a company, it helps to have the product name in the company name.  I can not tell you how many times I am called to paint a house, paint a sale sign at a Burger King or ask if I am hirng contract painters.

What was the process like?

London - The process was long. Actually that's an understatement.  From conception to the finished product it was exactly 8 months.  With a lot of back and forth, design changes, many more samples and dealing with dozens of different people. Everyone I dealt with was very nice, but big companies can be interesting to deal with.  Everything has to go through senior designers and buyers and they change their minds more than a teenage girl changes clothes!

Ahhhhh, like I said in the intro, I was going along with her on this entire ride, getting emails, texts and phone calls from her weekly and sometimes daily.  I know for a fact it could be very frustrating sometimes for her , especially if you are not used to collaborating with so many people on your designs.  When working with big companies (I have done it) you take the good with the bad and learn that it is not just you but an entire design team that is helping (or hindering) your designs.

How did you come up with your designs?  Was it a collaborative effort?

London - They asked me for my top sellers and told me what they were looking for (sort of in a very vague manner) and I painted all 12 designs in both girl and boy colors.  After they looked them over and told me they loved them, they started to pick them apart.  They didn't like the black, could I change text color? This pink was too light, but that one was too dark.  So after a few more batches of samples, we finally narrowed it down.  Then they sent me a few bedding samples and asked for designs based on that.  Voila! Done, sent the samples. They loved them and were going to take all of them.......then they weren't going to take all of them.  Indecisive definitely, but with so many cooks in the kitchen, I got it!  They were always very polite and very appreciative of everything, so it made the changes very bearable.  I have been very appreciative of how kind everyone has been there. You hear stories about big companies. I have stories about some big companies.  But this company has not disappointed me in the least, yet.

Was there anything crazy or funny that they asked you?

London - I can't remember anything they asked, but I can remember a comment that blew me away when talking to the first Buyer.  She wanted a price break, because (of course) they are a profit driven company.  When I asked her for the volume they thought they would do so I could run numbers, she said a similar product sold 10,000.  10,000 units? 10,000 dollars?  For a quarter, for a year what?  She said $10,000.  I assumed she meant in a year. (Which my accountant informed me that plenty of my accounts sell that much in a year, so a price break might not be worth it.)  Sooo.......I emailed her as much.  Within seconds she shot back an email saying "No, that is $10,000 a week!!!!!!!"  I began laughing hysterically.  I'm not sure why, if I found it funny, or if it scared the hell out of me.  But I couldn't stop laughing. All I kept thinking was OMG, that was for one product and they just took 12 of my designs. 

Something to keep in mind is that many companies (large and small) always give out these huge projections for what they think they will sell.  I have been doing this for eight years and never have they been correct.  Almost always (except for one Halloween Plate) they were way off.  It is very exciting and I hope that PBK is dead on, but just keep in mind that projections are not facts.

Anything else you can share for someone hoping to work with big Company?  Bit of advice? Or something you wish you knew?

London - Ask a lot of questions, kill them with kindness, don't turn down additional products they want to add, because chances are they will narrow down the line eventually after numerous meetings with other buyers.  I wish I had agreed to do the melamine, ornaments, frames and any and all they initially asked instead of being cautious.  Some problems are good to have, so take them on and worry about how you produce them later.  That's easy to say now, because I haven't started producing yet.  So ask me again in a few months, in the middle of Christmas season!

Well, actually this is only half the story, I can't wait to see how this plays itself out.  London is a hundred percent right about asking questions.  Also I would add if you are itty bitty and run your business out of a closet....maybe do not share that.  I never used to let on how small my company was - as long as I could deliver what they asked, that was good enough.

I have worked with some large and very, very large companies.(psst...Nordstrom, Target, Warm Biscuit Bedding when I was a newbie, Home Goods, Favorites Catalog, Femail Creations Catalog, The Right Start).  One store even took an entire year to pay me.  A. Year.  I am not saying that will happen here, but if you choose to work with a large company know that you are doing everything on THEIR terms.  Also, you may need to hire additional employees, rent more space, buy more supplies, purchase special packaging - added costs that you may not know when you get wined and dined by one of the big guys.

My Little Boy Grows Up

This post is actually very late - I should have put it up Fall of 2009 when my son's room was actually finished.  However, we had a few last touches that we finished this summer, and in my defense I tried.  Though, every time I wanted to photograph his room....it was a mess, or he had mis-matched sheets, or worse he was in it and refused to leave. 

Change is Good

I am not one to balk at change, I can handle a little change with my life.  I get it is part of life, I understand we all grow, we get our own ideas and we....change.  You would think with my son having no had less than 3 different room designs and decorated by me, I would be all gung-ho on this new venture.  Well, trust me I was excited.  I spear-headed the shopping spree to IKEA, the search for bedding that looked like soccer but was not a cheese-fest of bright colors.  I researched the posters, I experimented with having the room painted white, tan or cream.  I was into the decorating - I DID all the decorating.

Out with the Old

When the day came last year to dismantle his room, to actually pack up his sweet bedding, his model air planes and the hand made pillows my grandmother made him.....I got a bit weepy.  I wanted to save it all, and all I did save.  I kept much of his items because I could not bare to get rid of them.  It was like I was saying good bye to my Little boy and hello to a bigger, meaner and sometimes stinkier one.  He is not yet a man, or a teenager but a tween as he is often called.  The airplane room was his, and he loved it - but it was for a little boy.  This soccer, I mean Manchester United Room - was all him, and all his idea.  Don't get me wrong, I encouraged him and I wanted him to really help us, but it was defiantly his room.

For whatever reason last year when my husband went on his yearly boozefest golf trip my parents offered to watch the kids.  I was all alone on a Saturday night so I decided to paint my son's room.  As I quickly used primer over all of my airplanes I got even more melancholy.  I so wanted the room to stay the same, or as my therapist would say (if I had one) I wanted him to stay the same.  I got it, I get it still today....and yes, looking at that picture of his old rooms still makes me sad. 

Ah, such is life and I will keep living it.  I am usually one to embrace all of my children's milestones - but this painting time I was down right weepy.  Looking back, it probably did not help that we were having a major heat wave, it was 90 degrees inside and the first time I was home alone.  I would chalk it up to hormones but I was just a wee girl of 39 back then and pretty sure it was not menopause.

It is All Soccer Baby.....I mean older Boy!

This past June Grant just graduated fifth grade and is soon going to be entering junior high.  I figured this was a good time to show off his room.  I mean, if painting over a few airplanes brings me to tears, you can only imagine what I am like envisioning him in junior high.  I will try and keep my blubbering, my experience in junior high and my urge to kiss him in public at bay these days.  It was just a bedroom, right?

So, now almost a year later I am excited by his room, I am embracing him as he tells his friends about it and how he shows it off to his soccer team.  I like that he has taken ownership (and some of my credit) for his room.  Now, my husband and I are crossing our fingers this will be our LAST re-design of our son's room before he hits college.  And, at the same time we realize that Abby is going to start wanting a new room pretty soon......

The Past Six Months

July 12, 2010.

It has been a long, long....really long last six months at JPD.  Just getting a new website up and running - even working with real engineers -  is a ton of work.  The designing, up loading, the writing copy, correcting copy, swapping out images - all of it hs been exhausting - and that is just added work on top of the every day grind of running a business during a Recession.  And I have not even done most of the work.  I have done my share, but not even close to the bulk of it.

Re-launching Jamie's Painting & Design

The relaunch is scheduled for just a few weeks away.  I am optimistic that it will go off with out a hitch and we will have a smooth transition and make tons and tons of money and live happily ever after...........uh ya okay.  Sorry, I wish I could just have all positive thoughts, write a mantra or post a fabulous affirmation on my mirror - but I can not, that is not me.  I am not negative, I am a realist - oh wait maybe a negative realist, or a realistic negative person.....food for thought none the less. 

Honestly, I am trying to just go with the punches and let it go, or just accept what I can not change.  Life running a small business can be is very challenging.  Sometimes to make  myself feel better I make lists.  Some lists are things to do, things I wish for or this list.  This is all the sort of kind of annoying things that just happened to us these past 6 months.  This list sucks.  

Jamie's Top Ten List of Things that Sucked This Year

1. The logo alone was a topic of debate for everyone and their brother to discuss.  It had to be done, it was time.   Oh hell, was it painful and I had to defend my choices, then I had to go and second and third guess myself.  I like the new logo - we are going with the new logo......change is good I think, right?  Yes - I mean YES....
2. Finding the time to upload about 300 products, prices, descriptions and images to a new site takes a..........sorry was going to use some swear words, anyhoo it takes a very long time.  Many, many hours in front of the computer just adding images to an excel spreadsheet took time.
3. The economy is not better and times are still tough.  It takes money to do things, lots and lots of money.  We can get creative with financing, we can do much ourselves - but in the end nothing is free.  Doing the whole "running a company on a shoe string" is not so fun going on year two of the never ending Recession.
4. Just like that supplies can sell out.  Our Children's China line is temporarily sold out as of about 3 weeks ago.  The distributor is based in China, and China being China has not shipped any plates to the USA in like forever.  They may not ever ship them again.  One of our suppliers has refused to carry the plates, we found a new supplier that says they will be in stock early August.  We are not sure that will happen (and of course this happened after we had uploaded all the China plates.....yep).
5. The cost of our large ornaments and the drilling of them has made us re-think the product.  With budgets tighter and trees smaller the big honking 6 inch 2 pound ornament was not cutting it.  We decided to drop the product.
6. Some of the press I got is gone....gone Daddy gone.  It just does not exist on the web any longer.  A few blog posts about JPD, an article I wrote that was syndicated across the country and my first product placement in a magazine.  Those losses sucked, but the worst was my first National TV placement.  Working with Warm Biscuit Bedding my Christmas ornament  was featured on the CBS Early Show back in Christmas of 2005.....I accidentally deleted it off of Tivo.
7.  Some of our ribbon we use for our products has been discontinued- not a huge deal, but worth mentioning.  Just go get it somewhere else you say?  Not so easy, and not so realistic.  When it is gone - it is gone.  We buy our ribbon from a wholesaler, we have worked with this super big company for ages....I can't just run into my local fabric store and demand 15 rolls of a specific springtime gingham check ribbon.
8.  The crows ate our duck eggs, well not ours but these two ducks have visited me for the past four years at the office.  The Mommy duck laid 3 eggs at the end of May in one of our flower pots.  We were thrilled with the excitement of baby ducks this summer.  Then those awful damn crows ate 'em.
9. Our fridge in the break room is dying a slow death.  It leaks water and the freezer section does not work any longer.  You have no idea how cranky some people at JPD (that would be) will get without their Green Iced Teas frosty cold during a long work day.
10. My laptop is also on it's last leg.  Getting a new laptop is exciting - but paying for it, well I think I already mentioned how tight things were.  I just can not bring myself to buy a new one till this one dies for real.  I did buy a back up drive so that I am not losing anything....I hope.

Such is Life and There is a Silver Lining

A few weeks ago a friend and I were gabbing about life, kids, gossip - it was a run on conversation we were having when we had a few free minutes.  And, as it always does with me, the conversation changed when she asked, "How is business?".  I was honest, I was brutal and I did not pretend that we were bathing in hundred dollar bills and drinking wine out of golden goblets.  As I was giving gruesome details about how much the business has changed I sort of had an epiphany.  I thought that maybe this was just a bump in the road and maybe it was sort of a good thing.

It is no secret that for the past two school years I have volunteered my little heart out at my children's school.  I have done what I would have once pointed and laughed at other Mothers for volunteering to do.  I have loved parts of it, I have hated other parts.  I have made friends, I have probably ruffled more than a few feathers.

But the point is I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to help out at school and spend countless hours with my children.  Had business been booming I never would have ventured down this road.  So after being totally honest about business I told her, "You know what is good about this?  With our sales down, it gave me the opportunity to volunteer at school, something I never would have been able to do.  I am not glad that things are slow, but I am glad at how I spent my time."

Oh jeez, look at me now!  I had go all positive energy mantra on y'all.  Damn it, I guess I am more of a positive realist or a used to be negative now realist....who would have known?

We are all Fredo

I really, really wanted to have my last post at SV Moms be a super sugary sweet look back at my time blogging.  I was hoping to touch on the good, the bad and the ugly. I wanted to embrace, enjoy and feel the Mommy Blogger love I have sort of evaded my entire blogging career.  But, then the hand of God......er, my right hand while I was watching The Daily Show I checked my blackberry and I read this article on Blogher.  These days, I do more reading and less commenting - but um, well I feel the need to comment on this one. 

Twilight Fever....Not for Everyone

If you did click on over and read the Blogher post you might know where this is going, or if you are too lazy then let me help ya out and catch you up to speed.  Robert Pattinson of the Twilight series.....hold on I am blushing, and let me catch my breath and remind myself I am 40 and he is....ewwww, okay I am back.  While speaking to Entertainment Weekly for his upcoming Eclipse cover story, Robert Pattinson made a comment about Kristen Stewart’s comments last month, where she compared the paparazzi to rapists (totally gross statement, I agree - but not what I am here to discuss).  While Kristen saw the error in her statement and she even apologized for it, Edward, eek I mean Robert Pattinson made a statement about the comment; “That whole system of Internet journalists, where no one is called to account, is almost entirely about hate,” he said “All these people get away with doing it because they have no responsibility to anyone… there are so many little nerds behind their computers, on their little blogs.”

 Here is a quote from the article"But that's not really the most important point to make about those 'little blogs.' End of the day, who cares if Twilight had never become the phenomenon it did and if you'd never moved on from small roles in big films or big roles in forgettable films? The world would not - forgive me Twilight moms - be poorer for your absence as a movie star. But you know what? It would be poorer without all those little blogs. Because those little blogs contain some of the best writing from the best writers writing today (all those little nerds are literate and poetic, and they are storytellers of a quality that matches or exceeds that of the creator of your Edward.)"  

Uh, uh, OUCH!  Was that necessary?     I re-read the Blogher blog post a number of times, then I did a google search on the whole article about Pattinson.  That was one of many things from the Blogher blog post that struck me.  My initial response was....um when did he call out Mommy Bloggers?  He said you were nerds, not bad writers...and uh no offense some of the gazillion blogs out there are bad, as bad as some of his films, okay?

We Did Not Create Edward

And since when did bloggers make him who he was today?  My gosh, I get that we (not really me, but the rest of you movers & shaker bloggers) really rock the blogging world, but Hollywood....come on now!  Ladies, ladies - let's not get our super comfortable extra elastic panties in a bunch...he is um 20 something and defending his lady.  And he said "nerds with computers"....uh duh - he is sort of right, isn't he?  Don't fight it....own it!  I am more of the um he is so not looking at me.  Get with it people, stop being so self-absorbed.

I don't mean to kick a girl (Mom) while she is down, but just 'cause your blog is super popular, and at Blogher you get to sit at the popular table....it does not mean that Mr. Pattinson knows who you are.  Nor, does it mean he was looking at you, or any of your blogging friends.  He is an actor, and I am guessing does not read blogs - let alone Mommy Blogs.  He never ever said Mommy or even female bloggers.  Why must people assume he means us, you, me?  I do not read some article about blogging and think, "Oh my gosh they are talking to me....I must have my dress tucked into my underwear?  Or they know I am lacking with comments....Must.Write.Evil. Angry. Comeback." 

I do not recall the same fury, hatred and anger towards Mr. Steve Jobs earlier this month when he said something similar at The Wall Street Journal's All Things Digital, "I don't want to see us descend into a nation of bloggers," Mr. Jobs said during an on stage interview. "I think we need editorial oversight now more than ever. Anything we can do to help Newspapers find new ways of expression that will help them get paid, I am all for."  Yes I blog, and I suppose I should have been offended, but I was not.

We are just like Fredo

There are a gazillion blogs out there right now.  Tuesday on CNN there was even two bloggers that told us how to get our blog popular in he Blog Universe.  Uh.....okay, I guess that sounds great, but  would rather be popular in the real world- you know that life where we interact with real human beings?    I love blogging, I love writing a blog, but I am not willing to go all "Motrin Mom" on everyone because of some stupid (ya I said it) advertisement about cramps and headaches (please do not make me go there....the commercial was dumb, end of story).  I can already hear Seth Meyers of SNL in my head, going "This is our new segment titled, "Mommy Bloggers....Really??"

One of my favorite trilogies was the Godfather series (you thought I was going to say Lord of the Rings right?  Gotcha - I am not a nerd with a laptop though....).  I even wrote a paper in college about it and got an A- thank you very much.  I always loved Fredo's speech at the end of Godfather II, it is a classic, and I think relative to some blogger's view of themselves, "...It wasn't the way I wanted it!  I can handle things.  I'm not dumb Christ, not like everyone says. I'm smart; and I want respect!"  This is how I see some bloggers, they so want to be considered part of the game...but they are just Fredo.  Hell, I am Fredo.  On the sidelines, running a few casinos here and there, but not the family.  They have no say in what the family (that would be Hollywood) does.

Thanks for the Memories

June 21, 2010

Way way back a long, long time ago - like January of 2008 I was asked to be a part of an amazing collaborative blog, The Silicon Valley Mom Blog.  It was a huge honor to be actually asked to blog, and to be associated with some really amazing writers.  It was a daunting task, and one that I was not sure I was up to.  I remember stressing over my first post, over-analyzing every word I wrote, hoping to make a huge impression on the world.  The first postwas fine, it got some comments - I enjoyed the community of Moms I was meeting and I relished in the opportunity to write about other topics than the ones I stuck to on JPD Mom - work/family juggling stuff. 

 Mommy Blogger Topics...I Can Do That!

I wrote about some funny topics, some conversationsI overheard, an embarrassing conversation my daughter had about Heineken beer.  I was just a dabblin' in the whole Mommy Blogger culture, and I enjoyed it.  Then, about 2 months in I decided to write about something that was near and dear to my heart, something that had bothered me for years - SAHM's vs. Working Moms.  Oh, oh, oh what a shit storm that was!  I was telling stories of situations that had happened to me, myself and I.  Being a working Mom in my neck of the woods has not always been easy for me.  Often times other women have said odd things, strange things, and down right mean things.  My way of dealing with it was writing a blog post. 

Everyone got on board, either with me or against me.  I even made the major mistake of linking to a blog (a very nice SAHM who made homemade goodies for her kiddos) when just trying to say she was "like" some of the mothers in my neighborhood.  The community I was embracing had quickly turned on me, and I had to develop a thick skin.  I also learned the term flamed and life has never been the same since.  It was the infamous post that got me a ticket to Hollywood to meet and be on the now infamous Dr. Phil show. 

And That's The End

That post was by far probably my favorite one, it was the one I got the most comments and readers to discuss my post.  I even was able to meet some of my fans (snort, that sounds so ridiculous) at Blogher that year who knew of my post.  Small, blip in the blogging universe, but it was my little claim to fame. 

I have written for Silicon Valley Mom Blogs for two years and 4 months.  I have posted 52 posts and I do not shy away from any controversy....well most I jump right in with two left feet.  I felt like I could let my hair down a little on SV Mom Blog, pepper in a few naughty words, phrases and really get sarcastic. 

Early last week all of the writers received a heartfelt letter from our founder, - Silicon Valley Moms was to be no more.  The site was to be shut down July 1, 2010 for many reasons, most personal.  The one site that had grown to over 800 writers, 14 different sites around the country and even Canada.  After four years, it was coming to an end.

The Good with the Bad

For me, this has been a relief actually.  There was a two post a month requirement, and though that may not sound like a lot - it was.  I don't just write about anything, I agonize over each topic and I want to make sure that the post is at the least funny.  And, if nothing entertaining, funny or controversial happened to me, I had a hard time blogging. 

I was not that shocked about the closing actually, I started to think things were very slow around that blog.  I was not getting the comments I had gotten in the past, nor was I really feeling that good opinionated blog posts were the norm.   The old guard (seasoned bloggers from before my time) were quietly walking away and newer, greener writers were joining. 

Lastly, I really felt my posts were not jelling with the others.  When I would write about the ridiculousness of the Facebook Bra Color, or an offensive chain letter I got, others blogged about peeling a banana and their plastic surgery.  Not that those topics aren't interesting to some, they were not in the same genre as mine.  I was starting to question blogging and my writing.  I was starting to think that maybe my sense of humor and style of writing was on the way out.

Where to Go Now

So the good news is the approximately 50 blog posts are mine and I own them.  I will be posting them every Friday for those that did not um, read my fabulous Mommy Blogger posts (that was sarcasm....see the font?).  Even though my audience is smaller, and you will probably agree with more than disagree - I figure they are worth posting again.  And, if you are one of my regular fans....just move on and go read some other important Mommy blog post, like about cutting up an apple or um, a boob job.

Is it This Really My Only Destiny?

June 14, 2010

The word destiny has always held a special meaning for me, well not always but for quite awhile.  It is not because very time the word destiny is thrown out there I think of the "Luke it is your destiny" speech from Darth Vader, andmy daughter does do a mean imitation that I may have to post on YouTube some day.  I crack up, just like no one can say the word Dingo without me shouting, "Maybe the dingo ate your baby!" in a very bad Australian accent, anyway I am getting off topic....back to my Destiny.  It has to do with my life, which just like everyone else's lives revolves around choices we made, and choices that were made for us. 

I think that sometimes things happen for a reason, and other times life just knocks you down...way down.  Destiny is a strange word that is thrown around for parts of our lives, yet not others.  No one would ever say, "You are going to pay taxes and then die.....it is your DESTINY!"  It is only used in very deep, esoteric, special situations, times that you have achieved a huge success.  Hell, when my parents neighbor met Grant for the first time she made a prediction that I am pretty sure was NOT his destiny.  Upon hearing his name (Grant Risdon Lentzner) she announced his name was very dignified and he sounded like a president of the United States...ya, okay.

Wikipedia's definition of Destiny:  Destiny may be seen either as a fixed sequence of events that is inevitable and unchangeable, or that individuals choose their own destiny by choosing different paths throughout their lives.

The main reason that I believed in Destiny was how I met my husband.  I did not think it was just a number of very strange and fortunate events that lead me to him, I decided it was destiny (I will save that for another post this post is not about that destiny).  So, in my personal life I say yes to Destiny, in my professional life I am not so sure.  As my business gets older, and as I get (hopefully) wiser I find myself asking these questions quite frequently:

Was I Destined to start Jamie's Painting & Design?

Me sort of thinks that yes, I was destined to own a business.  I was that little girl on the corner selling lemonade to neighbors and passing cars.  Or, if memory serves me correct I would also run out into the street and scream ask if anyone wanted to purchase lemonade.  I tried to start a carnival and sell tickets.  I sold every single one of my Barbie dolls at a now infamous Garage Sale (including my Grandmother's sacred original and very expensive Barbie dolls too).

Right after high school I started a jewelry business, not sure if you would call it a  business or just that I sold my jewelry at craft shows and in many boutiques and hair salons.  Earrings by Jamie lasted for about three years in the late eighties and early nineties.  I closed it down in 1992 when I decided the whole grunge look was cool, with silver jewelry, baggy jeans and flannels.  I was probably at the time my best customer - I wore those earrings everywhere.  Bright fluorescent tank tops, biker shorts, big belts andthan the big earrings with rhinestones and glitter...not so much. 

I was not that bad at the business part, I had some big clients, I picked up stores up and down the Peninsula.  The feather in my cap was that my earrings were sold at a store in a local Mall that also did the Spin Art t-shirts.  It's a generation thing with art splattered around, if you do not know what Spin Art is....I pity you.

Was I Destined to Create Baby & Children's Products?

I don't know about baby gifts, but creating cartoon like characters, yes I was destined to do that. I do it well.  And, since cartoons are usually for children, okay then would say I probably was  meant to do this.  I am of he school of thought that we should do what we do well....if you enjoy it of course.  I happen to enjoy it.  I also love decorating, nesting, painting nurseries, shopping - so designing baby gifts is sort of a no brainer for me.  Again, I follow the trends, know the popular colors, popular designers, styles, looks - I enjoy it, so maybe this is my destiny.

Is this it?

This question is the hardest one to answer for me.  The truth is I don't know if it is.  I don't know if this what I want to do forever.  I just am not sure. Some days I do, other days I don't.  I am not positive that this owning a business and sacrificing so much is worth it.

The last couple of years have been trying on me, my family and my employees.  I don't even need to go into it, as I have it well documented on this blog.  I have had ups and downs, tears and laughter, stress and.....okay lots of stress.  The stress has been the worst part about running a business, not debating that here. 

The one good thing about the down and out, the lean years we have had is I have time to look at what I do and my life and really figure out if I want to do it.  I am lucky that I do not have 50 employees, an expensive mortgage, a family to support and an entourage..oh wait that entourage thing might be cool.  What I mean is, I do this because I love it, or I did love it.  I do it for the sheer joy of creating and the fact that other people purchase my products, lots and lots of people - that is pretty damn cool too. 

In eight short months my lease is up here at Jamie's Painting & Design. In eight short months I will figure it out.  Are we going to go on or pack up and close.  I often ask myself if I really could walk away, could I just end this?  The truth is I just don't know.  I do know life is short, life is precious and it is my life.  If this is my Destiny then so be it, but maybe this is not my destiny.  Maybe this will just be a blip in my life, maybe this won't even be mentioned at my funeral.  Maybe I am going to do bigger things.  Only time will tell if this was my Destiny.