Blog What You Like

Party Time

2009-04-29T22:52:00.001-04:00

April is a great time for house parties. The month is the official start to the new season. It’s when people do spring cleaning – especially in their kids’ closets. It’s the time to retire the stained, ripped and outgrown clothes from the winter to make way for new ones. There are end of the year teacher gifts to purchase, mothers to shop for in preparation for their upcoming day of honor and camp trunks to start packing. In other words, it’s shopping season!

We like to think of LikeWear as not your typical direct sales company as we differ in many ways from most of the companies in the industry. However, there is one very important concept that all direct sales companies share: house parties. The more sales events that a rep has/attends, the bigger their network becomes and the greater the potential for more sales events, more parties and more sales, etc., etc, etc.

In fact, so many LikeWear independent sales reps are hosting or organizing house parties this month that I thought it was important to reiterate our Hostess Rewards Program and guidelines in this week’s Monday Morning Message, excerpted below:

LikeWear funds the Hostess Program for Catalog reps. We do not provide hostess benefits for Cash & Carry sales events (due to their higher discounted “wholesale” price), however, we strongly recommend that C&C reps follow these same guidelines.

House parties are a primary way to grow your business and you want to encourage people (friends, relatives, neighbors, customers, etc.) to want to host them for you. When people host sales events for you, they are doing you a huge favor and helping you to promote your business and generate sales. As such, they deserve something special for their efforts! Everyone likes to get discounts and credits on their purchases – even if they are your sister or your best friend!! In fact, you should explain what a hostess earns to any interested customers (or even with a flyer or table display card) in an effort to line up additional home sales events. The more sales events you have/attend, the bigger your network becomes and the greater your potential for more sales events, more parties and more sales, etc., etc.

The LikeWear Hostess Rewards Program is :

• One half-priced item – party hostesses are entitled to one half-priced item as a “thank you” gift (this should be the most expensive item that the hostess is purchasing that day)
o This discount is applied to full price items only
• Hostess Credit - $5 credit for every $100 spent at the party
o This is calculated once the party is over and all sales for the event have been totaled (i.e., a sales event that generates $1,238.00 will earn the host/hostess a $60 credit)
o Purchases made by the hostess do not count toward total party sales
o This credit is to be used towards the hostess’ purchases that day (this credit is not transferrable nor can it be held over and used towards a future purchase)
o This credit cannot be applied to their half-priced item
• Free Shipping on all hostess orders (we waive the $3 flat rate house party shipping fee)
• Exclusive Access to Sales, Specials and Discounts – although we have not implemented this part yet, we fully intend to in the near future!

As mentioned, the hostess credit and half-priced item are funded by LikeWear if you are a Catalog rep. It is very important to properly note the house party identifier on all orders originating from the same party so that we can calculate total party sales (and the accompanying hostess credit) properly. Similarly, please make sure to indicate which order from the party is that of your hostess so that we can also apply the half-priced item discount as well as the earned hostess credit.

As a Cash & Carry rep, the hostess credit and half-priced item are funded by you and should be treated as a cost of doing business – a very important and worthwhile cost. Keep in mind that as a Cash & Carry rep, these hostess rewards are just guidelines. You are permitted to alter them as you wish but know that the above is what we recommend.

In concluding this Monday Morning Message, remember: the more hostesses you have, the more rewarding your business will be! Don’t forget to mention the Hostess Rewards Program during any sales events you have – your best potential host is a happy current customer!!!

I Like Big Butts

2009-04-27T21:27:00.000-04:00

As a parent it is so rewarding to teach your children something new. But, it’s even cooler when they figure things out for themselves.

My son, Ryan, has always been big for his age – especially big given that he is one of the youngest in his grade. From the time he was 18 months old, his height and weight measurements were off the percentile charts. At doctor’s appointments his stats were delivered to me as if/then statements – “He’s now 18 months, but if he was a 2 yr. old he’d already be in the 75th percentile”. He was like a bull in a china shop no matter where we went. He was in constant motion – constantly. I lost my baby weight in record time and was always glowing (okay, in a full body sweat) as I tried to keep up with him. Add to that, the fact that I come from a large family that is comprised of lots of girls, and it’s not hard to see why none of us seemed to know what to do with a boy – especially one that was a whirlybird of energy like Ryan. I have often described my mother’s interaction with him as akin to someone who is clearly not a “dog person” trying to play with a Saint Bernard. One of my favorite quotes is from my grandfather as he watched a then 2 year old Ryan at our Passover seder. “What’s wrong with the boy?” he asked with what can only be described as a mix of confusion and horror.

As Ryan grew I found that most of what I said to him started with the word “no”. “No Ryan, that’s fragile. No Ryan, don’t push your sisters. No Ryan, stop splashing in the mud. No Ryan, don’t throw that ball in the house. No Ryan, I definitely do not enjoy being smacked from behind when I’m not ready for it.” I was worried about what all this negativity would do to his self-esteem.

Instinctively I knew that I just had to channel his “spirit” in a positive way – ya know, put all that energy to good use. I was so excited when he could finally be involved in organized sports. As soon as he was old enough, I quickly signed him up for the 2 most popular sports in town – soccer and baseball. He hated them both. He practiced, he played in the games, but he didn’t enjoy it – at all. He’d run after the soccer ball and wind up barreling into other players (some of which were his own teammates!) knocking them down like pins in a bowling alley. On the baseball field he could make good contact while up at bat, but he was a slow runner. And the speed of play for baseball in 2nd grade was equally pathetic. He didn’t care that these were the sports most of his friends were playing. Soccer and baseball were not for him - he just wasn’t interested. Okay, I thought, so he’s just not going to be a sports kind of kid.

Then Ryan started to play football and his world changed. Now his size, energy and aggression were attributes! His face lit up the first time he tackled someone to the ground and received not only a “way to go” from his coach but also a clap on the back for it! Knocking people over, not being afraid to get dirty, and having a tough enough butt to withstand the knocks (literally) of playing the position of center… that’s what it took to play football – it was the perfect sport for him!

Then spring came and lacrosse was a similar eye-opener - less pads than football but fast physical game play. And his body was made for defense. In fact, Ryan has perfected a move that we have named the “butt hole”. When a lacrosse ball is on the ground, often there is a swarm of players all trying to pick it up with their sticks. Most players shove head first into the fray. Not my son. Ryan likes to back up into this type of gathering . He leads with his butt – shoving and bumping players aside – essentially creating a hole in the crowd by using his rear end to clear the way for him to pick up the ball. And it’s effective!

It’s what every parent hopes and dreams of– that their children can try and try again until they are able to take his/her own unique personality and physical traits and use them to a successful advantage. We’ve been commenting on (okay, and sometimes poking fun of ) Ryan’s broad build his whole life. Who was to know his big strong butt would be the thing to perhaps lead him to greatness someday?!?!

Monday Morning Meeting

2009-04-20T22:16:00.003-04:00

Okay I admit it. I hate Monday mornings. It’s when “my list” is longest and sometimes I just don’t know where to begin. That said, I usually try to wake up a little earlier on Mondays so that I can have a half hour of quiet time (while even Ken is sleeping!) to organize my thoughts, make a game plan for the week and try to get motivated!

During this morning’s solitude I was thinking about the fact that I speak to 5-10 of our independent sales reps each day to discuss various topics – table set up techniques, sales tax rules, hostess benefits, boutique store sales tactics and strategies, vendor event sales and website ordering, just to name a few. Over the past week or so, each time I hung up the phone from one of these conversations (or completed an email exchange) I thought how much all of our sales reps could benefit from what had been discussed. So with that in mind, I’ve decided to start a Monday Morning Message. Each Monday morning I plan to offer a brief tip, suggestion or helpful comment that will hopefully help our reps to organize, promote and advance their business.

The first Monday Morning Message:

Consider inviting another vendor (or a few) with non-competitive products to attend/help coordinate a party. There are entrepreneurial moms in every community. Whether they are selling jewelry, stationery, handbags, cosmetics or women’s apparel (just to name a few) they will likely have a customer base that differs from yours. In that way, you’ll all benefit from a more varied and (numerous!) invitee list which will hopefully translate to a better attended event – and more sales! You should give a brief description in your invitation as to what each of the vendors will be selling. Just think, someone who comes to the party looking for a handbag may just not be able to resist your LikeWear clothes!! You’ll likely find too that these vendors will in turn invite you to some of their future events as well.

I hope (and will encourage) our reps to reply to the Monday Morning Messages with any comments, feedback or personal suggestions they may have on that day’s topic or anything else they would like to add. I’m hopeful that this will help to foster a greater sense of unity. Most of our reps don’t know one another but we are all part of the same team – if we all succeed on an individual basis, it makes the company stronger as a whole. To that end:

"The greater the loyalty of a group toward the group, the greater is the motivation among the members to achieve the goals of the group, and the greater the probability that the group will achieve its goals." --Rensis Likert

Giving Birth Again

2009-03-02T22:33:00.003-05:00

It has evolved and developed over the past few months. So many have awaited its arrival. It is a composite of blood sweat and tears - a piece of me and a piece of Ken. We even had what seemed like Braxton Hicks contractions over the past few weeks – ya know like a false start that faked everyone out. I am talking about the release of our Collection 5 Spring/Summer ’09 catalog!

Well, to be more accurate, it’s actually in “sell sheets” format – a layout, if you will, from which the official catalog will be printed. We’ve released it to our independent sales rep force for their use to sell-in the line to boutique retail stores and to generate some buzz (and even pre-orders) from customers. The additional sets of eyes (besides just Ken and I’s!) have proven to be helpful in catching any typos or errors before the official catalog is printed. Amazingly, you can get a little fuzzy on the details when you’re doing this kind of work at 3am!!

This is the 5th time we’ve done this - catalogs anyway (I’m not including the birth of our 3 children in this count!) - and I must say it does not get any easier. Given that neither Ken nor I have any real background in catalog production, we’ve both certainly learned a tremendous amount (and if I do say so myself, improved the final result an even more tremendous amount) since Collection 1. That said, there are so many bumps along the way… blurry photography – go back and reshoot, too many pink tank tops – go back and redesign, not enough options for boys – research and find new blank garments (and ones that meet all our strict criteria!), licensors have changes to the creative – rework designs, resubmit and “re-wait” for approval. The entire process is 2 steps forward, 5 steps back. It is so difficult not to lose your footing along the way. Especially when there are so many other things to work on simultaneously… web site construction and launch, new Consumer Product Safety Commission guidelines that directly impact our business, implementing a new accounting program, updating and modifying our GuideBook, staying in touch and motivating our sales force, attracting new independent sales representatives, etc. But, all those other things really mean nothing if there is no product to show and sell, so completion of the catalog had to resurface as our top priority.

We’ve now entered the post birth groggy phase where all you can do is stare in awe with bleary, exhausted love-struck eyes at what has been created. A little dramatic? Perhaps. But it’s hard for us not to be excited about LikeWear’s Collection 5. You can download a copy of it here. It’ll also be up on the website soon. Oh yeah, and please let us know if you find any typos!

Great Quotes

2009-02-12T21:38:00.002-05:00

The time to relax is when you don't have time for it.
~Attributed to both Jim Goodwin and Sydney J. Harris

A "Site" To Behold

2009-02-07T10:38:00.003-05:00

I’m incredibly proud (and often awestruck) that we’ve been able to say we are going to make things happen and then watch those said things actually become a reality. Like finding a bookkeeper, deciding on a company to manufacture private labels and another to sew them in, reconfiguring our warehouse space, obtaining new licensors, advertising for and adding to our independent representative sales force, designing and producing new creative concepts, art files and heat transfer images etc., etc. All of these accomplishments are the result of hard work, deep concentration, intense strategizing, a fair amount of stress and more than a few arguments!

Our most recent milestone has been the launch of our revised website. The new site not only has e-commerce functionality (which it did not have before), but it also allows for personalized “web stores” for each of our reps. Aside from a minor advisory role, I must say that I had very little to do with the website’s creation. The whole enchilada was a “Ken thing”. He worked tirelessly (okay that’s not completely true given that most of the website work occurred between 1 and 3am) to ensure that it would all be in place and ready in time for the upcoming season.

I mentioned that I had very little to do with the site’s actual construction, but I must also confess that I did not allow myself to get too excited about the whole website thing because I just couldn’t fathom how we were going to get everything in place and running within the timeframe we had hoped. I am so excited (okay beaming a bit) to be able to finally have this very timely and important selling and advertising method in place. I think it will exponentially increase the income potential of our reps and hopefully enable us to be found by what I hope are a jazillion online shoppers through web and google-type searches.

And, perhaps most relevant to what I’m doing literally right now, we have changed hosts and moved “Blog What You Like” to www.likewear.com/blog. Just like blogspot (former host), there is a way to subscribe to the feed (if you so desire). Not that there was anything wrong with blogspot… we just needed to keep everything under one roof - so to speak.

With all that said, we will continue to set goals. A part of me knows that we can’t always make it all happen (despite all of our best efforts) and even if we do make it happen it won’t always be on time. I also know that Ken and I have set our bar pretty high. We like that high bar – it keeps us moving forward. We just have to remember to keep looking back at the same time to be aware and proud of the work that has already been done. At the moment, it’s marveling at www.likewear.com - shop on.

Curing What Ails You

2009-02-04T08:20:00.002-05:00

There are few things worse than the 4am wake-up call of a vomiting 5 year old. Their glassy, sad, scared eyes as they cling helplessly to the rim of the toilet bowl are enough to bring me to tears. I feel instant “sympathy nausea” which I always overanalyze – “ooh, I don’t feel so good myself”, I think as I’m holding back hair and administering a soothing back rub. Truth be told, the worst part I admit selfishly, is the middle of the night linen changes, towel washings and carpet blotting.

Well, that’s how I started my day this past Saturday – ya know, the one day of the week I actually have the opportunity to sleep in until 7:45am. But, what’s another night with less than 5 hours of sleep? The ironic thing is that all week long I was looking forward to today - what I was calling “the afternoon of me”. I desperately needed some relaxation time. My husband, recognizing I was on the brink, was kind enough to offer to drive my older daughter to her camp reunion an hour away. And, he was going to bring my son and other daughter with him to kill 3 hours at the nearby supermall before picking my daughter back up (oh yeah, and 3 of her friends that he was also carpooling. You see, I was desperately in need of a little R & R – and I’m not talking about rock ‘n roll. There’s so much “rocking” around here lately as we prepare for “rolling” out our Spring/Summer line that I needed the kind of down time that involves just me, myself and I (okay and maybe my manicurist!).

But, Lily’s early morning projectile party (sorry, too much detail, I know) changed all that. So, there I sat, all day long, trying to focus on relaxing while I was snuggling (not too closely mind you) and watching what felt like a Suite Life of Zach and Cody marathon! Never before did I think I would utter these words: damn those DVRs!

I didn’t get my nails done. I didn’t catch up on my very behind photo organizing. I did no laundry. I did no shopping. I didn’t check e-mail. I didn’t even walk the dog. I spent the day on the couch with my ill 5 year old who didn’t feel like eating, speaking or even sitting up. But, we were there for each other. I comforted her while she wasn’t feeling her best and she showed me that sometimes the best way to recharge your battery and get a little R&R is to do nothing at all with the ones you love most of all.

The Good, The Bad And The Nosy

2009-01-30T10:38:00.004-05:00

Call it six degrees of separation, a social experiment, the new millenium’s gift to advertisers or my favorite description (coined by my husband): “jewish geography on crack”. If you’ve been living under a rock then you may not know that I’m talking about Facebook - or FB if you’re cool and in the know.

In case you have been under a rock, Facebook is a popular, free-access social networking website that allows users to join networks organized by city, workplace, school, and region to connect and interact with other people. People can also add friends, send them messages and update their personal profiles to notify friends about themselves. It was founded by a guy named Mark Zuckerberg while he was a student at Harvard University. Originally membership was limited to Harvard students but was expanded to other colleges in the Boston area, the Ivy League and Stanford. It has been opened up to now include anyone aged 13 and over. The website (incredibly) has more than 150 million active users worldwide.

I think the history of the site is pretty interesting. I know most people don’t really care how FB got here, all they know is that they can’t imagine their lives without it! In November I attended my 20 year high school reunion. Many of my fellow graduates described the activity on Facebook in the months leading up to the event as the “pre-party”. I wasn’t sure if already having connected as “friends” via the site and having an opportunity to read up on profiles, work activity, marital status, pictures of kids etc. would steal the thunder of the point of the reunion – catching up. In my opinion, that did not prove to be the case. In fact, I think it gave most people (not everyone is on FB after all) a loose familiarity that made it easier to strike up the kind of quick small talk – much like speed dating - that occurs at reunions.

Of course, some of the daily minutiae that people broadcast (“I am watching my daughter poop on the potty for the first time”) can be bit annoying and the pictures and video that others dig up and post (ya know, ones with the 80’s hair, eyeliner and prachute pants or the stupid drunken ones from prom weekend) can be embarrassing and even border on an invasion of privacy. No one minds when they are “tagged” in a photo that they look fabulous in, but the ones that catch you in bad light, with 6 chins or your mouth open while chewing, make you want to morph into one of those people who are living under a rock.

Overall, Facebook is what you make of it. I know some people that are truly addicted. They’ve even added the FB application to their phones so they don’t miss any status updates or friend requests. Others (myself included) find FB a very useful tool for bringing awareness to their business or philanthropic cause. And still others get and stay involved for the voyeuristic thrill of it all. Human beings have a natural desire to feel connected to and involved with one another. Facebook is just a modern day way to accomplish that. I would even go so far to say that it could singlehandedly have a long term sociological effect on the way people communicate and essentially “stay in touch”. I mean, where else can you satisfy a basic human need while seeing if your old college boyfriend who dumped you is fat, balding and friendless?

Garbage In, Garbage Out

2009-01-25T22:36:00.003-05:00

I’m new to electronic organization. I’ve always been a pen and paper kind of girl. I never had a PDA or a Trio. I never even kept a contact list in my cell phone. What was the point when I had a school directory and address book on me at all times? I played around with a Palm Pilot for a while but while I was using it I was the most disorganized I’ve ever been in my life. Seriously! It was double work because I never fully committed to it. I would keep my handwritten calendar and then transcribe new entries into the Palm – and not always immediately. And, since this era was pre-LikeWear it wasn’t even as if my computer was on 24/7 (hard to imagine now) so syncing and backing it all up always seemed like a chore. As a result, my Palm was never completely accurate or up to date – and as a result, neither was I.

About 2 years ago, I got a Blackberry. It forever changed my email life. But at that time, I still (to the incredulous, head-scratching, eye rolling wonder of my super-tech husband) didn’t use it for my calendar or phonebook. I didn’t see anything wrong with keeping my life organized in my Month-At-A-Glance – thank you very much! But, as LikeWear and my 3 children evolved and grew, my commitments, plans, meetings and activities, all became too much for my brain, and those small calendar boxes of only 6 lines per day, to handle. It was time for a change. That change had a name… Microsoft Outlook.

Very quickly I felt like I had acquired a personal assistant. Recorded birthdays now repeat every year without me rewriting them annually after waiting to purchase the new year’s paper calendar. Events can be color-coded to stand out or have special emphasis. And talk about bells and whistles – important meetings or events cause my computer and Blackberry to buzz, chime, beep (and practically reach through the monitor to slap me silly) each time it has to remind me to do something.

All that said, mine is still not a perfectly organized world. You see, very quickly I not only learned the joys and highs of Outlook but also its inherent weakness. You see, it is only as good as the information that you put in. Today I missed my daughter’s indoor soccer game. I had the game down for 3pm. My computer chimed at 2:30pm reminding me I needed to leave at that time in order to arrive the required 15 minutes before game time. The only problem was, the game had been changed to 1pm (apparently via an email sent out earlier in the week) and this new information had never been updated in my calendar. Ugh! And then last year there was the pre-camp get together for my son a few weeks before he left to go to sleepaway camp for the first summer. My daughter goes to a different camp and they too had a meet-and-greet the week after his. I reversed the 2 start times and we showed up at my son’s event just as it was ending. Definitely not a moment on my “mom highlight reel”.

So I guess no matter how high tech or sophisticated society gets, we can never fully escape the original governing principles of computers 101 that were taught 20+ years ago… GIGO – garbage in, garbage out. I definitely need to be more careful in the data entry department. And I recognize that mistakes are bound to happen. I just hope the next time I google GIGO, a picture of Lisa Gold doesn’t show up.

Temptation

2009-01-23T13:08:00.002-05:00

I’ve got a lot on my plate. In fact, sometimes I feel like I have so much there, that like eating an ice cream cone on a hot day, I’m constantly licking up all the stuff at the edges before they drip to the ground. Of late, I feel like I’m holding a multi-scoop cone. The next flavor is getting piled on top before I can finish the lower ones. Add to that the heat wave environment I’ve been in and it goes without saying that it has been quite challenging to keep my cone neat, so to speak.

I don’t need any new challenges right now. However, Ken and I were approached by a friend with an opportunity that could really help take LikeWear to another level. While I’m not prepared to discuss the specifics of that opportunity (sorry, don’t mean to be mysterious and annoying, I’m just a little superstitious until the ink is dry), the proposal does suggest a business dilemma of sorts for me that I’m trying to flush out.

Should a company remain unwaveringly focused to its core business or should it try to take advantage of potentially fantastic opportunities - even if those opportunities are a bit peripheral to the main focus? And should you go for it even if those opportunities have the potential to spread you even thinner and perhaps divert efforts for a while? Hmmm… I suppose, once pros/cons, downside risks, upside potential and all possible scenarios and factors you can think of can be examined and analyzed, and if you still in your gut feel like the idea is an opportunity as opposed to a distraction, then the decision has already been made.

Of course there are no crystal balls and hindsight is always 20/20 with these things. I’m sure there are several more cliché phrases I could use right now but I think my point has been made. Calculated risks don’t necessarily equate to risky if you’ve done the calculating part. I think I've done my homework on this one. We’re going to move forward with it. Now I just need to work on clearing a space on my plate.

Great Quotes

2009-01-20T11:17:00.002-05:00

After spending another workday at home with my kids off from school for Martin Luther King Day, I offer this:

"If there were no schools to take the children away from home part of the time, the insane asylum would be filled with mothers."
-- Edgar Watson Howe

Multi-Tasking Secrets: Watch and Run

2009-01-19T12:14:00.002-05:00

There are some shows on TV I just can’t get enough of – Lost, Grey’s Anatomy, So You Think You Can Dance (don’t mock it until you’ve seen it) and okay I admit it, Lipstick Jungle. Can such an inspirational drama that so realistically depicts NY city life for 30/40 somethings really not have been picked up again for another season? I’m being sarcastic but truth be told I will miss it. And not because I’ll miss settling down to watch a little TV after my kids are in bed and the work/school week is completed on Friday nights. You see, I NEVER watch TV at night.

I don’t really have time to watch during the week. I’m too caught up in finishing homework with my kids and making lunches, etc. for the next school day. Plus, my alone time at night has been diminishing as my kids seem to be going to bed later and later – what are they getting older or something? And then there’s the double whammy of 1) my husband (better known around here as the nocturnal night owl) who does his most productive work at night going strong until the wee hours of most mornings (ya know, the only time my house is quiet with no kids screaming, no phones ringing or doorbells chiming) and he and I usually need to confer and strategize together before his work happens, and 2) all of our reps are moms who start sending emails (and some even making phone calls) at night once their kids are asleep and their brains refocus post-mommyness for the day.

So obviously discretionary free time is limited for me these days. That said, I feel it is important to my sanity (not to mention my ass!) to work out and exercise on a regular basis. As of 18 months ago I gave up my local gym membership (time thing again) for the treadmill in my basement. I DVR all my favorite shows and get caught up watching them while I’m huffing and puffing and sweating out all those stress toxins. In fact, there has been many a morning when the draw of a new episode like Entourage has gotten me to drag myself out of bed on a Monday morning and lace up my sneakers! And, when all else has already been watched (or we’re in the dreaded repeat season), there’s always Oprah for a little inspiration, suggestions for a great new book or tips on simply how to dress and look 10 years younger!! I’ve also become very familiar – and I must say feel very current and hip - with new friends named Akon, T.I., Kanye, Paramore and Great American Rejects. I watch them too while obsessively flicking to and from all the MTV channels (I am an 80’s girl after all – MTV was born in my generation and I still think it rocks).

Staying current with popular shows and musicians makes me feel “in the loop” and less like the hermit I sometimes feel I’ve become – holed up in my office working, working, working! The one negative (actually it borders on dangerous) aspect of catching up on shows while running on the treadmill is that when watching the tear-jerker scenes of my favorite dramas, I’ve stumbled a bit because my vision is blurred by my watery eyes!!

But, “watching and running” is a perfect example of where I’m at these days. There’s not enough time to do all the things I want to do – so instead of forgoing or eliminating things I enjoy, I just double-up and do more than one of them at the same time. Humph… and my mom said that all that time I spent perfecting walking and chewing gum at the same time would never come in handy.

139 Days Past Due And Counting

2009-01-15T09:54:00.004-05:00

Owning and operating your own business is risky business - I get that. Often you have to jump blindly and simply accept on faith other people’s word – I also get that. And there’s no guarantee that the people you do business with will all conduct themselves in a moral, honest and trustworthy manner – believe me, I get that too. Yet despite all this knowledge, it is still inconceivable to me that a seemingly well-established Upper East Side children’s clothing store can simply choose to not pay their bills.

I am talking about a retail store located on Madison Avenue in Manhattan. They have placed 4 orders with us over the past year or so and we have extended 30 day credit to them on each of the invoices associated with these orders. We struggled a bit with late payments on each of their past bills but this past experience with them has really gone above and beyond moral correctness. But, when dealing with most retailers (not all) 30 days is apparently a loose term. Then again, we have allowed it to be – giving them the benefit of the doubt (of course they are going to pay) and quite frankly not wanting to hound people down for money (we don’t want to present LikeWear as financially aggressive like that – although maybe we need to get over not coming across as “nice”… that’s a whole other topic for another blog post!).

We reminded them when they were 45 days past due with a phone call to the store. The owner gives a “shuck and jive” every time you call saying she can’t talk right now, or she’s on her way running out, or the store is really crowded now, each time promising a call right back which has NEVER happened. When I finally managed to get her on the phone and remind her they were past due (the first time), she told me they were really busy and would be paying it soon. Hmmm… maybe I ought to try that line with the credit card company if I’m ever late with a payment – “Sorry, Visa I’ve been really busy lately at work but I’ll pay that bill soon – really I will”.

At 60 days, after calling a few days in a row to finally get the owner on the phone again, I asked if she wanted to pay over the phone with a credit card to take care of her obligation with us and she asked me to resend the invoice because her accountant would be coming in that week and they would take care of it via check. I knew she was putting me off but decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. That said, another good one to try… next time after receiving goods from one of my vendors and neglecting to pay them for 60 days maybe I ought to justify it by telling them “my accountant should be coming in sometime this week and we’ll get back to them”. Again, I take some responsibility here for not being more assertive, but she didn’t even give me a chance to say good-bye during this conversation, let alone point out how wrong and unfair her procrastination was – not to mention illegal.

At 90 days the store owner actually had the nerve to sound annoyed that I was calling again (ya know, after waiting another 30 days for her accountant to fill out a check and mail it in to us). I told her I would be happy to stop calling and resending (at her request) our invoices each month - which she can’t ever seem to remember where she has put – if she would please just give us a credit card number over the phone so we can settle the account. She then proceeded to tell me that I was rude in telling her saleswoman who had answered the phone the day prior to please make sure that she returned my call this time. She continued to be argumentative and when I told her she was giving me no other choice but to contact a collections agency, she told me I should “do what I needed to do” and hung up. Is she kidding?

How can a business owner (or human being for that matter) blatantly use avoidance and procrastination in her dealings and then be righteous about it? If she had been honest and explained that the store was having some financial issues I would have gladly worked something out with them. But they continue to operate and do business with no sign of insolvency or financial trouble. And, it’s not like they did not do well with our line – not that that would justify not paying anyway. So why exactly are they not paying up?

At 120 days past due, we did in fact contact a collection agency (a first for us) and this store owner is now avoiding their calls. I just don’t know how someone can live their life and conduct their business like that. I believe in karma – enough said here.

I’m so grateful for what I have learned from some businesses and their owners in how to run and manage a business. I guess there is also much to be gained from others in how NOT to behave and how NOT to operate a business. In that regard, I guess this experience has not been a total loss, as it has been an important lesson - albeit an expensive one.

You Know You’re Working Too Hard When…

2009-01-14T09:31:00.002-05:00

I’m a hard worker. So is my husband Ken. We wear many hats in our company – and never one at a time. Sometimes I can’t help but laugh at some of the things I have to do, deal with or endure in my day to day. I often feel like I have a Rodney Dangerfield-like comic sitting on my shoulder pointing out these aspects of daily life like a comedy bit – “You Know You’re Working Too Hard When…”. It must be my subconscious’ way of dealing with the stress involved in running a new growing company. So like my Multi-Tasking Secrets, I’m going to throw jokes out there every now and again.

So, for my first entry:

You know you’re working too hard when… You live in the same town that you grew up in. Your sister lives in town too. You have 3 kids in school in town. They participate in a bazillion different sports (of which your husband coaches several) and your youngest is enrolled in the local dance studio, etc., etc. You then take these 3 kids to lunch at the local hot-spot diner and the only person you or your kids recognize in the whole place is the UPS delivery man! Ba dum dum.

But seriously folks….

The Black Hole

2009-01-11T12:51:00.002-05:00

I didn’t realize how many people were actually reading my posts until I dropped off the blog planet. Since the end of October I’ve had people asking me, “why no blogging?” Can it really be almost 2 months since I last posted anything!?!?!? I guess that statement alone sums up how our holiday season was… BUSY!

We were hopeful that Holiday ‘08 would be our best season yet. We tried to prepare well – bought an additional heat press, hired and trained more manufacturing help, added a part-time bookkeeper – and made sure my mother was “on call” to pick up any children on a last minute basis. My grandmother even contributed by dropping off “business essentials” from her weekly trips to Costco. I joked that she in fact may have had the single most important job as I’m not sure what business – regardless of industry – can thrive without coffee and toilet paper!! Once the season began (right around my last blog entry!) we hunkered down to make sure our new employees knew what they were doing, small orders didn’t get lost, inventory reorders weren’t forgotten and holiday shipping deadlines were met. In some respects, I felt like I was holding my breath for 6 weeks –ready to extinguish any fires that may have started – sometimes literally!

The preparation paid off. I won’t go so far as to say that it all ran smoothly all the time, but we did our best, got through it and were thrilled at all the last minute retail re-orders despite the fact that each and every one was contingent upon a shipping deadline! When the dust all settled from the holiday tornado, this past season was in fact our best so far. Phew!! I can now take a deep breath.

My New Year’s resolution (one of them anyway) was to start the blog up again (yeah, yeah I’m a few days late on that one). I want to get back to it not just because some of you are actually reading it (and BTW, thanks for continuing to check back to see if anything new has been up - the answer to which has been NO up until now) but even more so – at the expense of sounding selfish – for myself. Life’s busy. This blog has been therapeutic in many respects – a way to take a moment out of each day (or every few days anyway) to focus on what’s going on. What important happened with the business, my kids, my family, my feelings… I know Blog What You Like is rewarding for me now, but I also know that it will be an invaluable diary of sorts as I look back on this hectic, challenging yet incredibly rewarding time in my life. 2009, here I come.

Roll On

2008-10-26T22:56:00.003-04:00

I was running on the treadmill yesterday in an attempt to alleviate the stress and negative thoughts I was feeling in regards to the fact that there is NEVER enough time to get it all done.

My husband very succinctly gave me his view on this before leaving the house for a 22 minute “stress” run outside (with our dog I might add) before we rushed off to the first of the 3 games we were attending this particular rainy Saturday (2 soccer, 1 football). “There will never be enough time. Get over it and get used to it!” he said not very sympathetically. I “harrumphed” a little to myself and started to watch (and really listen) to the music video playing on MTV in front of me while I kicked up the treadmill an angry notch. That was when I found a kindred spirit or soul mate of sorts – in the unlikeliest of people… Kid Rock.

Yeah, yeah, I know what you’re thinking. Kid Rock – puhlease! But seriously, the lyrics to his new song ‘Roll On’ really resonated with me. He sings of the roller coaster that life is – enjoying the ride and being wise enough to look back and see how although we may have made mistakes, we corrected them and learned from them along the way. We all long for our kids to grow and have kids of their own and hopefully we are wise enough and aware enough to share with them our experiences and what we believe is the secret of life.

The central message of the song – for me anyway – is excerpted below:

“We're one day older and one step closer
Roll on there's mountains to climb
Roll on we're on borrowed time
Roll on Roller coaster
Roll on tonight”

I may be reading into the lyrics a bit too much. Maybe it was just my mood. Maybe I was just blindsided by the fact that we all mature and grow up – even someone like Kid Rock. That said, I encourage watching the video and judging for yourself: Kid Rock "Roll On" Video

Wild Ride

2008-10-24T08:26:00.002-04:00

I haven’t watched much CNBC since my broker days. Of late however, I’ve been an avid watcher, glancing at the screen with increased frequency over the past few weeks. My viewing of this “wild ride” has been somewhat detached as my husband’s career has always been in marketing - in one capacity or another – not trading. But, many (I might even venture to say most) of our friends have jobs in fields directly related and impacted by the moves of the Dow, the S&P and the Nasdaq. These are not easy times.

Fortunately we have not really felt a direct impact in regards to our business. We’ve tripled our rep force since last year at this time, boutique stores are still buying (and reordering) and house parties and multi-vendor events are still being organized and attended – both by our reps and their customers. In fact, direct sales companies are said to be “recession-proof” because as tough financial times set in (be it on a personal level or a nationwide effect like we’re seeing now), women enter the work force in an effort to help support their families. The direct selling industry is a perfect fit for this type of work as women can usually just add this kind of job to their existing daily schedules.

But I won’t go so far as to say we have not been affected at all. Nor do I have any tarot card reading skills or foresight powers to predict what’s coming for any of us in the future. What I do know is that it’s hard enough to start a company (with your husband no less) out of your house in an entirely new field with no existing companies after which to model yourselves. Now try to do it in the middle of what some say is the start of a major recession, in an election year with financial markets jittery as you are trying to seek investment capital for your said start-up. But actually, I joke that with the volatility of the market these days, investing in a start up like ours may actually be a safer bet than some of the blue chips!

So despite the uncertainty of the financial climate, we’ll still continue to meet with potential investors and hope to find others that share our vision for the company’s future. And while we wait, we’ll put our heads down, strap in and do what we’ve been doing - the work at hand, the best that we can.

A Foreign World

2008-10-12T09:04:00.003-04:00

At 6:50am yesterday morning, Lily – my 5 yr. old – lightly padded into our room and woke Ken and I up. She then proceeded (as is her usual style) to chatter incessantly about what’s on her mind. She went on for several minutes about her favorite new book and how cute our dog, Maisy, looked snuggled in her chair – all while Ken and I were still dozing, barely acknowledging her every once in a while with half open, unfocused, sleepy eyes.

Suddenly, her eyes wide with wonder, she changed topics. “Did you know my friend Casey’s Nanny lives on an island?” she said. “Isn’t that cool?” I was now awake as I had a feeling I knew where she was going with this conversation, as my favorite show is Lost and my kids have become obsessed with Flight 29 Down – a series on the Discovery Channel with a similar premise of an airplane crashing in the middle of the Pacific, but focused on more age appropriate subject matter.

“Lily, Casey’s Nanny doesn’t live on a tropical island”, I explained. “She lives on Long Island.” “Wow”, Lily replied, “a long island. It must be hard to survive there”. Before correcting her I chuckled inwardly as I thought that many of us New Jersey natives have often wondered the same thing – how do people actually live on Long Island?!?!

The Start Of Something New

2008-10-05T21:46:00.003-04:00

I did it – and it was quick and painless. I hired 2 additional people to help with operations and inventory. They were both recommended by a friend. The interviews went well and both women seem up to the challenge of our increasingly busy manufacturing demands. It was important to add to our staff prior to the start of the holiday shopping season. What a relief to have found not one, but two people so quickly!

Now, let the training begin. We’ve perfected a system that works – for now anyway. Hopefully it is one that can be easily taught and communicated to someone starting fresh. And one that is adaptable to our growing needs. I want to have everyone up and running – FAST!!

Also, I’m curious to see the change in dynamics of our work environment with the addition of two new personalities. Hopefully we’ll all work harmoniously. Otherwise, I’ll have to utilize some of my newly acquired conflict resolution skills – they seem to be coming in handy a lot these days. Although I like things done a certain way I think I'm easy to work for (and with). Time will tell. So will I…

Around To It

2008-10-01T22:38:00.003-04:00

I attended services this past Rosh Hashanah holiday. In between passing Tootsie Rolls and gum to my kids, gossiping with my sister, fiddling with my short skirt and pleading with my husband to take one more walk to the bathroom with our 5 year old, I actually paid attention and took to heart the lessons of the cantor’s sermon.

She referred to everyone’s busy schedules nowadays and the sentiment of knowing that you need to do something (i.e., calling out of touch friends and relatives, etc.) but will attend to the task when you get around to it. Don’t put things off. Easier said than done – believe me, I know. Procrastination is a temporary fix – my words not hers. Think how much better you’ll feel if you get it done today!

Okay, maybe saying “do it today” is too much pressure. I’m all about being kinder to oneself, enjoying down time, doing the right things first, blah, blah, blah. But it’s a noble exercise to take a moment to evaluate what we’d like to accomplish and then set a path to make it happen. Forget the pressure of an immediate time frame but keep reminding yourself that (just like your exercise workout) you may not want to endure the process, but you’ll feel fabulous once the job is done.

The cantor at our synagogue had buttons made up for each of us to take home donning the phrase “around to it”. The buttons also displayed the Jewish New Year date as a reminder that this is the year to GET IT DONE. While I won’t be sporting my new button on any upcoming outfits, it does sit on my dresser – a reminder to not put off tomorrow what will positively effect not only my life, but possibly someone else’s as well. In this way, we can all have an impact and make the world a little bit better – simply that simple. Happy New Year.

Good Quotes: Life's Worth

2008-09-29T08:11:00.002-04:00

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”

The Big 10

2008-09-27T22:44:00.002-04:00

We just hit the big 10. LikeWear now has independent sales representatives in 10 states. We’re on a roll. Can total world domination be far behind? I jest – but in all seriousness, our business concept is one that easily translates to an international platform. It’s not something we would even consider until we had our domestic business secured, but its part of our long, long term plan.

For now, we are proud, thrilled and encouraged to keep focused on the work at hand. There’s plenty of it. But it’s starting to really pay off.

The women who have signed with us have had wide ranging skill sets in regard to past experience. Some have sold other merchandise out of their house before or via multi-vendor shows. A few dabbled in some entrepreneurial selling during college or soon after graduation. And many have had no specific sales experience – just a love for shopping for their kids and a desire for the opportunity for career fulfillment and to earn some extra money.

What’s interesting to me, is that there does not seem to be any correlation between past sales experience (of any kind) and current performance. Certainly it has been easier for the women who are already aware of the local selling events in their area as it is less leg work in respect to research and sign ups. But when it comes time for the actual selling (to boutique retail stores or direct to customers), the most important factor seems to be a love for the merchandise – an adoration fashioned (pun intended) by seeing their own kids’ reaction.

As the “mother hen” of this group, I get a thrill each time one of our new reps – with little or no past selling experience – holds their first home show and far exceeds not only their own, but our expectations as well. What do I attribute this to you ask?

LikeWear merchandise is easy to sell. There are no product demonstrations to give, no explanation of benefits needed and no presentations to make. Of course, as a rep you need to be familiar with sizing – but that’s about it. And I know it sounds cliché to say, but the clothes sell themselves.

Why do they sell themselves? Because our clothes feature popular and recognizable products that people know and like. Behold the power of marketing and branding! Of course, we source high quality blank apparel and like to think we’re unique and creative in our use of our licensing partner’s brands, but the fact is - licensed products sell. The recognition of these brands is also what attracts “the moms” to us – for our selling opportunity.

10 states and counting. The popularity of the brands we feature knows no state boundaries… and neither do LikeWear’s clothing and accessories. Look out world!

The Old Switcheroo

2008-09-26T21:11:00.005-04:00

My shopping style has changed dramatically in the past 18 months. I used to fill an entire afternoon wandering from store to store – perusing this, trying on that, rationalizing prices and feeling triumphant every time I used a coupon or got a great sale deal. I’d buy piecemeal – a little here, a little there. I obviously don’t have the free time I once did to do that kind of shopping.

Nowadays I vacillate between buying more expensive items because they are “just what I was looking for” and filling an entire shopping cart to the brim at stores like Old Navy (even Target sometimes) where once or twice a season I can shop for everyone in the family (including the dog) in one fell swoop and then later return whatever doesn’t fit or isn’t liked.

I recently had such a back-to-school spree at Old Navy. Fortunately, my kids and husband all liked what I bought. Even the dog gave an approving sniff to the bumble bee costume I had purchased for her (I know, I know, Halloween already you say? But, it’s never too early to snatch up the good canine ones!). The only “misfits” from my binge were 2 pairs of pajama pants for my 9 yr. old son. They simply weren’t as comfy as his LikeWear lounge pants – and I quote. Shameless plug, but totally true. But, I digress… as I was putting away in various closets all the new and approved purchases, I discarded all the plastic hangers that came with the clothes in an empty shopping bag to be thrown away as garbage, and left the 2 pants to be returned in another bag.

It was tough enough finding the time to go shopping in the first place. Now for the really hard part – carving out more time to go back and return the 2 PJ pants. The bag sat in my car for almost 2 weeks – at the ready in case my travels took me back past the store. Finally my Mom mentioned that she was going to Old Navy yesterday afternoon. Of course, she didn’t mind bringing something back for me.

She waited on a very long and slow moving line, walked up to the register and handed the saleswoman my bag and asked her to please apply the credit to her purchase. The saleswoman looked inside the bag and said, “What exactly are you returning?” “2 pajama pants”, my mother explained. “My daughter gave them to me to bring back. They are in the bag you are holding.” “Really?” the sales clerk questioned, “because this bag is just filled with old plastic hangers.”

How can I be so focused and “on” most of the time and so scatterbrained and “off” sometimes too? Must be the stress. I really should try shopping online. Think there is a site that sells brain upgrades?

Busy Body

2008-09-25T08:18:00.004-04:00

How can I be so incredibly, nerve-rackingly busy all day long and still feel like there is so much to do?!?! I’ve mentioned a few ways (in prior posts) to be in the moment and appreciate all that gets done as opposed to what has yet to be completed, but that is such a difficult concept to put into practice! I’m really trying – seriously. Every day I try to be kinder to myself and recognize my daily accomplishments. I try to focus on the “cross-outs” of my lists instead of the “new additions”. I’m so forgiving of others but I can be so demanding of myself.

This thinking likely stems from the pressure of running and growing a new and fast-moving business. I’m looking for some additional support people and their hire will help me. But for now it’s primarily up to me to not let things slip through the cracks. I don’t want emails to go unanswered and phone calls to go unreturned. I want inventory to be ordered and replenished in a timely fashion. I want orders to ship out as quickly as possible… back-orders bug me. They’re inevitable, I know. But I like it when things are orderly and clean (despite what my house looks like come the end of the weekend!).

Do I sound like I’m complaining? I don’t mean to. Busyness at this stage of LikeWear’s life cycle equates to business – as in we’re doing well. Given the state of the current economy, that says a lot. Also, I have several friends that are bored out of their minds during the day. They look upon me and all my daytime productivity (and frenzy) with envy. I know my soul thrives on this type of chaos in many ways - but the grass is always greener. I think I might enjoy a little boredom once in a while. You know, for about 5 minutes or so.

Help Wanted

2008-09-21T21:47:00.002-04:00

Wow! Has it really been a full week since I’ve added to this blog? The past 7 days have been chaotic and stressful – in fact, I feel as though I’ve been out of breath since I got out of bed last Sunday! LikeWear had several big orders come in, we signed 3 new independent sales reps and my all-around “right hand” assistant was on vacation (how dare she!).

I’m an “if you want it done right you should do it yourself” kind of person. I don’t delegate well. However, that mindset, I know, is a recipe for disaster in an entrepreneurial venture. There is simply too much to do. I can’t do it all. But, I haven’t wanted to take the time to cut back on productivity (even if only for a few days) to train additional people to take on some of the added responsibility. Last week we had several big orders come in - a direct result of our newly acquired independent sales reps - and it quickly became apparent that we need to hire more people. Last week I did everything (actually, truth be told, it got so busy mid-week I had my mother working for us too!). Staying lean and mean is one thing but as I posted in a quote not long ago, “Just because you can do it yourself, doesn’t mean you should do it yourself”. And sometimes, if you are fortunate enough to reach a certain level of growth, it becomes impossible to do it all.

So, one stiff neck and 2 dark-circled eyes later, I am interviewing and resigned to not be short-sighted. I may have to extend (albeit temporarily) my delivery times while I train some new people, but it will only increase our productivity dramatically in the long run. There’s no more denying the inevitable. We need to hire additional people. I will have to learn to delegate more and trust fully in the capability of others. This trust is crucial and necessary for continued growth. And it will be a challenge that I know I will have to overcome.

Home Team Advantage

2008-09-14T19:42:00.004-04:00

My kids play town sports. They are, of course, taught the rules and how to play each of the games in which they participate (soccer, lacrosse, basketball, football, etc.) but, regardless of the sport, they learn the art of how to be a part of a team. To me, that is the important part: to know how to be an effective team player. Mastery of that skill is essential on and off the field or court.

With that said, I felt it was long overdue for me to mention the other half of my team - my partner, co-founder and husband, Ken. Most company decisions are run through both of our brains. Even the idea of LikeWear was a joint conceptual effort. I was responsible for the overall business concept while Ken had the vision, business connections and quite frankly the energetic spirit (caffeine responsible for much of it!) to lay the groundwork – or should I say put in the grunt work – for establishing LikeWear as the first and only company to sell licensed apparel via the direct sales channel.

Remarkably, Ken and I have been able to work together and remain happily married (most of the time anyway!) since LikeWear’s creation in 2006. We have a shared view of what this company will look like in the future and we are equally committed to making that dream become a reality.

To that end, each of our daily lives has changed significantly over the past year. We have both had to step outside of our comfort zones. Ken left his job in the video game industry to work on what we at first were calling my “successful hobby”. Working from home has been an adjustment in and of itself – as he has always been involved in some kind of corporate environment. He has traded in an expense account and a company gym for a Costco account and workouts in our basement. I have gradually moved from a non-working stay-at-home Mom to a Mom that works part-part-time to part-time to most-of-the-time to what now feels like all-of-the-time! I have missed out on some of my kids activities due to work conflicts and have been forced to cope with the unfamiliar feeling of not being able to get it all done.

Running a business is more complicated than I expected. But so is being a parent. I think often of my elementary school days when the gym teacher would select captains who would then one-by-one select people to be on their team. As CEO of LikeWear I am essentially the captain of this team. I want to work with the best. A good team player can sense when his/her teammates need assistance and they rise to the challenge. They encourage and remain confident even when defeat seems near. And they never give up. That’s how I describe Ken. And that’s why he will always be my first pick.

Multi-Tasking Secrets: Menus Eliminate Mayhem

2008-09-11T10:52:00.005-04:00

Okay, I admit it. I can be a little anal. I’ve had to relax my standards quite a bit though upon embarking on creating a new business and running it out of my house. Last year some of my most stressful moments involved figuring out and and preparing what each of my 3 kids wanted to eat for breakfast. In the morning, every second counts. All it takes is one “bump” on my daughter’s scalp while she’s trying to tie up a smooth, tight ponytail to send the mood of the entire household into a fast, downward spiral (meaning: everyone grab a bag of cookies on our way out the door as there’s no time for breakfast because I’ve spent all my time styling hair). And don’t even get me started on dinnertime in and around hebrew school and everyone’s conflicting sports team practices. There’s nothing worse than first arriving home at 7:30pm with 3 sweaty kids and nothing prepared for dinner. Can you say frozen pizza – again?!?!?!

Like anything else, moderation is the key. I believe being anal in regards to certain aspects of your life can be extremely beneficial. To that end, I have instituted a new policy in my house which coincided with the start of the new school year: Food Menus.

I have a set schedule as to what my kids will be having for breakfast and dinner during the week. We work together to make the choices and once the schedule is complete it is posted in the kitchen for all to see. Now, not only do I know exactly what I need to shop for at the supermarket each week, but I also don’t have to wait until I am graced with my kids’ presence in the kitchen before doing the cross check of what they each want for breakfast vs. what we actually have in the pantry and refrigerator. I can actually get started in the kitchen preparing breakfast while my “3 musketeers” are upstairs getting dressed, brushing their teeth, putting their pajamas in the hamper and making their beds. Okay, so the last 2 items on the list are still a fantasy of mine - but a mom can dream can’t she? Now that the chaos of mealtimes seems to have been quieted, can clean and organized bedrooms be far behind?

The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

2008-09-03T22:22:00.002-04:00

On this, the eve of back-to-school for my kids, I offer up few words. I’d like to simply share one of my favorite commercials which sums up my feelings tonight. Please click on the link below, laugh and enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPIIMbG9R4w

Wake Up Call

2008-08-28T22:46:00.003-04:00

My first born has reached a modern milestone in her adolescence. She has been waiting for this event to happen for over a year now ever since the first of her friends got it. She hasn’t wiped the smile off of her face (despite the solid attempts by her brother!). Her day has finally come… she got a cell phone!

Who’s going to break the news to the “lovie lamb” she’s been inseparable from since birth that she’s been replaced by a new ringing, beeping, bleeping metal security object? My baby is all grown up. She was furiously texting friends and family alerting them of the breaking news in her new tongue: “BTW, I got a phone. LOL. G2G. TTYL.” I always hoped she would be bilingual – this isn’t what I had in mind.

Morally, I’ve been reluctant to the idea of kids (particularly mine) with cell phones. Then again, our kids today are exposed and vulnerable to many scary and potentially dangerous situations and events that simply didn’t exist years ago. The world is a different place. It makes my daughter feel mature and important to have a cell phone. And it makes my husband and I feel a bit more comfortable and secure knowing that when she is not with us, if she needs us, we are only a speed dial away.

Increased Challenges

2008-08-28T15:35:00.000-04:00

LikeWear is a direct sales company. Our goal is to provide moms with a fun, flexible and financially rewarding career opportunity. But just because we are offering it, doesn’t mean we’ll have any takers.

We have just begun to advertise and allow additional reps to join us. We have held our team of independent sales representatives at a steady number for the past year. We did this so that we could get a handle on our order processing, manufacturing/fulfillment and management techniques (amongst about 100 other things!). In a very short time period, we’ve had a fantastic response! We’ve worked hard and sacrificed a lot to get the business to this point. It is so rewarding, gratifying and inspiring to find other women (most total strangers) who are kindred spirits in that they seek satisfaction in their lives not only as moms but also on a career level.

As our rep base increases, so do the challenges that LikeWear faces. But knowing that people are behind you and believe in what you are trying to accomplish, helps make it all worth striving for.

Life in Quicksand

2008-08-26T23:19:00.007-04:00

This blog has been quiet for a while. I think I may have dropped into the Bermuda Triangle. No wait, maybe it feels more like the Twilight Zone. On third thought, it’s just the bizarre 2 ½ week time period between when camp ends and school begins! Oh yeah, and add to it that it is LikeWear’s busiest time of year and the fact that we’ve started to add to our rep force and I’m hanging by a thread here!

I feel out of breath as I rush between ringing phones, bickering kids, filling LikeWear orders, filling out school and activity forms, purchasing cleats and making playdates – and then there’s those 3 meals a day plus snacks. I’ve never been busier yet I feel as though nothing is getting done! My older daughter is content to stay in her pajamas all day long. My younger daughter is dressed, brushed and raring to go by 8am. And my son has no interest in doing what either of his sisters want to do… HELP!!

I’ve been calling in favors from friends, family and neighbors in an effort to keep my kids busy and my nerves calm. Never has it been more challenging for me to balance work and motherhood than in the past week and half. I know it’s getting bad when I start to look forward to spending a gorgeous summer day at Chuck E. Cheese’s simply to fill the daytime hours with an activity that will keep all my kids occupied for more than 5 minutes.

But, I’ve rounded the corner. I’m just past the half-way mark. Labor Day, and more importantly - the first day of school, is in sight.

Good Quotes: Just Say No!

2008-08-18T23:11:00.002-04:00

Maybe if I post it out loud I’ll actually listen…

Just because you CAN do it yourself, doesn’t mean you SHOULD do it yourself.

Crazed Happiness

2008-08-17T10:00:00.002-04:00

My two older kids returned from sleep-away camp on Friday and it was my 5-year olds last day of day camp. Since then my house has been filled with family, friends, neighbors and several other children besides the 3 that belong to me. Every toy we own has been pulled out and its pieces scattered across the basement floor. Beds are rumpled, dirty clothes are on the floor adjacent to the hampers - not quite making it in, and toilet seats (thanks to my son) have all been left in their full upright and locked position. The house is never quiet as someone seems to always be talking, singing or screaming and my mudroom is once again filled with well, um – mud! My household is officially… back to normal!!

I am a little sorry to say good-bye to the lazy days of my summer; however, with its end I am feeling the return of the energy that is my lifeblood. I suppose I am happiest teetering on the edge of organized chaos when it’s too noisy to really hear myself think.

Out of the Mouths of our Babes: Sneezing

2008-08-14T07:19:00.003-04:00

Last night, I snuggled in bed with my 5 year old and read ‘Purplicious’ to her for the bazillionth time. As we neared the end of the book I let out a huge sneeze and my daughter looked me straight in the eye and said, “Mom, sneezes are like farts out of your nose, right?” Her question obviously did not require any response as neither one of us could catch our breath to give or even hear an answer. Is there any better way to end a day than with an all out giggle-fest with your kids?

Flexibility

2008-08-13T22:17:00.004-04:00

I have been a regular for the past 5 years at a local exercise class called InnerStrength. It is based on the the teachings of the Lotte Berk Method which combines dance, yoga and physical therapy. The class emphasizes and improves upon muscle building and flexibility. I am a firm believer. There is no doubt that flexibility is beneficial – particularly as we age.

As we grow LikeWear, it is very apparent that an open mind must be kept and rules and boundaries must be adapted and stretched. I find it interesting to note however, that just like with the physical body, you must be in tune and listen to the signals, so that you do not stretch to the point that you sacrifice good form. For if you do, you will surely feel sore the next day.

Not So Sweet Sugar Lips

2008-08-12T13:15:00.002-04:00

My business is in children’s fashion. LikeWear concentrates on “evergreen” body styles - ones that are casual, comfortable and always popular. I have 3 kids, and as such, I am usually in tune with the trendy styles, even the ones that come and go quickly. In fact, some styles I wish would go quicker than others.

At the expense of sounding like Jerry Seinfeld, what is the deal with those Sugar Lips? These tank tops are so skin tight that I have yet to see a body type flattered in them. They also pull and pill after one single washing – and that’s in a cold, gentle wash inside of a lingerie bag! And, don’t even get me started on what they look like if you should accidentally wear them underneath a new soft, yummy fleece sweatshirt that has not been washed yet or if you have a hangnail as you are pulling one over your head…

But, as a mother, I simply want my kids to be happy and feel confident that they are able to express their individuality by way of their fashion choices. So, if my daughters want to continue to wear this style tank top, I will bite my tongue and be supportive – as I remove their Sugar Lips one by one from the lingerie bag and delicately transfer them to a rack to be line dried and ready to be put on again tomorrow.

Do The Right Thing

2008-08-07T22:21:00.002-04:00

I’m a pleaser by nature (ya know, first child and all). I try to avoid conflict until a confrontation is absolutely necessary. And, I don’t like saying no to people. But I have aged to the realization that in the real world (business world included) you can’t expect to make everyone happy, say yes all the time or always avoid confrontation. My skin has definitely thickened over the past year… but sometimes it can still be hard to stand up and stand out. But if you do what is honest and right, I believe you’ll always end up a winner.

Selective Neglect

2008-08-04T21:26:00.003-04:00

Mondays are hard. Especially if you’ve worked all weekend. Sometimes I feel as though I am doing so much all the time yet nothing is getting done. It can be difficult to focus each day on all that has been accomplished when there is so much that did not get completed. I look around my house and there are beds to make, laundry to be done, doctor’s appointments to be scheduled and junk drawers in need of de-junking. My computer is jammed with emails that need action and my warehouse is piled with orders that need to be filled. I have dog-eared catalogs for things that I’d like to order just as soon as I get around to it. And each night I struggle to pull myself away from all my ‘tasks’ to find the time to sit, snuggle and read to my 5-year old or make her lunch and pack her backpack to save some time in the morning when things start all over again.

My husband forwarded me an article this morning written by Lisa Druxman for Entrepreneur.com that gave me what Oprah would call an “a-ha” moment. I felt like the author had written it just for me.

The article began with, “I'll tell you right now that you'll never get it all done. Your inbox will always have e-mails, you'll always have dirty clothes to wash and your nightstand will always contain unread books. I'm not trying to depress you: I say this only to make you realize an inevitable truth--a truth that's in direct conflict with my belief that having finished tasks in your life gives you peace and happiness”. Well, that’s my belief too…hence the “a-ha” part!

The author goes on to outline a game plan and new mindset to help cope with these insights. She advises that, “It's not enough to get things done. You need to get the right things done”. I’ve tried to do this. In fact, I even have a name for it. I like to call it ‘selective neglect’ – choosing what must get done at the expense of the other things that should be done.

She recommends booking “time for each category of your life. Set time for yourself (a workout, a walk on the beach, etc.). Set time for work (e-mails, phone calls, meetings and projects) and set time for your family (play dates, scrapbooks, etc.). Honor those times. When someone wants to set a meeting during your workout time, let them know that you're already booked. You don't have to tell them it's your workout time. The truth is that every part of your life deserves attention and planning. We need to spend the most time on the things that will make a difference and the least time on trivial tasks that won't matter a year from now.”

I intend to do my best from here forward to ‘honor’ ALL of my commitments and to keep in mind the author’s final tip…”to smile and laugh when the whole plan falls through--as it often will.” Ahh, the best laid plans…

(I strongly recommend you read the full article. You can get it here.)

Unchartered Waters

2008-08-03T18:41:00.003-04:00

There are not many children’s clothing companies in the direct sales channel. LikeWear is a fusion of a casual, hip boutique kids clothing line and a direct sales company like Mary Kay or The Pampered Chef. But we’re very different than the majority of direct sales companies. We allow our reps to sell to boutique clothing stores. Our merchandise is in the moderate to better price range. And the majority of our initial independent representatives have not worked for direct sales companies before. So there are few (if any) companies after which to model ourselves.

Although it’s really cool to be breaking new ground, it can be very challenging to write the rules as you go. Over the years, in various situations, I have returned repeatedly to one of my favorite quotes for strength and determination:

“You’ll never discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.”

Well, the shore is no longer in sight for us. We have jumped into the creation of this business with both feet – cannonball style – pulling our family into the water with us!

I have often wondered what my life would be like if we didn’t start LikeWear. Would it be easier? Well, I’d certainly have more free time. But more time for what…errands, cleaning out closets, working out, watching TV, shopping? Sounds pretty good on the surface, but I know I’d get bored after a while. Creating a new business in a new channel in a new category is exhilarating and rewarding and frustrating and difficult. But it’s never boring - which is a good thing because I was never one for treading water.

Multi-Tasking Secrets: Ready, Headset, Go!

2008-08-02T14:24:00.004-04:00

As a work-at-home mom I am a constant multi-tasker. In fact, even if I didn’t work from home I’d be doing more than one thing at a time. Nowadays most people do – except for my sister who has trouble chewing gum and driving at the same time, but that’s another topic for another post!!

I have found some things (ideas, products, organizational tools) that have helped me multitask more effectively and save time (at least I think they do!). My first thought on this topic is a headset for house phones. When I was a cold-calling stockbroker we used headsets all the time. It frees up your hands to do other things while you’re talking – not to mention it prevents your neck from being in that awkward cocked position necessary to keep the phone wedged between your chin and your shoulder. It helps me while at home to take the monotony out of some of my daily chores. I don’t mind as much emptying my dishwasher, folding laundry, cooking or even walking on the treadmill if I can do it while catching up with friends. And how about all those times I get stuck on hold? I almost don’t mind if I get left ‘hanging’ because if I have my hands free, I don’t feel as though my time is being wasted.

A few caveats:

1) The cordless phone attached to the headset needs to be hooked onto your mobile body somehow (some come with belt clips or you can just tuck the phone into your pocket). Be wary of protruding objects in your house. I can't tell you how many times the cord has snagged on a drawer pull or doorknob and yanked both headset and phone and sent them flying - small children and pets beware!

2) Its not always obvious you are actually talking to someone (you could be in between calls and just 'wearing’ the headset). Make sure family members know you are on the phone so there are no embarrassing comments, burps or other bodily function noises in the background that could be picked up by the headset’s external microphone. I have 3 kids and a husband…been there.

3) I’m always embarrassed when I’m on a call using my headset and the doorbell rings. I constantly feel compelled to remove it prior to answering the door for fear that I will be seen as a Madonna wannabe. When I have the headset on, I look like I’ve stepped off of a concert stage in the middle of a set!

Despite the above, and at the risk of sounding dramatic, a headset has had a huge impact on my day-to-day life. Wow, I do sound dramatic. Maybe I should just try talking on the phone less.

What Would You Like To Wear?

2008-08-01T17:44:00.005-04:00

For those of you that don’t know, we are a company that decorates its children’s clothing and accessories with modern package art, beloved characters, clever quips and original designs. We try to create fun stuff featuring brands and properties people like, hence the name LikeWear. So far our creative has come from the iconic brands of Tootsie Roll Industries and General Mills. I’d love to know what your kids – or you! - would like to see in one of our upcoming collections. What are some of the games, collectibles, snack foods, movies, catch phrases, etc. that your kids and their friends are into?

My Muse

2008-07-31T20:16:00.003-04:00

I do my best thinking while I’m out walking my dog, Maisy. Is it the fresh air, the sound of birds chirping, the act of getting my blood moving or the pure joy I see reflected in Maisy’s eyes as she scampers to find the next enticing, irresistible scent? Or, is it simply because my thoughts can flow freely without the noise of the TV, the phone ringing or my kids interrupting to settle another earth-altering dispute over who was first to sit in the favorite “corner spot” of the couch? Whatever the reason, most of my best ideas have come while I’m holding a plastic bag filled with dog poop!

Out Of The Mouths Of Our Babes

2008-07-30T22:11:00.004-04:00

Laughing is one of the best (and most natural!) stress relievers out there so I offer you this story...my niece comes home from day camp and announces to my sister and brother-in-law that she is so excited because she has been chosen for the summer production of The Wizard of Oz. My sister excitedly asked her what role she was given. My niece looked at her with a grinning wide-eyed enthusiasm and said, "Mommy, I'm going to be a donut!" My sister, confused at the idea that the drama department had added "food part extras" to fluff the cast list, asked again, "What part are you going to be?" Once again, my niece replied proudly, "A donut!" Suddenly it all made sense. My sister looked at her and said, "Emma, do you mean you are going to be a munchkin?" "OOH, yes," she said..."a munchkin!!!!!!!!!!"

Uplifting Motivation

2008-07-29T23:13:00.008-04:00

Busy, busy, busy! My brain was racing today trying to remember all the things I had forgotten to do while I was preparing 3 outgoing orders, testing the accuracy of the skus for our new line that we had just entered into Quickbooks and following up with active sales reps during this very hectic beginning to the back-to-school buying season - all while listening for a call from my parents who were visiting with my son at sleep-away camp.

I was just starting to mentally beat myself up for only crossing off the first 2 items on my "While My Kids Are Away At Camp Summer To Do List" (given that they come home in 2 weeks!) when the office phone rang and it was an unsolicited call from a store in South Jersey that had seen some LikeWear stuff and loved it! They had already checked out our website and seemed ready to place an order. Talk about uplifting motivation!

Today's experience reminded me of a quote that I read a year and a half ago that has stuck with me and I think of VERY often. It is from the book entitled 'Mommy Millionaire' by Kim Lavine:

Here's an unspoken rule of business that only seasoned entrepreneurs know: Just when you think you're licked, something comes along to pick you up and inspire you with a whole new sense of purpose.
www.mommymillionaire.com

A "Detailed" Journey

2008-07-28T23:24:00.003-04:00

As I sit here trying to think of something memorable to write for my first post on Blog What You Like, I must admit that I'm naive to this and still not sure what this whole blogging thing is about (but it sure makes me feel like Carrie Bradshaw writing her column for Sex and the City!). My brain keeps circling back to the struggle for balance that I am always trying to maintain in my life. I am the kind of person that likes to give 110% to all that I do. However, as a wife, Mom to 3 busy kids and a dog, and CEO of the first and only company to sell licensed apparel via the direct sales channel, it's hard to keep all the balls high in the air - or sometimes in the air at all!

So I marvel that the activities in my average day range from...prospecting for new customers and reps, pulling orders and restocking inventory and helping to negotiate prospective licensing deals to squeezing in a trip to the supermarket, making sure all my kids have what they need for various sports teams, birthday parties and playdates, taking 5 minutes to walk my dog and finding some time to do all that laundry! This type of balancing act is one that most moms perform - so I hope many of you can relate.

My blog will be a way for me to share the small details which have a big impact on my journey for balance...both personally and professionally.