CostCo FLUSHES AMD and HP !

I just got a email flyer (see below) from my good friends at CostCo and, while I'm guessing that this was not intentional (?), it appears that they are making a comment on the quality of or, at the very least, the long term viability of HP and AMD.

[The ad shown above (full size) as well as toward the bottom of the flyer excerpt.]

Or maybe this is just CostCo's version of KMart's old "Blue Light Special" where they are just trying to get rid of something really quick !

After clicking on the link that CostCo provided (click here) it appears that this was more likely the work of the geniuses (?) at AMD and DreamWorks Entertainment (makers of the movie, "Flushed Away"). It is not clear how HP got roped into it ... perhaps that is the product that CostCo sells with an AMD processor so they felt they had to "throw it in" so they would have something (besides the movie) to sell.

In any case, my thanks go out to Costco for sending out this entertaining (although un-intended?) joke !

I can hardly wait to see what you come up with for April 1st (April Fool's Day)!

Dave Wheeler

Founder, www.NoteWordy.com

Words of Praise for "Snail Mail" !

This article by Cathy Free of the Deseret Morning News in Salt Lake City, UT tells a nice story about Miriam Footer and her affection for the handwritten note.

The best line in the article was ...

If people don't pass the tradition of letter-writing down to their children and grandchildren, she wonders, what will future generations have to show the uniqueness of their loved ones' lives? Photocopies and printouts of e-mails hold about as much appeal as old tax records. "Where is the romance?" Miriam asks.

The tactile sensation of a handwritten note... the anticipation of opening the envelope... all with the added benefit of a physical item that can be a cherished keepsake for the rest of your life!

Miriam Footer's stationery shop, The Write Image, is also online... check it out (click here).

Geek Dinner at Two Boots NYC !

BL Ochman organized a fabulous evening and, of course, our honored guest, Hugh MacLeod, for including us on his trip back to the city ! It was great to meet such interesting people and I hope there is another Geek Dinner / NYC very soon !

Others at the event (along with links to their websites) included...
Mitch Axelrod, Rick Bruner, Patrice Evans, Senia Maymin, Roger from melatonemusic, Alice Garik, Thomas Maloney, Marshall Sponder of www.webmetricsguru.com, www.artnewyorkcity.com, and www.smartmobs.com, Kelsey Kaufman, Josh Kaufman, and, of course, yours truly... Dave Wheeler.

It was a casual, but great evening (if that makes sense) ! I'm glad I went and, if the opportunity comes around again, I would highly encourage others to join in !

Dave Wheeler
www.NoteWordy.com

"Geek Dinner" at Grand Central !!!!

One of the top bloggers in the world, Hugh McLeod, is coming to NYC ! And on Saturday, March 10th, there will be a "Geek Dinner" at a restaurant in Grand Central Station in New York City!

Where: Two Boots Pizza, in Grand Central Station (lower level).

When: 7.30pm.

It sounds like it will be an interesting time (and a chance to put some faces to the names we've seen online for many years). Click here to learn more or send an email to BL Ochman if you would like to attend!

Dave Wheeler

http://www.notewordy.com/
blog: http://www.theshot92.blogspot.com/
Toastmasters blog: www.areaA4.blogspot.com

Cards for Cancer ...?

I came across this blog post and wondered if there should be a NoteWordy card for Cancer? It is an emotionally draining experience and a well chosen card could really boost the spirits of someone with the disease.

What if there was a card that was sort of like Lance Armstrong's book, "Its not about the bike"Lance "Its not about the bike" but in a notecard format? What should the art depict?

Of course, the profits would need to go towards cancer research.

It seems that HallMark is already going down this road (presumably without the charity donation) ... check out this web article.

What do you think? Leave us a comment !

An Interesting Artist / Note Card maker...

This post about "A bad case of Stripes" caught my eye and I followed it to the web site for AnaHataArt.com.

Check it out... lots of visually interesting cards and other products !

Art Therapy for Kids turns into cards...

This just in from Texas....

The Galveston County Daily News:
“Our child life director, Janis Matthews, and her team do a great job of providing daily art therapy for the kids,” Huang said. “I and many of my colleagues strongly believe in it as an important part of the healing process. One day, it occurred to me that we should get the word out about our art therapy program by producing cards with the children’s designs on them that the public could buy.”

Art Stars note cards can be purchased at the UTMB gift shop on the first floor of John Sealy Hospital, the UTMB Bookstore on the first floor of the Moody Medical Library and Children’s Hospital. A set of eight cards featuring four designs costs $10. All proceeds benefit the patients and programs of Children’s Hospital.For information, call 409-772-1596.

If you talk to anyone associated with this program, please have them send us a picture of the cards !
We would love to feature the pictures on this blog !
Email: theshot92@gmail.com

The Little Author, Inc. Creates Heirloom Treasures That Will Steal Your Heart

The Little Author, Inc. Creates Heirloom Treasures That Will Steal Your Heart

This company, based in California, creates books, notecards and more from your child's art. Check out their website at http://www.thelittleauthor.com/index.html.

Hallmark is "reaching" for new card opportunities...

This post at BrandSizzle blog starts off talking about the challenge of e-cards to traditional (paper) cards and it ends up showing how far Hallmark is willing to go ....

http://www.brandsizzle.com/blog/2007/02/chances_are_you.html

What's next? A card for when you get a blister? Or one for a stubbed toe? I don't think they have taken into account the fact that 1) people do not have time to run out and get a card for every single event in their life and 2) by the time they got a card, the moment has passed.

I can imagine their response might be ... "Well, if people would just buy the cards ahead of time, they would be prepared."

At $2-4 per card (or more), I don't think they are going to be doubling their business with these cards... but hopefully someone will send me one of their "too bad you were wrong in your blog post" cards.

I will hold my breath.

What's the Web up to???

Would you like a visual rush that shows what is happening (and has already happened) on the web?

Check out this video !

Very cool !

Neat Online Game ....

The visuals in this game are very soothing ....

http://intihuatani.usc.edu/cloud/flowing/black.html

check it out !

(As linked from this K.Sierra post.)

Another Find for Freaky Friday

I clicked on a random (?) Google Adwords link and came across this ...

http://www.thisintothat.com/

If you flip through the gallery you will see that Jim Rosenau puts an amazing amount of work into his "book shelves" to get the desired "effect"!

Enjoy!

DW

Freaky Friday Business Accessory ...

I got a link to this as part of a review of a whole series of work environments and thought this one was, by far, the best !

The "Conference bike" ....

One person steers while everyone pedals. A great way to get everyone "on the same page" while also taking them down the same street !

Check it out here.

If you have seen one in person, leave a comment and tell us what you thought of the experience !

Fractal Branding

I came across the interesting idea of "Fractal Branding" via Diego Rodriguez's blog, metacool.com. In the post talking about the FAA web site, he says:

Brands are fractal entities, and the meaning of the whole is to found in the execution of even the lowliest detail. Especially if your brand is all about rigor, safety, and juggling lots of big, heavy balls without dropping even one in a million.

His link on the term, fractal entities, brings you to his observation of an Apple "iPod store" which is a great example of taking the brand all the way from the smallest thing (physically for Apple... the product) to the biggest thing (physically...the store). It could also be looked at the other way... from the biggest thing (the product) to the smallest detail (the cosmetics of the store). Either way, Apple seems to understand fractal branding!

For those who have not dealt with fractals before, they are, according to wikipedia:

In colloquial usage, a fractal is a shape that is recursively constructed or self-similar, that is, a shape that appears similar at all scales of magnification and is therefore often referred to as "infinitely complex."

Some other marketing examples of "Fractal Branding" are available ...

... in an article by Sean Carton at ClickZ titled, "The Brand Promise".

... a post by Aaron Dignan in his blog, BrandPlay. This also leads back to the post below.

... a post by Kathy Sierra in her Passionate User blog, titled "Remarkable at every scale"

How consistent is your brand? Certainly it should be clearly presented in your advertising and promotions, but how deep does it go in the company?

Does it show up in the product or is marketing and branding an afterthought once the product is created? Does your brand show up in the the delivery of the product? the customer service? the accounting department?

Do you have good examples of fractal branding? Please leave a comment so we can share them with others. Even examples of BAD fractal branding would be helpful since we can also learn from them as well.

Write ON !
Dave Wheeler

Friday's Humor ... "Unabashed Gearhead Gnarlyness"

I came across this and just had to post it ...

http://www.ronpatrickstuff.com/



As Diego Rodriguez says over at MetaCool blog ... this is some serious "Unabashed Gearhead Gnarlyness" !

Friday Humor (?)

I found this picture on Seth Godin's blog and thought you might get a kick out of it ....

Catch The Wave ....

Again I refer to Seth Godin's blog ....

Seth talks about the "timing" for a business. He uses Vegan cooking and Starbucks as examples of businesses that could not have been successful in a different era.

As always, Seth brings up a good point and it brought to mind an analogy....

Surfing.

If you are trying to catch a wave there are a number of steps involved:
1. Get a surfboard and get in the water. If you are on the shore, you aren't going to catch a wave. Same thing in business. Unless you are actively IN BUSINESS and even, perhaps near, or in, an industry it will be difficult to see the approaching waves.

2. Paddle out. This involves avoiding or overcoming other waves (and other surfers) while you try to find "your wave". In business, this is "survival" while keeping your eyes open for the right opportunity.

3. Catch a wave. The first thing you do, once you see a wave you want to ride, is the get your board turned around (toward shore) and start paddling FAST so that you are ON the wave. In business there are few companies or people who can "paddle" fast enough to actually catch the wave.

4. Ride the wave. Use your creativity and skills to ride the wave for all it is worth. Eventually it will die out and hit the shore, so enjoy the ride.

5. Repeat.

Does anyone with more experience with surfing or business have any comments?

Dave Wheeler

The Peaceful Warrior .... Movie experience

I went to see an interesting movie recently called The Peaceful Warrior. It is probably not at your local cineplex since it is in very limited release. In fact, I had to travel to New York City to find a theatre that was playing it.

I should start by saying that this movie is not for everyone. Let's be very clear about that. If you are looking for standard Hollywood fare, look elsewhere.

Peaceful Warrior has been compared to the Karate Kid and I can see the similarities, but this is not a movie for teenagers. College students might relate to it since the story involves a college athlete but alot of the concepts in the movie won't appeal to kids who are not yet concerned with "the meaning of life" and their place in the cosmos. You will see in some of the reviews below that there are even some adults who "get it" and some that don't.

Overall, I enjoyed the movie and I would recommend it. It is not for everyone, so if enlightenment is not high on your priorities, don't bother with Peaceful Warrior. Go see a summer blockbuster.

Dave

Here are some other reviews .....

Here is what STING had to say about the movie ...
"A lot of movies promise happiness, but most often it's the 'fleeting' happiness of a thrill ride, and when it's over, it's over; you feel empty, and begin searching for the next thrill. Very few movies actually question what happiness is, or suggest ways that it can be sustained. Peaceful Warrior asks this question and in doing so takes you out of your mind, and those who would consider themselves sane would be 'out of their minds' not to see it. Peaceful warrior is an important film, an inspiring film, and a film that could change lives." -Sting

There are also comments on www.peacefulwarrior.net (which has been called the "community site" for the movie) from other celebrity such as Phil Jackson(Coach of the Los Angeles Lakers), Deepak Chopra(Author, "Peace Is The Way"), Eckhart Tolle(Author of "The Power of Now") and Jim Carrey (actor).

Here are 4 links to critic reviews (originally found on Fandango):
These are 4 generally negative reviews... and it is pretty clear to see that they don't get it.

USAToday... "Peaceful Warrior is The Karate Kid set in the world of gymnastics. The Pat Morita character is less Zen and more homespun, in the silver-haired and smoothly coiffed form of Socrates (Nick Nolte). His alleged wisdom is a blend of platitudes and New Age psychobabble: "Be in the moment. It's all about the journey. There is no start and there is no end. There's just being."

LA Times... "Like a blip in a genre timeline that extends from "Grass-hoppah" through "wax on, wax off" and Morrie-filled Tuesdays, the sage-elder/wayward-charge saga Peaceful Warrior aims for inspirational highs but mostly feels like a self-help book read aloud by actors. "

Variety.... "Long-in-gestation Peaceful Warrior is so under the spell of the be-here-now philosophy of Dan Millman's New Age-y memoir from which it was drawn that it loses sight of the need to credibly dramatize the ideas. Mere recitation of homilies for better living -- which is what Nick Nolte's gas station guru imparts to a struggling young gymnast -- and a half-baked account of the athlete's comeback are no substitutes for a complete movie."

Washington Post... "An arrogant college gymnast gets his comeuppance, followed by a measure of Eastern-style enlightenment in this over-earnest, heavy-handed drama. Yet despite its artistic flaws, certain teens will deem Peaceful Warrior a profound experience because of the way it asks its central character -- and us -- to reorder life's priorities. True, the film smacks more of The Karate Kid (PG, 1984) than Little Buddha (PG, 1993), but for American kids to hear a mentor urge a callow youth to "live in the moment" and treasure the journey more than the destination is unusual. "

Now, here is someone who "gets it" !

Hollywood Reporter... "...There's no question that legions of Millman's fans will embrace this film version of the 25-year-old best-seller. But in adapting the first two-thirds of the book, director Victor Salva and writer Kevin Berhardt clearly aimed to do more than preach to the personal growth/self-realization choir; for the most part they avoid self¬congratulatory New Age philosophizing and focus on character. "


Other blog reviews:
http://jessica.zaadz.com/blog/2006/4/peaceful_warrior_premiere

The Problem of "Too Much Money" ....

I was reading Steve Pavlina's blog (click here to read the post) and it was interesting to hear about the problems when you have "too much money".

Before I start, let me say that this is not MY PROBLEM. It is purely theoretical for me, but I also found it to be a stimulating mental exercise to try to figure out and solve Steve's problem(s).

My first observation is that Steve is doing well by recognizing his true purpose and what makes him happy. He also is very smart to have a diversified portfolio of income sources with many being passive income generators. Most middle-class people never get to this point and if you are still working for someone else, I would recommend reading "Retire Young, Retire Rich" by Robert Kiyosaki. He is the author of the "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" best sellers and the RYRR book has some good ideas on the mental aspects of wealth building including "context".

Back to Steve's problem ... I think he needs to THINK BIGGER ! Additional wealth will give him opportunities that he might not have otherwise. For example, he could probably afford to sponsor conferences related to his area of expertise, personal development. This would be a great use of his financial leverage... even if it he only provided the working capital or seed money.

Overall, I'm sure Steve will solve his problem and I KNOW that he will not get any sympathy from me or most of his other readers !

Write On!

Dave Wheeler

Interesting Ideas and some good talks ...

I have always wanted to attend TED and now we all have the opportunity to see a bit of what goes on there ...

Check out some of the speeches (click here).

I think you will be impressed. I particularly liked the talks by Sir Ken Robinson and Anthony Robbins.

Enjoy !

(P.S. If you are a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture, be sure to watch the commercial at the end.)

The importance of Context ....

The recent blog post at DesignObserver (brought to my attention via Seth Godin's blog) brings up an excellent point that can be applied not just to marketing and logo design, but to nearly all aspects of life.

click here to read the post. It is well worth the time to read through it!

The Context of a logo (or a piece of art) (or an act of kindness or exceptional customer service) is something that is BUILT over time. Certainly each part must support and reinforce the other parts, but it is important to understand where each part stops and the other begins.

What do you think???

Why didn't you tell me it was World Laughter Day???

I didn't find out about World Laughter Day until the day after (today, Monday May 8th).

Perhaps it was due to the fact that I live in Connecticut (USA) and there are not World Laughter Day festivities scheduled (or at least none listed on the World Laughter Day web site, click here.)

It sounds like a GREAT idea and I'm going to celebrate it (in my own way) today.

I encourage everyone to find something humorous in your life and treat yourself to at least 3 good laughs today.

It shouldn't be too hard.

Just take your boss for instance .... do I need to say more?

Or your kids... they do the darnedest things!

And don't get me started on signs or the way people drive! (Check out the "game" faces that people use when driving sometime. Preferrably when you are stopped at a light so you don't drive into the other lane.)

Laugh it up Fuzzball!

Wheels

National Downshifting Week (in UK)

The BBC in the UK had an interesting article about "National Downshifting Week"!

Check it out at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4931760.stm

National Downshifting Week celebrates the trend for taking life easier by
encouraging people to take small steps towards living a more relaxed lifestyle.

Sounds like a great idea, doesn't it!

What do you think?

Write On!

The Pitfalls of a Startup business

I came across an interesting topic brought to my attenion by Seth Godin in his blog that could apply to my NoteWordy Card / Art business ....

"How do you keep someone from stealing your great business idea before you can get your business off the ground?"

Before I give my opinion, here are some other blogger's opinions ...

Paul Graham's blog comments:

As a rule, startups shouldn't worry so much about competitors, especially big
companies. Competitors are a second-order problem. Startups should worry more
about making something worth copying and less about whether someone will.

From The Cardboard blog:

Remember, good ideas without PROVEN success are nothing more than BS.

My opinion:
I must agree with Seth and Paul that most ideas are not as special as the inventor thinks. If a problem is obvious, there will be someone trying to solve it. The real key is to turn it into a business. Clearly that is the difficult part and it often involves many more parts than the inventor originally imagined .... distribution channels, financing, manufacturing, packaging and more.

On the other hand, it just makes good common sense to get as much protection for your idea as possible. If an idea is patentable and you show it to someone you could lose your rights to patent it. I highly recommend reading "Before You Quit Your Job" by Robert Kiyosaki (author of the Rich Dad, Poor Dad books). In this book he tells about how his failure to put legal "barriers" in place caused him to lose out to cheaper competitors.

As in many areas of business, there is not a simple answer. On the other hand, if you have the opportunity to get help turning your idea into reality from someone like Seth Godin, TAKE IT! It is better to take an idea to market than to protect it and never make any money.

Plus, it is more than likely that your initial idea won't be the one that will work. The second or third or 100th iteration is much more likely to work if you are learning along the way!

One last comment that I think applies comes from Hugh Macleod, who makes art on the back of business cards. When he is asked whether or not he is worried about someone copying him, he replies ... " Let them try. No one will have spent all the time I have doing it and it is unlikely that they will understand it as well as I do." (to paraphrase).

So, GO FOR IT ! Do something... even if it is wrong. If it is wrong, do something else. You will still be far ahead of the people who did nothing, but protected their idea!

Write ON!

Dave Wheeler

"How To Be An Early Riser" ... and Self Discipline

I came across the following blog post and found it interesting !!!

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/how-to-become-an-early-riser-part-ii/

Steve Pavlina talks about "how to be an early riser" and I am definitely going to try out his ideas. I especially like what he says about self-discipline:

If you can’t get yourself out of bed when your alarm goes off, this is likely
due to a lack of self-discipline. If you have enough self-discipline, you’ll get
out of bed no matter what. Motivation can also help, but motivation is short
lived and may only last a few days. Discipline is like a muscle. The more you
build it, the more you can rely on it. Everyone has some discipline (can you
hold your breath?), but not everyone develops it. There are a lot of ways to
build discipline — I’ve written a whole chapter on this topic in my upcoming
book. But basically it comes down to taking on little challenges, conquering
them, and gradually progressing to bigger ones. It’s like progressive weight
training. As your self-discipline gets stronger, a challenge like getting out of
bed at a certain time will eventually become trivially easy. But if your
self-discipline has atrophied, it can seem an almost insurmountable hurdle.

Definitely looking forward to his upcoming book !

Dave Wheeler

Marketing VS. NCAA Tournament .... a great analogy

Shotgun marketing blog has an interesting post that draws an interesting analogy between the NCAA [basketball] tournament and Marketing.

Click here to read it.

I would add one more analogy....

"March Madness" is what they call the exciting action provided by the NCAA basketball tournament.

"Market Madness" is the [unbridled? unrealistic?] enthusiasm brought on when you start to believe your own marketing hype.

Any other ideas ???

What's Important to your customers?

Seth Godin's post today (click here to read it) got me thinking.... His premise is that there is a "life cycle" of authenticity. Some things are "more authentic" than others, such as Starbucks vs. Dunkin Donuts. Click the link below to see his graph example.
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/images/authentic.jpg

The real question though is ... what is important to your customers?

Some may value authenticity while others value consistency. (Not that the two should be mutually exclusive ... as the best companies often show us.)

Some customers value modern, cutting-edge art while others like the classics. Different things for different people.

No news there.

The key point to remember is that authenticity can make your brand STRONGER and it is usually better to have it than not. Even if "consistency is your thing", you should strive to keep it authentic! If you don't then your brand starts to dissipate and lose its cohesiveness and eventually its meaning.

What do you think? Am I nuts? Leave me a comment !

Dave Wheeler

Very Cool Video

I found a link to the following video on a blog called "Creating Passionate Users" by Kathy Sierra.

Here is the blog link to see her comments (click here)

Here is the link to the video (very cool stuff... sort of like Spielberg's movie, "Minority Report")
(click here for video)

I especially like the interactive lava lamp !

Write On!
Dave Wheeler

[ Hypothetical Art created for Dave Wheeler's speech entitled ... "Is it ART?" ]

Is it ART?

I gave the following speech at the WestConn Toastmasters, Wooster School Library, Danbury, CT on Wednesday, February 1, 2006.

Is it ART?

Is this art? Sure, I think everyone would say that this is “art”

Is this art? Show of hands?

Is this art?

Is this art?

Is this art?

Is this art? [see picture in post above]

How do you know what is art? Especially with non-traditional types of art?

First, let me start out with the "dictionary definition" of Art ....
"The conscious production or arrangement of sounds, colors, forms, movements, or other elements in a manner that affects the sense of beauty, specifically the production of the beautiful in a graphic or plastic medium. "

Doesn't really help much when it comes to non-traditional art, does it?

I’m going to address three common issues with non-traditional art and when I’m done, it is my goal that you will have a different perspective on what you consider “good” art !

The 3 issues are:

1) If it didn’t take long to create, then it isn’t worth much. A variation on this is, “My 3 year old daughter could do that.”

2) “I just plain don’t like it.”

3) “There’s too much garbage out there that’s not art !”


To tackle the issue of how much effort it takes, let me tell you a story about my grandfather.

Back in the early 60’s, he had an old run-down pump to provide water for his vacation cottage in NH. It always seemed to me to be held together with rubber bands and was always dying, usually when I was in the middle of my shower.

One day it died and he called up the local mechanic to fix it. The mechanic came out, looked over the pump.... took out his wrench .... and gave it a solid rap on the side. It roared back to life! My grandfather thanked him and figured since it only took him a few seconds, the bill would be small, if he even sent him a bill.

The next day, a bill from the mechanic for $35 showed up in the mail. My grandfather was furious. How could it be that much ... remember that $35 in the 60’s was like $500 now !

So he called up the mechanic and demanded and ITEMIZED bill, figuring that he would be embarrassed to itemize it or would not be able to justify his charges.

The next day, a new bill showed up with the following itemization:
Rap on the pump: $ .03
Knowing how to do it : $ 34.97

Art is the same way. Anyone can do it, but it can takes years to develop the background and skills to make the creation look effortless.

The second issue is: “I just don’t like it.”

To this I would ask, “Do you like freedom?”

The United States is a great country because we have freedom of expression. You have freedom of choice.

You don’t have to like someone else’s art, but it is in your best interest to defend everyone’s right to choose.

In addition, you also have the freedom to vote with this (show money). What you buy in many ways helps to determine what gets shown in public because if people cannot make money, they will have to do something else.



This leads me to the third issue: “There’s too much garbage art out there”
On this point, I have to agree with you. But I will add that it can actually be a good thing.
First, let me say that the internet has caused an explosion in choices.

A good example that people can relate to is books.
It used to be that there were best selling books in bookstores and if it didn’t make it to the bookstore, the odds were that you would never find it because it cost the publisher too much to get it into the store.

Now with the internet, there is what is called the “Long Tail”. This is where it costs next nothing to publish one more book and sell it on Amazon. Since the cost is so low, authors can publish their works and turn a profit by selling a very small number of books. These books usually appeal to small niches or segments of the market. For example, did you know that you can do a search on “toe nails” on Amazon.com and come up with 2,494 books!

There’s lots of stuff out there. It applies to books, records and even art. The good news is that whatever you like .... it is out there ! You just need to find it !


In summary, Art is subjective but what if you expanded your mind to appreciate the skills and years of practice that went into other forms of art.

I encourage you to defend other people’s rights to choose ... so you maintain your own right to choose.

And finally,

Find art that suits your tastes... there is lots out there and some of it is PERFECT for you !

The Marshmallow Effect ....

I came across an interesting blog post (referred by Seth Godin) ....

http://successbeginstoday.org/wordpress/2006/02/marshmallow-musings/

What Marshmallows are you eating today that you should set aside until tomorrow?

Won't they get hard if you let them sit out too long?

What's your Marshmallow philosophy? (Is it getting you what you want?)

Write On!

Dave Wheeler
Founder, www.notewordy.com

Growing Businesses .... The Tree Analogy / Metaphor

This post is in response to Kathy Sierra's blog post: (Read her post first... so this will make more sense). http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/2006/01/death_by_riskav.html

I liked the "tree" analogy (or is it a metaphor, I always get those mixed up) and I would even take it a couple steps further.

I recently "read" (on audio CD) a book called "The Innovators Solution" by Clayton M. Christensen. In the book, he talks about Disruptive versus Sustaining Innovations and this can extend your tree idea.

Big companies (if they are any good) typically build their "tree" or systems around Sustaining innovations. These are Incremental improvements to existing products in existing markets. These are easy to see and, to use the analogy, are like the leaves collecting water and sunlight to feed the branches and trunk of the tree.

Disruptive innovations are usually for new markets (which "the branches" find hard to quantify or understand due to a lack of history in the markets) and often are for new (breakthrough?) products.

The "Solution" (as I interpret Clayton's book) is to plant the seeds separate from the main tree (spin them off?) and run them differently from the main business.

Clayton's overall suggestion is that to sustain overall growth you need to be planting seeds and protecting their growth because eventually the main tree is not going to be able to adapt and it will die!

Back to the tree analogy ... Leaves are workers supporting the operation of the tree. SEEDS are the innovations or ideas that can be grown into new trees (businesses). What do you think?

Good to have Kathy back on her blog!
Keep up the good work !

Dave Wheeler
Founder, NoteWordy.com
http://www.theshot92.blogspot.com/

Public Speaking tips ... from Guy Kawasaki & Steve Jobs

Below is a link to Guy Kawasaki's blog post which features some of his tips for public speaking!

http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2006/01/how_to_get_a_st.html

Guy is one of my favorite authors (Art of the Start is his most recent effort) and I highly recommend him for people interested in marketing or business in general.

He references another source (click here) which describes Steve Job's keynote addresses and all the preparation that goes into them. There are plenty of lessons that we can learn from this article as well as some more that you can get by joining a Toastmasters club.

Speak UP!

Dave Wheeler

The benefits of Hindsight ...

Guy Kawasaki has only been blogging for 10 days and he is already one of my favorite blogs ...

This post has the full text of his "graduation / keynote speech". Check it out !

New Year's Resolutions . . . . Learn from 2005, Apply in 2006

Scott Ginsberg has a post (see link below) that has so many great quotes that you just need to check it out !

HELLO, my name is BLOG: Life isn't about finding yourself, it's about creating yourself

After reading Scott's post, I would summarize it like this ...

Learn from what you did in 2005. What worked? What didn't? What did you try for the first time? What did you intend to try, but did not?

Once you learned.... How are you going to apply your learning in 2006? Now is the time to make plans and MAKE YOUR DREAMS HAPPEN !

Dave

New Year's Resolutions . . . .

New Year's Resolutions.....

The beginning of the year always seems like a good time for reflection on where you are and where you want to go.

The cold hard truth? If you do the same in 2005, you will probably get the same results in 2006 as you did in 2005. (see this blog entry by Seth Godin)

So . . . . What do you want to change in 2006? What challenges do you want to tackle?

Will you improve your speaking skills through Toastmasters? How about your leadership skills? (Did you know that Toastmasters also has a leadership skills program?) Check out their web site at www.Toastmasters.org to find a club near you!

We would love to hear what you think ! Please leave a comment here !

Happy New Year !

Dave Wheeler
Founder of http://www.notewordy.com/

Wine and Cheese Management ...

The title of this post probably sounds a little strange, but hopefully after a bit of explanation you will understand.

First, I deliberately mispelled my title so that it would be easier to read and pronounce. It is supposed be spelled, "Why-ne and Cheese Management".

The first part is so simple that even a two year old would understand it. If you have ever been around a two year old, you know that their favorite word is "Why". Why is the sky blue? Why are we going to school? Why do I have to wear these pants? (Some two year olds have some clothing issues, but that is a story for another post.)

From a business management perspective, Motivation is tied directly to WHY and if you give a compelling "why", your team will figure out a way to get it done. If you don't give a "Why", (and depend on "just do it because I said so"), you are limiting yourself to a solution that is not necessarily the best it could be. Think about it.... if you give workers the "why", they will use their own experience, dedication and creativity to come up with the solution. They may even ask for your suggestions (and learn from you by combining it with their own ideas), but in almost every case the result will be a better job in a shorter amount of time with improved moral and dedication for the next job.

The second part of the Wine & Cheese management approach is "The Cheese".

You might think that this part would be pulled directly from the popular business book, "Who moved my Cheese", but you would be wrong. The Cheese is about recognition and appreciation.

The Cheese comes in when you snap photographs of people doing things RIGHT. ("Say Cheese"... I'm about to take your picture.) These pictures should then be posted in public places with a brief explanation of why* this person is being honored.

* notice the use of "why" here also.

This educates, encourages and reinforces the key principles and practices that you want in your organization. It is also a great way to use your web site to extend "the face of your company" beyond your own four walls.

So, now, go out and have yourself a Why-ne and Cheese party !

It will make life more fun for you and your whole organization !

Dave Wheeler
Founder, Notewordy.com

Seth Godin Seminar .... January 26th, 2006 !

Seth Godin, one of the world's greatest marketing minds and the author of The Idea Virus, Purple Cow, The Big Moo and a fabulous blog is offering a one day seminar / workshop where you can learn and interact both with him as well as fellow attendees!

(He is also offering a $100 referral fee, so if you sign up please tell him that you heard it from Dave Wheeler's blog, Write On! at www.theshot92.blogspot.com . Thanks.)

Click here to learn more !

Dave

Free E-Book ! ! ...

Click below for a free ebook from Scott Ginsberg (the nametag /approachability guy)...

http://hellomynameisscott.blogspot.com/2005/12/free-ebook-66-priceless-pieces-of.html

Happy Holidays !

Dave Wheeler
Founder, www.notewordy.com

Why Notecards as a business.....????

I was showing my newest notecards to a longtime friend (and a strong supporter of my efforts) and I thought his comment was interesting.

He said, "You sure are bucking the trend [with handwritten notecards]." I asked him what he meant and he replied, "You know, with email, cell phones with unlimited long distance calling and all the new ways to communicate, there doesn't seem like there would be alot of people who would be handwriting a note card."

I was a bit taken aback by the comment since I figured he knew the benefits of handwritten notes, but I reiterated them anyways. "Do you send greeting cards? Of course you do, and a handwritten note is much more effective way of making someone feel special. A handwritten card is an expression of who you are and when compared to a mass-produced cartoon the winner is obvious."

However, his question got me thinking about notecards as a business. Why would someone want to get into a business where ... ?
1) the general population does not care about it.
2) it is perceived as old fashioned or something your grandmother might do
3) alternative products can be purchased (in bulk) for 2-3 times less.

The more that I thought about, the more I liked the idea of a notecard business. I know that sounds strange or at least "counterintuitive" (which is a nice way of saying "stupid"), but there are a number of good reasons to like notecards and the associated business.

a) The greeting card business is worth billions.
b) There are many ways to offer something much better than a greeting card (in particular, notecards).
c) Notecards are definitely a niche (small) market. The market for art-based notecards is smaller still. The market for high-end, limited-edition notecards might be really small too, but I really like the product. Plus if it is only 0.1% of the billion dollar greeting card market, then it could be worth $1million dollars. The problem with that logic is the same as someone trying to sell soda in China.... there are BILLIONS of people there (all potential customers) and if we only get a small percentage, we will be rich! Everyone with even a little experience knows that it is not as simple as that. All people are different. A niche of one.


I should also add that my friend's other question was "Who would I send it to?" And the associated, unspoken question, of course, is, "Why would I send it?".

I will save those questions for my next blog entry.

Coming Soon .... Free Christmas Card !

I'm working on a FREE Christmas Card that you can download and print out on your own printer. My travel plans will keep me busy for this week, but check back here early next week for more information!
Write On!
Dave Wheeler !

The GapingVoid/Stormhoek design challenge ....

Hugh put out the challenge for a new label / packaging design for Stormhoek (his blogsphere marketing "project") .... and this is what I came up with:

"Hugh,I think you are on the right track. The existing bottle/label design looks like every other bottle of wine (and if you didn't tell me the picture was Stormhoek, I couldn't tell from the linked pictures because the type was too small to see).

My recommendations (for what they are worth) are:

1. Larger Stormhoek name on the label. The great part about the name is that it has two parts, Storm and hoek so the visual could actually wrap around the bottle and people could identify it by glimpsing only part of the name.
   
2. Stormhoek is a WIRED brand. I would suggest a recessed part of the label area with actual (shiny) metal wires and dots (sort of like Hugh's art doodles). This would stand out in a wine shop and represent the electronic heritage of the brand. Alternatively, a flexible PCB could be wrapped around the middle of the bottle (and ideally it would be FUNCTIONAL... lighting LED's? Tracking shelf life?).
   
3. There are a couple more bottle ideas that could be pursued... emphasis on the "Hook" with a bottle that can be hung in it's own unique "rack". This would serve two purposes... it would be a unique feature and it would also encourage consumers to DISPLAY their bottles in unique places. The other bottle idea is related to Brock's cork idea...a light in the top of the bottle which, when twisted to "on" position, would project on the ceiling of the shop. It could also be a great way to find your way home in the dark of night with your bottle of Stormhoek!

What do you think?

Dave Wheeler
Nov.10, 2005

Stormhoek Idea Napkin

When will you make that first impression???

It may seem strange to link to a newsletter from a Men's clothing store, but I thought their latest effort was worth passing along:

11 Observations That Reveal More About You Than Your Sign

http://www.menswearhouse.com/home_page/guys_guide/gg381_guidelines_template.jsp?dis=1408474395264107&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474395264107


Write On !

Dave Wheeler
Founder, NoteWordy Art & Cards
www.NoteWordy.com

NoteWordy Thought for the Day ....

"Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person. " - Mother Teresa

Importance of Location on Global Micro Brands (GMB)

This entry was created as a comment on Hugh Macleod's blog, www.gapingvoid.com. ....

"This is actually a comment on Avin's post, but he brings up an aspect of GMB's that might be of interest to you (and your readers).

How much does location matter?

In Avin's post he talks about Luigi the olive oil producer. If Luigi was based in Florida (USA) instead of Italy, would the brand have the same impact globally? I don't think so. Or perhaps it would create a different type of brand in Florida.

My point is that .... Location matters.

We all have preconceptions based on location (or as Seth Godin says in "All Marketers are Liars", our own "worldview") and these preconceptions influence how we value certain products.
Having said that, as marketers we need to recognize what preconceptions exist in our location and which ones, perhaps, might hold us back.

For example, I have a note card company that makes limited-edition, high-priced note cards based on contemporary art. The high-priced part could leverage the fact that they are made in Connecticut USA (near Greenwich). The contemporary art could leverage New York City.

Of course both of these statements are "in theory", since I still need to take my own advice and revamp my web site, www.notewordy.com, that is another story for another day.

Hope this adds to the conversation about Global Micro Brands !

Dave Wheeler
Founder, NoteWordy Cards
WriteOn! blog: www.theshot92.blogspot.com

Nominations open for NoteWordy Bloggers of 2005

The nominations are now open for the NoteWordy Bloggers of 2005 !

NoteWordy.com is sponsoring a contest to recognize the top, most noteworthy bloggers of 2005 based on their impact on the web and the world in general. The categories include:

• Blogosphere - specific blogs related primarily to blogging
  
• Marketing blogs
  
• News blogs
  
• Specialty blogs - unique subjects, covered exceptionally well
  
• Personal blogs - entertaining, insightful ....

More detailed descriptions will follow in later posts. Selections will be made in December 2005 for release to the media in late December.

How does it work?
The selection process is semi-democratic. The democratic part is that you can submit comments on this blog (please keep them under 100 words) telling why a particular blog deserves to be one of the most NoteWordy blogs of 2005. The "semi-" part of the selection process is that these suggestions will be reviewed as part of the final decision, but the selection by NoteWordy.com will be final.

So comment often and with passion ! Tell who had great posts this year (preferably with links to great examples).

Winners will receive a complete set of NoteWordy.com limited-edition note cards and the warm fuzzy feeling that comes with winning !

Vote now! Vote often!

Write On!

Dave Wheeler

If it's noteworthy, send NoteWordy.com!

This just made me smile .....

Check out http://www.whatwouldmacgyverdo.com/./about_the_book.html

This is the web site for a book being developed for Penguin books called, "What Would MacGyver do?". It is going to be a series of 75 to 100 original stories by and about people who have exercised MacGyver-like ingenuity in solving their everyday problems.

Maybe this is just my engineering background showing through . . .

What to write on ... a company sympathy card?

Another sympathy card "from everyone at the company" came across my desk today and I found the following link helpful.

Check it out !
http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:EM3WNhMwpb0J:www.submitmemories.com/Sympathy/what-to-write-on-a-sympathy-card.htm+%22what+to+write+on+a+sympathy+card%22&hl=en

Here's another one....
http://hallofflowers.co.uk/florists/what-to-write-on-a-sympathy-card.html

Write On!

Dave Wheeler

Insights into your personality, intellect and ....

Check out:
http://www.tickle.com

There's lots of free tests that can give you insights into your personality, intellect and more. I especially like the Corporate Culture test (in the Career & Money section).

They give free tests and some results but if you want more detailed results there is a cost (most I've seen are around $5). Interesting stuff ...

Write On!

Dave Wheeler
NoteWordy.com Founder

What is your Lens on the World????

As I'm sure you know, I read Seth Godin's blog on a regular basis and have "borrowed" many of his best ideas for use in my business. Now, Papa [Seth] has a brand new bag [sorry, couldn't resist a 60's music reference].

Seth is starting to introduce "Squidoo". He has posted various cryptic messages on his blog over the past few months (like, "I'm working on something big", or "It will be out soon.") and the cat is starting to come out of the bag !

Today, Oct. 7, 2005, he posted "Everyone is An Expert", a PDF document, that explains the idea of a "Lens" for the Internet. Check it out.

I read through his PDF ebook and it appears that Seth has hit on a key value that certain sites provide... the value of "meaning", or a quick way to get "the big picture" so you can make sense of all the data and marketing and garbage on the web (without meaning it is sometimes hard to distinguish good data from garbage or hype).

I am hoping that I will be able to participate in Seth's new endeavor. It is an interesting idea and, like most of his previous idea, it is sure to spread quickly !

Write ON!

Dave Wheeler
Founder, NoteWordy.com

PS If you want to check out the blog for Squidoo it is here. The whole site is not up yet, so we will have to wait and see when it appears!

Expanding your worldview.... by checking out people from the library

I heard about the link below indirectly through Metacool blog which referred me to Bruce Nussbaum's blog (at BusinessWeek Online):

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/08/25/wdutch25.xml

The article proposes an interesting idea... "borrowing" people from the library for 45 minutes to learn more about them.

"A public library in Holland has been swamped with queries after unveiling plans
to "lend out" living people, including homosexuals, drug addicts, asylum
seekers, gipsies and the physically handicapped."

How often do you interact with any of these types of people in your life? How about other types of people? The blind? The elderly? Kids? Priests? Marketing Managers? Bloggers? The list could go on and on.

But what would you find out? Perhaps you would learn about some of the unique challenges associated with the personal choices or circumstances but I would expect that you would also learn that these people are alot like you. Surprisingly like you.

How would you give this idea a try in your life? Leave a comment and let us know.

Write on!

Dave Wheeler
Founder, www.NoteWordy.com

Stretching Your Mind

Ni hao ! (Hello in Chinese),

I have just started learning Mandarin Chinese (through a course at a local community college) and am enjoying the feeling of stretching my mind !

I am also very aware of the saying, "You get out of it what you put into it!". The last language I learned was Latin back in high school and, as you can imagine, there hasn't been much use for it in conversations. Chinese characters are also an interesting challenge. They are so different from English characters or words that it is almost like learning a secret language of pictographs (almost like that ... but different).

What have you done recently to stretch your mind? Tell me about it in the comments !

Write On !

Dave Wheeler
NoteWordy.com

Holiday Card Time is here ....

We are planning holiday (Christmas, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Kwanza) cards at our company, as I'm sure many other people are as well, and it won't be long before NoteWordy.com comes out with a limited-edition notecard for the holidays (stay tuned to this blog and the web site for more info).

On a semi-related note, the link below shows that even lawyers are catching the "holiday" spirit !

http://www.legalmarketingblog.com/marketing-tips-233-donat-wait-any-longer-to-plan-for-holiday-cards-.html

Also some good points about how to deal with holiday cards !

BIG MOO .... is growing !

I just read on Seth Godin's blog about a new web site built around the BIG MOO .... called remarkabalize*

Check it out ... http://67.129.221.33/Custom/custom.asp?cmid=4110&id=839

Moo On!

Vision => Emotional Resonance

How often have you worked for a company and their vision was as bland as dry, white toast?

"We will sell widgets to the tall, short and sideways markets and [insert
motherhood and apple pie statement here]."

Sample motherhood and apple pie statements:
"be a world leader"
"provide top quality"
"be the preferred supplier"

A vision must resonate with the organization and, more importantly, with every person within the organization if it going to be truly effective.

From my years as a mechanical engineer, I learned that resonance is created when certain things happen. First there is a source of the vibration [the vision in our analogy here]. Second, the vibration must be transmitted in some form to the subject [the individuals in the organization]. Finally, there must be a "natural frequency" within the subject such that it responds to the vibration and begins to vibrate at the same frequency. To cross over from our analogy to business, this means that people must be receptive and have values and personal goals that support (and hopefully reinforces) the vision.

Natural Frequency = The Individual's Values

Back to the analogy... Vibration can also grow. In certain cases, the subject receiving the vibration adds to the vibration and the amplitude (or energy) of the vibration increases! It gains power. In an organization, this is seen when the individual increases their motivation and accomplishes more, which motivates others to support the vision, which accomplishes more, which motivates others .... I think you see how this can grow !

A good vision ignites emotions and passion for the mission ahead. A dry, boring vision is simply noise!

What is your vision? Share it with someone and see if it resonates !

Write On!

Good white paper on Blogs....

James Torio has his thesis on blogs posted at:
http://www.everyhuman.com/pages/2005/08/thesis.php

Check it out !

DW

FREE MOO being sent ...

I have made my selections ....

First, I must say that it was a tough decision. I looked for people who could influence decision makers (which is the premise that Seth set up) but I also looked for people who took the time to "connect" before just asking for a freebie. This taught me a valuable lesson that I will use in my business dealings going forward... if you want someone to do something, you have to "connect" with their world (or their "worldview" as Seth would say) and provide them a good reason to take action.

The three selections connected to my worldview through the following means:
1) By reading my blog and my website and offering some comments. One also provided an interesting link that was related to NoteWordy.com's Art-based card business.
2) By appealing to my "influence other readers" approach (by providing a glimpse of their network of influence)... and giving me a lead on a potentially interesting book to read.
3) By appealing to my interest in exploring new places and new ideas. (Which was not something that I have explicitly indicated, but perhaps it comes through on my blog).

I am sending out three copies to "the far corners of the world" (so to speak). One is local (Connecticut), one is in Denver, Colorado (USA) and one is in Turkey (assuming I can figure out the shipping & other details).

My sincere appreciation to everyone who took the time to send me an email and I hope others will give away their extra copies of the BIG MOO and create more FREE MOO !

Write On!

Dave Wheeler

"FREE MOO" offer is ... FULL ! (sorry)

I would like to thank everyone who sent emails for the "FREE BIG MOO" offer I posted yesterday. I received nearly 200 emails in less than 24 hours and if it I had an unlimited supply of books (and unlimited funds for shipping) I would have sent everyone a FREE MOO because the responses were absolutely INCREDIBLE !

I have started to sort them into two piles ... Maybe and YES (there were honestly none that are rated a "no"). From that I am narrowing it down further to match the [very limited] supply of books that I have available. Plus I want to get them shipped out soon so I had to make some quick decisions.

Epiphany.... (I rarely get a chance to use this word, but I think it applies here...)
As I go through the emails, one thing jumped out at me.... this whole giveaway process is just a microcosm for (or example of) the Purple Cow / BIG MOO philosophy! The people who stand out (and are the most remarkable) are the ones that catch my attention and will most likely receive a free book.

WOW .... what a concept. Using a BIG MOO to get a FREE MOO !
(I wish I did it on purpose, but I think it still qualifies as an epiphany... ya think?)

I'm still sorting through the pile, but I appreciate everyone's emails and I hope to have some selections ready to go very soon.

Write On !

Dave Wheeler
Founder, NoteWordy.com

Interview with Kelly Hansen of InspirationalArts.org

NoteWordy.com and Write ON! blog are proud to present ...
An interview with Kelly Hansen of Inspirational Arts.org, Houston, Texas.
Kelly's business was mentioned recently in an article about greeting cards in USA Today
(online at: http://www.usatoday.com/money/2005-06-16-greeting-cards-usat_x.htm) which brought her to the attention of NoteWordy.com and, thankfully, she agreed to the following interview:

NoteWordy.com:
You have a very unique style for your art. How do you describe your style and how did you come up with it?

Kelly Hansen:
"I have always loved to print ever since I can remember. I like to say that my artwork is interactive. The concept engages the viewer and invites one to take a closer look at the message. It's a subtle way to share God's word with others. Each piece is constructedof 2-4 hand-printed Bible verses that pertain to the word and is read as the word is written, thus, ".art with a message."

The idea originated as a wedding gift for my best friend of 20+ years. My mom likes to say that Inspirational Arts was "born out of Love" as Love was the very first piece I created. In trying to think of something unique to do for her, I decided to construct the word' Love' out of 1Corinthians 13:4-8 which is often read at weddings and also included both of their names and wedding date. I eventually created other words i.e. Hope, Faith, Peace and Joy, and, as I began to share them with friends, they ordered them as gifts.

We quickly realized the impact my artwork was having on others, and, in August 2002, Inspirational Arts was officially born. "

NoteWordy.com:
Your works clearly convey a strong, emotional message that can help people express their feelings to the important people in their lives. Do you have a story or stories (aside from the first one that you did for as a wedding gift) that shows how someone purchased your work and the impact it had?

Kelly Hansen:
"The stories are what make all of this so exciting. I love to collaborate with others and bring their ideas and inspirations to life through my artwork. There are so many stories as I have done numerous custom gifts for weddings, births, baptisms, adoptions, graduations, those who have died, those who have survived cancer and many more. But, here are a few stories that have especially touched me.

We met a young girl a few years ago who shared with us that she was adopted and had recently reconnected with her biological brother after being separated since birth. She wanted to do something special for his birthday and decided to create the word 'Brother' with her own words about their separation and reunion. It was truly awesome to be a part of that special gift.

I did five names for a woman's great-grandchildren - each of which she chose specific verses and wrote a personalized prayer to that child...a true legacy of faith being passed on through prayer to the next generation.

A lady recently ordered a custom order for her husband who is becoming a firefighter. I created the word 'Firefighter' out of specially chosen verses and ended it with love from her and their kids with the date.

The list goes on and on, but the common thread in all of these stories is how God's word is alive and actively used to express the heart of each person and the love they feel toward their loved ones. I love to see what verses they choose knowing the importance that each one holds for them, and I am always amazed at how God makes it all fit every time. It's such a privilege to be used by God to serve Him and others in this unique way."


NoteWordy.com:
What have you found to be the downside of your art and/or your web site? What have you had to overcome to bring your art to a larger audience?

Kelly Hansen:
"I must say, when I first started my business, I gave away much more than I sold. I was so excited about what God was doing in my life through the gift of my artwork that I wanted to share it with everyone we met.

I do consider my artwork first and foremost as a ministry - it is a direct reflection of my heart, so adapting to the reality that it has become an actual business (and the idea is to be profitable!) has been personally difficult for me.

The entire foundation of our business has been built on relationships and word of mouth. We love to interact with people and to share my artwork on a more personal level. I am blessed to have the faithful support of my mom, and, together, we have participated in close to 200 events over the past 3 years in an effort to establish a customer base.

We presently have approximately 3000 people on our mailing list, and it continues to grow as people share my artwork with others. We launched our web site in January of 2003, and it has been absolutely amazing to see where my artwork has traveled outside of Texas as well as the United States. Our sales and the continual affirmation that we have received from others have encouraged us and our belief that God does have a purpose and a plan for my artwork and what He wants to do through it.

Our biggest challenge by far has been mass marketing and introducing the concept of my artwork to others in a way that requires little or no explanation. We sometimes feel that we have to work harder than we should in making sure that people don't miss the message - God's word within the word, but, once they see it they are so excited and appreciative that we shared it with them.

The things that I have had to overcome personally are fear of rejection and patience. I have to remind myself who I am doing this for and why I am doing it. My artwork truly was a gift from God, and, through the growing pains of this journey, He is teaching me to steward well what He has given me.

Unlike the external success that we are groomed to look for so quickly in gauging others in today's culture, God is giving me a success on the inside that only happens when you truly come to know Him for who He is and to believe that He will do what He says He will do. My complete trust is in Him that He will continue to guide us in the decisions that we make and will open the right doors for us in time. Until then, we will just keep spreading the Word!


NoteWordy.com:
What's next? For you? For your web site? For your art?" Anything more to add on these questions? What else should your readers / customers know?

Kelly Hansen:
"That's a great question and one I ask myself on a daily basis.

It's a transitional time for us as a business as we are trying to narrow our focus from retailing and doing so many local shows to expanding our wholesale business and reaching more people. It's a prayerful topic for us as to how we are going to do that. Where we are excited by the idea of partnering with larger manufacturer, we plan to continue moving forward on our own to the best of our ability until a door opens.

One of the hardest things to master in owning your own business - especially when it involves creative design - is patience. We have so many ideas - designs and applications, but we have to realize that we cannot implement them all at once.

As a creative person, the delay in seeing your ideas materialize can be very difficult. But, we just continue to do what we can and to try and maintain our focus on God and putting Him first knowing that He will make a way.

I don't know what the future holds for us. For me personally, this experience and journey so far has been one of tremendous growth. My artwork has been such a blessing and has allowed me to use so many of my gifts in such a unique way. Ultimately, I love to serve and meet the needs of others, and God has given me the privilege of being able to use His word in the process.

I am eager to see how He will continue to grow our business and how He may use it as a springboard for other purposes He has for me. Meanwhile, I am hanging on for the ride!


NoteWordy.com:
Have there been any people in particular that have been important or provided special support as you have grown your business?

Kelly Hansen:
"I work with my mom Liz. She got laid off 4 months after I started my business and has been working with me ever since. Her support has been invaluable, and she has been such a pivotal part of our growth and success.

We have both struggled with adapting to working for ourselves and, on top of that, out of our home. The transition has been an even harder for her after being in the natural gas industry for over 25 years.

Looking back at the timing of all of this, we could have never planned this alone. We all have the tendency to become so accustom to the same routine and to apply the expertise of what we know to only one field. But, according to Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purposes.”

If we have learned anything at all, it’s that God can instantly change our circumstances and use us and all of our past experiences – good or bad - to accomplish His purposes. If we follow His lead, the blessings will come in more ways than we could ever imagine!!

NoteWordy.com:
We appreciate you taking the time to answer our questions and I'm sure our readers have gained some valuable insights from your experiences. Thanks for sharing your stories with us.

Kelly Hansen:
This has been a great experience. Through your questions, I have realized the divine purpose of my artwork and am so thankful. God has grown me so much during this time – it’s been amazing.

Write On!

Kelly Hansen's web site address is http://www.inspirationalarts.org

Quick Review of The BIG MOO !

I ordered the prerelease edition of THE BIG MOO (click here for more info) and it was delivered in 2 DAYS by 1-800-CEO READ (my compliments to them on their fulfillment process).

My expectations for this book were very high.... it is written by 33 of the top business writers in the world, edited by Seth Godin (one of my favorite authors) and focuses on the idea of the Purple Cow and how to get a REALLY BIG MOO ! (not just a regular purple cow).

I was not disappointed when I read the book. Or perhaps, more accurately, I was disappointed when I finished it since I wanted it to keep going! The stories and ideas are a rapid fire grab bag of business stories, life stories and just plain out-of-left-field ideas to help kick start your brain toward coming up with your own BIG MOO / Purple Cow.

Another interesting aspect of the book is that even though it is written by many top authors, including Tom Peters and Guy Kawasaki, none of the chapters are identified by author. This reduces the distraction of comparing Tom's chapter versus Guy's versus Seth's. It also emphasizes the point that these authors contributed to this effort for CHARITY, not notoriety. Clearly you can tell by reading the list on the cover that these authors have enough notoriety already!

Since the Pre-Release version was only available in quantities of 50 books, I have already sent out many of my copies to the key influencers I know in the hopes that they will help "spread the word" about the book and potentially end up purchasing bulk copies for their companies.

I have a few extra copies that I will be giving away and if you are a "key influencer", please send me an email at theshot92@mailblocks.com telling how you will help spread the word about this book (in 200 words or less ... I don't have tons of free time to read through long emails) and I will pick a few of the best to send out free copies. No promises on how long this will last, so send in your ideas as soon as possible!

Write On!

Dave Wheeler

Here Comes .... The BIG MOO ! ! !

What is the latest from the shaved head of Seth Godin? The BIG MOO ! ! !
It was just announced today on his blog. (click here)

The subtitle is, "Stop Trying to be Perfect and Start Being Remarkable" and it is a collection of stories/ideas from 33 of the world's best business minds that tackle one urgent question: What does it really take to make your organization remarkable?

And it is already getting coverage on some great blogs.. Click here for MetaCool.

And it is for charity ! ! ! www.acumenfund.org, www.jdrf.org, www.roomtoread.org

The catch? You have to order 50 books and "sneeze" / seed them for maximum word-of-mouth impact. Check it out!

Write On!

August Attitude Adjustment # 1 - Enjoy Life!

I got the following from
http://www.attheheartofit.com/2004/06/

Everyone has challenges in their life, but it is important to find your "safe harbor" where you can put down your burden and recharge your batteries.

Enjoy!

***************************************************************
A lecturer was giving a lecture to his student on stress management.

He raised a glass of water and asked the audience, "How heavy do you think this glass of water is?" The students' answers ranged from 20g to 500gm.

"It does not matter on the absolute weight. It depends on how long you hold it.
If I hold it for a minute, it is OK.
If I hold it for an hour, I will have an ache in my right arm.
If I hold it for a day, you will have to call an ambulance.
It is the exact same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

"If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, we will not be able to carry on, the burden becoming increasingly heavier."

"What you have to do is to put the glass down, rest for a while before holding it up again." We have to put down the burden periodically, so that we can be refreshed and are able to carry on.

So before you return home from work tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it back home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you are having now on your shoulders, let it down for a moment if you can. Pick it up again later when you have rested... Rest and relax. Life is short, enjoy it!!

I want to go to D-school !!!!!

I just came across a link at metacool blog to the following interview by Business Week with David Kelley (of IDEO fame) who is now starting a Design school (D-school).

Check out the interview:
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_31/b3945421.htm

It sounds like an exciting experience! I want to go to D-school !!!!! (and not just because my name starts with "D").

Write On!

Dave Wheeler

PS Thanks to metacool for bringing this to my attention. Check them out at:
http://metacool.typepad.com/metacool/2005/07/whats_new_at_th.html

Passionate Endeavors

There is a great post today at "Creating Passionate Users" (check it out at the link below):
http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/2005/07/avoid_cliches_l.html

Kathy Sierra starts to talk about cliches but the best idea I got out of the post was the "trap of professionalism". We have all seen it. "Professional" work that has all the passion and soul beaten out of it (usually by a committee or managers). And "professional work" is never "risky".

Take a chance. Push the boundaries. You will find out that someone might actually pay attention to what you say !

One other thing about Kathy's article ... it had a link that led me (indirectly) to this site:
http://www.quatrifolio.com/graphics/buildingletters.html

Where I found the following quote ....

"Whatever you do will be insignificant but it is very important that you do it." - Gandhi

The next thing you do, whether it is a personal note to a friend or a brochure for your company will certainly be forgotten in a hundred years but it will be forgotten much sooner if it is not done with passion. Passion for doing important work!

That's my point. Create passion in your work and your life! It is so much more fun than the alternative!

Write On!

Dave Wheeler

Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food

First, let me say that this post falls in the category of "Do as I say, not as I do" (but I am working on changing).

The article at the link below by Jess Halliday, editor of NutraIngredients-USA.com, is brief, but based on a strong idea. Check it out:
http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/news/ng.asp?n=61206&m=1FPD711&c=tmfmbffmoptxhrw

NoteWordy Summary:
If Hippocrates (famous for the "Hippocratic Oath" that all doctors take) said, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food", why don't doctors treat ailments with food more often than drugs? The short answer... drugs make money. Food is cheap. Drugs are the fast answer. The magic bullet. Food takes preparation and work. Food takes planning and discipline.

The article goes on to explain some legislation being introduced as well as other background. I recommend taking a look ... and thinking about how your life could be improved by better food choices.

I know I will be thinking about it !

Write On!

Dave Wheeler
www.NoteWordy.com Founder

The Leadership Vector

Leadership. Without it, nothing happens. With it, groups of people can move heaven and earth. What makes up Leadership?

The best way to really understand Leadership is as a "Vector", but let me explain what that means. Back when I was in engineering school, I learned about vectors as part of the physics and dynamics of objects.

Definition of VECTOR: From http://physics.about.com/cs/mathsforphysics/g/vector.htm
A quantity in which both the magnitude and the direction must be stated. Force, velocity and field strength are examples of vector quantities.

• Note that distance and speed are scalar quantities whereas displacement and velocity are vector quantities. Vector quantities are often denoted by boldface type for with an arrow above or a bar below the symbol.

Examples: While speed (like 30km/hr) is a scalar measurement, velocity (30km/hr North) is a vector, consisting of a speed and a direction (north).

Clearly as a leader you must have a Direction ...

• A leader must have a strong vision. A goal is needed to generate desire by painting a picture of the results that are possible through action.
• Difference between Speed and Velocity .... speed is only a measurement and it does not have a direction.

Secondly, a leader without Motion is simply one of the crowd ... A leader must

• take Actions,
• Get out of the crowd,
• Boldness counts, especially in your chosen direction.

The last element of a Leadership Vector are the two C's ... Credibility & Confidence.

• You gain both through Experience and by accumulating Results
• To achieve results you need Personal Discipline and Tenacity to bounce back when, not if, you fail.

As A.L.Williams said, "If you want to be great, you first have to be good. If you want to be good, you have to first be bad. If you want to be bad, you first have to TRY." Greatness breeds confidence, but it all starts by TRYING.

TRY the Leadership Vector. It can be used by anyone can use in their life, no matter whether you are leading a Fortune 500 corporation or just yourself.

Decide where you want to go. Set a Direction.

Take Action. Put plans in Motion.

Build your credibility and confidence through results.

You have the leadership in you. Find your VECTOR and it will make your dreams come true.

Write On!,

Dave Wheeler

Present to WestConn Toastmasters, Danbury, CT

July 6, 2005 at the Wooster School.

The more things change, the more they stay the same

From a recent Seth Godin blog post:

To date, with the exception of easy (and juicy) black and white scandals,
consumers of all stripes have been resistant to taking action with their
dollars. Part of it is laziness, part of it is selfisness and part of it is
a long history of a laissez faire disconnect between what we spend and what
we believe.

I think that's about to change.

Why does Seth think we are going to change and react to the companies that we find objectionable in the marketplace? Seth even acknowledges that consumers are resistant to change.

From my perspective, "the more things change the more they stay the same" seems more appropriate than Seth's last sentence.

Many people can remember boycotting products at one time or another when we heard a story about how the company had acted inappropriately.

Examples include the use of child labor by a prominent clothing company (can you name the company?) or the conviction of a household diva for securities infractions (can you name the celebrity CEO?). Both examples (temporarily) impacted the companies involved, but the business continued and, given time and distance from the "story" have been able to remain a strong business entity.

Perhaps Seth means that stories can travel faster nowadays and if a story is sufficiently impactful, it could shake consumers out of their "laziness" or "selfishness" or "laissez faire disconnect" and get them to take action.

I'm not sure I agree. I think consumers are becoming more and more fragmented and a story that impacts one group won't necessarily impact others. Are consumers going to "care more" about issues that might not directly inpact their well being? I don't see a trend in this direction, but perhaps Seth sees something that we are missing.

It will be very interesting to see how Seth develops his idea and since he is the leading expert on the spread of ideas, I will certainly be paying attention to his blog over the coming months!

Write On !

Dave Wheeler

Founder, NoteWordy.com

Did you forget to send a Father's Day Card?

Hopefully you at least gave him a call on his special day!

If you did not yet send a note, you are not lost. You can still send him a message. Below are some of my thoughts on the subject of Father's Day...

I found a couple quotes that really made me think of my Dad ...
A father carries pictures where his money used to be. - Authur Unknown
Who hasn't "borrowed" money from their Dad? Who actually paid their Dad back? I don't know your relationship with your Dad, but I'm sure he deserves a holiday in his honor.

We need to be sure we take this opportunity to say Thanks to our Dad for always being there for us.

For example, I was thinking back to when I played high school basketball and my Dad made it to nearly all of my games. Now that I have many years in the working world myself, I can really appreciate the amount of effort and scheduling it took to get to those games. It meant alot to me then and it means even more to me now. Thanks Dad.

On Father's day, we shouldn't forget about our Grandfather too. I found a quote that made me think of my grandfather ....
My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.—Clarence B. Kelland

My Dad's Dad ("Grampy") was a man of few words, but if you watched him long enough you could tell what type of person he was. I miss him and I'm a better person for having known him.

Happy Father's Day,

Dave


Here is some background links on Father's Day...
History of Father's Day:
http://wilstar.com/holidays/fathers.htm
Quotations on Father's Day:
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art20797.asp

David vs. Goliath in the Greeting Card industry !

USA today had an interesting article about the impact that "the small guys" are having on the Greeting Card industry. See link below:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/2005-06-16-greeting-cards-usat_x.htm

The one thing that was missing in that article was the parallels between the book publishing industry and the greeting card industry. Books are the typical example for the creation of "The Long Tail" where small, low volume books are able to be offered via online retailers like Amazon.com while the traditional retailers are limited by their overhead to "high volume", "best selling" "successful" books.

When will the big guys in the greeting card industry realize that their market is fragmenting at a dramatic rate? If the book publishing industry is any example, probably NEVER or at least not until it is too late.

What does this mean? It means a super opportunity for card designers, especially card designers who make UNIQUE cards that appeal strongly to particular, specialized audiences.

Enter NoteWordy.com. (Hopefully) we will fill that void and be part of the next USA Today article about the demise of HallMark and the rise of the independent greeting card designers.

Write On!

Dave Wheeler

When Marketers REALLY ARE Liars...

I had the opportunity to read a prerelease copy of Seth Godin's new book called All Marketers are Liars which is now in bookstores and it got me thinking ...

If All Marketers are Liars (and Seth's title is a bit "tongue-in-cheek") why aren't more of them being sued? Isn't it illegal to make outrageous claims that you can't back up? (Even if it makes for a good story)

These questions made me pull out my notes from something I learned at a recent marketing law seminar that dealt with with the difference between how the legal system deals with "Puffery" and "Truth in Advertising".

The marketing law seminar was presented by ThirdWay Marketing in Manhattan, NY USA and featured Nancy C. Dowling, former Sr. Counsel for P&G for 10 yrs. and in-house counsel for Sears.

Nancy suggested the following rules for [legal] advertising:

• Ads must be truthful and honest (unless they are clearly "Puffery"- which will be defined later in this entry).
• Ads must have evidence to back up the claims BEFORE it is published/broadcast.
• Ads cannot be “unfair” or “denigrate another brand”.

She also emphazied that "substantiation of claims" is not only required but can also be expensive. Examples of substantiation include:

• Double blind comparison test with at least 300 consumers
• Geographically dispersed tests to account for regional brand / category variation / usage patterns.

The seminar went on to talk about other related legal topics such as the NAD, FTC and trademarks but the point I'm trying to make is this .... where does Seth address the legality issue? Especially when Marketers REALLY ARE LIARS!?!

The answer was also provided in that same law seminar and it is called "Puffery".

The American Marketing Association defines "puffery" as:

1. (advertising definition) An exaggerated advertising claim that would be generally recognized as such by potential customers.

2. (consumer behavior definition) An advertising term implying gross exaggeration but usually not considered deception because it is assumed not to be believable. Examples are the mile-high ice cream cone or the world's softest mattress.

3. (sales definition) The exaggerated statements made by a salesperson about the performance of a product or service.

I have to assume that Seth feels that every Marketer who read his book already knew the distinction between puffery and legal advertising claims, but if not, hopefully this entry will put Seth's ideas into a little better perspective.

Don't get me wrong. I'm a big fan of Seth's books and I wholeheartedly agree with the ideas in his new book (the importance of stories and living the story). In fact, I encourage everyone to read it, as long as you keep in mind that there is more to the story than just what you make up ... there are legal implications if you truly are a LIAR !

Write On !

Dave Wheeler

P.S. Here is a link to a 5 page preview / excerpt of Seth's book in case you want to check it out.

http://www.fortune.com/fortune/smallbusiness/marketing/articles/0,15114,1053410,00.html