Hello Everyone and Happy New Year,
This is the first official post on our new blog and we couldn’t be more excited! We set a goal to get our blog up and running by the new year and we just made it!
In 2009 we traveled over 10,000 thousand miles attending shows all over the US. We did this to get our very unique product out in front of potential customers. What end up happening is not only were our shirts very well received but we had the privilege of meeting many wonderful people who we now consider good friends.
2009 was a challenging year for everyone with what appeared to be very little to celebrate. Everywhere you turned the news was bad. More job layoffs, banks not lending, forcing decades old companies out of business; and the list goes on and on. I will be truthful and say that it was a tough time in our economy to start a business and only being a year old we had a lot to learn. That is where our story takes a turn from most. We made a decision to spend almost the entire year on the road for a few reasons. It was our form of Gorilla Marketing: we could have thousands of people at a time see our product in person and also get instant feedback as to what was right and what needed changing. What we did not expect was the overwhelming enthusiasm and support we got each and every show from so many people. If you were one of them we want to say thank you. Your purchases, words of encouragement and appreciation for our product kept the creative fires ignited even when we thought we couldn’t drive another mile!
For anyone who thinks people just aren’t as inherently decent as they used to be in the good ol days, I say to you… Get out and truly meet new people and you will see that the above statement is as far from the truth as anything you know.
I could blog for days with stories of kindness, sweetness and just plain hilarious gestures and conversations we have had in the last year. It truly was the most “living” I have done in years. Imagine waking each day not knowing who you would meet but knowing you WOULD meet many new people. For a self-described ”people” person who worked in an office that very seldom gave me an opportunity to interact with someone I had never before met, this was exciting.
At first I thought I was a Carnie at heart because I enjoyed being on the road (at one stretch I was away from home for 8 weeks straight). But it really did boil down to the people and experiences they brought to our life. I still keep in touch with many of the friends I met on the road every week by phone of email, and that is a true gift.
We are looking forward to a year of growth, creativity, making more friends and as always, plenty of laughter. Our hope for you, is a year of fulfilled dreams and as much fun as you can stand!
Please add our blog to your favorites and I promise we will try to be as entertaining and educational as possible. Don’t forget to let us know what you are up to.
Every journey is always so much more fun with company!
Rhonda and Mark
Steve Feldman Said:
on January 2, 2010 at 3:27 pm
Hey Rhonda (& Mark),
I’m so proud of you. You’ve always been an extremely hard worker that never seemed to tire of the traveling you had to do. Now, you’ve made it in the world of self-employment and have reaped the rewards that come with it. Sure, there are times you’d rather be at home, sipping a martini at a local place with some of your friends, but the great times you seem to be having meeting new people and getting such promising compliments on your products, make it well worth it. The martinis can wait.
Let me know when you’ll be in Phoenix again. We’ll have that drink (and a little bite to eat) and reminisce. You can fill me in on the great times you’re having and I’l fill you in on the chaotic times I’m having.
Be safe, my world traveler. Travel that Route 66 safely.
Steve Feldman