Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Word of Mouth
As we strive for success, great word of mouth is every business owner's dream--rightfully so! Six instances of 25 people telling 25 people about your business is nearly the population of the United States. Mindbending but true!
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
CLAUD!A JEAN on Record
From Pam in Portland, OR!
Pam's youngest daughter, Kim, is a social worker for the Dept of Human Resources in Multnomah County.
During a hearing on June 28th with a troubled teen, as the proceedings were ending, one of the attorneys asked Kim about her CLAUD!A JEAN watch. This precipitated a discussion about both the watch and Pam's business. The judge finally jumped in to find out what was so interesting--and to remind them that the conversation was still being recorded by the court clerk!
So you see, CLAUD!A JEAN is now a matter of court record in Multnomah County!
Monday, June 27, 2005
Soroptimist Fashion Voyage
June 25--Officer's Club, Pendleton Marine Base: You have been to fashion shows, I am sure, but I doubt you've seen many amateur productions as well executed as this one! The Soroptimist Club women worked hard to make this the "must attend" event of the season!
The Soroptimists are a service organization dedicated to bettering the lives of women and children around the world. They prove that small groups of women, banded together, can achieve BIG results!
Before the fashion show, three women were honored for their contribution to a better world. First was Melanie Bernhardt who has become a renowned dog rescuer and trainer for assist- dogs for the disabled. This may not seem too impressive until you meet Melanie in person. She is confined to a wheelchair and has very limited mobility. Her great wit and sense of life had us all laughing and cheering her on. To date she has rescued, trained and placed 25 dogs.
Next was Theresia Heyden who has just recently returned from Afghanistan where she set up a school for over 2000 young girls near the border with Pakistan. Before this last election in Afghanistan, the Taliban tried to get past her to find out who on her staff had signed up to vote. She refused them entrance because she knew there could be bloodshed. In the process they broke the toes on both of her feet but she still refused to let them in. What is even more extraordinary is that this beautiful, strong woman is 81 years old! And she is returning to Afghanistan soon to continue with her work!
The final honoree was Luawanna Hallstrom who is known through out the state for her work on immigration and farm issues as well as education, environment, health and human rights. She serves on multiple commissions and travels through out the world with her message of economic stability through immigration and social reform to create secure borders--a very hot topic right now!
Congratulations to these three wonderful women, you are each a true inspiration to all of us!
After lunch the Fashion Voyage set sail with spirited music and beautiful fashions. The models danced through special routines set on a tall stage so everyone got an "eye full" of each presentation! CLAUD!A JEAN had the great fortune to be the first store featured with the song "Sea Cruise." I was proud of how the girls looked and we received may compliments on our fashions!
Other local boutiques followed as well as Chico's. We may be small but we held our own in a world of beautiful products! Susan and I also did a pretty good job of creating buzz about the Magic Pant, you can be sure!
The silent auction was well received so that there will be more money to give to great causes. I cannot recommend the Soroptimists more highly as a group of WONDERFUL women who really do make a difference and have a great deal of fun doing it!
Belong to the Red Hatters for you! (see the next article)
Belong to the Soroptimists for the world! see www.soroptimist.org or www.sioceanside.org
Not a bad balance!
Comments?
The Soroptimists are a service organization dedicated to bettering the lives of women and children around the world. They prove that small groups of women, banded together, can achieve BIG results!
Before the fashion show, three women were honored for their contribution to a better world. First was Melanie Bernhardt who has become a renowned dog rescuer and trainer for assist- dogs for the disabled. This may not seem too impressive until you meet Melanie in person. She is confined to a wheelchair and has very limited mobility. Her great wit and sense of life had us all laughing and cheering her on. To date she has rescued, trained and placed 25 dogs.
Next was Theresia Heyden who has just recently returned from Afghanistan where she set up a school for over 2000 young girls near the border with Pakistan. Before this last election in Afghanistan, the Taliban tried to get past her to find out who on her staff had signed up to vote. She refused them entrance because she knew there could be bloodshed. In the process they broke the toes on both of her feet but she still refused to let them in. What is even more extraordinary is that this beautiful, strong woman is 81 years old! And she is returning to Afghanistan soon to continue with her work!
The final honoree was Luawanna Hallstrom who is known through out the state for her work on immigration and farm issues as well as education, environment, health and human rights. She serves on multiple commissions and travels through out the world with her message of economic stability through immigration and social reform to create secure borders--a very hot topic right now!
Congratulations to these three wonderful women, you are each a true inspiration to all of us!
After lunch the Fashion Voyage set sail with spirited music and beautiful fashions. The models danced through special routines set on a tall stage so everyone got an "eye full" of each presentation! CLAUD!A JEAN had the great fortune to be the first store featured with the song "Sea Cruise." I was proud of how the girls looked and we received may compliments on our fashions!
Other local boutiques followed as well as Chico's. We may be small but we held our own in a world of beautiful products! Susan and I also did a pretty good job of creating buzz about the Magic Pant, you can be sure!
The silent auction was well received so that there will be more money to give to great causes. I cannot recommend the Soroptimists more highly as a group of WONDERFUL women who really do make a difference and have a great deal of fun doing it!
Belong to the Red Hatters for you! (see the next article)
Belong to the Soroptimists for the world! see www.soroptimist.org or www.sioceanside.org
Not a bad balance!
Comments?
Red Hat Festivities
June 5th--San Marcos Country Club was host to a BIG to-do involving nearing 250 Red Hatters from multiple Chapters. I was invited to speak and was so honored to be considered part of the party! Bonnie Armstrong, Queen of the California Dreamers Chapter, was the power behind (and in front of) this massive undertaking. She left no detail unattended! If you ever need crowd control, she's your go-to gal! I was amazed at her seamless event because it was a complex mix of vendors, belly dancers, fashion show and just sheer fun and yet she could marshall the crowd at will. Stunningly done, Bonnie! There is a reason you are Queen!
I've seen Red Hatters in small groups but this was my first exposure to such a large group and I have to tell you--these girls know how to have fun! Club members dressed "in their colors" had so many beautiful ways to wear red and purple that the whole room looked royal indeed! Gorgeous themed products could be seen both on the women and offered for sale. There was a lot of excitement and conversation about where to find the most beautiful and unusual pieces! It was easy to spend the day ooohing and ahhhhhing.
If you've never been exhausted from the sheer joy of having fun, check out the Red Hatters! All women are welcome but you only wear red and purple after the age of 50. Before that you wear pink and lavender as you are just in training for such a good time! Learn more at www.redhatsociety.com where the only rule is to have fun!
I've seen Red Hatters in small groups but this was my first exposure to such a large group and I have to tell you--these girls know how to have fun! Club members dressed "in their colors" had so many beautiful ways to wear red and purple that the whole room looked royal indeed! Gorgeous themed products could be seen both on the women and offered for sale. There was a lot of excitement and conversation about where to find the most beautiful and unusual pieces! It was easy to spend the day ooohing and ahhhhhing.
If you've never been exhausted from the sheer joy of having fun, check out the Red Hatters! All women are welcome but you only wear red and purple after the age of 50. Before that you wear pink and lavender as you are just in training for such a good time! Learn more at www.redhatsociety.com where the only rule is to have fun!
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Momhood in a Nutshell
Did any of you, like me, come home from the hospital with a perfect newborn baby and feel abject terror over the responsibility required to do everything right from that day forward? I know I did and do live in the sense of fear that who I am will not be enough to properly nourish those in my life who deserve a true, pure love.
John Rosemond, family psychologist, has written a short piece in The Union Tribune by way of Knight Ridder News Service. This simple blueprint will let you know when you are on the right path. I found it very easy to understand in a world of too much conflicting information!
He writes:
In the early 1960s, songwriter-folk singer Pete Seeger wrote "Turn, Turn, Turn," which was later rocked up and made popular by The Byrds. The refrain was taken from The Book of Ecclesiastes 3:1, which read, "There is a time for everything, and a season to every activity under heaven."
The raising of children is marked by seasons. Season One, the season of service, begins at birth and lasts for two years during which parents orbit around the child in a near-constant ministry of "doing." In all cultures and in all times, the mother is the primary servant during Season One. The child, therefore, has every right to come to the conclusion that the way things are now is the way things will be forever--that his mother is there to do things for him.
Knowing that she was creating a monster, the old-fashioned mother, between her child's second and third birthdays, corrected his impression of the role she played in his life. She did so by taking him out of the center of her attention and putting herself at the center of his, by making him do for himself what she had one for him, and by making it clear that her relationship with his father trumped her relationship with him.
By the time he was 3 years old, he saw her with new eyes: once a servant, now a formidable authority figure. He knew she loved him, but he also knew that her word was law. Thus began Season Two, the season of leadership and authority, during which the parents' job is to govern the child such that he gradually develops the self-restraint necessary to govern himself responsibly during Season Three, the season of mentoring, which commences at age 13.
It is no coincidence that that early adolescent rites of passage of traditional cultures--the Jewish bar or bat mitzvah being an example--occur when a child is 13. These rituals mark and celebrate a major transition in the parent-child relationship. The child is self-governing. He no longer needs people telling him what to do, running his life; rather, he needs mentors to help him prepare for emancipation which inaugurates Season Four, the season of friendship.
These days, the raising of children is rarely occurring in accord with its natural seasons. The ubiquitous symptoms, in reverse order: boomerang children and late emancipation; disrespectful, self-destructive, depressed, irresponsible teenagers; and toddler characteristics (short attention span, impulsivity, low tolerance for frustration, tantrums, defiance, and so on--i.e., ADD) still exhibited well beyond toddlerhood.
The breakdown is occurring between the second and third birthdays, when it is critical that the mother effect and complete the transition between Season One and Season two, from servant-ship to leadership. This transition took place rather reliably up until some 50 years ago. It takes place rarely today, because the American mother no longer receives the support that she needs to bring about this critical change in her child's perception of her. The new standard has it that a good mother is one who serves her child in perpetuity.
He finishes by saying:
I salute those moms who duck cultural pressure and claim their authority over their children, transforming them from little tyrants into well-mannered little people. Don't let the dirty looks bring you down, ladies.
I list the four Seasons for review:
Season One, the season of service, ages 0-2
Transition from Season One to Season Two, age 3
Season Two, the season of authority/leadership, ages 3-13
Season Three, the season of mentoring, ages 13-18
Season Four, the season of friendship, age 19 and a lifetime!
I predict that if you follow this formula the teen years will be some the richest you will spend with your children rather than the most terrifying!
Comments please!
John Rosemond, family psychologist, has written a short piece in The Union Tribune by way of Knight Ridder News Service. This simple blueprint will let you know when you are on the right path. I found it very easy to understand in a world of too much conflicting information!
He writes:
In the early 1960s, songwriter-folk singer Pete Seeger wrote "Turn, Turn, Turn," which was later rocked up and made popular by The Byrds. The refrain was taken from The Book of Ecclesiastes 3:1, which read, "There is a time for everything, and a season to every activity under heaven."
The raising of children is marked by seasons. Season One, the season of service, begins at birth and lasts for two years during which parents orbit around the child in a near-constant ministry of "doing." In all cultures and in all times, the mother is the primary servant during Season One. The child, therefore, has every right to come to the conclusion that the way things are now is the way things will be forever--that his mother is there to do things for him.
Knowing that she was creating a monster, the old-fashioned mother, between her child's second and third birthdays, corrected his impression of the role she played in his life. She did so by taking him out of the center of her attention and putting herself at the center of his, by making him do for himself what she had one for him, and by making it clear that her relationship with his father trumped her relationship with him.
By the time he was 3 years old, he saw her with new eyes: once a servant, now a formidable authority figure. He knew she loved him, but he also knew that her word was law. Thus began Season Two, the season of leadership and authority, during which the parents' job is to govern the child such that he gradually develops the self-restraint necessary to govern himself responsibly during Season Three, the season of mentoring, which commences at age 13.
It is no coincidence that that early adolescent rites of passage of traditional cultures--the Jewish bar or bat mitzvah being an example--occur when a child is 13. These rituals mark and celebrate a major transition in the parent-child relationship. The child is self-governing. He no longer needs people telling him what to do, running his life; rather, he needs mentors to help him prepare for emancipation which inaugurates Season Four, the season of friendship.
These days, the raising of children is rarely occurring in accord with its natural seasons. The ubiquitous symptoms, in reverse order: boomerang children and late emancipation; disrespectful, self-destructive, depressed, irresponsible teenagers; and toddler characteristics (short attention span, impulsivity, low tolerance for frustration, tantrums, defiance, and so on--i.e., ADD) still exhibited well beyond toddlerhood.
The breakdown is occurring between the second and third birthdays, when it is critical that the mother effect and complete the transition between Season One and Season two, from servant-ship to leadership. This transition took place rather reliably up until some 50 years ago. It takes place rarely today, because the American mother no longer receives the support that she needs to bring about this critical change in her child's perception of her. The new standard has it that a good mother is one who serves her child in perpetuity.
He finishes by saying:
I salute those moms who duck cultural pressure and claim their authority over their children, transforming them from little tyrants into well-mannered little people. Don't let the dirty looks bring you down, ladies.
I list the four Seasons for review:
Season One, the season of service, ages 0-2
Transition from Season One to Season Two, age 3
Season Two, the season of authority/leadership, ages 3-13
Season Three, the season of mentoring, ages 13-18
Season Four, the season of friendship, age 19 and a lifetime!
I predict that if you follow this formula the teen years will be some the richest you will spend with your children rather than the most terrifying!
Comments please!
Thursday, May 26, 2005
You May End Up Naked!
At our recent retreat, Suzi told how she sold her CLAUD!A JEAN necklace, at a customer's insistence, off her own neck. Lorraine took the story to heart and has reported one of her own!
While checking in at the Portland International Airport, the lady behind Lorraine commented on her necklace and said she'd love to have one. Lorraine responded that she could actually sell her the one she was wearing because she had another at home. The transaction was completed before they reached the ticket counter. It gets better! The lady is a buyer for Nordstrom!
There's more! As Lorraine stood on the gangway to board the plane, the lady behind her commented on her "window bag" of jewelry and then had to have one of the watches. Lorraine told her the price and they proceeded to their respective seats. The flight attendant brought Lorraine the check before the plane pulled away from the gate!
Michele has had similar stories and worries that she will sell the last of an item and end up without one of her own! It could happen as merchandise is selling out daily and being replace with new product.
We suggest that every time you wear an accessory that gets you noticed (the whole point!), carry one in your purse so when someone comments you can pull it out and say, "I just happen to have one available..." That's the beauty of cash and carry!
While checking in at the Portland International Airport, the lady behind Lorraine commented on her necklace and said she'd love to have one. Lorraine responded that she could actually sell her the one she was wearing because she had another at home. The transaction was completed before they reached the ticket counter. It gets better! The lady is a buyer for Nordstrom!
There's more! As Lorraine stood on the gangway to board the plane, the lady behind her commented on her "window bag" of jewelry and then had to have one of the watches. Lorraine told her the price and they proceeded to their respective seats. The flight attendant brought Lorraine the check before the plane pulled away from the gate!
Michele has had similar stories and worries that she will sell the last of an item and end up without one of her own! It could happen as merchandise is selling out daily and being replace with new product.
We suggest that every time you wear an accessory that gets you noticed (the whole point!), carry one in your purse so when someone comments you can pull it out and say, "I just happen to have one available..." That's the beauty of cash and carry!
Feel free to add your story!
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
It's Not Just a Pant!
I love when someone just cuts to the essence! Alison sent our famous black pant in XS Tall to one of her Sorority Sisters, Jen, for critique. To Jen's surprise, her husband remarked (in a very personal way) as to how good she looked as soon as she put them on. He is not normally someone to notice, let alone comment! Score One!
She wore the pant, played in the pant and worked in the pant. Her final comment?
"This is the 'little black dress' of pants!"
Enough said! Thanks for the perfect twist on our signature piece!
PS Jen is Senior VP of one of the world's largest PR/Ad agencies. Clarity sells! Thanks for the free pitch, Jen!
She wore the pant, played in the pant and worked in the pant. Her final comment?
"This is the 'little black dress' of pants!"
Enough said! Thanks for the perfect twist on our signature piece!
PS Jen is Senior VP of one of the world's largest PR/Ad agencies. Clarity sells! Thanks for the free pitch, Jen!
Friday, May 06, 2005
Great Thoughts I
This quote is a personal favorite that I have posted on the wall in front of my desk:
"The test of a first-class mind is the ability to hold two opposing views... at the same time and still retain the ability to function." F. Scott Fitzgerald.
It makes politics, religion and people in general more interesting than threatening if you try to understand where their beliefs originate. When we're open to discussion, we're open to new knowledge. "Knowing it all" is the ultimate bore!
"The test of a first-class mind is the ability to hold two opposing views... at the same time and still retain the ability to function." F. Scott Fitzgerald.
It makes politics, religion and people in general more interesting than threatening if you try to understand where their beliefs originate. When we're open to discussion, we're open to new knowledge. "Knowing it all" is the ultimate bore!
Great Thoughts II
While on the phone with Allen Vine, a good friend (and clothing vendor), I shared the above quote. He in turn handed his favorite to me! I love how strong it is!
"The true measure of a man is not how he acts in times of comfort and convenience, but rather, how he stands at times of conflict and challenge." Martin Luther King
Allen has definitely used and met this measure as he makes his difference in the world. His integrity and ability to work through tough times (which pretty well describes the apparel business itself!) is unparalleled.
Do you have a defining quote that inspires you on a daily basis? Please share!
"The true measure of a man is not how he acts in times of comfort and convenience, but rather, how he stands at times of conflict and challenge." Martin Luther King
Allen has definitely used and met this measure as he makes his difference in the world. His integrity and ability to work through tough times (which pretty well describes the apparel business itself!) is unparalleled.
Do you have a defining quote that inspires you on a daily basis? Please share!
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
What a Month!
April was a banner month here in San Diego! It started with an unexpected North County Times feature on the front of the business section. Yea! The contacts are still coming in on that press. We also had a wonderful four minute segment on KUSI-TV. I spoke to the Lady Lions, a most lively group, The Pendleton Military Base "Heart Beats" Club and was a featured author/speaker for the American Assoc. of University Women's (Poway Branch) annual luncheon. Wow! Wow! I shared the podium with Susan Vreeland and Bonnie Marston. Wow! I'm feeling just a little like a rock star! The big thing is that our message of healthy self esteem is a hit and women want to know more.
As if that weren't enough, we finished the month with our fabulous Coaches from Portland, Lorraine and Pam, in town to share insights with the wonderful women of San Diego. There were awards aplenty to Suzi, Pam, Lorraine, Michele, Beth, Carlyn, Cathie, and Leslie. Susan had us in stitches with her story about having a tag on the back of her necklace at a big event but it all led to her getting to talk about her business! For those who couldn't be here, we missed you and you missed a great time.
Feel free to comment!
As if that weren't enough, we finished the month with our fabulous Coaches from Portland, Lorraine and Pam, in town to share insights with the wonderful women of San Diego. There were awards aplenty to Suzi, Pam, Lorraine, Michele, Beth, Carlyn, Cathie, and Leslie. Susan had us in stitches with her story about having a tag on the back of her necklace at a big event but it all led to her getting to talk about her business! For those who couldn't be here, we missed you and you missed a great time.
Feel free to comment!
Friday, April 22, 2005
More True Than Funny
I don't know about you but I actually used a slide rule during college. Those of you under 50 probably have no idea what a I'm talking about but slide rules were a particularly brutal form of torture that functioned as a primitive calculator and were a necessary evil in a number of science classes. Well, we're not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy! See how dependent, demanding and consumed we are for information today...
You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your three family members!
Your daughter sells Girl Scout Cookies over her Web site.
You chat several times a day with a friend in London but you haven't spoken to your neighbors in months.
You call from your own driveway to see if anyone is home.
Your excuse for not staying in touch with some family members is because they don't have email.
You just tried to enter your password on the microwave...
Time to take a rest, a walk and a smell of the roses! But I'm still glad the slide rule has been retired or cast into oblivion. Has anyone even seen one in an antique mall? I haven't and I would probably buy one just to terrorize my nieces!
You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your three family members!
Your daughter sells Girl Scout Cookies over her Web site.
You chat several times a day with a friend in London but you haven't spoken to your neighbors in months.
You call from your own driveway to see if anyone is home.
Your excuse for not staying in touch with some family members is because they don't have email.
You just tried to enter your password on the microwave...
Time to take a rest, a walk and a smell of the roses! But I'm still glad the slide rule has been retired or cast into oblivion. Has anyone even seen one in an antique mall? I haven't and I would probably buy one just to terrorize my nieces!
Movers & Shakers
I don't know about you but I swear I have a couch potato gene. My idea of a perfect break from work is to sit and read and/or talk on the phone. I start my morning about 5 AM and read The San Diego Union Tribune and the Wall Street Journal as "my time." I am usually at work about 9 AM and spend most of the day behind my desk. Sounds pretty couchy, huh?
Well, I'm now walking every morning between reading the papers and getting to work and I actually look forward to that walk for the first time in my 56 years. Here's the insight that finally got me moving and WANTING to move.
We have two very important bilateral systems in our body that are critical to our good health. One is the circulatory system whose pump is the heart. We all understand about blood pressure and cholesterol yada yada yada. That knowledge never made me want to exercise. The teammate of the circulatory system is the lymph system. It's pump? Our muscles. Oops! If we don't move neither does the lymph. So? The lymph system is rather like a sludge system designed to transport the toxins to the proper organs for processing and removal from our bodies. IF I DON'T MOVE that sludge has no way to reach the proper processing centers! That's why I am walking.
20 minutes a day does the trick! No marathons necessary. Swing your arms and breath deeply through your nose to affect the whole system. 20 minutes is all it takes to know you've given your body the motion it needs to support a healthy long life and you all know I'm aiming for a sweet 120!
Let me know how you become motivated and find time to step out!
Well, I'm now walking every morning between reading the papers and getting to work and I actually look forward to that walk for the first time in my 56 years. Here's the insight that finally got me moving and WANTING to move.
We have two very important bilateral systems in our body that are critical to our good health. One is the circulatory system whose pump is the heart. We all understand about blood pressure and cholesterol yada yada yada. That knowledge never made me want to exercise. The teammate of the circulatory system is the lymph system. It's pump? Our muscles. Oops! If we don't move neither does the lymph. So? The lymph system is rather like a sludge system designed to transport the toxins to the proper organs for processing and removal from our bodies. IF I DON'T MOVE that sludge has no way to reach the proper processing centers! That's why I am walking.
20 minutes a day does the trick! No marathons necessary. Swing your arms and breath deeply through your nose to affect the whole system. 20 minutes is all it takes to know you've given your body the motion it needs to support a healthy long life and you all know I'm aiming for a sweet 120!
Let me know how you become motivated and find time to step out!
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