I Had the Strangest Dream

I work all the time. I am constantly working on new ways to promote Dapper Snappers, getting new customers, and keeping existing customers happy. It's no wonder then why I dreamt what I did last night. I was at Peter Shankman's home enjoying a very casual meeting. If you don't know Peter of HARO (Help A Reporter Out), you are missing out. He's taken an idea, helping reporters find sources for stories, and turned it into an incredible business. He now has 100,000 members and speaks at engagements around the world about PR. I had written him once about advertising costs for HARO and let's just say it's way out of my range. 

So back to the dream... As I was saying, I was at his home just chit-chatting about business. He asked me, "What do small businesses (like yours) need?" "Free stuff!" I replied. For some reason this struck Peter as incredibly funny. Then I explained to him that we (small business owners) know we won't get anything for free. This is the nature of any business. There is a price for everything, even if it's not money and not apparent. But how do we get out from under the rock we don't want to hide under? We spent a while in quiet contemplation while people filtered past making comments to Peter about meetings, phone calls, and speaking gigs. 

It was then I told him what I wanted. I want to get skinny (39.5 lbs down, 16.5 lbs to my goal!) and get on Oprah. It's either her or Ellen. (I just realized while writing this that I want to be on Oprah and Ellen showcasing Dapper Snappers, what it takes to be an inventor and a Mamapreneur. But I would be happy if I could even get local coverage just for Dapper Snappers.) I told him that if I could do that, then we would finally have enough capital to start working on our other inventions. Then we could start helping other aspiring Mamapreneurs find their success. I then said something clever to make him think (not sure what it was). We parted ways without a plan, but with an understanding. Funny thing about dreams; You don't always get to remember all the answers. He was happy to help me where he could, when he could, and would keep in touch.

It wasn't until I woke up that I understood why I couldn't advertise with HARO. I want Dapper Snappers to be discovered and be famous. All this time I thought that if I explained that what I wanted advertised was for people to help me with my personal/business mission (because if the woman who invented Jibbitz could get on Oprah, why can't I?) and to get more USA product reps, then that might push Dapper Snappers to the next level. Here's the problem; I would attract the wrong people. Instead of generous people just wanting to help because it would be the nice thing to do, I would get PR consultants that "for a small fee" that I couldn't afford, they could help get me, and/or my product, the media attention I/it deserves. Because NOTHING is FREE. I wouldn't get any product reps either, at least not professional ones. It really couldn't end up in anything but disaster.

What am I going to do now? Keep doing what I can afford to do. I throw out my pitches and hope that one of them sticks. I keep writing to news stations, talk shows, whoever will listen, and tell them about me, and about Dapper Snappers and why they are so great. And if anyone out there wants to help me with my big goal, I will appreciate it immensely. I can't afford to pay them, but I could put them in my Thank You credits. 

Oh, and Peter... Thanks. I had been kicking around this idea of advertising for months. Now I understand I'm looking for easy answers where there aren't any. Sometimes discoveries happen. I'm going to keep combing the HARO emails for opportunities to "Get Sourced. Get Quoted. Get Famous." but I won't hold my breath. I'm going to keep working at it. But Peter, if you are so inclined and happen to know someone who is feeling particularly philanthropic...

Say It With Me...

On Saturday, the day before Mother's day, we went on a family bike ride. It was wonderful. It was relaxing...until my husband did something to turn the ride from bike to roller coaster (for me at least). You see, my son is 4 and he's been struggling with us about his training wheels. We want them off, he wants to keep them on. We compromised by putting them up high enough that the only time the they touch the ground is when he turns. But the time had come for a change. Every time he leaned one way or the other the training wheel on that side would grab and the handles would yank him, making him turn unexpectedly. My husband had seen enough and talked Super Dude out of his training wheels with the promise of helping him keep stable by guiding him by the seat. That lasted all of 2 seconds. Next thing I know, Super Dude is halfway down the street all on his own. I clapped and yelled "Good Job!!!" as he headed back towards us. I've never been so proud of and so scared for him at the same time. I was tremendously proud when he crawled at 6 months. I was ecstatic when he walked at 8 1/2 months. But now he's on his own. I can't hold his hand as he tries to steady himself. I can't catch him when he falls down. I don't think I've ever been so terrified as I was following him down the slight hill home. Terrified of him falling down and hurting himself on his first day and never wanting to try again. Mostly terrified of letting him grow up.

Now as I sit in my garage working, watching him circling our cul-de-sac as fast as he can, I begin to draw parallels to my business. At what point to I let go? When do I start delegating and trusting others that they can do it right? I know I will still have that feeling in the pit of my stomach with all the "what ifs" but don't I have to take off the training wheels at some point?Isn't that the whole point? So in an effort to move forward, I am turning over production of Dapper Snappers to a manufacturer (in the USA of course) so I can focus on other parts of the business that are starving for attention. Since I've been unsuccessful in cloning myself, I've got to go with the obvious; get help. My business can't grow, can't thrive, unless I take those training wheels off. I can't lie, I'm terrified. But I can't let my fears of the unknown stunt my growth. 

Look Ma! No training wheels! Let's leave the "no hands" for a later date... Say it with me, "Everything will be Okay"

The Buzzzzz

Okay, I'm doing an unsolicited product review for 3 items I use everyday and love. Since they are big companies, I am pretty sure they won't even notice, but that's fine by me. I am just feeling the need to share my happiness with products that do what they say they are supposed to. And I believe these would make good Mother's Day gifts. (Hubby, you are going to have to find me something else, because I already have these)

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I have perpetually dry hands and feet. It seems that ever since having my daughter, my knuckles look like worn out leather. What happened to my beautiful hands??? Hormones! Those bastards! Well I have tried all kinds of things. Every lotion seemed to cause some allergic reaction where my skin would get bumpy, red, and severely itchy to the point of having to take Benadryl. Even the lotions for sensitive skin caused irritation. I've been on a search for a long, long, expensive time. 

But Hallelujah! My search is over! Burt's Bees Shea Butter Hand Repair Creme to the rescue! Now, my husband lovingly calls it "Hippy Stank" (no offense to Hippies or Burt's Bees) because it contains natural, earthy smelling ingredients that make a perfect scent to induce relaxation. And best of all? The skin on my hands is soft and not red or bumpy or anything! So if it wasn't enough for Burt's Bees to break me of my Carmex addiction with the awesome-est lip balm on the planet, but now they own my hands too. 

As for my feet? They are thoroughly owned by the Ped Egg and Aveda Foot Relief. I cannot rave enough about the Ped Egg. My feet have never been so smooth! It's amazing and I can never live without it ever ever again. It's so easy to use. 

Aveda Foot Relief smells good and doesn't leave my feet greasy (I have a thing about sliminess between my toes...ewww). They also have a great hand lotion I use during the day between hand washings (because I only use Hippy Stank at night) called Aveda Hand Relief.

So those are my recommendations. I'm a mom and I love these products. (Hubby, I could use a massage...yes another one...)

Who You Gonna Call?

I have 2 children; Super Dude just turned 4 and the Bug is 2 (28 months to be exact). Things happen, they get into things they shouldn't, they are kids after all. So here's something that happened the other day and the call to action I face now. 

Super Dude & the Bug

Every morning we have the same routine. Get the kids downstairs. Feed the kids cereal (even though my daughter insists on Hot Dogs - or as she calls them "Hock Gogs" - the answer is always "No"). And then give them their milk & gummies (GummyVites). I place 2 each on top of their sippy cups and wait until they are done with breakfast to give it to them. 

The other morning was very busy and I didn't pay much attention to where I put the cups. The Bug got down from her breakfast and grabbed her milk & gummies. Then Super Dude got down a couple minutes later and came to get his. The Bug was happy to hand Super Dude his sippy cup, minus the gummies. "ACK! Sissy! Did you eat brother's gummies???" "NOoooo..." she replies giggling. Well, okay, so she had 4 gummies, she'll probably be okay. No need to worry. 

I gave Super Dude 2 more gummies and started to turn away when "HEYYYYyyyy! MommEEEEeee! Sissy took my gummy!" It took her less than a second to take the gummy he had just set on his cup, shove it in her mouth, and swallow. Oh boy... 5 Gummies? 

I had better call Poison Control just to be safe. After all, that's what they are there for, right? I don't think the phone even rang on their end when a friendly nurse answered and helped me through the process of determining if I had anything to worry about. Now, I'm not one of those freak-out-at-every-little-thing moms and I spent most of the time on the phone joking about the situation. But it was good to know that she didn't eat a poisonous amount of vitamins, and what to look for if there was going to be a problem. Phew! Poison Control saves the day again! That's right, I've called them a few times. Super Dude ate a strawberry that was recently sprayed with a pesticide when he was 15 months old and once he tried to drink oil out of one of those scented oil warmers. Another time was for me and my Post C-Section Percocet induced idiocy.

Back to the story... Later that day, someone from Poison Control called to check up on the Bug (something that they do with every case). Then he asked me if I wouldn't mind answering a survey. Sure, no problem. That's the least I can do for this free service that I take advantage of. After answering the questions, he told me that the reason for the survey is that they are in danger of closing down. WHAT?!?!? 

This is what he told me (taken from their website SaveOPC.com):

The Oregon Legislature's Joint Ways and Means Committee is determining what budget cuts are necessary for the next budget. Each state-funded program has submitted a description of the impact of a 20 to 30% budget cut. (A full listing of all the agency responses is available at: http://www.leg.state.or.us/budget/home.htm.)

We have communicated to the committee the Oregon Poison Center would not be able to continue if a 20% or 30% cut were implemented.

You want to see me in a panic? Take away the one service I rely on to have my back immediately after my child does something dangerous. I can't always get info in a timely manner from my pediatrician. The emergency room takes too long to get to my emergency. I NEED the Poison Control Center.

I realize that most of my readers aren't Oregonians, but you may want to check to see if the same thing is happening in your neck of the woods. If you do live here, I URGE you to please take action by contacting one (or all) member(s) of the Joint Ways and Means Committee to express your support of Oregon Poison Center. There is a sample letter to send out or you can write your own. It's easy, and necessary. 

The Poison Control Center should not be one of those programs that die because of budget cuts. Please, support SaveOPC.com and save what I believe is the most valuable resource a parent can have. Otherwise, who you gonna call?

What Dutch Brothers Has

I am always impressed by great customer service. My mantra since starting Toddler Tech USA has been "Customer Satisfaction is Worthless. Customer Loyalty is Priceless." My husband had told me this when he was taking a class/reading the book for his MBA and it has stuck with me ever since. If I get good or bad customer service, know that I will shout it from the mountain tops (or twitter). Good customer service buys you more business. Great customer service buys you my undying affection. I believe that this is where Dutch Brothers excels so much over Starbucks. Here's my story:

I am on a diet and refused to give up my coffee, so I made a compromise by adding 2 shots of espresso over a 1/2 cup of ice to mix with my sugar-free syrup and shake mix for the perfect iced coffee drink. Most of the time I just make really extra strong coffee with my French Press and call it good. But nothing beats 2 shots. Oh the looks I get when I make my order. What? No cream? No sugar? Uh-uh. Ohhhhh-kayyyy...

Here's the first place I notice how Dutch Brothers does it right. "No Problem!" says the uber-happy guy as he simultaneously works the yummy-caffeine-making-machine and asking me about my day. And this isn't an off-handed "How's your day going" with passing interest. He's being genuine. "That will be One Dollar" he says as he hands me my drink, precisely as ordered. Awesome! Not only do I have my drink, but it's a reasonable price and I feel liked not just as a customer, but as a person. 

When I asked for the exact same drink from a girl at the Starbucks drive-thru, I got nothing but attitude. It was as if I were subhuman. Did I not drive the right car? Was it because I didn't wear designer clothes? They stood there making whispered comments to each other and laughing. While I'm sure it had nothing to do with me, it still made me feel self-conscious. I got a snotty attitude and a teenage girl sticking her hand out at me saying "That will be $1.80" and not even looking at me. It took 3 minutes after she ran my card ($1.80??? Starbucks, are you on crack?) for them to hand me my drink, even though they had it sitting right next to the window the whole time. 

Starbucks, you get an F for customer service. First of all, you are WAY over-priced. Second, you've gotten too big for your britches if you think that allowing your employees to have an attitude towards your customers will help your customer base. I for one, will not be going back. And little girls that work at the store I visited; you work in Hillsboro, Oregon, not on 5th ave in New York, so you can ditch the tude. Ok...so I'm still a bit grumpy about it. 

But Dutch Brothers, you totally rock in my book. You have everything you need to keep your customers loyal. Great product, awesome price points, and above all, wonderful customer service. I need a DB window sticker...and a Dutch Press (how cool is that?). But I will have to settle with shouting out my loyalty on Twitter. 

Do you have a story about Great or Bad Customer Service you received? Please share!

This I Love...

This I love... A program simple and easy to use, and perfect for my 4 year old Super Dude. The other night I was at an awesome fundraiser for Yehu.org and won a game from JumpStart called The Legend of Grizzly McGuffin. 

How cool is this? JumpStart is an award-winning adventure-based 3D virtual world that is super-personalized, wildly imaginative and really fun, but don't let that fool you - it also teaches math, reading, and critical thinking skills so kids get a real jump start in life. How smart is that?

And speaking of smart, I love the idea of Yehu.  

Yehu’s mission is to combat poverty by empowering poor rural entrepreneurs in Kenya to help lift themselves out of poverty through enhanced accessibility to sustainable financial services. This includes enabling them to save and earn interest while giving them access to micro-loans, which can be used to start or expand their small businesses. Yehu also provides some business training, micro-insurance and other services to improve the lives of its members.  They, in partnership with Basa Body, have created employment for over 100 Kenyan families.

Basa Body has some great products too! I got to try out the Basa Body Lotion and the Basa Body Stick. I decided to buy the "Kiss Me" gift pack for my mother in law for Mother's Day. Not only does it include the lotion and the stick, but these oh so very yummy soaps; Cherry Chocolate Truffle and Mint Chocolate Truffle. I wanted to eat them...badly! 

Another sponsor of the Mom It Forward fundraising event was GiftTree.com. The donated a huge basket - no, I didn't win and I'm still sad - with chocolates, wine, and treats. Amazingly generous! 

Toddler Tech USA was also a sponsor and gave away loads of Dapper Snappers. We are also donating 20% of proceeds from online sales for this week to the Mom It Forward/Yehu.org fundraising campaign. It's not too late to donate, or to buy products in support of this wonderful cause. 

It's My Birthday. I Can Give Away Whatever I Want To!

In celebration of my 38th birthday, I am giving away 38 sample Dapper Snappers. These are FREE samples, all you have to do is pay shipping. They are samples due to flaws in manufacturing (stencil marks, too short for packaging, incorrect hemming/snap placement, etc.). These flaws in no way affect the functionality of the Dapper Snapper. I am just a perfectionist and have high standards for what I will sell. 

Available in foliage, girl beige, and boy beige in limited quantities. You can try to request one of those colors, but there are no guarantees.

Please only one sample per family/household. Just trying to be fair...

You will need a coupon code to get it for free: 38freesamp

Happy birthday to me! Or is it to you?