Well she wrote back saying that, they’d just voted on it and decided to go with the order, but now they needed 400 key fobs instead of 350. That’s Great. Then it hits me 400 is a lot. We’ve never done that many before. I’m starting to wonder if I have enough materials, etc. All the thoughts and mild panic are creeping into my mind.
Well we get going and start placing the necessary orders for raw materials. I also decide to ask her for clarification on how they are going to give these away at a convention or something. When she writes back she tells me that they are to give to the other deputies at the correctional facility to help them deal with the 4 co’s that have taken their lives in the past year. WOW. That set me back.
It all seems so much more important. I decide to set my team (family) down and tell them the details that I just learned. I imagine that someone just might be thinking about ending their life and perhaps looks down and sees the key chain and it reminds them that they aren’t alone and many of their co-workers are going through similar circumstances.
This wasn’t released back in 2015, but it’s a good read to reminisce so I decided to post it.
Since the beginning I’ve been keeping track of the number of items that we’ve sold, either via our site here, our Etsy store or at trade shows and to personal friends an family. I wrote here what the experience of hitting 500 items sold was like. We commemorated that moment and I was looking forward to doing the same for our 1000th item sold.
So we were chugging along making sales here and there. Meeting new people and serving them to best of our ability when lo an behold around St. Patrick’s Day 2015, I get an email from a lady, Michelle, asking if I might be able to make key fobs that they could give away or for a fundraiser. She said that they might need 350. Now that’s a big number.
I wrote her back and we worked out a discounted price for an order of that size. I sent the email off. Crickets. I didn’t hear anything for three weeks. I didn’t panic. I’ve had other people inquire about a large order from time to time and not get back with me. It’s the way of business. There is competition so perhaps they went to another supplier or found someone that is cheaper. I do my best not to worry about that too much as there is little I can do. I just do what I can to put out the best items possible and give the purchaser the best experience possible.
Let me go back a bit. Michelle ordered two bracelets from me around Thanksgiving of 2013. I believe her husband ordered another 2 around Christmas a month later. At the time we were running a special at our Etsy store on free shipping around the holidays. When she ordered, if I recall she wasn’t on our mailing list so she didn’t get the coupon code. I thought it was just the right thing to do and give her the shipping cost back. So when I shipped her bracelets I included the refund on the shipping. No big deal, but like I’d said it seemed like the right thing to do.
Back to 2015. Three weeks later, Michelle writes and says………………………..Oh wait. You’ll have to come back next time to find out what she said.
I’m not going to waste the space here going on and on about why I haven’t written in such a long time. It’s safe to say I should do better and I’m working on that.
What started out as a little hobby continues to grow and grow. Over the past 4 years, Paracords and More has seen a steady increase in sales all across the country. We have probably made items for people in just about every state if my memory serves me. That is a great feeling that gear made with our hands can be sent far and abroad to people. We’ve even sent items to places as far as Australia and the United Arab Emerits. It still blows my mind but I’m humbled all the same.
Hello, I’m Jeffrey Washington. Owner and operator of Paracords and More. We are offering Free Shipping on everything within our website as well as anything in our Etsy Store (Use Coupon code: Freeship25 on Etsy) Today Only.
This offer is in conjuntion with cyber monday and you don’t want to miss out.
We thank you and wish you the best of holiday seasons.
Hello, I’m Jeffrey Washington. Owner and operator of Paracords and More. We are offering Free Shipping on everything within our website as well as anything in our Etsy Store (Use Coupon code: Freeship25 on Etsy).
Many of you receiving this we have met personally or online and have developed some great relationshsips.. Whether it is a gift for yourself or for someone special in your life, we would be honored if you would consider allowing us to assist you with your gift giving needs.
We thank you and wish you the best of holiday seasons.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Kwanza and Happy New Year.
Well Paracords and More. Your one stop shop for all things paracord has done it again. We are offering Free Shipping on everything within our website as well as anything in our Etsy Store (Use Coupon code: Freeship25 on Etsy).
Many of you receiving this email have also been some of our greatest customers and friends and this is our way of showing our appreciation for all that you have done for us. Whether it is a gift for yourself or for someone special in your life, we would be honored if you would consider allowing us to assist you with your gift giving needs.
Thanks to you our business has grown and continues to grow.
We thank you and wish you the best of holiday seasons.
MerryChristmas, Happy Hanukkah, HappyThanksgiving,Happy Kwanza and Happy New Year.
It’s a special day for our country. A day to honor the men and women that have and still serve our country both in far off lands and close to home. This is a day primarily geared for the members of our branches of the military. For this day, we’ve focused on our “Freedom isn’t Free”, line of campaign medal themed bracelets. Amy made a great video showcasing these bracelets and I wanted to make sure to share it here.
If you get a chance to on this day, thank a veteran for their service to our country. It doesn’t matter what their job was in the military. Just being in the uniform puts them in harms way. The freedom they we take for granted it directly attributable to them and their sacrafice.
What kind of title is that might you be asking. 12 grapes?? WTF??
The other day Amy, my wife, and I went to the store to buy a few things. You know groceries and stuff. When we finished we went to the front registers to pay for our items. For those of you that seem to have the sticky fingers, going through the registers and paying money is a part of the process. Well I digress.
As we were putting the items on the conveyor belt for the cashier to ring up when a woman walks behind the cashier and says that the registers are too long for her to wait and she hands the cashier a small handful of grapes on the vine. Now I don’t know about you but I never bring grapes to the counter without first putting them in a bag. But anyway. She sort of hands the cashier these grapes, like she wants her to put them back. The cashier just looks at the “grape lady” for a few awkward seconds. Then “Grape Lady”, asks if she can give us the money and we run the grapes through our order and she just pays us for them. Now I’m just looking at the “Grape Lady”. The cashier offers the lady and alternative if she doesn’t want to wait: go to the self-check out. There were no customers there so it seemed like a logical answer. The “Grape Lady” says that she doesn’t like those types of registers only likes to deal with people. The cashier reminds her that there is an attendant at the self checkout station. “Grape Lady”, begins shaking her head. After another few awkward seconds, the “Grape Lady” gets a bit impatient with all three of us and tells us to have a good life. Who does that?
Now I’ve been at a discount grocery store where a person forgets to add the grocery bags to their order and now that I’m ringing up behind them they ask if they might pay for the bags through my order, so they don’t have to go to the back of the line. No Problem…but grapes. Was she planning on making some golden raisans or something? As I said before who does that? And who tells you to have a nice life. A nice day, a nice week or weekend but have a nice life. I took it that she was giving us the proverbial middle finger. Well for the “Grape Lady”, I’m afraid she can read between the lines. All of you Jack Black, “School of Rock” fans know what I’m talking about. Anyway this gave me an idea for another use for a small amount of paracord. Wink, Wink. I won’t say what idea since I always try to be a gentleman. Let’s just leave this one to the imagination.
Until next time Constant Reader. And pass the grapes.
Do you remember the story of my wife with the birthday and the laser tag? Well we met a guy I must tell you about.
After we finished the bumper cars, we walked by the Dance, Dance, Revolution game. There is a guy about late 20’s or early 30’s dancing on the game. At first I’m thinking he is a little old for this type of game, but I decide to watch. Now when I say this guy has some fast feet…I mean fast feet. For those of you than have ever played or watched someone else play, you know that while the player is stepping on the pad, if they are doing it correctly and keeping up with the game it will tell them that they are doing “Great” or “Outstanding” or some other very descriptive adjective. Well this guy had nothing but the most positive accolades on the screen, so saying he was doing well is an understatement. He was doing superb.
When he finished one of the stages, I jokingly said to him that I wouldn’t tell people how good he was at this kids game. I meant it tongue in cheek, but I was surprised at his response. He said that he has been doing the game for a year and has lost 115 lbs. He further said that his doctor told him that if he didn’t lose some weight he was going to die soon.
Needless to say, we watched him for a while longer. This whole scenario just reminded me of just how everyone has a story. Even the person that seems the most insignificant, or is doing the most mundane thing, has their story.
How does all this relate to paracord? This guy would have danced even better with one of our bracelets. 😉
What is Jeffrey talking about? Is this the same guy that has built a small growing business around paracord? Well yes, it is.
The other day was my wife’s (Amy’s) birthday. Unofficially she is 29 and holding, officially she is…wait for it…crickets, I’m not telling you. Well anyway, this is that one weekend every six years when her birthday landed on a Saturday so the fun was on. I asked her what she would like to do, because whether she admits it or not she is rather picky. Did I say picky, I meant specifiic. Sorry honey.
One of the things she wanted to do was to go to one of these Zap Zone places, where there is a bunch of things to do for kids of all ages. Go Karts on an indoor track, mini bowling, even bumper cars. The type surrounded by the giant inflated tube so we all bounce off of each other. We took our kids to this place, which is about an hour from our home a time or two. Well she wanted to go, so off we went. You know how it goes, on her birthday, it’s all about her.
Alright back to the topic of how my bracelet hurt me. One of the things we did was to play Laser Tag. Perhaps some of you have played this many times but this was the first time for us. She was a bit reluctant because she thought she would get shot quick and be out of the game. Once the attendant said no one gets knocked out of the game, she was ready. Well we get the briefing on how the thing works and frankly it seemed like too many rules. Push this button, recharge here, shoot only the other team, etc. Just before we started our youngest, Jorden said he couldn’t remember all the instructions on the briefing video. Neither could I so I just said, point and shoot.
Well we all get suited, or vested up and the game begins. I’m going around, blasting everyone. I’m pieing the corners, checking my six, using all my best tactical police stuff. Jorden was mostly hanging with me and we all had a blast. There was another couple of families in there as well and it was great. We must do it again one day.
When we first went in the room for the briefing with the blacklights, I could see that my U of M jersey that I like to wear to root for the Wolverines was glowing where all the bright yellow and white were. My bracelet, which matched the jersey was glowing neon as well under the lights. I was glowing like a christmas tree. A tactical no no. My wife on the other hand was like a stealth ninja. She was dressed in plum and black and had nothing glowing. She blended right in to the darkness like a shadow coming around the corner. Hey, I wanted to be like that. Oh well.
So to end a long story. If any of you have a desire to do laser tag, take my word for it. It’s sort of dark and foggy and they use black lights. If you want to blend in, don’t wear white or yellow and leave you matching paracord bracelet in the car. In this game stealth is very important and birthday girl showed me that without even knowing it.
Happy Birthday sweetheart. Next time…I’ll be ready.
See you next time constant reader.
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