Outside The Box | Paracords and More

The day before the first show

Before I move on to the new topic at hand. That gentleman did go to the conference and he returned home. Once we were able to hook up, he sold, 5 bracelets. To me that was excellent. He also said the turnout at the Seattle show, wasn’t what he expected. He thought it would be like in the past, where they have a fairly elaborate expo and many people and business are selling items. For some reason they didn’t have that type of expo according to him. He thought he would be able to sell a few there. Either way, I am eternally grateful for what he did and if he ever catches these words I want him to know that.

OK, the show. As I’m writing this, I’m sleepy. I’ve put in lots of hours of hard work once I found out about this show. I want to do my best to be as prepared as I can and look like a professional business, not just some guy with a table, hocking his wares. I plan to bring my 3 kids, along with me. I figure as I’m learning about business, they can come along and learn with me. I’m not afraid of making mistakes in front of them. I long ago heard a statement from Melvin Van Peebles, speaking on the importance of letting your children see you do well and see you make mistakes. They watch how you handle, triumph and defeat and glean what character is in the face of differing circumstances.

I’m excited and anxious. Did I make enough items? Will everything work out for the most part? Will my children enjoy the experience. So many questions. But as I’ve lived and been a part of various events that take planning and a lot of work, few of them work out exactly the way you need. You have to improvise, adapt and overcome. I’ll add another verb to that: decide. Many times a myriad of decisions will need to be made. It’s on my shoulders and I have to decide. I may get input from others, but the important is to not be afraid to make a decision. It may not always be the best choice, but moving forward is just that; moving forward. There is no movement without a decision.

The next time we talk, Constant Reader, my first show will be over and I’ll let you know how it all worked out. See you then.

Talk about taking a chance

I went to one of the supervisor of our 911 center. I showed her a flyer for the specific coloration that I made up for our dispatch. They are affiliated with the police and fire departments, so I added both colors to their paracord items. She really like that bracelets and offered to put up a couple flyers and she bought a bracelet as well. As a matter of fact, she said she was thinking about searching through the internet on how to make the bracelets, but since I was making them, she figured she would just support me. I thought that was very kind.

She asked me if I had done the same and presented a flyer to the fire department or their stations. I told her that was next on my list. She said why don’t you speak to _____. I’ll leave his name out, but he is the assistant fire chief. Doh!!! I didn’t even think about this guy even though we have known each other by name for a number of years. We walked upstairs and went to his office area.

I showed him what I had and what he told me astounded me.

Next time I’ll fill you in Constant Reader.

Trickles here and there

After I sold the first two, the very next day, a couple other co-workers, said they saw them and wanted one. Of course I was happy to help them out.

Around this time one of my co-workers, another police officer, asked me about my “Thin Blue Line” bracelet. I told him that I made them and was considering selling them. He asked to buy one right away. The next day when I saw him again, he said he needed another one for his wife and maybe one for his daughter. Once again after they got their bracelets, I see him another day and he says he needs one for his sister-in-law, father-in-law, and I think his mother-in-law. Within one week he needed about six of them. He also told me that a lot of other officers were asking about his bracelet and he was telling them to contact me. Now this is all before I put up one flyer.

Now around this time, I decide to make a purchase of 2000′ of paracord from my supplier and a bunch of buckles. Back to that talk about the flyer…this was a heck of an incentive to get off my arse [sic] and walk outside of that box and do something different. At least different for me. Come by next time and see what I did.

Talk to you soon, Constant Reader.

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The day before the first show

Talk about taking a chance

Trickles here and there

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