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Creative Leisure News
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Date: November 18, 2002 TABLE OF CONTENTSCOMMENTARY: WHAT TO DO AT THE HIA SHOWRecently I received the order forms for tickets to the various events to be held during the HIA show in January in Anaheim. I faxed in my order that day, because there are two events that are "Must See" for me: the speeches by author/New Yorker writer Malcolm Gladwell and former Wal-Mart Vice Chair Don Soderquist. Here's why:Gladwell is THE best non-fiction writer in the country. His book, The Tipping Point, has been on Business Week's business best-seller list for nine months and is the best analysis I've ever read about how trends start and spread. You can read many of his New Yorker articles and excerpts of The Tipping Point at www.gladwell.com. As for Don Soderquist, I have never heard a bad word about the former Wal-Mart exec and president of the old Ben Franklin operation. And he is now head of the Soderquist Center for Leadership and Ethics. Given all of the ethical issues raised in this and recent issues of CLN, it couldn't come at a better time. For more info, visit www.hobby.org, or call 201-794-1133.
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OCTOBER SALES: A SLOWDOWN AHEAD?For more than a year, craft stores' sales have out-performed retailing in general, but that wasn't necessarily the case in October. The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi's monthly report on retail sales showed an overall increase of 3.1% in same-store sales for October. While some industry-related chains posted better numbers than that, Michaels did not. (See related story, below.)The two largest problems appeared to be less than stellar sales of Halloween merchandise and incredibly strong sales figures of a year ago, when consumers flocked to our stores in the wake of 9/11. Whether these factors are an indication of a slower-than-expected Christmas season remains to be seen. Jo-Ann's same-store sales increased a solid 6.6%, although the increase a year ago was 8.4%. Overall sales rose 3.8% for the month and 4.1% for the third quarter. Same-store sales for the quarter rose 6.5%. Officials admitted sales were helped but margins hurt by effective end-of-month promotions to sell through Halloween merchandise. They said the improved sales but lower margins "offset one another." The third-quarter earnings report will be released today. Officials will host a conference call at 5 pm EST. To participate, go to www.joanns.com, click on "Investor Relations," and then "Live Webcast." Wal-Mart posted a 4.8% increase in same-store sales after previously reporting that Halloween-related merchandise sales were soft. Hancock's same-store sales rose 4.5% and reported that third-quarter sales were up 8.9% and same-store sales increased 6.3%. Duckwall-ALCO's same-store sales rose 0.5%. The company listed 7 categories as strong sellers. For the first time in recent months, crafts was not listed. Some same-store sales figures from other retailers: Old Navy, +24.0% ... Kohl's, +18.3% ... J.C. Penney, +13.0% ... Gap, +11.0% ... Ross Stores, +7.0% ... Pier I, +6.3% ... Banana Republic, +6.0% ... Dollar General, +4.5% ... Big Lots, +3.8% ... Talbot's, +1.7% ... Target, +1.5% ... Federated Department Stores, +0.3% ... Sears, -10% ... Children's Place, -16.0%.
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MICHAELS STOCK DROPS ON OCTOBER NEWSDisappointing actual sales and lowered sales forecasts caused Michaels' stock to plummet earlier this month, the first serious decline since before 9/11. It appears as though the news caused some investors to pull out of the craft sector altogether, because most craft stocks fell sharply (see "CLN's Retail Index," below).Same-store sales for the month rose 2%, half or more than the 4-6% increase that had been expected. Total sales for the third quarter increased 15% and same-store sales were up 6%. Possible reasons for the disappointing sales included the very strong, post 9/11 sales of a year ago; sniper attacks affecting Washington, D.C.-area stores; a cold snap inspiring consumers to spend their money on clothing; waning consumer confidence; and shaky Halloween sales. CEO Michael Rouleau said, "While we feel we have never been better prepared for the holiday season, a shift in the retail environment in general and waning consumer confidence has caused us to modify our sales and earnings expectations for the balance of this year. We are now looking for same-store sales in the fourth quarter to be up 1%, vs. our previous guidance of up 2%-3%. Based on this revised forecast, we expect earnings for the full year to be five cents less/diluted share than our previous guidance of $2.10/diluted share." Wall Street noticed immediately, and Michaels' stock dropped 24% the day of the announcement, to $33.90. By the end of the week it had fallen to $32.00. Shortly afterwards, Credit Suisse First Boston downgraded the stock from outperform to neutral and lowered its target price to $36/share. "We hope that Michaels is simply being conservative, but current uncertainty does not warrant an outperform," CSFB said in a research note, reported by Reuters. A Merrill Lynch analyst downgraded the stock, too. "The traffic decline is concerning as we enter the peak holiday season," Douglas Neviera told CBS MarketWatch, "given that seasonal margins could be at greater risk if traffic levels are below expectations and stores must resort to greater markdowns." However, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey's Patrick McKeever disagrees. In a note to clients reported by CBS MarketWatch, he said he does not believe "there has been a fundamental change in the health of the arts and crafts industry or in Michaels competitive positioning with the space." Forbes is confident about Michaels future, too. In an article in the 11/25 issue, Forbes details the structural improvements Michael Rouleau has made, using the wedding department as an example. " With Rouleau's overhaul, Michaels seems poised for steady growth. The chain has finally figured out what people like to buy--and how to keep it on the shelves." Michaels will release its third-quarter earnings report Nov. 26, and will host a conference call at 4 pm CST. To participate, call 973-633-6740. Or to access the call, visit www.michaels.com at least 15 minutes early to register and download any necessary audio software. A replay will be available shortly after the call and will be archived until Dec. 6. Access the replay at www.michaels.com, or call 973-341-3080 and using # 3396315.
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WILL "ALTERED BOOKS" CATCH ON?(Note: We've wondered about the "altered book" idea, and the "round-robin" practice of a crafter altering a page, then sending it on to the next person, who alters a page and sends it on, etc., until the originator receives it back. So we asked well-known painter/designer Tracia Williams if she thought this would be a real trend in the industry. Her answer:)Yes I do. The aspect of the round robins is so intriguing -- to think that I start a book and it will be sent around the country or the world, and return to me as a completed piece of art. Right now I am participating in an embellishment swap. I sent five bags of embellishments to the hostess, she sends me back five different bags, and I get a nice collection of "stuff" to work with. By nature, women need to be in touch with other women; women bond. Scrapbooking has become a bonding/social thing for women; they work on pages while the kids play, and they can chat about everything from a recent outbreak of chicken pox to the sale at Gap Kids. Now comes the altered book thing. The thought of passing around a book that has no rules attached to it, where you can do whatever you want to a page -- it's a real freedom of expression. Stampers and scrapbookers already have fibers, eyelets, inks, charms, and other items used in scrapbooking so in essence, the altered book gives the scrapbooker or rubber stamper a "next level" to progress to. I don't think everyone in the scrap or stamp category will progress to this, but some will. And I do see crafts getting more of an artsy flair -- and altered books are in that channel. We can thank Somerset Studio for this artsy papercrafting craze. That magazine is getting so popular, if I do not run out and buy it when it is first released, I can't find it. It is a beautiful magazine. On another note: I attended the Memories Expo show in Orlando. It was amazing; the crowd was huge, it was young, there were clubs and groups of women dressed alike -- it was such a "girly" fun event for so many of them. And they are YOUNG -- hey, I am used to going to tole shows. These people spend money -- and tote their supplies everywhere with them, even doing "pages" at their lunch table. They're filling up the classes, listening at demos and make-it/take-its. They are not afraid to try new products and there is not the snobbery attached to scrapbooking I have seen in painting. It was really an eye opener for me -- and it left me knowing that scrapbooking and papercrafting are not going away. They are here to stay. (Note: Last week's edition of Time magazine said, "The latest trend is altered books,' volumes that have been gutted, painted and redesigned as art pieces.... Part of the fun for hobbyists who are discovering their inner bookmaker is the hunt for materials, which leads them to flea markets, old attics, and of course, the Internet.... Increasingly, artists from other media are gravitating to book arts. Their works, which are showing up in gallery exhibits and craft shows, are commanding hundreds of dollars.")
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TREND REPORT: DECORATIVE PAINTING(Note: This was written by well-known painter Tera Leigh.)Driven by the popularity of painting in home dec magazines, trends in decorative painting have become extremely responsive to the new market. More than ever, themes quickly adopted by home dec and fashion make their way into painting publications and inspiring consumers. Much of this is due to the excellent specialty products introduced by manufacturers in recent years. Unlike the challenges posed by older products, painting on plastic, glass, and other "difficult" surfaces has become easy with products specifically designed for those surfaces. Consumers can simply purchase the product for the surface they wish to use and be virtually guaranteed a good result every time. Numerous trends in decorative painting stem from home dec and fashion. These include: Toile. The French fabric has been reinterpreted into a huge variety of fabrics and surfaces. Stamp manufacturers have created wonderful new lines featuring traditional patterns. Painters are creating their own variations of traditional themes to match. Tropics. Much to my husband's horror, Hawaiian themed shirts, hula dancers, palm trees, monkeys, and other fragments of Polynesia are here to stay -- at least for now. Mixed Patterns. "Shabby Chic", Tracy Porter, and Mackenzie-Childs exemplify this trend of mixing and matching old and new, busy and plain. Animal Prints/Texture. Faux prints abound in home dec, and this trend will continue well into 2003. In addition to fur, textures such as stucco, leather, and mosaic will be seen. Bright Pastels. This look is for the young, and the young at heart. Although "bright" and "pastel" may seem to contradict, this charming color palette is growing in popularity, especially in the "tween" market. Red, White, & Blue. While folk-art Americana painting has not picked up steam, patriotic colors remain strong, and patriotic themed projects with a more modern slant are gaining popularity. French Country Kitchen. Hens, roosters, and chickens -- oh my! Farmhouse chic with a French flair is holding strong as a theme in home dec and painting. Nature. Bugs and animals such as frogs keeping jumping back into popularity. Just when I think we are through with ladybugs and dragonflies, they come buzzing back with a vengeance. Whimsy seems to be the key to this trend. To keep abreast of the latest (or future) trends in painting, look to high-end retailers and their catalogs. Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, Ross-Simon, and the like. Often they show trends in the making months, if not years, before they hit the decorative painting market. Tera Leigh is an artist and author of The Complete Book of Decorative Painting. Her new book, How to be Creative if You Never Thought You Couldz, will launch at the HIA show in January. Both are published by North Light Books. She writes columns for PaintWorks, Quick & Easy Painting, Tole World, and Country Marketplace magazines. She is also a contributor to Decorative Artist's Workbook and Artist's Magazine Sketchbook. Contact her at tera@teraleigh.com or visit www.teraleigh.com.
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EMAIL, I: BUYERS' ETHICSI didn't reply on the issue of buyers giving stuff to competitors, but that is the reason that I don't deal with Chain A any more. The buyer asked me to develop a simple product at a price he gave me. I did that, as well as showing him an item that could be sold as a promo.A few months later (after not being able to contact him), I walked into one of their stores here and found both items. They had taken them overseas. I don't show anything to Distributor B any more either, for the same reason: it goes overseas if they like it. I haven't had anything given to competitors by Chain B in several years, but prior to that it happened on at least two items. I'm not showing or telling the buyer about our new products being developed until just before the HIA show in January, for fear he'll share the info with a competitor. I think we are all getting as paranoid as the toy people have been for years. We can bitch and moan, but what else can we do? Actually, the industry has a bigger problem: when the majors cut the vendors down to one or two per category, then squeeze them to death, and then realize nothing new is happening, what are they going to do? Will we even still have an ACCI or HIA at that point? Will mom & pops spring up and the Sierra Pacific's build to fill the void formed by the majors' lack of creativity? I believe everything cycles, but that is a major cycling. Can it happen? Once upon a time in a land far, far away.... Oops, I'm starting to ramble.... -- Midsize manufacturer
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EMAIL, II: BUYERS' ETHICSI got a kick out of your commentary in the Nov. 4th issue of CLN regarding the ramifications of cheating! That is exactly why I would not go to see Chain A today if they called and begged me to come with the promise of an order! In the last year I called on them, many of the ideas I took wound up with my competition. I understand their business in my category is way off and maybe that serves them right! -- Midsize manufacturer
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EMAIL, III: BUYERS' -- AND VENDORS' -- ETHICSI found it very interesting to hear other vendors complain about dishonorable buyers. You should point out, though, that the buyer is not the only one behaving immorally -- the vendor who goes along is just as unethical as the buyer.Years ago we had a verbal commitment from Chain A to put in a particular line. Next thing we know, the buyer reneged and, lo and behold, the chain puts in a near-exact copy of our line made by a competitor. When I confronted vendor about it, their response was, "The buyer asked us to do it." No matter what, though, I still maintain that people are basically good and are particularly so in our industry. I've been in this biz since I was 13 years old and this is really the only bad thing I can think of happening to us! Guess we've been lucky, huh? -- Midsize manufacturer
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EMAIL: "NOT ONLY RUDE, BUT AN IDIOT"I was talking to the charity arm of a major chain (not in our industry) about making a donation of my products to the kids in one of their programs. Everyone I talked to was very nice, and one gal suggested I call their toy buyer to see if they might be interested in looking at my product.I called the buyer, started to tell her about my product, and let her know I was given her name by a fellow employee. I barely said two words, and she responded, "I wouldn't be interested in that." I said my product was required by schools throughout the U.S. "Well, parents can go buy it at Wal-Mart, because I wouldn't be interested anyway." CLICK. Dial tone. My mouth is still open. I cannot believe that she was not only rude, but an idiot. My thought is, if we parents have to buy this required product, and Wal-Mart has it, we'll also buy our kids' school shoes, jeans, shirts, etc., there, too. I know buyers get hounded by everybody, but ... that is their job. If they don't like it, then do something else, like work in the warehouse. -- Small manufacturer
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CLN'S ONLINE PRODUCT PREVIEWNew additions to our "Preview" includePulsar Paper. The 12" x 12" Mulberry Cardstock is available in 12 colors -- all double-sided with a different complementary color on each side -- natural, handmade papers with a fiber texture to create a unique look for any craft project. Candlewic. The unique Candazzle line of that enables crafters to make remarkably clear free-standing candles. A complete line of supplies is available. They join recent additions from companies such as Janlynn, BabyEyelets, Sakura of America, Ranger Industries, Gerson International Joy S.A., GridArt, Wild Pony Baskets, MagEyes, McCall Pattern, DMC, Walnut Hollow, Adhesive Tech, Dimensions, Mountain Mist, Design Master, Plaid, Milestones, and Wrights. The products are in the scrapbooking, quilting, needlework, kids, basic crafts, and painting categories. To learn more about these products and see photos, click here. VENDORS: CLN's "Online Product Preview" will run in every issue. To learn more about how you can have your products and photos published online for six months, email Mike Hartnett at mike@clnonline.com or call 309-925-5593.
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RANDOM NOTES, RANDOM THOUGHTS1. I would like to be able to summarize all of the surveys and predictions about this holiday season, but I can't. I have never seen so many contradictory reports. For every survey that concludes the season will be bright for retailers, another is Scrooge-like, filled with gloom and doom. The more I read, the more confused I become (and I always start at a high level of confusion anyway).So here's my absolute prediction for this season. Business will be good -- but not quite as good as last year. Maybe. 2. In addition to the sampling of emails printed above, I've received phone calls on the subject of a buyer giving a vendor's idea, product, or line to another vendor. Here's one: "The problem of a buyer giving a company's idea to another company? It's happened to us. What I'm afraid of, is it's becoming institutionalized -- company-wide policy. Chains -- one in particular -- want to work with fewer vendors, so their buyers give ideas to those vendors." 3. Aleene Jackson, one of the real pioneers of the industry, is working on opening a craft museum that would be, in effect, a history of our industry. At the moment she's looking for people to talk to, photos, old projects, and information. She has a physical site, and has been working with another real pioneer, Hazel Pearson, who has donated a wealth of materials. If you have any suggestions about whom Aleene should contact, or have any materials you'd like to donate, call Aleene at 805-964-8101 or contact me at 309-925-5593 and I'll pass along the info.
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MISCELLANEOUS NEWSSTOCK OPTIONS. In the last two weeks of October, four Michaels execs cashed in stock options, buying and selling 128,333 shares for a profit of $3,799,186. Those involved were Exec VP Edward Sadler ($584,400 profit), Exec VP James Tucker ($821,991 profit), CEO Michael Rouleau ($744,250 profit), and Director Richard Marcus ($1,648,544 profit.)HIA. Contrary to rumors, the January show looks like it will be larger and busier than ever. As of 11/11, the number of exhibitors is up 6%, and new exhibitors are up a whopping 48%. Officials said the growth is coming from scrapbooking, stationery, and home & garden. Pre-registration is "strongly ahead" of last year, and 20 workshops and one Supershop are already sold out. For more info, call 201-794-1133 or visit www.hobby.org. MAGAZINES, I. The 11/25 edition of Forbes also has a short piece about the custom framing strategies of Michaels. Some highlights: There were 3+ million orders last year, accounting for about 9% of all revenues ... Custom-framing revenue is up 84% to $230 million since Michael Rouleau joined the company in 1996. Rouleau consolidated Michaels framing factories into Artistree, which has three locations and can assemble and ship about 4,500 frames a day. Forbes also said, "Michaels undercharges and outdelivers the mom-and-pop outfits," a claim some independents have already disputed in emails to CLN. MAGAZINES, II. A September survey conducted on HIA's consumer website, www.i-craft.com, reports that of the 710 respondents, 57% read at least one craft-related magazine/month, 29% read more than three/month, and 42% save their magazines. Why do they read them? For new ideas/projects (50%), craft tips (38%), how-tos (36%), and trends (24%). Of all the respondents, 17% subscribe, 16% buy them at bookstores, 11% at craft stores, and 2% at grocery stores, while 4% receive them from friends and 3% read them in libraries. "Other" sources accounted for 4%. (Comment: I assume these survey respondents are hard-core crafters, not average consumers, or they wouldn't visit the website in the first place. Still, remember the 80-20 rule: 20% of the customers account for 80% of the sales.) WAL-MART. Sales for the third quarter ended Oct. 31 rose 11.5% to $58.797 billion and net income was $1.82 billion ($0.42/share), up 24.2%. Officials were cautiously optimistic about the fourth quarter. MEDIA. HGTV, the network broadcasting The Carol Duvall Show and other craft/home improvement series, has seen its ratings increase by 35% in the past year, Newsweek reported. PEOPLE. Prym-Dritz promoted Paul Inskip to the new position of VP, Sales & Marketing. Paul had been Craft Market Sales Director and is a former VP for CPE and SLS Arts. For more info on Prym-Dritz, click here. FOR SALE. Small, six-year-old company with positive cash flow and no debt. Has a well-known product line for a company wanting to expand in crafts or into the hardware, lumber, or paint/wallpaper markets. Deals with many major chains. For more, call Mike Hartnett in complete confidence. 309-925-5593 or email mike@clnonline.com. LEGAL. The German Supreme Court ruled Wal-Mart competed unfairly against small stores by selling basic food staples below cost, the Associated Press reported. Wal-Mart had waged a price war with German chains when the Federal Cartel Office brought suit. The other chains stopped, but Wal-Mart appealed and won. The Cartel Office appealed to the Supreme Court, which overturned the appeals court. Wal-Mart said it would adjust its prices accordingly. KIDS. Treasure Island (14 stores in the Northeast) has added the award-winning Gee-Perz! line of kids crafts kits. Produced by S&S Worldwide, with marketing/creative support from Next Level Marketing, the 18-SKU line provides parents with enough supplies to allow a group of kids (at parties, Scout meetings, etc.) to each make his/her own project. Look for seasonal additions to the line at the HIA show in January. For more info, contact S&S' Lisa Bergman at 866-FUN-SSWW (866-386-7799) or email lbergman@ssww.com. For more info on Next Level Marketing, click here. PROMOS. April will be Celebrate Art Glass month, the Art Glass Assn. announced. The effort will promote all forms of glass crafting to all levels of the industry via advertising, education, and specific promos. The 2003 show will be held in conjunction with the ACCI show July 18-20 in Rosemont (Chicago). For more info, call 740-452-4541 or visit www.agsa.org. QUILTING. The 11/18 edition of Newsweek reports on a new show at New York's Whtiney Museum featuring remarkable quilts from the residents of Gee's Bend, AL, a "dirt-poor" farm town of less than 1,000 African-Americans, where the residents create stunning, abstract-design quilts from any salvaged cloth -- a tradition started by their great grandmothers. DOLLS. A U.S. District judge ruled that Mattel can continue its lawsuit against a British dollmaker, but doubts Mattel has a case of copyright violation, the Associated Press reported. It seems Susanne Pitt was turning Barbie dolls into "Dungeon Dolls," dressed in a rubber bondage dress and helmet. The judge said this probably wasn't hurting Barbie sales because Pitt was selling to a, uh, different market.
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BUSINESS PROFILE: ARMADA ART, INC.When Harry Eisenbaum started his company in 1986, he wanted to name it after his kids. A common enough wish, but complicated by the fact that he had triplets -- Arielle, Mara, and David. Hence the name, Armada Art.The company -- privately held -- started by making and selling scissors to the school market. Soon the company became a well-known educational supplier -- our kids have probably all used Armada scissors in grade school. Since then, the company has expanded its product lines and its markets -- selling to the craft industry since 1996. Armada's major lines include a wide variety of scissors for ages 3 to adult under the brand names Snippy (for kids), Elite, Velvet Touch, and Armada Precision. All Armada scissors are made of heat-treated stainless steel and have ABS plastic handles. There are twenty-four designs in the Paper Shapers line, which cut a variety of shapes for scrapbookers and paper crafters. Armada also has a line of punch art -- 36 designs, blister-packed and shipped 6 pieces/box. New introductions to Armada's Punch Art line include an A-Z Punch Art Set, a 0-9 Punch Art Set, Corner Punches and other sets. Armada's cutting tools are effective in cutting paper, many types of fabric, leather, and vinyl. Interchangeable blades for roller cutters offer a variety of cutting shapes, including wave and skip, which can be used to perforate paper. Replacement blades are available for each cutter. They're available in small and also in large with three interchangeable blades -- round, wave, and pinking. A circle cutter is available too, with six spare blades and two pencil leads. There's also a design knife, a cutting mat, and a kit which includes a cutting mat, a small roller cutter, three different blades, and a circle cutter. To round off the line, Armada offers 6" & 7" super cutters which cut wire, tin, cardboard, leather, rope and more. Other products include Miraclay, Stick and Peel Glue, project cases, collapsible crates, stackable caddies, paint brushes, foam rollers, and washable markers. Armada also offers a variety of power panels, floor displays, merchandisers, and clip strips. Orders are shipped within seven days. Now crafters and scrapbookers seem to have come full circle -- after all these years, using Armada's products once again! KEY EXECS. Harry Eisenbaum, President ( harrye@armadaart.com) ... Dan Tomassetti, Sales Manager ( dtomassetti@armadaart.com) ... Jeanne M. Sprague, Marketing Manager ( jeannes@armadaart.com). ROLODEX. 142 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116. Call 800-435-0601 or 617-859-3800; fax 617-859-3808; email info@armadaart.com; visit www.armadaart.com. Note: CLN will include one "Business Profile" in each issue. The company can be a manufacturer, retailer, service company, trade association, etc. All profiles are archived online for one year. To read profiles published in previous issues, click on the "Business Profile Archives" button. To learn how your company can be profiled, call Mike Hartnett at 309-925-5593 or email mhartnet@ix.netcom.com.
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THE CREATIVE NETWORK: JOB OPENINGSTo see a sampling of the current job openings and to contact The Creative Network, click on the "Jobs" button in the left hand column.
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THE CLN RETAIL INDEXA. C. Moore (ACMR). Last*: 15.00 ... Change**: -1.59Hancock Fabrics (HKF). Last*: 14.30 ... Change**: -1.97 Jo-Ann Stores (JAS.A) [a]. Last*: 23.77 ... Change**: -1.11 Michaels (MIK). Last*: 30.54 ... Change**: -15.04 Rag Shops (RAGS). Last*: 4.28 ... Change**: +0.15 Wal-Mart (WMT). Last*: 55.49 ... Change**: +0.94 CLN Retail Index. Last*: 100.501 ... Change**: -11.5% Dow Jones Index. Last*: 8,579.09 ... Change**: +0.7% *November 15 ** from November 1 [a] voting share Prices are exclusive of dividends
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THE BALLOONISTA man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a woman below. He descended a bit more and shouted, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."The woman replied, "You're in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You're between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude." "You must be an engineer," said the balloonist. "I am," replied the woman. "How did you know?" "Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct, but I've no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help at all. If anything, you've delayed my trip." The woman responded, "You must be in management." "I am," replied the balloonist, "but how did you know?" "Well," said the woman, "you don't know where you are or where you're going. You have risen to where you are, due to a lot of hot air. You made a promise, which you've no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is, you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault."
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REMINDERS1. For more information on how your business can be the subject of a "Business Profile" or have products/photos included in the "CLN's Online Product Preview, call Mike Hartnett at 309-925-5593 or email mike@clnonline.com.2. Paid subscribers are invited to have their website evaluated by Lynn Carlisle of Carlisle Communications. She'll check the site and provide a confidential assessment and suggestions for improvement. Just email mike@clnonline.com or ljc@carlislecommunications.com. 3. If you want a hard-copy of this issue, click on "Printer Friendly version". 4. If your company is a paid subscriber, everyone in the main office is welcome to register, free. Just click on "Current Subscribers Click Here To Register." 5. If you want to recommend CLN to a friend, use the "Tell Your Friends" box on the home page. 6. Creative Leisure News is published on the first and third Mondays of each month. Your next issue will be Monday, December 2. Have a happy, healthy, safe Thanksgiving!.
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