Blipfish - behind the coffee cup. The business of my business.

…6 days and counting.

…7 days and counting.

I had the strangest conversation with a peer-of-a-peer (like a friend-of-a-friend except in business) this morning. Since it’s been a while since I’ve had a rant - this seemed like a good time to have one.

The setup is this: he was complaining that a heavy-duty software program was often crashing or otherwise exhibiting unreliable behavior. Who hasn’t experienced that, huh?

He was understandably getting frustrated. I sympathize. Believe me, I do. He was also grousing about how difficult some operations were to perform in this application. As an owner of this software myself I knew the processes he was describing and I agree… they are a bit involved and there are multiple keystrokes involved.

So, I advised him what page of the manual to look at because there’s a shortcut chart that shows most of the steps to achieve what he was doing. I wouldn’t have minded helping him but I didn’t have time and I knew, from my own experience, that those macro-charts were often the best time-savers for certain tasks.

He seemed to ignore that suggestion and, instead, went right on to bashing the company for glitches that never get fixed (even though I never experienced the problems he was having - I suspect it was more to do with other, external factors), complaining about the steep learning curve, and then, eventually, how bugs never get fixed and patches never get released and the makers of this prominent software application were just crooks and had no interest in their users.

…it was as this point I realized he pirated his copy of the software.

I get updates. I get patches. I get announcements and reminders sent to me. I fill out feedback forms and permit auto-logging to be sent back to the company if I experience a problem. If I don’t know how to do something I read the manual, the quick start guide, the help file, or log in to the online support site and read the forums.

It’s not a commentary on the issue of piracy that I’m making. It’s more about the mindset of people that expect so much under somewhat dubious circumstances that I almost see the company’s excuse for charging an arm and a leg for development and sustain of their software titles.

Again, I’m not saying anything about the rights/wrongs with piracy but, perhaps, the core issue with some perspectives. If you do bogart a piece of software without paying for it - I pretty much think criticisms of these kind go out the window. I agree software crashes aren’t the funnest part of the day - but there are also operating systems in that chain, too. There are also important FAQ and Troubleshooting notes in most manuals that describe known conflicts or system issues.

When a person has the mindset that pirating is okay, that’s one thing. There’s a level after that, which is what I’m talking about, that represents the next domino falling… that criticisms are valid under those circumstances. I generally think they’re not. The resources and support mechanisms that are available to registered users (in this case) are there. They are a great way for us to help make the product better or to remedy our own, specific problems. If you take that away and view pirated software as-is then you’re missing the point of development and product improvement - the criticisms that grated on my nerves with this person.

So, my little mini-rant with a moral isn’t picking on piracy as much as expectations of how to fix and improve upon problems. There’s a right way and a wrong way - there’s also self-imposed impossible ways. Making one’s bed and lying in it is a phrase that comes to mind here.

I hate crashes. I hate lockups, freezes, failures, and all that too. However, I’m happy to at least be in a position that, if it happens, I’ll take the time to give my feedback and do my part in making a solution available for the future - for myself and others.

If I am not able to take part in that process because I’m not a registered user… I think it’s safe to assume that, when I encounter problems, I’m on my own. They may be due to issues registered users know about and can overcome, there may be a solution I’m unaware of because I’m not on a subscribed list of users, or whatever. Either way, if I can’t be part of the solution I think it’s only fair that I “know the score.”

You know what I mean?

Thanks to Nick Humphries for permission to use his photo.

…8 days and counting.

Randomness for the day includes…

I went for a quick jog this morning and was on high-alert for a couple of big dogs in the neighborhood, as usual. However, I failed to notice a kamikaze Robin that had lined up my head for an attack vector. I may now have a new phobia.

My wife left me with only 3 teaspoons of brewed coffee this morning. I had to make my own. So, in an act of defiance, I brewed an entire pot of Sumatra all for myself.

On a related note: I’m now vibrating into another dimension and reconsidering the wisdom of caffeine being used in any sort of defiant act.

I’m taking a business trip to Foster City/San Francisco in a little over a week. I’m looking forward to it. I’m totally slacking on little details that I know I’ll regret if I don’t get together (eg. recovering music for the MP3 player from a failed hard drive is at the top of that list).

I’m still debating if it’s possible to pack a MacBook Pro in just a padded sleeve inside a regular backpack through airline carry-on or if that would surely mean smashed-and-trashed death for it?

I’m testing “Ecto” as an offline blog editor. So, if there’s anything weirder than usual about this post - it’s probably due to that. I’ll give a verdict on Ecto after I’ve had a little time with it.

Congrats to Jen for her undies appearing on ABC’s “The View” program yesterday! It’s good to know there are thongs supporting the candidates. It’s good to know there are people out there whose underwear might influence people and maybe… just maybe even change the world!

Okay, I had to get all that out of my system.

Seriously, go check out Jen’s underwear here:

When I had my PC bonkeroo last week it was a series of problems - one on top of the other. So, my intentions of going from PC to Mac (at least for my regular “daily” life) were simply hastened.

The difference between my original plan of phasing out of one system to the other over a month is that, in choosing to put the PC restoration into low priority, I’ve had to adapt quickly to a new OS, get things set up from scratch, and begin using systems I haven’t used before… all in the interest of getting up-to-speed quickly. I have no time to enter the pool from the shallow end - I need to canon ball off into the deep end because I’ve got work to do.

Naturally, I’ve rushed to find Mac-equivalent mechanisms to help me get back to my productivity - tools that help me communicated, interact, transfer data, and otherwise interface with all the people and services I used to - pre-crash. It was during this mad dash that I noticed something odd…

I immediately, upon getting the new system set up, started up the email. I chose to go with a web-hosted email retrieval as opposed to my POP downloaded system I was using before because, now that I’m portable, I didn’t want the hassle of being without email while out and about. I also didn’t want to juggle multiple email mechanisms, either.

I grabbed a Twitter client for the Mac (Twhirl - thanks Jean!) so I could get back in contact with my peeps from there. I got hooked back up with my forums, groups, and so on.

It was at this point I noticed the odd thing. I realized that I was spending a goofy amount of time either retrieving, restoring, replacing, or otherwise interacting with all these things that are supposed to save me time… but it was taking longer and longer to deal with them than any one point of communication would require otherwise. In other words… having five different ways to stay in touch with people for “convenience’s sake” takes a heck of a lot of time out of my day as opposed to say, just exchanging email.

It dawned on me that I spend an inordinate amount of time checking or monitoring my communications channels - much longer than it takes to actually conduct the communications I would have in them. It’d be like spending half an hour waiting for the phone to ring only to have a three minute conversation, you know?

It’s not entirely technology or having multiple channels open that’s the problem, I agree - it’s largely me and how I have been operating. I suspect it comes from a change I adapted to years ago when I began working for myself from home: Not having a built-in network of peers or an office filled with coworkers. I had to learn the hard way that building and maintaining one’s own network in self-employment isn’t always easy. So, I think that’s why I’ve become a “communication hound” much to the annoyance of some of my peers (sorry Twitter friends… I’ll learn to use IM more).

Well, today is a different day. I’ve still got work to do and it’ll surely be via my computer and online - there’s no escaping that. However, I’m purposely going to lay off the email, instant messaging, cell phone, pager, text message, video chat, twitter, and mental telepathy quite a bit more. I’ll still be in total communication but instead of watching the horizon for smoke to signal an incoming message I’m going to just stay busy with my work. I’m choosing to discover what it’s like if I only check email every few hours instead of every twenty minutes. I know, I shudder just thinking about it, but it’s gotta’ be done, Hoss. I’ve become part of the machine and it’s beginning to run me instead of me running it.

How about you? Have you felt there are days where all these wonderful tools, gadgets, services, and methods that were supposed to save time and effort have become more time-consuming than the tasks you were trying to accomplish in the first place?

…from Blipfish

Why you need them, why you should care, and how to begin.

Alright. Here’s the deal…

I know many people know about Press Releases. I know some have toyed with the notion of writing one. I also know that a few people tend to be scared-off by the mystery of the Press Release and the one person that remains… just doesn’t understand them enough to even bother sending one out.

That is a shame and we’re going to change that today!

Press Releases are valuable and critical elements of a successful marketing model. They’re not the end-all-be-all - but nothing is. They are, however, as important as paid advertising, link exchanges, and word of mouth for your story, business, product, event, or cause. If you don’t have a marketing machine that uses multiple avenues of gaining exposure… you’re missing out. If Press Releases aren’t a major gear in that machine… you’ll never know how much more you could be achieving.

From my perspective, there’s a few ways to handle Press Releases. There are rights and wrongs - like anything else. There are methods that are appropriate for some situations but not others. The problem is - we’ve finally hit a point where conventions established 80 years ago no longer apply, but that doesn’t mean that completely “modern” adaptations are the way to go. There are still “old school” media outlets out there that respond better to tried-and-true methods just as much as the internet has brought a new twist on things.

My goal is to give you, what I’ve come to know, is an effective balance between these approaches but still produce a Press Release that demands the attention of the right people in the right manner. It’s a departure from some of those “how-to” marketing books that seem to be printed and re-printed for the last 80 years - so this isn’t your father’s old Press Release.

A good Press Release:

1. Is awesome leverage for time and effort. A single piece of paper (the Press Release) can be faxed (or mailed, or emailed) to multiple media outlets in the offline and online world. You could potentially reach dozens, if not hundreds, of interested individuals in the media - all from a single Press Release.

2. Is also something you can post within your own company’s website or media portfolio. You don’t have one, you say? You should! Every time you craft a Press Release the first place it should go is in a publicly accessible publicity page on your own site or related sites. It’s yours… use it!

3. Is your first, best tool for gaining the attention of those who can get you PUBLICITY. Publicity is great because it’s like advertising you could never afford even if it could be bought. Imagine how expensive a half-page ad would be in the Wall Street Journal? Now, imagine how much more powerful a front-page article written about you would be in the Wall Street Journal! A paid ad, no matter now big, is always going to be perceived as a paid ad. An article written (even though free of charge) brings with it so much more… credibility, impact, interest, and gains the attention of people that an advertisement never gets.

4. Can repeat the above benefits again, and again, and again. Press Releases are about newsworthy stories. You’re not limited to one moment under the Sun. If you can look around and find (or create) a newsworthy story, event, cause or issue - time and again - you can craft a Press Release to help gain exposure to it via the media.

5. Gets the reader (likely to be an editor or inbound media manager) to get off his or her butt and get on the phone to arrange an interview.

To detail the benefit of a successful Press Release again:

1. The exposure you get (publicity) is free.
2. The amount of exposure you get can be greater (by most measures) than if you’d paid for that same exposure: word count, placement in a publication, reader visibility, etc.
3. The exposure you get is likely to be such that there is no, paid equivalent. It’s possible that no amount of money could produce a featured story the way a Press Release could.
4. Your credibility is improved because the general readership regards articles and stories on subjects with an interest typically not given to advertisements. Ads look and read like ads - and people’s defense mechanisms often filter advertising messages in a way that researched stories don’t suffer.
5. Repeatable.
6. Archived in an online format the search-engine-benefits of previous (and current) Press Releases (even if not picked up by a news agency) go on. Search engines love fresh, meaningful, robust content and having them viewable online gives more ways for online searchers to find information about you.
7. Press Releases are under your control. Even when not picked up by a service your readable (and searchable) Press Releases paint a picture of you, your event, service, or cause that you control - because you’re the one that wrote it. PR’s bolster your public image.

Okay, so let’s assume I’ve convinced you that there are multiple reasons to step up to using Press Releases? Let’s move on to demystifying them a little. They’re not as scary as you might think.

Okay, the basics. Here are, what I consider, to be the ground rules… and really things you shouldn’t try to alter because accepted format and standards for Press Releases haven’t changed all that much over the years. So, alienating an editor or media manager with goofy adaptations isn’t going to do you any favors.

1. Format. Format is king. Capitalization, brevity, specificity, sequence, information, spelling, grammar… they all must be correct. Let’s just lump these things into the category of “format” because, once established, one really doesn’t want to mess with it.

2. Fancy paper. Don’t. Even if you are submitting a Press Release about a classic car show to a car enthusiast magazine don’t do it on paper that has little hotrods driving around the borders. This isn’t the time to be cute. White paper - plain - 8 1/2″ x 11″ paper or a standard, computer text edited format free of graphics, colored backgrounds, or spiffy fonts.

3. Fancy fonts. Don’t. Times Roman, Courier, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana… plain-vanilla, readable, or (to play it safe) generally standard-issue fonts that you’d find on a typewriter (remember those things?) are the way to go. No comic-sans, no dingbats, no script, no handwriting, none of that.

When you’re writing a Press Release you’re in the media’s house and their rules say that they want to see standardized submissions and they don’t include colored paper with a colorful font. Don’t screw around here - it’ll get tossed into the garbage.

4. Don’t blanket bomb Press Releases. If you send a PR out to three online PR services, six magazines, two radio stations, and 40 medium-sized daily newspapers… don’t send it to a single one of them a second time. This isn’t to say you can’t hit them up later, with another PR for another topic, but a mistake people make is thinking that if they didn’t get a phone call it must mean the editor didn’t get it - therefor send it again for good measure. No. Don’t. It’s a big world out there and, although we’re going to improve your chances of getting noticed, the fact remains that not every PR sent to every outlet will be met with an instant response. Don’t annoy the outlet by bugging them a second time. If you send or submit it properly - assume it was received and the ball is in their court.

…this also means don’t call or write them to ask if they got it. You’ll find out very quickly that the quiet truth is that people do get blackballed and you’ll find it hard to gain that outlets attention in the future.

5. Write in the third person. This means not as yourself about yourself. Pronouns are “he” or “she,” for example.

According to blipfish you should write your Press Release in the third person.

Okay… on to the layout of an actual, honest-to-goodness Press Release…

Here’s a breakdown of the above guide Press Release - feel free to use it as a reference:

“FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:”
This can be left as-is if it’s acceptable for it to be used now, tomorrow, five years from now, or never. If you leave directed “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” it’s up to the media when to use it. The only other - only other- way to format this is a date or event.

Examples:
“FOR RELEASE ON OR AFTER FATHER’S DAY 2008″
“FOR RELEASE AFTER U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CONCLUDES”
“FOR RELEASE BEFORE 12/25/2008″

Again, be specific and don’t mess around here. The “for release” statement must be clear, concise, and specific. It also means that any parameters you leave open (”after” for example) could be soon after or many years after. There’s a point where it’s unreasonable to expect a story to be newsworthy in some cases but a media manager may decide that a PR from six months ago is still worth pursuing. It’s also written in capital letters, bolded, and left-justified.

There is one, additional release date modifier - a time modifier. It follows the same format, location, and purpose: defining a specific time if such a need arises. An example might be “FOR RELEASE AFTER 3PM MONDAY, JUNE 25th, 2006″ …such as when a shareholder meeting might conclude. It’s a little rare, but still a valuable modifier if needed.

Headline:

“Descriptive Headline Knocks Socks Off Editor”

Feel free to be creative and bold - but make it one sentence and one sentence only. This is it. This is where the curtain rises, the spotlight turns on, and it’s your moment to get the attention of someone that might be a little jaded and hard to impress… do your best dance right here, right now. Craft a headline that is genuine but attention-getting.

Do NOT use exclamation marks. Don’t do it. Just walk away from them. Sensationalistic nonsense will look and smell like either a rookie approach or like a spammy attempt at advertising instead of something truly newsworthy.

Left justify this line, bold it, but use only capital letters for the first letter of each word… not the entire word.

Body of Press Release:

Paragraph 1
Either the physical location of the event, story source, or you - as the subject. Format the city in all-capitals then capitalize only the first character of the State. Give the date in full format (eg. January 09, 2008).

This is to be your masterpiece within the masterpiece. This paragraph needs to be so strong that, if nothing else was read, it could still convey the important points and key information (Who, What, Where, When, and Why?). If nothing else, grab attention here, create an angle the media could latch on to and make this paragraph shine.

Additional Paragraphs
This is where you get into the details you made so fascinating in the above paragraph. You’ve got some room to move here because this is the primary body of your Press Release. If you’ve got specifics (and you should) this is the place to put them… quotes, numbers, facts, dates, locations, etc.

Don’t skimp, though. This is not the place to slack off the format, grammar, or sentence structure (I know, I’m one to talk, huh?).

Don’t forget who your audience is, either. The people or person who is most likely to read your Press Release probably gets hundreds a day (conservative estimate in larger markets). They check their fax machine, online account service, email, and mail in pretty quick fashion. They likely disqualify bright, colored sheets of paper, crazy font headlines, puppy paw print clipart, headlines with exclamation points, too-good-to-be-true sales-pitchy headlines, improperly formated pages, multiple pages, you name it. They can, and will, sort through stacks (virtual or otherwise) of PR’s with a callous and unforgiving eye. Not every reader will try to see the diamond in the rough. They’re looking for the more obvious, shining pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

The likely audience is also probably hard to impress. After all, seeing hundreds of “look at me!” documents every day can make one a little jaded just as much as a little “psychic” toward picking winning Press Releases. Do yourself a favor and remember that you walk that fine line between dazzle and spam.

Your purpose is to convince the media source that there is a gem of a story in that Press Release and their readers, listeners, or viewers would really be interested to hear more - so they need to contact you right away and set up an interview. If you keep this objective in mind… you’ll do fine. Just keep the “So what?” mantra running through your head. If you can honestly say your Press Release answers a crabby reader’s question of “Yah, so what? Why should I care?” then you are doing well.

If you can finesse a few paragraphs, somewhere around 500 words, that detail and elaborate on the key points then you’ll have concluded the informative body of the Press Release. You’re past the halfway point!

At this point, do a quick check… do you need to provide sources for anything else? Now is the time to write shorter paragraphs that quickly and efficiently note any sources of additional information (websites, books, other articles, etc.)?

Do you need a quick paragraph to acknowledge intellectual or trademark rights? Is a quick statement about the company, organization, individual, etc. in order? Will a very quick history shed light on anything important?

Special Note: This is essentially the point where you put up or shut up your credentials. Everyone has credentials - even if you don’t know them. Make sure, however, that your credentials actually mean something to the scope of the Press Release. Nobody cares if you’re a physician writing a PR about fly-fishing in Oregon… but if you’re a 12-year veteran of the sport - that can be interesting!

If you don’t think you have credentials then think outside the box - but within the scope of the Press Release: your age, your height, a disability, neighborhood you live in, residence, career, hobby, diploma, college degree, family genealogy, accent, past employment, proximity to area, sensitive hearing, sufferer of migraines, animal lover… you name it. If you can bolster your position, honestly (if not creatively) by credentials that are relevant to the desired story - then include them here.

Contact Information:
Finally. You’re ready to lean forward to break the tape at the finish line. However, don’t relax, yet. Your contact information is still no place to fool around. Include the following, if applicable, and do not (I repeat: do not) play the game of “phone number provided upon request.” If you got a phone number (and it’s 2008 so you darn-well should) then put it down. Now is not the time to hold back on contact info. Your goal is to have the reader holding your Press Release in his or her hand and heading over to the quickest, best way to contact you… paper in hand at the phone, paper in hand at the computer - ready to send you an email.

Include direct information to you or the person who can answer the most questions about the Press Release subject. Don’t give a number to an answering service, don’t give an email to an auto-responder, don’t give an address of Mailboxes Etc. Give real, authentic, and direct contact info to a real human being that will hit the ball out of the park when the media calls or writes the information below.

Contact: Use this word just like you see it - left justified like everything else.
Include your first and last name. Remember, real human being - not a public relations department, not y our dog, not your Grandma (unless Grandma is the logical contact for the purpose of the Press Release).

Include an email address - preferably not a disposable one. I know, it’s 2008 and this means email is now a valid form of contact but you and I both know some free emails services (which I won’t name) just have such a bad reputation that nobody wants to risk passing over their email to reach you. Your internet service provided email or more “respectable” free services are really the way to go.

A physical address is acceptable as long as it has a purpose. Your privacy may be a concern (eg. a home address as opposed to your office’s workplace address) so it’s not essential. However, again, this is for additional contact information - not a mail service address.

Phone number. Come on… give a phone number you, or a real human, will actually answer - and include an extension if necessary. Don’t give a number to a switchboard, message service, or recording - do whatever it takes to ensure that when it rings it’s answered by a human who can bring it all home.

[Drumroll please...]

# # #

…those three pound signs. There’s just three of them… and they’re separated by a space, each. Notice they are NOT the word “END” or anything else like you may have seen. In case you’re wondering, it’s a top-secret code that journalists (new and old-school) love and respect. They mean “The End” - “There’s nothing more” - “That’s it - you have it all.”

There’s not magic formula for a Press Release. There are formats, layouts, and conventions to be observed… but the real art of crafting a good press release is something you’ll have to develop by writing them. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t aspire to do just that - practice makes perfect. However, there’s no reason your first PR can’t be a quality one that meets with success.

Make this one of those things that, for the sake of your business success, you do - even if it’s unfamiliar. I’m confident you’ll be glad you did.

Cut me a little slack… I only bought my MacBook Pro last week and this is the first time I’ve ever used iMovie. However, practice makes perfect and tonight’s weather was a good enough excuse to learn the software.

Update: WHOTV13 news story about current storm. There’s more to come from KC (Kansas City) up our way until 3am. Looks like it’ll be a long night in front of Mega Doppler.

Starbucks Pike Place Roast

The gist: It’s said to be the standard-issue roast from the original, Seattle, Washington Starbucks place (the Pike Place location). It would seem it’s now being promoted as the new “house blend” in many (if not all) Starbucks locations.

According to Starbucks it’s a proprietary blend (as usual) of high-altitude Arabica beans that produce a smooth flavor with hints of cocoa and nut.

My take: I’m inclined to agree. I would say that if you don’t add a lot of sugar or some other sweetener the “nutiness” prevails more. If, however, you bring your own sweetness to the party it pushes the flavor over the top nicely from cocoa into a nice chocolatey flavor.

It’s mild-to-full bodied, to me. It may be at the upper end of what the average green tea drinker would want and right at the starting gate for what a strong, black tea drinker would prefer. It’s a good all day coffee and therefor a fine morning blend.

Personally, I still prefer the stronger, darker roasts (even with their lesser caffeine) for morning coffee to the lighter roasts (with typically higher caffeine amounts) but the nice thing is that you can enjoy a refill on the Pike Place Roast without feeling like you’ve gone three rounds with Mike Tyson… it’s easy on you and your palette.

If you want to dress it up, as it were, consider going the route of a chocolate or fruit biscotti… the extra sweetness that comes from that can be a nice modifier while still leaving your coffee itself mild.

My six year old just told me:

“Daddy, mommy has a surprise for you in the car for father’s day and we can’t tell you what it is because it’s s’posed to be a surprise for you for father’s day while you’re gone on your trip so don’t look in the car because this is all a secret for father’s day, okay daddy?”

(by the way, yes, as any parent knows… that really was one, long sentence).

It’s a pleasure to be making this blipfish blog entry today for a couple of reasons:
1. I like talking with you.
2. It’s being composed on my new MacBook Pro laptop.
3. My kung-fu was powerful and true.

Okay, that third one is probably going to require some ’splaining. Here’s the skinny:

I was planning to cross over into the world of Macintosh computers soon. Now that they switched to Intel and grew some marbles - I’ve found Macs to be extremely worth using. Prior to the Intel switch… no thank you.

The original plan was to get a Mac laptop about this time, complete with either Parallels or VMWare Fusion (I ended up going with Fusion - don’t ask why). Then, I’d slowly ween myself off the big, powerful Dell XPS Gen 4 desktop I was running. Oh, it’s beefy alright… two, discreet Intel 3.2GHz core-two duo Chips (yes, I said 2 chips), 2 Gigs of RAM, 512 Meg Video, Terabyte of HD space, XP Pro, Solitaire, oh, Oh, OHH!

[Sorry, please pardon those Tim Allen grunting noises at the end, there].

Ahem.

Anyway, a system that stacked was, understandably, going to take some time to phase out of considering I spent the last few years of my life operating off it. Heck, I haven’t owned an Apple product since my beloved Apple ][e back when they were new. So, between my data and software… I’ve been pretty entrenched in PC/Microsoft’s world.

I figured a month of transitioning and determining what essential software was better to buy for the Mac than run virtually would be in order.

…the Dell had other ideas.

I bought the MacBook Pro on Monday. I’ll have to post my “unboxing” pictures and story sometime… it’s as close as I’ll get to being a Mac dork because I refuse to wear frumpy librarian glasses, black turtlenecks, and drink espresso all at the same time. Anyway, I digress…

I bought the Mac on Monday. On Tuesday, while I was sitting down at the Dell to begin defining essential files, passwords, login info, etc. it flipped me off. It BSoD’ed on me. It Blue Screen of Death’ed died on me. It crashed.

The hard drive had a catastrophic boot sector failure. It was dead, Jim.

The worst part was that only a month earlier a Western Digital “MyBook” (external hard drive) also failed. Some data, at deep levels, is virtually to either backup or retrieve… it’s not always as simple as backing up files. I was stranded without major login and password information because the primary and secondary backup systems failed and the old school measure (read: hand written notebook) was lost when we bought our new house… probably buried in the garage somewhere. Back in the day a Dell system and support tickled me giddy. Nowadays my opinion rings much more of the expression “built by the lowest bidder” but that’s neither here nor there. I just know I will never buy a system from them again.

The desire to get off an XP system is more about not wanting to spend valuable hours having to, essentially, be my own IT, security, tech-support guy. Don’t get me wrong… I have good kung-fu, as I said. That doesn’t change the fact that I checked my logs recently and saw that I spent a total of 23 hours/month dealing with some kind of update, upgrade, fix, patch, diagnostic, troubleshooting, re-installation, or whatever of some kind of system file, driver, update, kernel, data, cab file, and so on and so on.

I needed to get to a system that required less “held together by sheer willpower” and on to something that worked with me, rather than against me. I was prepared to change platforms and OS’s and keep my feet in both worlds for a while in order to do it.

Anyway, the crash was dealt with - the PC is now running another, bootable hard drive and I’m slowly retrieving data off the failed ones, little by little. Wish me luck that I get it all, please?

This post is partially to explain my recent absence (since I couldn’t even log into my own blog!) but also is my cathartic way of blowing off steam from the last couple of days.

So, I think I’ve sufficiently catharted myself out now - thanks for reading and I promise I’ll get this blog back up to full-speed shortly. It’s been a heck of a Spring, let me tell you.

What might be the perfect laptop bag I’ve ever owned.

…there’s even a matching laptop sleeve.

Heck, I even like the colors. It’s almost as-if the sleeve was built just for my new 15″ MacBook Pro.

Now I finally have a better “second office” thing going on.

I guess I’m cramming two things together… this post was original about ordering the bag (before I even bought the laptop, ha ha). Now it just seems to make more sense to chat about the whole shebang.

The bag is, indeed, great. I have a couple, minor complaints - no outer-flap compartment. It’s not a big deal as I tend not to put many things in such a place for fear of damage to the items themselves (it is the exterior of the bag, after all). I also really wish they built a simple strap system of some kind to retain the laptop inside. I rarely walk off with the flap open (the handle would be inaccessible at that point)… but I’d feel better knowing my laptop was snugged in with a seatbelt.

The large bag is a bit bigger than one might guess. The specs are correct, of course, but it reminds me of a small version of a catalog case salesmen might use (or used to use). For me, that’s still fine because the point of the larger bag is to have something along the lines of a portable office… cables, mouse, camera, phone, booklets and manuals, etc.

If you’re thinking of grabbing one of these puppies I can certainly recommend it.

ps: Oh, the Mac. It’s a 15″ MacBook Pro, 2.5GHz, 2Gig RAM, 250Gig HD, Leopard, running VMWare Fusion for the benefit of Windows XP.

In particular, I’d like to invite you to not only join Twitter (if you’re not already on it) but to follow me (and likely my following you in return).

Twitter is incredibly valuable - particularly to those of us who must network online for the majority of our connections.

Personally, I use Twitter a lot for casual questions, tapping peers on the shoulder, or just keeping up on things that aren’t worth an email but I want to explore with others.

So, if you haven’t already joined me - I invite you to do so! We might have a lot to learn from one-another and adding more, great communication tools is a good thing.

~ Follow Blipfish on Twitter!

This is a subject I’ve been watching for a couple of months, now. I haven’t said much and probably won’t, but, unsurprisingly, there’s always a certain caliber of person that can’t honor an NDA and more info is beginning to come out.

TShirtChat.com has brought the topic up and made some very good points. It’s worth a visit to read and give your feedback. There’s surely varying degrees of “it’s business” involved in this topic. Of course, to me, that doesn’t always ring as a positive thing.

Give your thoughts on the matter:

“Zazzle Corporate Ninjas Get Dirty!”

Update: Cafepress has posted the following: “Poaching isn’t over easy…”

If anyone has any more links to the subject - let me know. I’ll be happy to post more points, counter points, or measured feedback.

I’m doing an interview with a web-based business broadcasting site. I’ll post (or link) to the video here as soon as possible depending on their terms. We did a half-hour on the general work-from-home topic and are ramping up at 4pm to discuss a bit about the tshirt-selling business.

It’s Starbucks Sumatra, by the way. Dark roast.

Is the sound of my turning the valves and opening the gates for open-commenting.

I kindly thank all registered users who have taken the time to to do so - and your account remains as-is.

However, I’m testing the waters to see if we can’t make it easier for people to comment here at blipfish.com without registration. There will be a moderation queue in place. This means that, for the time being, I will approve new comments. Once you get a comment approved by me you should see smooth-sailing from that point forward.

A’ight folks, let’s get to blipfishing out there.

~by Daniel Mowry
Published on Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Since she was “old enough to eat glue” she’s had her hand in some form of creativity. Sculptures, crafts, doodles, art, you name it - she’s enjoyed creating it. Her passion and joy for art shows through in her work and the success of JGoode Designs caught my attention a long time ago. It’s great for me to have a chance to interview Jen as she’s not only a respected peer but one of my friends.

Dan: Jen, it’s great to talk to you. For everyone’s benefit let’s start with the usual… tell us a little about yourself.

Jen: I’m a 4th generation Colorado native, however I’ve lived all over the country. I think that has a lot to do with my constant interest/need in seeing new places, meeting new people and trying new things.

I currently live in Colorado with my husband and 3 children. I have a love for creativity on all levels and I truly believe everyone is capable of creating amazing things, we each just need to find our own little creative outlet and niche. My official business name is JGoode Designs - I sign my art and title my artist name as “jgoode”, and my brand/business name is all encompassing for all of my various design and art including, but not limited to, illustration and cartoons featured on tshirts, gifts, cards, prints, etc. sold through various online venues as well as photography and some fine art. I also sell handmade gifts through on etsy.com and a retail shop in Littleton, Colorado called “Willow.” Also my art now seems to have a strong touch of “girliness.” I am not a girly girl. Or wasn’t. The more my family fills with boys, the more girly I become… I think my art is my female outlet sometimes.

Dan: I’ve admired your work and expertise as a business woman for a long time. It’s a real treat to interview you. Let me ask you a little pet-question I’ve had: The penguin-themed art… is that a niche you just fell into or are penguins your favorite, little critters?

Jen: First, let me say thank you! I am honored and delighted for this opportunity, this is so exciting! You were one of the first people I “met” online when I started with Cafepress, someone I looked up to as a mentor and now a friend. I’m honored you’d want to know more about me.

Penguin art, complete and total accident. Serendipitous. I’ve since become a huge penguin addict myself.. But this originally started as one of my many characters and a little self entertaining game. I love the egg shape of this character and through some nudging of a few friends thought it would be fun to dress him up. The character’s popularity grew and in turn, so did my visions of new outfits. Besides the penguin itself, the interest in this character has helped me solidify my style a bit more. Previously I was playing with a huge variety of illustration and design styles - since I have learned I love the doodle”, whimsical cartoon approach.

Dan: How would you describe your business? Is it entirely online? Or, is there an offline, multi-faceted element to it?

Jen: My business is a work in progress as is the art that drives it. I prefer to say I am a professional doodler than an artist because I feel like everything I do is more of a happy “doodle” dance type of creation than a serious artistic piece. I primarily sell illustrations featured on t-shirt, some decor and novelty gift items. However, I am also easily bored with myself and am constantly coming up with new ideas of things I’d like to try to create and sell. Usually I try these online through etsy. Some of these items end up in a retail location - a funky fun art shop across town.

Dan: How long have you been an artist?

Jen: Since conception. I’m pretty sure I was born an artist. My mother is an artist (just recreational usually) but she really encouraged me to make things or draw things whenever I felt like creating. The moment I realize I loved creating, that I remember most… I was about 7, I entered a coloring contest and won 1st prize. If I remember correctly, my prize was a $25 gift certificate for the shop running the contest… How cool is that? I was able to buy anything I wanted just because I colored something really nice, and my name was in the paper for winning.. That was delightful as well.

Dan: How long have you been a digital artist?

Jen: I was using Photoshop in 1992. In 1995 I was working as a Graphic Designer. I didn’t start really creating art as I am now, on the computer, until 2002 or so . Even then, I really didn’t get into digital illustration until 2005 when I starting using a Wacom drawing tablet.

Dan: So, tell me… how long have you had a business centered around your art? How did this all come about?

Jen: Around 2000 I started taking on client work for advertising, logo design/corporate identities, website design etc. I was originally working for a one man designer studio and soon realized that I wanted to be my own boss… So I just jumped in head first and tried it. In 2001 I started working for an online company, in addition to my client work, creating “fun pages” and greetings so my business design turned more into fun kids art.

After a few different transitions I ended up where I am now… One important transition was my side drawing that turned into this full time gig. I original had Lil’ Goodies (lilgoodies.com) as just “hobby” Lil is actually an acronym for “Love in Life”. This was a place I could post poetry and jokes and thoughts and eventually added my own art work. Then as I realized how much fun it was to sell my art online, I became official with “JGoode Designs” and the motto “inspiring smiles every day.” Now I only work for myself and I enjoy doodling every day.

Dan: Well, then tell me what are your tools of the trade? What software and hardware do you find essential for your art as well as your business?

Jen: For me I constantly play with new techniques and little gadgets, however I have a definite set of software I use daily: I use an Apple MacBook Pro - I’ve always used a mac of some kind. I do own PC, but Macs are my first choice.

Adobe Photoshop for cartoony/hand drawn designs and Adobe Illustrator for more crisp style designs.

For my business I couldn’t live without the internet, I need constant internet access to not only monitor my business and my sales, but also to maintain my websites. Tools involved with this include ftp software and text editing software.

Occasionally I will hand draw on real paper (yes, I still have pencils and paper) and I will scan the work in, but this isn’t common these days — with the drawing tablet, I draw directly into photoshop and then color.

Dan: You use Print on Demand (POD) services. Do you use one or several? Are their shortcomings or advantages you’d noticed about one over the other?

Jen: I use several POD services for a number of reasons. Each service handles its own business model a little bit differently. Each has a different set up of their own marketing, shopping cart experience and product offering. I focus my business towards CafePress because I’ve been working with them the longest and understand how to make their system work for me… However I do use others to either test their systems or offer product types CP doesn’t currently offer. So far, I have found Cp to have the most positive benefits, not to mention I personally know staff that can help me solve any issues.

Other companies I use for different reasons…

Zazzle. I just started playing with because they offer real time personalization tools. I can offer my customers my own designs to personalize themselves. They also offer greeting cards with a location for my own brand/logo as well as printed content on the inside of the card — This is similar to GreetingCardUniverse.com, however GCU doesn’t offer the logo spot.

Printfection, I have found a little success with. They are much newer and smaller than CP, they don’t offer nearly as many non appreal products, but they do offer a huge variety of colors of t-shirts and they are located right here in Colorado. I’ve spoken when them and love their eagerness to grow and improve. Also, I really like the idea of giving a little love to the local guys.

I’ve tried Imagekind, but feel my current design style does not lend itself to the poster/print exclusive arena… I do have plans to expand in that area, however.

Dan: What is your strongest method for exposing shoppers to your online stores? Paid advertising, Search Engine Optimization, viral?

Jen: Rain dances and praying to the fairy garden gods. Marketing is not a strength of mine. I really struggle with it and usually when I do do something that is successful, I am not sure what I did, how I did it or if it was even me. For me, the only thing I have done that I am sure is my own effort and skill is my eagerness to meet people and show them what I do. I let my business card show a little of my style and it usually sparks a conversation which I happily answer any questions about what I do. I also really strive for word of mouth advertising. I always try to leave enough of an impression that not only will people remember me, but pass my name or site or something from me along to others.

Dan: What are your biggest challenges in running an online, POD-oriented business?

Jen: Marketing, exposure.. Just letting people know I am here. I think this is true with any online business as much as it is for real world retail businesses. For me, I struggle with where to go and how to tell people. Again, I often let my images speak for me and hope that those that like them share them with others.

Dan: Do you have any formal training or education in art or as a business woman?

Jen: I have absolutely no formal business training.. Unless “marketing/advertising 101″ counts. In that case, that is my official business training. I’ve been drawing and creating since birth… Also. I do have an associates degree in graphic design… I have to laugh, it took me 6 years for that 2 year degree. I stopped to work and started up… A few times, but had to prove to myself I could finish it… so finally I did.

I have to say, however, I believe schooling helps only in teaching tools and building confidence. As far as any skills needs for the design world… school doesn’t offer much. A portfolio might get someone in the door to a job, but everything we need for that job we learn in practical uses.

Dan: Did you get any guidance or help along the way in establishing your particular business? Or, did you have to pave the way on your own?

Jen: I could say I paved the way all alone, but then I would be leaving a lot of fantastic people out of that spotlight. I’ve made quite a few friends along the way for the business I am currently in. Every one of those friends has taught me something.. Shown me some direction or given me a slight nudge somewhere. Of all the advice and info and trade “secrets” I have learned from others, for me its the encouragement and side by side motivation that has made the most difference. Peer-to-peer support to some extent. I really feel like anyone can jump in, read how-to info and try something out.. But without that little cheering squad in the background, it’s really difficult to stick it out and press forward. So if I may, I send out a THANK YOU! To everyone who’s touched my life during this big adventure.

Dan: Do you have a close relationship with customers, considering the degree of POD fulfillment by third-party companies? Or, do you maintain relative distance from day in, day out customer interaction?

Jen: I have very little contact with customers. I do offer contact information on my website, but rarely hear from anyone. I also offer a subscription to a newsletter that is tied into my blog.. But this is a very non personal form of communication. When I do receive contact from customers or site visitors I try to make sure they understand I am here any time they need me.

Dan: Regarding this, is that by choice or is it simply part and parcel of this type of business?

Jen: Both. I do not offer phone numbers because I’m not a real store with real business hours. The type of business allows me this freedom of time yet I would like the option to thank customers after purchasing — but due to the POD shopping cart, I am unable. I’m still looking for ways around this without becoming a 3rd party shipper of my own products.

Dan: Are there inherent challenges or hurdles you struggle with in your business? Especially with online and POD?

Jen: Yes, online sales always include some sort of anonymity, add in the 3rd party production of POD, versus my printing and shipping myself, it then becomes impossible for me to conduct any follow up customer service on my own behalf. I think this is an enormous issue when one stops to think of business growth. Return customers and referred customers, in my opinion, should be the majority of opens business and results in a strong growth.

The answer to this, from my view, would be to become my own shipper, order processor, customer service department, etc. at which point I would then be spending all my time with the business management and no time with the creation. There’s a no win type situation here… So for me, its a
compromise I am happy to deal with for now… I am able to bring to the public my work and sell it at reasonable prices while in control of what is offered, and for the most part, how it is offered. In return I give up the opportunity to meet my customers who are buying what I am offering. It’s not ideal but it’s much better than not offering anything.

Dan: Any special benefits to your business, or being online in a POD-driven business, that make your life easier?

Jen: I don’t HAVE to do much of any of the business side besides being the artist creating and then shouting out “here I am”. I do not handle returns or production or product inventory or billing and taxes. I love that… Who likes that side of business?

Dan: Working from home… are there more challenges or more freedoms? What are they?

Jen: More freedoms for sure. I’ll never be one to work in an office for long. For me the biggest challenge of working from home is walking away. I rarely have a day I don’t sit and work a little. This is also a benefit.. Any time I have an idea or what to check something or change something, it’s all right here. I’ve been working from home for about 10 years and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I am able to be here to talk with my kids… I’m here when they get home from school and I can be here when they need me. On the down side, they’ve learned early on that mom works a lot… but I think, at least they see me and know working doesn’t’ have to be a grumpy thing.

Dan: Working from a home office… what positive or negative surprises did you encounter that the typical “go to work” person might be surprised to hear about?

Jen: I don’t even know, I’ve worked from home for so long. Maybe, that instead of a lunch break I take “make banana bread” breaks and then I get to eat it in the middle of my work day. We also have sit and work with mom days where I might be drawing/working while my kids sit and draw their own masterpieces next to me.

A negative surprise… I had someone call my home number, after I told them I work from home and it was my home number they were calling, and they were irritated I didn’t answer my phone during the business hours that day… I wasn’t home.

Dan: What are some of the things you enjoy most about your business?

Jen: I love that I can wake up every day and create.. I can create what inspires me, what comes to mind. If I want to get up and make a bowl of smiley ice cream, that’s what I do and it makes me happy. More importantly I love hearing from site visitors, customers and friends that my art makes them smile… that’s the goal.

Dan: The penguin. Who is he? Where did he come from? Is it, indeed, a “he?” Tell me everything about that little character. He seems to play a large role in what you do.

Jen: [quoting]
“Born from the combination of quirky and cute mixed with an abundance of late night computer time, the penguin is a critter with a lot of character.

The Penguin is a continually growing collection of characters ranging from “Fishing Penguin” to “Bride Penguin” - a penguin personality for everyone.

The Penguin represents a variety of things to a variety of people, but in a nutshell… whatever or whomever you want the penguin to be.

WHAT IS THE PENGUIN?

The Penguin is any gender.
The Penguin has no specific ethnicity nor racial ties.
The Penguin is who you think it should be.
The Penguin is what you love and what you love to do.”

I can’t tell you EVERYTHING… He too is still evolving. I say “he” yet some versions are she.. He plays a major role because he seems to be the most recognizable to everything and I don’t love my version of the monkey as much yet… not to mention the cow doesn’t wear clothes.

Drawn in illustrator, my approach was the same type of character, in a looser style. The penguin was created because I didn’t have one yet in my animals shop but originally looked like this.

Then this.

…and then. I prefer this egg shaped body because it’s quirky and fun to draw around… and his expression still makes me laugh.

Dan: You have a clever and strong marketing approach with the penguin - including photos of him/her traveling around the world. Was this a novelty that became a brilliant idea or did you set out to create this marketing move?

Jen: Both I think. A year or so ago I had an entire elaborate plan to introduce and make aware to the world, my penguin character. The original plan was a series of websites that merged into each other and only relied on the cartoon version. The plan never really evolved - I became pregnant with my 3rd child and didn’t want to be near a computer for months - I moved on to other things - clay figurines of the penguin, among other things.

Long story short, I ended up creating this little plushie penguin as an item to sell on etsy, but before I got that far, I went to a convention, took my sample penguin to show a friend (just for fun) and found myself taking pictures of people as I met them… turned into a great ice breaker and a fun game. It was so much fun I kept the idea going. Little known fact: I started the website for this traveling penguin while I was at the convention!

Dan: As a successful business woman and entrepreneur, what philosophies have you settled on that you feel make you successful? Have your philosophies changed since you began to where you are now?

Jen: I’ve always been a “go with the flow” kind of gal. I think this adaptability is the key to my own success in everything I do. I don’t fight how life happens. I do, however fight for what I want to happen. Sounds contradictory, but really… I set an end goal but I don’t put the plan/path to get there in concrete. Sometimes the path changes so much the end goal does too.. But I’m always striving for something. I change techniques or ideas or approaches bases on what I learn or how life moves along. Foremost I’ve always believed that you really do have to love what you do - you spend enough time in your life working, it better be something you love.

To add to that, just this year, santa put a fridge magnet in my stocking that sits on my fridge right now. It says “whatever you are, be a good one”. Hear, hear, I say!

Dan: Alright then… words of wisdom to others… what essential things would you like others to take with them, those who might be wanting to work from home, develop an online business (possibly using POD services) that would carry them through the challenges and hurdles? What were your most important lessons learned?

Jen: Believe in yourself. Your worst enemy, your worst critique and your worst competitor is yourself… so be good to yourself and you will get through. I also recommend using a little creativity in what it is you choose to do. If you want to work from home, you can - be creative in how you approach it. This doesn’t mean you have to be an artist or even a doodler. It means think outside of the box just enough to make your business different… unique… something others will remember beyond all the others out there.

As far as challenges, I don’t think there is one single set of challenges, but I do think that if you surround yourself with people that support you and resources that can help you, you can make it through any challenge. Don’t try to do everything all by yourself all the time. Known when to ask
for help and know when to let others help. This is a hard one for me as well.

Most importantly, know when you need to take a break and allow yourself to do so.

As far as my most important lessons… I’m still learning and I learned that pretty early on, but I still have to remind myself regularly.

Dan: Jen, I’d like to thank you immensely for the time you’ve taken to discuss what you do. Any final, parting thoughts?

Jen: Thank you again! Having to stop and really think about how I’ve gotten to where I am or what roads I’ve taken along the way is something I hadn’t done until now. I appreciate your asking and have thoroughly enjoyed this!

Just remember: love what you do and eventually what you do will turn around and love you right back.

Interview Copyright © 2008 by Daniel D. Mowry. All rights reserved.
May not be reproduced without permission.
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