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For those of you that have joined the Snoloha Community, you have probably noticed Seattle Dave’s Feel Good Friday blog posts. If not, you should check ‘em out.

Dave is from Des Moines, Washington, which is near Seattle…hence the “Seattle Dave” nickname. Dave had some media coverage regarding his Feel Good Friday initiative on The Waterland Blog. And yes, he was kickin’ it in his Snoloha fleece and hat.

Last call for a chance to win FREE Snoloha gear (When I type FREE in all caps, it’s suppose to grab your attention). February’s Snapshots & Scenery winner will be be decided this weekend. What kind of photos qualify for the Snapshots & Scenery contest? Anything that represents your “somewhere between the islands & the arctic” lifestyle. Does it have to include Snoloha gear? No.

You have 2 ways to do this:

Create a profile on the Snoloha Community and upload your pics.

Or, you can do the same on the Snoloha Facebook Fan page.

Check out the slideshow below of some of the photos uploaded:

Find more photos like this on The Snoloha Lifestyle

Mike Michalowicz, Author of The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur presents “One Eyed Marketing” in a recent video of “On A Roll”. Check out the Snoloha swag, including the sticker and t-shirt on the long horn skull in the background.

Did I mention this book is worth picking up…oh why looky here, a conveniently placed link directly to Amazon where you can buy a copy.

How To Market With No Money – One Eyed Marketing from Toilet Paper on Vimeo.

Okay. So after this previous weekend (see post below), I was able to come to a clear and definitive decision regarding the question of whether to open a Snoloha retail location.

I relied on my 12 years of retail experience before launching Snoloha, my wife’s thoughts (I’d need her support) and the input of several close friends and colleagues as I weighed the pros and cons.

Pros:
Visibility & Location in downtown Traverse City
Size of the space is ideal (small)
Lease is fair (price and length)
Brand exposure
Merchandising control
Added exposure will lead to more website traffic
4th sales channel (in addition to online, other retailers and Europe)
Ability to see first hand customer reaction to the brand, what items and designs sell best, and instant feedback
Retail store to double as a warehouse for online sales

Cons:
Overhead
Inventory
Hours
Employees
Location (yes, it’s a pro and a con, I’ll explain below)

So, looking at the pros and cons (there are other variables to consider, but for the sake of keeping this simple let’s focus on what’s listed), it would appear that the logical decision is to open a retail store. The pros outweigh the cons.

First, let me explain the location. This particular space is in a prime spot in downtown Traverse City (pro). During the busy tourist months there will be plenty of foot traffic and visibility (pro)…assuming we have a strong tourist season, that is (uh-oh). Which is why the location is also a con. Being located in a seasonal tourist destination means a small window of opportunity to begin with (con), plus having to rely on three good months of tourist traffic (con). Bad summer equals bad bottom line. That’s the “Catch 22″ of retail in downtown Traverse City.

I know, I know. That’s part of the risk in involved in opening a retail store.

Though the pros outweighed the cons, ultimately what made my decision was two-fold…experience and lifestyle (along with a very blunt email from a good friend).

Let me explain…

The first part:

I spent 12 years “on the other side of the counter”, as I like to call it. Meaning I worked the retail hours. The holidays, weekends and nights. I’ve dealt with the customers and the employees. The events you have to participate in. The hours you’re required to be open. The day after Thanksgiving madness and the day after Christmas returns nightmare. Those are many of the same reasons I decided to leave that side of retail in the first place and go back to college.

The second part:

I decided to launch Snoloha and take the entrepreneurial leap, not because I was seeking to try and get rich, but because I wanted to live a certain lifestyle and I believed (still do) in the concept of the Snoloha brand. I wanted to have the flexibility to go sailing in the middle of the day on any given day. I wanted to have the ability to watch college football on Saturdays. I wanted to enjoy the holidays. I wanted to experience a weekend like this past one (snowboarding on Saturday and snowshoeing on Sunday). That’s the whole point of being your own boss. That’s the whole point of the Snoloha concept…enjoying life ’somewhere between the islands and the arctic’. This is a lifestyle company, after all. Going back to retail hours would not allow me the flexibility of being my own boss and participating in a lifestyle that I’m promoting. I would be at the store on Saturdays and Sundays this summer. No impromptu sailing excursions. I’d be working the holiday hours and all the downtown events. The best time of the year in Traverse City is the time I’d be required to staying within those four walls.

I’m pretty sure I’d go crazy.

So there you have it. Based on experience and a preferred lifestyle, I’ve decided not to open a store.

I’m going to continue concentrating my growth online, through other retailers (such as Aloha Ski and Snowboard in Park City, Utah that just placed their order last week), and with my licensee in Europe. I feel good about this decision. Sure a retail store could be a nice shot in the arm for the brand and it’s growth. But, I’d rather continue an organic growth strategy that allows me flexibility. I believe the brand will be stronger as a result.

Thoughts? Share ‘em.

“I hate winter.” “I hate snow.” “I hate the cold.”

Okay, the cold one I can understand sometimes, especially when it’s below zero and single digits, but for the most part winter is an amazing season. It’s like with anything else in life…it’s what you make of it. I still can’t understand why people prefer to complain about winter, rather than enjoy it and make the most of it. Complaining, of course, is easy. Taking action, on the other hand, is not as easy…but MUCH more rewarding.

What’s the point of this rambling? I’m not sure yet. I have a feeling this post is going to be part one of two as I try and listen to Howard Stern on Sirius while making sense of the thoughts in my head and type at the same time…I’m beginning to see where this is heading.

I realized yesterday that a late winter Sunday afternoon is the perfect time for kickin’ back in these new Snoloha lounge pants. What made it so ideal was the weekend as a whole. Saturday morning I loaded the snowboard into the Jeep, picked up a buddy, grabbed a hot coffee and a six pack of Little Debbie chocolate donuts, and headed north to Boyne Mountain. To say we had good day would be an understatement. It snowed all day. We explored one end of the resort to the other, took a break for a cold beer at the Snowflake Lounge and rode until the lights came on. Fun. Yes.

Sunday was snowshoe day. Me, my wife, and Bailey the Dog enjoyed a long shoe through a local hiking area. The snow was pretty much untouched when we arrived, the landscape simply blanketed with freshly fallen snow, and the sun even managing to shine for a good portion of the day. By the time we got home, it was lounge pants time. Tired. Yes.

So to hear the constant complaints about winter is sometimes difficult to accept. Come March, yes even I will be ready for warmer weather, but until then I enjoy taking advantage of all that Mother Nature throws at us. Of course this is the core concept behind the Snoloha brand and living that lifestyle is important, especially for me, in order to be continuously reminded and inspired of all the reasons I originally thought of, eventually launched, and continue to grow this company.

So that’s part one. Part two…the decision of the retail location (links to earlier post)…stand by, I’m working on it.

The Slacker-Friendly Lounge Pants are now available on the website.

Here are the links:

• Guys Lounge Pants
• Gals Lounge Pants

Warning: These are comfortable and will definitely have a negative impact on your productivity levels.

In fact, before you buy, please read the following far from legal statement:

“Snoloha can not be held responsible for a lack of productivity or sudden urge to just “lounge” and relax while wearing these Lounge Pants. Further, Snoloha can only recommend each customer to occasionally wash said garment, though the thought of not wearing them for any period of time is hard to accept, the eventual smell of constant lounging without washing may become offensive.”

A big Snoloha thanks and welcome to the newest retailer that will be carrying Snoloha gear…Aloha Ski & Snowboard, located in Park City, Utah. With 4 locations, be sure to check ‘em out if your winter travel take you to Park City.

Seems like a perfect fit and I’m excited for the additional exposure out west and the growth opportunity with Aloha.

You’ve heard me say this before…starting and running a small business is hard work. There are days when you think “what the hell am I doing?” And others where you can’t imagine doing anything else.

One of the constant motivators for me has always been hearing about the connection to the brand from customers. I received this email just the other day:

My Girlfriend and I were just in Traverse City for the day…and we stopped into Boyne Country Sports. We saw the Snoloha display right at the front door. Immediately we knew this brand was “us.” We are both into snowboarding and skimboarding. We Travel often, back and forth from Florida & California, to Michigan. I really think this brand has the potential to be huge, nationwide. It represents the lifestyle of so many of us who live in seasonal climates. One of our good friends live in Hawaii, I cant wait to share with what we’ve found.

Keep up the good work

That is what keeps me going.

What? A guarantee? Every time I see or think of a company and their guarantee, for some reason I think of Chris Farley in “Tommy Boy” (see dialogue from movie at the end of this post).

It seems that every company worth their salt has some sort of guarantee, and since Snoloha is worth at least enough salt for a margarita I thought I’d create a Snoloha guarantee.

As you may already know, Snoloha is a lifestyle shared by those who live, play, travel, vacation, relax, or simply enjoy life somewhere between the islands and the arctic. It’s carrying a vacation mentality through everyday life.

When you wear your Snoloha gear, or simply think of the Snoloha brand, it should help you escape to “your somewhere”. That “somewhere” might be a boat in the Caribbean or a ski lodge in Canada; a secret remote sliver of beach on one of The Great Lakes or getting lost on a hiking trail in a Rocky Mountain state; a favorite drink at the tiki bar, or a hot cup of coffee on a cold winter morning.

Your “somewhere” is that place you escape to relax, to unwind and to enjoy. Where you feel the most at ease or the most inspired. Where you feel the most invigorated or the most calm.

So whether you’re stuck in the office, in traffic, at home or simply somewhere you’d prefer not to be, Snoloha is determined to help you escape. Especially in today’s doom and gloom news coverage, a little escapism can go a long way. If you feel that Snoloha is not able to help you escape from the realities of everyday life now and then, let me know and we can get to work making it right! How? It’ll be case-by-case, I’m sure.

And while we’re at it, “Where is your somewhere?” Let me know. Send a photo.

I have several:

• Ivan’s Stress Free Bar on Jost Van Dyke
• Maho Bay on St. John
• Any winter hike through freshly fallen snow.
• Simply sitting on a boat (being under sail or under power is always better, but sometimes never leaving the marina or the dock is just fine).
• Simply sitting in an old car (driving one is always better, but sometimes the chance to sit, grab the wheel and smell that “old car smell” is just fine).
• Northern tip of the Old Mission Peninsula. Hike out to the end. Continue to carefully jump out onto the furthest rock you’re able to. You are now completely surrounded by water. Ahead of you is the open water of Lake Michigan. Turn around and face south. On your left is East Grand Traverse Bay. On your right is West Grand Traverse Bay. At this point you are practically standing on the 45th Parallel – Halfway Between the Equator and North Pole.

From “Tommy Boy”:

“Tommy: Let’s think about this for a sec, Ted, why do they put a guarantee on a box? Hmm, very interesting.
Ted: I’m listening.
Tommy: Here’s how I see it. A guy puts a guarantee on the box ’cause he wants you to feel all warm and toasty inside.
Ted: Yeah, makes a man feel good.
Tommy: ‘Course it does. Ya think if you leave that box under your pillow at night, the Guarantee Fairy might come by and leave a quarter.
Ted: What’s your point?
Tommy: The point is, how do you know the Guarantee Fairy isn’t a crazy glue sniffer? “Building model airplanes” says the little fairy, but we’re not buying it. Next thing you know, there’s money missing off the dresser and your daughter’s knocked up, I seen it a hundred times.
Ted: But why do they put a guarantee on the box then?
Tommy: Because they know all they sold ya was a guaranteed piece of sh*t.”

This weekend in Traverse City was the Winter WonderFest. One of the events was Ice Carving. I thought this particular ice sculpture had a certain Snoloha feel to it…I mean it is a tiki bar made out of ice! I was tempted to hang a Snoloha driftwood sign from it, but I don’t think the artist would have appreciated me hammering a nail into the hours of carefully shaped ice…so I refrained. Sure would of looked cool though.