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I’m in the process of a juggling act. A juggling act that involves a website redesign, working with Oliver in Spain / Europe, opening new retail accounts in the US and researching licensing opportunities for the brand. This is a fun juggling act. These are the exciting parts of growing the brand.

This juggling act also requires explaining and discussing Snoloha the brand. What it is. What my vision is. It also makes me realize what it is not.

Though as soon as I think I have a better understanding of how the brand is conveyed and perceived, I usually get an email from someone and their connection to the brand which completely surprises me, such as dog-sledding (you know who you are)! I would of never have guessed dog-sledding, but who am I to judge.

There are some constants, though, regarding what the brand is not (which then gives you a better idea of what the brand is…the exact opposite). Snoloha is not epic. It is not sick. It is not dope. it is not edgy, in your face. It is not testosterone induced. It is not competitively driven look at me. It is not pretentious. It is not cutting edge fashion. It is not a fad. It is not break through technical wear.

That’s a pretty good list.

So what is it?

It is escapism. It is enjoyment. Chill, Relax & Inspire. Slacker-friendly. Cold beer & Hot coffee. Therapeutic, Peaceful & Fluid. An empty beach. A quiet hike. Travel. Vacation. First tracks. Fresh powder. A snowman. A sandcastle. A memorable sunset. An unforgettable sunrise. It is simple. It is fun. It is modest. It is carrying a vacation mentality through everyday life, enjoying all the seasons Mother Nature throws at us.

A good friend of mine mailed me (yes, mail, envelope, stamp) an article ripped out of a recent Sailing Magazine. It’s a great article about smaller sailboats, their simplicity and how much more they are used and enjoyed compared to bigger, more expensive boats that always need attention and something worked on. Rather than the flat screen tv down below, “just sitting in the cockpit gives you the widest screen ever” (one of my new favorite quotes). It goes on to say “sailing is about freedom; freedom from land, freedom from complications…Now is a good time to get back to the basics. Go sailing on a simple boat and enjoy.”

In many ways that’s what Snoloha is. For me the sailing analogy works. But it can also be applied to the ski hill, the beach, the mountains, etc, etc. It’s the escapism.

I worked in the ski and snowboard biz for many years. I had to have the latest greatest gear. I use to pay attention to what everyone else was sporting. Now…I just enjoy getting out on the hill. I could care less what anyone (including myself) is sporting. It’s the enjoyment of the day that is most important. Of course one day when there is a Snoloha snowboard, I’ll sound like a complete hypocrite! Not really though…it will still be about the lifestyle and not the ‘hey look at me’ attitude.

It will still be about that long starboard tack with a little Marley playing in the background and a cold one in hand. Or taking a break in the lodge at the base of the hill for a round of warmers and ‘feeling it’ in your legs.

Whether you’re island hopping in the Caribbean or skiing in Alaska, sitting in a cubicle wishing you were somewhere else, or on a plane headed “anywhere”. Snoloha is that place where you feel relaxed, inspired, or energized.

That is Snoloha. Defined.

Got your own definition? Let me know.

Remember, time is running out for January and your chance to win FREE Snoloha gear!

So send in your photos! Simply email them to me or post them to the Snoloha Facebook page

Here’s Nick sporting his Snoloha Campus Jeep Hat and trying to look like Mr. Cool.

Growing a small business is hard work. Growing a brand that nobody has ever heard of before is extremely hard work. How do you do it? That’s the million dollar question.

In the retail world, there are steps you are “suppose” to take and there is a certain growth path you are suppose to follow. I’m sure this happens in all industries. There are outside forces and expectations of how and what you are suppose to do.

For Snoloha, I should be traveling to trade shows, hiring sales reps, opening a Snoloha branded store and opening retailers at a rapid pace.

Easier said than done.

Trade shows (I’m talking the BIG ones…not the the smaller, regional shows) for small brands, are difficult to rationalize when you really step back and logically crunch the numbers. Getting lost in a sea of big brands and big budgets is too often the case. Don’t get me wrong, trade shows make sense…once you are at a certain size, and perhaps if it’s geographically more convenient (which makes it more cost effective).

Of course anything can be done with big budgets. Snoloha does not have a big budget. Snoloha is completely owned, operated and funded by three people…me, myself and I (if you step into my head, you will realize there really is more than one person…but that’s another topic). There are pros and cons to this, of course.

This brand is my baby. This brand is not an attempt to sell a bunch of cheap t-shirts, try to make a lot of money and then ride off into the sunset. This brand is my passion. And that comes across when talking with customers and retailers. That’s the beauty of independently owned small business.

There are limitations because you must do things in a much more cost effective way. But it doesn’t have to be viewed as a limitation, rather as an opportunity to be more creative…which only helps you stand apart from the all the other brands vying for attention.

I am still waiting to take the big trade show leap…I’m still not convinced in the return. And reps…well, it’s very difficult to find a good rep willing to take on a new brand. Sales reps work on commission (usually), which means their livelihood depends on sales. So they need to carry brands that they know sell and there is a demand for. With Snoloha, there are no guarantees. We are still creating demand. We are still introducing the brand. However, since it is so new…that also means there is nothing but room for growth (sales). Finding a sales rep with a hint of entrepreneurial drive may be needed. I have been burned a handful of times by reps, so I’m now being much more diligent in my hunt.

A Snoloha branded store? I still kick that idea around. I like the overall concept. But Traverse City, Michigan can be a very tough town for brick and mortar. Traverse City is an amazingly beautiful resort town in northern Michigan located at the base of the Old Mission Peninsula which divides two bays that empty into Lake Michigan. I LOVE living here. But doing business here is not as easy. Our window of opportunity is small. There are 3 months in the summer when the town is busy with tourists. The rest of the year, they trickle in, but for the most part it’s quiet. I’m not willing to open a store in downtown and rely on a short tourist season in order to succeed. So at this point, it’s growing through other retailers and through the website. I’m not throwing the idea out entirely though, because I really like it, a lot. It would be a great way to connect with the customer on a more personal level, to test new designs, and to continue introducing the brand through my own eyes. So if the right opportunity presents itself…who knows.

In the meantime, I’m contacting and opening retailers myself, searching for the right sales reps, continuing to grow online and through my licensee in Spain.

It’s hard, but rewarding…and sure beats the alternative.

Have you heard of Life is good? If not, you should check ‘em out. It’s an amazing brand with a great story.

It’s also a brand that is constantly trying to be duplicated, emulated, copied and ripped off. It is now a very BIG company with ginormous distribution and market share. They are successful. People want to be like them. So they try and replicate it with lazy attempts of blatant “Life is good” style designs, slogans and sayings.

This drives me crazy. They have been building this brand for more than 15 years. It did not happen over night. But for some reason, people think they can piggy back off their success and become the “next Life is good.”

The thing is, there is no such thing as the “next Life is good.” Just as there is no such thing as the “next Michael Jordan” (they’ve been trying to label players with that for years…remember Harold Miner, aka “baby Jordan”?).

Life is good tapped into something powerful. Life is good is a genuine brand with a genuine story….which is what it’s imitators lack. You want a successful brand…be genuine.

But people don’t seem to want to take the longer, harder route of creating their own legacy or successful brand. I’m not a very patient person, just ask my wife. I can’t stand the wait in a restaurant, lines at the store, big crowds or the 2 minutes it takes to reheat left-overs in the microwave. This probably explains why I love escaping on a sailboat, a ski hill, the beach or the woods…peaceful and therapeutic.

However, I have learned that in order to grow Snoloha into the global brand that I have envisioned…it is going to take patience. Snoloha is still a very, very small brand. It’s not even a speck on the global brand map. Snoloha will be 3 years old in February. It’s still a toddler with a lot to learn and a long way from being fully mature.

I have to step back and remind myself of this every now and then. I have several brands that I watch very closely and would love one day for Snoloha to be in the same echelon as them. And every so often (okay, quite often) I find myself frustrated that I’m not there yet… so when I see yet another Life is good wannabe, it’s always a good reminder that this doesn’t happen overnight and I’m not trying to copy another’s success, instead working to create my own.

As we settle into and get comfy with 2010, I thought it was important to continue my “accountability” kick that I’m on this year.

When I first launched Snoloha, I did a great job at regularly promoting and choosing a monthly Snapshots & Scenery winner.

Quick reminder…Snapshots & Scenery is a fancy way to say Photo Contest, and each month the winner gets FREE gear by sharing their Snoloha photos. These photos may include Snoloha gear, of course…or they can simply be of the Snoloha lifestyle that you enjoy.

Last year I did a terrible job at keeping up with this contest. I focused so much of my energy on re-branding, new designs and new products for 2010 that I simply dropped the “Snapshots & Scenery” ball.

Not this year…So get your photos to me by the end of the month for a chance to win.

How do you get them to me? Simply email them to me or post them to the Snoloha Facebook page.

Here’s Rob sporting his Snoloha Campus Jeep Hat while enjoying a PBR in the parking lot of a ski hill.

This photo got me thinking about another shot Rob had sent in, so I went to the archives and found this one of him in his Snoloha gear while enjoying a beer and skiing in Big Sky. I think Rob has a problem…a skiing problem.

Those of you who regularly stop by to read this blog know that I talk about the challenges of running a lifestyle business every now and then. It’s the constant juggling act of actually living and enjoying the lifestyle I’m promoting, along with the hard work that goes into actually growing the business.

So far this winter there have not been any pics and stories about escaping to the ski hill or getting lost in the woods. That’s because there hasn’t been much of it. In fact, I have yet to strap on the snowboard. However, I have managed to do a fair amount of snowshoeing and hiking with Bailey the Dog. So far this winter has been dedicated to behind-the-scenes work to grow Snoloha in 2010. The new retailer catalog is finally done, and I’m anxious to “re-introduce” the brand to stores with the new branding, quality and selection.

It has been stressful this winter due to the change in direction and all the work that accompanies any change. Launching and running a small business is no bed of roses. Some days you feel like you’re on top of the world, while others you wonder what you’ve got yourself into. Hopefully, there are more highs than lows, of course.

The ironic thing is…during those times of stress due to all the work associated with small business is exactly the time when the Snoloha lifestyle that I promote (and am working so hard on) needs to be exercised. So escaping on water, the snow, the woods, the beach…wherever, helps relieve the stress and allows me to refocus.

One of the other escapes, for me, is reading. I just finished reading Jon Huntsman’s “Winners Never Cheat”. It was a pretty good read. One of my favorite parts was a quote from J. Kenfield Morley:

“I believe the recipe for happiness it to have just enough money to pay the monthly bills you acquire, a little surplus to give you confidence, a little too much work each day, enthusiasm for your work, a substantial share of good health, a couple of real friends and a wife and children to share life’s beauty with you.”

That’s powerful stuff…worth printing and posting on a wall or in a frame.

This week begins the hunt for new retailers now that the catalog is done….which brings back up the issue of accountability. Yikes.

When I first started Snoloha, I knew (and felt) immediately this urge to give back. It’s almost an inherent responsibility that comes along with business. Some companies, such as TOMS Shoes, have built their brand around a philanthropic cause. While others, such as Life is good, have created their own foundations to help the less fortunate. Others donate portions of each sale to specific causes and some just donate quietly.

Where and how does Snoloha fit into all of this? I don’t know yet. I’ve experimented with a few different ideas and have contributed along the way. A constant concern that I have is any philanthropic efforts coming across as a marketing gimmick and attempt to increase sales rather than an authentic way to give back. And then there is the struggle of figuring out which cause (or causes) to commit to. There are so many great non-profits out there that need help that I don’t even know where to start sometimes.

I’m still trying to determine the best way to incorporate philanthropy into Snoloha on a more consistent basis (and it may end up being in such a way that nobody knows about it). But as of today, and due to the massive earthquake that has left Haiti trembling and in dire need of aid, it just seems to make sense to direct attention to our island friends in the Caribbean.

If you’re thinking of buying a Snoloha item…maybe take that $20.00 and donate it to the hurricane relief efforts instead.

Would I appreciate your purchase if you really want to buy Snoloha? Of course I would. The reality is, sales still need to happen for any business.

So if you do pick up some Snoloha gear, $2.50 for each item purchased will go to the Red Cross for hurricane relief. Buy one item – $2.50 is donated. By five items – $12.50 is donated. Easy as that. Feel free to spread the word.

That’s what I realized after a meeting with my “web guy” last night.

And he’s right. It is. He was much more polite about it though. He compared it to a quilt that has been patched together with a lot of care and love. It works and is comfy, but not at first glance.

When we first launched the site back in winter of 2006 it was clean, crisp and had that new car smell. Since then it’s taken on numerous looks, additions and a brand new shopping cart install. But through it all, we never actually stepped back and started over…rather we just cleaned it up, gave it a little spit shine and called it good.

With all the new branding I knew it was time to revisit the site (and by the way, the current look to the site is my temporary fix to reflect the branding). Now, we are stripping it. Starting from scratch. Taking it apart and putting it back together.

The new site will focus on Snoloha the brand, while highlighting the Store, Blog, Photos & International, and allowing social networking opportunities where appropriate.

Looking back at that first site, makes me realize how much I liked it. It’s simple and clean.

By buddy Mark, aka TikiTender re-posted this the other day due to some exceptionally cold Florida weather. And since those inspirational cold Florida temps are still hanging around I thought I’d do the same:

Snoloha, The Drink.

The photo was taken at the Golden Lion beach bar on Florida’s Atlantic Coast.

Check out these ingredients. What a perfect concoction for the Snoloha brand.

Thanks TikiTender, for creating a great Snoloha style drink.

Snoloha
1 oz Malibu Coconut rum
1 oz creme de banana
3/4 oz Kahlua coffee liqueur
3/4 oz Bailey’s Irish cream
2 oz half & half
3/4 oz strawberry puree

Prepare a hurricane or pint glass by pouring the strawberry puree into the bottom. Fill a blender with about 3/4 of a cocktail shaker of ice. Add all other ingredients and blend until smooth and frothy. Pour into the hurricane glass. You will notice the strawberry puree is “pulled” up and into the drink, creating a cool effect. Top with whipped cream and a cherry or two.

…and no, I’m not talking about the 80’s hit “Everybody’s Working for the Weekend” by Loverboy.

I’m referring to that feeling that many of us know come Friday afternoon as the clock slowly makes its way to 5:00. I was there, in what seems to be a previous life…come 5:00 on Friday I felt like Fred Flintstone sliding down the tail of a Brontosaurus screaming “Yaba Dab Do”. But then, reality would set in sometime early Sunday evening, along with the anxiety, depression and pure hatred for a dreadful office environment surrounded by working zombies that I’m still not sure made much more noise than an occasional grunt.
Monday was horrible. I hated Mondays.

That’s certainly not the case any longer. In fact, I enjoy Monday…and every other day in the week. There is no going through the motions just to get to Friday and then feel alive for a day and a half.

This past Friday I found myself working until about 1:00 am on the Snoloha catalog, and then again Saturday morning. It was great. I didn’t mind for one second. Would I rather have been outside playing in the snow on my board or snowshoes? Eh…I can do that today (Monday) if I want. There is no 9 to 5, and that is the constant balancing act of growing and running a lifestyle brand. Yes, it’s a ton of fun to participate and enjoy the activities that inspire Snoloha, but those inspirations are just that…unless they are continually acted upon and realized into growing the business. And that requires a ton of behind the scenes hard work, including late night Fridays.

The point of this post? There’s not one, really. I’m not preaching starting your business because you’re unhappy with your current job…rather just sharing further insight into the life of growing Snoloha. That way, when I post pics snowboarding or sailing during the middle of the day…keep in mind those late Fridays. It’s not all fun and games.