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Yup…that’s right. This post is all about promoting the design work of Lake Effect Design. Lake Effect is owned by Joe Gabry. Joe is responsible for quite a few of the Snoloha designs you see on the website, that retailers see in the wholesale catalog and that you will continue to see as the brand grows…along with the branding and marketing collateral that we unveiled late last year. So yes, Joe has been an integral component to Snoloha’s growth and branding efforts, and will remain an important role as brand awareness and demand continue to increase organically (how’s that for corporate speak?).

Basically what I’m saying is that Joe is a kick-ass designer and I wanted to take a moment to blatantly promote his new company.

The new website is currently under construction, but you can check ‘em out on Facebook as well, facebook.com/LakeEffectDesign.

The Palm Tree Chair Lift design that Joe did has quickly become the best selling and most popular design in the Snoloha lineup.

Guys…get yours here.

Gals..here you go.

Am I?

Am I just another A-Hole growing a “lifestyle brand”? Seriously. I saw a new business the other day that is selling a stick. The kind of stick that falls off a tree. But it’s not just a stick, it’s the lifestyle around the stick they are selling.

Okay. I made the stick business up. But I have noticed that just about every new business launched these days seems to have this idea that they are going to market the product around a lifestyle and connect with like-minded individuals through social networking. Original. Not really.

It really got me to thinking about Snoloha. I actually started questioning if I’m just another wannabe lifestyle entrepreneur trying to build the next Life is Good (the second coolest brand your money can buy). I let it get to me, big time. I really took a hard look at my brand and my business. I took a hard look at my vision and where I see this brand going.

The answer, after stressing a considerable amount, to the question “am I just another a-hole trying to grow a lifestyle brand?“…(all jokes aside, I know who you are!) is NO.

I’ve been working on this concept and brand since 2003 when the idea first came to me. The first version of Snoloha.com was launched late 2006 and we debuted at retail in early 2007. Mistakes…I’ve made a few, and there are going to be plenty more. Stress…you betcha. Worry…uh-huh. Fun…absolutely. Fulfilling…without a doubt. Regrets…nope. This isn’t a half-assed attempt to be the next Life is Good. This is a full fledged, totally committed to the ups and downs and the bumps and bruises of small business life, drive to be the first Snoloha…and not the next Life is Good.

Speaking of mistakes (and I’ve made more than a few)…the inventory on the website right now is still awful. I’ve got a bunch of blanks ready to be printed but they are in line behind all the summer retailer orders that need to be delivered first. So there IS new inventory coming! There are also a few items that probably were not the best idea to add to the collection that I NEED to get rid of and will be marking down to an attractive “must buy” price.

Lastly, since I’m on a roll here, there’s still the part of me that wants to incorporate giving back as part of the business model. The easy thing to do and the most common, of course, is to say with every purchase you make a certain percentage or dollar amount goes to a certain cause. But, as always with me, I don’t much care for easy and common. After a very long talk with a close friend / advisor about his topic, there are some initial thoughts and ideas in place. It’s going to take some work, but I think it will be fun, interactive and will make an impact…stay tuned.

If you’ve read this far…you deserve something. How about a couple free Snoloha Koozies or a new H2O Bottle (neither of these items are on the site yet) with your next purchase? All you have to do is shoot me a note and write Koozie or H20 Bottle in the subject line. I’ll match it up with the name on your order. Easy as that.

I’ve noticed that I’ve lost a few Snoloha Facebook fans the past few days. Perhaps I’m alienating people with this “turn off the social networking now and then” philosophy.

All you marketing peeps out there, this will probably make your head explode…but one of the reasons I started this blog back in 2006 was to be open, honest and transparent with my customers. And since it’s pretty much common practice these days to hide behind PR speak and legalese (have you been listening to the dolts at BP?), I’ll take the road less traveled and just be candid. Imagine that.

I admit, it’s a very big struggle for me to keep up with all the social networking nonsense these days. This is for two reasons, really.

1. Personally I’m just not very good at it. I kinda just go about my day and my business and never think that I should be updating my status. I try…and every now and then I succeed. But more often than not, I fail (insert joke here).

B. But there’s that business that I’m growing, which means I really need/should be putting my personal feelings aside and instead utilize this communication channel for business purposes. But…Snoloha is a lifestyle brand that promotes ‘escapism’…from the realities and techno gadgets of everyday life now and then. Yet social networking and associated gadgets allow customers to interact with the brand…so it’s a very awkward position. On one hand I absolutely love the opportunity and ability for customer interactions, but on the other hand I’m promoting a lifestyle that includes putting all the techno babble gadgets away and simply enjoying life ’somewhere between the islands and the arctic’.

Are you picking up what I’m laying down? Personally I’m not a big fan, but from a business perspective I’m kinda forced to be. And since I’m the “face of the brand” (someday I’ll hire a good-looking spokesman/woman) and since it’s always been my goal to be open, honest and transparent with my customers I’m now openly admitting my concerns with social networking, yet I ask for all of you to ‘participate in the conversation’ (that’s marketing BS talk).

Okay. There you have it. Now I’ll probably lose even more fans and followers…but not until I Tweet and Post this first…kind of a ‘don’t bite the hand that feeds you’ scenario!?

So don’t let my social networking struggles keep you from interacting…because I truly enjoy the interactions, the feedback and the photos.

I guess you could call it Social Networking Hypocrisy.

Intuit…perhaps better known for their products such as Quick Books and Turbo Tax, is running a Love a Local Business competition which lets fans, including customers, vendors, employees, and the community, determine who deserves some love – in the form of small business grants.

Could Snoloha use a grant? Is Jimmy Buffett perhaps the coolest dude on the planet?

Oh, maybe you’re not a Buffett fan…so I should use a question that is certain to get a “yes” response. Does the oil spill in the Gulf really suck? Yes, of course it does.

All you have to do is visit this link to vote for Snoloha. You will have to sign in through one of the many networks available (Facebook, Twitter, Google, Yahoo!, AOL, etc, etc).

So where would this grant money go? Inventory, New Product, New Designs, Trade Shows and Marketing Materials (catalogs, samples, retail POP)…which in turn contributes to the growth of Snoloha and spreading escapism and a vacation mentality for all to experience as a way to deal with the realities of everyday life now and then.

THANKS for all the support!

There’s been lots happening behind the scenes and online, and now is a good time for an update with where everything stands.

First…these are the results for favorite Definition Series T: Escape, Chill, Enjoy Life, Relax. So, the “Escape” T will be the first to go to print. When? This leads to the second update…

Second…the website is undergoing a complete redesign. Not just a little touch up like we’ve done in the past, but a complete overhaul. This should be done in the next couple of weeks. When the new site launches is when the new “Escape” T will be available.

Third…the new and improved Palm Tree Chair Lift is back from the printer. This is printed on the new ring-spun, pre-laundered t’s that are slowly replacing the others on the site. They will join the new “Escape” T when the new site launches.

Fourth…you may have seen the ladies zip hoodie below that went to the printer. Well, this piece ended up not being very print friendly due to its waffled fabric. So, it may be going to the embroiderer for the SnoFlake Palm Tree. Stay tuned.

Fifth…the Snoloha labels that I was wondering what to do with will be used on the bottom of select shirts like Joe had suggested below. The Flip Flops will happen…eventually.

Sixth…I’m actively pursuing new retail accounts for Snoloha and searching for sales reps as well. If you know of either, let me know.

Seventh...ALL t-shirts are still at $15.00. Shipping is FREE with purchase of $50, anything less is flat rate shipping for $5.00.

There’s plenty more happening and in the works, but this is a pretty good update for now.

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.

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.