Catching Up

Where has the time gone? What began as a short Summer hiatus turned into a three month break, at least as far as Solutions is concerned. So much has happened in a short time, but it's all been good. Let me bring you up to date:

HaidaBucks stares down Starbucks
After several months of legal wrangling over alleged trademark infringement, Starbucks has finally relented, sending a letter closing the matter. We are proud to have been a part of HaidaBucks' efforts, as well as our plan to continue working with them in the areas of business expansion.

Knowing that I volunteered our services for the legal battle, one might wonder if I am anti-big-business, as at least one Starbucks executive suggested. Not at all! I am very proud of the work Eva and I have done for large companies. In fact, we plan to launch a "corporate" division within the next two years.

My years as a store manager and corporate copywriter for Men's Wearhouse were extremely gratifying, and I am very happy that I continue to provide writing services for the company as a consultant. CEO George Zimmer is an avid proponent of Servant-Leadership and related humanistic management principles, and the continuation of this relationship affords me the opportunity to continue learning (as we should strive to do) from an excellent mentor (actually two).

Likewise, Eva's work for Computer Sciences Corporation has allowed her to validate numerous management theories while overseeing projects valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Because of this work, she has been able to bring far greater experience to bear on her work with small businesses.

What troubles me about the HaidaBucks/Starbucks problem is that the suit was spurious, and mean-spirited - simply a tactic to force a small company out of business in a devious attempt to create undeserved case-law in favor of their trademark. You don't see K-Mart suing Wal-Mart over the syllable their names share. I'm well aware of a company's need to protect its trademarks, and am thankful the law provides protection. On the other hand, I'm not going to stop calling myself "Lane" because there's a furniture company using. Nor will I sue them for said use.

With that said, congratulations to HaidaBucks on their victory, and best wishes for continued success.

Eva relocates
Eva has temporarily moved shop out-of-state, where she will continue to work with Computer Sciences Corporation, but on a different account. Over the next six months, she will transition to handling this project form our home office, but circumstances required that she begin the assignment on-site. This move is an integral step in bringing a major part of Eva's work in-house.

Lane to be published
I recently learned that A Gift of Spirit will be included in Chicken Soup to Inspire the Body & Soul®. This story relates an incident that literally changed my life. While it concerns my development as a musician, the lesson I learned was also an integral part of my development as a businessman. Interested parties may e-mail me for details on reserving a signed copy (at cover price).

New business in the works
We're moving forward with a business idea we've been outlining for the past two years. It's still too early to offer any details; suffice to say that we're now in the process of formalizing the structure and processes of the organization.

Site undergoing redesign
In order to make the site's resource pages easier to access, we are redesigning the web site. Once completed, all current pages will be available, but the navigation should be even easier. We'll keep you posted on our progress. As always, we're using the Macromedia suite of products for the project.

There you have it: all the reasons Solutions has not been sent during the last three months. We are now back on schedule, however, and will remain so through the rest of the year. My thanks for your patience, as well as the e-mails we've received.

Resource Review

Book - The One Minute Manager, Ken Blanchard & Spencer Johnson, 1983, Berkley Books.

Truly a classic management treatise, Blanchard & Johnson teach the reader three keys to effective, humanistic management. Learn how to set one-minute goals for yourself (and teach others to do it), as well as how to give effective praise and criticism. With just over a hundred pages, this book will fit into even the busiest schedule, but will repay the time investment many times over. A must for anyone that interacts with others.

Quick Tip - Get the Most Out of Your Tech-gear

Of course you have a computer - you're reading this message, after all. What else do you have? Fax, cell-phone, pocket computer? What else? How well do you understand their uses and their abilities to integrate with each other? Many people never fully capitalize on their technology investment. It pays to learn as much as you can about the devices you use to run your business. It's no different than a tradesperson (plumber, carpenter, etc.) fully understanding the tools of their profession, and can be just as important to a successful business.

Another thing: Do your homework before you buy more. You'll save time and money by ensuring that you 1) can use it to your benefit and 2) it will integrate efficiently - and in useful ways - with your current setup and any planned expansion. Also, you can often save money by buying behind the bleeding edge of technology; many of us don't need the very latest (and most expensive) alternatives.

You've Got Questions

Q. - What are the best advertising buys for me?

A. - That depends on your business. Regardless of what you sell (and we all sell something), you should always have a mix of media in your ad portfolio. Exactly what the correct balance is will change in different fields, as well as in different markets. To begin developing your strategy, ask yourself these questions:

What are my competitors doing, and is it effective?

What are my network of associates doing, and is it effective?

How will I track my efforts to determine which ones are most effective?

Thought for the Day:

Quality, quality, quality: never waver from it, even when you don't see how you can afford to keep it up. When you compromise, you become a commodity and then you die.
Gary Hirshberg, founder of Stonyfield Farm Yogurt

Copyright by Lane Baldwin Business Solutions, 2003. Reprinting or republication of Solutions is prohibited without prior approval.

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