Loading ...

It’s Friday. It was just Monday. It’s March. It was just New Year’s Eve. It’s 2010. It was just the Millennium.

I work out everyday and get to the fitness club at the same time each morning. Typically Raymond will be there at the same time too. Raymond is 20 years older than me and has the same routine.

I saw Raymond yesterday as I was leaving and I said the typical “good-bye, see you in the morning.” This morning Raymond was getting ready to go swimming and I stated to him, “can you believe it’s already today? It was just yesterday!”

Raymond replied to me with a smile on his face, “Are you kidding me? If you think time is going by fast now, just wait until you get to my age.” I replied back that there is no way time can go faster than it is now. Raymond simply shrugged with a “it does.”

Raymond was my age so he would know. What he said is scary. And there is nothing we can do about it. Or can we? Can Steve Jobs come up with the next big thing in technology: slow perception of time? It’s something to think about.

Happy Friday!

P.S. Speaking of time zipping by, I will be traveling all next week and I don’t blog when I travel. But then again, it be a few zips and zaps before I’m back to this.

 Loading ...

Whenever I stand in line waiting to pay, I always check out how the person in front of me pays. As I have blogged before, the dreaded moment is when the 60-year old woman takes out her checkbook and spends ten minutes filling out a $27.42 check.

If you pay attention to such things, you too would be shocked at the versatility us humans have at organizing (or lack thereof) cash and credit cards. Here is what I come up with so far:

1. Women’s pocketbook that holds photos, credit cards, cash, change, bobby pins, has multiple pockets. When this person pays with cash, she takes out paper bills and then counts out the change from her change pocket.

2. Women’s change purse and wallet combo. This woman has a petite wallet that holds credit cards and cash and a separate change purse. Question: Does anyone use change anymore?

3. Women’s wallet. Most popular, holds credit cards and cash.

4. Men’s money clip that goes in front pocket that holds cash.

5. Men’s money clips that goes in front pocket that holds cash and credit cards.

6. Men’s wallet that holds cash and credit cards.

7. Men’s wallet that holds credit cards.

8. Men’s wallet that hold cash, credit cards, photos, and addresses.

9. Those that have no wallet and stuff cash and/or credit card in their purse and/or pocket.

10. And finally, those that walk around with no wallet, no cash or credit cards and have the person next to them pay for their purchases.

I’m happy we don’t sell wallets.

Happy Thursday!

 Loading ...

Gillette invented the first safety razor in 1901. But it took decades before Gillette introduced the first disposable razor. Do you remember when? 1976.

Over 30 years later, disposable razors are still king. Million and zillions are sold every year. I remember when BIC came out with theirs. WOW, that was a huge launch and it quickly became #1. Too bad for BIC they didn’t improve their design but they still sell like crazy.

When it comes to disposables, life is not simple. There are cheap single blade, good twin blades, better three blades, some with lube strips, some with cushioned handles. There are razors for men, razors for women. They are sold in 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36 packs.

I like using a disposable best. I used to buy Gillette’s latest and greatest but when they got to 6 blades with a neon handle and built-in battery with a cost of $4.99 per blade, I said enough is enough.

But I think the real business is with women. One thing I smile about each and every day is that I don’t have to shave my legs. Can you imagine? With daily shaving regardless of the brand, what is the average life of a disposable razor?

I’m sure the Democrats and Republicans can have a huge debate on this subject. I would guess anywhere from 3-12 times before tossing.

Who would think there is so much to talk about when it comes to shaving? Oh, forget about hair removal, I can talk about that for pages.

Happy Wednesday!

 Loading ...

A couple weeks ago a salesperson came in for a meeting. A common occurrence that happens far too often. In conversation I learned he had a daughter and a wife and was traveling light.

I wanted to give him something to take home to earn some bonus points. I gave him the new mini collections from both Essie and OPI.

The phone call I received the next day was such that you would have thought I gave him a couple sets of Tiffany studs. That’s how happy they were.

Last week I interviewed a candidate wanting to work at TNG. He came in from NY and I learned that he too had a daughter and wife. On his way back to NY, I have him the OPI mini collection to earn some bonus points.

He gave the collection to his soon to be 13 year old daughter and she was giddy with excitement. She soon envisioned her father bringing home boxes of TNG goodies. And his wife wants 50 of them for a big birthday party.

The thing is, we are around beauty products all day long and to many of us, they are as utilitarian and exciting as a cup of morning coffee. We are so used to the products that they don’t excite us and we take them for granted. But when the same products are given or made available to those not around them, they jump up and down with excitement.

I doubt the owners wife of a florist gets excited when her husband brings home flowers. I doubt the owners wife of a jewelry store gets excited when her husband brings home another trinket. We all get jaded.

But I’m telling you. These mini collections are priceless and hot. If you own a salon or spa, put a dozen of them at the cash wrap and see what happens. It’s time to get excited about what others get excited about.

Happy Tuesday!

 Loading ...

According to a recent article in the Detroit Free Press, massage therapy is growing by leaps and bounds. And not in the typical places you would expect.

Massage therapy is no longer the once-a-year indulgence or special treat one gets at a spa. Sure plenty of spas are still doing massages, but the growth is coming from the health care field. For the first time, massage therapy is considered to be a health care benefit and therapists themselves health care professionals.

Hospitals, therapy centers, chiropractors and other venues are using massage therapy as a healing process. The article goes on to state that massage therapy reduces stress and provides many other benefits.

This is good news for salons and spas. While it’s nice that more and more hospitals are opening wellness centers, I would rather step into a nice spa. But for hospitals, it makes perfect sense. Plenty of people are going to hospitals for many reasons so why not turn the hospital experience into something positive.

One thing the article didn’t mention is that TNG offers advanced massage courses through Biotone. We have noticed that many courses are sold-out and it points to the trend of more people getting into the industry. It’s good work, rewarding and you get to listen to spa music all day long.

Personally, I like a massage with the same frequency of a pedicure: monthly. But I can certainly get used to having them weekly.

Happy Monday!

 Loading ...

Cold, blistery, snowy, cloudy and gray. Enough of winter. At least we aren’t in Florida where it’s in the 50’s or Texas where it’s in the 40’s.

When smoking ceases in restaurants and bars May 1, how much busier are the casinos going to be which will still allow smoking?

Is Toyota getting the same treatment by Congress that the Big 3 received during it’s request for a bailout?

Can someone come up with a way to create more than 52 Friday’s a year?

How often do you want to pass drivers going 30mph in a 45mph zone because it’s snowing and the roads are clear?

Do you like Sunday brunch as much as me? What is your favorite place? I would tell you mine but I’m always the one making it. One fav: Egg sandwiches. English muffin, turkey bacon, egg whites, tomato, onion, cheese, touch of mayo.

After selling snow, I’m working on my next patent: Stylish neck supports. This is going to be a huge business in 10-20 years as all the X and Y generation kids find out that keeping their head up is painful from years of constantly looking down while texting.

Over half the people who read this blog don’t read others. I wonder why anyone reads this one to begin with.

Tim Horton’s is kicking Starbuck’s butt in Michigan. Looks like donuts are coming back in a big way. BTW: What ever happened to Krispy Kreme? Back in the day, what was better than a hot glazed one?

Happy Friday!

 Loading ...

With Detroit getting 10” this week and NYC getting 13” today and for the first time in history, 49 states in the U.S. covered with snow, I have no idea why no one thought of this brilliant idea before: Snow for sale.

Bottled water is a multi-billion dollar business. Water is free. It rains, water flows, water is bottled. Now I’m going to do the same thing with snow. I’m going to get Dow Chemical to come up with the technology to store snow in its true form so it doesn’t turn to ice or shrivel up and like ice cream, can be stored for years without being opened.

Just think of all the things you can do with snow. Walmart and Target will sell it in their warm climate stores. Schools will use it for art class. A new sport, snow ball throwing, can be added to the Olympics. Dr. Scholl’s can sell it as a cold compress for sore muscles since it’s already frozen.

Coke can use it to sell Frozen Cokes available for home consumption. I even have an idea for it in spas: Ice cold wraps. The body is insulated with a rubber sheet and then covered with snow. The body cools down causing total relaxation, anti-aging and total relief.

I know Wolfgang Puck and Emeril will use snow in recipes from appetizers to desserts. A whole new dessert featuring snow pies will emerge.

Snow will also come in different flavors and since it will be pure, can be eaten. Mom’s can pack snow into their kids lunch boxes for a truly wholesome snack and kids will drink more water because of it.

There are so many more possibilities. I can write about more but I’m off to the patent office to get my patent before someone else does.

Wait. Aspen is calling me. “Mr. Gaynor, we heard about your idea about snow for sale. As you know, we are the world’s most famous ski resort and we want to market Aspen Snow at a premium price. Can you assist us in this project?”

And so it begins. Designer snow.

Happy Thursday!

 Loading ...

What timing. Yesterday I blog about optimism and pessimism and February results are released shortly thereafter that consumer confidence plunged the most in 27 years.

68 EXPERT ECONOMISTS predicted the number to fall in the range of 50-58. The January number was around 56. The actual number came in at around 46. NOT ONE OF THE EXPERTS WAS EVEN CLOSE.

This is exactly what happened in September 2008 when the economy collapsed. Not a single expert in forecasting, banking or politics predicted the course of events that would wipe out trillions and lead to the precariously situation we are in today.

IF THE EXPERTS ARE WRONG, WHAT CHANCE DOES THE REST OF US HAVE?

How much confidence do USA consumers have in Toyota right now? How much confidence do seniors in high school have in U-M’s football program? How much confidence do we have in Obama’s health care proposal passing?

The endgame dictates that we must have confidence to move forward. Gallup Organization includes confidence as one of their four key principles in engagement and this is the lowest one of the four. If we can’t even exude confidence, what chances are that the higher up principles can ever take form: Integrity, Pride, and Passion? Zero.

Consumer’s are saying that they are fed up with political infighting, wars, unemployment, indignant CEO’s, higher taxes and the list goes on.

Locally, two suburban communities, Troy and Clawson, easily rejected millage requests slamming the local communities into action. Residents are saying cut your costs, we have cut ours. People are fed up.

But if we expect government to bail us out, we are all in deeper trouble than we think. We need to take a leap of faith and block out the external crap and focus on our own “confidence” day by day. Here at TNG, we are seeing huge breakthroughs being made in technology, marketing, new products and logistics through individual efforts. This is what we need to move forward.

Right now I’m most excited about a disposable razor. I’ll explain later.

Happy Wednesday!

Do you see the glass as half full or half empty? The photo of the glass is a classic truism, I wonder who came up with it.

Now that we are nearly two months into 2010 and spring is a month away, I thought this would be a good time to measure your confidence in the US economy, personal spending and whether you think 2010 is going to end up better, the same or worse than 2009.

You are an optimist if you think 2010 will end up better than 2009, you are more excited to buy stuff and services and your expectations of what 2010 will bring are good.

You are a pessimist if you think 2010 will be equal to or worse than 2009, you are still not in the mood to buy stuff or services and you see a bleak future ahead of you.

Personally, moving into 2010 I was a mild optimist. Oh yeah, there are levels of each but for today, I’m not going to get into the levels. I think Americans are born optimistic and want to believe in good. Enduring pain is difficult at best and we have always found a way through the decades to feel good about ourselves even in crisis. I’m still on the + side but I am watching international developments in Greece, Spain and Italy and how the euro community, specifically Germany, handles the current mess they are in. This can have negative implications for the US if handled poorly. On the other hand, if they manage this properly, my optimistic meter will move up a notch.

So what will it be for you today? Are you an optimist or pessimist?

Happy Tuesday!

CAN you believe that the Olympics has had more viewers than American Idol only one night since American Idol was launched? That night was last Wednesday when the USA was going for three medals. More Americans under 49 years old would rather watch amateur singers versus athletes that have spent virtually their entire lives training for the moment.

Quick. Can you name this Gold Medalist?

BODE Miller became USA’s biggest Winter medal winner of all time (5) for skiing. Yet by the end of the Olympics, most of us won’t remember his name. But Idol finalists will still be on talk show programs, late night programs and even in the studio.

WITH all the young athletes, I think tying in the Olympics with pro beauty would be a slam dunk. Certainly the OPI Olympic collection would sell out quickly. If OPI can get Disney, why not the Olympics? And how about other players stepping up to the plate to bring more buzz to our industry?

USA has a commanding lead with 24 medals. Canada, the host country, paid millions over the past four years with its goals to win the most medals. In a slap in the face, Canada hasn’t even crossed the double-digit count as of today. Proof positive that the Olympics aren’t about money, but instead harvested talent from years of training and more training.

I have to admit that Curling looks like fun. Shuffleboard on ice, you think by watching that anyone can do it. Hardly. It’s amazing that by sweeping the ice in a certain rhythm, you can actually make the “puck” change direction. And with many rounds, it becomes addicting to watch.

FINALLY, in a time in the world that the USA isn’t highly liked, it’s nice to see the USA kick the world’s butt. When it comes to competition, good thing to see we can be #1 when we set our minds to winning.

Happy Monday!