Recently we had a little fun around the office and asked everyone what word or phrase they would put on a stone if they could. Once we eliminated the unprintable (just use your imagination…) here’s what we came up with!
Life Rules:
Hold Hands
Say Please
Flush
Brush
Use Soap
Play Nice
Behave
Use Your Manners
Hug It Out
Heard Round the Office
Need Coffee
Just Google It
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
Super Duper!
I’m Just Sayin’…
Chill Out Woman!
Take a Chill Pill!
Seriously?
We Got a Live One!
Almost Cursing (not nearly as fun as real cursing, but we’re mindful of our audience…)
Dang It!
Holy Crap!
Crazy Freak!
Oh, the stupidity!
Ya Big Flirt
How you doin’?
Mine!
No/Yes
Well Hello There!
We’re not sure we’ll actually get these made…haven’t quite figured out the market for them yet. 🙂 Can you think of any we missed?
When I took the reins of customer service here at CourageInStone.com I knew I would be dealing with all kinds of people and personalities. I am by nature a people person, and some would say a people pleaser. Okay, I just want everyone to be happy all the time, is that so wrong? But lately I have gotten some emails that have just baffled me.
Here is a quick sample to whet your appetite:
Customer email (sent on 7/18): ~~ I would like to order the pewter hearts. A bag of 100. Would like to have them by Thursday 7/22/10.
That’s it people, no “Here is my phone number and please call me, so I can give you my name, address and credit card information” no “I’ll put the order in online and please confirm these can be delivered by my need by date”. What am I psychic??? (See previous post about us looking for a full-time psychic to help with customers such as these!)
Here are a couple more slightly lost souls:
Customer #1: ~~I want to place an order but can’t find ‘go to check out.’ Do you deliver to the UK?
Customer #2: ~~ I would like to place a small order of 6 word stones to determine if I want to order in bulk. I do not see where I can order on-line. Am I missing something? HELP!
Their only error was that they didn’t scroll down far enough on the page to see the order grid. I could tell you what I think customer #2 could be missing but you would think I am being mean, and that is not what this blog is intended for. If you are the author of one of these messages, please be assured that I have answered your query with great intentions and only want to help you place your order. But every now and then when they all pile up in my inbox I have to wonder out loud…what is going on with people? Trust me, I know that I ask crazy questions on a daily basis. The difference is I try to ask them in my own head and never let them escape my lips if they sound too crazy!
We also seem to attract people who would like things basically for free. Sometimes they come right out and say it:
~~ I am hosting a Holiday Open House party at my store this November, and would love to have some items from you as door prizes for my customers. This is a great way to show my customers I appreciate them, and for you to show you appreciate my store. 🙂 Please let me know if you are able to send some product for the event.
Most times they are slightly (and I use this word loosely) more subtle:
~~Hey! Just got one of your tokens, would you give me free shipping if I buy a second? Thanks!
~~I was just wondering if it’s possible to get special pricing for this item. I plan on giving them as “Thank You” favors at my grandmother’s 85th birthday party next January and I would need about 25 tokens.
~~ Hello: I really hope that I am not insulting you. Please don’t take it that way. I would really like to have one of your pennies. But the most that I can offer to you is a $1.25 total. That’s with shipping. If you won’t make any money selling it for $1.25 I’ll understand. I thank you very much for your time and consideration. Thank you for being so kind to me in this matter.
It is amazing how insulting people can be when they say they aren’t trying to insult you! We are very glad that our tokens and stones are a product in demand. I am here and willing to help you get the best price we can offer for the amount of items that you are looking to purchase.
But dear, sweet, thoughtful, kind customers of mine, our company does need to make a little profit…so I can get a little paycheck! 🙂
That’s me, Amy, the new girl in my daily race to beat the mailman.
It’s quite a challenge some days, he’s pretty sneaky.
I saw an ad on Craig’s List for this position with a link to this blog, and right away knew this was where I was meant to be. After all, I Rock.
Seriously though, I had just been informed that my company wasn’t renewing my contract, and I really needed to try something new. So I went for it. Sometimes when a door closes, another one really does open, and it’s to a much better place, even if it is a completely different one.
It’s been four weeks since I started and I like it more everyday.
When I’m packing your orders, I’m not just throwing rocks in a bag (well, ok maybe sometimes.)
But, most of the time, I’m wondering who the St Peregrine (Patron Saint of Cancer Patients) token is for, and how they are doing.
I get butterflies in my belly for the Policemen receiving the Policemen Pewter Pocket Tokens and hope it helps to give them courage.
I even get a small chuckle at the small collection of “roll in the hay”, “massage”, “kisses” and “one favor” tokens that I imagine a husband is buying for his wife.
No, we’re not changing the world here.
But, sometimes I wonder that something we put in someone’s hands makes their world a little better, and that’s what makes me feel good.
We’re not big on titles around here. When my co-worker teasingly refers to me as ‘boss-lady’, I look around to see who is standing behind me. Surely she’s not referring to me?!
The word boss for me conjures up images of time clocks, dreaded Monday mornings and meetings behind closed doors. So I definitely don’t want this title.
Technically speaking, I could have lots of titles. CEO, President, Head Honcho, Big Cheese, Director, Person-In-The-Know, Top Dog. None of these fit either. I’m me. That’s it.
I think I’m adverse to titles because my business is really an extension of myself. My personal and business lives constantly intersect and often I cannot tell the two apart. I do not leave work at the office. Nor do I leave my personal life at home.
Don’t get me wrong. This is not always a good thing. At 9:00 at night, worrying about that shipment that might not get to it’s destination on time is not healthy, productive or useful. But it’s difficult for me NOT to be concerned because I take everything very personally. Afterall, I am ultimately responsible for everything that goes on here. In the same vein, my co-workers have often spent time in my office hugging and comforting me during particularly difficult personal times. I’m sure the Wharton School of Business would highly advise against this. Oh well.
So let me introduce myself.
Me and my office mate, jogging partner and sidekick Bynum.
I love red wine. I hate milk. I do some of my best thinking while I’m jogging and if I don’t jog at least 5 days a week, I don’t feel ‘right’. My husband is my biggest cheerleader and the funniest person I know. I love to watch him cook. I worry a lot about things I cannot control. I cannot sing. My dogs make me laugh on a daily basis. I am concerned I won’t get everything done in the timeframe I want to. I absolutely adore getting a pedicure. I love to read. San Francisco is my favorite city, followed closely by London. I work very hard and I try to learn from my mistakes. I thought of this blog while listening to my favorite jazz singer in a jazz club in DC. I believe in the products we sell.
Whenever I tell my husband that I need help moving something heavy at the office he gets a panicked look in his eye.
“You don’t need me to move the black stones, do you?” he always confirms, before volunteering.
You see, the infamous black stones are heavy. Really heavy. They are a line of stones I carried a while back that were just slightly larger then the style we carry now, but for some reason, they are about 10 times heavier. My husband helped move 5,000 of them when we changed locations a couple years back and to this day, when the air’s a bit damp and chilly, he swears he still feels the kink in his back.
I’ve moved my business 5 times in the last 4 1/2 years. We’ve been in a total of 6 places in 9 years. That’s a lot of moving. That’s a lot of moving heavy stuff. That’s a lot of moving heavy stuff with no movers. Just me, my husband, my kind and generous employees and a couple of mini vans.
Now, lest you think I’m a glutton for punishment, or don’t pay my rent, or am a terrible tenant, there have always been great and reasonable explanations for the moves…and none of them have involved the police, a warrant or any arrests. I swear!
Our current spot is our best yet and so far fits our needs to a tee. We’ve been here for a record amount of time…a whole year and a half…and we’re going for at least 5. My employees are ecstatic, not to mention my husband.
It definitely has taken us a few tries to get our location right. Each spot has had it’s benefits and drawbacks, but the one that we always talk about, the one that makes even me scratch my head in bewilderment, is The Move To The Pod.
A pod is one of those storage units that you often see on construction sites. They are basically empty tractor trailers that they plop down on your property. They are bare bones in design. No heat. No air. Did I mention no heat?
The Move To The Pod seemed to make sense at the time. I had been sharing office and warehouse space with another online business and it was working very smoothly. The owner and I got along great and our business needs complimented each other perfectly. About a year after we met, she bought a large piece of property, just 2 miles from my house, with the intention of building a warehouse type structure to house her business. She offered to rent space to me as well, and I thought I had hit the jackpot! A friend for a landlord, plenty of space, and just 2 miles from my house…perfect!
Cozy, huh?!
Our current lease was ending, but the new structure was not built yet, so we decided that the pods would be the solution. We would run the businesses from the basement of her home and pack and ship the product from the pods. This sounded great – the pod rental was very cheap and she would charge me a nominal fee to work from her basement. Sweet! Think of all the money I would save!
Oh yeah. Did I mention this all happened in January of 2007 – which happened to be the coldest winter on record in 20 years in our area.
So we moved. All 5,000 black stones along with the rest of our inventory. And filled up 4 pods.
Needless to say, it was a miserable existence that winter. Let me tell you, when it’s 15 degrees out, unheated pods are the coldest place on earth. Since there was no way that I could ask my employees to endure those conditions, each day I would bundle myself up in 5 layers and brave the packing and shipping. My husband one morning attempted to tease me about all the clothes I was putting on, as he headed off to work in his chinos and polo…ready to sit at his desk in a balmy 78 degree office. I was not amused…and I pride myself on having a fairly good sense of humor.
We got through that winter, but unfortunately the original plan of the large warehouse structure never materialized and 6 months later my husband found himself moving the black stones yet again. I tried to point out that ‘it’s a great workout!’ but he didn’t laugh. (Payback for above ‘just how many layers of clothes are you going to put on?’ comment.)
It took 2 more moves ’til we found our current space and each time the amount of black stones has dwindled as we’ve stopped carrying that particular line in favor of other stones. But now instead of 5,000 black stones, we’ve got 150,000 various styles of rocks and tokens. My husband is always pleased to see the black stones disappearing, but that triumph is short lived when he sees what else needs to be re-located.
I have promised myself that for our 6th move (you know what they say…the 6th time’s the charm…) I will hire professionals. Although I chuckle to envision what they will be thinking when they move our merchandise. “What is this, a rock quarry?”
And, in my next life, if I decide to open a retail business, I’m definitely checking out the feather boa profit margins.
One of our most popular items is our ABC’s of Life plaque, a marble finished sign that lists 26 sweet and poignant ‘rules’ for leading a good and satisfying life (oh, if it were that easy.) I thought I’d share with you 26 gems that I’ve learned over the past 9 years for being a productive, if not at times goofy, small business owner.
Accept advice. Being open to different points of view is invaluable.
Buy (or borrow) really comfortable desk chairs. Employees get cranky when you make them sit in cheap, cramped chairs.
Cry if you have to.
Discuss your long term goals with the people that will help you reach them. They are integral to the plan and will constantly remind you where you are headed.
Expect the best from the people around you. If they are not offering their best, they are not the people that you should be around.
Find the humor in every situation. It can be done.
Go home early once in a while. The business will not fail if you leave 2 hours early on a Friday. Trust me.
Hire funny people. It keeps you sane and makes the work day that much better.
Invest in really great long underwear and fingerless gloves. When you work part of the time in an unheated warehouse in a part of the world that can get pretty cold, these items will become the most important things you own.
Jump at the chance to learn from your mistakes. My best ideas have come from monumental failures.
Keep sweets on hand at all times. Afternoon treats are essential for maximum productivity.
Learn to delegate tasks. You cannot do it all yourself. I know, I’ve tried.
Marry someone who supports you 100 percent. Knowing someone’s got your back is priceless.
Never be rude to the delivery person. They are your lifeline when you run an online business.
Open your mind to ideas that you never thought you’d entertain in a million years.
Practice what you preach. Never act any differently then you’d want your employees to act.
Quit bitchin’, get off your ass and just do it.
Rest. Your best work is not accomplished when you are tired.
Spend some time just venting. It clears the mind and makes you much more productive in the time immediately following the unleashing.
Try, try again if you fail. Every single successful person in this world failed at something before they hit it big.
Uncork a really great bottle of wine after a particularly successful campaign, and share it with important people in your life.
Victory is fleeting. Do not rest on your laurels.
When in doubt, go with your gut.
Xanadu can be found. It just takes a lot of patience, hard work and determination to get there.
Yearn for something more. There is no telling where you can go.
My husband likes to build stuff. Give him a Home Depot credit card, a free Saturday and a bottle of Williams Selyem Pinot Noir (to drink AFTER the project is complete of course) and he’s a happy camper. Turns out that the success of my business is due, in part, to this very important fact.
Rockominium - Home to our river rocks
We stock upwards of 150,000 stones and tokens at one time. No, that is not a typo. Therefore, efficient, safe and plentiful storage is a major proponent to our business model. Over the years it has not been easy finding the appropriate storage vessels. I started out using plastic shoe boxes which led to slightly larger stacking bins which led to full size storage bins. When I finally outgrew the storage bins, I knew some major action needed to be taken.
Enter my dear, sweet husband. One day after dinner I announced that I needed a storage unit for the stones. Out came the ruler, pencil and pad of paper. He had a lot of questions. ‘How many stones?’; ‘What do they weigh?’; ‘What are the dimensions of the warehouse space?’; ‘How many bottles of wine are you going to buy me?’
Once we negotiated the wine bottle exchange and I assured him that this project would open the path for many, many free Ravens Football Sundays, the constructing began.
Thankfully the Home Depot is only 1/2 mile from the warehouse, since every project requires at least 12 trips. This one was no exception. We’re on a first name basis with everyone there. Joe in lumber is particularly helpful.
After 2 solid days of flying sawdust, high pitched saw noise and lots and lots and lots of screws (my husband = caution) the stone bin assemblage was born.
Now, you can imagine that calling it the ‘stone bin assemblage’ really didn’t roll off the tongue easily, so we were eager to Christen it with a proper, albeit appropriate, name. Our friend coined the phrase ‘Rockominium’ after I pointed out that it looked a bit like a chicken coop. It stuck. We love it.
Glass House - Holder of our Glass Spirit Stones
From the Rockominium, we made our way to the Glass House. Not quite as clever a name, but appropriate nonetheless. I’m sure there are lots of jokes in there about stones and throwing and people that live in glass houses, but I can’t currently come up with any.
Bubble Wrap Dispenser
Oh yeah, I almost forgot about the Bubble Wrap Dispenser. His very first warehouse project…built in less then 2 hours…on wheels and everything! Keeps our bubble wrap flowin’…
I’m sure there are more projects to come. That’s definitely one thing I’ve learned about owning my own business…there is always something just ahead on the horizon. And I am fully confident that my better half will step up to the challenge. He always does.
Last fall we found ourselves in a position to hire for a new position. Super! I was pretty jazzed about this for many reasons, first and foremost certainly, that we were growing at a pace to require a new hire. But also because this came at a time in our country’s economic history that many many people were supposedly looking for work and I assumed I would have the pick of the crop.
Oh, how wrong I was.
Now, granted, I was not hiring for a CEO position. I had available an entry level position that did not entail a huge amount of skill, but did require someone to be honest, hard-working, efficient and to show up on time.
With a single post on Craig’s list, I got over 200 resumes.
About 180 of those had typos, about 150 did not have a cover letter, about 140 of them were addressed Dear Sir, and about 5 of them I felt called to bring in for an interview.
Now, I haven’t actually ‘done the math’ on the above statistics, but at first glance, I’m thinking that 5 out of 200 resumes is not a good percentage. (Those of you with a left brain…feel free to call up the specific number.)
Out of the 5 we interviewed, 2 were very strong and we had to make a difficult decision. We chose poorly. The new hire quit after 2 months, right smack dab in the middle of our busy Christmas rush.
In the meantime, my current employees stepped up the plate and we have since rearranged, revamped and reorganized so that everyone is happy, the work gets done and the company moves forward. I am eternally grateful.
Over the years I have come to not take for granted great employees – and I have been lucky to have had several. It is extremely difficult to find great employees who’s particular stage in life and career goals match your needs. But when you do, boy is it magical.
So I guess this post is a tribute to my current and past employees that make my life easier and make my business run smoothly. I could not do it without you. I thank you for putting up with my neuroses, venting sessions and odd little quirks. If I don’t say it enough, I appreciate your hard work and dedication. I hope that you found and are finding fulfillment and don’t dread Mondays too much. I hope that you are happy.
When I tell people what I do for a living, their reaction typically involves a puzzled look coupled with a tilt of the head.
“You pack and ship rocks?”
I follow-up that question with a pantomime of a small rock using my thumb and forefinger. “Yeah, you know, little word stones about ye big that people use for motivation or gifts.”
To which they inevitably respond “Oh, gotcha, I think my (fill in the blank) got me one of those that said (hope, courage, love, joy…) for my birthday once…those things are so cool!”
Damn straight they’re cool. That’s why I sell them.
I did not start out selling rocks. I started out finding old beat up furniture at yard sales, slapping a coat of white paint on, sanding the edges and calling it shabby chic. I had a lot of fun doing it and got the bright idea to open a shop. So I started a store in downtown Annapolis in August of 2001.
As is common, however, turning a hobby into an actual viable business model proved to be very difficult. Finding the ugly furniture and turning it into something attractive and usable – lots of fun. The 14 hour days with zero pay – not so fun. I loved the idea of having my own business, and found I was good at many aspects of retail, but I just needed to find a product that made sense for what my goals were, both in life and in business.
I have always been a huge fan of motivational quotes. I have a collection of quote books and have often been known to spout out random uplifting passages. So when I went to a gift show in 2002 and found some small engraved word stones (made of resin – yikes!), I was immediately hooked.
As the online boom hit, the brick and mortar store quickly gave way to a website and in 2006 I closed the storefront to concentrate solely on the online business. To my delight and surprise, the rest of the world already knew about the word stones and demand grew and grew. We now carry hundreds of styles of word stones – none of them resin thank goodness – along with a delightful collection of pewter pocket tokens.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of my job is that everyone has a story about why they need our items. We have heard heart breaking stories of our products being used at memorial services and funerals; funny, sweet stories of grandmothers buying gifts for grandchildren; and tender, touching stories of our products being sent to troops overseas. It is gratifying that we, in a small way, can be a part of these important events.
CourageInStone 