Good night my love. I hope you get the rest you deserve. It is more than worth it to me.

Rascal Flatts: I’m Movin’ On

I’ve dealt with my ghosts and I’ve faced all my demons
Finally content with a past I regret
I’ve found you find strength in your moments of weakness
For once I’m at peace with myself
I’ve been burdened with blame, trapped in the past for too long
I’m movin’ on
I’ve lived in this place and I know all the faces
Each one is different but they’re always the same
They mean me no harm but it’s time that I face it
They’ll never allow me to change
But I never dream home would end up where I don’t belong
I’m movin’ on

Chorus:
I’m movin’ on
At last I can see life has been patiently waiting for me
And I know there’s no guarantees, but I’m not alone
There comes a time in everyone’s life
When all you can see are the years passing by
And I have made up my mind that those days are gone

I sold what I could and packed what I couldn’t
Stopped to fill up on my way out of town
I’ve loved like I should but lived like I shouldn’t
I had to lose everything to find out
Maybe forgiveness will find me somewhere down this road
I’m movin’ on

I’m movin’ on
I’m movin’ on

My friend Clark has helped inspire this post and idea of recording our resolutions, and has done the same thing. Thanks for your help and support Clark.

If you can’t see the video below, click here to watch it.

Jake A. Sabey’s 2009 New Years Resolutions: (In no particular order)

1. Get below 200 lbs. before the end of January (Current weight: 206.8 lbs. on 01/06/09)
2. Maintain a consistent weight of under 200 lbs. for the entire 2009 year.
3. No carbonated or caffeinated beverages
4. Complete at least 30 push ups and 30 sit ups everyday (Monday -Friday…resting on the weekend)

The below writing was hand written on the back of a Disney Princess coloring book page  at 3:30am this morning. It was the closest thing to my bed that I could write on (thanks for letting me borrow a page Kwynn).  It is a result of a sleepless night (literally) due to a full heart, wandering mind, and passionate excitement. To write it, I used a pen (a freebie from eBay Live! Boston 2007) that I purposely put on the dresser next to my bed for situations just like this. A humidifier’s hum (to help with a horse throat from yelling at a football game) quietly provided a soundtrack to one of the most fulfilling and proud translations of my heart, mind, and soul I have ever attempted. With hopes of a more true delivery, this somewhat organized free-write is pretty close to the exact first draft that was hand written on the paper. I hope you enjoy.

Life is Perfect Today

This morning found me early today, yesterday never said good night,
My smile is a little bigger today, and greater is my insight.

My tears are of joy today, instead of full of fright,
My confidence rings true today, no need for a rewrite.

The air breathes more crisp today, not in the slight,
Music speaks to me more today, a soundtrack for life’s fight.

I have a new love today, the door is open with invite.
I’m trying to be more patient today, but can’t tame the excite.

My heart beats for her today; strong, warm, and upright,
I hope she has a better day today, different from days of trite.

She is in everything I see today, vision is clear site,
Life is perfect today, and not just alright.

She completes me more each day, I hope tomorrow comes tonight,
I can’t wait for tomorrow today, I hope today doesn’t say “goodnight.”

So,…what color is/are your toothbrush/es?

It’s not breaking news that marketing has changed dramatically through
the years. The extreme advancements in technology present marketing
with new and exciting opportunity and resources, but also cast a shadows
over the founding principles of marketing. The challenge for online
retailers is to not forget what has worked for so many years in the
past. In this article, I will discuss how to combine old and new strategies
in becoming a hybrid business and expand business opportunity through
grass-roots marketing.

Seeing Green

I was riding my bike home from work the other day and saw a bumper
sticker that read, “Green is the new Black”–meaning
that natural or organic things (referred to as the color green) goes
with everything (just like the color black in a fashion sense). Coincidentally,
I noticed this sticker attached to the back bumper of a Honda Civic
hybrid,
a type of vehicle that combines a gasoline engine and an electric engine
for a mixture of fuel that powers the car, conserves energy, and provides
“better gas mileage.”

It seems the current economic state has everyone going back to their
roots and thinking “green.” With everything from the food
they eat to their mode of transportation, as a society we are analyzing
our lives and expanding our options; keeping available resources from
becoming extinct and opening opportunity’s door at the same time. Online
retailers can do the same by using a blend of new and old marketing
resources.

Available Resources

Especially as online retailers, sometimes we need to stick our heads
in water and shake it out and say, wait a minute, what time is it, and
where do I go to get lunch? (Translation: Stop, step back,
look at the overall picture, and move forward accordingly) Make it a
habit to analyze your business practices and strategies on a consistent
basis. An ever-changing market presents a situation where your business
marketing, strategies, and practices may not work as well as they have
in the past. You may be asking yourself, “With so many markets
available to sell in, which one should I choose?”

Well, the real question should be, “Which one’s should
you choose?” Putting all of your eggs in one basket might not be
the safest bet. Start with the available resources.

Grass-Roots Marketing

Grass-Roots marketing was born and became successful long before advanced
technology showed it’s face. The Four P’s of Marketing (Product, Price,
Place, and Promotion) introduced the marketing
mix which created an equal opportunity for retailers to compete
on the same grounds with the same end goal–satisfying customers
and making a profit. Customers looked to more than just a good product
for a good price to determine their satisfaction, they looked for a
relationship and a good overall purchase
experience; a relationship deeper than the wallet.

I remember my grandpa saying, “Back in my day, you never bought
something from someone you didn’t know and respect. Now, people will
buy anything from complete strangers.”

Although the times have changed, my grandpa shares an important customer
trait that has not changed that much; customers will purchase a product
from whoever presents the most comfortable overall situation.

Classified Advertising

Classified Advertising is just one way to market your products. With
classified ads, you can list products easily (and free!) locally through
newspapers, community boards, and online without needing a physical
store–targeting members of your local community. Beneficial to
both retailers and buyers, purchase experiences within the community
bring more comfort, security, and trust to the table.

Last year, a Doba employee purchased a chocolate fountain off of Doba’s
website to use for parties and game nights with friends. After receiving
plenty of comments and questions about the chocolate fountain, he listed
the same fountain on the classifieds of www.ksl.com
(local Utah news station website). The listing including contact information
(with address for those interested to come see if first), photos he
took himself, a detailed product description, and a personal story that
paints a picture of love, laughter, and good times with the chocolate
fountain being the center-piece. He also included a list of possible
occasions the fountain could be used for. Within a month he averaged
selling 2 or 3 chocolate fountains a week.

Note: When using a supplier that drop-ships and selling
in a classified ad market, it may be necessary to communicate to the
customer that the product will be shipped directly from the warehouse
and allow for necessary shipping times. Or, you may have to take on
inventory by pre-ordering the product and shipping it to yourself.

Marketing in your local community changes the situation overall; suddenly
sellers are not just some one reaching for your wallet anymore, they
become an actual person just like you, someone you can personally relate
to.

Here are some classified ads to consider (Most are free
to list products):

• Local television, radio, and news classified boards and websites
• Local community, business park, and college classified boards and
  websites
• CraigsList.org
• Kijiji.com
  (An eBay company)
• USFreeads.com

Word of Mouth Marketing

Word of Mouth Marketing has always been a free and fun way to market
products with virtually no rules. It’s all about doing something to
stand out in a crowded marketplace. Use your imagination and creativity
to get the word out about your products. The more you have people talking,
the more people will talk.

On the same bike ride home I previously mentioned in this article,
my attention was caught by what I thought was a lemonade stand. Unfortunately
for me (in that particular situation), reality struck when I stopped
next to a small table on the sidewalk and noticed it was a table full
of all types of hand made cards, paper and previously designed pages
for sale, instead of some type of cold thirst-quenching beverage. There
were 3 little girls trying to get their piece of the business pie by
selling scrap booking pages and supplies on the side of the road.

I know of some people who host a “Pants Party,” where people
look at, try on, and purchase brand name jeans. Similar parties are
thrown to promote and sell other entrepreneur’s products or services.

Word of mouth marketing, for the most part, can be free and can be
argued as the most effective marketing in terms of return on investment.
Adding creative and original touches into word of mouth marketing will
expand your opportunity to reach out to more potential customers…and
get them talking as well.

Amazon.com

Amazon is another excellent resource to consider in addition to the
markets you are already selling in. Amazon is a market for any type
of seller, with a platform that offers many different seller accounts
to best suite your business style and needs. And, just like classified
ads and word of mouth marketing, it is free to list products through
on Amazon. They will not charge you until the product you listed has
sold.

Former eBay University Instructor and Online Retailing Instructor,
Steve Lindhorst
teaches people how to expand their online business with Amazon in his
book, “Selling
on ‘the River’- The eBay Seller’s Guide to Amazon.com.” Known
as a competitor to eBay, the title quickly sets any assumptions straight
by emphasizing that this book is not one to bash eBay, but to assist
eBay sellers in considering multiple markets to sell in, along with
other options.

Visit www.amazon.com
for more information on how to start listing products today.

Increased Success: Going Hybrid

Technology has played a major role to help provide opportunities and
resources that work in the favor of online retailer’s today. When it
comes to marketing, businesses have neglected the old to make way for
the new–when they should be using the old with the new to create
a hybrid business–fueled with grass root marketing and new-age
technology to expand their business options. Becoming a creatively hybrid
business will extend the life of your business, improve the value of
your business, help your business run cleaner and smoother, and give
you better gas mileage (return on investment).

————————————

Here I sit with nothing to show for the last 30 minutes of observation but a blinking cursor on a blank page. I attempt to put all faith, all trust in my fingers…to translate a message, to communicate a language only a swelling heart can speak. Fearful of a perfected expectation, I let go in experiment. Thus, my heart speaks.

What a night, another sleepless night finds me. But this night is different, and-so I find reason to chuckle. The day started at 5pm, when the exchange of a smile, hug, and kiss between a father and his daughter filled a low heart running on fumes, running low enough to illuminate the warning light. Only fitting, tonight is a night to end a day such as this one, a day only significant to it’s owners.

I cry. I am saved from failure by teardrops, that one by one, drip in unison with every pounding heartbeat in my chest. With each trickled tear that falls, I see each smile she so generously gave me today, and I cry.

In efforts to calm an excited soul, I close my eyes. A soothing rhythm created by heavy, deep-but soft breathing from a nearby bed interrupts a sound that only silence can make. This rhythm presents a pattern of breath only made by the deep sleep of an angel. I pause to soak in a brief moment of perfection, a gift from heaven.

I sniffle quietly, hoping to not disturb her peaceful nightly sleepover at God’s house in heaven.

Blank faced, yet so expressive; she speaks to me even when asleep. And I reply, trying not to let my weakness overtake:

“Daddy’s here Kwynnie, daddy hears you. And I all I can say is thank you. Thank you for allowing me to love you as much as I do. Never forget the love that you create within me, the love found in a heart that beats purely for you. These tears are good tears, don’t you worry. Yes I am sad, but only sad for you. I am sorry you have to go through what you do. You are such a strong little girl. Your strength gives me strength. Your love pulls me along. Your smile sheds light on the darkest worlds. Your eyes melt the coldest hearts. Your presence steals all attention. You are the definition of perfect, and I have the honor of being your dad. That is enough for tonight sweety, you go back to bed. It’s ok honey, I will be here when you wake up. You get your rest and we will play tomorrow. Daddy loves you baby. Gnight.”

What is a Dropshipper?

As an online consumer, you’ve probably purchased a product that was fulfilled by a dropshipper without even knowing it. Lots of people don’t know who a dropshipper is and what a dropshipper does. In an effort to clear up misconceptions this article answers the questions, “Who is a dropshipper?” and “What does a dropshipper do?”

For the rest of this article, click here.

As most people can relate, a lot is invested, shared, and involved in relationships of any kind. Recently, my 6 year old nephew Jackson experienced new emotions and feelings; unavoidable elements of life that he has never experienced before…all which came through an emotional breakup of a romantic relationship.

Below is the email I received from Jackson’s father braking the news.

“In case you didn’t hear, Jackson told us last night that he broke up with his girlfriend yesterday! He didn’t appreciate the fact that she was following him around everywhere on the playground and that she also kissed him on his chest. He has a scrape on his side and I guess she gave it to him, so it must have been a
hard break up.

He also proceeded to tell us that he asked her many times to quit following him but she wouldn’t and said, “No way baby, you’re too hot!” (Jackson’s words) Jackson said he doesn’t know her name but he does dream about her every night! Blake and Brooke knew of this relationship, but this was the first that we have heard of it!

He asked that we take him to Wendy’s last night and have a frosty, fries, and chicken nuggets, as he didn’t want to talk about it anymore! If you could drop Jackson a line and let him know you are thinking about him during this ‘really tough’ time he would probably appreciate it!”

Below are my encouraging words of support and love to my beloved nephew, Jackson.

“Ode to Jackson:

I hope the Frosty, Fries, and Chicken Nuggets numbed the pain. It’s ok to cry for a little bit, but keep that head up. Word of advice from Uncle Snake, just concentrate on football and karate. Girls will do nothing but love you and smother you, until the day were they brake your heart.

It’s not your fault that you are so good-looking. It’s wasn’t your choice to be the ladies-man. Your natural electric yet glorious hair, soul-melting eyes, heart-warming love, and bad-boy reputation shields your inner persona,…making it near impossible to allow these so called women the opportunity to get to know your inner feelings and love.

You are a lot like me Jackson, the girls only want your body. The real you is trapped under that near perfect candy-coated shell. It makes it difficult for women to put aside their in-voluntary, lust-intended, hormonal wants and desires. Don’t worry bud, there are plenty more hearts out there to brake. You did the right thing.

Look to ice-cream, skateboarding, music, and cartoons for the answers in life. You will succeed. I Love you man.

A well experienced,

Uncle Snake”