Bad, bad news.

The supplies of C2 Designer Kits and Fan Decks has dried up. We have a VERY limited inventory of Fan Decks, and once they are gone, they're gone. We have NO Designer Kits at all. I gave the last few away at my Designer Presentation (which was GREAT, by the way!).

Word is we won't see any more color tools until Septemberish. So - we are going to craft our own version of the Designer Kit to keep the flow of color tools going. I don't want the designers to wait until fall, and lose momentum in specifying colors.

Tomorrow, Courtney (my office assistant who know everything) and I are going shopping. We need to find a cool looking container/box for holding the color chips. I have business cards from over 60 Designers who attended my presentation who want color tools - and they don't care if it's in a temporary container. I will do my best to make them happy!

How Many Are Coming????

This Thursday, I am giving a presentation to interior designers at the Seattle Design Center - focus on color and C2 Paint (Hmmm... how'd they know?).

I just got a call from Rick Finer, owner of RL Finer Showroom... As of Monday, there are already 64 designers signed up! Yikes. I guess I better get busy and figure out what I'm going to be talking about!

Tragedy or Comedy?

This photo is circulating on the internet... When I got it today, I had to run it down to the staff in the tint room. Ohmygod, can you even imagine?

Do you get mad at the kid for making such a mess or at yourself for giving him the opportunity for create it?

Or as my very experienced mother commented, "If it's too quiet, I know that the kids are up to something!"

That is not a water clean-up type product. Look at the sofa! Look at the TV! The floor! That will be no fun to clean out of little-kid hair, either!

You know, we often get phone calls from customers with "emergencies". In this case, I'd have to agree!

Just look at the little sibling; s/he still has the pacifier!

Designer Presentation

I'm looking forward to next Thursday, I've been invited by the RL Finer showroom to give a C2 color presentation to designers. How cool is that?

Now I just have to think about color trends and what colors to share...

On the radio front, it looks like our show is slated to start on Saturday, August 5th. I am learning that radio is a bit of a moving target, and it will happen when it happens - and not before.

Another cool development: one of our local NPR (www.kplu.org) stations has asked me to contribute a monthly column to their website, in the "Around the House" section. Other quality contributors are there, like the Master Builders Association, Puget Sound Energy and Seattle City Light. I feel like I am in good company.

Customers Try the Darnedest Things!

We got a phone call from a designer in Vegas who wanted us to help by providing a semi-transparent stain. Okay, no big deal right? Wrong. The stain was to be used to recolor the trunks of the palm trees because the designer didn't like how they looked. Needless to say, we steered away from that one!

Another customer called in to complain about the harmful fumes of the teak oil she was using, it was making her throw-up. When questioned, it turns out she was applying the product in a 10 x 10 foot room with NO windows and no fan. Hello? Anyone there?

There must be a full moon....

While You Were Out...

Sometimes small businesses have a reputation for "not much action". I'm not sure that's altogether true... Here is what happened while I was on vacation:

• My partner's sister passed away (very sad)
• Our office manager was in the bank during a robbery (action! cops!)
• Courtney our Admin. Expert told me all the reasons why she missed me while I was out - employee meltdowns, confusion over procedures, etc. (made me feel very needed afterall)
• Bellevue staff got yelled at by angry stupid contractor who thought he could paint (hello! Painting is not for idiots, it actually takes skill, not slap and dash!) but all the problems were "application error". The paint itself is rarely the problem in most cases.

Well... I had a GREAT time at Disneyland!

So the kid is getting better, but she's still rather cranky.

I remember the last time I was at Disneyland, sometime during my high school years. Me, my Dad and little brother took a driving trip down the California coast. Three of us sandwiched into his Porche 924 (turbo-charged, for those who care to know) - this car was not exactly built for back-seat passengers to take long trips. Of course we didn't care... we looked cool in Dad's Silver Streak!

Madonna was big that year, every new city that we'd tune into had her on high rotation. We heard "Borderline" over and over and over! Each of us brought a tape to listen to; I don't even remember what mine was. But I DO remember that Ramsay brought AC/DC and Dad brought Alan Parson's Project. We hardly let Rams play his tape 'cause it was annoying. Plus, he had to sit in the back more often than me! Ah, sweet memories.

In the Porche there was a moon roof. On a long stretch of highway from LA to Palm Springs, we were traveling late in the evening blasting Dad's music, and Ramsay was standing up in the car with his heard popping out the top of the moon roof.

Dad did not go slow. All of a sudden, Rams yelped "Ow!", and sat back down very fast. He had been nailed in the back of the head by the biggest bug I had ever seen - at about 90 miles per hour. Bug didn't make it.

Anyways, one of my distinct memories of Disneyland had to do with an exhibit on Main Street USA. There was a house that was wallpapered with Van Luit wallpaper, and I recognized the pattern. Knew the book it came from, knew the price of the paper, even. Boy was I impressed. From my sixteen year-olds perspective, that was some expensive paper! It helped me to appreciate the amount of work and attention to detail Disneyland used to create this most perfect place on Earth.

Looking forward to seeing the place again with adult eyes. I wonder if the wallpaper is still there?

We're Going to Disneyland

Things at work are chugging along quite nicely. People are coming in to buy lots of paint - yay! I feel I can safely leave for a family trip to Disneyland on Sunday. Our plane takes off at the crack of dawn, 6:20am. Ouch, that'll hurt.

Oops! Just got a call that my 5 year threw up at daycare! Well, time to end this post and go collect the sick kid... Cross my fingers we'll all be healthy in time for our trip!

Check Out the Updated C2 Website!

C2 is announcing the arrival of 92 new colors into the palette - so exciting!

A Taste of My Own Medicine

Tomorrow I am meeting a painter who is on our Daly's reference list to get a bid to paint my own house. Guess that means I better get busy choosing my exterior color scheme! Hopefully it will be a little easier than finding our kitchen color.

Currently the siding is a mid-value sandy beige - really, it looks better than it sounds. But it might be fun switch colors a tad. I'm looking at C2 "Saddle" or "Clydesdale" or my current favorite, "Charlie Horse". Maybe I'll make my door an almost-black green or almost-black navy. One of those colors that doesn't look like a specific shade, just deep and rich. Yum.

Lots Going On

I feel like it's been a while since my last post... I actually survived camp with all those 2nd and 3rd graders. In fact, it was pretty fun even if it did rain most of the time. As my friend Harry says, "It didn't suck".

By the way, the adults were the ones complaining about the rain, the kids barely noticed. What you can't see in this photo is the CONSTANT drizzle; these kids (and grownups) were soaked!

Christian and I are still working on our show. It's getting closer and closer... I met with a potential sponsor yesterday - THAT was interesting. I am usually on the other end of these sales calls, so I know how the guy felt...

Nobody likes getting sales calls - even if it is to benefit my business. But now I'm straddling both sides of the fence and I can see both sides.

Here's a new opportunity that I am excited about: I am going to be giving a presentation at the Seattle Design Center next month at the RL Finer showroom. It will focus on C2's 92 new colors, the as-yet unannounced C2 sample program and all the things Daly's can do for designers. Should be fun.

Not To Panic

Correction on the number of kids going to camp... it's four classes of kids, so that means roughly 110 2nd and 3rd graders!

I'm okay...

Zip To It!

We are looking at the zip codes of people who come into the Bellevue store, to see where our current customers are coming from. Hopefully this will confirm our notion of moving the store over to the other side of the freeway!

Going over to Bellevue again today to look at a couple other properties with my partner Herb.

The next three days will be spent with about 60 kids plus some brave parents at Camp Cornet Bay on Whidbey Island. Since my idea of roughing it is Holiday Inn (why don't these hotels ever provide conditioner anymore????), spending 3 days with 60 eight and nine year olds should be just dandy. Hope I don't get boys bathroom clean-up duty...

It's Monday Morning and It's All Okay

It may be a Monday, but things are pretty mellow right now.

It looks like we are moving closer and closer to this radio show. Due to our mixed feelings about it, I placed a call to a local personality who also hosts a weekend radio show, and he was kind enough to take our call.

I wanted to speak to someone who is involved on the air, but not connected to radio sales, etc... So, I emailed celebrity chef Tom Douglas's office (he of the Dalia Lounge/Etta's Seafood/cookbook fame - and local 3 hour radio show), and they actually responded yes! How cool is that?

Christian and I spoke with Tom on Friday. He had some great insight into the benefits and drawbacks of the weekend show. I was telling my C2 paint partner Harry, owner of Adler's Paint and Hardware in Providence, RI - and Harry had just read about Tom's enterprise in an East Coast airline magazine. Tom gets around.

Got a call this morning from the radio station, Mark has been approaching local businesses to see if there is interest in our show. We are to meet with a furniture store next week so they can get to know us. Has been interest in other places, but like anything new, I think they want to wait and see if it's a success before committing to anything.

Had an interesting dinner this weekend. Did you know that if you meet someone at Daniel's Broiler you better be careful? There are three of them, and they aren't too far from each other. Oops! At least it's a quick trip to zip over to the correct one.

Our dinner was interesting because of a fellow who has interest in Daly's. From time to time there are people sniffing around the business, looking for opportunities - it always brings me right back to the conclusion of being happy I'm independent and want to stay that way. But the food was good!

Bellevue Is No Longer a Little Suburb

Last week my partner Herb and I went on a scouting mission into the great Mecca of retailing known as Bellevue. Just past the mall and over one block is where we currently have our 2nd store. But things are changing so quickly; there is a HUGE multi-condo/retail/blah-blah-blah complex being constructed where the old Arby's (and other small scale businesses) used to be. Now there is a big gaping hole, and we can see Bellevue Square right from the front doors of the shop.

So. With the growth of snazzy shopping experiences and high-end condo living, our humble paint store needs to find new digs. This is a good thing actually. It will bring us closer to our core base of customers.

In the old days, it didn't matter that we were in the heart of Bellevue, that's where everything was. But now, it can take 15 minutes just to dive in from the freeway (less than a mile), so the hassle factor is soon going to outweigh and benefits of history. We have been on the same block since the early 60's. Before the 520 floating bridge, if you can believe it!

Anyway - Herb and I went on a hunt. BINGO!! On a whim I drove him past a competitor's paint store that is ideally located just on the other side of the freeway in a small shopping center with 2 hip furniture stores, an appliance store, children's boutique furniture store and a high-end cabinet shop. Guess what? The store is moving and the space is soon available!!

How cool would that be? Not only that, but people who used to shop at the old place might automatically come to ours.

Not so good, it turns out. The rent is ASTRONOMICAL. Plus, the landlord is not too excited about negotiating price. Scratch that one off the list. Damn, woulda been pretty cool.

All is not lost, however. Another space is probably opening up in a few months, and it's soooooo much more affordable. And ample parking. And visible from the street. And easy access.

We shall see!

Being Independent Has It's Risks

One of the reasons Daly's became involved with C2 Paint was because it was created by and for independent retailers. As in other industries, we have felt the pinch of corporate consolidations, the pressure of the manufacturer to please their shareholders over the need to please their dealers, and we are very aware of the warm breath of the category-killer box stores breathing down our necks.

Today, I am looking at another pressure. And this is by a company that we don't even represent in our stores! I suppose this is nothing new. If there is one lesson I've learned from my association with my C2 partners, it's this: Whatever affects one independent dealer affects us all. No great revelation there, really. However, it's in sharp focus right now.

It makes for very interesting times.

Speaking of interesting: My partner Herb and I are going out today to start scouting places to relocate our Bellevue store. All the development that's been happening in downtown Bellevue is showing us that we need to make it easier for our customers to have access to us. I'm excited!

Oh, By the Way

The last two tiles were installed today. Can't wait to get home and see the kitchen!

Interesting Things to Ponder...

Met with some radio folks today. Their station is going BIG TIME, 50,000 watts. That's the maximum wattage allowed, apparently, by the FCC. The only other local stations at that size are KIRO and KOMO, so it's a bit of a big deal.

Christian and I have the opportunity to go with them on their wattage journey and grow. Should we do it? How can we not? Makes a girl think... and think...

When it Rains

When it's even the slightest bit overcast customers come out of the woodwork like slugs in the garden on a rainy day. Yesterday, which was gorgeous, there was nary a customer in sight... Why is that? You'd think it'd be the opposite phenomenon. Make hay while the sun shines and all that.

So, word to the wise - come in on a sunny day!

Moral Dilemma or Opportunity Knocks?

Okay. Here's the deal:

Christian and I have been approached to start a show on a local talk radio station - currently they broadcast at a low range (wattage, power, whatever...) but they are ramping it up in near future and are planning on going head to head with the reigning talk station.

Here's the issue: By talk radio, they mean CONSERVATIVE talk radio. Not NPR. Al Franken is probably their poster boy all thing wrong in the world.

Should we entertain the idea of hosting a weekend show that focuses on interior design and lifestyle? I find the idea of a live show very appealing, but is it the right home for us?

On one hand, this is the perfect place to be heard - people listen to their radios on the weekend for just this type of content when they want a break from the stresses of the week. No politics (besides recycling of resources, going green with building materials, etc) need enter the conversation.

On the other hand...

Last year Christian and I got our toes wet by hosting a short-lived show on a station that NOBODY heard. On the positive side, we found we work very well together, our content and guests were good, our banter was light and fun without being annoying - but we weren't live and it became a lot of work to fill that whole hour without the interaction from the listening audience. Oh, and the station wasn't on ANYONE'S radar. But the show itself was a good show.

The right home would make all the difference. It will be an interesting meeting on Thurdsay when we find out more about this potential show.