Saturday, June 20, 2009

On Jun 20, 2009, at 9:10 AM, r.org wrote:

I know I'm looking for modern style furniture and accessories, but I guess I haven't "invented" the designs in my mind or on paper.
Would it be a good idea to perhaps browse through a bunch of design magazines (since we"re in the business, we have a bunch that are sent to us), and select few loose furniture items and accessories that I like and feel would sell here, and then talk to factories?

***Yes, except talk to expats, not the factories... the factories do not care what YOU think, they want to know what you customers think...***

I am able to get a million links to furniture, household products etc on hktdc, but it all seems so generic and the items aren't something that I fancy.
They all have that "enquire" button which u click on and type in ur info etc.

***Reduce your search terms to furniture onl, you can also sign up at HKTDC and send an inquiry to say 50 at nce, in which you note "wooden apartment furniture only, tables, chairs beds, do not reply with any other offers.******

I am unable to find an agent who perhaps would represent some good factories online, I'm not sure if that kind of specific info would be available through the site.

***they are there... you must just be aggressive and patient....***

PS: sorry to bug u like that, but its just that I'm so close to spending my money and going there, that I wanna make sure I talk to the right people and the whole trip would be fruitful.

***Why be in a hurry...? Take your time, measure twice, cut once. You are only setting yourself up to get ripped off if you are in a hurry.***

Have already lined up a clearing and fwding agent here. Spoken to a couple of them. Turns out bribing customs officials in India also has to be factored in the cost :-)

***Finding agents is an easy part, as to whether or not there are bribes is none of your business, except to say it could be untrue, and the agents just malign the govt workers in order to have an unknown variable with which to oppress you. I'd check with Kuehne and Nagel or Expeditors International and ask them if they are obliged to bribe, or if it is an variable expense.***

John


Refocussing

On Jun 20, 2009, at 7:09 AM, r.org wrote:

That's what I thought. However, from the ones I've come across, almost no one seems to be doing furniture exclusively. I guess is more lucrative from their point of view to do multiple lines.

Besides the HKDTC website, any other leads on how to get the best furniture and accessories/decoration pieces agents?

R....

You know my arguments of on which basis to proceed, that is your own designs, and any other basis I call plan "B".  plan B is harder, in big and small ways.  another thing about your own designs, is you'd also be far more selective and aggressive in who you worked with.  Since you are not sure exactly what you want, it is a challenge to decide who to work with.  It is indeed,  and the only way to back it easier is to go back to the design phase, with customers, and come up with what you want made.  Then it will get easier.  I would not lok for alternatives to the HKTDC, I'd get focussed on what you are looking for.

JOhn


Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Advice From A Don


Paraphrasing page 324 of the Ballantine paperback edition of Mario Puzo's The Last Don, regarding a business deal, when you are buying, take them to a cheap restaurant; when you are selling, take them to an expensive restaurant. Cheap restaurants bring the price down, expensive restaurants bring the price up.


How Many Times To Visit Retailers?

John,

Thanks for providing the snippet earlier this month of one of the class transcripts that covered finding customers. In it you reiterated the 6x6 rule, where we go in expeceting our item and then move up the chain, ultimately getting the decision makers in the stores to tell us "its's a good idea, it doesn't exist". My question is, how many retailers should tell us this before we can move on to the next step?
Thanks,
-S

S

Of course the 6 retailers six times is an example of the effort one must put in, to emphasize that we "measure twice (or 36 times in this example) and cut once. Sometimes one exaggerates to make a point, but I could see people visiting stores far more often in some cases, less in others.

What the process ought yield is self-confidence that the next step is worthwhile (finding potential suppliers, developing designs, etc.) All of those next steps will require a enthusiastic optimism on your part, but grounded in solid experience. All of the people you need to work with after the 6x6 work will of course need to see your enthusiasm, but they will want to hear whether they should get enthusiastic. If it is all just "I know these will sell..." the smart people pass on any participation. If it is "the buyers at abc, xyz, ghi, efg all say it is a good idea and does not exist..." then you are likely to attract the smart and bst people to associate with you.

Another key aspect is that your project is small and doable to start. To take the example from the book, you are "testing the reaction of teflon coating on ice axes in the pacific northwest market.".. you are not "revolutionizing how every mountain climber in the world views safety!!!" Keep it really humble and small to start. This start-up should be no more challenging than cleaning out the garage. In this place you passion takes the place of your wife, nagging you to get going. Keeping it small also reserves your creativity to follow up where market reactions direct you... (the humility aspect applies to women too, but they never need nagging to get the job done.)

John


Iranians Love Their Freedom

Many Iranians are taking to the streets in protest of a very close election. This proves they love their freedom. In USA we have many close, disputed elections, where clear shenanigans going on. We do not take to the streets. We do not love our freedom as much as the Iranians do. Yes "nuclear options" are on the table regarding our disputes with teh Iranians. We should trade with these people, not attack them. We might learn something about love of freedom.


We Just Don't Know

When you click on this and it opens up, click on the image to review some fascinating space information.


Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Entrepreneurs Take Second Jobs

Wall Street Journal is reporting entrepreneurs are taking second jobs to support their businesses. Well, don't most of us have some sort of alternative activity anyway? Do I not also teach and manage my investments? This seems a nonstory, or perhaps it is important to point out since we are free to do more than one narrow things, we generally do.


Obama Has Been Had

Page A4 of the Wall Street Journal has an article headlined OBAMA STAMP IS ON FINANCE RULES and subtitled DETAILED PLAN ON RETOOLING THE SECTOR ENSURES WHITE HOUSE WILL GET CREDIT OR BLAME.

Blame... I've already blogged how the powers that be are making sure all the problems in USA become Obama's fault. This is rather easy to do to Obama, since he has none of the deep relationships more seasoned politicians enjoy, such advisors that would defend their leader. Obama is a relative lightweight, and expendable, as are all of the people around him, politically speaking. Also, there is no possible way Obama could ever martial the support for any real change.

Now google "blame Obama" and you get almost 19 million hits...

Results 1 - 10 of about 18,900,000 for blame obama.

Now google "blame bush" and you get almost 5 million hits.

Results 1 - 10 of about 4,980,000 for blame bush

Obama has been in office for 5 months, and bush for 96 months, not counting his father for 48 months too, to which a "bush" search would include...

Whats the math here, 4 times the volume at 1/20th the term means blame Obama is running at what rate...? Any math major give me an answer?

Obama has been had, he is being set up to take the blame, and we are all in on it. Indecent. Disgraceful.


Monday, June 15, 2009

Video from Trade Fair

I videotaped a discussion with a representative at a Print Fair in Hong Kong... it might be useful for those who never have been to such fairs to get a glimpse of what they are like...


Sunday, June 14, 2009

Wrong Again

Veep Biden says everyone guessed wrong on the stimulus package... No, only everyone associated with government and the people who stood to benefit from the wrong estimates guessed wrong...

Plenty of people have said it would not work. We must begiin the process of withdrawing our consent to be governed so much. The republicans have no role to play, having expanded government so much during their reign. the democrats can save government by reducing it dramatically.