Cajun Corner – Vol. 3, No. 29 – July 22, 2011
ΘΘΘΘΘ
Don’t forget to visit our catalog at www.companycasuals.com/cajunstitchery and www.cajunstitchery.etsy.com often. We are also on Twitter and Facebook.
This has been a fun week. Our new account with Senior Xtremers has kept us busy. I looked on the BLAB TV programming schedule and Senior Xtremers will air today at 2 p.m. If you are in the area, you should watch the show. The merchandise will be sold on their website at www.seniorxtremers.com, which is under construction but there are some pictures and videos available.
I missed Wednesday night with my girlfriends this week because George and I needed some time alone. We were celebrating George finishing some electrical work next door, as well as Cajun Stitchery’s new client. It was a nice evening.
This week also held another meeting with my new friend and WBL colleague, Jennifer Harrison. Jennifer is a very interesting young lady. She is part owner of Gulf Coast Premier Promotions. This girl can maneuver herself on the internet. I was impressed. GCPP can create a website for you and run it, too, if you want.
It is very interesting to me the new businesses and occupations that evolve from computer technology. A lot of people are starting their businesses at home via their computer and the internet. Not everybody is a good salesperson. Not everybody has a large marketing budget. The internet seems to be the perfect tool. You have to make your presence known on the internet. You need to get search engines to pick your website up and show it when people search for your area of expertise. You also have to garner a good reputation. Just having a website is not enough. Marketing requires you to constant work at it. You are building a business. If you are successful on the internet, the entire world sees you. Otherwise, well, you can figure that out. The problem is that it is not as easy as it sounds. If you are constantly on the internet marketing yourself, you don’t really have a lot of time to process orders or do your own work. Marketing takes a lot of time. As a sole proprietor with no employees, working out of your home, you have to do the job of the business, including bookkeeping, clerical work, answering phones, sales, marketing, keeping your stock up to date and current, etc. That’s a lot of work.
New businesses like GCPP can handle this marketing and internet for you. They can get you on various sites, such as, Facebook, Google+, website, blogs, advertising, etc. They can keep plugging your name in and making sure the SEO (search engines) are picking you up. They can manage your social media, promote your website, and organize you on the internet. Who would have thought, even 10 years ago, that this type of business would ever be needed? Technology is so fascinating. I wonder what the next new business opportunity will be with the internet?
GCPP is on the cutting edge, all they need now are some pretty shirts with their logo embroidered. Lol
I have a new theory about computers. My last laptop and my new laptop are refurbished Gateway computers. They are refurbished at the factory and updated with the most current OS (Windows7 for my new computer). I’ve got the speed and I’ve got the memory (500 gigabytes). The old laptop lasted for about 5 years. But since technology is such that your computer is outdated within 3 years, why pay for a new top of the line computer system? I suggest opting for a much lower priced refurbished computer that will last at least as long as the current technology. This kind of speaks to the ecology part of my brain. There isn’t a whole lot you can do with an old computer, but buying refurbished computers makes me feel sort of earth friendly.
Oh but I had another visitor this week. My friend and consultant from the UWF Small Business Development Center
Let me tell you a little about what these people do. One of the best things that they do is that they watch my back. I can email or call my peep anytime and tell her what’s on my mind about Cajun Stitchery. She never tells me to do this or that. She is much too classy for that. She and her staff will research ideas for me and show me options. Sometimes, in business, as in life, it is just nice to have someone who wants you to succeed and that you can bounce an idea off of.
If you are in business and don’t have a real, written, business plan, you have no idea what you are missing. Janet told me early on that it wasn’t so much finishing the business plan that was important. The important thing is the process of creating the business plan. My background crosses t’s and dots I’s. My business plan was pretty thorough. To-date, I don’t think my business plan is completed, nor will it ever be. It is more of a living document for me that changes with the time and circumstances and keeps Cajun Stitchery on track and aiming for success.
If you have a business, whether it is just an idea right now, or you have been in business for years, I highly suggest that you search out your local SBDC and get yourself a business consultant. The cost: absolutely free.
The white beach towels arrived. As much as I have struggled trying to figure out how to determine a good towel over the internet, these are beautiful towels. By the way, the trick to figuring out a good towel over the internet is weight. The towels are 100% cotton, velour on one side and loops on the other. When they arrived I measured and they were 35” x 61”. I washed and dried all of the towels and they now measure 35” x 60”. They are all pre-shrunk now and ready for embroidery. Cajun Stitchery is selling these towels for $20 each. Drape this pretty towel on the back of your beach chair and let the embroidery show over the back.
I did a little research on the internet to get a feel for how much a beach towel would cost. First of all, unless you go to a custom embroiderer or wholesaler, I couldn’t find white beach towels for sale, at all. Second, when I did find them with a custom embroiderer, let’s just say that $20 is a real good deal. I can also get other types of beach towels from cabana stripes, animal print, solid colors, jaquard, or with designs. My wholesaler does have a minimum requirement and these are nice towels. These would make nice presents.
We still have some of the $2 cloth napkins, $4 cloth napkins, market baskets, and fingertip towels. We also have several ball caps, visors and ponytail caps in stock.
CHRISTMAS is around the corner. Unbelievable, I know. But it is July. Get that Christmas shopping done now and enjoy the holidays.
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The following is taken from http://www.louisianacajun.com/main.asp?URL=http://www.terriau.org/bayu.htm&id=chg
WHAT IS A CAJUN?
What shall I say about a Cajun?
They are utterly impractical, never predictable,
Something irascible, quite inexplicable, Cajun...
Strange blend of shyness, pride and conceit.
And stubborn refusal to bow in defeat...
He's spoiling and ready to argue and fight,
Yet the smile of a child fills his soul with delight..
His eyes are the quickest to well up in tears,
Yet his strength is the strongest to banish your fears...
His faith is as fierce as his devotion is grand..
And there's no middle ground on which he will stand..
He's wild and he's gentle, he's good and he's bad,
He's proud and he's humble, he's happy and sad..
He's in love with the ocean, the earth and the skies.
He's enamored with beauty wherever it lies..
He's victor and victim, a star and a clod,
But mostly he's Cajun and in love with his God..
They are utterly impractical, never predictable,
Something irascible, quite inexplicable, Cajun...
Strange blend of shyness, pride and conceit.
And stubborn refusal to bow in defeat...
He's spoiling and ready to argue and fight,
Yet the smile of a child fills his soul with delight..
His eyes are the quickest to well up in tears,
Yet his strength is the strongest to banish your fears...
His faith is as fierce as his devotion is grand..
And there's no middle ground on which he will stand..
He's wild and he's gentle, he's good and he's bad,
He's proud and he's humble, he's happy and sad..
He's in love with the ocean, the earth and the skies.
He's enamored with beauty wherever it lies..
He's victor and victim, a star and a clod,
But mostly he's Cajun and in love with his God..
Author Unknown
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Cajun French Phrase of the Week:
- Ca c'est bon- That's good!
- C'est magnifique- That is great!
- Mon cher- My dear.
- Fais-do-do- An Acadian dance.
- Lagniappe- Something extra, similar to a bonus.
- Laisser les bons temps rouler- Let the good times roll!
- Bonjour Mes Amis- Good day my friends.
- Merci Beaucoup- Thank you very much.
Taken from: http://www.cajuncrawfishpie.com/cajun-language.html
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C’est tout, mes amis
Cajun Stitchery
(850) 261-2462
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