1 00:00:00,540 --> 00:00:03,900 Hi, this is gift biz on rapt episode 94, 2 00:00:04,580 --> 00:00:08,540 I looked out about halftime and the squirrel had emptied my 3 00:00:08,540 --> 00:00:09,200 bird, Peter, 4 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:09,740 and I said, 5 00:00:09,860 --> 00:00:11,600 this has got to stop. 6 00:00:11,870 --> 00:00:13,340 Hi, this is John Lee, 7 00:00:13,340 --> 00:00:15,530 Dumas of entrepreneur on fire, 8 00:00:15,530 --> 00:00:18,050 and you're listening to gifted biz unwrapped, 9 00:00:18,050 --> 00:00:22,130 and now it's time to light it. 10 00:00:22,130 --> 00:00:26,450 Welcome to gift bears on wrapped your source for industry specific 11 00:00:26,450 --> 00:00:28,700 insights and advice to develop and grow your business. 12 00:00:29,090 --> 00:00:30,710 And now here's your host, 13 00:00:30,740 --> 00:00:32,090 Sue Mona height. 14 00:00:33,500 --> 00:00:34,760 Before we get into the show, 15 00:00:34,790 --> 00:00:36,020 I have a question for you. 16 00:00:36,500 --> 00:00:38,690 Do you know that you should be out networking, 17 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:42,530 but you just can't get yourself to do it because it's 18 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,670 scary. Are you afraid that you might walk into the room 19 00:00:46,670 --> 00:00:50,150 and not know anybody or that you're going to freeze? 20 00:00:50,150 --> 00:00:53,150 When you get up to do that infamous elevator speech, 21 00:00:53,150 --> 00:00:55,880 where you talk about yourself and your business? 22 00:00:56,060 --> 00:00:58,520 Well, I'm here to tell you that it doesn't need to 23 00:00:58,520 --> 00:00:59,240 be scary. 24 00:00:59,570 --> 00:01:02,720 If you know what to do to help you with this, 25 00:01:02,810 --> 00:01:05,720 I would like to offer you a coffee chat for the 26 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:07,520 price of buying me a cup of coffee. 27 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:10,370 We can sit down and I'll tell you everything that I 28 00:01:10,370 --> 00:01:15,860 know about networking and how I have personally built two multi-six 29 00:01:15,860 --> 00:01:17,180 figure businesses, 30 00:01:17,270 --> 00:01:21,740 primarily through networking to learn more about this opportunity. 31 00:01:21,980 --> 00:01:26,720 Just go over to Bitly forward slash network Ninja. 32 00:01:26,960 --> 00:01:31,340 That's B I T dot L Y network Ninja. 33 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:33,860 And now let's move on to the show. 34 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:38,060 Hi, there it's Sue and welcome to the gift biz unwrapped 35 00:01:38,060 --> 00:01:41,990 podcast, whether you own a brick and mortar store sell online 36 00:01:42,020 --> 00:01:43,640 or are just getting started, 37 00:01:43,940 --> 00:01:47,660 you'll discover new insight to gain traction and to grow your 38 00:01:47,660 --> 00:01:50,090 business. And today I have joining us, 39 00:01:50,210 --> 00:01:54,050 Tom degular with squirrel await bird cafes. 40 00:01:54,410 --> 00:01:57,470 Tom grew up on a farm in central Illinois and had 41 00:01:57,470 --> 00:02:00,530 a rewarding career in agricultural sales and marketing. 42 00:02:00,980 --> 00:02:02,900 When he retired in 2008, 43 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:06,320 one of his chores was to keep the bird feeder full. 44 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:10,550 This chore led the way to his retirement advocation of the 45 00:02:10,550 --> 00:02:12,560 squirrel away for a cafe. 46 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:17,150 These unique squirrel proof bird feeders are sold through several retail 47 00:02:17,180 --> 00:02:19,220 outlets and also at craft shows, 48 00:02:19,310 --> 00:02:22,880 flea markets and online Tom enjoys the craft shows and flea 49 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:26,330 markets the most because of the direct contact with those with 50 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:27,890 a squirrel problem, 51 00:02:28,220 --> 00:02:29,780 there's a lot more to this story. 52 00:02:29,780 --> 00:02:31,280 So let's jump right in. 53 00:02:31,610 --> 00:02:32,330 Welcome to the show, 54 00:02:32,330 --> 00:02:34,220 Tom, thank you for having me. 55 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:38,540 I am thrilled that you are here and as our listeners 56 00:02:38,540 --> 00:02:41,930 know, we like to kick this off by having you describe 57 00:02:41,930 --> 00:02:43,730 yourself in a little bit of a different way. 58 00:02:43,910 --> 00:02:48,230 And that is by telling us what your ideal motivational candle 59 00:02:48,260 --> 00:02:49,070 would look like. 60 00:02:49,370 --> 00:02:51,440 So if you were to tell me the color and the 61 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:53,990 quote on your self-made candle, 62 00:02:54,170 --> 00:02:54,920 what would that be? 63 00:02:55,310 --> 00:02:57,500 I suppose it would be multicolor. 64 00:02:57,500 --> 00:03:00,280 Although if I had to pick one would probably be blue 65 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:02,680 because I like blue and the slogan, 66 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:06,130 or my message would be fool of squirrel and feed a 67 00:03:06,130 --> 00:03:07,860 family. There you go, 68 00:03:07,860 --> 00:03:11,340 right along with your product right now. 69 00:03:11,370 --> 00:03:12,720 I have read your brochure. 70 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:15,990 So I know a little bit about how this idea formed, 71 00:03:15,990 --> 00:03:18,930 but I'd love for you to share with our audience, 72 00:03:18,990 --> 00:03:20,400 how this all came about. 73 00:03:20,430 --> 00:03:22,380 And then also describe what the product is. 74 00:03:23,010 --> 00:03:24,240 Well, it started back, 75 00:03:24,270 --> 00:03:24,870 I suppose, 76 00:03:24,870 --> 00:03:26,040 in 2008, 77 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:30,720 when I retired and my wife told me that one of 78 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:34,410 my jobs would be to keep the bird feeder full. 79 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:38,610 And so I would happen to be watching football one day, 80 00:03:38,970 --> 00:03:42,180 watching the Chicago bears since I live in the area. 81 00:03:42,390 --> 00:03:43,020 No bears. 82 00:03:43,290 --> 00:03:44,220 Yeah, there you go. 83 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:48,600 I looked out about halftime and the squirrel had emptied my 84 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:49,260 bird, Peter, 85 00:03:49,260 --> 00:03:49,800 and I said, 86 00:03:49,890 --> 00:03:51,720 this has got to stop. 87 00:03:51,810 --> 00:03:55,110 I didn't sign up for a program that strenuous to keep 88 00:03:55,110 --> 00:03:56,210 the bird feeder falls. 89 00:03:56,210 --> 00:03:58,590 So I guess that sent me a quest, 90 00:03:58,590 --> 00:04:01,890 trying to figure out if I could be smarter than the 91 00:04:01,890 --> 00:04:04,880 squirrel and keeping him from eating all my bird feeds. 92 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:05,910 So that started, 93 00:04:05,970 --> 00:04:08,970 I looked in stores and found that the ones that I 94 00:04:08,970 --> 00:04:11,490 thought would work were very expensive. 95 00:04:11,490 --> 00:04:11,760 You know, 96 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:14,430 they can range up to a hundred dollars or so for 97 00:04:14,430 --> 00:04:15,360 the really good ones. 98 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:16,770 And so I thought, 99 00:04:16,770 --> 00:04:17,820 well, I could do this. 100 00:04:17,820 --> 00:04:21,420 And so I started out with several designs, 101 00:04:21,420 --> 00:04:23,430 a lot of things that didn't work, 102 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:27,780 obviously, but then came up with something that did and seemed 103 00:04:27,780 --> 00:04:29,730 to be attractive enough to sell. 104 00:04:30,060 --> 00:04:32,940 So I went to the flea market and tried to peddle 105 00:04:32,940 --> 00:04:35,160 some there just to see what it would be like. 106 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:37,170 And I sold more than I thought I wouldn't be able 107 00:04:37,170 --> 00:04:40,770 to. And then that just kind of mushroom from that point. 108 00:04:41,310 --> 00:04:45,000 So how long was it from that afternoon when you were 109 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:49,560 sitting watching football to when you actually had a product in 110 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:50,820 terms of research? 111 00:04:50,820 --> 00:04:52,710 Cause you probably went to find the solution to just buy 112 00:04:52,710 --> 00:04:54,960 something different and then that didn't work. 113 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:58,500 So in terms of advice to our audience, 114 00:04:58,530 --> 00:05:00,360 how long did that take you? 115 00:05:00,990 --> 00:05:02,520 Probably six months. 116 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:05,640 I would say to six to eight months before I thought 117 00:05:05,700 --> 00:05:07,500 I might have a saleable item, 118 00:05:07,740 --> 00:05:08,370 you might say, 119 00:05:09,180 --> 00:05:12,450 and then it's developed since then number originally, 120 00:05:12,450 --> 00:05:15,120 why it was not as attractive, 121 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:16,590 not as durable. 122 00:05:16,830 --> 00:05:19,080 So it's kind of grown from that point, 123 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:21,000 as I jokingly say, 124 00:05:21,060 --> 00:05:23,820 I'm now on version 8.25. 125 00:05:23,820 --> 00:05:27,210 So my S my son tells me, 126 00:05:27,210 --> 00:05:28,320 what are you going to do next? 127 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:31,740 Put Corinthian leather on the purchase for the birds or what, 128 00:05:31,770 --> 00:05:32,040 you know, 129 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:34,230 so I don't know what else I can do to it, 130 00:05:34,290 --> 00:05:35,220 but I'd see, 131 00:05:35,220 --> 00:05:38,850 they're trying to be one of several things trying and make 132 00:05:38,850 --> 00:05:40,470 it more attractive, 133 00:05:40,470 --> 00:05:41,490 more affordable, 134 00:05:41,490 --> 00:05:43,050 more profitable, 135 00:05:43,050 --> 00:05:45,300 one of the other and more durable. 136 00:05:45,300 --> 00:05:47,580 So those are the things that I tried to strive to 137 00:05:47,580 --> 00:05:48,300 make it better. 138 00:05:48,630 --> 00:05:51,190 So you just keep working on it over and over. 139 00:05:51,300 --> 00:05:53,370 Yeah. And that's probably also why you like the craft shows 140 00:05:53,370 --> 00:05:55,860 because you can actually talk to people who are either using 141 00:05:55,860 --> 00:05:59,030 the product already or looking at it and making comments. 142 00:05:59,210 --> 00:05:59,990 That's correct. 143 00:06:00,140 --> 00:06:04,190 Several of the improvements have been made just because of comments 144 00:06:04,190 --> 00:06:04,970 from customers. 145 00:06:04,970 --> 00:06:07,670 And that's how you find out how to make your product 146 00:06:07,670 --> 00:06:09,490 better. Absolutely. 147 00:06:09,490 --> 00:06:11,830 I couldn't agree with you more and gift biz listeners. 148 00:06:11,830 --> 00:06:14,380 I hope you heard that if you were doing something else 149 00:06:14,380 --> 00:06:16,570 and didn't catch that listening to your customers, 150 00:06:16,570 --> 00:06:19,750 they can be a gold mine for what else you can 151 00:06:19,750 --> 00:06:23,020 do, either product extensions or how you can enhance a product 152 00:06:23,020 --> 00:06:24,190 that you currently have. 153 00:06:24,610 --> 00:06:24,970 All right. 154 00:06:25,030 --> 00:06:29,920 And so for our listeners who may not know specifically about 155 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:30,520 your product, 156 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:33,070 because there are a couple of other feeders on the market 157 00:06:33,070 --> 00:06:35,440 that claim to help with this problem, 158 00:06:35,740 --> 00:06:36,850 how is yours different? 159 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:38,320 First of all, 160 00:06:38,860 --> 00:06:42,100 I would say probably the key thing that makes it a 161 00:06:42,100 --> 00:06:46,480 good bird feeder and very discriminating I would say is that 162 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:50,110 it has Springs on the purchase so that whenever the bird 163 00:06:50,110 --> 00:06:51,490 lands on the perch, 164 00:06:51,490 --> 00:06:53,290 why he can set an eat, 165 00:06:53,350 --> 00:06:56,650 whereas anything larger than say a Cardinal, 166 00:06:56,980 --> 00:06:59,920 whether it be a grackle or larger bird, 167 00:06:59,950 --> 00:07:02,650 or certainly a squirrel or chipmunk, 168 00:07:02,650 --> 00:07:05,440 why they just can't seem to negotiate that. 169 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:08,800 And so that's one of the big things that makes it 170 00:07:09,130 --> 00:07:10,330 do what it does. 171 00:07:10,420 --> 00:07:11,380 Plus the fact, 172 00:07:11,380 --> 00:07:13,180 the top of it is dome shape. 173 00:07:13,190 --> 00:07:16,930 So even if a squirrel was hanging by his toenails from 174 00:07:16,930 --> 00:07:17,530 the wire, 175 00:07:17,530 --> 00:07:21,280 he just barely gets his nose down far enough to sniff 176 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:24,580 it. And so that's just very frustrating to them. 177 00:07:25,180 --> 00:07:25,690 And didn't, 178 00:07:25,690 --> 00:07:28,150 you also do something else to the top so that they 179 00:07:28,150 --> 00:07:28,840 can't get in, 180 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:30,040 they can't take the top off. 181 00:07:30,250 --> 00:07:33,190 Right. That's just one of the last things that made it, 182 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:33,640 I guess, 183 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:35,650 version 8.0 184 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:40,990 was that I put a finial on top of loop video. 185 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:43,060 So you could run the wire through the top, 186 00:07:43,090 --> 00:07:44,260 the lockdown, 187 00:07:44,260 --> 00:07:45,160 the top of the lid, 188 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:48,340 because I had a lady that sent me a picture of 189 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:49,060 a squirrel, 190 00:07:49,060 --> 00:07:52,660 completely encased in the tube of the bird feed. 191 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:54,190 And if you, 192 00:07:54,580 --> 00:07:56,470 if you would have had a court big enough, 193 00:07:56,500 --> 00:07:58,360 as wide as the bird feeder was, 194 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:01,120 you could put a stamp on him and mailed him to 195 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:02,170 California. You know, 196 00:08:02,390 --> 00:08:04,150 it, it was very humorous. 197 00:08:04,150 --> 00:08:08,080 So that's what brought about the finial type lockdown system. 198 00:08:08,410 --> 00:08:08,800 That's good. 199 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:10,360 And that's not safe for the squirrel either. 200 00:08:10,450 --> 00:08:10,720 I mean, 201 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:11,980 we're not here to hurt squirrels. 202 00:08:11,980 --> 00:08:12,790 We just don't want to leave it. 203 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:16,000 Exactly. They have their place. 204 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:18,850 And I just feel that it's on the ground cleaning up 205 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:20,440 anything that the birds kick out, 206 00:08:20,500 --> 00:08:20,860 you know, 207 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:26,260 exactly. So you're doing this more as a retirement hobby, 208 00:08:26,260 --> 00:08:28,180 but it's truly a business too. 209 00:08:28,180 --> 00:08:30,400 I don't know if you felt that it was going to 210 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:32,770 continue to grow and blossom as it has, 211 00:08:33,100 --> 00:08:34,450 but so as you were doing this, 212 00:08:34,450 --> 00:08:39,310 you might have had a little bit of a different motivation 213 00:08:39,310 --> 00:08:41,320 behind you than someone who's trying to build a product to 214 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:42,010 make a business, 215 00:08:42,010 --> 00:08:44,800 to be able to quit working nine to five or that 216 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:45,520 kind of thing. 217 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:49,450 But I am quite sure there had been some struggles along 218 00:08:49,450 --> 00:08:49,840 the way, 219 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:51,340 as you were developing the product. 220 00:08:51,370 --> 00:08:54,550 Can you share with us one of those struggles Or one 221 00:08:54,550 --> 00:08:58,140 of the biggest is if you're introducing a new product or 222 00:08:58,140 --> 00:09:02,550 making a new thing or trying to design something that's better 223 00:09:02,550 --> 00:09:04,050 or is unique, 224 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:07,890 what have you is where do you get the materials? 225 00:09:07,890 --> 00:09:09,120 How do you get the parts? 226 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:12,780 Is there things that can be bought off the shelf to 227 00:09:12,780 --> 00:09:13,230 make it, 228 00:09:13,260 --> 00:09:14,520 or how are you going to do it? 229 00:09:14,610 --> 00:09:18,000 And so one of the big things was for example, 230 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:19,560 the lid and how do you, 231 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:21,330 where do you get a dome lid? 232 00:09:21,330 --> 00:09:25,470 And so you look in hardware stores or wherever it might 233 00:09:25,470 --> 00:09:27,750 be trying to find domes, 234 00:09:27,780 --> 00:09:29,040 or look on the internet, 235 00:09:29,100 --> 00:09:30,060 where do you find them? 236 00:09:30,150 --> 00:09:34,740 And the first real innovation for a dome lid for me 237 00:09:34,740 --> 00:09:38,580 was I went to one of the local hardware stores and 238 00:09:38,580 --> 00:09:41,880 found clip on lampshades that were plastic. 239 00:09:42,450 --> 00:09:46,170 And they were a dome shaped and they had a clip 240 00:09:46,170 --> 00:09:49,170 on. So I took the clip off and I could paint 241 00:09:49,170 --> 00:09:51,270 the inside of the lampshade. 242 00:09:51,270 --> 00:09:54,780 And then I used that as mana my first dome lids. 243 00:09:55,320 --> 00:09:57,750 A lot of it is trying to find the materials or 244 00:09:57,750 --> 00:10:01,980 the right things to build what you're going to build or 245 00:10:01,980 --> 00:10:04,410 make what you're going to make if you're in the production 246 00:10:04,410 --> 00:10:07,850 side. So was that for the prototype or was that for 247 00:10:07,850 --> 00:10:09,320 the actual product when it comes to, 248 00:10:09,560 --> 00:10:10,310 That was probably, 249 00:10:10,340 --> 00:10:12,120 that was probably a little later on. 250 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:14,390 And the first one was just the top, 251 00:10:14,420 --> 00:10:15,770 a PVC pipe, 252 00:10:16,220 --> 00:10:18,410 four inch wide top. 253 00:10:18,470 --> 00:10:20,930 I had to make the length of the tube and it 254 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:23,750 had to find a tube that would fit the top. 255 00:10:23,750 --> 00:10:26,900 So you got to try to figure out what fits with 256 00:10:26,900 --> 00:10:29,990 what and what will go together to make what you want 257 00:10:29,990 --> 00:10:30,320 to make. 258 00:10:30,680 --> 00:10:30,980 Got it. 259 00:10:31,010 --> 00:10:33,380 Now, are you making all of these yourself still? 260 00:10:33,860 --> 00:10:34,640 Yes, I am. 261 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:36,230 I make them all in my shop. 262 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:39,350 I've got a little shop outside of my house and that 263 00:10:39,380 --> 00:10:40,790 is production central. 264 00:10:40,790 --> 00:10:42,890 And so I will build them there. 265 00:10:42,890 --> 00:10:44,570 And I usually do it in a, 266 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:46,850 like a factory type mode. 267 00:10:46,970 --> 00:10:49,490 I've make a dozen bird feeders in a batch. 268 00:10:49,490 --> 00:10:50,180 You might say, 269 00:10:50,180 --> 00:10:51,260 and put the parts together. 270 00:10:51,260 --> 00:10:54,380 And one day I'll make purchases and one day I'll make 271 00:10:54,470 --> 00:10:59,360 ports. And so you have to kind of economize your time 272 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:02,270 as much as possible whenever you get into some production. 273 00:11:02,750 --> 00:11:03,800 Sure. I mean, 274 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:06,050 we talk about that a lot just in terms of office 275 00:11:06,050 --> 00:11:07,640 productivity to batching. 276 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:11,420 So you're applying this over into more of a production arena 277 00:11:11,420 --> 00:11:12,050 as well, 278 00:11:12,500 --> 00:11:16,100 Right? It's not as much fun as just making one bird 279 00:11:16,100 --> 00:11:17,420 feeder from start to end, 280 00:11:17,420 --> 00:11:19,820 but it's the only way I can get enough made to 281 00:11:19,820 --> 00:11:20,690 make it worthwhile, 282 00:11:20,690 --> 00:11:24,980 to go to the shows and cover the retail and online 283 00:11:24,980 --> 00:11:26,270 requests that I might get. 284 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:28,970 So I know that you're right now, 285 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:29,720 not at home, 286 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:30,680 you're out traveling. 287 00:11:30,680 --> 00:11:33,080 Cause that's the luxury of being, 288 00:11:33,230 --> 00:11:35,690 I'm only going to call you semi-retired since you've got all 289 00:11:35,690 --> 00:11:36,500 this going on. 290 00:11:37,310 --> 00:11:40,100 So what do you do then when you're not around, 291 00:11:40,670 --> 00:11:41,450 do you have enough? 292 00:11:41,450 --> 00:11:42,830 Do you have someone who can fill orders? 293 00:11:42,830 --> 00:11:43,130 Are you, 294 00:11:43,130 --> 00:11:44,570 do you just delay? 295 00:11:45,140 --> 00:11:47,720 Well, what I did on my website for this point, 296 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:51,170 I just said no orders through the month of January, 297 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:52,880 I won't be able to fill any. 298 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:55,480 So just left that message on my website. 299 00:11:55,990 --> 00:11:58,390 And I got a call as I was coming down from 300 00:11:58,390 --> 00:11:59,500 one of the retailers. 301 00:11:59,500 --> 00:12:01,300 And I just had to tell him, 302 00:12:01,300 --> 00:12:03,160 sorry, I'm not going to be around. 303 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:06,250 I can't send you a dozen more or however many evermore 304 00:12:06,250 --> 00:12:07,780 you want for your store. 305 00:12:07,780 --> 00:12:09,400 So you'll just have to wait. 306 00:12:09,670 --> 00:12:12,370 The nice thing about being retired and having it as a 307 00:12:12,370 --> 00:12:14,710 sideline is what else are they going to do? 308 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:16,170 Right. So, 309 00:12:16,170 --> 00:12:18,000 okay. So let's continue on. 310 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,210 And considering that our listeners are all looking at probably growing 311 00:12:21,210 --> 00:12:22,590 and building their business, 312 00:12:22,980 --> 00:12:26,490 and you've had a lot of experience in terms of sales 313 00:12:26,490 --> 00:12:27,150 and marketing. 314 00:12:27,150 --> 00:12:29,790 And now you're applying a lot of that to your product. 315 00:12:30,270 --> 00:12:32,580 What was the next move after you got the product? 316 00:12:32,580 --> 00:12:32,880 You know, 317 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:34,650 it's working it's alive and well, 318 00:12:34,650 --> 00:12:37,410 you tested it at that first show to see that there 319 00:12:37,410 --> 00:12:38,820 was interest out there. 320 00:12:39,330 --> 00:12:41,040 What else did you do to get the word out? 321 00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:45,300 I started a website for one thing to get the word 322 00:12:45,300 --> 00:12:46,050 out that way. 323 00:12:46,050 --> 00:12:46,440 And that, 324 00:12:46,500 --> 00:12:48,540 and I had friends where I lived, 325 00:12:48,660 --> 00:12:50,400 as far as the retail side, 326 00:12:50,910 --> 00:12:53,550 I had a friend that worked at the local hardware store 327 00:12:53,550 --> 00:12:55,170 and I went by there and I says, 328 00:12:55,500 --> 00:12:56,340 take a look at this. 329 00:12:56,340 --> 00:12:57,180 See what you think. 330 00:12:57,210 --> 00:13:01,170 Is it something that would be worthwhile to you and tell 331 00:13:01,170 --> 00:13:03,030 you what I can sell them to you and see if 332 00:13:03,030 --> 00:13:05,310 you can make them the right amount of money. 333 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:09,360 But the other key to the whole process was I really 334 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:10,680 didn't need the money. 335 00:13:10,710 --> 00:13:16,020 Fortunately, my life's been good and I wasn't needing the cash 336 00:13:16,020 --> 00:13:16,920 so much as this. 337 00:13:17,070 --> 00:13:19,740 This was more about hobby or avocation. 338 00:13:20,220 --> 00:13:23,760 And so I decided I would donate some of the monies. 339 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:28,890 Well, actually all the monies to some good cause. 340 00:13:28,890 --> 00:13:33,240 And so after being in the agricultural business all my life, 341 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:33,750 I thought, 342 00:13:34,050 --> 00:13:36,090 well, we're staying in food. 343 00:13:36,090 --> 00:13:38,280 Well, let's put it into the food bank. 344 00:13:38,490 --> 00:13:40,260 And so that's what I ended up doing. 345 00:13:40,260 --> 00:13:46,260 And that was another motivator for either retailers or customers to 346 00:13:46,380 --> 00:13:49,380 purchase the product because they knew it was going for a 347 00:13:49,380 --> 00:13:50,550 good cause as well. 348 00:13:50,550 --> 00:13:53,370 So there was a lot of winners involved in purchasing the 349 00:13:53,370 --> 00:13:54,570 product As well. 350 00:13:54,570 --> 00:13:56,460 U S made a lot of people. 351 00:13:56,460 --> 00:13:58,350 Now that's a big trigger too. 352 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:04,080 And not Only us made made by you. 353 00:14:05,970 --> 00:14:07,200 Sure. Yeah. 354 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:09,690 So really important point there too, 355 00:14:09,690 --> 00:14:11,070 is that this is a give back. 356 00:14:11,070 --> 00:14:13,260 And I know there are also a segment of people who 357 00:14:13,260 --> 00:14:14,040 are listening here, 358 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:15,150 who are thinking about that. 359 00:14:15,270 --> 00:14:19,710 They're going to be done with what their lifetime career has 360 00:14:19,710 --> 00:14:21,240 been, but they're not done yet. 361 00:14:21,300 --> 00:14:21,540 You know, 362 00:14:21,540 --> 00:14:24,450 they either like business or they're doing crafting or that type 363 00:14:24,450 --> 00:14:24,780 of thing. 364 00:14:24,780 --> 00:14:28,290 So this idea of taking a portion of the profits or 365 00:14:28,290 --> 00:14:29,400 what you're saying in your case, 366 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:32,010 almost all the profits and donating them, 367 00:14:32,010 --> 00:14:35,820 giving, paying them forward to something is very attractive to a 368 00:14:35,820 --> 00:14:39,780 buyer. So you feel like you're doing a lot for your 369 00:14:39,780 --> 00:14:42,930 case, the food bank and the consumer does as well. 370 00:14:43,530 --> 00:14:44,520 Well, in my case, 371 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:48,240 it just basically turns out I'm spending my time and, 372 00:14:48,300 --> 00:14:51,650 and whenever it goes to the donations to the bank, 373 00:14:51,980 --> 00:14:52,550 but that's, 374 00:14:52,850 --> 00:14:53,330 to me, 375 00:14:53,330 --> 00:14:54,980 it's, that's other people's money. 376 00:14:54,980 --> 00:14:55,280 You know, 377 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:59,570 I, that's not a problem because it doesn't cost me anything 378 00:14:59,570 --> 00:15:00,590 except for my time. 379 00:15:00,590 --> 00:15:01,040 And you know, 380 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:01,970 a retired person, 381 00:15:01,970 --> 00:15:04,610 their time is all extremely valuable, 382 00:15:04,610 --> 00:15:06,200 but not worth anything, 383 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:06,470 you know, 384 00:15:06,470 --> 00:15:07,770 and in case. 385 00:15:07,780 --> 00:15:09,680 So in that aspect, 386 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:13,340 why I think it's just a good thing happening all the 387 00:15:13,340 --> 00:15:13,820 way around. 388 00:15:14,410 --> 00:15:17,230 Didn't I read somewhere that you said that you were paying 389 00:15:17,230 --> 00:15:18,520 yourself a dollar and a quarter. 390 00:15:19,230 --> 00:15:21,460 Well, I say that my brochure, 391 00:15:21,460 --> 00:15:24,610 I says the maximum I will ever take of that is 392 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:27,070 what my wage was. 393 00:15:27,070 --> 00:15:29,890 Whenever I was a kid to bring back my youth, 394 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:30,250 you know, 395 00:15:30,390 --> 00:15:32,200 it was like a dollar and a quarter an hour. 396 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:34,090 As I remember growing up on the farm, 397 00:15:34,390 --> 00:15:37,990 that's what my dad paid me for cutting weeds out of 398 00:15:37,990 --> 00:15:40,780 the beans or whatever the job was on the farm. 399 00:15:41,590 --> 00:15:44,680 Actually, I'd never have taken that dollar and a quarter, 400 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:46,390 but I've got the option to say, 401 00:15:46,390 --> 00:15:47,380 if things get tough, 402 00:15:47,510 --> 00:15:50,470 I w I can still pull that dollar in a quarter 403 00:15:50,470 --> 00:15:52,630 and not be lying to people. 404 00:15:52,630 --> 00:15:55,510 Okay. Or telling something that's not true. 405 00:15:55,900 --> 00:15:58,780 Well, and I'm quite sure the reward of doing this and 406 00:15:58,780 --> 00:16:01,630 the satisfaction is also huge payment for you. 407 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:05,080 Certainly, certainly it's makes you feel good. 408 00:16:05,290 --> 00:16:07,030 And so that's great. 409 00:16:07,630 --> 00:16:09,730 Let's talk a little bit about the craft shows. 410 00:16:09,730 --> 00:16:10,240 Now you, 411 00:16:10,300 --> 00:16:12,280 this is besides the, 412 00:16:12,460 --> 00:16:13,540 I think maybe handful, 413 00:16:13,540 --> 00:16:17,770 maybe it's more of retail shops that you're in your favorite 414 00:16:17,770 --> 00:16:20,020 thing to do is going out to craft shows and flea 415 00:16:20,020 --> 00:16:22,420 market. How many do you do in a year? 416 00:16:23,020 --> 00:16:25,030 It has dwindled down somewhat, 417 00:16:25,030 --> 00:16:28,360 but I'll do maybe a half a dozen or so somebody, 418 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:31,900 if they were interested in that trade could do one every 419 00:16:31,900 --> 00:16:33,160 weekend, probably, 420 00:16:33,190 --> 00:16:34,660 but I'm retired. 421 00:16:34,810 --> 00:16:38,800 I find it fun to go to a flea markets. 422 00:16:38,860 --> 00:16:43,870 Craft shows that venues seems to be the most fun because, 423 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:46,030 well, you get to talk to a lot of people, 424 00:16:46,030 --> 00:16:48,280 somewhat. Whenever I used to do the flea markets, 425 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:49,630 or when I do the flea markets, 426 00:16:49,630 --> 00:16:53,290 I even bring my golden retrievers shook and he probably gets 427 00:16:53,290 --> 00:16:54,700 more attention than I do, 428 00:16:54,700 --> 00:16:57,910 but I tell people that he's in charge of customer relations. 429 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:00,760 And so they come by and pet him and he enjoys 430 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:02,830 that. And he's worn out by the end of the day 431 00:17:02,830 --> 00:17:03,760 from being petted, 432 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:04,870 everybody wins, 433 00:17:04,870 --> 00:17:05,250 you know? 434 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:09,250 Yeah. And I know because that's how I ran into you 435 00:17:09,250 --> 00:17:11,890 was at one of the craft shows actually right before the 436 00:17:11,890 --> 00:17:13,750 holidays and your booth. 437 00:17:13,780 --> 00:17:16,900 I didn't even know what you were displaying because there were 438 00:17:16,900 --> 00:17:19,960 so many people in your booth until I got closer as 439 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:21,040 I was going down the aisle, 440 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:21,460 I'm like, 441 00:17:21,490 --> 00:17:24,340 okay, because I'm always looking for guests to know with interesting 442 00:17:24,340 --> 00:17:26,950 products, new stories and your booth. 443 00:17:26,980 --> 00:17:28,420 There were so many people I'm like, 444 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:29,230 Oh my gosh, 445 00:17:29,260 --> 00:17:30,250 what is that? 446 00:17:30,250 --> 00:17:31,570 Let's go find out. 447 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:34,120 And there were so many people there. 448 00:17:34,420 --> 00:17:38,290 What do you do when you got a crowded group right 449 00:17:38,290 --> 00:17:38,890 around your booth? 450 00:17:38,890 --> 00:17:41,320 How do you manage and work with everybody? 451 00:17:41,890 --> 00:17:45,310 Well, the interesting thing I've found is marketing is if I 452 00:17:45,310 --> 00:17:51,060 can show the product in action that has tremendous impact on 453 00:17:51,060 --> 00:17:55,950 people and to actually visualize how they might utilize it in 454 00:17:55,950 --> 00:17:56,520 their home. 455 00:17:56,910 --> 00:17:57,570 Early on, 456 00:17:57,570 --> 00:18:02,700 I took several videos out my patio door of squirrels, 457 00:18:02,700 --> 00:18:05,850 trying to get at the bird feeder and bird setting on 458 00:18:05,850 --> 00:18:06,720 it. It's cetera. 459 00:18:07,050 --> 00:18:09,750 I put it together in like a two minute video, 460 00:18:09,750 --> 00:18:11,940 which I show on my website as well. 461 00:18:11,940 --> 00:18:15,300 And then there's a second video of just birds coming with 462 00:18:15,360 --> 00:18:16,620 nice serene music, 463 00:18:16,650 --> 00:18:21,300 but it's more like the squirrels making their various attempts to 464 00:18:21,300 --> 00:18:24,300 attack the bird feeder and failing people, 465 00:18:24,300 --> 00:18:26,400 get a big kick out of watching that. 466 00:18:27,180 --> 00:18:28,380 And there, 467 00:18:28,380 --> 00:18:30,600 they can see how it works. 468 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:34,560 And then with a few small demonstrations of the features of 469 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:35,220 the product, 470 00:18:35,250 --> 00:18:39,180 Y and then I tell them the closing thing is usually 471 00:18:39,180 --> 00:18:39,780 that, well, 472 00:18:39,780 --> 00:18:41,520 all the proceeds go to the food bank. 473 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:42,690 So 50, 474 00:18:42,690 --> 00:18:45,420 60 people are going to get fed with each bird feeder 475 00:18:45,420 --> 00:18:47,070 sold. So if you're interested, 476 00:18:47,070 --> 00:18:48,210 why here it is not really. 477 00:18:48,210 --> 00:18:50,400 Don't have to put a lot of pressure on anybody to 478 00:18:50,730 --> 00:18:51,360 purchase it. 479 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:54,450 And so it's just a lot of fun and they end 480 00:18:54,450 --> 00:18:55,950 up and the customer enjoys it. 481 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:58,260 The funniest part is the, 482 00:18:58,590 --> 00:19:00,990 it's probably the funniest enjoyable. 483 00:19:00,990 --> 00:19:03,780 Two minutes they'll have particularly the husbands, 484 00:19:03,780 --> 00:19:07,680 if they were drug along with her wives or whatever that 485 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:11,010 they'll have while they're shopping at the flea market, 486 00:19:11,780 --> 00:19:13,130 Really humorous, 487 00:19:13,130 --> 00:19:14,010 I have to say it, 488 00:19:14,010 --> 00:19:15,140 it is on the website. 489 00:19:15,140 --> 00:19:16,070 Gift is listeners. 490 00:19:16,250 --> 00:19:18,320 We're going to talk about the website at the end, 491 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:20,330 and it's also going to be on the show notes page, 492 00:19:20,630 --> 00:19:22,460 but it is extremely entertaining. 493 00:19:22,460 --> 00:19:24,290 You should take a look at it for sure. 494 00:19:24,770 --> 00:19:27,320 A couple of things that Tom just mentioned in terms of 495 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:30,740 working with the craft shows is product inaction action. 496 00:19:30,740 --> 00:19:33,410 And the video we've heard this before, 497 00:19:33,410 --> 00:19:33,680 you know, 498 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:36,350 when you hear about how to display and how to attract, 499 00:19:36,350 --> 00:19:38,720 especially if you have a new product that is going into 500 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:39,680 a retail shop, 501 00:19:39,740 --> 00:19:42,710 any of those demo videos are really, 502 00:19:42,710 --> 00:19:44,720 really helpful for selling your product. 503 00:19:44,870 --> 00:19:45,740 And you're saying time, 504 00:19:45,740 --> 00:19:48,020 you just used your own camera, 505 00:19:48,650 --> 00:19:49,100 right? Yeah. 506 00:19:49,250 --> 00:19:49,640 I may. 507 00:19:49,650 --> 00:19:53,300 I put the video together and I went to Dreamweaver and 508 00:19:53,300 --> 00:19:54,470 put the well, 509 00:19:54,470 --> 00:19:55,340 not Dreamweaver, 510 00:19:55,370 --> 00:19:56,180 but one of the, 511 00:19:56,600 --> 00:19:59,480 the movie sites that I could put the movie together and 512 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:02,420 put sound to it and some sound effects and all of 513 00:20:02,420 --> 00:20:03,290 those kinds of things, 514 00:20:03,290 --> 00:20:06,350 just to make a low cost production movie for two minutes. 515 00:20:06,410 --> 00:20:07,190 Yeah. I mean, 516 00:20:07,340 --> 00:20:07,940 low cost, 517 00:20:07,940 --> 00:20:08,840 but high value. 518 00:20:09,470 --> 00:20:11,750 Right. And that was fun in itself. 519 00:20:11,780 --> 00:20:14,660 Just making that and putting that together as well. 520 00:20:14,660 --> 00:20:16,040 Now, at this point, 521 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:19,790 my experience with the bird feeder is I can't do any 522 00:20:19,790 --> 00:20:23,960 of those squirrels falling off videos very much because they're pretty 523 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:24,830 smart animal. 524 00:20:24,830 --> 00:20:26,840 And so they don't even try anymore. 525 00:20:26,840 --> 00:20:29,380 So I don't have any of those action shots and I 526 00:20:29,390 --> 00:20:31,250 can, I can utilize. 527 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:32,630 So, I mean, 528 00:20:32,630 --> 00:20:35,540 they learn and then they're then mission accomplished, 529 00:20:35,900 --> 00:20:38,990 Right? It's kind of a 10 step program for them. 530 00:20:38,990 --> 00:20:42,620 I think the other thing I want to bring up the 531 00:20:42,620 --> 00:20:44,990 Tom was mentioning in about in a craft show, 532 00:20:44,990 --> 00:20:47,560 but this could be really in any type of a purchase 533 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:49,930 when you're talking to a customer and you're doing some type 534 00:20:49,930 --> 00:20:50,680 of give back. 535 00:20:50,860 --> 00:20:54,280 I really liked the way he phrases everything that says, 536 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:54,400 you know, 537 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:57,940 it's $10 off of every purchase that goes to the food 538 00:20:57,940 --> 00:21:01,810 bank. And then he does the extension of that then feeds 539 00:21:01,810 --> 00:21:03,190 60 families. 540 00:21:03,430 --> 00:21:06,910 So when you're showing some type of a benefit for your 541 00:21:06,910 --> 00:21:10,210 product, if there's an further extension to it, 542 00:21:10,270 --> 00:21:12,550 that brings the point home even further. 543 00:21:12,790 --> 00:21:14,770 It makes sense to think through an, 544 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:17,050 add that then to your conversation. 545 00:21:17,260 --> 00:21:18,070 Cause like you said, 546 00:21:18,070 --> 00:21:19,210 then it's pretty easy. 547 00:21:19,210 --> 00:21:20,380 People are ready to go, 548 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:23,620 the wallet start opening and you're going to be making a 549 00:21:23,620 --> 00:21:24,580 lot more bird feeders. 550 00:21:24,810 --> 00:21:25,650 Yeah. Well, 551 00:21:25,650 --> 00:21:28,050 I'm, I'm making about as many as I want. 552 00:21:28,620 --> 00:21:31,860 The thing about it is when you're retired and you're doing 553 00:21:31,860 --> 00:21:33,990 this for the enjoyment of it, 554 00:21:34,320 --> 00:21:37,140 sometimes just so much enjoyments enough, 555 00:21:39,660 --> 00:21:42,600 It could easily flip a switch to being real stress. 556 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:44,490 Certainly. And I just enjoy it. 557 00:21:44,490 --> 00:21:47,010 So that's where it's nice for me. 558 00:21:47,010 --> 00:21:48,330 If one was in business, 559 00:21:48,570 --> 00:21:52,080 obviously you want to grow your business as much as possible, 560 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:55,830 and I'm just not interested in growing it much larger than 561 00:21:55,830 --> 00:21:56,880 what it is right now. 562 00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:58,290 I'm fine with where it is. 563 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:00,570 I love that you say that too, 564 00:22:00,570 --> 00:22:03,270 because when we're entrepreneurs, 565 00:22:03,330 --> 00:22:06,150 it doesn't mean you always have to be bigger, 566 00:22:06,150 --> 00:22:07,620 larger, more money. 567 00:22:07,950 --> 00:22:08,160 You know? 568 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:08,430 I mean, 569 00:22:08,430 --> 00:22:12,570 certainly if you're doing this for lifestyle where you can be 570 00:22:12,570 --> 00:22:15,360 at home with your children or something like that, 571 00:22:15,360 --> 00:22:15,510 you know, 572 00:22:15,510 --> 00:22:17,310 you have to make a certain amount of income, 573 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:21,450 but there does come a point where it's no longer fun. 574 00:22:21,510 --> 00:22:25,230 You're no longer energized and passionate about it. 575 00:22:25,260 --> 00:22:25,470 You know, 576 00:22:25,470 --> 00:22:28,560 Tom, you've got the perfect situation because you can do as 577 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:30,630 many or as few as you want. 578 00:22:31,260 --> 00:22:31,770 That's right. 579 00:22:31,830 --> 00:22:33,600 That's what retirement's all about. 580 00:22:33,660 --> 00:22:35,010 And I've had people say, 581 00:22:35,430 --> 00:22:37,230 well, you ought to go on shark tank, 582 00:22:37,230 --> 00:22:37,500 you know, 583 00:22:37,500 --> 00:22:38,070 and show this, 584 00:22:38,070 --> 00:22:39,840 you got the video and all that kind of stuff. 585 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:40,200 And I said, 586 00:22:40,210 --> 00:22:40,680 wait a minute, 587 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:44,160 this is not suitable for shark tank because they want to 588 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:44,730 make money. 589 00:22:44,730 --> 00:22:46,320 And I give all this money away. 590 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:49,080 So they wouldn't be interested at all. 591 00:22:49,260 --> 00:22:52,440 Right. I mean in success has many Different looks, 592 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:54,810 right? And this is success for you. 593 00:22:54,810 --> 00:22:55,650 You're giving back. 594 00:22:55,650 --> 00:22:56,940 So that makes you feel great. 595 00:22:57,180 --> 00:22:59,100 You clearly love making the feeders. 596 00:22:59,130 --> 00:23:02,070 I'm imagining you've got music going on in their work room 597 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:03,030 or something, 598 00:23:03,030 --> 00:23:03,210 you know? 599 00:23:03,660 --> 00:23:06,600 Oh, certainly I have my Cirrus on all the time with 600 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:10,740 whatever music or radio program I might be interested in hearing 601 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:13,410 fabulous Forward. 602 00:23:13,620 --> 00:23:15,360 I just want to ask you one more question, 603 00:23:15,360 --> 00:23:18,570 just drawing on the experience that you've had in the past. 604 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:22,830 Are there any other suggestions or words of wisdom that you 605 00:23:22,830 --> 00:23:25,470 would give us in terms of sales and marketing when you 606 00:23:25,470 --> 00:23:27,150 have a new product coming to market? 607 00:23:27,930 --> 00:23:28,590 Well, let's see. 608 00:23:29,250 --> 00:23:31,110 Whenever you asked me for words of wisdom, 609 00:23:31,110 --> 00:23:32,520 that's one of the things, 610 00:23:32,700 --> 00:23:32,960 you know, 611 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:34,800 I always thought it'd be nice to be wise, 612 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:36,690 but I don't know that I'm there yet. 613 00:23:36,690 --> 00:23:41,160 So I guess the thing is to do the things that 614 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:43,800 you enjoy doing is the key, 615 00:23:43,860 --> 00:23:47,300 because if you don't what you're doing in your business, 616 00:23:47,300 --> 00:23:50,600 why it's work and if you enjoy it, 617 00:23:50,690 --> 00:23:51,560 it's play. 618 00:23:51,590 --> 00:23:55,070 And so that's the biggest thing I could suggest to people 619 00:23:55,070 --> 00:23:59,120 that might be getting started in some type of adventure or 620 00:23:59,210 --> 00:24:02,300 adventure, whichever you want to call it is do the things 621 00:24:02,300 --> 00:24:05,210 that you enjoy and everything else will come together. 622 00:24:05,210 --> 00:24:06,110 If you're enjoying it, 623 00:24:06,110 --> 00:24:09,920 people will know that you're enjoying it and they will catch 624 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:11,330 on and you'll do fine. 625 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:13,750 Right. I think also if you're not enjoying it, 626 00:24:13,750 --> 00:24:15,460 you're not going to be able to keep with it for 627 00:24:15,460 --> 00:24:16,120 very long. 628 00:24:16,390 --> 00:24:17,200 That's true. 629 00:24:17,350 --> 00:24:20,650 Okay. We're going to go now into our reflection section. 630 00:24:20,650 --> 00:24:23,470 And this is called look at you where people can kind 631 00:24:23,470 --> 00:24:25,720 of relate to whether they have the same traits or the 632 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:27,310 same thought or that kind of thing. 633 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:30,310 If there was one natural trait that you have, 634 00:24:30,550 --> 00:24:33,700 which has made you be successful in terms of putting this 635 00:24:33,700 --> 00:24:34,360 all together, 636 00:24:34,360 --> 00:24:35,080 what would that be? 637 00:24:36,790 --> 00:24:37,450 Probably a bit, 638 00:24:37,510 --> 00:24:38,800 got a good sense of humor, 639 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:39,220 you know, 640 00:24:39,940 --> 00:24:42,310 because Of watching the squirrels or what, 641 00:24:42,460 --> 00:24:44,140 well, Everything you gotta, 642 00:24:44,170 --> 00:24:49,390 you gotta just take stuff lightly enough and hopefully entertainingly enough 643 00:24:49,510 --> 00:24:51,730 to make it fun for you to do. 644 00:24:51,790 --> 00:24:53,020 And like I said, 645 00:24:53,290 --> 00:24:54,610 in my situation, 646 00:24:54,760 --> 00:24:56,620 that's one of the big things for sure. 647 00:24:57,040 --> 00:25:00,670 And being focused in what you want to do as far 648 00:25:00,670 --> 00:25:02,980 as what you're going to make or what you're going to 649 00:25:02,980 --> 00:25:05,140 sell or whatever the case may be. 650 00:25:05,590 --> 00:25:08,830 I've always enjoyed being with people. 651 00:25:08,950 --> 00:25:12,190 And a little bit of the edge of each one of 652 00:25:12,190 --> 00:25:17,530 those relationships is probably ground on seeing the funny side of 653 00:25:17,540 --> 00:25:21,910 life or just trying to be observant on things that maybe 654 00:25:21,910 --> 00:25:25,120 other people don't see Whole thing about it being observant too. 655 00:25:25,120 --> 00:25:28,900 That's how you identified the need to have a solution to 656 00:25:28,900 --> 00:25:30,820 the squirrel problem in the first place. 657 00:25:30,950 --> 00:25:32,590 Right? Well, 658 00:25:32,590 --> 00:25:33,160 that's true. 659 00:25:33,220 --> 00:25:34,450 You figure that well, 660 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:35,920 like in my case, 661 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:39,600 whenever I solved or partially solved my problem, 662 00:25:39,610 --> 00:25:40,480 or then it became, 663 00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:43,720 well, maybe some other people have that problem as well. 664 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:47,290 And so maybe they'd be interested and then just kind of 665 00:25:47,380 --> 00:25:51,820 going on from there to making the product, 666 00:25:52,150 --> 00:25:53,230 as I said before, 667 00:25:53,230 --> 00:25:58,210 more affordable or more durable or find a new ways. 668 00:25:58,270 --> 00:26:02,740 The only thing that I have manufactured for the bird feeder 669 00:26:02,740 --> 00:26:06,820 itself is the tubes that I use for the major body, 670 00:26:06,820 --> 00:26:07,660 the bird feeder. 671 00:26:07,660 --> 00:26:11,410 And I use a PVC material that's clear and you're not 672 00:26:11,410 --> 00:26:13,990 going to find that kind of stuff in the hardware store. 673 00:26:13,990 --> 00:26:16,220 So I had to go to an extruder, 674 00:26:16,220 --> 00:26:19,810 a gentleman that was making those kinds of things and made 675 00:26:19,810 --> 00:26:21,670 it to the size that I needed. 676 00:26:22,210 --> 00:26:26,080 And so whenever I have a new order of tubing, 677 00:26:26,530 --> 00:26:31,080 why I am making a commitment for 800 more bird feeders. 678 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:34,510 So that point in time is always critical because I have 679 00:26:34,510 --> 00:26:35,530 to ask myself, 680 00:26:35,980 --> 00:26:39,040 do you want to make 800 more of these suckers or 681 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:44,340 not? And so I ordered a batch this fall, 682 00:26:44,340 --> 00:26:46,440 so I guess I'll be in the business for awhile. 683 00:26:46,940 --> 00:26:47,480 Well, that's good. 684 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:49,640 I'm like feeling like I need to go order mine soon 685 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:52,400 though, just in case I'm seriously, 686 00:26:52,700 --> 00:26:54,500 you're going to be seeing an order coming from me, 687 00:26:56,180 --> 00:26:58,040 but I know it's going to be delayed because you're in 688 00:26:58,040 --> 00:26:58,830 Florida golfing. 689 00:26:59,030 --> 00:26:59,630 That's right. 690 00:26:59,660 --> 00:27:00,890 It won't be till February, 691 00:27:00,890 --> 00:27:03,770 sometime. So just back off a little bit, 692 00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:11,420 relax and go from there In terms of balancing your retirement 693 00:27:11,420 --> 00:27:14,270 life with making the bird feeders, 694 00:27:14,510 --> 00:27:17,090 do you set out like certain days that you're going to 695 00:27:17,510 --> 00:27:18,470 make them, 696 00:27:18,500 --> 00:27:21,560 or do you have any set schedule or you just kind 697 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:24,110 of fly free and just do what you need to do 698 00:27:24,110 --> 00:27:24,740 in the time? 699 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:27,260 Well, weekends are used, 700 00:27:27,410 --> 00:27:30,650 see, during the summertime golf plays a big part of my 701 00:27:30,650 --> 00:27:31,460 life, I guess, 702 00:27:31,460 --> 00:27:33,830 because I live real close to a golf course and that's 703 00:27:33,830 --> 00:27:35,660 one of my retirement enjoyments. 704 00:27:35,660 --> 00:27:37,280 So I do a lot of that. 705 00:27:37,340 --> 00:27:42,560 And most of the actual sales occur as far as shows 706 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:46,460 in the fall because of Christmas and holidays and that type 707 00:27:46,460 --> 00:27:46,850 of thing. 708 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:48,860 And then again, 709 00:27:49,070 --> 00:27:50,870 around mother's day father's day, 710 00:27:50,870 --> 00:27:54,500 you got to think in terms of when people are looking 711 00:27:54,500 --> 00:27:57,680 for something that maybe they don't find, 712 00:27:58,250 --> 00:27:59,570 they don't know what to buy, 713 00:27:59,600 --> 00:27:59,930 you know, 714 00:27:59,930 --> 00:28:01,790 for that grandmother or whoever. 715 00:28:01,790 --> 00:28:06,140 And so that's the time that this just kind of pops 716 00:28:06,140 --> 00:28:07,550 for, I guess you might say, 717 00:28:07,550 --> 00:28:11,660 because everybody has a squirrel story or grandma or grandpa or 718 00:28:11,900 --> 00:28:12,860 mom or dad, 719 00:28:12,860 --> 00:28:15,440 or whoever has had that problem. 720 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:15,980 My neighbor, 721 00:28:15,980 --> 00:28:16,640 my friend, 722 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:18,380 everybody ever, 723 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:19,850 well, not everybody. 724 00:28:20,180 --> 00:28:21,860 Well, if you're a bird feeder person. 725 00:28:21,950 --> 00:28:22,850 Yeah. Yeah. 726 00:28:23,060 --> 00:28:24,470 So they've had a challenge. 727 00:28:24,470 --> 00:28:26,720 So that's what I try to zero in on, 728 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:28,160 far as that time is concerned. 729 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:30,350 Of course my significant other, 730 00:28:30,350 --> 00:28:30,830 my gal, 731 00:28:30,830 --> 00:28:33,560 Dorothy, she actually helps me build these things. 732 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:36,500 And she's my best salesman because she can go to these 733 00:28:36,500 --> 00:28:40,070 craft shows and make it sound better than maybe what it 734 00:28:40,070 --> 00:28:41,070 is. I don't know, 735 00:28:41,090 --> 00:28:42,980 but she does a good job for me. 736 00:28:43,130 --> 00:28:45,560 So we spent a lot of time on weekends together, 737 00:28:45,560 --> 00:28:46,070 et cetera. 738 00:28:46,070 --> 00:28:48,590 So there's always something to fill the day. 739 00:28:49,310 --> 00:28:51,230 Yeah. You just kind of choose it as you need to. 740 00:28:51,230 --> 00:28:53,670 And except when you have the bigger orders that you, 741 00:28:53,770 --> 00:28:54,320 then you definitely, 742 00:28:55,460 --> 00:28:59,160 I probably still have that work ethic of Monday through Friday, 743 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:02,300 you ought to be doing something productive that's in your brain. 744 00:29:02,300 --> 00:29:06,260 But so that is probably the major times that I do 745 00:29:06,260 --> 00:29:08,450 it. And I do it during the day from the most 746 00:29:08,450 --> 00:29:12,530 part, although sometimes you got to buckle down and work harder 747 00:29:12,530 --> 00:29:14,690 at it to meet the orders or meet the needs for 748 00:29:14,690 --> 00:29:15,740 the next coming show. 749 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:20,330 Tom, is there a book that you've read either recently or 750 00:29:20,330 --> 00:29:23,540 in the past during your career that you think would offer 751 00:29:23,540 --> 00:29:25,070 some good advice to our listeners? 752 00:29:25,670 --> 00:29:29,390 Well, I've read a lot of motivational books in my career. 753 00:29:29,390 --> 00:29:30,410 I guess I did. 754 00:29:31,010 --> 00:29:35,390 And areas of trying to improve my capabilities, 755 00:29:35,390 --> 00:29:36,230 my skills, 756 00:29:36,230 --> 00:29:38,060 as far as sales and marketing, 757 00:29:38,060 --> 00:29:38,600 et cetera, 758 00:29:38,900 --> 00:29:40,400 I just purchased the book, 759 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:41,090 the undoing, 760 00:29:41,710 --> 00:29:43,900 trying to figure out what that was all about. 761 00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:47,050 That's the last book that I picked up and went through. 762 00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:49,170 So gift biz listeners, 763 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:51,420 just as you're listening to the podcast today, 764 00:29:51,450 --> 00:29:54,420 you can also listen to audio books with ease. 765 00:29:54,810 --> 00:29:57,600 I've teamed up with audible for you to be able to 766 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:01,470 get a book for free on me if you haven't done 767 00:30:01,470 --> 00:30:02,220 so already, 768 00:30:02,610 --> 00:30:04,770 all you need to do is go to gift biz, 769 00:30:04,770 --> 00:30:07,170 book.com and make your selection. 770 00:30:07,380 --> 00:30:08,190 That's gift biz, 771 00:30:08,190 --> 00:30:10,620 book.com. Well, 772 00:30:10,620 --> 00:30:11,280 at this point, 773 00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:14,040 Tom, I would like to invite you to dare to dream. 774 00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:17,160 I'd like to present you with a virtual gift. 775 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:22,110 It's a magical box containing unlimited possibilities for your future. 776 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:26,070 So this is your dream or your goal of almost unreachable 777 00:30:26,070 --> 00:30:27,870 Heights that you would wish to obtain. 778 00:30:28,380 --> 00:30:31,560 Please accept this gift and open it in our presence. 779 00:30:31,770 --> 00:30:33,420 What is inside your box? 780 00:30:33,990 --> 00:30:34,750 I think what, 781 00:30:34,750 --> 00:30:37,320 what would be inside my box if I had a longer 782 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:38,190 term goal, 783 00:30:38,190 --> 00:30:39,930 is that up to this point, 784 00:30:40,590 --> 00:30:44,220 I've figured out through the sales and what I've given to 785 00:30:44,220 --> 00:30:47,580 the food bank or what other people have given to the 786 00:30:47,580 --> 00:30:49,920 food bank through the squirrel away bird cafe, 787 00:30:50,490 --> 00:30:52,410 it's over 380,000 788 00:30:52,410 --> 00:30:57,180 meals that have been brought about because of this bird feeder 789 00:30:57,510 --> 00:31:01,950 and given to the hungry people that take advantage of the 790 00:31:01,950 --> 00:31:02,580 food bank. 791 00:31:03,270 --> 00:31:05,520 And I guess if I was looking at that gift, 792 00:31:05,520 --> 00:31:07,470 it would say a million meals. 793 00:31:07,590 --> 00:31:10,620 That would be the thing that would be a goal, 794 00:31:10,620 --> 00:31:11,040 I guess. 795 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:12,300 I don't know if I'll make that. 796 00:31:12,390 --> 00:31:13,620 If you get tired of, 797 00:31:13,640 --> 00:31:14,790 of doing something, 798 00:31:14,810 --> 00:31:16,680 I hope I don't get tired of it, 799 00:31:16,740 --> 00:31:20,070 but that would probably be in that box. 800 00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:21,450 I love that. 801 00:31:21,450 --> 00:31:22,290 And honestly, 802 00:31:22,290 --> 00:31:24,300 the first thing I thought of when you just said that 803 00:31:24,330 --> 00:31:27,210 is definitely a business person, 804 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:30,720 you're still thinking business because your goal is so specific, 805 00:31:30,750 --> 00:31:33,210 1 million nice round even, 806 00:31:33,210 --> 00:31:34,530 and specific, 807 00:31:34,530 --> 00:31:36,570 I could have said 1,000,002, 808 00:31:36,570 --> 00:31:37,170 I suppose, 809 00:31:37,170 --> 00:31:38,830 maybe that would have been more realistic. 810 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:40,350 No, I like the million. 811 00:31:40,350 --> 00:31:41,730 Perfect, nice and clean. 812 00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:47,580 So gift biz listeners the best way I think for you. 813 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:52,410 And I believe the only way you could see and, 814 00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:54,420 or order one of these, 815 00:31:54,420 --> 00:31:56,340 if you were interested is on the website, 816 00:31:56,340 --> 00:31:56,850 correct time. 817 00:31:57,300 --> 00:31:59,400 Well, unless you're in the Geneva area, 818 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:01,830 the, the local hardware store carries them. 819 00:32:01,980 --> 00:32:04,830 They're the main retailer that handles the product. 820 00:32:05,340 --> 00:32:08,100 But online seems to be the way, 821 00:32:08,100 --> 00:32:11,550 or I try to put on my website and this shows 822 00:32:11,550 --> 00:32:12,540 that I'll be at. 823 00:32:12,660 --> 00:32:15,240 And most of those are in the Chicago land area. 824 00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:16,740 What is the website? 825 00:32:16,890 --> 00:32:18,870 It's squirrel proof.biz, 826 00:32:19,250 --> 00:32:20,010 nice and easy, 827 00:32:20,340 --> 00:32:23,130 right? And that has the videos on it. 828 00:32:23,180 --> 00:32:28,170 It probably got more information on the website about squirrel and 829 00:32:28,170 --> 00:32:29,010 squirrel proofing, 830 00:32:29,010 --> 00:32:29,880 your bird, 831 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:30,750 feeder, et cetera, 832 00:32:30,750 --> 00:32:31,440 and so forth, 833 00:32:31,830 --> 00:32:33,030 then you'd ever want to know, 834 00:32:33,030 --> 00:32:35,970 but it's everything you need to know about. 835 00:32:35,970 --> 00:32:37,740 My business is on that website, 836 00:32:37,740 --> 00:32:40,400 along with phone and everything else, 837 00:32:40,400 --> 00:32:43,160 if you want to talk or emails, 838 00:32:43,220 --> 00:32:43,790 et cetera, 839 00:32:44,750 --> 00:32:45,070 You know, 840 00:32:45,070 --> 00:32:47,530 also that there'll be a show notes page attached. 841 00:32:47,530 --> 00:32:50,560 So if you are out and not able to capture the 842 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:51,580 information right now, 843 00:32:51,610 --> 00:32:53,830 just jump over to your computer, 844 00:32:53,860 --> 00:32:55,990 get on the show notes page and you'll have all the 845 00:32:55,990 --> 00:32:57,010 information there. 846 00:32:57,310 --> 00:32:58,870 Tom, thank you so much. 847 00:32:58,870 --> 00:33:02,110 I really appreciate all the information you've given us a little 848 00:33:02,110 --> 00:33:04,600 bit of a different view of how you can take a 849 00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:09,850 craft and really integrated into your retirement world and enjoy it. 850 00:33:09,850 --> 00:33:10,330 And you know, 851 00:33:10,330 --> 00:33:13,300 you talk about fun and being happy and the humor and 852 00:33:13,300 --> 00:33:16,990 just doing this because of your love of creating and then 853 00:33:16,990 --> 00:33:18,760 also giving back. 854 00:33:18,820 --> 00:33:19,450 And it's just, 855 00:33:19,450 --> 00:33:21,160 it's a wonderful story. 856 00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:21,850 I really, 857 00:33:21,850 --> 00:33:24,160 really appreciate your sharing it with us today. 858 00:33:24,280 --> 00:33:26,350 And may your candle always burn bright. 859 00:33:26,770 --> 00:33:27,160 Thank you. 860 00:33:31,840 --> 00:33:33,850 Where are you in your business building journey, 861 00:33:34,150 --> 00:33:37,030 whether you're just starting out or already running a business and 862 00:33:37,030 --> 00:33:39,100 you want to know your setup for success. 863 00:33:39,340 --> 00:33:41,530 Find out by taking the gift biz quiz, 864 00:33:42,010 --> 00:33:45,100 access the quiz from your computer at bit dot L Y 865 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:49,240 slash gift biz quiz or from your phone by texting gift 866 00:33:49,240 --> 00:33:50,860 biz quiz to four four two, 867 00:33:50,860 --> 00:33:51,520 two, two. 868 00:33:51,940 --> 00:33:54,250 Thanks for listening and be sure to join us for the 869 00:33:54,250 --> 00:33:55,120 next episode. 870 00:33:57,130 --> 00:34:00,070 Today's show is sponsored by the ribbon print company, 871 00:34:00,790 --> 00:34:03,340 looking for a new income source for your gift business. 872 00:34:03,700 --> 00:34:08,050 Customization is more popular now than ever granted products of your 873 00:34:08,050 --> 00:34:09,310 logo for print, 874 00:34:09,310 --> 00:34:09,970 a happy birthday, 875 00:34:09,970 --> 00:34:10,780 Jessica Brooklyn, 876 00:34:10,840 --> 00:34:12,580 to add to a gift right at checkout, 877 00:34:13,300 --> 00:34:15,880 it's all done right in your shop or across CBO in 878 00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:19,480 seconds. Check out the print company.com 879 00:34:19,510 --> 00:34:22,990 for more information after you listened to the show, 880 00:34:23,050 --> 00:34:24,400 if you like what you're hearing, 881 00:34:24,700 --> 00:34:27,490 make sure to jump over and subscribe to the show on 882 00:34:27,490 --> 00:34:31,270 iTunes. That way you'll automatically get the newest episodes when they 883 00:34:31,270 --> 00:34:33,610 go by and thank you to those. 884 00:34:33,610 --> 00:34:39,190 Who've already left a rating by subscribing rating and reviewing help 885 00:34:39,200 --> 00:34:41,830 to increase the visibility on round. 886 00:34:42,340 --> 00:34:43,990 It's a great way to pay it forward, 887 00:34:44,200 --> 00:34:47,290 to help others with their entrepreneurial journey as well.