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“Good-bye” Boring Socks, “Hello” Socks that Start Businesses

- April 2nd, 2013

As I put on my socks this morning, I couldn’t help but think “how boring”.

They were just a simple pair of lady’s trouser socks. Sure I wore a nice pair of black dress pants and a very hot pair of Stuart Weiztman heels, but the socks themselves, well, they were a just ho-hum.

Cole + Parker SocksOne day, if the team at Cole + Parker has their way, my typical morning routine of grabbing boring, uninspiring socks will change – and so will yours.

Instead they hope we’ll reach for a snazzy pair of colorful, statement socks that better match your mood and carry with them a sense of pride. Say good bye to boring socks and hello to socks that start businesses.

Inspired by the ‘One for One’ business model made famous by TOMS shoes, the Cole + Parker brand co-founded by Londoners Diana Charabin and Jeff House, puts a new twist on an established idea coining the ‘One for Many’ business model.

If you’re not familiar with the original concept, Blake Mycoskie is the founder and chief shoe giver at TOMS, and the person behind the idea of One for One, which has turned into a global movement. Basically, for every pair of TOMS shoes sold, the company donates another pair to someone in need.

According to the TOMS website, the company has given over two million pairs of new shoes to children in need since 2006. The company also recently expanded its unique business model to include TOMS Eyewear, helping to save and restore sight for those in need.

So, as young entrepreneurs, anxious to make a difference and feeling inspired by Mycoskie’s contribution to society and his approach to meaningful business, Charabin and House asked, “How do we achieve a similar impact without copying the idea or getting the “been there, done that” response in the marketplace?”Diana Charabin & Jeff House Londoners Co-Founders of Cole + Parker

This debate on a Sunday afternoon drive was the launching pad for the new One for Many movement that is gaining momentum and with any luck at all, is heading toward critical mass to put Cole + Parker on the international map.

At first glance the company sells socks – really cool, vibrant, buck-the-trend kind of socks designed by Juan Mendez, a native of Columbia who lives in Canada and are produced thanks to product development leadership of Joe Patterson based in Carlsbad, California.  

In reality, the socks are the seed money for a budding entrepreneur somewhere in the developing world. Twenty percent of the proceeds from the socks are given to Kiva, a non-profit organization that has already facilitated over 400 million dollars of micro finance loans. Kiva’s track record shows that 98 per cent of the loans are repaid and once it is, the money is re-loaned to other entrepreneurs creating a sustainable cycle.

Mr. House found his passion was micro finance and seeding start-ups in developing countries when he was working on the front lines in Columbia and heard pitches from entrepreneurs who were anxious to seize opportunity. Add that life-changing experience, marry it with his love of socks then pull together a team of serial entrepreneurs with the boldness to move a project forward in a hurry and within five months, Cole + Parker has launched and is building momentum.

In an effort to get the project off the ground, the team opted for crowd-source funding through Indie Go Go. So far they have reached their initial $20K financial goal, just in time for their pitch on CBC’s Dragon’s Den tomorrow (Wed April 3rd). Whether or not they are successful and recieve the backing of one of the dragon’s will remain a secret until the show airs next season

I’ve already pre-ordered my socks – I can’t wait to see what they look like once they start distributing the product. So long boring black trouser socks, hello bold and meaningful coverings for my feet that will ultimately start businesses.

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Categories: Allison Graham | No comments

Why I can’t wait until tomorrow! (Hint #BlackBerry10 )

- January 29th, 2013

Do you remember your first PDA? Mine was a Palm Pilot and I loved it. Little did I know as I walked into a dinner event at the London Club almost a decade ago that was about to change.

That night, an executive from Research in Motion was the keynote speaker and talked about the future of mobile. As I was typing notes about his talk on my Palm Pilot, he laughed and said “You don’t know what you’re missing.”

Later that same night, as luck would have it, I won the door prize and became the proud owner of my very first BlackBerry. I’ll never forget it. In a matter of days, I was officially a BlackBerry loyalist, a sentiment that has never wavered.  Even during the difficult times, as my friends were jumping ship and going to what they called the “cool side”, I was still proud to be using a piece of Canadian technology.

Aside from a serendipitous beginning to my relationship with BlackBerry (really, I don’t think the executive rigged the draw, but maybe I’m wrong) this phone stands for so much more than just a device for typing and talking. For a decade, it’s been the symbol that has joined me as I communicated with the outside world.  Allison's BlackBerry

There is no other object that has been by my side as consistently as my BlackBerry. It’s outlived every inanimate object in my life from overpriced-but well-worth-it shoes and purses, furniture to cars. It has been the one constant companion in my over-loaded life of multiple social media channels, constant connectedness, the writing of hundreds of columns and two books. It’s been dropped in puddles, forgotten and gone back for, lost in my purse, slid between the seats of the car and buried under paperwork, but it’s never been out-of-sight or out-of-mind for very long. Once it even fell down the garbage chute from the 20th floor and was successfully, albeit difficultly, rescued.

In fact, the only thing the BlackBerry symbol hasn’t outlived is my family and close friends and yet, it plays a huge role in my ability to stay connected with them.

To put so much stock into a symbol may seem dramatic, but one only has to lose their phone or forget it at home for a day to realize how much we, as a society, rely on the smartphone.

To me, the BlackBerry stands for Canadian potential in the marketplace and how innovators who work hard can take an idea and influence the world.

Granted, BlackBerry also stands for the many business challenges growth can present. It’s an example of how when you lead the pack with innovation, others are bound to catch up and if you’re not careful,  one day you will find yourself chasing your competition rather than having it chase you.

Over the last several years, being a BlackBerry loyalist has not always been easy. The gentle ridicule of friends saying you should switch to Android or listening to them blab on about the functionalities of the iPhone has been frustrating to say the least.

Until tomorrow, my main retorts have been the incredible security, the keyboard and the enterprise functionality that BlackBerry has to offer, none of which have won a debate over a glass of wine. It got to the point where I caved and bought an iPad just to see “what I was missing”. I only use it for quick internet searches and reading, so all of the apps are lost on me.

When someone disses my BlackBerry, I feel the same protective feeling one gets when someone insults your friend or doesn’t like your dog. It sucks, but tomorrow that will all change. At least I hope it will.

Finally, I’ll be on the “cool-side” again proudly touting the merits of the BlackBerry 10 which at this point, even with the benefits that come from being a BlackBerry Elite member, are still speculation.  The suspense is getting to me. I just can’t wait to see if the BlackBerry10 is all that we could imagine. It’s just a matter of hours before we know if this device will be the flagship that saves and invigorates a company that has fought through some tough times and if it will prove that thoughtful innovation can bring BlackBerry back to the top.

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Categories: Allison Graham | 1 comment

How to Avoid Event Overload.

- September 10th, 2012

Today’s column talks about the potential overload for events in London and gives some advice on how to choose (copied below).

I’m curious, which events will you attend? How do you choose? Do you have specific criteria you use to target your efforts?

GETTING CONNECTED: Professionals run the risk of overwhelming their schedules and their wallets

With so many events available, be choosy

Allison Graham, Special to QMI Agency

The get back-to-school and back-to-business feelings that happen after Labour Day also mean there’s a sudden influx of event invitations.

The “networking circuit” goes from summer lull to high action. With so many events happening, it’s difficult for organizers to rise above the noise and get momentum on ticket sales. Professionals run the risk of overwhelming their schedules and their wallets.

The first post-summer lull event I attended was a social gathering at the new restaurant Blu Duby on Dundas St. Among the conversation topics was the incredible number of events happening in the next five weeks.

A short list includes the CEDASS fundraiser with guest Peter MacKay on Sept. 15; the Little Black Dress Event for Wellspring on Sept. 21; Braz for the Cause Fling ’Em for Breast Cancer on Oct. 19th; and the Sue in the City Live from the Runway Event in support of Make-A-Wish Southwestern Ontario on Oct. 11 that I’m excited to emcee! There is also the new 100 Women Initiative on Oct. 1 that seems to have a lot of momentum given its a few weeks away and they are already well past their goal with registrations at 170 and counting.

To attend these events means five evenings out of your life and approximately $300, which is a significant and potentially worthwhile investment of time and money.

If you’re looking to expand your network and make a contribution to our community, then these would be options, but how do you choose? Add the regular business networking association activities and you could wonder when you have time for work.

There are four elements to consider when filling your networking schedule:

  • your purpose for networking
  • the people you want to meet
  • what you like to do
  • your resources.

Ensuring an event meets three out of four requirements means you’ll get the most value out of event-going and it will get you closer to your goal and keep you from overloading your to-do list.

Purpose: Are you trying to increase sales, contribute to the community or just get broadly connected? Understanding this will help you measure your results after events and better judge which ones are more likely to get you to your goal.

People: Who is your target market for sales? Are they involved with specific events making it easy to interact with them socially? Are there people who you truly enjoy hanging out with so when you go to an event then it feels like social time?

Love fashion and hanging with the gals? Then go to “Live from the Runway.” Are you passionate about making a difference in Southern Sudan? Then go to the CEDASS event. Can’t stand large crowds? Then don’t go to any of them and find alternate ways to network or contribute. You won’t be able to make genuine connections if you’re miserable, and life is too short to be miserable.

Resources: It’s easy to blow the budget with all that is happening. Instead of being reactive to invitations, be proactive. Make a decision about how much time you’ll devote to networking and take special note of times that are off-limits for networking and reserved for family time. It’s also important to set a budget — not just for the tickets, but remember most of the money raised for charity is done so through the auction and other add-ons.

If events don’t fit with the four focus elements above or they don’t seem like they’ll be an amazingly good time for you, then don’t be afraid to say no.

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Categories: Allison Graham, Strategy | No comments

Adventures in Wardrobing

- August 27th, 2012

Navigating the ins and outs of a professional wardrobe during any season, especially summer, can be a real challenge for women. Over the last few months I’ve been learning about this very topic from Jo-Ann Fisher and the team at the women’s clothing boutique Fisher & Company and Accents by Fisher & Company.  The team is sponsoring my wardrobe for a new business focused TV show I’m hosting this fall. So in the process, I’ve learned a few things that I figure will be helpful for other professional women too. Here are some tips from my wardrobe adventure so far:

1. Don’t forget your legs.

The idea of wearing nylons on a hot summer’s day may seem like torture, but there are times in professional situations when it’s a requirement. Jo-Ann suggests that in the heat women should wear a lower danier stocking, which refers to the thickness of the nylon. A cool summer sheer could be as low as an 8 or 15 denier, whereas a typical nylon would be 20 or 40, tights are even higher. If you choose not to cover your legs in the office, then be sure they are smooth, shaven and free of cuts and bruises. For the 99% of us who don’t have model like legs, she recommends using a foundation or tanning agent to give a more polished look that can complete the outfit.

2. Ignore the trends, unless they work for you.

While fashion may be fun to look at, it’s not always appropriate to wear. The key is to be sure you’re in the right look given your personality and lifestyle. There are some things that look great on the rack, but just won’t work in real life. Lisa Ferguson, who is celebrating 3 years in business at Accents by Fisher and Company is the first to suggest that 4 inch spike heels may not be a practical choice if you’re standing all day. Instead, choose a fashionable flat or lower heel. You can also wear a more comfortable shoe on the way to and from events or the office and then wear the fancy ones when you want to look your best. For me, that means choosing the right shoe for stage or on set, but will make a point to have an alternative pair for driving and walking to the location.

3. Plan in advance.

If you walk into any retail location you can see that fall wardrobe is in full swing. It may seem early, but the benefit of shopping now is that you can make wise choices that complement the pieces you already have hanging in your closet.

If mid-August seems early for Fall fashions, try choosing Falls’ fashions last May. It was in May that we ordered my new Joeffer Cadoc wardrobe at his “trunk show”. A trunk show was a new concept to me. It basically means that designers swing through town with samples of their garments for the next season.  By ordering in advance, you have the foundation of your wardrobe already decided and then you can build from there with confidence. Choosing the main outfits in advance, made it easier to choose which shoes and boots would be needed for fall and so my second trunk show was for Stuart Weitzman. It was the least “reactive” shopping experience I’ve ever had. It also feels weird to order and leave the store without anything in hand, but then it’s fun to pick it up!

4. Invest in a quality foundation.

In today’s economy, we all want to stretch a buck as far as we can. The idea of spending big money on a suit can seem like too big of a leap for some; however, Jo-Ann explained that it’s better to invest in a high-quality foundational wardrobe and then mix and match with less expensive pieces. For example, they have a program where nine pieces can actually create 36 different outfit combinations. The natural tendency is to buy 36 different outfits separately, rather than integrating the same pieces together with accessories. The higher quality pieces generally wear better so while you may spend more up front, overall you’ll spend less because you have fewer pieces that can last longer.

 

Regardless of your budget or your favourite store, being strategic means you can avoid the all too familiar – and very expensive – story of having impulse purchases hanging in the closet with tags still intact long after the purchase.

What are your tips for developing a professional, well-put-together wardrobe?

 

Categories: Allison Graham | 2 comments

What’s distracting you?

- July 30th, 2012

Today’s column tackles the challenge of work day interruptions. As with most of my content, I learned it the hard way. Since 2003 I’ve had some, or all, of my work from home and like most things in business, find that my ability to focus on priority tasks ebbs and flows. Some days are better than others.

A friend shared a story with me. Her boss used his “door” as his gatekeeper. If it was open he was available, if it was closed, he was not. A simple, yet very effective approach.

How about you? What distracts you from getting the work done? How do you overcome it?

 

Categories: 4 Pillars of Profitable Networking, Allison Graham, Perspective | No comments

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