8.23.2009

Redefining "Healthy Profit"

I was thinking about our company, shopOrganic.com, this afternoon (as I do most mornings, noons and nights) and I thought about the phrase "healthy profit".

Before I go any further, let me stake a claim here - I am hereby redefining the phrase "healthy profit" to mean that the profit must be generated in a sustainable manner. Gone are the days when toxic profits garnered from shady operations are lauded as good, desirable and worthwhile. In the new economy, a profit will be deemed healthy only if it is sustainable. So, the new equation is this: intelligent investing = sustainable profitability. OK, now that I've marked your consciousness with that tidbit, let's talk about how that works.

The sub-prime mortgage mess was not a sustainable model. It was stealthy, it was crafty and certainly a handful of people made a huge pile of money - but at what cost? I'm all for profitabiity, indeed, small businesses MUST be profitable to continue to exist, so profit is typically good.

As the economy recovers, more and more people will begin to feel financially stable again - and they'll begin to look for places to invest. So, we can create another bubble by over-hyping some other market sector, but let me suggest an alternative for small and large investors alike.

Look for companies that create real value by doing something real. Look for companies that play well with others - by being good neighbors, community citizens and valued partners. Look for companies that make every effort to run a profitable company in a sustainable manner. Look for companies that want to, and appear to be able to, make a difference in the world.

If you find companies that meet those criteria, they might be good candidates for your hard earned investment dollars. If they don't meet those criteria, think long and hard about whether or not you want to part with your money for something that is probably part of an old, dying economic model.

Just my 2 cents (hopefully well invested).

Love hearing from you - post your comments and insights and let's get this economy started (to poorly paraphrase recording artist Pink).

Now, go out there and enjoy your day -

[Here's the pitch - looking for a responsible, sustainable investment? Are you a qualified investor? Head to shopOrganic.com for more information.
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8.20.2009

Investing In This New World

I've been thinking lately about investing. Just a few years ago, when the stock market was hot, people were tossing money in without much thought or care. Unless you made really bad investments, you mostly saw your funds increase over time. Then along came the sub-prime mortgage mess, credit card debt and the economy cycled downward. Gone were the days of free money and ever increasing bank balances. As the stock markets headed lower and lower day after day, a lot of people began to re-evaluate their view toward investing. I know I did. I started looking at the world around me and saw, more clearly than ever before, that there are many different forms of investing - many of which are far less visible to us than picking the latest hot stock. There's a reckoning happening - big banks, big institutions, big anything - are all being challenged right now. Perhaps our 'bigger is better' mentality is fading away. Here's what I've discovered.

When we started shopOrganic back in early 2008, we were headed into a weakening housing market. At the time, we had no idea what the impact would be. Late in 2008 and early 2009, we saw markets tumble all around us. It impacted everyone we knew - and still we needed to build our business.

Like most start ups, we were tight on funds and we still needed to do things every business needs to do. So, we talked with folks - our suppliers and vendors, in particular. We simply asked, is there anything you can do to help us out? We were surprised and delighted by the response. We found almost everyone was willing to pitch in just a little bit to help. We shaved some costs off here, got a few extra free services there, extended small credit terms (even net 7 instead of COD make a difference) - and before we knew it, we were well on our way. No one went to extremes, but every little bit helped. It's like the coin tray or jar or drawer most of us have at home. You drop your spare change in there and suddenly you have a few hundred dollars. Each person that helped us dropped a few coins in our jar, enabling us to continue to build our business.

But it wasn't a one-way street. We also worked to help our suppliers and vendors where we could a well - a shout out here, a recommendation there. And as I thought about how this had all come about, it dawned on me that this may well be the roots of a new economy. (Of course, it hasn't removed our need to raise capital, but it sure has helped us significantly extend our runway!) Bigger isn't always better. We've been working with a lot of small companies who in turn have helped us out and we've all benefited. Just like sustainable, organic farming, a network of small producers may well be the most sustainable and beneficial economic model moving forward. It feels a bit like back to the future but maybe that's the best place to be.

With that, I'd like to take a moment to give a shout out to those who have helped us along the way. We're still growing, we're still looking for investment capital, we're still growing, and we're still here. Many heartfelt thanks to everyone who's helped us get to where we are. We are incredibly optimistic about the future and look forward to expanding on this new economic model. If you'd like to join in the fun, contact us and we'll be happy to chat with you!

Thanks go out to:
Kris Nicola at Intelligent Design
TCR Solutions and Chris Compton
Login and all the geeky tech guys over there
Donna Oakley at GSL Fine Lithographers
TLC Communications
Dave Blanchette at Bourn Partners for helping us find an amazing location
Dave Blanchette for introducing us to Mike Jaglois of Arlyss, Jaglois, Lynch
Arlyss, Jaglois, Lynch, marketing firm extraordinare, and in particular Mike Jaglois and Shelly Lynch
Eric Layland (Confluence Digital)
Russell Parker, Sally Gatchel, Curt Mullen and all the great folks at Nature's Best
Cyndi Dain, accountant and trusted advisor
Deanna Conn, Jacque Westling, Quarles & Brady
Monique at Tucson Container/Kino Packaging
Susan Quinn (and Chico)
Gary Frost
Linda Fredin
Sallie Mansbacher
Jackie Brown & Rosie (of Border and Black fame)

A thousand thank you's!

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8.11.2009

The Have's and the Have Not's

Most of the time, when we talk about the "have's and the have not's" we're talking about material possessions and wealth - I'd like to turn that on its head for a moment and talk about when not having something is better.

The debate about the benefits of organic foods has really fired up. From my perspective, it's likely driven by a lot of people who have a vested interest in conventional foods - but setting that aside for a moment, let's just boil this down to a more rational discussion.

Let's say, just for the sake of this discussion, that there is no nutritional difference between organic and conventional foods (I don't personally believe that, but I'm willing to suspend disbelief for a couple of minutes). Does that end the debate? Is that slam dunk for conventionally grown foods? Nope. Not even close.

This is where the "have not's" win handily. Organic food does NOT have chemicals, organic food does NOT have pesticides, organic food is NOT made from genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

But wait, there's more (or, uh, less)!

Organic food not only doesn't have these things, growing organic foods does not involve the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, genetically modified organisms so it also keeps all that gunk out of the soil, the water and the air (aka the earth). Think about the multiplier effect in either direction. It's all connected - the debate about nutritional benefits may rage on, but I still prefer the "have not's" kind of food. Better for me, better for this big swirling globe we all call home.

Pesticides and other chemicals HAVE been shown to have an adverse impact on the human body and on the plants and animals of this planet. So, I don't know about you, I would rather go without and go organic - in this case, the have not's have a clear advantage.

New to organic food? Take a look at these best sellers at shopOrganic.com for some great ideas on where to start.

Now, go out there and enjoy your day!
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8.09.2009

Fast & Easy Organic Chicken Tikka Masala

Like most folks, when I come home from work at night, I'm tired and hungry. I want something delicious, but I don't want to have to spend hours making it nor do I want to spend $40 to order in. Of course, I have my old standbys that I can whip up with minimal ingredients and time, but sometimes I just want to break out and have something a bit more interesting. Recently, I discovered a spice blend from Arora Creations that has changed my culinary landscape forever. Last night, I made a delicious chicken tikka masala using the Chicken Tikka Masala spice blend. You can make just about any meal better - whatever your choice of protein (chicken, fish, tofu or beans). Add your protein, vegetables and spice packet and simmer. Out of this world flavor and a quick and easy meal. These spice packets are great to keep in the cupboard for a fast, delicious and interesting meal. But here's the kicker - want to impress friends? Make one of these dishes using one of these organic Arora Creations spice blends then make naan at home and you'll be an instant star. Not sure about making naan? Here's a quick and easy recipe -- takes a couple of hours (1 of which is letting the dough rise). Read more!