Walkin' the streets of backwoods China, on this, our latest sourcing trip I discovered the next big trend....the Chinese pompadour. Adam Lambert, eat your heart out. I thought I'd share this, my latest collection of ridiculous photos from China....I love this place.
I'm not sure how I missed the memo, but it seems this is the haircut to have.
See ya back in the west!
-- Shawny D.
Check out my podcast with Greenwich Entrepreneurs...
http://www.belrayam.com/community/files/shawn_nelson_lovesac.html
Enjoy.
-- Shawny D.
The 2nd half of my annual FrontLine LoveSac store
tour began in the big O. While you
won’t find a LoveSac store in Chicago or Miami or San Francisco, LoveSac has
been in Omaha for many, many years now. I like Omaha.
It kind of reminds me of my hometown, Salt Lake City for some reason.
The staff is stronger than it has ever
been and after climbing around on a ladder for two days changing out lighting
and just doing what needs to be done, that store looks better than it ever has,
I do believe. Just wait until you
see what they did for their store video this year. Good stuff. (You’ll see a clip from every store in the
country on the videos that play in our stores, once compiled, later this year).
Dallas is, and has always been, a stronghold for LoveSac. This is mostly due to the truly loyal, capable, and intelligent staff down there. Many Sac’rs on this crew have been here for years….like 5 years & counting. They have the huge responsibility of managing our current Sactionals sales test in Best Buy stores there (more on that later), as well as just dealing with things like the gigantic doors that fell of the track one night, hence this (above).
Operation FrontLine is one of my favorite times of year. It sucks to be on the road away from Tiffany and Lucky so much but it is awesome to get out and just work in every LoveSac store, meet the customers, personally train the staff, and feel the energy from the front lines of LoveSac – where it actually happens. The two things I love the most are our own amazing people at LoveSac as well as our amazing customers….some of whom really seem to like what we’re doing. I’m always flattered to meet them and amazed at how much they know.
I made a quick stop in SLC for Thanksgiving, and squeezed in
a FrontLine training at Fashion Place Mall. It ended in a TubeSac/Ball baseball game in the middle of
the mall. Trouble. Yes – Nate really can just do the
splits on command.
On to Los Angeles where LoveSac is still going strong in
Northride and Tyler (Riverside).
Better crews than ever before, and once again, after a little unlicensed
electrical work, the stores look better than ever. The crews in Cali are now stronger than ever, and with the
recent advent of the Glendale Galleria, we’re selling to the celebs in
Hollywood once again. Just 2 days ago I was giving a Sactionals
demo to Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit.
Thanks to Nahom, he is now rockin 3 SuperSacs in his Home Theater and
about to toss out his lame reclining/cup-holder theater chairs and replace them
all with Sactionals Movie Loungers….furniture for REAL LIFE.
I suspect many more celebrities will be
trading in their lame theater chairs for Sactionals soon. Its weird to sit separately in your own
home, like Captain Kirk on the enterprise, reclined, all facing one way. Those theater chairs suck…Sactionals
are much better seating for Home Theaters, hanging out, cuddling, eating,
drinking…real life.
Arizona Mills LoveSac last night with the always rock solid
Andy, Sam & the AZ crew. There
are really no words for how far that store has come.
LoveSac Las Vegas was today (which I can never complain
about). Most of the Vegas crew has
been here for 3 & 5 & 6 years!!
They began in high school and now they’re stone cold killers….runnin’ a
good business in sin city. (Don’t
ask about this pic – just wait for the in-store video). Just hit up Layton, Utah tonight. (RIGHT)
Now its on to SLC and Atlanta for double
store visits. Front Line never
stops.
-- Shawny D.
This will be my 7th year touring all of the LoveSac stores on what we at LoveSac call: Operation Front Line, 2009. After running the first LoveSac store day in and day out for months before we began to open more and build the company, I decided that I never wanted to get shut up in the office and lose touch with the customers who have made this company great. Not to mention our AMAZING Sac'rs who are out on the front lines making the sales, paying the bills, and who are ultimately responsible for LoveSac's success. So each year, just before the Holidays, I get out on the road and (mostly) drive to all of the LoveSac stores in the country.
From LA to Boston, with each stop I am reminded of just how special our products are in our customer's lives and how great our band of young, capable, hard-working Sac'rs are at running this biz.
[ABOVE LEFT: Natick MA LoveSac crew. RIGHT: Kyle & John, Sac users for years who now own Sactionals with multiple Covers]. BTW, COME FIND ME ON OP FRONT LINE AND SAY "SHAWNY D. SHOW ME THE MONEY,".....I'LL HOOK YOU UP.
This year, with so much going on, I will only make it to 2/3 of our stores before Christmas, but plan to catch the rest in the spring. [ABOVE LEFT: Bridgewater NJ crew]
At each stop I make sure that I'm not just dropping in to say "Hi" and point out shortcomings. I get to know every Sac'r by name, see who really tears it up and where our next Market Managers might be in the system! I work the store floor for hours, try to get my fair share of helping customers. I actually do the sales training while working the floor, with real customers; no role-playing here. They watch, I work. I usually make a sale or two and spend every other moment working with the store managers on merchandising training and setting their store right. [RIGHT: Columbia MD Sac'rs at the end of the 12 hour training. LEFT: Tyson's Corner D.C. crew - top selling LS staff!]
Each stop presents something new. I've wired lights, painted, re-located fixtures, hung posters, done light construction work...whatever needs doing. A typical "Front Line" day begins at 10am, sometimes noon, and runs until midnight, with all of the sit-down, hardcore training done after the store closes. We end the night by making ridiculous videos which live in infamy on the back walls of every LoveSac store and on the web forever, in the form of the LoveSac Store videos which you'll see playing in every one of our stores. Most customer's favorite part of these videos are the sections made by the Sac'rs on the Front Line visits....some better planned than others.
I usually then drive on to my next location to the wee hours in the morning, wake up and do it again.
At each stop I take a new sidekick with me - usually a Manager or Assistant Manager from some other LoveSac market, with the purpose of getting to know them and further develop their skills at the Sac. They also work the floor when I'm back de-briefing the staff on the customer I just helped. I think it is always good for them to see other stores, other Managers, other ways of doing things. [RIGHT & LEFT BELOW: the new look of LoveSac, 2009 Columbia MD] NOBODY is too good at LoveSac to get their hands dirty, paint, clean, scrape, unload, setup, and go unil Midnight--or sometimes work for days straight, if necessary.
That is just our culture: this laid back, easy-going, fun company whose "laid back" people actually work harder, go longer, and are more capable than any other store in the mall....period. I love these guys. It is these people to whome we owe our deepest gratitude and respect. I dedicate this and every Front Line Tour I'll ever make to those who are really running this company, the Sac'rs on the Front Lines.
-- Shawny D.
BTW, COME FIND ME ON OP FRONT LINE AND SAY "SHAWNY D. SHOW ME THE MONEY,".....I'LL HOOK YOU UP WITH A LOVESAC GIFT CARD. Noon to Midnight... Nov 20th: Westroads, Omaha NE. Nov 22: Dallas Galleria, TX. Nov 23: Stonebriar, TX. Nov 29: Gateway Mall, SLC, UT. Nov 30: Northridge Mall, CA. Dec 1: Glendale Galleria, CA. Dec 2: Tyler Galleria, CA. Dec 6: Arizona Mills, Tempe AZ. Dec 7: Sunset Galleria, Henderson, NV. Dec 8: Layton Hills Mall, UT. Dec 10: Lenox, Atlanta GA. Dec 11: Mall of GA, Atlanta GA.
THE WINNER of this year's Halloween costume contest gets a (brand new) KING BLANKET by LoveSac, worth $300 (hit stores in 2 weeks!!!) THE BEST STORE overall all get a pair of (brand new) PHUR FEET Slippers by LoveSac....a prize to be coveted, no doubt. So I'll show you all the pics (in no particular order), then I'll tell you who won at the end, then YOU please COMMENT and tell me whether we got it right. ALL comments welcome.
Westroads NE
Mims!
No shirt to work!?
Luigi
asdf8r
King of Prussia! PA
Northridge CA (red walls)
Nerd & Rainbow Bright at Columbia MD!
AZ Mills
Flatiron Eddie & his world famous jacket!
Tyler Galleria
Ladies Man-agers
sadf25l
asdf30r
Georgia, Jersey, & Pittsburgh girls.
Layton discofied (again)
Casey & Josh spread the word in sin city!
Hung over in SLC.
More holiness.
Weirdos.
asdf46l
asdf47r
asdf48l
asdf49r
asdf51r
asdf52l
Christiana DE opens on Halloween! Alex as El Hombre LoveSac Magnifico, I'm inked up, Libby is doctor hottie, Brian really should grow a mullet, Batman. Batman....and the legendary Jizamm as a Pink Lady.
My Lucky lady-bug, her furry friend & Tiffany added together make for a "whole lotta woman." Clearly adding to my hardcore image.
-- Shawny D.
So Casey & Josh, "The Elders" WIN for best individual costumes!!! A KING BLANKET EACH! AZ MILLS (scary crew below) WIN for best store costumes!!! SLIPPERS all around!
COMMENT HERE! Did we get it right!?
Today I spoke in LA at an event with Richard Branson as the headliner and Christian Audigier (Creator: ED HARDY shown BELOW) as the closer....what a lineup! The "Perfect Pitch 2009" seemed to be a huge success to me. With hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs and investors in attendance I know that I was inspired by all of the success stories and information shared. I love these events. The greatest thing about these entrepreneur events is also the most humbling: hearing SO MANY incredible stories of success, over-achieving and ridiculous wealth creation--all under one roof. THAT is America at its best - no matter what Michael Moore says about it. Capitalism breeds unbridled innovation - God bless America. (GOTTA see the vid below though!)
I spoke on a panel with Apprentice (2nd Season) winner, Kelly Perdew. It was fun to rewind a bit and recant some of my experience from the old Rebel Billionaire days. I was reminded of just what a rare opportunity that was. God bless America. (Me and Kelly Perdew shown right)
One of the coolest entrepreneur presentations ("pitches") of the day came from the founder of Icon Aircraft. I was blown away by his concept for a "Sport Plane," meant to tap into the "Power Sports" market (Sport Cars, Sport Bikes, Sport Boats, etc)...but for planes. This plane is SICK. Checkout: http://www.iconaircraft.com/ It will only cost about $140k and anyone can fly it, on land or on water...and tow it home on a trailer.
Finally, in contrast, I leave you with this thought - which can only be expressed in this real-life, unplanned, un-scripted, spur-of-the-moment little video that I just had to record as I watched TV the other night. THIS is the antithesis of everything that I stand for. I mean, hats off to Bob for his entrepreneurship, but OH, America - don't give in to becoming the unabashed couch potato that this ad implies that you are....
God bless America??
-- Shawny D.
If you're an entrepreneur, or aspire in any way to start-up, create, or run your own business you should really be in LA next week! Next Monday (Oct 26) my old pal Richard Branson is headlining "The Perfect Pitch" entrepreneur's conference in Marina Del Rey. I'll be on one of the breakout panels as well, representing the Sac. A very busy year has gone by since I was last able to spend any time with Richard and this event should be amazing. It is PACKED with heavy hitters and I'm sure it will be more than worth it.
For any of you who might not understand my connection with Virgin's Rebel Billionaire, Richard Branson, just check out these YouTube videos.....
Rebel Billionaire Early Episodes
Rebel Billionaire Middle Episodes
[[SPOILER !!!...]] You see, Richard once gave me a million bucks and made me President of Virgin Worldwide (yep, that actually happened). Definitely one of the more exciting periods in my life. Since then he has remained a friend, investor, and mentor to me. I'm honored to be part of this event with him. CHECK OUT THIS LINEUP:
PerfectBusiness presents The Perfect Pitch 2009 with
Sir Richard Branson
Monday, October 26th, 2009
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
Hope to see you in LA next Monday!!! I know a few of my fellow friends in business plan on being there. Comment if you happen to be coming. Find me, we'll hang in LA. .
-- Shawny D.
LoveSac lovers...YOU'VE GOTTA SEE THE VIDS BELOW (no, it is not snowing in this pic)....All of our Market Managers LoveSac Stores all over the US came to Stamford for an intensive 3 day training. In true LoveSac fashion: we work hard, we play hard. I'd write more but I couldn't do it justice. To get an idea of the (organized) chaos that ensued, just click on the videos below. First, 3 days in 9 minutes. Next, Sac Diving gets nasty. last, a flickr slideshow of some of my favorite pics of the week. If a picture is worth a 1000 words, a LoveSac video says it all...
MANAGERFEST WRAP-UP
SAC DIVING
FLICKR PHOTO GALLERY SLIDESHOW
Please COMMENT on what you think of our lunacy....good, bad, or ugly!
-- Shawny D.
“WE ARE. WE
ARE. WE ARE.” Screamed Director of
Retail, Alex in his meanest drill sergeant voice (he actually is an Army
Reserve Drill Sergeant one weekend a month in answer to the question: “What is
LoveSac?”…”We are!”
IT IS ALL ABOUT OUR PEOPLE. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind here at LoveSac HQ that
our people are by far our most valuable asset. Like it or not, our products are weird, require demonstration
and explanation, and with all the video, photos, POP displays, etc, there is
just NO SUBSTITUTE FOR AWESOME PEOPLE.
Our most awesomest people are all here for 3 days only, at LoveSac world
headquarters in Stamford Connecticut.
19 of the best Sac’rs in the world have been flown, driven,
and trained up to New York City then on to our offices just up the road in
Stamford….a banking town. LoveSac
is most certainly the weirdest business in this town. No suits here.
Surrounded by high-rises filled with tie-wearing finance geeks, we’ve
borrowed the empty space beneath our tiny office where we can all gather around
one long conference table with the purpose of elevating our collective
LoveSac-abilities.
The day begins early, at the Stamford Inn. Who knows what goes on after hours with 19 Sac’rs locked up under one roof – I don’t wanna know. But we woke everyone up playing “HI-LO” where everyone lines up from high to low according to the category called.
We all crammed into our cars (the LoveSac Bus is, um, busy
right now), rolled over to the office where the day of fun began. It’s “wear your favorite T-shirt day
for this first long day of training.
Powerpoint presentations….YEAH.
Vision training, mission training, financial training, inventory
training, supply-chain training, book-club knowledge sharing, etc, etc, etc.
For lunch we had some wicked-good carnitas tacos from our
favorite neighborhood taco joint….and get crackin’ on the staff-wide Guitar
Hero single elimination tournament in the infamous "Rockstar Room" at LoveSac HQ. Katie, Casey, Mims, Dave, Brian, James, and Torin advance to the next
round of Guitar Hero glory…Tashia, Andy, Eddie, Libby, Svi, Hellen, Amy and
JesAnne were ELIMINATED.
I’m not
saying they sucked….but it WAS entertaining. Overall, I’d have to say that those from the field are
better than those from HQ…even though WE’RE the one with the RockStar Room
right here in the office. (Shows
you how much it gets played). It’s
all a show. LoveSac isn’t really
fun…..but we like to pretend we are.
(ok, its kinda fun).
Now back upstairs for dinner in the office, then right back
downstairs for more presentations after dinner….goin’ till 11 pm tonight. LoveSac is…...FUN!
Born. Played. Worked. Played. Worked. Married. Worked. Won $1 Million on TV. Worked. Fathered a child.....
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