Lovesac Official Company Blog

My Thursday Thought: Have Fun

Intra-staff email sent Aug 22, 2013.

"Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine." - Lord Byron

Lately I’ve had a few occasions to describe the early history of the company to people on the outside. Even though I have done it (literally) hundreds of times, I try my best not to just recite it, but to really reflect, each time, and think about those experiences that were actually so formative to our brand and culture to this day. One experience that came up a couple of times was that of the first Sac ever sold by me, actually in a Lovesac store.

We opened that first store on November 17, 2001 in the Gateway Mall in Salt Lake City, Utah. Lovesac had been around for a few years selling to friends-of-friends through college, but here we were, across from Abercrombie and Pottery Barn, on a busy Friday night, just hoping not to get laughed at for our big not-a-beanbag store. So we cranked up the music, opened the doors, and just had a GOOD TIME. To our relief, the store got slammed. People wandered in, we made them sit down, they’d make some “surprised” remark after feeling a Sac under them for the first time. We bounced to the next person, passed out brochures, bounced back, joked, laughed, flirted, ordered, messed with people, made fun of their BYU hoodies....whatever. We just HAD A GOOD TIME. It is infectious.

That was all fine and good, but would anyone actually buy a $500 not-beanbag, right there, right then? If not, when? Which day? The clock was ticking away our money in ridiculous mall rent and there was absolutely no predicting what would actually happen. No one had ever (I mean ever) bought a massive, expensive, not-a-beanbag on impulse at a mall before.

Then it happened. Nate sold the first Sac.

Then it happened again, with Tres...even on day one!

Then I got mine: Some guy had come in before his movie and had a good time with us—a real loudmouth. I had already made him sit, given him the rundown, and heard all about his giant media room. But on his way out the door, he was shouting offers at me, like “Two-fifty....I’ll give you Three-hundred for it.”

I actually nodded cockily, smiled really big, and told him to “Get the hell out of my store—what do you think this is, Tijuana?” We don’t bargain at the mall.

Anyway, 120 minutes or so later he wandered back in and looked around some more. The store was slammed again with a different crop of people just hangin’ out on a Friday night, waiting for tables at restaurants, killin’ time with friends, and strangely okay about lying around in our store. But the music was bumpin’, we were bouncin’, and still just messin’ with anyone who dared step under our roof. We owned it. While I was just finishing checking something out on the computer for a customer, that same guy wandered back over towards me, tossed his credit-card on the cash-wrap and said, “I have no idea why I’m doing this....” But as he spoke I noticed him very subtly kind of groovin’ to the beat of the music in the background. I looked up and just laughed. I said, “That’s right—this is Lovesac! You’ll love it man....seriously...”

As I walked the Sac out to his car, I got to know him some more and he turned out to be a great business contact—actually, a pretty cool guy. A new friend.

He did not buy our warranty, or our fabric, or even Durafoam that night. He bought a feeling. He bought an emotion. I believe that somewhere deep down, without him ever realizing it consciously, he just wanted to take a piece of that LOVESAC VIBE home with him and hopefully somehow keep it going in his own basement....and it even compelled him to take out his wallet—right there and then.

You give me talent and “good leadership” vs. infectious enthusiasm any day of the week, and I choose INFECTIOUS ENTHUSIASM. Do you have it? Do you? You?!

You give me good merchandising, beauty, perfect systems, and orderly management vs. that Lovesac vibe, and I choose THE LOVESAC VIBE. Does your store have it? Does it really?

Now you give me multiple patents on a non-commodity, exclusive-to-us, life-changing product, an ever increasing bank of real talent, dedication, a commitment to excellence, beautiful stores, fifty stores, a credible and nationwide brand, good lighting, good storefronts, a grown-up staff, a grown-up vibe (still fun), beautiful product, 500+ Custom Order fabrics, refined quality, ever-improved systems, procedures, training, experience, leadership, data, comparative sales, known seasonality, planned promotions, available financing, in-concert email communications, well-designed printed collateral, regional warehouses full of in-stock goods, multiple delivery and shipping options for the consumer, a swatch-request program, rugs, lamps, tables, other comfy stuff, heck—regular payrolls, and add all of that to this INFECTIOUS ENTHUSIASM AND LOVESAC VIBE that we cannot afford to lose, or must get back where it is lacking...

And we will explode. You will meet plan, exceed plan, and even enjoy doing it.

Together.

NO ONE ELSE HAS WHAT WE HAVE if we have the backbone to just wake up every morning and make it happen—will it to happen—a decade ago, today, tomorrow, this weekend, next week, and a decade from now. We ARE the Fastest Growing Furniture Store in the United States....so enjoy it...HAVE FUN. It works.

Love ya.

Make it happen.

 

-- Shawny

Live on QVC tonight!

Its live....It is TV....Its Q.V.C.  

9pm EST I'll be live on QVC selling the best deal on a Pillowsac Rocker Package that we've had the entire year. Not only will it be a great price, but it'll be broken down into a few easy payments through QVC! 

Why are we finally doing QVC!? For years we have been perfecting and refining our Sactionals. Along the way, they have not only taken over our sales at Lovesac (we sell more Sactionals than Sacs now), but we believe/hope/know that Sactionals is just one of those products that nearly everyone on the planet needs, somewhere in their home--they just don't know about it yet. We believe that Sactionals are the iPod of furniture. That said, we don't have the tens-of-millions to throw at TV ads, billboards, and the like to tell people how they work, as Apple did. 

In thinking about Sactionals, TV seems to be a good fit. They have so many demonstrable qualityies. You can move them around, reconfigure them, rearrange them, change their covers, decorate, accent, makeover, etc, etc. We'd like to explore the idea of doing some kind of direct TV campaign with them...but a nice one, like Bose or Dysons has done. We've discovered that QVC is a great way to test the product's validity as an on-air sale, so just as we were ramping up to do a Sactionals program on QVC, they asked us to put together a Sac gift item for them for the Holiday season. 

Tonight I'll be showing a Pillowsac Rocker Package, complete with the Pillowsac (which turns into a guest-rest), a Pillowsac Cover (Coffee, Latte, or Red Velvish), a Rocker Frame, and two matching Throw Pillows to help tie the Pillowsac into your home decor. If you know anyone who's ever wanted a deal on a Sac, tune in! Call in! Tonight I'll be "that guy."

["Gift hour with Rick and Shawn" 9pm EST which is 8pm Central, 7pm MST, and 6pm Pacific)

-- Shawny D.

I've Been Pod Casted

Check out my podcast with Greenwich Entrepreneurs...

http://www.belrayam.com/community/files/shawn_nelson_lovesac.html

Enjoy.  

-- Shawny D.

Choir-Off Ends in Blood

 So on my final leg of my 2009 Front Line all-store training tour I stopped back through Salt Lake City and wrapped in Georgia.  At the original store in the Gateway Mall in SLC (shown left) I was up on the ladder minding my own business, changing light bulbs when members of two competetive high school choirs coincidentally converged on the LoveSac store to get out of the cold.  Chaos ensued.  I was worried there would be blood....there was.  Definately worth watching all the way through.  Hard to believe how quickly choir kids can get out of hand:

Wait until you see this crew from Atlanta's store video.  Let's just say they know how to ride the Sac.  And I mean that in the most literal, innocent, southern-hick-of-a-way as possible.  (LoveSac Lenox, right.  LoveSac Mall of Georgia, left...on the SuperSac they mastered riding)

 GO BUY A LOVESAC!  It's the gift that gets bigger, and bigger, and bigger.

-- Shawny D. 

Best Product We've Ever Made!?

WATCH THIS VIDEO blog....

For YEARS now we at LoveSac have wanted to expand beyond just Sacs & Sactionals to include some other comfy stuff too.  For many reasons it has eluded us....until NOW.  Let me introduce to you LoveSac's BRAND NEW line of these products called..........wait for it........."Other Comfy Stuff."  More importantly (and this is no exaggeration) THIS IS THE NICEST, MOST WELL DESIGNED STUFF WE'VE EVER MADE.  I am telling you: if you want to give someone you love a truly unique, extremely high quality, expensive-feeling gift this Christmas you MUST watch this video and then check out these amazing products at lovesac.com.  

This is just me, in my living room, showing you up close and personal how special these things are: 

-- Shawny D.

From the Front Lines

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.  

So Did We Get it Right??

 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!?

America at its best (and worst)

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.

Come to LA with Me & Branson

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

Rebel Billionaire Finale

[[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
  

ENTREPRENEUR PANEL

    Tom O'Malia, Orfalea Director's Chair in Entrepreneurship - University of Southern California

    Steven Lipscomb, CEO / Founder - World Poker Tour

    Wing Lam, Founder - Wahoo's Fish Taco

    Jeff Tinsley, CEO / Founder - MyLife.com  

WISDOM FROM SERIAL ENTREPRENEURS

    Nolan Bushnell, Founder - Atari, Chuck E. Cheese’s, Tapcode & uWink

    Holly Han, Co-Founder - MyShape; Principal - 64North; Director of Special Projects - UCLA Anderson School of Management


HOW SMALL BUSINESS LENDING REALLY WORKS

    Alberto Alvarado, District Director - Small Business Administration


REALITY TV ENTREPRENEURS

    Kelly Perdew, Winner of “The Apprentice” on NBC; CEO of RotoHog.com

    Shawn Nelson, Winner of “Rebel Billionaire” on FOX; CEO / Founder of LoveSac

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. 

ManagerFest...might as well be woodstock

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.