Absent from the State of the Union Address

I will not be at the State of the Union address this year. I can hear a collective sigh of disbelief and regret. I feel it too. I asked Mrs. Obama and President Obama to include me as a guest at the address. I got the phone call a few weeks ago that my request could not be met. There must have been some misunderstanding because I was told “There is no public ticket availability for the address, so your request could not be met”. I wasn’t requesting to be the public; I was requesting to be a guest!

I came up with this idea over the summer and sent my first letter then and subsequently a letter every month. As a middle aged cancer survivor, woman entrepreneur, small business owner with all business done in the USA, and a voting Democrat, I thought I represented a hopeful contingent of the American public. I easily could have been blown off with my letters never seeing the light of day, but I did receive a personal phone call and a form letter from the President. I am sad not to attend personally but very pleased at the personal touch. The return address of the letter says ‘White House’, Washington, DC. No need for the Pennsylvania avenue address since it is THE White House.

I am resolved to watch the State of The Union Address from the comfort of my home this year. Evidently I will be clearer in my request for next year. I will clearly state the sacrifice that as a small business owner I am willing to make to keep my production and jobs in the United States. My competition has gone off shore for production. Although we sell at the same retails their profit margins are greater. I hope my customers understand that not only do I keep jobs in this country but also give back to breast cancer charities. I hope the President understands this issue of small business owners like me, and offers hope for the US economy.

Musings from the Entrepreneurial Menopause Woman, or WHAT WAS I THINKING???

I decided last week to paint my office. I thought, I have painted before, I run a successful business, and I can do this over the week-end. It's only a 12' X 10" room. How hard can it be? That is what I was thinking when I blindly started this project.

First Clue that I was Clueless:

I went to the local paint store to pick out white paint. Who knew there are a gazillion whites, and all the brushes, rollers, and trays to buy?

Second Clue that I Missed:

I spoke with a good friend about my week-end plans. She talked about how the repetitive action with immediate results is so satisfying. How she finds painting relaxing. She also makes her own mayonnaise.

Third Clue that went over my Head:

My husband volunteered to help take things off the walls and move furniture to the middle of the room. He then scattered, disappeared, MIA, didn't answer his cell phone.

Reality 1: Took 3 coats of paint to cover. I had to buy more paint and brushes.

Reality 2: My shoulders, neck, and thighs hurt. I did not find it relaxing.

Reality 3: Stepping over cords and squeezing between desks makes the job harder.

Mid way through the project I called my 86 year old Mother and told her what I was doing. Her reply, "Are you Crazy?"I called my sister and told her "I hate painting". She said, "You are just finding that out now!"

Was this act of craziness on my part the entrepreneurial spirit gone wild?

Was it a menopausal hot flash that fried my brain cells?

Did I have an estrogen drain that depleted my better judgment?

Can you relate??? But look at the picture, it sure is BRIGHT!

Out sourcing consciousness check

As a small company and manufacturer, I try to run my business with a social conscience. I give a percentage of sales to charity, breast cancer awareness. I have my products made in the USA. I try to buy goods to make my product that are made in the USA, and that is the reason for this blog:

The elastic I use has been outsourced to India. This just happened. I am in mid production of my fall line and short only a few yards. I called all the distributors I do business with and was told no one can get this type of elastic. There seems to be a problem getting the elastic out of India. Also when and if it is released from Indian clutches it will be at a higher price because elastic is a petroleum based product. I never had a problem when it was made in the USA. In fact, for such a small amount of elastic I called several fabric stores and was told their shelves are depleted. Such is the plight of a small business like mine, as well as the company who outsourced and who is now losing sales.

Outsourcing seems not to be the answer to cut costs for several other businesses. The Associated Press had a couple of articles recently regarding some other local companies.
A Taiwanese-owned plant that makes American shoes, employing 20,000 Vietnamese workers had a two day strike over wages. Consumer prices and inflation in Viet Nam are rising. The strike was settled and now employees are getting $65.00 per month, about the cost of a pair of this company’s shoes from the discount rack.

Also a big pickle company, who used to buy cucumbers and dill weed from local farmers in Oregon and Washington, is now buying the cucumbers, pickling, and packing them in India. I think free trade is great, but I am having a few misgivings.

In my company, Haralee.Com, I know the people sewing my products are making a living wage. I know they take pride in their work because they are able to afford to buy my garments for themselves. I ask my customers to think about the power they have with their spending dollars. You can choose with thought and less guilt who to buy from. Personally, I am waiting for mills in Rhode Island and North Carolina to contact me about the elusive American elastic. I know I won’t be buying shoes made in Viet Nam, and I will be shopping local farmers’ markets this summer for pickling cukes and make my own North West pickles!