White Roads are those little roads that take you to where you’re going but with a little fun and adventure in-between. This “in-between” place is where we have probably lived a few incredible moments that then turned into our favorite stories.  We’d like to share with you so please feel free to follow along with us on the “how” and “what” led us to where we, and our partners are today. Please peruse our posts below of assorted stories, insights, pictures, vlogs, recordings, musings – and just about anything else around what makes us tick in general…….

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i have a confession to make

it took me long enough

finally figured out a few key points around interacting with humanoids 

both personally and professionally

in 2021 i picked up a few great lessons that have been put into play with some success. 

and don’t get me wrong…not saying i didn’t know these things beforehand, 

now they just seem to be more top of mind than ever

and since we’re all students together?…decided to share a bit with youz 

frankly….been pretty lucky being able to ride this crazy blue ball this long.

before hitting the age of 30 i had a gun violently stuck in my face not once but twice…

with both of these unrelated incidents the weapon holder almost shot

could have easily been a victim of “one false move”

both were wrong place/wrong time situations as I had done nothing to deserve it

after that convinced myself that 30 was as far as i’d get and lived my life accordingly.

amazing……so far have made it way past 3 decades…..and feel grateeful

never forgetting what a deadly handgun inches from ones face feels like

learned tons of things along the way….most good…and admittedly a few not so good

here are the big three…..

number one

“compassionate communication means freedom”

it’s pretty simple

the nicer you are to others the more options/freedom you will probably have

ok..what I make up in my mind?….

i’ve pretty much been a “nice guy” along the way

however 

it’s not easy being nice all the time and sometimes my niceness was lacking

for whatever reason i own an “edge” and even though we think we’re being cool?

in the others mind…we are not being cool

so 

rather than raising my ire a purposeful lowering was required

cool, calm, collected

especially in the areas of mind, body and speech as the buddhist mofos call out

it’s called a “considered response”

recently i was hiking the path around the lake near our house 

and ran into another humanoid who stopped and asked directions.

we ended up talking for at least 10min as i was trying to help him navigate….

it was apparent he was a deep believer in all sorts of political conspiracy make believe stories 

and wasn’t afraid to let me know that.  

he wanted to argue and i decided to try out some compassionate communication. 

at the end of our time together he actually agreed with me on several points 

especially the fact that we had different “world views”

and he didn’t get too riled up when i disagreed with his belief that the covid virus was created in a chinese lab 

for the sole purpose of “killing old people”. 

wow…..walking away we were both in a much better place 

than if the compassion hadn’t been embraced communicating with this goofball.

btw…

goofball is a term of endearment….now f*ckball…..that’s a term of non-endearment

number two

“my patience creates less arrogance”

some have accused me of being too quick and they could be right. 

from time to time this speed can get me in trouble with myself and others. 

now that i’m past my previously predicted 3 decades been slowing down a bit but it’s not easy. 

with that said….

when in that quick mode and conversing with humanoids 

sometimes i can get 2, 3 or 4 steps ahead

in a past life work environment my led zeppelin love would blurt out 

“would you please just take me to the bridge”???  

translated, i’m the asshole that reads that last page of your powerpoint presentation first

bottom line this type of behavior was “one up”…ie….arrogant.

it was code for “me smarter, faster and better than you so raise your game or gtf out of here” not a good message to send to anyone no matter what pace they are at….right?   

one more thing?

in my mind?…bolted on to the word arrogance is the word “annoyance”

what that word feels like to me? 

when you’re on a very long hold on a technical support line.

then the support person comes on 

and starts taking you step by step through the trouble shooting process?

of course you just want to instantly go to step 11…..where you’re already at

that’s my definition of annoyance. it’s only a few clicks south of arrogance btw

so now….some breathwork, slowtf down and listen and then it’s “same as” mode

we are eye to eye and i’m not an arrogant prick. 

number three

“i am open to your help”

let’s get some vulnerable shit out of the way here….

my childhood = raised by a couple of human wolves

not kidding…not a joke

amazingly enough they could make a good first impression on you 

however if you didn’t have an education or enough money they wouldn’t want any part of you

their life theory was if you had to f*ck people over to get ahead that was ok

and other than paying for my college education my parents didn’t really offer up much “help”. 

they didn’t come to my baseball games, school functions, church or sit down to help with my homework when i was stuck.  

so asking someone else for help really wasn’t in my epigenetic dna.  

that upbringing forced me to put my head down and muscle through anything on my own. 

to make matters stranger i was a ginger….

red headed, short, chubby, black glasses with total dork written all over me. 

so 

it wasn’t as if people were offering to help the weird kid on the block. 

i finally realized that not asking for help is not a positive quality. 

it’s a detriment, it can hold you back and jack you up. 

then this last year, had some learnings 

another new internal mantra was discovered… “i am open to your help”.   

Interstellar irony?….wouldn’t have got here without some outside help along the way :: ))

time out to thank my mind reader, counselor, alternative healer, mentor, confidant and special abilities humanoid tamara gold.

couldn’t have done it without her.  

my old habit was to refuse the help you offered as that was how i was raised

or to make it worse sometimes my refusal of your help was then reversed 

and I embarrassingly asked for it later which ultimately just created frustration for the helper

finally……..moving into a new mode…..

I’m open to your help. 

it’s making life better

but wait….there’s more, it’s time for the bonus round of learning and humility 

“honey i’m home”

this story is a doozy :: )) 

just a few years back we moved  into a crazy, modern house built in the 70’s that consisted of three a-frame like structures. 

one was a garagemahal 

the other two were “attached” and included living areas, kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms. the first time we saw it we called it a “complex”. 

after getting to know the place I dubbed it the “complex complex” 

because it was literally a shitshow of connectivity. 

of course the 90 day remodeling project turned into a 2 year nightmare story 

and we certainly don’t need to get into detail about it. 

so 

what did me learn?

every time i called it the complex complex it brought up all the negativity 

around the hellish, “almost a divorce” remodel project we’d just been through

then my light bulb went on and instead of the negative complex complex moniker?

when pulling in the driveway or walking in the front door instead I mantra’d “honey, i’m home” 

as it had this positive, norman rockwell’esque, warm love feel around it 

that was a much better place to stand on then what i was referring to it as before. 

ok…enough……thanks for playing our game today….there won’t be parting gifts

but

it’s time for a brief close/summarization…..

my late in life discovery on this crazy planet might be about reconsolidation

or as tamara reminds me….effortless joy

wtf took me so long?

boom…..:: ))

as always….thanks for letting me share

• 

here it is right up front….“solve my problem make me feel good”

congrats you’d just “gradumadated” with your phd in marketing and branding

seriously

and in only 7 words!

:: ))

observation?

the very best products and/or marketing i’ve seen while riding this blue ball

always found a problem and solved it

then they made the customer feel good

and the very successful products/services made them feel great

in the last 20 yrs i’ve spent some time in the natural foods industry

it’s a perfect place for these 7 words to live, breathe and thrive

some say it’s easier to solve problems and make people feel good here than in other categories

that’s because you can feed people “good for you” food to help them become healthier/stronger/lighter/faster

and most importantly they feel good because it tastes great

let’s hear it for endorphins!

there is one more point to this

since you insert this great tasting food into the humanoid mouth?

which btw is the most emotional entry point of the body, that exemplifies the feel good

but we’ll leave the most emotional entry point for another story

i also work in the outdoor industry……

another great spot that solves problems and makes people feel good.

especially in these crazy covid times….

example? camping, biking, hiking and other outdoor activities have increased.

it’s a great way to get the kids out of the house since everyone is locked down

let’s face it restaurants, movies, etc. aren’t the “safest” place to be

with that said……a bicycle is a great problem solver to do this

plus….getting out with the family, experiencing the “union of human & nature” is the bonus that makes you everybody good.

the same could be said for camping…even if it’s in your own backyard  

my day gig is working as a partner for white road investments, we find small mission driven companies in the natural foods, outdoor & consumer products categories and help them grow.

at the end of the day we’re looking for great people and great products.

it’s no exaggeration to state that we look at hundreds of small companies every year  

and am amazed at how many of them have products that are trying to solve a problem that really doesn’t exist or doesn’t really need to be solved.

these are the businesses we respectfully decline the opportunity to invest because

howtf can you make some one feel good if they don’t have the problem in the first place.

you catch my drift?

in my whacked mind?

solve my problem, make me feel good is the ultimate and singular filter of success or failure in a business venture

if you can’t say “fuck yeah” to both then please don’t waste consumer’s time, money & energy?

one last thought?

my definition of marketing is “everything it takes to get a product from the drawing board into the hands of the ultimate consumer”

in other words a great marketing person is someone who has the ability to get involved all along the way.

they have a multitude of talents from product development knowledge to communication skills.

with that said…..great marketing geeks can recognize a true problem, they see and feel the consumer pain point and figure out a way to solve it.

they also are part of a great team….of engineers, product managers, factories, qc/qa peeps, salespeople, customer service, etc.

with that in place

if the problem you’ve discovered is the real deal?

and your product is great?

then making the customer feel good is almost a slam dunk.

now go get ‘em

:: ))

• 

i believe businesses who sell, profess and live the value of optimism will thrive

an observation this 5 minutes of my life?…..this world is pretty fvcked up

cmon…admit it

the planet, the people, the politics, the power

lately it seems to all be pointing in the wrong direction

shit’s on fire

the weather is nuts

people are acting crazy 

a virus has completely changed our way of life

politics has no rhyme or reason in the most powerful nation on earth

and

the distance between main street and wall street is bigger than ever

it lacks consistency, stability

oh geez…..wouldn’t it be nice for a change to know what’s going to happen?

that’s why i believe  in the concept of optimism

on a personal level…..i’m trying hard to stop thinking the worst is going to happen

believe me I’m pretty pro at working myself into a frenzy sometimes..and don’t’ worry I’m working on letting that shit go

but

and on a professional/business level?

the companies that embrace optimism could kick ass moving forward

let’s focus on the business side of optimism today

covid instantly turned lots of businesses into fear machines

buy this product and don’t get sick, keep your distance, stay protected

wtf, it’s nothing new….if you think…mass shootings created the kids bullet proof back pack market

now is that fucked up or what?

maybe i’m being too dreamy on this

but i think customers are hungry for some good news

they look forward to some reliability, professionalism, planning and a positive outlook on life

let’s remember fear and anger are a short motivators, that’s why the people and leaders who use these scare the shit out of you with something new daily. 

quick side note story?  speaking of stuff on fire?

my fave retreat center in northern colorado recently got swept over by the cameron fire they didn’t lose everything but many of their structures were damaged or destroyed

but since they are an optimistic group by nature 

they sent out an email showing super green baby grass shoots coming up from the charred ground less then a week after the scorched earth policy blew thru there 

that’s optimism baby…. :: ))

ok, let’s talk technique/tactical for a second

how does a brand sound optimistic?

but first…..one more quick side note story?

most people don’t know this about me but besides the fact my gpa in college wasn’t the greatest 

the subject i loved the most was presentation and public speaking

so wtf….how does one gradumadate with a not very good gpa?

you focus on what you love and are good at

so believe it or not i have a b.s. in public speaking with a minor in business

probably the only two things in college that captured me

anyway back on track :: ))

here’s how it ties in

there are three key elements of communication & public speaking

tone, rate and pitch 

think about

your tone in how you deliver a critique or complement

the rate..how fast or slow you speak

and pitch…..high and frantic or lower and more calm and collected

so if i’m optimistic….bright & open……my tone is going to be warm/friendly

the rate will be slow to medium in speed

and my pitch certainly won’t be high and frantic

question to ask yourself…..can your brand/business “speak” this way?

one would ask…how could i tactically do this…in my business…my category?

i work lots in the natural foods world and the outdoor world…in the past i worked in the bike world and countless other consumer categories from ski hills to cameras and kayaks

with that said

in these areas maybe think about getting all buddhist mofo on your customers?

through the basic ways of the elements of earth, water, air, fire and space

think about how grounded we are when we are outside or even staring at a falling leaf from a tree in a city park?  

it’s called the “union of human and nature” but that’s for another story

in the above mentioned categories it shouldn’t be too difficult to spread love on your customers when you’re communicating with them

as so many humanoids have lost the beneficial energy of nature…

why don’t you remind them with a tone, rate and pitch that is equal to your brand voice?

help them feel they are connecting with this natural energy and their own positive energy and their optimism will rise with it

another way is visually

bright colors, uplifting images, family, think love just think happy fucking ending

when i hallucinated about this earlier i jotted down some words….basic, rudimentary, everyone gets it, colorful, gets to my core, boldness, connective, happy, healthy, safe and free

what i make up in my mind when i hear words like this?

they are all words that come from the gut

and let us remind ourselves that optimism starts in your gut not in your head

it’s why your vagal nerve transmits more to your brain then your brain to your gut

in fact, 80 to 90 percent of the nerve fibers in the vagus nerve are dedicated to communicating the state of your viscera up to your brain.

ok……i’ve blabbed/typed enough about this

maybe it’s time to step back, take a few deep breaths and ponder how optimism 

can help you to “connect, adapt & unite” with your customers. 

more on that later…..

a quick story about an extra ‘e’

it took me a while but I finally figured out the extra ‘e’ is in there for a reason

kind of like the “extra” in front of the word ordinary to make it extraordinary?

they say you’re lucky

if you find one master in your life

i’m extralucky…as i have 3

a mind master, a body master and a speech master

my mind master is where the word “grateeful” came from

it’s the way dr. hong fei linn of the true mind center for traditional chinese medicine

said the word when I met her in 1995

and it sounds just like it’s spelled

grateeful (long e)

better yet…to this day?

she always says it like she means it

as mentioned above when I first heard it i was oblivious

just figured it was a lost in translation tweak from her native foreign language to english

then……after i heard it a bunch of times from her

she said it one more time and it hit me like an asteroid landing on my head

it started to sink in

the extra e is there for a reason

it was code i wasn’t hearing

wow

extra gratitude

so…she “inadvertently converted” me   (good name for a band btw)

and now when i use the word in daily life…i always throw in the extra ‘e’

sharing her thoughtful mispronunciation both personally and professionally

sometimes people look at me funny and say wtf is wrong with you?

giving me permission to tell the quick story

and spreading the extra gratitude and energy she has always spread on me

can’t tell you how grateeful i am for that!!!  :: ))

this new word with the extra ‘e’ is a constant reminder that some humanoids may not be grateeful enough?

especially for those of you out there with a roof, food, water, health, a job, maybe your own biz and love in your world

you know who you are mofos

frankly……when this crazy planet starts rolling over me

when it’s hard to hang on…..

i mean holy shit, we’re spinning at 1000 mph and moving through space at 67,000 mph!

(btw maybe that’s why earthly trees have roots…but that’s for another story)

when its tanto dificile……that’s when i start losing my gratitude

it is at this very moment when i am reminded of the lovely mispronunciation

that’s when i murmur it under my breath or sometimes say it out loud

it reminds me that the obstacles and disturbances i have are probably not that bad

not in the big picture of things??

ok…here’s the closer

what i’m making up in my mind?

when i see or hear the word grateeful, with the second ‘e’

that’s when i actually connect with gratitude

it shifts from autonomically hearing or saying it to fucking feeling it way deep inside

it moves me, it’s memorable

and when I’m able to call to mind that trigger (not to get all n.l.p. on your ass)

i remember what grateeful really feels like in my heart, my mind, my body, my breath

it’s all over me and around me with people, nature and objects

man…i love this planet

thanks for letting me share as we’re all students together

ack

ack

!!!!!

do you know these people?

maybe you are one of them?

it’s not about being average

it’s always about being above average or more

and doing it more than once…

actually whatever it is you’ll do it 1000 times and it still may not be enough

wtf is that aa saying? one is too many and a thousand is not enough

it’s kind of like that

but

we aren’t talking booze, weed, coke, fentanyl or meth

it’s more about adrenalin, endorphins, dopamine, seratonin, oxytocin, etc.

yes….for sure…..it’s an altered mental state

pedal to the metal

full on

no bullshit

you are diving right into the pool

sometimes it’s outdoor activity….run, ski, ride, hike, climb, sail, fly, etc.

it might be your job? 

from craftman tradespeople to c-level execs to canadian back country guides

it takes a level of commitment and intensity to get it done

it’s not easy

but despite the hardship/benefit there’s always about 10% of the pack that is addicted to this self inflicted intensity

and

like any good drug sometimes it only takes one time :: ))

the union of human and nature can definitely peak your intensity high….

(this discussion is for another time)

other times it’s about work…..long hours and living your dream….

other times it is abut how you roll……you’re hard on people, push them too much, impose your weird high intensity values on them, etc?

to quote spinal tap….this is the volume 11 gig

maybe those of us that are addicted to intensity should admit we spend way too much time here?

it’s definitely a “charged” feeling

true story…..one of my fellow addict colleagues calls himself a “human tornado”

this guy has definitely got the intensity monkey on his back and i can’t see him kicking it soon.

interestingly enough this dude has been sober for over a decade so i guess he just spun the intensity lazy susan in the middle of the dining table and served himself up a different flavor/type?

some closing questions?

are you addicted to intensity?

does this jones put you out of balance?

do you have awareness to this?

ie….do you know when you get all high and fucked up on intensity that others around you may not get it?

do you hire/hang around with other addicts?….which can be both good and not so good?

will this intensity needle in my arm always be here?…

will i change it or do i even have to?

look…i admit it…..i am part of this problem…..i have the intensity gene

plus…

to make things worse my parents flamed it up in me when they raised me which was not good  (more on this later when i lay down on your shrink couch) :: ))

intensity can be great…..when it’s used the correct way

i’m lucky and get to work with many incredible entrepreneurs/founders that are intense

and luckily they are wielding their intensity for good…..they are on a mission mofo.

so please don’t try and get in their way

because they will certainly give you a loving heismann and sprint past you, as they chase goodness, solve problems and make humanoids feel good

bottom line?

please take a deep breath and continue on with your intensity

:: ))

aka: sometimes product development is only incremental

sometimes products don’t need a revolution

just an evolution

you’ve heard this overused phrase before

and yes……there is some validity to it

but

howtf do you do that

colors?

graphics?

a few added f&b points? (feature & benefit)

price/promo?

nomenclature?

the notorious “new & improved” ?

the list can go on especially when you start thinking about your current product line

and btw?……i’m guessing you have too many skus…..but that’s for another article :: ))

this tweak you need?

if it’s c&g you can always do the “mild/wild” gig

you have two colors and one is for the calm the other is for the crazy :: ))

if the form of your product is easily adjusted….maybe it’s shape or size or serving?

all the option variation listed above are what we call “pixie dust”

i learned it about 25 yrs ago

we had a mountain bike that sold ok…it was an o.p.p. (opening price point)

we thought we had it nailed….ie….this bike was perfect for the entry level consumer

spec, color, appearance, weight, tires, nomenclature, positioning, etc…

even what we called the contact points were perfect (saddle, grips, pedals)

however, we thought we could do better but couldn’t figure out how to get there?

then one of our product managers got back from a factory visit trip and opened up a book of new colors that were available from the paint dept.

we started mindstorming around it

the sales dept was always asking for more, especially in these lower price points (go figure)

when we took a mild black paint job and added some multi colored flakes/metallic to it….and all of sudden you got wild.

holy shit…it worked…….from then on the term was……”you could always add some pixie dust to it” :: ))

reminder…pixie dust can be more than color if you want…..

as i scan my house and garage and look at all the products/service potential?

it’s makes me think about “products” and what they are comprised of

then i allow my mind to wander, hallucinate and visualize…..

what is your pixie dust?

is it a different handlebar shape on a bike?

a new flavor or taste in a food product?

and ux or ui feature on your website?

the packaging change you’ve been wanting to make?

the new ergo handle on your kitchen gadget product?

the new audit feature you bolted on to your regular consulting services?

a better zipper or button on these shants i’m wearing?

the 4pack lift ticket in january instead of the usual 3 pack you do?

the cool little stash pocket in that camera bag or backpack?

carbon fiber or titanium instead of 6061 aluminum?

holy shit

i could go on and on there

and you should get the picture…right?

so…yes…..as previously stated you have too many skus :: ))

so before the sales dept or the product geeks come in your office and say they want to add

more

or convince you to spend a shitload of product development money/time/energy and push you into a new category you shouldn’t be in the first place

in the new era of covid, maybe you don’t need to do shit

ie….you can’t keep your stuff in stock….ex:  canned tuna, immunity supplements, bicycles, sidearms or camping equipment

wtf…I never thought I’d be putting the words sidearms and bicycles in the same sentence? :: ))

however if you’re working harder than ever to check your product mix off a retail or online “shelf”

maybe you should try putting your very best product, marketing and sales geeks in a room

pump them full of coffee or pastries or whatever it is that charges ‘em up

and

do the pixie dust experiment???

:: )) 

aka : wtf happened to the golden rule?

ok, admittedly…..i’m trapped on your spinning  blue ball

and i love this planet despite what you humanoids have done to it

recently, i’ve sadly realized that your species have brought things to a new low

sure, you lost empathy a while back but now this world is one where you can’t even feel sorry for one another…..wow

first a quick “what’s the difference” ?

empathy activates multiple areas in your brain associated with pain

sympathy, is the opposite as it lights up areas in your brain associated with love or reward

in more detail?

empathy is the link, the connection that allows humanoids to jump over into the world of another persons feelings.

it is when you understand other people’s feelings as if you were having them yourself.

it creates a very strong connection between two peeps

it’s why you like great movies, books or stories around a campfire

it’s the difference between your brain feeling your own stuff and knowing/feeling what somebody else is directly experiencing

it’s a huge step for one to have empathy because it activates several areas in the humanoid brain associated with pain. (ex: sensorimotor cortex and insula)

think of it like second hand smoke…..

only it’s second hand pain that you’re willing to “absorb”

past research has shown that adrenaline and cortisol …two major stress hormones can be released when you feel empathy for someone.   

congrats for the few empathic earthlings left …it takes some courage to willingly step into this hormonal stress and discomfort. 

the new abnormal empathic bottom line is simple…unless you’re an actor who gets paid for putting yourself in the shoes of another, most people in this country don’t give a shit about empathy anymore. 

now sympathy?….that’s a whole different game and i’ll try and keep this brief

unlike empathy it’s feeling compassion, sorrow, or pity for the misfortune that another person encounters.

sympathy and compassion are linked to neurotransmitters like dopamine, oxytocin, seratonin, which are reward circuits that get fired. (think chocolate or romantic love) :: ))

with empathy you’re “absorbing” their pain and with sympathy you’re just “observing” it

kind of like the difference between acting in the school play and being in the audience watching it. 

the former is much more active and dangerous and vulnerable than the latter

ok…let’s just call it like it is

fvck empathy…..leave that to the professionals……doctors, nurses, psychotherapists, emts, clergy, actors, lawyers, etc…..

but sympathy and/or compassion is something the average humanoid can’t afford to lose 

especially in this new world where “they” have convinced many of you to disbelieve the standards you previously believed in.

it’s gotten so bad that even evangelical jesus freaks give-a-shit about others seems to be broken?

with no sense of sympathy you treat things that are alive as objects and you withhold a basic sense of goodness and decency of this amazing planet you live on

you become fvcking dead and completely disconnected from it

that’s when you shit where you sleep, pollute rivers you drink from and soil the soil you try and grow your food in

let alone seriously jacking people around that really don’t deserve it

years ago i was lucky enough to meet qigong master dr. yan xin  and he simply called it the “union of human and nature”

this is where you have “sincere kindness for everyone and everything”

bottom line

sympathy and compassion doesn’t make you weak, it makes your stronger

i’d challenge all humans to step up 

because ultimately and selfishly it’s in your best interest

ack

ack

!!!!

had the honor of sitting and babbling with alex bogusky of crispin, porter + bogusky…..in his “woodshed”. we talked brand, mkting, stories and i attempted to seamlessly insert some plugs for wri and our companies…..oh and btw….best intro, theme song ever on the front end of this one! :: )) listen here…. watch here…. and itunes here

lots of colleagues, friends and family are on or going on vacation right about now. made me think of an alien observational post written a few years back about the pre and post vacation mindsets humanoids experience.

you can listen here

or read it below…. :: ))

hey earthlings…., it’s me your alien friend

happy fourth of july?  there’s nothing more all american than a summer vacation

actually me and my alien acquaintances think it’s hilarious…watching you humans get ready for vacation

yknow…you work like a complete idiot to get ready to leave for a week or two

clearing your desk, voicemails…plus you gotta get all that last minute stuff, arrange the cat sitter and pack

nothing like a couple of 60-80 hour work weeks to get you in the mood for vacation

the aliens call this the  “hurry up so you can relax” kind-a-thing

we think the craziest part comes on your first day back to work…..

it’s 8:05 and it feels like you’ve just taken a couple of post vacation vulcanvaliums….yknow…… you’re all happy happy joy joy…..the green guys call it “vacation afterglow”

that’s when your boss strolls into your cube….or veal stall depending on how you look at it and drops the bomb on you, it usually starts with “i know it’s your first day back but….?”

in your mind you’re still on vacation and when that 20 lbs of file folders hits your desk an earthly reality grabs you somewhere in your nether region……(btw……that’s usually below the waist)

anyway your vacation afterglow vaporizes…..gone…bye bye…… till next year

shame on those human overlords that come in and set your hair on fire

the alien truth? don’t be oppressed by the corporate boss man did you know my space buddies have a planetary law: it’s simple….. no boss, supervisor or big cheese can buzz kill anyone’s vacation  for at least 8 hours after they come back to work.  rise up humanoids….get into work and just say no to the ones who kill vacation afterglow.

ack ack

spent 4 days at the show……finally found some time to write down the top ten thoughts…here you go baby…..

1-one can only “absorb” so much” 

first and foremost…..this is a great show!!! however…..call me old and in the way or maybe it’s too many senior moments but there’s way too much stuff on that floor to absorb in 3-4 days? wondering how retail buyers sort all this shit out? :: ))

2-plant based has jumped the shark

everyone is on the band wagon. need i say more?  did you know these pants i’m wearing right now are plant based? :: ))

3-and speaking of plant based? fake cheeses are getting very good!   

not much in the way of new product if you ask me but do believe the fake cheeses are getting very good.  ex;  kite hill ricotta and follow your heart cream cheese. 

4-is “frankenfood” now acceptable on the expowest floor? 

in the quest to ferment, cure, culture, whatever, one could get worried about hemes and all sorts of other starters that seem to be kinda weird? not a fan and strongly believe there will always be a place for great tasting whole non-frankenfoods…..please keep them coming baby. 

5-the perfect product this 5min? 

high protein, plant based, probiotic snack w/cbd in it?  just a joke….but wtf….would probably sell well? :: ))

6-formulaic fashion in the natural foods world continues

at white road investments we’re always nervous around the fashion game category…..a good example would be apparel.  but the new interstellar irony is that the natural foods worlds is now kind of into its own “fashion”.  high protein, probiotic, cbd, keto, paleo, plant based, adaptogens…you know what we’re talking about. some trends are strong and stay, some not so much. 

7-cbd….wait for it, there were 175 cbd related exhibitors at the show

yo…if you’re not in this category now…….it could be hard to get over?

8-the continual sea of sameness (confused again), especially in the “fvcked” categories

when it comes to yogurt, coconuts, nut butters, water, energy bars there’s lots of sameness. however there are some breakouts in these areas and it seems harder and harder to do this? if your product or brand doesn’t have “special powers” you could be in for a tough ride.

9-i heard there were 400 new exhibitors in the north hall. 

wow….wonder if new hope media would consider doing a 2-3 yr case study around all 400?  ie….what happens to them…do they make it or break it? the ratio of success has got to be greater than the chances of your athletic kid actually making the pros? with that said, a few of “the 400” success stories could be encouraging statistics and learnings for burgeoning entrepreneurs?  or better yet…a reality tv show? :: ))

10-the clifbar letter challenging kind bar to go organic

fantastico…ok….admittedly we’re biased as clif is our mothership. despite that the fact is clif is never afraid to stand up for their values,  gary & kit started clif as a challenger brand and they are now ramping up that lovely position one more time!!! fvck yeah!

here’s a final big p.s. observation

business is all about product and people or people and product…take your pick. most of the time product comes first…a founder has an idea that solves problems and makes humanoids feel good. this is super cool and what it’s all about. however there is a time in an emerging brand’s life cycle where a team gets built, comes together, coalesces and that energy is felt.  the “group behavior” becomes so strong, committed, aligned and full of goodness that the people/team are then elevated almost above the product platform. we get all warm and fuzzy around this and at the show one of our companies hit this mark….their team is incredible and you could feel it….let’s hear it for OM!!!!! 

(click on pie to listen to this post! )

sigh

was thinking….this 5min of their lives?

it’s harder than ever for emerging brands….

in my not normal jacked up observatory opinion?

it feels like there’s just too much and too many

and no matter what category or industry you play in ?

there’s just too much and too many

 

too many suppliers, too many skus, too many retailers, too many shelves, too much product

do we really need 25 different brands of “blank” or 50 different kinds of “blankety blank”?

I’m sounding like a retro grouch abe simpson…that’s right it’s me not you :: ))

 

hallucinate with me for a second

i wonder how many hundreds of kombucha brands are out there on a shelf right now?

between national and regional and super localized…

it’s turned into a sea of sameness filled with a kombucha cast of thousands?

 

but wait there’s more

there’s one more thing that belongs on the list of too much and too many

and that’s middle men

 

you know who you are… you’ re reading my mind….. baby

i’ve been there

i’m talking to all you middle men out there?

 

the middle men have already been shot down in the travel biz, the insurance biz and many other industries

and now they are coming for you

agents, brokers, independent sales reps, distributors, etc.

example : if you’re a food broker you’re not even allowed to walk into a whole foods anymore?

wtf is up with that?

as a supplier we want you in there..checking out of stock, training peeps on the floor, actually giving a shit and helping check your products off the shelf

your favorite distributor, your favorite broker, your favorite independent sales rep?

some are firmly planted in the middle and are feeling the squeeze…..

some are feeling it because they suck and have always sucked

but now the cream of the crop are feeling it

did you ever think that person to person selling would ever go this far out of fashion?

and we haven’t even brought up the subject of trade shows…

 

i’ll say it again….

there’s just too much……too many

and you…. the emerging brand? you are up against this junk show on a daily basis

wait

since the consumer drives everything today

are there too much and too many out there because consumers want it?

or retailers want it? or buyers want it? or product managers want it?

they all want better but really want new?

 

c’mon…you know a big piece of this could be a function of larger brands

desperately trying to make their investors or share holders happy by growing, growing, growing

 

they then try to line extend and steal share into bigger numbers for their mothership

and

what they perceive as “innovative new product” just adds to the sea of mofo sameness” mentioned previously

sorry…im on a soapbox now…..

 

i get it

consumers want quality, service, value and….. selection, and at then end of the transaction no matter where it took place….

they want to know they bought right

 

i heard once that a good salesperson “mildly confuses” their customer

with that sheer number of brands on shelf at brick and mortar and on line

we are now more than mildly confusing our customers

it borders on complete confusion….

call it omni channel overload?

 

let’s wrap this too much and too many blurb up……

the solution to too much and too many is new products and services that actually solves problems and makes people feel good

ie……f*ck you and the sea of sameness you rode in on…

however with that said

this next 5min of our lives?

i predict they’ll be little or no sku rationalization going on willingly

 

however…….once the economy eventually corrects itself…..or trade wars intensify or barrels of oil cost over $100?

things could change…..

 

and at that point

i’d suppose that two things could happen to correct (or probably over correct) the too many and too much syndrome….

 

first….there will be less selection and choice on the shelf….a buyer won’t go 8 brands deep on organic pickles or ski helmets

second? he highest priced products on the shelf will probably get yanked off first

so

no matter what category you’re in?

please be prepared….and that’s a whole ‘nother story……

 

ack

ack

 

 

 

a close friend/colleague of ours is going into the hospital next week for a fairly serious operation.  this week i committed to sending him 7 days worth atypical word of the day emails to support, spread love and help get his head in the right spot before he goes under the knifie-poo.

with that said, have decided to post up the 7 words sent to him because…well…if you knew him you’d know that he has all these qualities..he just needed a goofball to remind him.

some may think the words below have little to do with business or investing as the words are more about humanoids/behavior?  sorry….but last time we checked?…..people have everything to do with business and investing.

-strong mofo : “humanoids who has the inner/outer strength, tenacity and persistence in doing whatever they do”

-heart mind : “a bright & open state with sincere kindness towards everyone and everything”

-corragio : “courage in italian”

-raw spot : “a place where we take ourselves or sometimes get taken to that forces us to step the f*ck up for success”

-nimbility : “when a  humanoid combines their skill and ability with nimbleness to adapt to any situation good or bad or brutto”

-same as : “when lovely humanoids see and connect and unite with each other at the exact same level. not one up or one down…just simply same as”

-hardship benefit : “before one experiences a benefit whether personal or professional please expect at least a few moments of hardship.  y’know…..some quality time in front of the ass kicking machine that bends us over, makes us uncomfy and then stronger. it’s the way of this planet….when you get used to it things just make more sense.”

 

as always…thanks for humoring me  :: ))

 

fact…..there’s lots of yes’s in business and there’s also lots of no’s

it’s part of the process we go through while looking for mission driven entrepreneurs to partner with

admittedly

what we do is a bit of a numbers game…

it’s not just the dollars numbers

it’s the numbers of meeting and connecting with as many people as possible

 

the downside of this numbers game?

you have to say no to most of the opportunities presented

we’ve always called this somewhat uncomfy process a “respectful decline”

the concept of telling the truth with compassion as you say no

 

yes, we’ve understand the disappointment of a respectful decline to a hard working founder.

it’s a bummer, it’s flat out rejection…..

 

let’s face it there’s nothing worse then getting “the heisman”

you know that famous trophy football pose?

one leg up driving forward

one arm straight out

the other arm cradling/protecting your jewels (the ball)

it’s a stiffarm, it’s painful, abrupt and you don’t always see it coming

believe it or not?

some humanoids like giving the heisman

because it’s a no holds barred “one up” move

if you’re on the other end of it?

there’s no mistake that you’re feeling like you’re being looked down and trodden upon

 

we don’t like giving this traditional heisman

as a matter of fact we’ve made efforts to change this

we now give what we call “the loving heisman”

 

yes

you still have one leg up and you’re moving forward

you still have one arm out in the standard stiff arm position.

but the difference?

instead of grippin your jewels (the ball) with your other arm, instead you let go of all that

and then firmly and intentionally place your left hand over your heart

 

here it is visually…..(please excuse the crop job but my face not needed here) :: ))

the difference?

a loving heisman takes more effort and leaves you a bit vulnerable

however

in the end it’s a lot less uncomfy for both parties than the traditional, in your face heisman

 

a loving heisman not only includes a respectful decline

but usually includes offers to stay in touch

provide some connective capital

serve up some probono ideas, thoughts, stories, counsel

maybe some of this stuff could help them avoid a few pitfalls coming there way

you’re not “one up” with this attitude

instead you are “same as” looking them in the eye and on the same level

 

sigh…we want to help everyone but realize that we can’t.

so instead we strive to deliver the truth with compassion

to be on the same level

and have the big wish for them that they succeed.

 

because you never know who, what or when something might change in the future ?
:: ))

 

 

 

hey

nice hit this morning from our friends at noto group

our 15 nanoseconds of fame :: ))

How to Be Attractive to Investors? Focus On Talent.

talk about lucky…..

seven years ago gary erickson and kit crawford introduced me to deven clemens and john anthony

the three of us were lovingly mashed together as the newly founded white road investments team

wow

it permanently changed my life….(thx g,k,d,r & john)

 

this last weekend…unexpectedly after hip surgery we lost john….

he passed away…he left this fantastic blue ball we’re wonderfully trapped on.

 

we are all stunned and our hearts (now with some holes in them) go out to his wife debbie and his family.

 

john was unique, charismatic, caring, a selfless connector

he was the kind of guy that after you met him you knew you wanted to be friends.

it didn’t take long after that

you knew you’d be totally cool with him being a best friend

 

he was fast, abrupt, direct and lovingly in your space when you were around him.

it was fun trying to keep up with him

one day after a 4 hour board meeting we did 13 store checks in about 3 hours…..

that included drive time

and we still returned the rental car and made it to our flights on time.

 

from my limited experience riding this blue ball?

there’s few people you get to know professionally and personally.

the two rarely cross over

john was one of those special ones…

where you worked with him, played with him. partied with him, cried and laughed with him, man hugged with him,

and all the other wonderful stuff that brings humanoids closer together

 

i once learned from a master that “we all come from the big love”….

meaning we are all connected through this big love……

fact…..john anthony was the big love

 

he was a powerful force of goodness

 

someday…i too…will leave this ball……

and

can only hope to be remembered the way john is being remembered…..

 

thank you john anthony for positively changing me and us forever…..

 

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here’s one more story….related to risk and reward

it’s called standing on your tippy toes

instead of personally putting yourself out of balance with duct tape and indy cars

let’s talk about putting your business out of balance

let’s begin with a hallucination

and say you’re in a weather dependent business

that could be anything from landscaping to amusement parks to ski areas to farming

technically even a lyft drivers revenue is affected by the weather…

anyway

one very hard lesson i learned in a past life is the thing about a weather dependent businesses is once a bad day has passed and you missed your number?

you missed it and it’s probably not coming back

 

so example?….if it starts raining and your usual crowd doesn’t show up?

you’re probably not going to make that loss up

same thing with bad snow and ski areas

so each day you miss?

you are figuratively in the deep end of the pool and the water is now rising

eventually that water is right under your nose

ooh…..it’s time to talk about this uncomfy analogy

 

good news?…kinda?…is you’re still a bit lucky at this point

as the water up is up just under your nose and your biz is still breathing and standing on solid ground

but then another bad weather day or week hits and the water rises once more

and it’s time

you need….the business needs

to stand up on it’s tippy toes to keep breathing

 

if you want you can try it right now….cmon baby stand up, get up on those tippy toes

it doesn’t take too long and you start to really feel it

risk city…this is not fun

it’s at this moment that you’re hoping for the weather to break …..

the reward is to be able to set your heels back on the ground and get comfy again

 

in reality? tippy toes means you are trying

on the fly to adjust your spending, cogs, costs, burn rate, scraping in every penny you can….etc….to make up for the shortfall

are you feeling the calf burn?

btw…and you already know this

but if you go into your selling season with a draft contingency plan…..

the calf burn may not be so bad? eh?

 

i dunno…..you’ve probably done this “adjustment” exercise before ?
and it’s still a very painful exercise

muscle, bone, your own throat…which do i cut and not cut?

huge risks that if they go jiggy could radically affect the biz

and all to to get to your reward

guess what?…this risk and reward exercise…..it’s part of the gig…oh geez

wow……i got a bit wordy there…sorry

it’s time to sum this shit up

bottom line

think of standing on your tippy toes as another jacked up variation of “how long can you do it”

tenacity and adaptability

to keep your business in balance no matter what mother nature throws at you

ack

ack

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a lovely colleague/friend recently planted a seed in my head

he said i should talk about the crazy ass intersection of risk and reward

 

i thought of a few stories

one about risk, reward, and being duct taped to the side of an indy car

and it gets a bit personal?

meaning its about you baby

 

so here’s the punch line up front

to get ahead on planet earth

most people have to work their asses off

and that’s the real risk to get to the reward

you’re full tilt boogie all the time baby 24/7/365

you are maxed out

and

we call that being duct taped to the side of an indy car

think

the indy 500 is where humanoids strap into open wheeled race cars and see how fast they can go for 500 miles in a circle

it’s a wonderful comparative to your world

and classic risk vs. reward

after all you are all part of the humanoid race and race is a good word for it

and i suspect living and working in the good ole usa feels like we’re all duct taped to the side of that indy car

i said it again

actively scheduled, multi tasking, money, crazy jobs, obligations, family, trying to consume just too much information…hurry up so we can relax……blah blah blah…i’m overwhelmed

oucheewowow

 

that’s right goofball

i know this feeling well….it was my last real job

but screw me this is about you, with about 20 rolls of quality 3m duct tape and a state of the art indy car rolling 3” from the wall at 180mph and more all the time

and guess what….after about 4laps… ….it’s a blur…

it all starts to look the same (gesticulate with hand over mouth here)

 

yes

there’s the possibility of big reward rolling at this pace

checkered flag baby

and the risk is….well you guessed it…..you hit the wall

and this type of hit is very unexpected, hard to predict and the chances are very good catastrophic…once it starts….you’re not going to stop it

and the cause is usually a minute, small, what doesn’t seem important at the time screw up

 

it’s time for the second punch line and moral of this story

the big question is more than who hits or doesn’t hit the wall

it’s about how long can you roll at this pace?

there’s the risk

knowing how long you can put yourself completely out of balance

because you can only duct tape your humanoid body to an indy car or for so long

 

me personally? me gots multi years of duct tapeage….the reward was cool…but i think it’s what gave me all this gray hair…not kidding

though i knew up front how long i was prepared to wreak havoc on myself

 

this is about tenacity and adaptability

it’s what you entrepreneurial geeks out there should be good at

it’s the risk of how long can you be duct taped to that indy car and during that tape-age how adaptable and how comfortable can you make yourself for 500 full laps?

that’s it

i got no more

ack

ack

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we come into contact with all sorts of wonderful people, brands and organizations on a daily basis.

when it fits right we get involved!  however, we can’t say “yes” to all of the opportunities we see because sometimes the fit isn’t right and both the investor and investee realize that.

with that said? there are some very special companies out there that we love despite the fact we may not get involved.

these special ones usually keep us posted of their adventures along the way and we welcome that and dig helping out from time to time. it’s very cool because it’s proof that people and product and relationships are paramount.

one of these special ones is Po Campo. a brooklyn based maker of incredibly  cool, versatile and functional bags that fit your life…especially on a bike!

maria, the founder of Po Campo has been looking for independent sales reps to grow her business. she recently sent a heads up email that was so nice….just had to share it…..

“Thanks for encouraging me to trust my gut. I was interviewing a rep this afternoon and part of me was like, “Well, I really want someone in the CO area” but my heart was like, “She’s obviously not excited about Po Campo and isn’t listening to you” so then I just said no thanks and have a good weekend. Previously I would’ve thought, “Well, this is the best I’m going to do”.

 

the moral of the story? well…we’ll let you make that one up in your own head.

as always, thanks for letting us share…. ::))

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walk a natural foods trade show floor like expowest for a few days

and if you’re awake and aware while in the aisles, at the end of it all?

you should be able to make a list of the food categories that could be referred to as f***d?

for now let’s just call it the “screwed” category to be politically and swearingly correct

maybe we can play a quick fill in the blank game to succinctly explain ?

here goes….

if you’re going to get in the “blank” category you’re probably screwed

so let’s fill in that blank….here’s our short list

 

1-water

2-anything coconut….oil, water, snack, etc….

3-ice cream

then there’s….

-jerky

-energy bars

-chocolate

-kombucha

-nut butter

-popcorn in a bag

-yogurt

and

-granola* (with an asterisk because it’s been on the list for at least 2 yrs)

it’s not that these categories aren’t real or don’t generate millions if not billions in revenue in the natural foods universe

it’s just when talking to entrepreneurs, founders and new business types

if they have a product in one of the above categories?

just want to give them a loving hug and say

congratulations, you are so f***d….oops i mean screwed

 

interstellar irony right here and right now?

these entrepreneurial peeps are usually super smart, hard working, committed, mission driven, etc

but they are also willingly entering into the “screwed category”

a wild world of sameness with incredible power and strength working against you

so as a newcomer brand/product in these screwed categories?

if their product or brand doesn’t have “special powers”

it’s probably not going to work

point of interest? at all trade shows …

there are always places where the most of the cool, emerging brands reside

the 3^rd floor or the basement or that one corner over there

it’s easy to get excited when you see the ones with special powers

and sometimes it’s a bummer….because you see many without the special powers

and you know next year they probably won’t be around

but why?

 

first…..most are in one of the above mentioned screwed categories

you’re going up against powerful competitors

that own the shelf, the trade spend, the consumers mind share and they most likely make pretty good product and margin to boot …

oh that’s right they also know how to deliver on time

so if you’re going up against the goliaths of the category you better have something really special going on or you are screwed

you notice i pluralized….goliaths…that’s an s on the end…..

two symbolism there……

-screwed starts with an s

-you can bet there’s going to be more than one goliath you’ll be up against.

figure a minimum of three!

btw

the screwed list isn’t exclusive to the natural foods world

in the outdoor world, stainless steel water bottles might be top of the list

and in the bike industry?

if you’re introducing a new high end carbon road bike in the u.s. market?

you’re probably screwed

btw….feel free to make your own list in whatever business world you play in

i’d like to see it…..

 

ok…enough, let’s close….the moral of this screwed story?

stay out of the screwed categories

and if you’re crazy enough to go in will you please build a brand/product with special powers?

because then and only then? you might have a shot at it…..

f***dlistscaryvideo

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we just got back from expo west…..it’s a lovely natural foods show…

live in person, no virtual reality, face to face, hand to hand, and lots of hand washing and hugs for the ones you know and love

expo is probably one of my fave trade shows despite it’s increasing size and humanoid density in the aisles

or despite the 3 min trade show aisle meeting we are forced to have

or despite the 10 miles of walking each day

or the 100 miles of talking ….as we all go home with sore throats and sore feet

in the spirt of the f word…focus

decided to skinny this weeks rant into the 3 reasons why we go to trade shows

number one

expo west is great because of it’s “energy” as the majority of attendees are on a mission mofo…

and that’s everything from changing how foods are grown and produced to the quality of food that humanoids put in their pie holes

and you can feel this energy and connection when you enter the hall

hyper competitive yet hyper collaborative….

it’s bi directional….it goes both ways baby

the big energy and the mission are fantastico

and let’s remember that “energy contains information”

so when you leave you can take some with you…

and it can last a while if you practice it daily

reason number two?

trade shows are a one stop shop…..

you can check out the industry landscape in one place

you can walk up and down the aisles and see who and what you’re up against

plus…

you can also visualize/hallucinate/make up in your mind where you think it’s all going

so trade shows are a great way to get present and possibly future snapshots of the industry

number 3?

if you’re lucky “you find one”

for us at wri that means we find something…get a lead, meet a founder or find a category that we think has promise and we can invest in for the future

for you as an exhibitor or attendee or a sales rep

you finding one might be a new retailer to sign up, a new employee to hire, or a company you may want to work for, etc…..

now….not to be a buzzkill….but here’s some reality check….

we personally attend a myriad of trade shows and i don’t care what industry or category you are in

more and more trade show floors are becoming a sea of sameness

same colors, same products, same claims, same positioning, same packaging

example? do we really need 30 different brands of kombucha?

however

don’t get too bummed out by this sea of sameness

as it’s a good way to figure out how to differentiate

as your enemy isn’t so much the competiton but more about the sameness

who knows by walking the aisles

you may figure out how to zig when everyone else is zagging

 

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