Detox Day 30: Can Pot Shops Be the Basis for a Business Plan?

Bridget Jones’s Update of Clean Detox Day 30 or Day 17: BMI: Didn’t get a chance to weigh myself this morning, but my guess is that it’s holding.  Activity Level: Haven’t worked out, actually went to the doctor today. Meditation: If stewing for over an hour waiting to see the doctor, then, yes, I did meditate. Brief Observations: I am having a real debate as to when I should officially “quit” the hardcore detox and start incorporating other foods. I may quit this Sunday, as I’ve been invited to a dinner party. My stop day is Monday. There’s a real internal squabble raging.

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So I’ve been dizzy, nothing new if you’ve been reading the past few blogs. Real vertigo, roll over and see  everything in nauseous triplicate. After 5 days, and lots of ideas from  my friends on the  Clean Detox web site, My.CleanProgram.com, I decided to call in the Calvary in the form of my primary care doctor, Dr S.

Outside of the horrendous wait in his office (which I guess had to do to a patient emergency, so I won’t go into it great detail, though I did tweet about it.) Dr. S diagnosed a viral infection in my inner ear, wrote out a prescript for Antivert and TheBetsy was on her merry way.

Sometime during the day, perhaps while I was waiting, I found this great clip of Friday’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel the Ellen DeGenereous:

I find him delighfully hysterical. I mean who can forget his former girlfriend Sarah Silverman’s special “present” or his thoughtful, articulate and beautifully choreographed  thank you note? Both hot, searing pieces of funny.

So back to Jimmy K on Ellen. At one point on the clip, Jimmy offers his theory on the present-day cupcake craze and the thousands of storefronts dedicated to those delicious delectables  that have popped up in the last few years.

The growing popularity of medical marijuana shops.

Brilliant.

(Plus I love cupcakes, my favorite new one is THIS.)

So, strapping on my marketing and entrepreneurial cap, I thought, “This could be some kind of GREAT business and marketing plan.”  Though I don’t know how one would pitch to the more uptight money men. It’s not like you can say you want to tie your business to existing medical marijuana shops. But crazier has happened.

Tying a new business to an existing, successful one isn’t new. Jamba Juice co-located it’s stores right next to Starbucks, with Starbuck’s blessing, as it being a somewhat complementary fit. Breakfast might be a coffee for one, while their boyfriend might want a Jamba Juice smoothie. Close by, both needs could be satisfied easily. Starbucks has even used co-locating strategies regionally, offering coffee to bank customers, etc.. The Canadian chain Tim Horton’s located many stores near Canadian military bases.

So it’s not so far off to think Cupcakes to munchie-inducing medical Marijuana shops. Or doughnuts for that matter. Hooter’s (their chicken wings are killer.) Pizza. Fried Chicken. Ice Cream.

Even a Jamba Juice.

It will only be a matter of time, if it hasn’t happened already, before a business is based (overtly or not,) to the proximity of these legalized smoke shacks.

What else can we think of…?

Links to Items Featured on TheLiquidBetsy:

My.CleanProgram.com

Potlocator.com- they even have an iPhone App!

An Argument for the Questionable

I love Questionable TV and Media in all forms.

If I’m stressed, toss me an US Weekly and I’m happy. Working on marketing strategy? Gossip Girl please.

It’s in the genes.

My grandfather, a doctor and well-known diagnostician, used to have a subscription to MAD magazine. Imagine this picture: one patrician and very reserved gentleman gleefully huddling with his  5 year old grand-daughter over Alfred E. Newman. “What, Me Worry?” It’s one of my favorites.

The everday of work requires the yin of idea parsing, sythesizing, creating– one need the yang of the questionable. It resets the brain. Calibrates it. It’s also a catalyst for inspiration.

I’m not saying Questionable is the only show in town. Some people work out, play golf, travel, shop (hence the name “retail therapy”)- I do some of these in moderation. Quick aside:  I’ve been known to play hide n’seek with the kids in the neighborhood and hit the batting cages (the latter is really key if you’ve hit freaky freak levels of stress. Innocent baseballs you get to hit the hell out of.)

But offer an alternative of the Questionable, especially when a quick hit is needed. And with a DVR, the Internet, and a newsstand,  questionable is readily available: Perez Hilton, Pimp My Ride, US Weekly, ATM, Oprah, Cat Fancy (just kidding,) MTV’s True Life, Mad Magazine, VH1’s Celebrity Rehab, HGTV, Iron Chef America, Star Magazine, The New York Observer, Rock of Love, Crazy Days and Nights, O Magazine, Rescue Me, Nip/Tuck, BSG and so on and so on- depending on my whim.

So spill it. What’s  in your Questionable playbook? (but totally PG please)

And if you don’t do Questionable. Embrace it. Whatever that might be.

Action. The New To-Do.

Don’t just put stake in the ground, you got to stake your claim.

Stand up for what you believe in, act upon the decisions you make.

Seth Godin recently talked about Making Decisions.

As Seth said, “not make a decision is making a decision.” Same goes for not acting upon it.

It takes guts to not only have an opinion or make the decision but to act upon it. You’re putting yourself out there for skepticism, ridicule, failure. Or all three.

Learn from the mistakes. They happen whether you do anything or not.

Successful people make decisions and run with it. If it doesn’t work out of the gate, they make adjustments, fine tune their approach or revise their original position.

But  the one thing they all do?

They act.

(I totally wrote this after watching a very inspirational VH-1 Behind The Music on 50 Cents. That man is a true American Hustler. I wouldn’t step in the way of him and his next goal, that’s for sure. Then I read Seth’s post and was shamed into writing something less verbose than my usual fair. Could TheBetsy be succinct in a couple of sentences? Yes, I think she can. Cheers.)

Act Like You’ve Been There Before

A piece of sage advice.

You got to act like you’ve been there before. Play it cool baby.

New to the executive ranks? You got to act like you’ve been there before.

Huge success? You got to act like you’ve been there before.

Made an incredible save, scored the winning touchdown, won the Presidential Election?

You got to act like you’ve been there before.

Confidently cool. Touch of humble even.

This all hit home while watching an episode of MTV Cribs (before you pass judgement, I was just passing the time with the kind of crappy, questionable TV that makes me happy. So judge however you like.). I was struck by the obvious and painful bravado of the rapper Soulja Boy. Blinged out, chirping Gucci “dis an dat” (seriously this was the vernacular he used,) all he was missing was the requisite video vixens with thonged badonkadonks booty shaking and Cristal in his Pimp cup.

Honestly, I have no freakin’ clue who Soulja Boy is, nor do I care, he’s just represents a class of celebrity and personae proving my point.

Check out a snippet of Soulja Boy and you’ll get my drift:

Why?

He once said in an interview, when he first started he was pulled aside by one of his coaches after he ended a particularly brilliant catch with some in-your-face celebratory antics.  He was told to “act like you’ve been there before.” Bravado spoke rookie. When you’re superior, a touchdown is just that. A touchdown.

Originally attributed to Darrel K. Royal, the winningest coach at University of Texas Longhorn, I like to think it as truly sage advice that translates to all facets of life.  To act “like you’ve been there before” means to class up and move with scary confidence. Play it cool. It’s impressive when you meet someone who REALLY embodies this, it’s just a level of confidence that has been reinforced year over year by success.  They don’t need the trappings — a Maserati or a diamond-encrusted mouth “grill” –to show they’re important — they embody it in their demeanor and actions.  The multi-millionaire who drives himself to work and occasionally answers the phone himself. The film star who shows up consistently on time, ready to work and treats everyone with respect. The star athlete does charity work as much as he can, all without fanfare.

Now for the rest of us that are in the “fake it until you make it” category. The feint of “act like you’ve been there before” is sound advice. When success does bless us with it’s presence, it is exactly the time to play it cool. Inside you maybe go “Oh HELLL YEAH!” but channel your inner Barry Sanders for your outer demeanor. Act like you’ve been there before. They say dress for the job you want, I say act like you’re already there.

Sure there are times for celebrating: you made your first million, first billion, saved someone’s life, found the cure for cancer, after the birth of your first born (and second, and third…,) or just safely crash-landed an entire jet plane of people in the Hudson.

Until then, just play it cool.

Make Me Giddy

Picture of courtesy of Casper College

I am telling you a secret.

What makes me stupidly giddy.

I love to connect people.

I love to help.

Now I know you’re thinking…

Everyone wants to help. (Uhhh help themselves Betsy...)

Being Authentic and helpful is so “IN” right now.

Your company (Inquisix) preaches “Give to Get” in business networking.

Ohhhh Bets, you’ve drunk the Kool-Aide and now practice what you preach.

And I say to you Mes Amis, “Non.”

I Am What I AM! (Old School Pop-eye style)

I am what I am. And I’m a Connector.

You know, admitting you have a problem is the first step so sayeth AA. But if helping people get want they need to succeed, because it makes me feel good. Then hold an intervention peeps, because I am not about to stop.

Sure the theory of “Giver’s Gain” is that by helping or “connecting” people to the solutions they need I am putting myself in a position of connector or a “go-t0″ person. It is also said that by “giving” I am healthier both physically and mentally. But that isn’t why I do it.

I am a news and trend junkie. Call it leveraging my ADD but I love to find new things. And share what I find. Another reason why Theliquidbetsy exists. I am happiest when I share what I find to the world immediately. Another reason why I Tweet. And if I can actively connect people to new ideas and solutions they need for themselves personally or for their businesses- and they thrive as a result? I am in HEAVEN. Again why I am a part of Inquisix. (Ok maybe I am in it for the high!)

So use me. Tweet me. Email me. Comment your needs. If I can help, I will.

Believe me. I get more out of it than you will.

Brutal Baby- The Teenage Media Consumer

Veruca Salt, original brutal baby from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 1971

You in media?

Social Media, Media Products, Newspapers, TV, Cable, Mobile Phones, Computers, Gaming?

You want to meet your customer? Really meet them?

Say hello to Matthew Robson, the 15 year old “analyst” from Morgan Stanley (UK.) His recent piece “How Teenagers Consume Media” is causing a sensation, even being featured the front page of the Financial Times. He and his mates are your customer now and for the the next 20 years. Socio-econo-techn0-politically developed and served fresh. He’s being shaped by our recent past, present and future. He’s preferences will shape our world as he (and his pals) buy & consume, create and creatively destroy.

By just writing this sensational piece he’s probably already changed the future media landscape.

Out of the mouths of babes, the truth. Brutual. Beautiful. Honest. Complete with Oompa-Loompas lyrical commentary.

What are you going to do with it?

I just because I love this- Veruca Salt’s demise in 1971’s Chocolate Factory. Brutal Baby. Brutal. But perfect.

Mudslide-O-Rama

I am stuck at the National Hotel in Block Island. Massive thunder and lightening show, drinking Mudslides.

Yeah, it doesn’t suck.

Have you ever found yourself stuck someplace only to have it turn out to be better than any alternative?

So here I am drinking (celebrating my hubby’s birthday) commiserating with all the other stranded mainlanders watching Mother Nature put on one HELL of a show ( the last piece of
Lightening touched down right near us in Old Harbor!) eating peeled shrimp.

I find myself thinking about the past few days in this island, it lives and breathes, for the summer visitor dollar. They’ve had a rough go of it with the past few weeks of rain. My hubby and I have made a game profiling BI businesses, from B&B’s, restuarants to t-shirt establisments. Think of it- high season is just July & August, with perhaps a few weeks either way. “The Block,” thrives on repeat customers, weddings and family cottage rentals. Good marketing and high-quality customer service.

But TheLiquidBetsy is always on the scout for business/marketing/innovation and I’ve seen a few things I’d like to share:

- 2 Oars Taxi: (Note: Oars is a picture but I can’t do that on my iPhone…yet) I witnessed the finest, most simple way to ensure repeat business … honesty. While eating lunch at Three Sisters( lunch place I’d recommend) a 2 Oars taxi pulled up, the driver seeking a family eating lunch there. Why? To return a $10 bill he felt the father had accidentally over-paid. Which he had.

Brillant.

That day, the simple act of a taxi driver driving back over his route to return $10, and ended up making 3 or 4 new customers in the process. Probably more in word of mouth, as Three Sisters was PACKED for lunch- the only thing they do- and after he left about 3 others commented on how great that small act was- and how they planned to recommend them to friends coming soon (incl. TheBetsy here.)

Which do think was better for the taxi driver’s bottom line? $10 or multiple long-term referrals?

- The economics of living on an isle. That is a tough racket.

Short of being independently wealthy (yes, please!) these people are born hustlers, in the finest sense of the word. Sure there is the surly college student doing the half-ass summer job. But see a real islander in action is to know they have about 2 or three gigs, often at the same time, to support living here.

I met a woman who rents her home and cleans houses after deciding to stay here on her 40th birthday. Nice as can be, and no regrets. To quote Donna Summer, “she works hard for her money.” Contact Sullivan Real Estate for great houses and rentals.

Often we see shopkeepers DJ’ing at The Yellow Kittens (a good place to lose a few brain cells while listen to live music and where my hubby’s 97 year-old grandmother played hooky with his grandfather back when they were courtin’.) Also the manager of the Sea Breeze, where we stayed & highly, highly recommend for a relaxed, lovely B&B experience, was saying she works at the grocery store during the winter. “You got to be willing to do anything and work hard.” And for the hard-core islander that’s “the truth, Ruth!”

So, finally, the rain & thunder & lightening have subsided a bit, though the mudslide still is a kickin’. I say good- bye to one of my favorite (check “Betsy’s Top 50) places in the World.

Cheers.

Note: I posted this on the iPhone using the WordPress iPhone app… in the middle of Block Island Sound, with links. That’s impressive. The technology out today is just so innovative. Am in awe.

I am totally deadly now.

Bite Me Dunkin Donuts. You’re the 70’s Detroit of Doughnuts.

This in response to my Twitter tirade on Dunkin’ Donuts – I promised to expand my 140 character posts into sometime more readable. So, as promised,  here ya go.

A week or so ago was National Doughnut Day.

I love doughnuts. Not on par with cupcakes, or Nutella, or Burn Notice (on USA Network…) but a good doughnut and an ice-cold glass of full-fat milk can be a heavenly experience. Problem is, I live in the North East of the U.S.A. which is pretty much Dunkin’ Donuts territory. So back to my story…

Most places offered a free doughnut for the day (with some sort of purchase, natch) and Dunkin was no different. So being the thrifty (e.g. cheap) Scottish lassie I am, I made a detour with Baby Lug in tow for our free doughnuts. Wondering why in the heck have I not had a doughnut in a while… I mean I love ‘em, right?

Wonder no longer. Dunkin’ Donuts’ offering is embarrassing.

Now my young son loves Dunkin’- but he’s two. He doesn’t know any better. But at Dunkin’– they should. Call me “a marketing person who happens to be a foodie” but if you have it in your name (even if it’s misspelled) the product should be good.  My husband argues that no one goes to Dunkin’ Donut for the doughnuts, they go for the coffee. Silly rabbit Betsy.

It should matter.

Look I don’t expect much in a pastry from Starbucks Coffee or a salad from McDonalds (though they’re not bad in a pinch.) But crap doughnuts from a donut purveyor? That’s just sad. Or worse, it’s just complacency on the part of Dunkin’ Donuts and THAT’S unforgivable. It’s like Detroit of the 70’s– just because you’re the only game in town doesn’t mean you can slack off. Not in this economy. Not ever.

What also irks me is how Dunkin’ takes over a territory. It’s very similar to Walmart- they move into a town and wipe out the local Mom & Pop doughnut shops with convenience and consistently decent coffee. But what they lack is a good doughnut.

They seem to want to offer good food. They hired the ever perky Rachel Ray. Their menu boasts breakfast items, flatbreads, etc. Though I don’t know anyone how has ever really eaten one and enjoyed it. I tried to look at their site to find out more about their menu development and doughnuts… and found nada outside nutritional info. Not even the executive chef that run’s their kitchen. Tons of ways to order coffee though!

What I do know is they are mass produced at the lowest possible price point. Not in small batches, not a whole lot of variety outside of differing kinds cake, and variations of glaze and the god-almighty playdate staple … The muchkin. No bearclaws, no old fashion, no coconut.

Oh and the quality of their cake and glazed? The former has too much nutmeg, the latter is just meh, innocuous and nothing special. Too puffy and always tastes slightly stale. What Dunkin DOES do is make the most of these two basic recipes by using them as the base for most of the rest of their doughnuts. Sure the y have Boston Creme and that doesn’t make variety. And they always have that “just trucked-in taste.”

I think I spent most of my tweets trying to get Winchell’s to buy Dunkin’. At least with Winchell’s you get more variety out of a franchised doughnut. But the best of all is the little doughnut stores that dot the beaches, Main Streets, and corner stores of our great nation. Made early and fresh by people who actually own them.

Perhaps this is the next trend in food? Gourmet doughnuts. Now that is something I’d pay more than full price for!

Move over Magnolia Bakery… the era of the designer doughnut may just be here…

And lest you forget what is was all about Dunkin’, here’s your own 1983 commercial:

Read The Liquid Betsy, NOW Listen to @TheBetsy on BlogTalk Radio!

I was interviewed recently and thought I’d share the end product. Cause it’s good.

Jon Hansen, host of Blog Radio’s PI Window of Business asked me to join a panel to discuss “Has Blogging Crossed the Threshold of Legitimacy?“ I was happy to accept. What an excellent experience I had!  The panel was outstanding, the discussion was fast and furious, and our host kept the us all on time and on topic. One of the best interviews I’ve ever done or been associated with. We went over the allotted time limit. I could have chatted for a lot longer (but you knew that…)

So many thanks to my fellow panelists: the delightful Dr. Ellen Brandt, Ph.D.,  the winner in the Community Marketing’s Great Blog Off. – congrats to her for this week, she launches her new blog “Baby Boomers – The Angriest Generation”; the insightful Elizabeth Hannan, an on-line evangelist at Pragmatic Marketing whose firm focuses on leveraging the new media to elevate brand awareness; and David Bush, who as CEO of Iasta (a supply chain software company) launched probably one of the first “content marketing” blogs as the creator and editor of an industry leading blog the e-Sourcing Forum.

So here is the interview in it’s entirety for your listening enjoyment.

Do the Hustle and Thrive…