Six Peeps

January 27, 2008

Today, Clicky Boo Hoo, another post with no photos.

DISCLAIMER: The past few days I have written posts and for some reason decided not to post them. i don’t know why. SO THE FOLLOWING are three posts that I had written over the course of three days into one. I didn’t just sit here and type for an hour, in case that’s what you are thinking (scroll down, this is one LONG post!) We’ll start with most recent (today), to the oldest non-published-until-now.

I have lots of the usual worthless crap to post here at sixpeeps.com! Yes, Jamie, your precious photos from the Bronco’s game ARE coming.

Jenny gave Gary a really funny nickname, “Clicky Boo-Hoo”. That’s because whenever he wants to go out, he paces on the hard wood floors making a clicking tapping sound, and he whines, “BOO HOO”. It drives both Jenny and I NUTS because he always does this right as we are getting comfortable… like after I come home from work on my bike. I have a routine of changing into shorts and a t-shirt and plopping on the couch to rest my legs! Just as I get comfortable, here comes Clicky Boo Hoo. Jenny is great at finding the humor in things.

I’m in Scottsdale right now doing a bit of work. Some consultations, interviews for a studio rep on Mon, hanging out with my Uncle Sal. Jim will be here tomorrow, and I always look forward to hanging out with that guy, he’s one of those guys who doesn’t just think outside the box… he ACTS outside the box! Jim is like my big brother in this business. I really look up to him. And consequently, at times i might seem like an annoying little brother, sometimes imitating him in the way I try to operate my business… and sometimes trying to innovate and earn his respect.

Speaking of, one of my new goals this year is to become a Big Brother via YMCA Big Brother’s Big Sisters. more on that later.

I have some fun trips coming up! Possibly Birmingham for my other “I could tell you but I’d have to shoot you” business, a possible ski trip to Switzerland in March, and Italy is right around the corner in May. If everything works out, Jenny and I will be living in Italy between May and June. OH SNAP!

Anyway if you read my blog on New Year’s you would have seen my proclamation: 2008 will be the year of Lateral Thinking, and Workflow Automation… and huge improvements in customer service! So I have taken it upon myself to make some major changes this winter. It has been one serious PROJECT. I have never been so excited about where things are going! Check out the improvement’s we have been making! This is so awesome:

1. One day I was at my studio and a girl named Kendra just sort of walked right in. Imagine this: my good friend and uber-mentor, and business partner from Huntington Beach, CA, Jim Kennedy recently lost his production manager. “I’m heartbroken”, I remember him saying as he told me about his production manager who had informed him that she was leaving. Kendra had to leave to pursue a dream of living in Colorado and attending school for interior design in Denver, CO. Small world. She walked in, and didn’t ask for a job… instead she told me that she would be starting on Monday. I didn’t argue.

Not only did I accept her into the studio, but I did something a little crazy. I made her my BOSS. I gave up all control and handed over the keys. Today my office is re-arranged, the walls have a silvery-metallic paint (Ralph Lauren) and a metallic olive-colored cieling and matching door. I have a light and ceiling fan. There’s a new desk (Guess who’s - not mine), a lot of very important belongings of mine were determined un-necessary junk and promptly thrown away. And we’re talking like, 6 full-sized garbage bags.

2. My office now smells pleasant… of green-tea scented oils. WHAT?!?!? That’s right!

3. Everything has a new place. File cabinets have a new (logical) order. I have a shipping table now. We bought a new copier/scanner/fax/printer and I am amazed at how much time that little machine has saved me in my daily routine.

4. Vonage is hooked up and I get a text message on my cell phone when someone leaves a voicemail on the studio phone.

5. All appointments are stored on an online calendar that I can update anywhere, that Kendra can update anywhere.

6. I’ve got new accounting software and my accountant in Colorado Springs can access it during tax season and work his magic with minimal effort.

7. I hired a web developer from the other side of the globe, Sunil lives in India. He has built a custom online referral system for me that I am really excited about! Sunil hopes the Pats loses the super bowl. I guess hating the Pats is even what the cool kids do in India!

8. And here’s where it gets good: The new workflow. Lateral thinking meets customer service!

Imagine this: years ago I dreamt of my own online customer service system. I told many people about the “client cafe”, an online meeting room where clients could log in, and see exactly where we are at with their wedding work. At this client cafe, clients can log in and see at a glance, that their proof book is finished, album design has begun, view a copy of their contract, and read some notes, left by either Kendra, studio manager; Maria, Album Designer; James Brown, production manager, or even myself. They can leave notes or make requests. The requests they make initiate an email to the right person. Once their work moves on to the next phase (i.e. images have been edited, album design has begun), automatic email notifications are sent to the bride with an update. COOL!

I like the pressure it puts on US to stay ahead of expectations. Here’s a sneak preview of my workflow management screen (not Client Cafe’)

Well guess what, I am working with a company and I think www.CafieroPhoto.com just might house this “client cafe” after a long time of dreaming of it! I’m not sure if I will be able to actually offer coffee though. Hmmmm maybe!

Baby steps? No way, I don’t have time for baby steps! I’ve got to get this automated NOW. I have two other businesses that can’t wait for “baby steps” either. I’m workin! But a year ago I was workin’ for more work. Now I am working for automation, and to live more of a LIFE! I want to be able to spend more time with Jenny, family and other friends, climb more 14′ers this summer, and not have to sweat whenever I have to leave for more than a few days at a time. And NOT at my customer’s expense. At their gain!

So here’s to automation and lateral thinking! If January is any indication of how the rest of 2008 will go, then I am tickled to death! It’s been the best month of my career, and I am a born-again business man!

9. I have done all this and still managed to continue my daily commute on my bike in the freezing temps, at night, whatever. It’s been great but I am starting to daydream about the summer when I can roll my Gios in shorts and t-shirts. I also still run in single digit temperatures for about 45 minutes 4 days a week. Wash park is covered with ice, so it’s like I’m doing the running-man every day. I hate it… but I love it!

Oh yeah, and a week from today I’ll be in a gymnasium trying out to become a contender for American Gladiators. No, actually I’m serious. I will probably be the William Hung of American Idol, if anything… but what the hell, why not, it will be something I can tell my grandkids about. Wish me luck!

Later!

Quote of the day by my MAN, Og Mandino. The one person in this world that I would love to have lunch with.

“Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find ”tomorrow” on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday’s defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow…”

“…Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.”

— Og Mandino (Author of “Greatest Salesman in the World) I own two copies of this book. One for home, one for my studio. It’s my #1

January 27, 2008 |