Day 345 – Next Level Gingerbread Houses

Yesterday morning I sat down with my Spark and watched my daily dose with Darren Hardy. My computer prompted me to restart because, it had been a week since my last restart. I know, I know. I should turn it off more but, it just does not happen. So upon accepting the prompt, my computer started to go through about a million updates and my time was slipping away. I made my lunch and got dressed but, it was still updating. Eventually it came back on but, it was too late for me to write my blog.

I could have of course written it when I got home but we were already in prep mode for the 2nd annual Sullivan ginger bread house contest. Smack talking had started about 3 weeks ago when Emily asked if she could use the oven for making some extra things. We had no idea what she had planned but she was clearly already planning. Thursday dinner was tacos and we ate quickly. Hayey and Wes were the first to get into the package. We really only have one rule for this contest and it is that you have to use the store bought kit. You can add to it or use it in any way you want but the kit has to be used in the house somehow.

Last year we cut the walls and made a shanty crime scene house with trash, police tape and even the outline of a dead gingerbread person. We knew that this year the kids were going to take this to the next level and they did not disappoint. Amy and I had our show stopper planned when the judging started.

All of the houses got lined up and they were AWESOME!

Emily won for the one everyone most wanted to eat! Her Chocolate shingles were delicious!

Next was Big Cat’s. He finished first and it was able to mock the rest of us.

Then there was Cort, who’s house fell apart but he made the best of it.

Wes & Hayley went all Breaking Bad and decided it was time to cook!

Andy was happy his house stayed together and was able to get Part of his roof decorated. It looks good from only one angle hahah.

Finally there was ours. It is worth two pictures as there can not be any more. Our show stopper this year was devastating.

Unfortunately the Fire Department was not able to save it.

Not sure how we will top these next year but it is sure to be fun. Add a comment and vote for your favorite!

Day 278 – Competition is a given.

Competition is a great thing.

Competition is a big part of the American marketplace. It can be healthy and promote growth of individual companies and the economy as a whole. Competition can also breed some negative things.

Sometimes there are companies or individuals who are threatened by competition. In these instances, things can take an ugly turn. I have become witness to people, not just specific to my field but across many others who turn to negativity instead of innovation to compete. I have seen people attack other businesses in order to try and protect what they feel entitled to. I believe that there is room for any quality business or product.

In a free market place we rely on the customers to make the choice on whether a product or service is any good. They vote with their wallet and that should be it. If your product or service is better than others people will buy yours based on quality and value. If your product is losing market share because of another product you simply need to improve your product. That seems simple right?

Then why do companies that loose market share resort to things that harm the competition instead? I have seen legislation passed to affect the competition. I have seen people get involved in local politics to create zoning issues that affect their competition. I have heard of all kinds of corporate espionage designed to take out and hurt the competition all for the sake of someone trying to hold onto market share with a product that just may not be popular anymore. In the end it is the consumer that loses.

Take the Tucker Car Company for instance. Preston Tucker sought to build the car of the future with innovative safety designs such as a padded dashboard, a pop out windshield, disc brakes, and a third headlight that swiveled while making turns. He was head to head with big car companies that simply did not want the car to exist and wouldn’t let Mr Tucker acquire the steel or supplies he needed. Today Tucker’s 475 acre Chicago production plant houses a tootsie roll factory and a shopping center. Many of his ideas were later instituted and we enjoy them as standards in today’s vehicles.

Competition is a good thing for the consumer and for business. A great new product or service in any category brings more consumers to that category as a whole. It forces us as business owners to constantly be improving and proving a better product. If someone makes a better widget than you or has improved on your service than you have to work to improve your product. Anything else is just wrong and eventually even if you succeed in removing your better competition you will still lose customers because there will always be someone else coming along with something better.

Don’t be this guy

Day 226 – Competition is good.

Colin and Carol our distillers are at an event in Yakima today. It is a blues festival of sorts and there is Wine & Spirit sampling going on. If you like the samples you can buy bottles right there in the spot.

Yeah now that is a blues festival right?

Well, there is another distillery there actually in Yakima. They make an Apple Pie Product. W have been at festivals, tastings and other events with these guys there and I have no problem with them. I am an entrepreneur and respect anyone that is going to set out on their own and take a swing. They on the other hand do not like it when we show up to an event.

When they realized that we were at the same event today and in fact right next to them, they actually asked the event coordinator to ask us not to sample Eve’s Apple Pie Moonshine!

Can you believe the balls it took to even ask? Do you think they have any idea how weak and desperate that made them look? Even they know that our product is way better than theirs.

I can make that claim because I have actually done tasting tests head to head with them. Also, at any event we have been at together we outsell them by leaps and bounds.  Eve’s Apple Pie is the best in its category and we know it and so does everyone else.

We do have a couple other things coming up. Next Saturday we will be at the Washington Wine and Spirit Awards in Wenatchee at Toyota town center. That will be a good time and then in September we have a show in Spokane with Southern Wine & Spirits and in October there is the Seattle Uncorked Witchcraft-Spirits & Potions event.

Anything we can do to get the word out. Our product is the best we just need to get people introduced to Eve now!