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I downloaded Firefox a few days ago, and for all the hype about its superiority, there's one element about it that absolutely sucks, from my web developer's point of view. I have Opera, Internet Explorer, and Firefox. Some scripts that works just fine in Opera and Internet Explorer and conform to Javascript standards will not work as they should in Firefox. Fortunately for me, it doesn't drop my web site application to its knees, but it will cause the astute user to wonder why a particular thing isn't working... arghhh. You can read more about the geek problem below, but here's a simple example. What follows are pictures of the same page inside Internet Explorer, Opera, and then Firefox - in that order. Notice how the page displayed in Firefox looks awkward and unbalanced. Internet Explorer:  Opera:  Firefox:  See the difference in the table cell with the option button? The cell appears big and klunky, but these are pretty straight-ahead web pages... the HTML is clean. Two browsers get it right, and Firefox can't. That's just amateurish. I don't get why this much-hyped browser is hyped. And here's my geek problem: I used the keyword "this" to pass a dynamic form variable to a function. In IE and Opera, no problem. But Firefox doesn't like it. Okay, I'll go explicit. document.forms["form1"].u_versetext.value=document.forms["form1"].u_versetext.value.substring(0,2000); That is flawless javascript. But Firefox tells me to use document.getElementById instead. Okay... document.getElementById("u_versetext").value=document.getElementById("u_versetext").value.substring(0,2000); Then I'm told: "document.getElementById("u_versetext") has no properties." The hell it doesn't! It's a form element - all form elements have properties! This is exactly why I have no ambition whatsoever to remain a developer. Good lord, I hope this painting thing flies because in the world of art there is no need for tech support. ETC: I figured it out, although these anomalies are irritating and a waste of time. The display problem: inside a cell, the paragraph tag will expand the text area on both the top and the bottom, which balloons the area within the cell. IE and Opera automatically collapse that area to the text itself, which is why Firefox appeared different. The javascript problem: the outlying function in Firefox apparently can't reach into a form and find the elements, so I have to pass it explicitly in the function call, like this: functionname(document.formname.elementname) Firefox's javascript engine can then find the element and adjust its properties. I had to read a lot of web pages (thank god for Google) to figure these out. And I understand that not all browsers will render quite the same way, but such basics as the paragraph tag should not cause surprises. Firefox takes a high horse and says that this is exactly how the W3 standards declare the rendering. But both Opera and IE say otherwise and perhaps it's open to interpretation, but if one interpretation of the standard exists on the market already, then it's silly not to format by the market's interpretation. |
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Pigeonholing the Card? Not If I Can Help It... |
No painting for me these days - all business. But first, a fun 10-minute video. Not so much in its visual display, but in its song. It's "Mojave," by Afro Celt Sound System, and it's the theme song of Art by Brett. (Though a bit muddy, it's amazing the quality of the recording that my little Sony Cybershot made from what came through my computer's speakers...) If you like the song, then go buy the CD! I'm spending my days working on the web site, and getting a lot done. The story is taking shape. My cards are fine art cards, and my purpose in this has been to provide art to people at an affordable price. As mentioned before, I think art at $400 a print is ridiculous. That puts it only in the reach of the rich, rather than just anybody. I know why artists do it, but I can't and I won't. I think there are other ways. I found a manufacturer to produce frames for me at a discount, so I'll also offer frames through the web site. That came fom a conversation with a woman at work who suggested a direction to me and lo and behold - affordable frames too. Because the price of art might be accessible, but custom frames? Oh my god... but thankfully, this manufacturer will be able to produce frames to fit my cards at an accessible price. So that brings me to the text inside the cards. I've struggled with this a lot. For some, the text is what really sells the card. And I've been in the situation plenty of times where I found a great and fitting picture on the front of the card, only to find something awful inside. Or just as bad, the card took itself in the direction of a woman when I meant it for a guy. Or it was for an anniversary, when I needed it for a birthday. I'm sure that's happened to everyone. Well, I think I have a way around it. Maybe. If so, I think it's a novel concept - at least, I've never seen it done before. These days, I'm thankful I can program because I have no clue what web product exists that will offer the options I need on the web site. And for some of the service that I'll provide to customers, having some mechanisms for automation to speed the fulfillment process will make a world of difference in time, for both me and the customer. Other than great music, I leave one other recommendation: Blue Ocean Strategy, a book I recently quoted. Truly mind blowing. And a few quotes: "Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing." - Helen Keller "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" - Mary Oliver "I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy living, or get busy dying." - The Shawshank Redemption (Tim Robbins) "A man without a smiling face must not open a shop." - Chinese Proverb :) |
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67 Pages... About A Quarter of the Way |
"Write gallery and associated pages" is now checked off my list of things to do. I'm 67 pages into my web development for ArtByBrett.com. Many of the pages are behind-the-secenes admin pages. The exposed links now at least takes you somewhere except for the Blog section, but that will be easy because I've written those pages for this site. Next comes the shopping cart and the order process. I'm taking Friday off work to do more on the site. |
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One Step Ahead of the Spammers |
I wrote recently of spammers' attempts to advertise on my site, and I changed the script to discourage bots from doing this. But amazingly, it still happens, which means that someone is literally coming to my site and pasting the blurb and then leaving. I guess labor is probably cheap in some parts of the world to allow this sort of thing to be profitable. So last week, I implemented a little tool to allow me to bar certain keywords. And that has helped quite a bit. If they try to paste their web site address now, the comment never registers. Wasted effort. They do try different domains, but I'm quick about it and the keyword is banned and the comment scrubbed. What is it to hawk a product that no one wants and you have to resort to such idiot tactics? How do they sleep at night, or tell their kids what they do for a living? It's why my coming art web site won't allow comments on its blog, as much as I might like such a conversation tool. Flamers and spammers ruin the community... |
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Execution's Four Adjectives |
I'm working on the web site today and it's coming along at a good clip. A lot of background work is done and I should have the gallery finished today, and be started on the shopping cart. During a bathroom library break, I continued my read of Execution, by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan. I'm getting quite a bit out of the book, and I hit this section today: Everyone pays lip service to the idea that leading an organzation requires strength of character. In execution, it's absolutely critical. Without what we call emotional fortitude, you can't be honest with yourself, deal honestly with business and organizational realities, or give people forthright assessments. You can't tolerate the diversity of viewpoints, mental architectures, and personal backgrounds that organizations need in their members in order to avoid becoming ingrown. If you can't do these things, you can't execute.In our years of working and observing in organizations, we have pinpointed four core qualities that make up emotional fortitude: Authenticity: A psychological term, authenticity means pretty much what you might guess: you're real, not a fake. Your outer person is the same as your inner person, not a mask that you put on. Who you are is the same as what you do and say. Only authenticity builds trust, because sooner or later people spot the fakers. Whatever leadership ethics you may preach, people will watch what you do. If you're cutting corners, the best will lose faith in you. The worst will follow in your footsteps. The rest will do whatever they must to survive in a muddy ethical environment. This becomes a pervasive barrier to getting things done. Self-Awareness: Know thyself - it's advice as old as the hills, and it's the core of authenticity. When you know yourself, you are comfortable with with your strengths and not crippled by your shortcomings. You know your behavioral blind sides and emotional blockages, and you have a modus operandi for dealing with them - you draw on the people around you. Self-awareness gives you the capacity to learn from your mistakes as well as your successes. It enables you to keep growing. Nowhere is self-awareness more important than in an execution culture. Few leaders have the intellectual firepower to good judges of people, good strategists, and good operating leaders, and at the same time talk to customers and do all the things that the demands. But if you know where you're short, at least you can reinforce those areas and get some help for your business or unit. The person who doesn't even recognize where she is lacking never gets it done. Self-mastery: When you know yourself, you can master yourself. You can keep your ego in check, take responsibility for your behavior, adapt to change, embrace new ideas, and adhere to your standards of integrity and honesty, under all conditions. Self-mastery is the key to true self-confidence. We're talking about the mind that's authentic and positive, as opposed to the kinds that mask weakness or insecurity - the studied demeanor of confidence, or outright arrogance. Self-confident people contribute the most to dialogues. Their inner security gives them a methodology for dealing with the unknown and for linking it to the actions that need to be taken. They know they don't know everything; they are actively curious, and encourage debate to bring up opposite views and set up the social ambience of learning from others. They can take risks, and relish hiring people who are smarter than themselves. So when they encounter a problem, they don't have to whine, cast blame, or feel like victims. They know they'll be able to fix it. Humility: The more you can contain your ego, the more realistic you are about your problems. You learn how to listen and admit that you don't know all the answers. You exhibit the attitude that you can learn from anyone at any time. Your pride doesn't get in the way of gathering the information you need to achieve the best results. It doesn't keep you from sharing the credit that needs to be shared. Humility allows you to acknowledge your mistakes. Making mistakes is inevitable, but good leaders both admit and learn from them and over time create a decision-making process based on experience. I originally thought of four adjectives in terms what we bring to a relationship and what we expect of the other person in a relationship. Both are important. This list, I think, makes for a healthy person, whether they are a leader or not. And this list is a good starting point for both people in a relationship. I'll be chewing on this while I code today... |
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 | The Troubles of Success |  |
 Okay, so by the end of the year I'll learn whether I'm wasting my time or whether I've got something with legs. If sales are less than stellar, it'll be a little business that I run myself and make some pocket change. That's a problem that I can manage, no big deal. Eventually I'll probably find a way to sell the cards and I can sell the floor spinners, if the thing just tanks.
But let's go the other direction... what if it succeeds in a big way? What if each retail location sells 75 to 100 cards a month? Or more? I'll start out with 10 retail locations. That means that I'm moving close to 1,000 cards a month, which is my goal by the end of the year. If that happens, then my profits will go right back into buying more displays and getting more retail locations. Eventually, I'll max out of my local area. Where do I go then? Out, obviously, to Iowa more broadly. But the pitch to retailers outside of the area is now a story with numbers and real world statistics. My plan is to paint new cards at a pace of about 5 to 10 per month. Every two months, I hope to rotate the stock in retail locations - new cards in, old cards out. Locally, I can do that myself, but I can't do it in Minneapolis or Kansas City. And I don't think the business owner will care to manage it for me. This needs to be very hands-off for the retailers.That suggests that I have to find area reps. Why is this important? Because paying them has to factor into my pricing model. So this morning my price for each card went from $2.49 to $2.79 - still reasonable. I'd need to find some detail-oriented and honest salesy soul who knows that this is a once-a-month gig where they drive from store to store in a matter of a few days or a week and pull out the old cards, put in the new cards, and then ship the old cards back to me. I'd need to pay for the help wanted ad, interview candidates remotely, train them remotely, and then trust that they'll represent me well. I think this kind of position is perfect for stay-at-home moms. It's a bit of socializing with the store owners, the kid(s) could come along, and it's a bit of income. Let's that they have 40 locations for which they are responsible. My plan is to pay them on commission at 50¢ per card sold. If each outlet turns 100 cards a month, and they are responsible for 40 outlets, then they make $2,000 a month, or $24,000 a year. That's the potential; they'd have to grow and maintain the market in that area. It's a good income for home-based, part-time gig. Will that happen? Beats me. But it could, and it's something I have to consider. It also occurred to me that my display of choice has 20 pockets - I need not 8 cards to start, but 20. "Prolific" needs to be my middle name. I'll be working on the web site today and tomorrow, and part of the web site will need to have an interface for the sales reps. Work to do! |
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In my cube at work, a strange thing has happened. People talk to me. Now that's not odd in and of itself - I'm a personable guy. But it all started since I began to hang my own art on my cube walls. People I don't really know come in and talk to me. "Did you do these?" Or, "Did you use a computer program to create these?" Or, "Where do you get the art you hang up? Is it someone you know?" I've learned that my art is breaking down social walls and barriers and bring people together into more personal conversations. It's amazing. It's unexpected. But it's oh so cool. This morning, a guy named James stopped into my cube and started asking questions. Pretty soon, I'm learning about James and his former writing habits and his artsy wife and his mother's old kiln in his father's basement deep with dust from lack of use since his mom's death 15 years ago. The art is a comfy living room, where people want to pull up a chair and just connect. It's the oddest and most wonderful thing. |
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Can I Have My Cake and Eat It Too? |
I'm torn. Originally, I had gone with CardsByBrett.com and then later realized that ArtByBrett.com was more generic and better. I don't think that matters, really, but hang with me... I had decided to use the catchphrase "Remembrance that lasts," the idea being that a fine art greeting card might be kept longer (or even framed) by someone, as opposed to a jokey card, therefore preserving the thoughtfulness that went into the purchase. This prompted the logo I had chosen and painted, of someone hanging/framing the card. But I was re-reading Rolf Jensen's The Dream Society, and it struck me: I'm going into the business of connections and togetherness , and so I need to emphasize that and not the art. So I changed it to "Connections that last," which is better, but like a participle, it loses its strength by not pushing the active verb. Picture this - you walk into a hair salon and you sit to wait for your appointment and you notice across the floor a display rack of cards and atop it, this sign: Connect With SomeoneYou've got time to kill, and you think of people with whom you haven't spoken in a while, and so you browse the cards, find a couple that work for you, and buy those while waiting. Does that make sense? I think it does, but let's think it through a little further... If "Connect With Someone" helps the marketing, then should the logo be of two people hugging? And if I go that direction, don't I lose the generic art nature of ArtByBrett.com and move back toward CardsByBrett.com? Or, is the phrase "Connect With Someone" enough? As a safeguard, I've purchased ConnectWithSomeone.com and ConnectWithSomebody.com so that if entered, either would take you to ArtByBrett.com, where that phrase will be prominently displayed. Lots to consider... I've got two or three months before I go live, so I have the time. Eventually these decisions will be burned into a direction with my hard-earned cash and that makes these details no small matter. The choice of cards, the choice of text or no text in each card, the selection of display stands, the signs that sit atop the display stands, the shape and color of those signs... I'm now around $2,000 to get started and have 10 locations selling my wares. I need to do all that I can get a return on my investment. Again, I can't emphasize enough the importance of reading books to help the entrepreneur in his/her thinking. And along the same lines, friends who speak their mind honestly to provide pushback where they see a lapse in design for business and cards are of the utmost value. Starting a business requires every talent I have. It's an all-cylinder effort and in many ways, it's grueling. But as I walk through my days noodling it through, I also have visions of sugar plums dance in my head and between the two, it's consuming. But hopefully worth it. |
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