Month: September 2021

History of the Leatherman Wave multitool

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This is a story about the Leatherman Wave Multitool. It covers everything from Timothy Leatherman’s first patent in 1980 to the launch of Wave in 1998.

Timothy S. Leatherman majored in mechanical engineering at Oregon State University. After having a hard time making repairs to his car with a regular pocket knife, he created what is known as a “boy scout knife with pliers.” Leatherman obtained his first patent in 1980. His prototype was far from the Leatherman Wave Multitool we know today. Initially he tried to sell his creation to large companies like AT&T, which would have many people who needed tools in the field. After failing to get big customers, he decided to try his hand at regular consumers. After simplifying the design, he began selling his product primarily through mail-order catalogs. This new business model proved to be a great success and in 1983 he founded Leatherman Tool Group.

The company grew exponentially. Leatherman Tool Group began experimenting with new designs and products. For example, they added scissors to the tool. They also created tools that were smaller and easier to transport. In 1992, the company doubled and then tripled the size of its factory. They were on a roll. The world had realized the usefulness of a multi-tool. The Leatherman began to appear in films and television such as the hit show “MacGyver” and the blockbuster movie “Speed.” The Leatherman became more than a useful tool, it became a cultural phenomenon.

In 1995, the Leatherman Super Tool, which featured the first locking blades, sold over a million units. The Super Tool became the Leatherman to have. The company started an advertising campaign in 1996 that featured real-life stories of Leatherman users using their Leathermans to survive. The Leatherman Super Tool was the tool on which the Leatherman Wave Multi Tool would eventually be based. It could be argued that the popularity of the super tool was vital in propelling the company to take the necessary steps in Wave design.

In January 1998, the Leatherman Wave Multi-Tool was featured at the Shooting Hunting Outdoor Trade (SHOT) show. Wave is the first multi-tool that allows access to the blade without opening the pliers. It also allows one-handed access to the blade. This one-handed action was useful to Jackie Chan in “Rush Hour,” who used the Leatherman Wave Multitool to fend off mobsters. This would be Wave’s first big screen appearance.

The Wave has become the most popular Leatherman in history. It is used by everyone from skilled men to law enforcement officers and survivors. Features pliers, wire cutters, clip-tip knife, serrated knife, saw, scissors, wood / metal file, diamond-coated file, large screwdriver, large screwdriver, small screwdriver, ruler, bottle / can opener and a wire. stripper. In 2004, the Wave was redesigned with larger knives, stronger pliers, longer wire cutters, and full-lock blades. The Leatherman Wave Multitool is the most versatile and best designed Leatherman yet. The company has continued its tradition of innovation and has introduced several new tools since Wave, but Wave remains the Leatherman Tool Group’s best-selling product.

New York Hotel Workers Union – New York Hotel Trades Council, AFL-CIO

by adminTours TravelLeave a Comment on New York Hotel Workers Union – New York Hotel Trades Council, AFL-CIO

The New York Hotel and Motel Trades Council, AFL-CIO, (Hotel Trades Council for short), is the union of hotel workers in New York City. Our 27,000 militant members come from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds and include large numbers of immigrants and women.

Unions are the largest grassroots and progressive organizations in the United States. Unlike many other nonprofits, unions are controlled and funded entirely by the constituency they serve – the workers who make up their membership.

Every day, unions are at the forefront of the real fight for democracy and justice.

The New York Hotel Trades Council was formed in the late 1930s in a massive citywide campaign to organize the hotel industry.

Until then, hotel employees were among the most exploited workers in New York. The working conditions were appalling. The treatment was unfair and degrading. The benefits were non-existent. The hours were brutally long and the wages woefully low.

All previous attempts at unionization, including a general strike by New York City hotel and restaurant workers in 1912, had been crushed by the hotel owners.

Our first industry-wide contract was signed on January 18, 1939, and included a groundbreaking provision prohibiting discrimination in employment. The Hotel Trades Council and its affiliated venues have been at the forefront of the civil rights movement ever since.

For more than seventy years, our union has been a powerful force for social justice, progress and human rights, improving the lives of literally hundreds of thousands of hotel workers and their family members.

8-Point Checklist: Online Vendor Assessment

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Here are 8 things to consider when evaluating online lenders:

  1. Web-page design
  2. Privacy Policy
  3. About us
  4. Popularity
  5. Reputation
  6. Short form
  7. Points, fees, terms and fees
  8. Communication

1. Website design:

The website is, in fact, the showcase of the Internet. In the real world, your first impressions make a difference. Well, it is no different on the Internet.

  1. Does the site seem correct? Can you get some valuable information right away, or does it seem like you’re being pressured to click here, click there?
  2. Does the page load fast, indicative of a reliable server, or does it seem like it takes forever to display everything (or worse, are you getting multiple error messages)?
  3. Are there a ridiculous number of pop-ups, underlays, and other ad campaigns on your face, or is the lender just putting it all together for you to decide?

Take a look at the website design and trust your first impressions.

2. Privacy Policy:

You are likely to share personal information in exchange for loan offers. You shouldn’t be so concerned about this that it limits your ability to communicate with potential lenders. However, use your common sense.

  1. Does the website publish its privacy policy? If so, take a quick look at it.
  2. Does it seem to make sense and is it reasonable?

Virtually all trusted online companies have now posted privacy policies to assure you of their intent and to comply with current laws and regulations.

3. About us:

Does the lender publish an “about us” page?

  1. If not, this could be a red flag. In other words, the lender should take pride in its history, its vision, and its mission statement. An “about us” page is an opportunity for your lender to tell you a little about themselves. If you don’t see it, what are they hiding?
  2. On the other hand, if you see an “about us” page, check it out. How long have they been in business? Where they are located? Do they post a phone number and provide contact information? What are their policies and philosophies?

Reading the “about us” page can give you great information about the lender.

4. Popularity:

Take your lender’s website address and connect it to Alexa.Com. Alexa is a tool, created by the folks at Amazon, to assess internet traffic and provide a place for visitors to post website reviews.

  1. Popularity is measured by the Alexa rating, and the lower the number, the higher the rating. For example, our site, http://loanresources.net, as of today has a 3-month average Alexa rating of 86,517. This means that we are one of the 100,000 top websites in terms of traffic (and popularity). If we go down to, say, 50,000, then our traffic and popularity have increased.
  2. You can use this tool to evaluate the traffic of your potential lenders.
  3. Our advice is this: don’t be blinded by popularity alone. There are many competitive lenders and mortgage brokers with the highest integrity, who do not necessarily have a favorable Alexa rating. It does not mean that they should not be considered. It is simply a measure of traffic, and that’s it. Don’t miss out on what they have to offer.

Use popularity as one of the many tools at your disposal when evaluating lenders online.

5. Reputation:

There are several ways to assess a lender’s reputation. Talking to friends, family, and associates, of course, is one way. Another method is to see if the potential lender is a member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB at BBB.Com) and if there are any complaints filed against them.

  1. BBB produces what is called a “Reliability Report”, and this report will provide you with corporate information (such as name, address, phone number), BBB membership information, whether or not the lender is a participant in the “BBB program. On-line”. , along with a history of complaints, and the final resolution of each complaint.
  2. The report also indicates the overall rating given to the lender. Remember we discussed earlier, that popularity isn’t everything? Here is an excellent example. You’d be surprised how many “popular” lenders can, in fact, have a fairly extensive BBB Reliability Report filled with a variety of complaints.
  3. Again, use your good common sense and consider reputation along with all other factors.

Also, if you see anything on the reliability report that might concern you, talk to your potential lender and see if they can give you a reasonable explanation for what happened.

6. Short format:

Complete an online “short form” application, and within minutes, several competitive loan offers could be coming to you.

  1. Please consider the application in abbreviated form when evaluating the lender. Is it really short or are they asking you for too much information?
  2. You are expected to share basic information about yourself, such as name, phone number, salary information, etc., but never reveal what you think is too personal or compromising, such as a social security number, credit card numbers, etc.
  3. Does the short format make sense, is it well organized, and is it easy to follow and understand? This is important, because if the form is easy to complete, the lender may be saying that the entire loan process is simple and easy. On the other hand, if the shape is arduous and complex, what does that tell you?

So please assess your comfort level in the context of each online lender’s short form request.

7. Points, rates, terms and rates:

After completing the short form online, potential loan offers will be directed to you almost instantly.

  1. These preliminary loan offers will provide you with important information on the points, fees, terms, and rates being offered.
  2. These, of course, are the basics of what you are evaluating … These are the dollars and cents of your preliminary loan offers.
  3. Get multiple offers and compare them with each other.
  4. Who offers the best savings? Who seems too short to believe? Who is too tall to consider it?
  5. Check the current rates and see how these offers stack up. We have a RateWatch set up on our website, or you can find other resources on any search engine.

8. Communication:

Once you’ve gotten several loan offers, it’s time to talk to your prospective lenders over the phone.

  1. Don’t fear this process. Remember, you are the purchaser of this product and you are in the driver’s seat. Think of it as an interview and you will be in charge. Ask some good questions and see if you are comfortable with forming the relationship.
  2. How does the lender appeal to you on the phone? Is it someone you think you could do business with, or does the conversation seem forced and awkward?
  3. Use the phone call to assess the relationship and get useful information.
  4. Don’t make an immediate decision. Talk to 3-4 lenders, then pause and evaluate what you’ve learned.

Use your instincts to assess who you worked well with and who might present challenges in the future.

We have enjoyed providing you with this information and wish you the best of luck in your endeavors. Remember to always seek good advice from those you trust and never turn your back on your own common sense.

Editor instructions:

This article may be freely distributed as long as copyright, author information, disclaimer, and a hot link (where possible) are included.

The future of ethics and morals

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In his essay “Perpetual Peace”, the German philosopher Immanuel Kant spoke of the importance of each country joining forces and joining forces in a “league of nations” whose sole objective would be to ensure their peaceful coexistence. According to Kant, governments are morally obliged to seek peace and collaborate with other nations to guarantee perpetual order.

Kant’s ideal and the need for a set of rules to govern our selfish behaviors are now more apparent than ever. In America today, there is a rift between those who still live by the principles of ethics and morals and those who do not care about them at all. Instead of being united by the ideal of peace, as Kant envisioned the future, we are divided by hatred.

Given these circumstances, one cannot help but wonder: what is the future of ethics and morals in America today?

The importance of ethics

No nation can survive without a solid ethical and moral foundation. They are the driving force that shapes individual behaviors within a society. While written law holds individuals and businesses accountable for their actions, ethics represents a system of self-government that enables people to live together and preserve the peace of the community. Due to ethics, we have achieved a state of equilibrium that teaches us to behave when the watchful eye of the law is not available.

However, in today’s society, ethics seem to have eroded. Most of the time, people no longer abide by the unwritten rules that ensured their peaceful coexistence. And, the deeper the erosion of ethics, the more the interaction between people suffers, be it business or friendship. Since fewer people abide by the rules, no one will stop trusting anyone and society as we know it will cease to exist.

Are ethics and morals in America an endangered species?

It may sound like a grim picture, but judging by the way things are going right now, ethics and morals seem like an endangered species. One of the most visible signs that we have a serious ethics problem is within the life and blood of our country: the Government.

The government is the part of the United States where the deterioration of ethics and morals can best be observed. It is here that greed, self-interest and corruption have taken hold of the rigorous standards and behaviors that once prevailed.

Ethics and morals are on the verge of extinction in the current government. Instead of tackling and solving some of the country’s most severe problems, such as the deterioration of the educational system, income inequality, massive student debts, etc., politicians display them in front of citizens, inciting them against each other.

As a result, we are deeply divided on every possible issue, from abortion and marriage to guns, foreign policies, migrants, the right to privacy, and even God.

Fortunately, there is one thing we all agree on: the country is going in the wrong direction.

A ray of hope

Evidence of America’s ethical crisis can be seen everywhere, from the corporate world to our politics. However, our personal and social behavior has improved significantly in recent decades. Although it may not seem like it, we are less racist, homophobic and sexist than we were three decades ago. Rates of crime, drunk driving deaths, divorces, teenage pregnancy and domestic violence have also dropped.

Why this gap?

One explanation could be that while we are divided on important national issues, we have understood that if we want to live in a peaceful community, we must keep our behavior in check. We have understood that together we can work and function better. Now, we must also apply this as a nation.

Let’s not allow the elite to divide us. United we are better and stronger!

The best types of vehicles to transport carpets

by adminAutoLeave a Comment on The best types of vehicles to transport carpets

When you install a new carpet, you can always receive it. Most carpet suppliers or manufacturers expect you to want the carpet delivered, so they already have some kind of service for this. This service is often expensive and will incur additional expenses that you may not have budgeted for. If you are doing the work yourself, you probably want to cut costs and try to transport it yourself.

Most self-installers like to drag the carpet themselves, or having the ability to drag the carpet themselves is essential. This is especially important if you are doing some kind of side work for friends and family. If you own the right vehicle and tools, or can borrow them for free, you’ll be in a much better situation financially. But be careful, CARPET IS HEAVY, and loading and unloading large rolls of carpet is hard work. You may want to ask a friend to help you move the rug.

Now let’s move on to the vehicle of choice … In my opinion, the ideal truck for transporting carpets from one job site to another is a 16-foot box truck with a “grandma’s attic.” Having a box truck with a diesel engine is even better as it will reduce fuel costs. The “grandmother’s attic” above the cabin is ideal for storage. It will allow plenty of room for rugs, pads, tools, and supplies along with protection from the elements.

For one-time jobs, you can use a truck or trailer, but these are not the most ideal vehicles because they have no protection from the elements. Although some trucks have box tops that can be easily added and removed from the vehicle. These can be great when hauling rugs in the rain when all you have is a truck.

I have also seen the use of dump trucks, but they are not designed for this type of work. It also doesn’t seem easy to remove the carpet from the dump truck bed (but then again, I really wouldn’t know, I haven’t had to go this route and hopefully never have to). I assume these vehicles are only used as a last resort.

Another vehicle that you can use to transport carpets is a van, one of those big work vans. I see these types of vehicles hauling carpets almost weekly so they must be convenient. The only thing I see a problem with is that the carpet sometimes sticks out the back so it is essential to tie the carpet or use bungee cords to prevent the carpet from flying out the back door.

These are the best ways I’ve seen to transport carpets, so don’t let me see you flying down the highway with a huge roll of carpet tied to the roof of your Honda Prelude!

Adequate Staffing: Employee Morale

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Adequate staffing is imperative to keep the morale of all employees high. Keeping employees happy will reduce employee turnover costs, allow employees to keep up with industry trends and new products or services, increase development opportunities, and increase overall productivity.

Industry trends and new products

Employees who are interested in or have a great deal of knowledge of the industry, products, and services you sell will be more enthusiastic overall. Someone who is more excited about a product or service is more likely to use it and therefore actually learn it. Knowing more about the industry, including competitors, gives that employee an edge as they can share this knowledge with customers, increasing sales (usually drastically). They will know who the competitors are, how to sell against them, how to handle customer objections, and how to provide the best customer service.

Creating schedules that allow employees time to research the industry by attending seminars, completing classes, or participating in conference calls on industry topics will go a long way toward motivating employees. Even assigning employees the task of bringing a new topic or news article to a team meeting to share with everyone is helpful for sharing knowledge.

Development

Any employee who is really interested in business, industry and progress in life (most people), needs and wants to develop their skills and abilities. Giving employees the opportunity to increase their knowledge base, skills and the ability to move up within the company will increase employee morale tenfold. This gives them something to look forward to and builds their confidence by increasing their knowledge base.

Scheduling employees to work with a mentor or manager can increase development opportunities quickly, especially with employees who really want to gain knowledge and move up. Scheduling an employee to work in different departments or areas of the company can increase their knowledge base, allow them to cross-train, increase their overall value to the organization, and increase their trust in the company and with customers.

Increase productivity

Who doesn’t want higher productivity in their business? This means higher income! To schedule the best possible productivity, schedule employees to:

  • You have enough employees on the floor to help customers, but not too many who are standing still.
  • Schedule specific tasks for specific employees (i.e. training, warehousing, etc.). This will allow additional employees to be available should more customers come in, but it will also allow them to focus on other tasks until they are needed.

Also have clearly established downtime activities for employees during slow work times to get more work done (i.e. cleaning, training, warehousing, customer call back, etc.). Always follow up with responsibility. If an employee chooses not to perform the tasks that are requested, make sure you have the processes in place to alert or sign that employee. You don’t want to pay an employee to sit still, as this lowers the morale of other employees and lowers the company’s revenue.

Are you mowing or mulching the grass?

by adminRelationshipLeave a Comment on Are you mowing or mulching the grass?

Have you ever had your mower blade checked to make sure it is sharp enough to cut your grass properly? Did you know that a dull cutting blade can cause serious lawn damage, which can lead to higher costs and lawn maintenance requirements? I wish you answered “Yes!” to the above questions, please read on!

Regardless of how sharp you keep the mower blade, each time you cut through the grass, the blade goes through a period of “shock” due to the cut. When a blade of grass is cut, the remaining grass plant must go through a healing period to seal the cut. A sharp blade cuts through grass cleanly and leaves a nice, straight cut, minimizing plant shock and time to cure. On the other hand, a dull blade will basically shred the grass. Even though the grass is “cut,” it is shredded, ripped, and severely torn, causing the herb plant to endure a prolonged period of healing and loss of water. Not to mention, an increased risk of becoming infected or infested with germs or insects. A grass plant that withstands a nice clean cut is much less likely to suffer long-term damage or illness.

If you are handy with tools and know how to operate a lawn mower, sharpening your own blade is not that difficult. Many retail stores sell a sharpening stone designed specifically for lawn mower blades. You can also purchase a tool that will hold the blade in place when you remove the bolt that secures the blade to the motor shaft. Use a permanent marker or awl to mark the underside of the sheet before removing. And safety comes first, which means always removing the spark plug wire from the spark plug before doing anything under or around the mower.

Once you have sharpened the blade, put some oil on the threads of the bolts and retighten the blade securely to the shaft. After the first cut with the freshly sharpened blade, recheck the bolt to make sure it is tight. Also, if you have sharpened the blade several times, be sure to check the balance of the blade. An unbalanced blade can cause damage to the mower and possible injury to the user. If a blade can no longer be sharpened and balanced, buy a new blade, better safe than sorry!

Your owner’s manual should have instructions on proper maintenance, and even if you can’t find your manual, a quick internet check of the make and model of your lawnmower in hand will take you to the manufacturer’s website. If you’re not comfortable sharpening your own blade, that’s okay – the dealer where you bought your mower can provide this type of service, and there are many professional companies in our area that will do this job for you. Regardless of which one works best for you, a sharp blade always works best for your lawn. By keeping a sharp blade, your blades of grass will benefit greatly! This will also reduce the amount of maintenance required for a beautiful lawn. Choose a lawn care company that uses green products for your other lawn needs.

Beat that hangover with forgiven

by adminLifestyle FashionLeave a Comment on Beat that hangover with forgiven

Most of us have felt the effects of drinking too much. The dizziness, headache, nausea, and other side effects of binge-drinking your favorite beer are generally considered unavoidable. However, there might be a way to beat that hangover. Forgiven is an all-natural alcohol metabolizer that promises to eliminate the pain and discomfort of drinking too much. How is this supposed to work? Let’s take a closer look at this product and see what’s going on here.

First, Forgiven promises all-natural help – there are no chemicals in makeup. The supplement data information on the package shows that it includes a proprietary blend of minerals and nutrients, as well as plenty of vitamin B1. You will also find organic acids, L-cysteine, L-glutamine, and rhodiola rosea extract. Combined, these ingredients help break down the by-products of alcohol consumption that build up in the body and create the feeling we call a “hangover.” Drinking water with Forgiven also helps speed up the process, as it helps to replenish lost fluids within the body.

The manufacturer promises several key benefits of taking the supplement, including improved mental clarity, neutralization of harmful toxins in the body, inhibiting the body’s absorption of those toxins, and a reduction in headache. The supplement comes in a 3-pill pack and is designed to be taken after drinking five to six alcoholic beverages (the directions say you should take all three pills). Obviously, you will need to take the supplement the night of the drink rather than waiting until morning. However, clinical studies show that Forgiven really works, as long as it is taken correctly. Waiting until you’re hungover to take the product doesn’t offer as many benefits.

Who is behind this revolutionary supplement? In fact, for fans of extreme sports, here’s a familiar face. Forgiven was launched by TJ Lavin, a former professional BMX racer. Lavin was injured in late 2010 and has spent the last few months in rehab. However, that is not all he has been doing. The broker is also a co-owner of Forgiven. Lavin has also not let his participation in the sport languish. The company sponsors several athletes, including Anthony Napolitan (BMX) and Frank Trigg (MMA).

Forgiven can be found through a variety of outlets, including health food stores and the company’s website, and is making its way into other locations, such as convenience stores.

Poto Cervesia,
Dustin Canestorp

Dog problems may be the answer to your dog’s behavior problems

by adminPetsLeave a Comment on Dog problems may be the answer to your dog’s behavior problems

If you are a dog owner, you know very well the importance of having a pet whose behavior is not a constant cause for concern and irritation. Countless books have been dedicated to helping the pet owner solve the many problems related to dogs, such as pulling on the leash, barking incessantly, chewing puppies, house training, etc. It goes without saying that deciding which training source to use can be grueling exercise. The purpose of this article is to help you make that decision by checking out one of those sources, dogproblems.com. We will examine the following areas: (1) how extensive the list of dog behavior problems is so that you can be assured that your particular area of ​​need is included, (2) what type of support is available to provide you with the comfort that the suggested solutions will really work.

Dogproblem.com’s statement of “An all-in-one dog training resource for owning, training, and troubleshooting your dog’s behavior” appears to be fairly accurate. The subject of this book regarding dog training and the selection and choice of a puppy seems inexhaustible, including articles and videos, member forums, consultation with canine specialists and sharing photos of members. Without exploring each of the 42 alphabetically listed departments, from “adopting a dog” to “submissive urination,” it appears that the dog owner can find a solution for just about any topic. This is different from many sites or books that seem to focus on just one or two problems.

Regarding your confidence that applying the suggested remedies will result in success, let’s take a look at how thoroughly each issue is covered and what kind of support is available. Each particular area or department provides the pet owner with a number of solutions. For example, if you were trying to house train your puppy, you would go to the “Dog House Training” department. Here you will find seven different articles covering topics such as: correct when they do it in the wrong place, praise when they do it in the right place, establish a “doody area” and a delete command “get to work”.

If the article or video still leaves questions, there is a forum available that allows pet owners to share their experiences with other owners. Additionally, this place also offers unlimited consultations with a team of canine behavior experts at dogproblems.com. This combination of articles, forums, and consultations should provide you with both the knowledge and support to successfully resolve your dog’s behavior problems.

The only negative I could find, if it is really negative, is that the sheer amount of information can be overwhelming at first. Maybe it could be organized a little better to make it a little easier to classify.

When you want to invest in dog training, you can choose from many different sites, books, and prices. It can be a tough decision no matter how surprising the claims are. A review of dogproblems.com seems to indicate a site that gives the pet owner a solution to almost any problem imaginable. Most importantly, video support, access to other dog owners’ forums, and consultation with canine behavior experts should give the pet owner confidence in a successful outcome.

Copyright 2009 by Tom Buck. All rights reserved

The Experience Economy: Why I Can’t Sell My China

by adminReal EstateLeave a Comment on The Experience Economy: Why I Can’t Sell My China

My husband and I are on a quest to cut down and get rid of “things” that have no purpose in our lives. This includes our two sets of beautiful Wedgwood dinnerware that we have loved dearly for many years. But, to our dismay, no one wants it. Not even our children. And it’s not just me. My friends who share some gray hair are experiencing the same thing.

It turns out that the world has changed dramatically since our youth of hedonistic consumerism. And it has probably changed forever. What’s the matter? Consider the following:

  • According to Business Insider, millennial home ownership is at an all-time low. In fact, according to Trulia, 71% of the millennials surveyed regret the purchase in the first place. They just don’t like debt and regret that they invested money in a permanent home. In addition, they are moving to smaller urban spaces that do not allow “picking up of things.” In other words, the “things” don’t matter.
  • The obsession for Tiny Houses. I can count at least four television shows that promote this streamlined lifestyle. Personally, I am obsessed with the idea. According to a ValueInsured survey, millennials don’t invest in big houses. Even more surprising, it’s baby boomers who are most likely to buy lower-priced homes.

What’s the matter? People (not just millennials) are moving toward collecting experiences about things. The “Experience Economy” values ​​more time with the family and more money to travel, as well as more time and money to experience all that life has to offer. Something more than things. In fact, it could be argued that we are a society that seeks to simplify, even move towards a minimalist lifestyle. What’s even more telling is the fact that our digital world replaces the things we needed in the past (CD storage, for example).

Recently, I was sitting around a C-level roundtable discussing this very topic, and one gentleman even claimed that the move toward “experiences” is for the right to brag socially. You’ve seen it: photos of food, concerts, vacations, etc. – on all social networks. Whatever the reason, the Experience Economy is here.

So if you are a brand like Road Scholar, you are in great shape. But what about the rest of you? Brands that listen to consumers and find opportunities amid their changing wants and needs, rather than in spite of them, are the winners today. Consider Nordstrom and its “small store” model that offers experiences rather than shopping. Or Bonobos, who have created a unique retail experience where you can’t walk out the door with merchandise. Or even ThirstyNest, which offers personalized wine gifts to newlyweds who are interested in creating memories about filling a china closet.

So with smaller living spaces and fewer dollars spent on things, what can a brand do? Ask yourself the following three questions:

How do my products create an experience or enrich the lives of my customers? If you sell puzzles, shouldn’t you really be selling family time, allowing loved ones to get together and enjoy each other? If it’s a pair of shoes, are they comfortable enough for someone to enjoy the concert you’re attending, or are they lightweight and easy to pack for your next adventure? It is critical that you change your product sales profits to reflect how the world has changed.

Is your product line evolving to reflect America’s downsizing or the experience economy? Are you moving toward products that provide simplicity, efficiency, or multiple uses? Or are you developing products that provide unique experiences and allow for social bragging? One caveat: Just because you have a best-seller today doesn’t mean it’ll fit into your client’s lifestyle tomorrow. Evolve!

Have you considered ready-made ideas or shopping experiences with a unique touch that your customer will appreciate? I’m sure there was a time when we could have laughed at brands like Bonobos, but who’s laughing now? And don’t we think the continuity programs were dead? No. Consider brands like Blue Apron, Birchbox, or Stitch Fix that have turned consumerism into a streamlined experience.

Unfortunately, marketing has gotten more difficult! But, only if you are thinking of selling “stuff”. People no longer need or want your things. Tomorrow’s marketers will be the ones who understand this strange new world we live in and wrap their products in experiences. As for my porcelain? I’m going to change my description of Letgo to: the perfect set of flimsy plates for your next Greek gathering.