Change...for the better

Dear Diary,
What a paradox. The morphing of seemingly permanent states of being in the life matrix are alarming and encouraging at the same time. The past seemed so predictable and manageable. The present seems a whirling tornado of change, and I’m just talking about my breakfast spot. Spoonums was consistency par excellence. The standard fare done with a flair. An oasis of the real in a desert of deep fried, fast food cuisine. New England breakfasts: hearty, hot and delicious.

Joe Mangione runs the place and makes the corned beef hash from scratch. Johnnycakes, a Rhode Island specialty, made with stone ground cornmeal come to the table hot off the griddle with butter and syrup and a side of hot apple slices with cinnamon and sugar. I love that place.

Then comes change. Lurking about every fertile mind is the nemesis: boredom. We get tired of “same.” We grow weary of the status quo. We labor tirelessly to create the good only to be pressed upon by a mix of zeal and fear to create the great. Human nature seems to always seek a higher standard, a loftier goal, an improved bottom line and a greater sense of passion for what we choose to do.

Over a weekend in early September, Mangione changed his décor. New paint job, new wallpaper, new logo, new awning, new plants–new everything.

I immediately began to assess the change. “Cool,” I said. “Looks great.” Then a moment of panic. I don’t go to Spoonums for the look of the place. I go to Spoonums for the FOOD! I go to sustain my existence. I go to meet friends and talk about the dummies who run our government in Washington, the flailings of the Red Sox and Patriots and whatever else is happening in the environment of busyness I call my life.

Dear Diary,
Thank goodness it was all still there and then some. Change is good. I like change, as long as I can get my Johnnycakes and hash with two over easy and black coffee, no sugar.

Those of you who have read this magazine for a while will notice a change. We have expanded our content. We have broadened our reach. Over the past 18 years, we have been known as the definers of the futon category, with a serious bent toward educating retailers with honest and detailed explanations of the products that make up the industry mix. We now want to do the same for the bedroom and beyond.

Like Joe Mangione, it is our passion for our industry and creating something pleasing and useful to our customers that drives us. Our path is clear. Our vision set. The mission of Futon Life & Living Spaces is to help furniture dealers understand more about what they sell, understand what consumers are looking for and better equip their floor sales associates so they can effectively sell more product. As we succeed, you succeed.

All this work is making me hungry. “Hey, Joe, another order of Johnnycakes, please!”

Gorillas, Chimps and Monkeys
What do gorillas, chimpanzees and monkeys all want? In the jungle as well as the bedroom furniture marketplace, the answer is, of course, bananas.

Geoffrey Moore in Inside the Tornado states that when companies cohabitate the business “jungle” they evolve into either gorillas, chimps or monkeys. Which one is your company?

The Gorilla is the dominant marketshare leader who is strong enough to collect and gorge on an abundance of bananas. The marketplace parallel is the flagship store chain that sets the trend in style and substance. They create the demand, they set the price and they just attract bananas. Great margins.

The Chimpanzee is the strong but clearly subordinate competitor. Chimpanzees are candidate gorillas that, for assorted reasons of timing, didn’t get picked. They get their share of bananas by providing more of what the gorilla, because of its sheer size, lacks: attentive personal service or another unique value. Great margins.

The Monkey is the ultimate opportunist who crashes the party late and stuffs leftover bananas in his cheeks. The industry equivalent is the discount store that slashes prices and services. Great…well, you get the idea.

Assuming there are enough bananas to go around, is every primate a happy primate? Of course not. The gorilla must constantly dominate to remain on top, the chimpanzee must cleverly outwit the gorilla at every turn and the monkey must mimic both—but on the cheap. In the business jungle, every primate has challenges. The key is to be true to your species. Be what you are; there are different kinds of prosperity. Hey, a banana is a banana.

Our Neighbors Need Some Sleep
Our fellow Americans hit hard by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita lost much, including a bed to sleep on or a pillow upon which to rest a tired child’s head. Futon Life & Living Spaces urges anyone who can to take a moment to facilitate a donation to the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army or perhaps even some of your product to a displaced family, a local church or a community center in a zone that could really use the help.

High Point vs. Las Vegas
I know this is only the first inning, but Las Vegas is ahead one to nothing. I guess this is why they call it a new ballgame.

Branding
Brands run the gamut from automotive to personal products, from food producers to financial institutions. As measured by Interbrand, the Global Top 100 Brand leader is Coca-Cola, with a brand value of about $67.5 billion. Coke has been #1 since Interbrand’s first global report in 2001. Other famous brands we all know, love and spend our hard-earned cash on include Microsoft (#2), Sony (#28), Google (which made the list for the first time at #38) and the only brand from the furniture corner: Ikea at #42.

Our cover story in this issue is about two well-known brands in the home furnishings industry: Kathy Ireland Home and Jaclyn Smith Home. On page 18, Becky Miller presents an in-depth look at the brand identity for these two successful companies in order to help you, the retailer, consider whether they fit your store’s target demographic.
If you do carry these products, or if you are considering carrying these products, this story will help you sell them more effectively, using the marketing strategy each manufacturing company has already developed. This makes you the powerful link between manufacturer and consumer.

Red Sox-Yankees
Great rivalries do seem to hold our interest for decades. As of this writing, the Sox are even with the Yanks in the American League East. By the time you read this, the Sox will be in the big series with the Cardinals again. Atlanta could also rise to the occasion in the NLCS but either way, in my humble opinion, with the Curse of the Bambino lifted, the Bosox will win it all again. The World Series starts while we are all at High Point (October 22nd). You can pat me on the back or needle me then. FL