CoolZips Mutts Speak Up

Sometimes you can only take so much injustice. View the following YouTube video for the real story on how my family stole my idea for CoolZips® Zipper Pulls.

Collections

I want to let you know that I’m very pleased with the enthusiasm and effort that Tucker has shown in learning the family business over the past few months. He has shown such savvy in revising current processes and finding new business, we decided to let him deal with collecting money from our wholesale customers and distributors who refuse to pay us for the CoolZips® Zipper Pulls that they have ordered and received.

Now, Tucker is a little guy. He’s 17 pounds; fit and trim. I’m sure you’ve heard stories of small dogs or maybe have even witnessed their ferocity in action. Therefore, you would think that Tucker would be a mean SOB. And that was what I was expecting; you should see how he reacts to someone coming on our property. But Tucker is very sensible.

Anyway, as we’re learning, collections is the worst part of owning our business. It’s certainly no fun demanding payment from a person that you entered into a business relationship with, filled with excitement that they actually liked your product and viewed them as a partner in growing your business. However, as we’re finding out, some people are just dishonest and will do anything they can to cheat and steal from you.

Tucker says that if a customer is not paying their bill, for whatever reason, then they are simply not a good customer and one that you can do without.

Here are a few suggestions that Tucker has used to help us avoid collection issues.

1. Ask the customer for a valid credit card to be charged before the order is shipped.
   
   
2. Shorten the billing cycle from 30 days to 15 days or due upon receipt. This way, you know sooner if the customer is not going to pay you.
   
   
3. Make sure that the billing terms on your invoice are visible and clear. If not, there is a good chance that your invoice will go into a stack of other invoices that will be paid only when you initiate your call for collection.
   
   
4. Add a late payment fee to the invoice. If money for a customer is tight, they’ll prefer to pay the bill that will cost them the most if they are late. Again, if there is no penalty for being late, your invoice will go to the bottom of the stack.

Finally, Tucker realizes that if the person is unresponsive to your invoice, numerous follow-up emails, and repeated phone calls, then you should not be fearful that if you push collections you will lose them as a customer; they’re already gone and, with them, your product that they are profiting from without compensating you for your hard work. It’s time to turn them over to a collection agency. And if this doesn’t work, small claims court is your last resort.

In my opinion, not only should these people’s business licenses be taken away, and be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, but you should sic the dog on them. Luckily for us, we’ve got Tucker. And all I know is that I get a good night sleep knowing that he’s on guard.

Training New Employees

Has it really been a month since I last posted? I apologize. We decided to adopt Tucker; he’s a cross between a Dachshund and a Miniature Pincher. His previous human, an elderly woman who had him for five years since he was a pup, had to go into assisted living and could not take him with her. So, it has been up to me to not only help Tucker adjust to our family (showing him how to let someone know that he needs to go outside, proper eating etiquette, his sleeping arrangements, etc. – not to mention providing emotional support), but also indoctrinate him into the family business.

I’ll tell you, it has been very tiring and initially took me away from my efforts in customer service. And while Tucker has a lot of playful energy and is a pretty good listener, how many hours a day can one play fetch?



Anyway, I started to think about what happens when a company grows and needs to train new employees. This is an area that is often underestimated and, consequently, can become very stressful. With growth comes the need for evaluating current processes and identifying how to improve on the way one does business. One of these areas that companies should focus on is how to more efficiently fulfill orders. We thought that this was the perfect area for Tucker to head up – since he does like to fetch. So Tucker and I held a Kaizen event to help identify areas of waste and to develop solutions to streamline our procedures.

As Tucker and I documented our current process, we noticed that we were keeping our entire inventory in one place which, while at the same physical address, was 112 feet away from where we packaged the product for shipment. Therefore, if someone ordered one CoolZips® zipper pull from our web site, we would have to walk 224 feet roundtrip. Fulfilling 25 orders a day would be the equivalent of walking over a mile. And while this may be good exercise, this is not an efficient use of one’s workday or a company’s valuable resources.

The solution that we came up with was to keep a smaller amount of each style of zipper pull in the same immediate area where we package the product for shipment. By keeping only 50 of each of the 10 styles in arms reach, we can more quickly fulfill the order. Then, once a day, we replenish this stock back to the original quantities of 50 of each style. This is a true cost saving which allows us to spend more time in areas such as marketing, customer service, and new product development.

In the short span of four weeks, I can honestly say that Tucker has been a great addition to our family. I could also say that it wasn’t so hard to teach an old dog a new trick, but that’s cliché. Let’s just say that identifying and leveraging one’s skills is the first step in helping a new employee adjust – both personally and professionally.

Emotional Support

My cat buddy, Rusty, who lives down the street, is having difficulty getting his humans onboard with the cat toilet seat that he’s developing. This is having a negative effect on Rusty’s enthusiasm for the project. So, I started to think about how a family’s emotional support plays into the success or failure of a business venture.

Take a look at me. Most people reading this blog are probably thinking that I’m a gimmick. I’m a dog that can use a keyboard and mouse. So, what’s so unusual about that? However, again, while I may sleep 22 hours a day, I take it all in.

Developing an idea and delivering it to market can be a long and costly road with many bumps along the way. Even though these setbacks may be minor, they can often question one’s decision to take on this endeavor in the first place.

Let me tell you, animals have an increased sense of what physically and mentally ails a human being. Some of us dogs can detect a cancerous tumor in a person’s body. Both cats and dogs can sense the stress and tension one accumulates in the daily grind that we call life.

While I didn’t come up with the idea for CoolZips® zipper pulls, I do sit at my human’s feet while she searches the internet for critical information to take us to the next step. This is something subtle that I do, because I know it has a calming influence. And then, while my humans question why I just stepped all over the sample products that were on the floor that they were staring at for five hours like catatonic zombies, I realize that it will never dawn on them that this was somehow calculated on my part to get them to take a break and then come back with a clear head and a fresh outlook. To me, this is part of the process. This is what I bring to the table. This is what I have to offer to help our product achieve success.

So, if your family is not offering the emotional support that you need, then do something to draw them in. Ask them for their ideas to help solve a problem that you’ve been dealing with for days without resolution. Or take a few minutes break and cuddle with your pet; we’ll help to relieve your stress so that you can move forward and we’ll get a soothing massage; it’s a win-win solution.

Remember, at times, we all get overwhelmed. For god sakes, I wish my tail would stay still for a freaking two seconds! And if, for some reason, Rusty’s family is viewing this blog, pick Rusty up and stroke his fur and calm him down. After all, this may be just what he needs to renew his enthusiasm and get him back on the road to getting his product to market.

Manufacturing Crossroads

Do you stay in the United States? Or do you go overseas? This decision always seems to cause a dilemma. But I’m not talking about where to get that Portuguese Waterdog, Australian Sheepdog, or Chinese Foo Dog (even though I am in the market for a mate). No, the question I’m posing is, where do you go to get your product manufactured?

With the current state of the US and world economies, this is a situation that seems to question our national allegiance. Hey, I’m an American Foxhound: if I were cut I’d probably bleed red, white, and blue. However, sometimes, to help with your country’s economic growth, it does not always mean that the right path is the clearest one.

For us, this was a major decision. We originally came up with 10 styles of CoolZips® zipper pulls that would define our product line and that we wanted to have manufactured and mass-produced here in the United States. We received estimates from a few US companies to produce the tooling that was needed for each of the unique charms. The price was $3,000.00 for each charm for a total of $30,000.00. The quote we received for the tooling from a company in China, who could also take care of the entire manufacturing process, was $300.00 for each charm for a total of $3,000.00.

However, we did have concerns, such as:

• How will we communicate when we don’t speak Chinese?
  
• How do we find a company, let alone the right company, in such a large country over six thousand miles away?
  
• How do we manage lead content in our product and make sure that it is safe?
  
  Just so you know, CoolZips have been lead tested for your child’s safety. All components used to manufacture CoolZips have been lead tested by a certified laboratory in the United States and meet lead safety requirements.

So, even though we would have preferred to keep the manufacturing process here in the United States, we did not have $30,000.00 for this startup venture. Therefore, it came down to either we don’t pursue CoolZips, because the cost for us would put our product’s target piece price too high and make it too expensive to sell, or we go to China to have our product made.

In the bigger picture, our decision to manufacture overseas turned out to be the right path for us. Because we did go ahead and manufacture CoolZips in China, we are now on our way to creating income for many other individuals across the United States (from companies who print our sales sheets, provide shipping materials, US Postal Service, web site provider, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, banking institutions, sales representatives, accountants, to retail store owners across the country).

So, don’t make critical decisions in haste. The United States offers excellent manufacturing solutions and financial benefits to manufacture and produce your product here. However, for some, this path may be different. After all, what if my true love actually ends up being an English Foxhound?

Staying Connected

I apologize for not posting in awhile. My humans decided to take a vacation to Disney World and left me at my cousin Nicky’s, she’s a Portuguese waterdog who is forbidden to use the computer. Anyway, as I sat on my fleece blanket watching yet another winter snowstorm bear down on us, I started to think of how small business owners stay connected to their businesses when they are away for an extended period of time.

If you’re a one person team, then how do you:

• Check voicemail or receive important phone calls?
  
• Respond to email?
  
• Provide customer support?
  
• Fulfill orders?

As most people have cell phones these days, calling to check voicemail messages left on your business phone is easy. You can also have your business phone forwarded to your cell phone or purchase a cell phone as your primary business phone so that you can receive and attend to calls anytime and anywhere.

As far as checking email, many hotels have business centers with internet access. But what if yours doesn’t? One solution is to get a cell phone that allows internet and email access. While this could be an additional monthly, and costly, service, it does allow you to easily keep in touch by answering questions through email to sales reps, retailers, and customers. This builds confidence as companies are not only judged by the quality of their product, but by the quality and timeliness of their customer service.

So, what about fulfilling orders from sales reps, retailers, or direct sales through your web site? I don’t think that many business owners want to pack an extra suitcase full of product and shipping materials just in case they get an order. While this could work if your product is small enough, such as CoolZips® zipper pulls, if you’re selling something larger, this is not really feasible. Therefore, your options are either to role the dice and hope that nobody wants to buy your product while you’re away (negativity that is not in your best interest), or alert your sales reps, retailers, and web site customers that any new orders will not ship for a specified period of time, or train a backup such as a trusted family member or friend to help out in a pinch.

Once again, effective communication is the most important aspect of business. Letting a customer know that there will be a delay in fulfilling an order is better than leaving that customer in the dark, feeling the need to repeatedly call and email to see if you received their order. Building trust between you and all of the people that you do business with will help to bring repeat sales and brand your company and name with a quality product and quality service.

Remember, building a successful company can be a wild ride and takes a lot of hard work, requiring many concessions, especially when you’re waiting in line at Space Mountain.

Market Test Your Product

Where did all of these cats come from? I mean, I had no idea they all lived in my neighborhood! For the past week, there has been a steady stream of Calicos, Tabbies, and Siamese cats entering and exiting Rusty’s house. Wait a second. Rusty must be conducting some sort of market test for the cat toilet seat that he invented.


I remember how we approached our market test for CoolZips® zipper pulls. After perfecting our prototype, we handmade the zipper pulls, coming up with all sorts of colorful and unique styles. We then showed our friends and neighbors, who loved them and were excited to buy them for gifts. Next, we created a web site, started to sell them online, and received repeat business. After that, we participated in local art fairs where we sold 100 CoolZips at one and 300 at another. Human Lauren and Human Rick were convinced that there was a demand for our product; people were zipping them up! And this, as it turned out, was our market test.

So, no matter what your product is, the question always comes down to, “Will people buy it?” The answer that initially runs through our mind is, “Hell yes! This is going to revolutionize the industry, why wouldn’t people buy it? I’m going to be rich!” However, once we bring our head in from the car window and our ears stop flapping in the cool breeze, we realize that, somehow, we need to conduct some sort of market test to see if people will actually buy our idea.

How you carry out your market test may be, and probably will be, completely different from the next person’s. But, once you prove there is a market for your product, then you will be well on your way to getting that gold plated water dish that you’ve always wanted.

A Limited Liability Company

I’ve never lived in a dog house. I prefer the comforts of air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter. I love my chaise with my cozy wool blanket with a thin coat of my own soft fur to help me nap. I don’t ever want to lose my home.

This is why it’s important to properly setup your business, so that you protect your personal assets from your business assets.

• Corporation – This is the most complex form of business organization. Corporations are comprised of shareholders, directors, and officers. So, unless you expect to make millions of dollars on that new and improved dog bed with built-in whoopee cushion, want your activities closely regulated, involve extensive record keeping, and be taxed both at a corporate and a personal level, then this may not be the best route to go.

• Partnership – A general or limited partnership has two or more participants and is easier to establish than a corporation, start-up costs are lower, and you’re not liable for an associate’s negligence or mismanagement. However, partners are personally liable for contractual obligations and debts.

• Limited Liability Company (LLC) – This option is probably the preferred choice for new businesses. Owners of LLCs are called members (not partners or shareholders) and only one member is required, but you can have as many members as you wish. An LLC is less formal and more flexible than a corporation. But the most important aspect is that members cannot be found personally liable for company debts. Your individual assets are separate from the assets of the LLC; therefore, in the case of a dispute, your personal assets cannot be seized. In addition, you are only required to pay taxes on your earnings one time instead of paying both business and individual taxes.

Years ago, when we came up with our company name of IBeOn, we filed as an LLC. However, when we came up with the idea for CoolZips® zipper pulls, instead of creating another LLC, we decided to file as a DBA (this means “doing business as”) within our state. This allows us to legally do business as CoolZips.

If you plan to operate your business under a name that is different from your company’s legal name, then you must register as a DBA. You can then legally open a bank account and conduct other business using this second name. For us, this was critical as we wanted to build name recognition for CoolZips without going through the hassle and other expenses of setting up a separate LLC.
In addition, if you’re planning to sell a number of products, and want to create branding for each product, then setup your main company name as an LLC and then file the name of each product as a DBA. This will help you to control expenses and allow you to effectively expand your business.

So, keep yourself out of the dog house and contact your state’s Department of Labor & Economic Growth division to setup an LLC and/or DBA. Your family, including man’s best friend, will greatly appreciate it.

Trademark or Patent?

It seems that Boots, another cat on our street, got wind of Rusty’s idea for the cat toilet seat and has applied with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for the rights to the name, The Cat Stool.

While Rusty’s pretty discouraged and a little depressed, you already know my position concerning this; I think it’s the wrong name and this is a blessing in disguise. Anyway, Boots is not a friend, he has a history of stealing and, frankly, as far as intellectual property goes and, as one of my favorite groups, Smash Mouth sings, he “ain’t the sharpest tool in the shed.”

Now, the first thing to determine is what type of protection you need for your product.

• Trademark – This protects names (such as company or product names), words (such as taglines), and symbols and colors (associated with logos or packaging) that separate goods and services manufactured or sold by one company with that of another company.
  
  
• Patent – This protects an invention, a process innovation, or specific product design and prohibits others from manufacturing, using, or selling it within the United States or importing it into the United States.
  
  
• Copyright – This protects works of authorship, such as writings such as (books or articles), music (such as lyrics or composition) and works of art (including photographs) that are tangible and us dogs can chew on when you’re not at home.

As far as CoolZips®, we chose to go the trademark route. Since there are many different zipper pulls out on the market and, even though ours are unique with multi-colored beads and cool charms, anyone could change the color or style of one bead and I would be a three-legged dog, not having a leg to stand on, trying to prove our case in court. You can register for your trademark online at http://www.uspto.gov/. It costs about $500 and it takes about six months to go through the approval process.

Furthermore, if we had come up with a specific process on how to mold our charms that was groundbreaking in the industry and would have given us a considerable competitive advantage, then that would have been worthwhile to patent. However, we were just interested in trade marking the name CoolZips so that no one else could use our name as their own. In addition, I think that a trademark, when someone sees the symbol ® after your company name, it lends credibility because you went through the extra effort and cost to protect yourself and your company.

Oh, and you may be wondering what the difference is between the ™ and ® trademark designations. Well, you can use the ™ designation to make the public aware of your trademark claim to rights whether or not you have filed an application with the USPTO. However, you may use the ® symbol only after the USPTO issues a federal registration, and not while an application is pending approval. In addition, you may only use the registered ® symbol in connection with the products or services listed in your federal trademark registration. Keep in mind that if you make any major change to your product or logo that is described in, and covered by, your existing registration, you may need to submit another registration to properly and legally protect your rights.

Now, if Rusty comes up with a new material or manufacturing process that creates a coating on The Cat Stool that resists fur from shedding and sticking to it, then I would suggest that he apply for a patent. Otherwise, I think that a trademark is sufficient.

Domain Names and Branding

A domain is the name of an online business. That’s how somebody finds a web site on the internet. The domain, often the name of a company with an actual physical presence, also helps with establishing its image or brand awareness.

Remember Rusty, my cat buddy who lives down the street? Well, he wants to call the cat toilet seat that he’s inventing, The Cat Stool. While last I checked on NetworkSolutions.com, the domain name was indeed available. But, and maybe it’s just me, it seems to have some unclean connotations. Maybe Rusty should think about, The Cat Seat or Clean Cat? I agree that they’re not the catchiest of names, but they’re more closely associated with what the product actually does.

On the other hand, I guess you can create brand awareness with any name. Take a look at monster.com. Nowadays, when someone yells monster, we don’t start running thinking that Frankenpoodle or Dogula is chasing us, but rather about the employment process and searching for a new job.

When choosing the right domain name, keep it short, simple, and memorable. Companies that succeed with evoking a certain positive image, besides having a great product or service, usually have short names, such as Ferrari, Adobe, Amazon, Google, and Yahoo. Sometimes the name of the company has no significant connection to the products it produces, as noted by the above companies. Or, in our case, CoolZips® has a meaningful association because we produce really cool zipper pulls.

For us, it started off with a brainstorming session . . . Zippitz . . . EasyZips . . . FunZips . . . SillyZips . . . SillyWillyZips . . . Once six-year-old Hannah wrote down CoolZips, we knew that this was the perfect name; short, simple, memorable, meaningful, and the domain name was available. While my forte is customer service, she’s actually our marketing genius. She even came up with the marketing campaign of, People Are Just Butts Walking. You see, from a dog’s standpoint or a small child’s standpoint, we’re just staring at your butts.

Anyway, a brand is a name, a symbol, a design, a combination of these, or anything else that identifies the goods and services of one company and sets them apart from another company. It’s all about image.

While you do want your target market to choose you over the competition, branding is more about getting your prospective customers to see you as the only one that provides a solution to their problem. Some of this is through personal experience and other through perception. You want them to see you as credible, you want them to connect with you emotionally, you want them to be motivated to buy your product, and you want them to be loyal. CoolZips is a fun, safe, and quality product. We take pride in this and our customers not only perceive this, but know it to be true. Loyalty brings repeat business.

Would you be loyal to The Cat Stool? Rusty thinks so. I guess only time will smell, I mean tell.

Prototypes and Secrecy

My buddy, Rusty, he’s a cat, lives down the street. It seems that there’s no good place to put the litter box and the smell is really driving his family crazy. Right now the litter box is in the basement. But, because it’s out of sight, the family doesn’t clean it often enough and Rusty is tired of standing in old number one and number two. So, Rusty tried sitting on his human’s toilet seat, but there wasn’t enough surface area, he lost his balance, and slipped in. Fortunately for him, he landed on his feet.

Now Rusty has this idea of developing a toilet seat for cats that fits on top of an existing human toilet seat. Since I have experience in product creation, he asked me how he should proceed with making a prototype. To start off, I told him to keep it simple. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on the initial prototype, but rather, just explore if your concept can work so that you can take it to the next level.

After a little brainstorming, we went though our recycling bin and found a corrugated box. Using my teeth, I ripped a flap off and then Rusty punched a hole in the middle with his paw. I carried it into our guest bathroom, placed it on top of the toilet seat, gave Rusty a little privacy and, low and behold, a few minutes later I heard a flush and he emerged from the bathroom smiling. It was that simple. And now his family is really geeked about the idea of sharing a bathroom together. The next step for Rusty is to come up with a stronger and more detailed prototype, which he may have to hire a company for, if he wants to attract financing.

In the case of CoolZips® zipper pulls, my family visited a local bead and craft shop, picked out various plastic and wood beads, some beading wire, lanyard hooks, split rings, crimp beads, and put together our initial prototype.

Prototype and Finished Product

We tested it out on a jacket zipper and it worked well. We were very excited. We then started fleshing out the idea even more by adding metal charms on the end. We came up with a few different styles and then took them over to my cousin Nicky’s, she’s a Portuguese Waterdog. Her family loved our idea. I could already picture my dinners going from kibble to steak.

Then it happened. Their young son proceeded to try the different zipper pulls and, suddenly, everything came apart and the beads bounced all over the table and floor – the crimp bead at the end was not strong enough. The looks on my humans’ faces showed it all. It was back to the drawing board.

After some detective work on the internet, Human Lauren found a cell phone leash to replace the beading wire. It was the perfect solution. We put together our new prototype and pulled and pulled and tested it on sweaters, jackets, backpacks, sleeping bags, anywhere we could find a zipper. The zipper pull was sturdy, strong, and it worked.

One thing to keep in mind, is that prototypes often go through many iterations. If we would have kept CoolZips a secret until we had developed it further, we would have spent a lot more time and money, thinking it was perfected, only to be disappointed when the zipper pulls would have eventually fallen apart in front of potential buyers and customers.

So don’t be so secretive about your idea and prototype. Show it to someone, such as friends and family, who you can trust and who will give you their honest opinion. Sometimes the feedback may not be what you want to hear, but it may be what you want to see.

Where Do Ideas Come From?

It seems to me that humans are never satisfied with where they’re at in life. They’re always comparing their lives to someone else’s; wanting more and more money to buy the things they want, but don’t necessarily need. Why can’t they just realize how fortunate they are to have all the things they have, such as friends, family, a good job?

Take me for instance. I get up early in the morning, go for a walk, have some breakfast, curl up for a nap, go for a ride in the car and do some errands, play outside, stretch out for another nap, eat some dinner, maybe run around with a shoe, have a nice, relaxing belly rub, go to bed, and then do it all over again the next day. Now that’s contentment!

On the other paw, I mean hand, if you take a look at the development and growth that has happened in this world over time, it was achieved because someone needed something better or more efficient. Dissatisfaction makes us strive for improvement. Or, in my family’s case, dissatisfaction has made us work extra hard as we attempt to reach independence and financial control over our own lives.

So, where does that great idea come from? In the case of CoolZips, a division of IBeOn LLC, my humans created IBeOn in 2004 while they found themselves questioning and pondering life. “Where are we going? What are we doing?”

Human Lauren shouted out, "IBeOn! I be on the beach. I be on the slopes. I be on the road to creating something great." From there, IBeOn was formed and the Altman family – Human Rick, Human Lauren, and Human Hannah began jotting down fun ideas on a quest to living happily ever after.

Hip to the Skippy™ is a favorite family saying. To be Hip to the Skippy, one simply needs to feel the love and connect with the moment. Feeling quite Hip to the Skippy on one cold winter day, Lauren came up with the idea of making a zipper on Rick's sweater look a little more fun. "I'm thinking of making some zipper pulls, maybe using some beads or charms. What do you guys think?" Rick said, "Oh yeah, that sounds cool.” Seven year-old Hannah said, "I want to do it too.” I, of course, was standing close by praying for a snack, but I did show overall enthusiasm for the idea.

At that moment it was time to think of a name for our zipper pulls. Lauren and Rick each called out a few ideas, but it was Hannah who said, "I know, let's call it CoolZips." "Hmm," said Rick and Lauren, and while Lauren was still in “hmm” mode, Rick quickly ran upstairs and secured the domain name CoolZips.com. The next day we ventured out to the bead and craft shops and created our prototype. CoolZips® zipper pulls was born.

Anyone can come up with a great idea, but to see it through to fruition, you must take joy in the entire process, even when you feel that the rollercoaster ride won’t stop for you to catch your breath.

Remember that great fun, cool design, and function is what your idea should be all about.

A Tail To Wag

My name is Joey. I’m an American Foxhound and I’ve got a tail to wag. It’s a simple tail, white and brownish-orange; that is, a tale about CoolZips® zipper pulls and how to get that one-in-a-million idea mass-produced and to market without chasing yourself in circles.

I’m 8 in people years; 56 in dog years. I don’t know who came up with this natural life conversion and I’d be lying to you if I said that I understood it. All I know is that, at my age, everyone expects some supernatural insight or wisdom to magically appear. Maybe they’re right. Maybe I do have something to share to make it easier on the new pups that come along. While it may look like I sleep 22 hours a day, I eavesdrop and take it all in: Trademarks, Domain Names, Prototypes, Lead Testing. When it comes to business, my ears perk up.

Take a look at my picture. I’ve been told that it’s not only a face that a mother could love, but a face that one can trust. Anyway, settle into your fleece doggy bed or favorite comfy chair, tilt your head and perk up your ears, because here’s my account on how to get your product ready for store shelves in record time.