Sew What? Featured in Australia

As you may know from reading this blog, Megan (founder & President of Sew What? Inc.) was born and raised in Australia.  Though she has lived in the United States for many years (and is now a US citizen), it is still a kick to find her and Sew What? Inc. recognized in her home country.

The Sydney (Australia) Morning Herald recently published an article about Megan and Sew What?, and I really enjoyed reading it – it gives a true portrayal of Megan, the company, and the many roles that custom stage curtains play.  

The staff photo used in the article is especially fun to see – all of us had a fun time posing for Megan.  She gathered us all together with a bunch of fabric and said, “Have fun,” and we sure did!  Here is another one taken during the same shoot:

I think these photos really show the spirit of Sew What?  We take our work seriously, but we still have fun while doing it!

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My Trip to Shanghai for DWEN

As Lynda has mentioned in previous posts, I was honored to be invited to participate in the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network conference, held in Shanghai, China, in connection with the World’s Fair.  I have been to China once, but that was many years ago, so it was great to return. 

I started the trip out on a high note. Had a terrific flight over with China Eastern Airlines and landed safely and well rested. The Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai was the venue selected for both accommodations and the program. The hotel is fantastic, and as a guest the services were flawless.

We were absolutely floored to be greeted at registration with an unexpected (and completely amazing) attendee gift kit featuring a Dell Vostro 3300 laptop fully loaded with Windows 10.  I am personally putting it to use already!

Started the program out with an evening cocktail party at the M Bar on the Bund. It was a lovely evening where we spent several hours meeting and greeting and getting to know each other. The group (75ish) was small enough to be able to get around and really dedicate some time to learning what everyone is doing. I was fascinated to learn of the stories – so many of them with similar threads and certainly similar challenges. There was a lot of commonality. Really interesting. I believe that there were 10 countries represented at the conference.

One goal that I had in attending was to meet inspirational CEO’s and learn their stories and discover their challenges. No problem meeting this goal –  I felt very humbled by meeting these women. There was a tremendous amount of authenticity amongst the group.

The programs were excellent. The live link to the Bloomberg DWEN Group on LinkedIn was a great idea. I have not seen this type of tool used live in a presentation program before – and I am completely sold on it now. It really benefits the attendee. Having the attendee comments posted live throughout the sessions allowed the speakers to keep the content relevant and also made it possible to generate some great break conversations.

There was a focus on innovation and technology. The theme was definitely “mission first”. Passion and commitment to innovation and business development was very strong amongst the group.

The session with Frog Design was fascinating. We participated in a hands on activity in smaller groups that challenged us to really push typical business concepts to the limit and develop our own innovative business plans. Despite having had a business for 14 years and also having a 2 year old startup company I found myself really scratching my head – collaborating with my team was great. 

This was an incredibly inspirational group – in particular I was very inspired by Ingrid Venderveldt (CEO Clean Air Conversions). 

After the conference ended, I was luckily enough to have a free day in Shanghai to explore.  I loved visiting the garment district and seeing bolt upon bolt of lovely fabric.  I also visited several textile mills – fascinating!

I arrived home last Thursday, exhausted by jet lag but energized by this incredible experience.  What an great opportunity, one I won’t soon forget.

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DWEN uses social media to connect the world

Yesterday, I posted about Megan’s visit to Shanghai as part of the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network (DWEN) conference.  On the same topic – I am really inspired with the way that social media has been used for this event, both as a way to connect the participants and as a way to connect the conference to the world at large.

Here are just a few examples:

LinkedIn

DWEN utilized this resource to connect conference participants before, during, and after the event, to discuss events and share information. 

Facebook

With its Dell for Business page on Facebook, DWEN is able to provide conference information and updates to Facebook users everywhere.

Twitter

If you are a lover of Twitter, then the DWEN page is the place to go for information on the conference.

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Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network

Exciting week – Megan is in Shanghai as part of the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network, taking place along with Expo 2010 Shanghai (aka the World’s Fair).  What a terrific opportunity for Megan to have the chance not only to attend the DWEN conference, but also to be invited to speak.

Of course, with the power of technology, Megan is almost as connected to the office as she would be if she were here!  She took a laptop with her, so she is able to login to her computer here at Sew What? via Wifi from her hotel or the conference.   Isn’t technology amazing, that she can be halfway across the world and still able to access her computer here?

I got an e-mail from her last night, and she said that the conference is excellent.  I can’t wait to hear more about it when she returns.

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World’s Fairs and Classic Chairs

Adam and I purchased two vintage Barcelona chairs back in 1996 right after we got married. A classic design, these chairs had previously been in the lobby at the Heinz Ketchup factory. The salesman’s big pitch included the fact that the design had first been presented in the German Pavilion at the 1929 Barcelona Exposition. Designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the Barcelona Chair design was timeless, and we were certain that they would not only suit us, but serve us long and well.

With our 14th wedding anniversary upon us this week I can say that we have never once regretted the investment, nor tired of their streamlined design. They hold pride of place for us now – one in our entry at home and one in our entry at the office. They remind us every day, be it arriving to work or arriving home, that premium quality and bold design are priceless. That in every product decision we make, we must ask ourselves, how will what I build today represent me tomorrow? Will this decision be lasting and for the long term? How will others perceive the piece in years to come? Am I creating tomorrow’s trash, or tomorrow’s treasure?

On this note I am excited to be traveling this June to Shanghai to attend the 2010 Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network, where I will have the opportunity to surround myself with thinkers and doers and dreamers alike. The opportunity to meet some of the very brightest women in business and discuss technology and business with them is certainly a privilege that I will cherish. And in fulfilling a lifelong dream, the Dell conference is perfectly timed with the World’s Fair 2010 being hosted in Shanghai. I’ll have my eyes and ears open to all that these amazing women, and the World’s Fair, have to offer. You never know, perhaps I’ll come home with a fresh new outlook on small business and a couple of new chairs too……

Megan

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Sew What? Star of the Month – May 2010

Meet Esther, Sewing Machine Operator

Esther has been with Sew What? for 9 years

If you could take a vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go, and why?  I would go to Rome.  It’s one place in the world I admire but have never been.

Who is your favorite recording artist?  José José.

Do you have a special talent?  Scrapbooking.

What is your favorite movie or TV show?  I like comedy.

What is your favorite memory from Sew What?  When Megan told me I was hired!

What project have you worked on recently that was interesting or challenging?  I recently worked on a large colorful yellow digital piece that was oval and had lots of grommets.  It wasn’t difficult, but we had to be precise to make sure we got it right.

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What’s in a Name? Thinking about Job Titles

I was thinking today about the notion of job titles. Account Manager, Purchasing Agent, Human Resources…how well do these titles really reflect what we do on a daily basis? In today’s fast-moving business world, it seems that, for the majority of us working in small business, our titles don’t really reflect all the roles that we fill.

Take Sew What? as an example.

Silvia Soler’s “official” title is Human Resources / Sales Support. But the roles she fills include: party planner, safety coordinator, receptionist, banking coordinator, conflict resolution specialist, trainer, inquiry coordinator, fabric sample coordinator, customer service representative, and so much more.

Our Account Managers/Sales Representatives (Shane, Gwen, and Violet) sell our products, but they also function (in varying degrees) as project managers, advisors, designers, graphic artists, freight quote specialist, and, again, much more.

Tammy’s title is Bookkeeper, but she is really accounts receivable bookkeeper, accounts payable bookkeeper, payroll specialist, credit manager, collections agent, backup receptionist…

Carley is our Purchasing Agent, but she could also hold the titles of dispatcher, researcher, supervisor, inventory coordinator, job material specialist, and so on.

Michelle is the Director of Operations, but she is also production scheduler, mediator, trainer, supervisor, translator…

Megan is the President of Sew What?, but she also wears many hats, including account manager, designer, marketing specialist, website developer , stategic planner – the list goes on and on.

Adam is the CFO, but he is also functions as COO, technical draftsman, graphic artist, printing specialist, IT specialist…

And myself? Well, my title is General Manager, but to me that just means that, like everyone else here at Sew What?, my role is to do whatever it takes to support our customers, the staff here at Sew What?, and the company itself. That might mean answering an incoming call, helping to track down a missing shipment, figuring out why our computer system suddenly went down, processing a flame certificate for a customer, researching a new product, completing our quarterly sales tax report, requesting insurance certificates, meeting with consultants, preparing a performance review, signing checks, or writing a post for this blog.

Occasionally, people ask me why no title is listed on our business cards. The reason is that, though we all have titles that give a general idea of our function within the company, the reality is that these titles do not truly reflect the scope of what each of us does here. Regardless of title, each of us here at Sew What? does whatever needs to be done to satisfy our customer, produce a high quality product, support our co-workers, and continue to improve the company as a whole.

In a large company, maybe you can get away with each person doing one thing, and one thing only. The Purchasing Agent purchases, the Account Manager sells, the Receptionist answers the phones and the A/R person sends out invoices. But in a small business like Sew What? that just doesn’t make sense – so why should we limit ourselves based on a title?

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Sew What? Star of the Month – April 2010

Meet Ray, Company Van Driver

Ray has been with Sew What? for 2 months

If you could take a vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go, and why?  Germany (Octoberfest!)

Who is your favorite recording artist?  Rage Against the Machine

Do you have a special talent?  I think I’m funny (not funny looking!)

What is your favorite movie or TV show?  Rush Hour 1, 2 and 3

What is your favorite memory from Sew What?   Karaoke Day!  (Note: Ray is referring to our celebration of Elvis Presley’s birthday, in which we all dressed in costume as Elvis or Priscilla and sang Elvis songs on a Karaoke machine during lunch time).

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Lucky Break: From Coffins to Concerts…

… How a macabre turn of fate changed everything and lead to the birth of Sew What? Inc.

I was 20-something when I arrived freshly from my native Australia and found my way into a stagecraft company specializing in amusement park installations and special events.  I hung lights, drew electrical lines, rigged sets and loved the life of a rockin’ roadie.  I’d have gladly continued down that path…but luck intervened.

The specialty event company got an unusual request: build ten coffins for a Halloween attraction at Knott’s Berry Farm.  Although that was a bit afield from their usual business, the company accepted the assignment.  But they had no one to upholster the satin linings into the coffins.  The president asked all employees if anyone knew how to sew, and I spoke up without too much confidence, “I do!”

For a week, I sat in a Carson garage-style warehouse with yards of material, a staple gun and a rented sewing machine making each casket a prop to die for.

In the process, I thought, this could be fun.  I took on other independent projects, starting with sewing drapes and linens for entertainers and party planners, then onto specialty fabric projects for Las Vegas casinos.  With my love of rock and roll, I soon began sewing drapes and backdrops for a few rock concerts.  That brought an end to my work as a stagehand and launched my new company, Sew What? Inc., in 1997.

Since that time, the company has grown into one of the leading providers of custom sewn drapes and fabrics in the concert and theatrical industries, creating spectacular sets for such A-list names as Madonna, Kid Rock, Rod Stewart, Lady Gaga, and even the cover of the iconic 1000th issue of Rolling Stone.   I could not be more thankful for those clients who have trusted and supported us along the way.

I’d like to think that our formula for success is simple – personal drive and a commitment to cutting edge technology.  The results speak for themselves – the prestigious Dell/NFIB Small Business Excellence Award for business innovation, Inc 500/5000 Award as one of the fastest growing privately held businesses in America, PC Magazine’s SMB 20 Award for technological innovation for small and medium-sized businesses, and the Stevie Award for “Most Innovative Company of the Year – Up to 100 Employees.”

Who knew that sewing a couple of coffins could lead to all this?  Sometimes, the secret to success is just being there when dumb luck happens to fall on your head!

Customized coffin, anyone?

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Traveling with the Latitude Z

This weekend I got my first opportunity to try out the Latitude Z while traveling.  This was a quick, easy tryout, as Adam and I, along with our son, just took a drive down the coast and stayed in a resort overnight, to celebrate a friend’s birthday.

When I got the Latitude-Z, I noticed that it doesn’t come with a built-in DVD drive.  This surprised me at first, but then I realized that, at about 1/2 inch deep, there just isn’t room for a DVD drive.  To me it is worth the sacrifice to have such a thin and lightweight computer, since all you have to do is plug the external DVD (or BluRay) drive into the side of the computer, and you are all set.  This really came in handy over the weekend – I was able to bring one of my son’s favorite DVDs on the trip with us.  I botted up the computer, plugged in the DVD drive, inserted the movie, and he was all set.  No more hotel room boredom!  Yes, I’ve been able to do this in the past with other notebook computers, but the picture and sound quality on the Latitude-Z are so much better than my past computers – the HD display in particular makes a huge difference.

The Latitude also worked really well for me to stay connected with work.  Despite being out of town for a “pleasure trip,” I did need to look up some information on the fly for a customer.  I connected remotely to my office computer, got the information I needed, and quickly sent an e-mail to the client with the information.  What might have taken an hour (calling another staff member, perhaps having someone drive to the office to look up the information) was accomplished in just a few minutes.  So convenient.  Again, I’ve done this in the past with other notebook computers, but often the display quality on a remote connection is poor, and generally the connection is also pretty slow.  With the Latitude-Z, the display was much better and there was only minimal lag time with the connection.

I also got the chance to play with a few more features.  One of the coolest features I came upon is Dell Capture.  Dell Capture is included software that allows you, through the use of the built-in webcam, to scan documents and business cards directly into the computer.  My first attempts were only partially successful (due to user error rather than the software itself), but after a little practice, I found that I could successfully scan a business card and then export it into Outlook as a contact.  Cool!  I know that there are plenty of card scanners out there, but they always seemed like overkill for  my needs.  This will be perfect for me.

So, all in all, a good weekend – a fun and relaxing time with my family, a little bit of work, and lots of fun playing with the Latitude-Z.

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