President Donald Trump: A Must Read

Donald  Trump represents a throwback to the 1950s — a time when the Midwest was a beacon of affluence for many working class whites with high-paying factory jobs.

What you saw [Tuesday] is the revenge of the angry white working class voter, but I think this really will be the last gasp of the angry white male. 

For months Donald Trump has dismissed polls and experts and proclaimed that he was at the head of a movement of disaffected voters that would upend conventional political wisdom and kick out the Washington establishment. 

The New York businessman was proved right on Tuesday as he rode a wave of anger with economic change, dogwhistle racial politics and pledges to crack down on immigration and rip up trade agreements to a stunning upset win. 

More so one demographic above all took him there: the once solidly Democratic blue-collar white voters that may now be known as Trump Democrats. “The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer,” the tycoon declared in his victory speech.

According to exit polls, across the US Mr Trump carried the white voters who made up 70 per cent of the electorate by a 58:37 margin over Hillary Clinton.

Among white voters without a university degree that margin grew to 67:28. But even among white voters with a degree, exit polls showed him carrying the day 49:45, despite surveys that for months had predicted they would be part of a demographic firewall benefiting Mrs Clinton. 

Some have said this was a whitelash. This was a whitelash against a changing country;  others believed It was a whitelash against a black president, in part. And that’s the part where the pain comes.

Tuesday’s scream of the angry white voter was heard loudest in rust belt states such as Ohio and Indiana and threw into play previous Democratic strongholds such as Michigan and Pennsylvania — neither of which had voted for a Republican presidential nominee since 1988.

Overall Mr Trump’s campaign and his appeal to white voters had an ugly side, unleashing a previously unseen level of vitriol in American politics  He was criticised widely for courting the vote of white nationalists and the “alt-right” movement that has taken anti-semitic and racial bullying to new levels on social media.

Yet at the end of the day… regardless of how some feel he [Donald Julious Trump] is the next President of “These” United States of America.

Ok as usual if you feel any of this was plagiarized that’s because it probably was.  If you see something that may be yours let me know and I will remove it.  Cool Beans…. 

New Business

This may sound like a no-brainer, but if you don’t know who your target customer is, you’ll have a tough time retaining loyal consumers. I don’t mean just knowing who your customer is, but really being attuned to everything he or she does, wants and thinks. How old are they? Where do they live? How much money do they make? What colors do they prefer? Where do they buy their clothes? A middle-aged housewife with a disposable income may not be looking to buy a sequin G-string with matching garter, and failing to tailor your product to her needs can quickly result in loads of missed opportunities.

Surveys (using SurveyStud), focus groups and research can be a great way to learn about your customer’s preferences and buying habits. Another helpful tool that worked for me was to identify an actual person (celebrity, athlete, musician) as my target customer. I got to know everything about that person, and was soon able to pick up on little cues and details of what they wore and where they shopped. Now, whenever I’m unsure if a certain style will resonate with my customers, I always refer back to that person and ask myself, “would they wear this or not?” to help me decide. Having a consistent vision across the board, from your product to your marketing, is invaluable these days and can save you a lot of money in the long run.

New Business Part 1

You know those beautiful designer lingerie sets that are so expensive you’d have to take a loan out just to afford one? There’s a reason they cost so much, and it’s not just about the fine quality and craftsmanship. Often times you are paying for the brand itself and the experience that comes with it.

When doing my initial planning, I first aimed for a pricing structure that would place me lower than my competitors with comparable product. I thought that would be a great way to attract customers, and I couldn’t understand why a bra would need to be marked up so high. But after months of number crunching and financial management courses I found that those products were marked up not just to make a profit, but to keep the business up and running on a daily basis. If I had dropped my prices as I had originally intended to do, I’d surely be out of business within a year.

It is important to set each price for adequate accommodation of your business’s overhead budget, taking into account employee salaries and the cost of goods, supplies, legal fees, advertising, etc. I learned that a smart pricing structure is directly related to the cost of doing business. If you price your goods accordingly, your customers are sure to understand and learn to view you as a respectable entity.

New Business Part 2

One of the most surprising things I realized in my early months is that not many people were/are interested in selling their product Indie Startups. 

I thought as a small independent business, I’d be respected and supported by the brands I wanted to do business with, but that seemed to only be the case with a select few. After numerous unanswered emails and rejections, one sympathetic vendor finally told me that many brands only want to work with larger, established companies. These brands often hire agents to manage their sales and are very strict about how much money they bring in. Big retailers pay big bucks and buy big quantities, leaving us little guys to struggle with more limited options.

It was a disappointing fact to learn, but thankfully, most of the labels that will work with startups (many of them indie brands themselves) know the value of partnership and have been supportive from the get go. 

These are the brands I look forward to forming lasting relationships with, and remind me why I continue to love this industry so much.

Question is… if you are an Indie StartUp are you reaching out to other Indie Startups?