Lis Calandrino

Lately I’ve received many calls from panicked customers along the lines of what should I do with my business, I don’t think I can make it? This prompted me to reach back into my 30 year-old Rolodex to make some phone calls.
Thirty years ago I knew who to call. Yesterday I wasn’t so sure. Much to my surprise, the contacts hadn’t changed. Planned Furniture Promotions, an affiliate of Gene Rosenberg Associates, is very much in business. Since 1962 Gene Rosenberg Associates has been considered to be one of most professional and best known promotional specialists in the country. My contact this time was Burt Homonoff, Partner and Vice President of Operations. With so many furniture companies going out of business, the last ones that came to mind for me were Levitz and Wickes Furniture. From what I’ve read, Levitz, at the time of their closing, had 80 stores and had been in business for 100 years.

I’m fascinated with my cousin Rosalie’s 450 square foot condominium in Cambridge, MA. It’s amazing how spacious it feels, how unusual the design, and the surprise of elegance in every corner. Thus the magic and daringness of interior architect Phillip Jude Miller. Philip’s magic earned Rosalie’s condominium, Runner up: Home of the Year, in Metropolitan Home Magazine as well as a feature in Fabulous Floor Magazine, 2005, “Boston Going City Slic.”

I picked up a copy of Time Magazine’s article What Women Want Now. It was an interesting eye-opener.

I know you’ve heard it all and don’t know who to believe. Here’s what I think, and by the way, leave me your comments at the end of the blog and tell me what you would do to fix this nightmare.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Tiger Woods, he’s the reason I watch pro golf and the reason I got interested in golf. Maybe you feel the same way. Tiger represents all that’s great about pro athletes: persistency, focus and a willingness to work hard. He also has a beautiful wife, and two cute kids, I’ll stop here.
Okay, everything isn’t so rosy at home.

Differentiation Builds Your Competitive Advantage and Delivers Customer Service
My definition of customer service is giving the customer more than then they expect, i.e. Red Hot Customer Service. That’s exactly what JetBlue did Friday, October 30th at JFK International Airport. Customers going through the terminal dressed in costume could show off their dance moves at the first-ever silent Halloween Eve disco. Friday I receive an excited call from Elin, designer supreme at Leader Carpet telling me about the event in J.F.K. Airport.

According to everything I’ve read and heard, the automobile business isn’t doing well. Many businesses have to reinvent themselves if they are going to survive. 
How to do it? By being smart and creative. 

Lynch Hummer has been in business for 15 years, but these days it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in business. For [...]

This summer I decided to take in the GreenBuildingNY show at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. I consider myself up on 'green' but I realized if I wanted to learn anything new, it was probably in New York City. I expected exhibits on anything connected with the building industry; what I [...]

Emily Cappiello of Floor Covery Weekly wrote a great article about how businesses can be using social media to promote their products and services. She interviewed me for the story and I’m happy to have been a part of it. Thanks Emily! The full article is below.
Social Media Can Be A Stepping Stone for Biz
by [...]

I had a serious conversation with the owner of a home flooring business. The owner was telling me how tough business was and that it wasn't getting any better. I respectfully asked what the owner was doing to grow the business and he said he was working with a not-for-profit and spending a day [...]

The rain held off and Baystate Rug held its first “Bounce House” event. President Joe Montemagni and General Manager Jorge Morgado purchased an inflatable “bounce house” — an Excalibur’s Castle model, which is one of the many different types of bounce houses.

“We thought it would be fun for our families to use and then [...]