We have reached Spring and for that I am very happy. I have always favored the outside selling arena. Seems to me like I was always able to generate more sales outside than on the inside. Also Spring brings with it the start of the Baseball Season and My St. Louis Cardinals have gotten off to a great start. Go get 'em Albert!

Seems like the ugly head of counterfeiting has raised it head again and this time at one of my favorite flea markets. 11 Vendors arrested at The Green Dragon located at Ephrata, Pennsylvania. What a great market this is and there is sure some really tasty food at this market. Love that Shoo-Fly pie.

If you are just starting out in the business there are a few things that I highly recommend that you avoid. Tempting though they may be, Counterfeit and boot-legged goods top that list. All the years that I set up, it was a family business. My wife and kids were all involved in our selling, and I, for sure, never wanted the police to show up and arrest my family.

When the opportunity presents itself, and somewhere along the road it will, to get your hands on some really great sounding merchandise, priced way too good to be true - Pass! Leave it Alone. Don’t allow yourself to be talked into getting into boot-legged or stolen merchandise. It’s just not worth the problems that come along with it.

Certainly glad to see that we have donated more money to the car companies. Glad to know that I am working to support the big corporations of America. I really, for the life of me, don't understand why so many banks are needed anyway. Why not just let them sink and put the car companies into bankruptcy. Bankruptcy was okay for the airlines - and 100's of other companies as a way to restructure and get another run at straightening out their businesses. Why is it not okay today for the really big corporations? I always thought free enterprise meant you shouldered the burdens of failure along with the glory of success! When did entitlement rear its ugly head into the equation? I'm just saying... Is anyone going to come along and bail you or me out if our businesses take a bath? Who do we turn to for a bail out? The mirror my friends is the only place I know of. So, as Americans, we the little guys, do what we have historically done, and dig deeper and get more creative in finding NEW ways to support ourselves. We invent and re-invent ourselves, until we come back on top again.

Here are three things you can do if you are thinking about going into the flea market or special events industry, or are looking for a way to give your existing business a shot in the arm...

1. Focus on your game plan. Don't be vague or scattered when thinking about what you are trying to do. The seat-of-the-pants approach won't even work these days for a kid's lemonade stand. Saying "Well, today I will sell rose bushes and tomato plants and become a gardening mogul", only to decide tomorrow that selling re-built computers might be a good idea, too. The two lines are just too different. Find the best fit for YOU and focus you energy in that direction. Diversification is a great thing as long as you carefully blend your lines together!
2. Write it down. Whether you are a newcomer or have been in business for a while it is never a bad idea to give yourself a Business Tune-Up. The best way to do that is to write it down on paper - the computer counts. (The mirror isn't a bad play to look as well!) Ask tough questions of yourself like:
   • Am I putting as many hours into my business as I could?
   • Are there things I don’t like about my business so I just ignore them - sweep them under the rug for another day?
   • Do I stay current about industry trends by reading related books, magazines, trade papers, Internet websites, etc?
   • What is my bottom line goal - short term, long term?
   • Am I realistic about my business and personal goals?
3. Take Action. Every day do at least one thing you have been thinking about but have left undone. Take Action. This old saying is such a great truism - "Plan your work and work your plan." Nothing happens if you don't do the footwork. Nothing will kill your dreams faster than keeping them in your head and never letting them see the light of day. They don't have to be grand leaps. Small, consistent steps will eventually get you to your goals. Remember the story of the Tortoise and the Hare?

Here's to great sales and may the sun shine on every spot that you set up at.

Jim and Georgia Goodridge