WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?

So…as Ingzig continues to blaze a slow but steady trail from total obscurity toward becoming a national treasure there are a few unanswered questions still hanging in the balance, questions I sometimes wonder if I’ll ever be able to answer. One such question in particular, one I’m courteously reminded of every time I peel back the cover of an entrepreneurial/small business publication, is what is the benefit that your company provides for your customers? Or as it’s sometimes put, what problem does your product and/or service solve?

Believe it or not I’ve been poundin my noggin against the wall for years now tryin to get to the bottom of this brain twister, and honestly I’ve just about come to the point of callin it quits. I’m thinkin I might be better off to just stop thinkin about it all together and instead take my chances that the answer will one day somehow show up on my doorstep a la Ed McMahon. The thing is it’s so damn hard to ignore, it’s like a friggin rock in my shoe, constantly nagging away wherever I go. Thus I reluctantly keep pounding away, seeking, searching, wondering, how would John and Bert interpret this relatively simple “Business 101” question?       

Brothers John and Bert Jacobs are the co-founders of New England-based Life Is Good (www.lifeisgood.com), a casual clothing company that in1994 started out with about four dozen t-shirts being peddled outta the back of a van and has since gone on to become an enormously successful company. “It seems an absurd idea,” wrote one reporter, “that one could build a $50 million business on the right thing to do; on ‘celebrating optimism’, but that’s exactly what John and Bert have done.” 

 “From the beginning our mission has been to have a greater positive impact on American culture than any other clothing company in the history of the country,” say John and Bert.

Well now wait a minute, what happened to providing benefits? What about solving problems? And what’s this nonsense about making a positive impact? Did I miss something in the all-you’ll-ever-need-to-know manual for building a small business? Or, could it be that unlike some businesses, (i.e., computer software companies that help you with everything from desktop publishing to home banking, or automotive supply stores that can fix you up with a new battery or a fresh set of tires to get you back on the road) Life Is Good’s products don’t offer such “clear cut” solutions? It very well may be, after all, their product line consists mainly of items such as t-shirts, dog toys and beach towels. I mean really, how beneficial can that be? How many problems can you honestly expect to solve with personalized coffee mugs and water bottles?

So does this mean LIF’s products are inferior or valueless, no not at all. It simply means they don’t offer the same “built in” benefit as some other products and services.

I recently read an article in Entrepreneur Magazine about a women’s swimwear company called Calavera. They’ve only been around now for a couple of years but are already doing quite well. Their claim to fame is an innovative line of bikinis designed especially with the female surfer in mind. Their motto: “Bikinis that stay on no matter how rough the surf.” Now I don’t surf, nor have I ever dealt with the misfortunes of an ill-fitting bikini, still it’s not hard for even someone like myself to see the intrinsic value and/or benefit these bikinis provide. Will they impact the world of women’s surfing unlike anything ever before, it’s hard to say, but they clearly address a reoccurring problem and I’m sure will go on selling well as long as they effectively (and fashionably) solve that problem, and continue to offer that “right-outta-the-box” benefit.

So, are there products and services available that you can purchase with your Visa or MasterCard that are beneficial and have the potential to solve problems? Of course there are, and by all means if you feel they can help you achieve what you wanna achieve I strongly recommend you dig into your wallet and make that purchase. Just remember, there’ll come a time when you have to dig a helluva lot deeper than that.     

Its hard to believe that nearly 40 years have passed since a couple of buddies and I were rippin it up at Claude Osteen’s motorcycle park in Pomona CA on our stripped down enduros when in rolls this dropped El Camino with a shiny new ‘73 Honda Elsinore 125 in back. Now not only was this guy toutin the trickest 125 out there at the time but he was also decked out in all the latest gear. Bottom line, this dude had it goin on, until he actually got on and took a few laps around the track anyway. Forgive me if I come off sounding a bit cocky, but the dude sucked—big time. And of course being the bad asses we were we could hardly mount our motor scooters fast enough to go shoot some serious roost in this poser’s face, providing we didn’t run outta duct tape and bailing wire that is.

So again, are there beneficial products and services available on the market? Yes. However, optimism isn’t one of em, nor is experience, dedication, commitment or practice. And if you happen to be one of the millions of Americans who are currently looking for something more these complimentary qualities can often prove to be far more beneficial than anything you could ever possibly purchase over the counter, and over time, solve a virtual laundry list of problems. 

With that said I think the question here isn’t so much what benefit do we provide? Or what problem do our products and/or services solve? It’s what’s your problem? What issues and concerns or hurdles and obstacles are you currently facing? And of course what can you do that will benefit you the most toward resolving those issues and concerns and overcoming those hurdles and obstacles? 

Life Is Good sells t-shirts, not optimism, and if you’re someone who regularly sees the glass as half empty rather than half full don’t expect that by putting on an LIG tee the flood gates will suddenly open up and fill your fatalistic heart with an ocean of good cheer. That of course, would be absurd.

What’s equally absurd is to think that a company such as LIG can’t be as successful as any other, or to be the slightest bit surprised by the improbable fact that it is. Do Life Is Good’s products make you or your life better? I’m sure many would say that’s debatable. But the fact is over the years Life Is Good has done a world of good. Both through their products and their ongoing festivals and fundraisers LIG has made a huge difference in thousands of people’s lives by raising millions of dollars for charity. 

Ya know, it’s kind of ironic, because as you may know drumming has had quite an impact on me throughout my life. In fact, it’s the original inspiration for Ingzig. And I’ve heard it said that here in North America people communicate through t-shirts, buttons and bumper stickers the way some cultures use drums. And when ya think about it, that’s pretty much what Life Is Good is doing. They’re communicating. And judging by the company’s incredible success, it’s obvious that people like what they’re hearing.

In the end, optimism, like Everyday Earnest Effort, is a relatively simple thing. Yet it’s certainly something we can all benefit from. And I for one have absolutely no problems with that whatsoever. See ya next time, till then, keeep it up.