TALES OF A 4TH GENERATION TEXTILE EXECUTIVE: WHAT A WILD SUMMER IT HAS BEEN!

September 30, 2013 /

Please try to read this entire blog as there is a hidden Facebook contest within.

Before I start to blog, let me preface this blog, and every blog that I write, by saying that everything I write, and say, is all in good humor and not intended to offend anyone, anywhere.  This is all for laughs….so put on a smile and try to laugh with me or at me or something.  Let’s have fun and stop being so serious all the time….life is too short.

Hi everybody,

I can’t believe that the Summer is over.  I need to apologize for my lack of communication. So please forgive me quilters as I have sinned, it has been over 5 months since my last blog!  Ugh!  Actually, now it is going on 6 months.  The stress to get this done is absolutely killing me.  I need to call my shrink and have her up my meds (there you go…a joke…1,2,3 laugh, or not).  I am fairly new to the blogosphere and promise to do better going forward.

So here goes.  I am sure that you are all (hopefully there is more than one person reading this) wondering who the lovely blond lady is in the photo with the beard and boa.  Well, that is me, yours truly, Mr. Studioe, Scott M. Fortunoff.  So what’s the deal, you might be wondering?  Well, when I am not out wearing my Studioegarb, I am wearing an A.E. Nathan outfit and no, it is not always a dress silly.  Just so you know, although this blog is tied into the Studioe website, this blog is really a compilation of my tales as a 4th Generation Textile Executive…a.k.a. my blog.  As such, if you didn’t already know, I am the also the President of A.E. Nathan (AEN).  If you don’t know about AEN, please check out the website at www.aenathan.com as we sell some great products (nice plug, eh?  Free advertising).

So back to the story.  Two years ago, a large AEN customer invited me to attend a show of theirs for store personnel, the purpose of which was to explain the details and benefits of the AEN products.  There was a lot of pressure from the buyer for me to make an excellent presentation and a lasting impression too.  Ugh!  Oh the pressure! Who would have thought that this business would be so stressful?  It is starting to feel like I am back in law school or trading stocks again.  I am just joking as I thrive on this type of stress.  It is an opportunity to shine.

In preparing a plan for my booth at the show, I had some clown costumes made with the AEN costume satins.  My plan was to put the costumes on mannequins.  As I packed my bags for the show, my son Ace and I decided to try the costumes on for fun.  A little dress up time with daddy.  Lo and behold, one costume fit me like a glove (see photo).  So Ace and I jumped into the car and went to Party City.  A car was picking me up soon to take me to the airport, so we had to put a move on.  At Party City I bought a wig, glasses, a big red nose, clown shoes and makeup…I spared no expense.  I thought that this would knock their socks off and I could shine.

When I arrived at the show for set-up, I laid out the fabrics on the table and dressed the mannequins.  Everything looked good, but now it was time to go over the top, Superman style.  So like Superman, I ran into the restroom and put on my costume.  When I came out, the crowd went wild.  No one knew what was going on.  Mind you that this was the first show of its kind.  Needless to say, the buyer was pleased, I did leave a lasting impression, on everyone, and I came home with some orders to boot.

Scott the clownWho ever said clowning around doesn’t pay off?

Fast forward to the second personnel show of its kind this past August.  How was I ever going to top the clown outfit?  I had a plan.  I had a dress made with some of the AEN polyester prints and I really went for it this time.  So what did I do?

 

You guessed it, I transformed into a lady overnight as best as I could.  I did drop the ball though because I couldn’t find any comfortable heels in my size.  As I tried on shoes at TJMaxx, I learned fast that it ain’t easy being a lady.  Not only that, but I totally forgot to shave my legs.  I didn’t shave the beard either because I thought that would be ironic…and my wife likes it too.  But seriously, once again, I felt a lot of pressure….to be a lady.  A clown…no problem.  A lady, on the other hand, I was having second thoughts and even struggled to sleep the night before.  But I had to do it, for the love of fabric and for the love of the three generations of textile executives before me.  So, like Superman, I came out of the men’s room, but this time I probably should have been leaving the ladies room.  This is getting weird…time to wrap up.  Needless to say, the buyer was pleased again and I came home with orders.

So you may be asking yourself, what is the point of this all?

  1. Have fun doing your job.
  2. I, Mr. Studioe, Scott M. Fortunoff, go all out for my customers.  What can I do for you?
  3. Dressing up is liberating and sometimes nerve racking.
  4. Everybody should quilt with Studioe fabric.

That all being said, if you made it to the end of my blog, God Bless You.  So here is the Facebook contest.  Answer each of these questions at the Studioe Facebook page in 100 words or less and the top 3 answers will get some nice fabric presents from me.  Like us on Facebook too please!

  1. Did you like me better dressed up as a clown or a woman?  Why?
  2. What should I wear next year?  I was hoping to use fleece and flannel for next year’s show, so try to work with that premise.

Happy Quilting!

Mr. Studioe a.k.a. Scottie

 

P.S.  Check out the Peppered Cotton Challenge. peppered-cotton-challenge-btn

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