Tales Of A Fourth Generation Textile Executive: The Challenge Is Going Global!
Happy Saturday Friends,
I have some news to report that I am sure you will be happy to hear….I hope. It is August 4th and the August 2018 JAFTEX Facebook Live Shop Tour Challenge is off to a nice start with 3 shop videos submitted thus far. Personally, my month off from social media has been nothing short of hard work, but such is life. I can handle it and to be quite honest, I am loving this challenge, I love seeing all these different shops and I love seeing how they all differentiate themselves.
So the elephant in the room is the fact that I didn’t make the challenge worldwide. With that being said, over the past couple of days I have heard from people that I am not being fair and so on and so fourth. That was not my intent at all and I am a pretty fair guy…at least, I thought I was fair. I thought I would start out with baby steps and see how things played out….kind of like a trial run. However, since people did present this to me nicely and because I am a reasonable person, I am going to open the challenge up to quilt shops around the world. Hooray! Bring it on!
Here is how things are going to go:
Canadian shops will be included in the US rules and if a Canadian shop wins, I will be going to Canada and that shop will get all the same prizes as a US shop would. Oh, Canada!
As for the rest of the world including Alaska and Hawaii, there will be a second challenge for all of you. The shop outside of the US and Canada with the most likes on my @jaftexpresident Facebook Page will win 10 free bolts of fabric from any of my companies shipped to you at my expense. I would urge that winning international shop to partake in some sort of charitable component for winning this challenge, but that would just be on the honors system. The crazy thing is that the charitable component is probably my favorite part. I hope this is clear. Again, if there are any questions, please post them here or on my @jaftexpresident Facebook page and they will be answered. Please DO NOT COMMUNICATE QUESTIONS TO ME ANY OTHER WAY. Thank you.
Finally, I have some stuff to get off of my chest. Since buying FreeSpirit my world has been flipped upside down at least 5 times……per day. I never knew there could be so much drama over fabric. With that being said, I would like to urge everyone to just take a step back. Take a breathe. Then I would like you to imagine what is going on at our company. Please have some compassion for us. Yes, we are still dealing with madness and new problems every day. Yes, we are addressing all these problems. The world is not perfect, nor are we. We are doing the best we can and taking everything one day at a time. When we first bought the company I asked for everyone’s patience and that patience has run dry….very quickly. Please realize that not that much time has gone by in fabric years and things are still in flux.
I beg of you all to be calm. Be nice. Be understanding. Communicate your problems with US. We are nice people working hard to right the ship. In due time, this will all be a thing of the past, but in the meantime guys, please ease up on all the drama. Every issue doesn’t have to be posted on Facebook for the world to see as that isn’t constructive. I have been pretty open about sharing my contact info and you are free to contact me to discuss problems. (scott@jaftex.com) You can also contact customer service as the entire team is working the phones all day long. I know everyone is happy that FreeSpirit isn’t gone forever, so I ask you to please cut us some slack. We need to tone the drama down and get back to focusing on business. Are you with me? I sure hope so.
Thank you for your time and understanding. Please have an excellent weekend. And to all shop owners out there, start sending in your videos….you got this. And to end this off, there is nothing to fear, but fear itself. Once you get past the first video, the next one will be even easier.
PEACE!
Scott
22 Comments
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Kara E Benavides
So you thought you would put a friendly face on the business. Hmm. And you thought you would do it on Social Media. hehehe And you thought you would do this while acquiring a business that was in trouble. lol And you hoped to do that with minimal drama. hahaha. Ah! But life IS drama! And we only chew on the ones we love. And we can only bite those that are accessible. So, I would surmise that you are succeeding! Well done! Awesome job! Little Ol’ me is impressed. “We are (la) family!” Go Jaftex!
Scott Fortunoff
Yeah, I don’t know who I was kidding when you put it like that Kara. You are a comedian!
Yes, you are family!
xxoo
Valmae Garner
Im just a small fabric shop in Hastings in the Hawks Bay New Zealand and i love that we have a continuation of supply of the free spirit brand off fabrics. Please keep up the awesome work and i also love the openness that you are and the opportunity of getting to know you and your company. I actually feel part of your family and love the fabrics in my store
Scott Fortunoff
I do not discriminate between small and large stores, so you are welcome. Thanks for your kind words and message.
You are part of the family! Welcome! You can now be Valmae Garner Fortunoff…lol.
Have a great day.
scott
Scott Fortunoff
Barbarba, Barbara, Barbara,
You are the best. Vanessa told me how helpful you have been and you have no idea how appreciative I am to have you as a friend. In fact, i have a care package coming your way this week…so heads up. You are too funny….big macher. Time heals all wounds (not that this is a wound), but you know what I mean. Thanks for being you and a great friend.
xxoo
Barbara Esposito, TheQuiltedB
Scott the care package is not necessary, but I am excited! Honestly I just appreciate all your family does. In a world gone crazy, it is such a blessing to find a company that is family run on honestly, integrity, quality, and good old fashioned values!
Scott Fortunoff
I know, but it’s the least I can do. You rock Barbara Esposito.
Bernadine
Hi Scott,
Just wanted to say I totally get what you are going through as you make these transitions with Free Spirit. Acquiring a company is an enormous task and not for the faint of heart. This acquisition was done very quickly with much of the work happening after the fact rather than planned out and worked on prior to the acquisition. Hang in there. I placed my first order with Free Spirit/Jaftex about a month ago and cannot wait to receive it. Thanks so much.
Scott Fortunoff
Hi Bernadine,
I guess we would call it growing pains. Unfortunately not everyone gets how FreeSpirit was served to us…basically a company that was half the way out of business. We have done it before and this hopefully should be no different…we just need the time. We are hanging in there. Thanks for your kind message. Glad to have you as a new customer. Thank you. We look forward to serving you for many years to come. Have a great day.
Scott
Ning Rowley
Good job. My new building here in our local barangay is almost finish. It will be A Fabric & Sewing Shop mainly to show and tell/teach the local women/men about textile & Sewing by hands & machines(mostly by hands because sewing machines around are like made made of gikd prices nobody can afford it). But it’s mostly charitable & volunteer work. They need a lot of help. You inspired me with what you are doing now with the quality fabrics industry I hope you never stop. Keep up a good a job. Thanks for being real. I live all the JAFTEX textike lines. Keep posting
Scott Fortunoff
Hi Ning,
Wow! Can’t wait to see the photos Ning. Sounds like it is going to be a great place. You know that I am all for the charitable and volunteer work….go u! I am glad to be an inspiration. And you too are an inspiration to me. Good luck with your venture. Thank you too for being real.
xxoo
scott
Helen Marie
You are amazing! You deserve a very special award for going above and beyond in sew many ways for us sexists! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Scott Fortunoff
Hi Helen,
Thanks! And thank you for your kind words. In rereading your message, I think you have a very funny typo. I sure hope the sewists aren’t sexists…LOLOLO! You are welcome. Thanks for joining the journey.
Scott
Karen White
Haven’t commented for quite some time, so let me tell you something Scott. I think you and your peeps and doing an absolutely amazing job since taking over Free Spirit. You know I’m always coping Nicole White in all your posts, and my favorite LQS is The Stitching Store in Covington, Tennessee. Nicole has been promoted to Store Manager as of 1 August 2018 and we are all very proud of her and expert great things from her. Keep up the great work and we look forward to your visiting us here in Tennessee ❤️❤️❤️❤️??????????????????❤️????
Scott Fortunoff
Good Morning Karen White (related to the famous Nicole White),
Thanks for your kind message…we sure are trying and in fact things are starting to click and fall in to place. That’s great news to hear about Nicole…love to hear that people are able to advance in their jobs as that isn’t always the case. I am proud of her too.
Thanks for the note. Have a great day.
At some point I will visit Tennessee….I was there about a year or 2 ago. It was great.
xxoo
Kathy Cayton
Scott – Sounds like you are dealing with some very unhappy people. For that you have my sympathy. I am not a shop owner, just a lover of fabric (put me in a fabric shop and let me feel the fabric and I become a giggling mess). I worked for an administrator at a college and when I got the job I was told I needed some VERY LARGE shoulders. Sounds like you also need these LARGE shoulders. Some people are never happy and no matter what you do to try and rectify the problem they are still unhappy. As for me, I am so happy we fabric lovers still have the line of fabric you bought. Keep up the good work and know that the majority are behind you 100%. P. S. Prayers never hurt and I have been including you in mine.
Scott Fortunoff
Hi Kathy,
Not that unhappy per se, it is just that a lot of people are basing their current business on the old co and not everything is the same. So unfortunately they are getting a little messed up with their monthly types of programs. This unfortunately messes them up with their customers and that is not something we don’t want to happen of course, but some things have changed and these situations can’t be instantly resolved which is frustrating. We fix problems and some of the problems don’t have a fix. That is frustrating to everyone all around. Again, this too shall pass and everyone will get used to the new new.
Thanks for praying for me…I can use all i can get.
Have a great day.
Scott
Cheryl Hummel
No drama here! I am with ya’! Love the fabric, am enjoying the videos, too. Keep up the good work.
Cheryl Hummel
Scott Fortunoff
Hi Cheryl,
Thanks for the no drama. It’s really patience that I need. I am glad you are enjoying the journey…it has been interesting to say the least. Thanks for following along. Hang in there with me!
xxoo
scott
Carole K
Great Post! Cheers!
Scott Fortunoff
Thanks Carole!