10-15-15 Double Bluff Brewing Co. – Another new Langley business fills a niche and achieves a vision

One of my major themes for having a successful business is the value of creating a business that fills a niche, something that is wanted but hasn’t been available before.

Daniel and Marissa Thomis just opened Double Bluff Brewing Co. in Langley.  Besides getting into a business that had been his hobby for 19 years, Daniel did the research and learned that there was no brewery/tap shop in Langley.

While being educated as a scientist set him up for jobs in the corporate world, Daniel had dreamed for several years of opening a craft brewery.

Another part of the dream for Daniel and Marissa was to move back to the West Coast (they had met in California) after living in Boston for 20 years.

I wrote the story of Double Bluff Brewing Company for the Business Spotlight on Whidbey Local that was published a few days ago.

Whidbey and Langley provided the answers for Daniel and Marissa about where to live and where to establish a brew pub, and the vision was attained and a niche was filled.

10-8-15 Treating a patient like a customer: A tale of two surgical procedures

Recently, my husband Rich had a success partial knee replacement surgery (not at Whidbey General Hospital), and I’m getting ready for (I assume) successful cataract surgery. 

In Rich’s case, we were not told before the surgery all that would be involved in the procedure, what the healing process would be like or that he would even need to spend a night in the hospital (which turned out to be awful….but that’s another story).

In my case, I was sent an informative pamphlet that explained everything.  Before even scheduling a surgery date, I spent time learning the details of what was involved, saw an informative video, was warned about the small possibilities that problems might occur, and was a full participant in understanding what to expect.

In Rich’s case, we were totally taken by surprise.  We had been told that a partial knee replacement was so much easier than a full replacement.  It was not described to us as a major surgical procedure that could have significant complications (none of which occurred), or that there would be an extended healing period with a lot of pain and discomfort.  The morning of the surgery, someone told us we’d probably be able to go home by noon.  Without our totally understanding the implications, it was recommended that Rich get a nerve block on his leg rather than traditional anesthesia.  Sometime after the surgery and right after Rich came out of recovery, we were told he’d have to spend the night in the hospital because of the lack of feeling in his leg.

The night in the hospital was a total nightmare: No sleep, pain, nice but indifferent staff, etc.  So, the adventure was one long stretch of misery.

The point of this Blog is the importance of fully informing a patient before any procedure. 

If the patient were a customer buying a product, it would be common practice to be able to review a range of information so the customer would know exactly what he/she was purchasing.

Let’s encourage our doctors and hospitals to do a better job of informing us.

A great comment from my friend, Dr. Craig Weiner, DC, October 8, 2015

"You have made an excellent point. In fact, a patient is also a customer and should be treated to the same expected courtesies that any customer deserves and more. Informed consent is a requirement and should always include 'informing'.....informing a patient of expectations, of procedures, of likely outcomes, of alternative choices. When done well, patient feel well taken care of and their bodies heal faster. Research has supported this over and over again. So remember the Law of Two Feet: If you are not treated as you would treat another, use those 2 feet and walk down the street and find a provider who will treat you the way you deserve."

10-1-15 The “Here for You” program in Langley is helping the town become known as a fun place to shop

Langley has long had a reputation as a charming tourist community, a fun place to wander, look out at the waterfront and maybe have something to eat.

All of that is still true, but the Langley merchants are increasingly able to promote the concept of a business community that offers a variety of retail stores.

In the spring, the Mayor’s office, the Langley Chamber of Commerce and Langley Main Street Association came together to promote “Here for You.”

The concept for the program is simple: Each business provides the days and hours of operation, which are published on the Langley Chamber website and are available in a brochure distributed at the Chamber office.  In addition, they can obtain a “Here for You” sign to put in the window that posts the hours of operation.  There is no cost to the business for being involved in “Here for You.”

Most importantly, by participating in this simple program, Langley businesses are demonstrating they are each members of a business community.  Shoppers enjoy coming to a business community rather than just visiting a single store for a specific purchase (hence, the success of shopping centers).

The second edition of this brochure has just been published, and there are now 75 businesses participating.  Come to Langley, wander around and visit the stores.

To get a copy of the brochure, click on http://visitlangley.com/were-here-for-you/

9-24-15 Collaboration works well for Artworks Gallery in Greenbank and Whidbey Art Gallery in Langley

I have written a lot about the power of collaboration.  Art provides a great source for many collaborative ventures, especially on Whidbey.  Many art galleries include the works of more than one artist.

I’ve written before about Whidbey Art Gallery in Langley.  Over 30 artists provide artwork representing a broad range of mediums including oils, watercolors, acrylic, pastel, printmaking, photography, glass, sculpture, metal, mixed media, textures/fiber, jewelry, ceramics/stoneware, wood and sumi art and more.

Here’s an update for Artworks Gallery.  They have just announced the featured artists and shows for the remainder of 2015.  They are listed in Business Spotlight of Whidbey Local this week: http://www.whidbeylocal.com/article/view/903/2015/9/great-shows-and-entertainment-for-the-rest-of-2015-at-artworks-gallery-at-the-greenbank-farm

9-17-15 Create a vision to help you create your business

Before Vincent and Tyla Nattress created The Orchard Kitchen near Bayview Corner, they made a “Vision Board.”  This was a real picture where they visualized and listed everything they wanted to create in their lives together, including a business that matched their values.

I shared their story on Whidbey Local this week: The Orchard Kitchen in Bayview offers an Intimate Farm to Table Experience: http://www.whidbeylocal.com/article/view/896

I was struck by how much they incorporated into their vision: Where they would live, what kind of restaurant business they would create using their educations and work experience, how they would become part of a community, what kind of employers they would be and how their restaurant would be a unique dining experience.

The Orchard Kitchen opened this last July, and Vincent and Tyla are satisfied that they have accomplished just about all they had visualized.

Creating a vision is a great concept for establishing a business, but it’s also a great idea for looking ahead and getting clear on what you want in your future.