Projects in the works

To Accomplish, or not to Accomplish: THAT is the Question!

So I've been involved in a few projects lately. I feel like it's kind of like climbing the this mountain. Everything takes long, but it's really quite rewarding, and I enjoy my work. So here's some of what's going on.


Fish Tracker:

This is a cool little device. The guy who invented it contacted me to help him produce and market it. It's a fish tracking device for tournament fishing events. My job is to find a trustworthy manufacturer for the device for the guy. I've also started helping him find some marketing venues for the product. It's kind of fun. I'm hoping to meet the manufacturer who will make this for us in China next month.

Metal Shovels:

About a year ago, I was asked to find a source for a new design of metal shovels. I have struggled with this one. It seems like design projects are harder to find than standard sourcing for items that are already in mass production.

But honestly, I have enjoyed the challenge. I'm happy that this project is finally going somewhere--thanks to my new friend, Harry Huang.





Safety Jackets:

A while ago, I hooked up with a guy who feels like he can sell safety clothing to a network of distributors accross the nation. It sounded interesting, so I started working on finding a source for them. Luckily, I found a few, and we're getting going. As of July 2008, we expect to have a full line of safety clothing available for distribution accross the nation.

Crack Sealant Sales:

This is a picture of Maxwell Products' crack sealants. My job right now is to setup a strong distribution network accross the U.S. and to establish as broad a global market for our material as possible. It's kind of exciting.











E-Commerce:

When I was at college, Andrius Z., from Lithuania invited me to help him with an e-commerce business he was working on. So, we worked russia2all.com, and we had a good time.

Now, Andrius has started several other websites, and he asked me to start running the business end of them from the U.S. so that we could manage cash flow a little better than he has from Lithuania. So now we have started to operate them from the U.S.
http://www.smart-shop.com/ - was designed for general consumer products, but we have moved it towards consumer electronics. http://www.s-tracking.com/ - is based entirely on GPS devices. http://www.shoppingcoast.com/ - is a consumer electronics retail website. http://www.intagoal.com/ - is a website that my brother and I set up several years ago. Andrius and I are now using it to sell educational resources. We have one more in the immediate planning stage: a website for selling costumes and party planing items. E-commerce is a fun little business. It has been a blast setting up different vendors and merchant accounts, and trying to figure out how to manage cash flow for a variety of retail environments, each with a consistent number of transactions per day. Lots of fun.


It seems like there are tons of other things I'm working on, but I don't have time to note them all just now. I have decided, though, that I am happiest when I feel like there is more to do than any one person could reasonably do in a day. I know that sounds weird, but I thrive on challenges, I think--so I guess I create them by trying to always be developing some kind of new business.

Speaking of new challenges, I've just started taking the pre-requisite classes for the MBA program I'll be taking starting this fall. That will be fun too, I'm sure.

As for now, life is all the fun I can handle.

The REAL BLaine D. Hone

I am Blaine D. Hone. For all the historic details on where I have been 'work-wise', you can check me out on LinkedIn.com: http://www.linkedin.com/in/blaineusa.

As for some of the cool projects I'm working on right now, I'm involved in the following: I'm setting up satellite (JV and franchise) manufacturing facilities for my company overseas, setting up distributors and dealers nationally for our materials, and investigating market opportunities in Canada. I'm just happy to be doing all that I'm doing. Educationally, I'm working to achieve my Globabl Business Management certificate, and I'm applying to grad schools to get my MBA (through an executive program).

Hobbies: I'm getting into shooting.

One of the sales reps. from our compay got to go to Alaska this week on a hunting expedition with one of his customers. To help him prepare for the experience, I thought it would be helpful to take him out to the trap shooting range. . . .you know, so he wouldn't look silly trying to shoot moving targets. :)

Anyway, we had a blast, and it made me think we ought to have our regular Friday sales meetings over a round or two of trap all the time.

I also like golf and skiing, but I stink at both.

As for the Really important stuff: Well I married a REALLY cute girl. And as you can see, she can't resist me. (But then again. . . who could? -ha!)

We recently moved to a small town (population just over 3,000), and we're loving it. You can tell how big a town is by how many traffic lights there are in it. Ours has ZERO.

But back to my wife: Lisa is my favorite part of my life. We've been married 6 years, 10 months (at the time I wrote this). And it's been a blast.



We've been extremely blessed with the three wonderful children, Brandon Travis, Brittany Lee, and B.J. (Bryan Justice). Ages 5, 3, and 1 (right now).

Also, we recently found out, we have one more on the way, due Spring 2008.

We're going for one every other year on even years. I'm not sure how long Lisa can keep up with that schedule though. But she tells me that when she was in High School she always planned on having 12 kids. So, I guess after this next one, we'll be 1/3 of the way there. I should add-- ever since our first, Lisa has said she'd be just fine with one. :)



So that's pretty much my life for now. It's lots of fun.

Let's Get Serious!

I want to figure out this whole blog thing a bit better. So I'm going to try to add some pics and stuff. But I'm struggling to do so. Every time I try, it

. .. Hey cool. I just tried it, and it worked.

You like the sheep?

SO, I'm a blogger now

Here I am in my office, and my uncle Larry asked how you start a blog, so I says to him. . .'let's find out, eh. . .hoser.'

So that's that.

Blog ya more later.

Love,

Blaineusa