Trend Agitator

Small Business Backlash - Starting a Revolution

How are small business owners feeling in the face of all this dour economic news?

Trend Agitator has been chatting with West Coast based entrepreneurs, especially those that bask in the light of Hollywood's fortune-making machine.  We'd like to know how they're feeling and what they're doing to sustain their businesses. Counter to all the depression, anxiety and fatalism displayed by large corporations, many of these small businesses are positive, thriving and hiring: 

 

Yesterday we visited the still-under-construction retail store and design studio for Revolution Malibu.  The surf-oriented, green friendly apparel and accessories company already sells to premium retailers nationwide including Fred Segal, but this concept shop will feature limited edition and handmade items created right in the store.

Founder and chief creative officer Cece Abel hasspent her life on the beaches of Malibu and is an integral part of its laid back coastal lifestyle.  She's spent the week meeting with the store's contractors, painting used furniture and hiring a young staff culled from the neighborhood.

"I'm sick of all this depressing news - I'm having the best year ever," says the pixie-haired fireball entrepreneur.  "Companies going out of business today deserve to fail because they're over-leveraged. We're doing this on a shoestring, we're offering unique product at a fair price and we will succeed."  Citing Malibu as a stable economic community where "Bentleys aren't being repoed anytime soon", the 40-something has just boosted her credit score, refinanced her house in the canyon and secured investors for her new business.

Patched together with heavy quilt stitching, Revolution Malibu's signature garments including flannel shirts with stenciled tatooes, skull caps with studded suede crosses and cotton jersey skirts with intricate appliques.  These pieces are works of art, yet appear casual enough to fit the area's legendary beach lifestyle.

Bookmark Trend Agitator to learn more about strategies for small business success, and details about Revolution's upcoming grand opening.

How will Election Results Affect Luxury Spending?

Much has been written about the growth of the luxury segment in the last 12 months, lauded as a gleaming anathema to the sinking economy. But will election results have any affect on luxury spending? Trend Agitator caught up with fellow Luxury and Lifestyle Professionals for a chat. Here's what they said:

"The dynamism and optimism generated from the US election might boost consumption, and from my entrepreneur perspective that could fuel investments > expenses > jobs > middle class consumption, etc. Never underestimate the psychological effect of feeling good and spending." Lionel Crochet, President Ultimate Lifestyle Management.

"The economic downturn will continue for a while. But the US will emerge stronger, better and a more humane society in the long term. This presidency could build trust and new investments, improving the economy and therefore consumption. Green will be the new Gold." Gundolf Pfotenhauer, creative director and photographer.

"What we all need to remember is the people in this country and around the world got sick and tired of GREED and LIES. The poor were forgotten and the middle class is still vanishing before our eyes. We must ALL do our part to make change happen!!!"  Mark Anthony Edwards, PR Director for B. Michael Couture.

"Obama plans tax increases for those making $250,000 or more. That will definitely cut disposable income at the luxury level. The real issue is the credit crisis since few people pay cash for luxury anymore."  Mark Granovsky, entrepreneur at SweetDeals.

What's clear from this robust discussion is luxury today means many things. For some it's those unattainable pleasures, unique experiences and unprecedented privacy. Yet for many it's simply about having enough food on the table every day. For others it might be organic produce or living green or acquiring another seductive gadget. 

Maybe this is the era that finally allows us to define freedom and true luxury for ourselves.

Bread Bar Serves Up Consumer Experience

What are brands doing to sustain consumer excitement in this down economy?

Last night we witnessed a great example from Bread Bar in Los Angeles, a gastro bakery renown for its artisan breads and tasty small bites menu. With fellow foodie friend and blogger Design Nomad in toe, Trend Agitator popped in for an extraordinary chocolate tasting that truly expanded our jaded, urbane senses. 

Unlikely pairings of camomile blossoms, cinnamon, wafer thin toast and optional BYO wine produced inspired olfactory experience and drew a bustling crowd of experience-hungry explorers. For a mere $30 we stayed for dinner and enjoyed an intimate, stylish night of pure bliss. The restaurant tapped into a new source of revenue after hours and more than a few customers trading down from more pricey nights out. 

Needless to say, the place was packed and the restaurant is now scrambling to expand its upcoming events schedule. Genius!

Building Cult Brands in a Down Economy

How do you convince a bunch of accountants that brand building in today's economy is all about drinking the Cool Aid, chasing the long tail and investing in truth, trust and tenacity?

Trend Agitator's Debra Stevenson had the priviledge of speaking to Moss Adams executives this week at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The closed door session was by invite only to the accounting firm's apparel division executives and the topic of Building Cult Brands in a Down Economy was hosted by Martin Hughes. 

"I had so many people come up to me during the day to tell me how much they liked Debra's presentation," said Hughes who led a quick Q&A afterwards.  "It was impressive."

Key questions centered around the sequence for expansion, whether thru product categories, distribution channels, company-owned retail stores or licensing agreements. Core competency was another hot topic, challenging executives to evaluate whether skill sets exist within their clients' infrastructure for managing growth in these areas.

Moss Adams provides accounting, assurance, tax and consulting services to public and private middle-market enterprises and is one of the leading certified public accounting firms serving the fashion industry on the West Coast.  

The Moss Adams Capital division has managed some of the most significant apparel and footwear investments and acquisitions in the Western United States.

Eco Tourism, Privacy Seekers and Politics

Part three of Trend Agitator's conversation about travel trends with global trekker, Anastasia Mann.

How does global politics affect tourism?

Peace thru tourism is key for big picture globalization.  Travel is a natural conduit for world peace.  If you’ve been to Laos or Cambodia then news stories mean something to you.  It gives you cultural sensitivity and global understanding.

Has travel changed your world view?

I was in Rwanda and Zaire, laughing with locals and weeks later they were killing each other.  This is tribal warfare and you won’t understand it unless you go there.  The concept of One World suddenly has meaning, even though we’ve been chatting about it since the 60’s.

What are the untamed destinations and undiscovered lands?

Travelling thru the Amazon and Peru makes guerilla tracking look like Disneyland. There are no luxury amenities, just hardcore adventure bootcamps.  But we saw two jaguars within 24 hrs.  It was an uncomfortable, miserable trip and almost broke up my marriage...!

Any new niche markets on your radar?

Privacy seekers and eco tourists are going to be talking about Tanzania. I’ve been keeping close tabs on exotic lodges built entirely by hand. These places are so remote, the local villagers walked for 20 days to see our plane land. I find these spots and visit them before they’re built.

 What is the future of travel?

Going everywhere!!  There are only so many places we can go.  Of course the future is about the moon and trips to outer space.  Historically we know we can’t hold people back.  NatGeo won’t replace the need to discover and experience.  

 Are luxury clients setting any new benchmarks?

Clients with funds are taking the travel experience into their own hands. Everything will be privatized and personal.

The Future of Travel and Adventourism

Part Two of Trend Agitator’s exclusive conversation with travel guru, Anastasia Mann.

We sat down with one of the travel industry's most resilient entrepreneurs to discuss the changing traveler demographic and glimpse into the future.  Here’s what we learned about visiting some of the most exotic places on earth:

You’ve been recognized as the definitive expert on Africa Safaris. Why Africa?
I’ve been to 107 countries and nothing competes with Africa. We don’t oversell it- we simply lay out the magic of the place.  Other companies offer bus tours and don’t disclose that. We work directly with clients to customize authentic experiences - and even with other agencies. We don’t steal their clients, we just make them look good!

What makes your trips special and different?
It’s our personal handling. We are very hands-on between our staff and our teams in Africa.  We aren’t a big agency, but we really know our vendors.

What are the big trends in personal travel?

We work with everyone from individuals to families. We’re seeing more tri-generational families, especially boomers and their kids. They want to create benchmark trips and engage in key memory-making with the whole family.

What about travel for Women?
Women love Africa. They open up naturally to its passion.  Women travel very well in Africa and our lodges and camps take great care of them. 

What other parts of the world are you most curious about?
My mother was born in Bulgaria and we traveled there recently looking for our parents’ birthplace.  How ironic that Bulgaria and Macedonia are now both on the new “hot lists” for travel.  Bulgaria offers great history and a place very much unchanged.

What do the most adventurous travels seek today?

Adventurous travelers look for places that haven’t changed.  Intrepid travels want to see things that aren’t ruined and they’re driven to visit these remote spots even though there are no luxury hotels or infrastructure.

What do clients learn on your trips? 

They experience the emotion of travel.  It can be pure indulgence, rest or personalized experiences.  The hardest part is air travel.  So, today charter flights are enormously popular.

What do they value the most?
The advice of my staff and our ability to make each day very personal. We all travel and participate in programs to review hotels and lodges, so we know each destination personally.

* * *

 

Trend Agitator would like to thank Anastasia Mann for her time and insightful comments about the travel industry.  To experience Anastasia's Africa or customize a memory-making trip thru Corniche Travel, simply follow these links.