Stew on This...

Dear Readers,

It's been a while since I've written, and I apologize. Seems like my little company has grown some amazing wings and it's been a while since I've had time to consider how I got here. I'm trying to take more time to appreciate my life and all the details that make it beautiful.

A few days ago, an acquaintance sent me an email asking various questions about my business so she might borrow some of my tips to help kick start her own entrepreneurial success.

I revealed as much as I could to help her.

How much did it cost to design your Website? Tens of thousands, I told her. I invested in a company, a dream, not a New York City apartment.

How long did it take you to get Savvy Auntie off the ground? A year, I explained.

How long did it take to see success? Twenty-three minutes, I said. That's how soon after I launched that I received an email from a digital media buying agency.

Maybe I just need more patience with myself, she concluded.

Patience. It's something I've been working on. Until recently, I wouldn't have characterized myself as someone with much of it. Even as a child, I remember wanting what I wanted when I wanted it - NOW! It wasn't because I was a spoiled-brat... or a child without boundaries. I just simply saw a target and wanted to achieve it. I didn't take my parents' no-s for an answer. Nor anyone else's. I just saw what I wanted and went for it. Even if it took a lot wishing on wish chips. (I did get that pink room, by the way.)

But a lack of patience isn't always a good thing. We make decisions too quickly, make purchases without thinking of options, make the first right instead of the third left just because it's the first open path we see.

So I've been practicing patience.... and realizing more and more the difference between being patient (waiting for things to happen to me and my business) and practicing patience (being in control of making smart decisions in the right time... even if it takes longer than I expected.)

Being patient means sitting on couch waiting for success to knock on your door like a pizza being delivered.

Practicing patience means investing time and often money into your business.... like cooking a stew.... watching it simmer and cook... adding a little more flavor here, stirring it a little there...

Yes, it's true, many awesome things have happened since I launched SavvyAuntie.com exactly 1.5 years ago tomorrow. Some of the nation's most reputable and recognizable brands have invested their sponsorship dollars in Savvy Auntie. I've had enormous support from aunts and others who see value in the resources Savvy Auntie provides. I've appeared on TV, on radio, in newspapers, magazines, online, in video... just about anywhere I can think (maybe a billboard one day?) I've been approached by investors, potential corporate partners, even a cable network! And most recently, I signed a book deal with HarperCollins. It's happened relatively quickly, but I have many other goals that are taking much longer than I expected.

So... in the meantime, I take whatever I've earned and throw it right back into the stew... Yes of course I want to eat it now! I'm hungry! And I've been cooking this stew since I thought of the idea for Savvy Auntie in June 2007. But I know that the best stews are slow cooked over an even temperature. They are not too diluted or - um - full of beans.

So right now, I'm not taking vacations. I'm not buying clothes (except for when I need them for TV appearances). I'm not ordering in or going out to eat as much as I used to.

I'm making stew.

Mmmm smells good, doesn't it? I can't wait to invite you over for the feast.

XOXO,
Auntie Melanie

Presenting the "Webby Award Nominated" SavvyAuntie.com!

Dear Readers,

On September 12, 2007, I had a kick-off meeting with the Syrup team. Syrup is the agency I chose to develop SavvyAuntie.com and the branding, including the logo. It was a stunningly beautiful day in New York City, just on the cusp of fall, and I remember clearly the walk from the Canal Street exit on the 1 train to 12 Vestry Street in Tribeca that afternoon...

The decision to work with Syrup was an easy decision in some ways, difficult in others. It took exactly 2 months from the day I decided to be an auntrepreneur to this day, the kick-off meeting with the creative team. Looking back, perhaps two months is not a long time considering I had only thought of the idea weeks before. But those two months were full of decisions and indecisions. Working with an agency like Syrup meant a big investment. Were there more economical ways of achieving what I envisioned?

I looked...I spoke with a few smaller agencies. And I spoke with some freelancers who do great work. But none had all the skills I needed to develop SavvyAuntie.com. It took me about a month to realize if I was going to do this, it had to be done right. There's much more to the development of a website than design. Or programming. There's the user-interface. There's architecture. There's functionality. There's usability. And it all has to embody a brand experience that is meaningful, unique and unforgettable.

When I finally came to the right decision to engage a full-on creative agency, there was only one agency I wanted to work with: Syrup.

I had a wonderful history with Syrup. When I worked at L'Oreal USA corporate, responsible for the company's internal and interactive communications, I agreed to meet with Syrup after a cold-call to my office. They showed me their work and I was immediately impressed. I hired them to redesign L'OrealUSA.com back in 2005. The new site was nominated for a Webby Award for Best Beauty Site. Because it was a corporate website, not a consumer website, it was especially exciting to be nominated in that category.

Syrup also works with GE, Hearst, Nike, Coty, and many fashion brands. I knew that if I wanted a destination for PANKs (Professional Aunts No Kids), that talked to them without talking down to them, I need to work with an agency that understood women.

I needed to work with Syrup.

So I called Rob Holzer, the CEO - and a friend - to ask him to work with me. Of course this was in the summer of 2007 when digital agencies were so busy, they could hardly keep up with the work they had. And that's exactly what Rob told me when he turned me down.

So I called again. Rob and Jakob, his business partner and Chief Creative Officer, were on their way to a summer retreat for the weekend. I was on the deck of a friend's house in San Francisco, pleading my case. I needed to work with Syrup.

And they finally agreed. They love me and they loved my idea. They would make it work. And boy did they make it work.

So on September 12th, 2007, as I walked across Canal Street, ready to kick-off the work for SavvyAuntie.com, champagne bottle in hand, I was confident I was making the right decision. The incredibly talented team at Syrup would help make Savvy Auntie the premier destination for aunts.

And it is.

In that meeting, I told Jakob and his team that I wanted to win a Webby Award for best Family site for SavvyAuntie.com. It had to be that good.

And it is.

I found out earlier this week that SavvyAuntie.com and Syrup are nominated for a Webby Award for Best Family/Parenting Website. The other nominees include Disney's Family.com, WebMD.com/Parenting and Kaboose.com. Just to be nominated among them is no small feat.

The nomination means that SavvyAuntie.com is among the best of the best. And there were tens of thousands of entries for the Webby Awards this year.

I'd like to say thank you to Rob, Jakob, Omino, Dana, Paul, Joerg and everyone on the team that made this happen. And since the nomination is also based on content, I'd like to thank all the Savvy Experts and guest Experts who have contributed. And thanks to all the Savvy Auntie members who have posted their own content to the site. And to Dave Finkelstein of Quarksoft which built the site.

And I'd like to thank you, Dear Readers, who have supported me all this time.

While the Webby Awards is presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a 650-person judging academy whose members include Internet co-inventor Vinton Cerf, R/GA's Chief Bob Greenberg, "Simpson's" creator Matt Groening, Arianna Huffington, and Harvey Weinstein, there's also a way that you can show your support, if you like.

The Webby Awards People's Voice awards let's fans vote for their favorite in each category. To vote, you must register and go to the Living section and choose Family/Parenting here: http://savvyauntie.com/l/Webby. It's Auntie vs Goliath as I am up against major-league companies for votes. But that's never stopped us, has it?

It IS an honor to be nominated. Truly. And on May 5th, when the winners are announced, hopefully I'll find myself crossing Canal Street, with a bottle of champagne in my hands....

XOXO,
Auntie Melanie

Three Things You Must Have for A Successful Start Up.

Dear Readers,

I'm fortunate in that in a relatively short period of time, I've managed to gain some great momentum for my company. And more than ever, I've been receiving emails, Twitter direct messages, Facebook messages, texts and IMs from friends and acquaintances, friends of friends, friends of acquaintances, some virtual and some IRL, all asking me how I "did it."

Naturally, it's a challenge for me to respond to everyone the way I'd like to - which is to give them my undivided attention and support - but I just can't. It's becoming more than I can handle. So I thought I would just simply put my secret recipe here. Of course, as with every recipe, the final outcome is in the hands of the chef. Nevertheless, this is my three-pronged approach for success:

Strong Product. Powerful Niche. Social Influence.

As you know from my story, I invested my life savings into SavvyAuntie.com - the product. All of our constituents (consumers, advertisers, media, etc) are human, and they all either 'get it' immediately, or they don't. I believe you only have one chance to make a good first impression. Don't blow it with a product that's not great. You may never get a second chance.

It worked for me. Twenty-three minutes after I launched, I received an email from the digital media buyers for Hasbro. They wanted in. An hour later, Sephora contacted me. And so on.

So product, product product. It can't be good. It's got to be great.

There's no point to a great product, if no one wants to experience it. You need a powerful niche. PANKs - Professional Aunts No Kids - is a segment I carved out of the population of American women that I feel are under-served, untapped, and incredibly powerful.

Know who you are talking to, or they won't listen.

Finally, there's social influence. I realized shortly after I launched that people were interested in my voice and any value I might be able to add. With close to 8000 Followers on Twitter, a regular 'gig' on Fox News, representing brands online and on TV, and introducing sponsored conversations people enjoy being a part of, my influence is a great asset to my company.

By the way, social influence was never a part of my original plan. The social media platforms that have really become invaluable to me (Twitter, Facebook, this Blog), enabled me to realize my passion for connecting with people and being part of online communities, was something that could actually help grow my brand reach. Timing is everything. I started my company as these tools we taking off. It's not too late for you. But go build your voice online. Add value. Create influence.

My advice to anyone thinking about starting a company: Make sure you invest in the development and design of your product, identify a niche that people "get" and use your own social influence to leverage greater reach.

Of course, none of this works without a lot of hard work and determination. So be prepared to work harder than you have ever worked in your life. And be prepared to be happier than you've ever been.

XOXO,
Auntie Melanie

Happy New Year! (of sorts)

Dear Readers,

The thing about the Jewish New Year is that it follows the Jewish calendar, which means it doesn't occur on the same day every year, like let's say Christmas (December 25), Valentine's Day (February 14th) and July 4th. But it does generally take place in September. This year, the Jewish New Year, also known in Hebrew as Rosh Hashanah (the head of the year) will begin at sundown on September 29th.

Last year the Jewish New Year began on September 12, 2007. That's one year ago, today.

Earlier that day, we popped at cork over at the Syrup office as we kicked off the start of creating Savvy Auntie. Syrup is the creative agency behind the design of SavvyAuntie.com, the logo and much of the branding.

It was perfect timing. We were celebrating the start of a new year, with the start of the New Year.

And here were are, one year later. Wow.

It's just two months since the launch, and we have paying advertisers, a strong-size membership (over 1300!), traffic galor, major press, more press coming, and wonderful feedback from the Internet and Social Media communities, and of course the Auntie community.

Here's what I am busy doing:

Speaking with agents who are interested in helping me get my children's book published (It's called Auntie and Me and it's delicious!).

Meeting with Venture Capitalists and the meetings are going really well!

Working with brands to represent them on TV and other media!

Getting my Holiday Gifts Guides for Aunties locked up (I say that like I am anywhere near close to finalizing that)

Signing "insertion orders" (Those are contracts from advertisers on the site)

Confirming multiple speaking engagements.

Meeting fanstastic (FANTASTIC) people  who want to help.

Giving back as often as I can.

Oh ya, and managing the Website. 

I can honestly say that I am still overwhelmed. I don't know when this feeling of never doing enough soon enough is going to subside. Of course, I am so undeniably grateful for all my good fortune. I knew a year ago, when that meeting at Syrup took place, that I wanted unbelievable results.

I got them.

The site is listed on a number of sites that look at top design:

www.webcreme.com

www.lookom.com

www.mostinspired.com

www.101BestWebsites.com

Wow.

And to think, last year, on this day, I said to Syrup that I wanted to win a number of "best of" awards for design, user-interface, web strategy.

Looks like we're winning already.

It's been quite a year. Happy New Year to me. And to you. Even if you're not Jewish.

Because new beginnings are possible every day, for everyone.

And today is the start of a whole new year...

Color Me Savvy Auntie

Dear Readers,

A Rose is a Rose, But it Ain't Pink.

Color is a very important component of a brand. It can be a differentiator: Coke is red, Pepsi is blue. It can be a uniter: Green means healthy and or, well "green." Color can be natural (brown) or unnatural (blue raspberry). Colors can be corporate (blue and gray) or fun (yellow and orange). The colors of your brand should be meaningful, even if they are just meaningful to you.

Taking time to create a color palette that is reflective of your brand is essential, in my opinion, to the brand promise. Don't show me a rainbow, but then be conservative. Don't look rugged, but then sell me flowers. Finally, don't be all frou frou and expect me to take you seriously.

Of course, different colors may reflect your brand if used in a consistent way - especially if your brand IS color. A few years ago, when I worked at the world's largest beauty company, I was editor of the company magazine. The palette of each quarterly issue of the mag reflected the palette of that season's runway. (You'll notice that certain color palettes are "big" every season. And you'll find many of the same tones used in cosmetics, home furnishings and of course, fashion.) Since cosmetics and fashion are integrally linked, the color palette of the magazine was always right on. And further more, you could always guess the timing of a past issue just by the palette. The magazine even received a Color Award from Pantone - the authority on color. That's how important color is to me.

Color defines a brand like scent defines a spice. In the case of Savvy Auntie, the choice of color also had to be personal since Savvy Auntie is a reflection of me. But it also had to reflect every Savvy Auntie and the "Playful Luxury" branding we were going for. The color had to define the brand.

Luxury is often reflected with metallics (difficult to achieve online) and black. So we knew that black would be part of the palette to ground Savvy Auntie in it's own richness. But how would we color in Playfulness?

Often the best way to describe the type of color palette you want achieved is by expressing the experience one might feel when seeing it. I told the agency that I wanted the Savvy Auntie Community to feel like walking into a local The Container Store on the hottest day of the summer, feeling the fresh cool air as the doors open, and seeing a lot of white, with spots of organized color (i.e. the containers) throughout. I wanted open and airy, with gorgeous, playful, bright, delicious, color peeking around everywhere.

So, we had black/luxury, white/open and airy, and color yet to be defined. Colors that resonate with me the most are warm tones with a shade of coolness and cool tones with a warmer side. This means blue reds, reddish pinks, and warm blue tones like teal.

I loved the pinks and reddish pinks I was shown. They were perfect, not too girly, not too grandmother of the bride, and very 'empowered woman.' These colors would be primary. The whites we chose had to be clean, but not cold. And black was black, unless it was just a shade under to give it more warmth and texture.

We threw in a few other colors, to empower the primary tones, and then played around with the colors as the site was being further developed. (We ended up added a fresh citrus green for a light punch of color and used less of the golden yellow tone that looked like gold gone soft)

What you see above is the color palette that defines Savvy Auntie and our Playful Luxury branding. Some colors are repeated in near similar shades, reflecting the ratio of use.

The Savvy Auntie flower, currently resting on our holding page at www.savvyauntie.com, along with the Nomination for Beta pages that follow it, are a perfect reflection of our color palette.

If the company name is the 'identity,' it's brand the 'promise,' then the color pallete is the world it all lives in. Savvy Auntie is my name, my brand is my promise, and I warmly welcome you to my world.

I hope when the site launches, you will feel right at home. Or at least, love the decor.

XOXO,
Auntie Melanie

Designing the Company of My Dreams

Dear Readers,

I spent the better part of July and August researching the best people to design not only SavvyAuntie.com, but the branding too. There are so many options when deciding on who will manage your design work. I looked at everyone from talented freelancers to small agencies I had come to know during my career as an interactive marketer. In the end, I decided to work with Syrup. Syrup is a boutique agency located in Tribeca, New York. I had first met Rob Holzer and Jakob Daschek, the founders of Syrup, when I worked in the beauty industry, and together we went on to win numerous awards together, including a Webby Award nomination and a Print Magazine award. I knew from the moment I agreed to meet with them just a few weeks on the job in interactive communications, that Syrup was very special. Very special indeed.

Syrup hires the most incredible talent. I have never worked with a team of more highly trained and most talented designers and Internet and brand experts in my career. I am not sure I ever will again. What's more is that Syrup is full of integrity. If they see something could be better, they will make it better. No questions asked. If I come to them with a challenge, they solve it. No questions asked. It's the integrity they have for their work that makes them unique in an industry that often looks at the clock, not the work-at-hand, to gauge commitment. When SavvyAuntie.com launches (very soon!) you will see the incredible passion and talent that went into the SavvyAuntie brand and Community. I am incredibly fortunate.

When I had a conversation with Rob in late August about working together, he believed in the project from the first minute. And I knew he was sincere. Rob knows the industry and has pretty impressive clients to prove it. Luckily for me, from the moment we agreed to work together, the Syrup team not only took on the SavvyAuntie.com project like it was part of the family, they took it on like it was another one of their top-shelf clients. I was not treated any differently than the massive media companies and conglomerates they work with. Savvy Auntie was their little engine that could.

When your agency believes in you and in your project, you're already ahead of the game. It also helped that I believe in Syrup. Our mutual support is probably one of the main reasons why we have a chance at success.

My rule of thumb about hiring agencies and consultants is to hire people smarter that myself. Sure, I bring many years of talent, skill and experience to the table. But I could not do, nor dream of doing, what the Syrup team has done for my company. Over the last eight months, we've worked incredibly closely together, creating, designing, solving and moving the needle forward. Syrup is part of the heart that beats inside my company and my dream. Rob, Jakob, Omino, Dana, Joerg, Paul, Amy, Erik, Krissy, Nate, Shannon and everyone else who has touched this project: Thank you.

On September 12, 2007, the Syrup Team - rather the SavvyAuntie.com Team - and I drank champagne to celebrate the kick-off of Savvy Auntie. It was truly one of the most amazing days of my life.

My carpet ride was about to take me on my way to designing the company of my dreams. Literally. Did I mention how lucky I was?

XOXO,
Auntie Melanie