Custom Tiki Farm mug to raise money for TC members in New Orleans - Feedback Needed! - General Tiki

T TikiJosh Member Joined: Feb 01, 2005 Posts: 735	T TikiJosh Posted posted on Mon, Sep 5, 2005 11:44 PM I'll chime in once more, as I thought this post particularly eloquent (mostly because I like using the word "eloquent" whenever possible). On 2005-09-05 14:42, Thomas wrote: So far the discussion has focused on PJ, though there are others in the region too. For now, I'll continue the focus on PJ. I think the mug idea had some very strong points. For me the biggest would be that PJ would design it. This suggests "professional opportunity" rather than "altruism." A quick visit to PJ's website: http://www.purplejadetiki.com makes it clear that she is a proud and skilled professional in the area of tiki-related art, especially of the type that is readily accessible to all sorts of people in terms of price, etc. I'd rather "work with" PJ to get her back in the swing professionally and in terms of income, and maybe even help her take things to a next level (in keeping with the notion that "crisis" can also bring "opportunity"). Commissioning her to design a special edition mug is one good idea. Those who set the price might (correctly!) take into the consideration peoples' increased desire to purchase the mug based on the unique history of it (after Katrina, an esteemed and well-loved tiki artist from New Orleans designed this mug as her first work after the tragedy...). This is a market reality, not charity. Mindful of this, PJ's partners in the venture may choose to offer a higher percentage of gross than is typical, as her contribution lends this added value to the product. I don't think this is just fancy words. I think there is a difference in approach and this may be a way to avoid the sort of feeling that Swanky well described above. I gather that PJ may have lost her studio, tools, etc. Assuming she wants to get back in the business, this will of course be the biggest obstacle. How to get over this hump? Well, I'm no expert but a surge in prepaid (and very "patient"!) orders would provide a timely capital inflow. I look at her website and say, "I look at goods like this frequently, but usually find a reason not to purchase. Well, now I have a reason. In fact, I can stock up on gifts for others in advance of future holidays and birthdays..." You get the idea. In sum, I think that leveraging the positive power of capitalism may be a better way to move ahead than overt altruism. PJ's business no doubt provides her with peace of mind as well as pride and income. Helping her get it back together (assuming she wants to) would be an opportunity to collaborate with her over time. Frank discussion of costs involved and creative arrangements ("patient prepayment" is one, simple one, and there would no doubt be others) would ensue. Unless PJ tells us, or some among us, otherwise, perhaps we can assume that family, friends (including some individual TCers perhaps), aid agencies, government, insurance co's, etc. are helping her with the critical, baseline needs one has in this situation, including, frankly, the writing of checks for her. Perhaps we should focus more on the specific area of her life -- her tiki art business -- which is where our focus is, and where we have the most to offer. Anyway, perhaps this is an "add-on" to the mug idea and not a disagreement with it. [Edited to put in intitial comment with quote of DawnTiki] [ Edited by: Thomas 2005-09-05 15:09 ] Thomas, I don't think you were being too theoretical at all. I think you hit this right on the head. I also agree with Holden 100%. He made it very clear where the proceeds were going, and I think all of this is a fantastic idea, mostly because I think there should definitely be an element of getting business going again, and a PJ-designed mug is a great place to start. Being relatively new, I think it's amazing how much everyone cares about each other, and how when things do take a turn for the worst, there's definitely help not just in a charity fashion, but in a more "let's get your business going again so that you don't need to live off charity" kind of way. Not that charity is a bad thing, mind, but that it's only sort of a small band aid over a big problem. If I understand the motivation behind this idea, it seems to me that getting things back to normal and getting PJ back to work is possibly as equally important as giving her money outright. I still think this is a great idea!

I'll chime in once more, as I thought this post particularly eloquent (mostly because I like using the word "eloquent" whenever possible).

On 2005-09-05 14:42, Thomas wrote:

So far the discussion has focused on PJ, though there are others in the region too. For now, I'll continue the focus on PJ. I think the mug idea had some very strong points. For me the biggest would be that PJ would design it. This suggests "professional opportunity" rather than "altruism."

A quick visit to PJ's website:
http://www.purplejadetiki.com
makes it clear that she is a proud and skilled professional in the area of tiki-related art, especially of the type that is readily accessible to all sorts of people in terms of price, etc.

I'd rather "work with" PJ to get her back in the swing professionally and in terms of income, and maybe even help her take things to a next level (in keeping with the notion that "crisis" can also bring "opportunity"). Commissioning her to design a special edition mug is one good idea. Those who set the price might (correctly!) take into the consideration peoples' increased desire to purchase the mug based on the unique history of it (after Katrina, an esteemed and well-loved tiki artist from New Orleans designed this mug as her first work after the tragedy...). This is a market reality, not charity. Mindful of this, PJ's partners in the venture may choose to offer a higher percentage of gross than is typical, as her contribution lends this added value to the product.

I don't think this is just fancy words. I think there is a difference in approach and this may be a way to avoid the sort of feeling that Swanky well described above.

I gather that PJ may have lost her studio, tools, etc. Assuming she wants to get back in the business, this will of course be the biggest obstacle. How to get over this hump? Well, I'm no expert but a surge in prepaid (and very "patient"!) orders would provide a timely capital inflow. I look at her website and say, "I look at goods like this frequently, but usually find a reason not to purchase. Well, now I have a reason. In fact, I can stock up on gifts for others in advance of future holidays and birthdays..." You get the idea.

In sum, I think that leveraging the positive power of capitalism may be a better way to move ahead than overt altruism. PJ's business no doubt provides her with peace of mind as well as pride and income. Helping her get it back together (assuming she wants to) would be an opportunity to collaborate with her over time. Frank discussion of costs involved and creative arrangements ("patient prepayment" is one, simple one, and there would no doubt be others) would ensue. Unless PJ tells us, or some among us, otherwise, perhaps we can assume that family, friends (including some individual TCers perhaps), aid agencies, government, insurance co's, etc. are helping her with the critical, baseline needs one has in this situation, including, frankly, the writing of checks for her. Perhaps we should focus more on the specific area of her life -- her tiki art business -- which is where our focus is, and where we have the most to offer.

Anyway, perhaps this is an "add-on" to the mug idea and not a disagreement with it.

[Edited to put in intitial comment with quote of DawnTiki]

[ Edited by: Thomas 2005-09-05 15:09 ]

Thomas, I don't think you were being too theoretical at all. I think you hit this right on the head. I also agree with Holden 100%. He made it very clear where the proceeds were going, and I think all of this is a fantastic idea, mostly because I think there should definitely be an element of getting business going again, and a PJ-designed mug is a great place to start.
Being relatively new, I think it's amazing how much everyone cares about each other, and how when things do take a turn for the worst, there's definitely help not just in a charity fashion, but in a more "let's get your business going again so that you don't need to live off charity" kind of way. Not that charity is a bad thing, mind, but that it's only sort of a small band aid over a big problem.
If I understand the motivation behind this idea, it seems to me that getting things back to normal and getting PJ back to work is possibly as equally important as giving her money outright. I still think this is a great idea!

Post #184628 by TikiJosh on Mon, Sep 5, 2005 11:44 PM