It was a long and winding road as you can imagine. But there was one significant thing that happened involving my caffeinated beverage of choice, Diet Coke, and the subsequent usage of American Express that left a permanent impression and was instrumental in building my relationship with the buyers at the national restaurant and gift giant.

In July 2009 I was attending the Atlanta Gift Mart, known as AmericasMart, as an exhibiting vendor. For those of you not familiar with the Mart, there are three buildings, 15 floors each packed with every kind of gift item, apparel item, home décor item and whole bunch of other items that you couldn’t even dream of. I mean thousands of acres of merchandise for store owners and buyers to choose from. There are hundreds of thousands of people who come to the “Market” from all over the world to buy merchandise for their stores. These are Mom and Pops all the way to large retail chains. The place is simply overwhelming!

But this is the place that I knew I could go to get Bee-Tees® noticed by buyers. I had no idea how to put together a booth (as I had never done anything like this before) but I did the best I could with my knowledge of graphics and trying to tell my story.

The show opened on Friday at 9 am. It lasts until 6. Anyone who has ever worked a trade show booth knows how exhausting this can be. I have the utmost respect for those of you who do this for a living! I don’t do standing or concrete very well. But I had a good day that day; I opened several new accounts and had a blast telling the Bee-Tees® story. And little did I know it would turn out to be great practice for what the next day would bring.

Let me preface that Saturday by telling you that I had received a text on Friday from a licensee that we had began to work with a few months prior. I had sought out this licensee as they had a relationship with Cracker Barrel and I hoped they could have an opportunity to pitch Bee-Tees® to them. I knew that their salesmen was going to Cracker Barrel sometime soon and they would let me know of any interest that the buyers had in my little t-shirt line. The text I received on Friday was that Cracker Barrel was not interested in Bee-Tees! LI was devastated! This was the account that, quite frankly, I felt was a ringer for our message. I mean it’s wholesome, simple and all-American! I couldn’t believe that they turned it down!! But I was there, on the largest stage in the apparel industry and was going to give it my best shot.

On Saturday I had a great morning of sales and my sister had come down to Atlanta to help me out. She is a librarian by trade, so talking to folks is not her favorite thing but I really think she secretly enjoyed it! She allowed me to take short potty breaks and go for quick bite of lunch. So I hurried off to grab a sandwich and gather my thoughts. I came to the food court in building 3, it was nuts! People were everywhere! And I stood in line for about 20 minutes to grab a burrito. I searched for a place to sit and relax for just 10 or 15 minutes. This would be a welcome vacation from standing on concrete for hours on end! I spotted several tables where there was only one person eating. So I asked if I could join one of them at the table. She politely agreed and we struck up a conversation. You know “How are you?”, “Are you having a good show?”, that sort of thing. I then asked where she was from. She spoke with a beautiful accent which I thought was British, but come to find out she was from South Africa and is in the US working for a company called Cracker Barrel Old Country Store! I could not believe my ears! Was I on Candid Camera? I thought, “You must be kidding me?” Hundreds of thousands of people here and I sit down at lunch with this lovely woman who works for my target retailer. God was smiling on me that day!

The question is what would I do with this opportunity that God and fate and had handed me on a silver platter? I’ll tell you what I did…I did what no one would ever do except me… I spilled my Diet Coke all over her gorgeous WHITE linen pantsuit! Yep! I did it!

Without having to relive every embarrassing moment of the interaction, let’s just suffice it say that I left an impression on this sweet woman!

The good news is that the incident didn’t happen until after I had a chance to pitch her on Bee-Tees® (which I had down perfectly from all the practice) and convince her to come to my booth.

Even while trying to wipe Diet Coke from her fancy shoes she couldn’t contain her enthusiasm for Bee-Tees®! I could see it all over her face.

While trying to clean herself she asked me to send her some samples. The rest of the show was a blur as I considered what to send and how many and anything else that could make an impression.

I was so excited and embarrassed that I could not even sleep that night! My brain was a flurry trying to figure out how to capitalize on the most fortunate but embarrassing thing that had every happened to me!

When I returned home I gathered my samples and marketing materials along with a very apologetic letter and an American Express gift card specifically for her dry cleaning bill. I sent this off to Nashville thinking I would never hear from this wonderful lady again.

But to my surprise, she called me immediately when she received the package and thanked me for thinking of her enough to have her suit cleaned! The rest of what happened to Bee-Tees® from this experience will be revealed in future posts. But suffice it say to that the worst thing that you can think of happening might actually be the best thing that could ever happen.

The key is you have to be prepared when things don’t go as you plan, which is of course what happens most of the time!

Gifts and Decorative Accessories article about my chance meeting with Cracker Barrel

Also our new Bee-Bandz are 1/2 OFF. These include our BLJ (Bee Like Jesus) Bandz and the colors are gorgeous! Perfect for kids in class or Sunday school!

And better yet we are offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $49. But quantities are very limited on some of these items. You’ll bee the hit of the holiday with Bee-Tees!

You may know that my husband and I gave birth to twins 18 months ago. It was the scariest time of my life, without argument! At the time I was about to turn 40 and although I wanted another child, twins never crossed my mind. But we have prevailed for 18 months and we’re moving forward. Don’t get me wrong, I love babies but I’m one of those who feel that a child who can communicate and feed themselves wins my heart every time!

So here I am a old woman with 2 toddlers and a chatty 5 year old. But let me also add that I am married to a wonderful man who supports me and Bee-Tees fully and completely. I live in a small southern town with great schools and a great population of people from all over the country. God has been good to me. No matter what I have going on this week I will stop and give thanks to my maker who gives me the strength, the determination and the will to keep pushing positive messages out. You know the media wants so desperately to push negative messages on us but we can’t get bogged down in this. Keep your head up, look at what you have, not what you don’t have. Focus on the positive, the good and the bright in your life. No one’s life is perfect but I’d be willing to bet that the pros are longer than the cons in you life.  So stop, don’t shop on Thursday and give thanks for the gifts in your life.

The Queen Bee will most definitely be doing it!

BeeAttitudes is encompasses the entire line of Bee-Tees apparel including tees, hats, beanies, totes and also wristbands and note cards as well. And now the line includes Christian apparel for babies and women. It features “Bee thankful”, “Bee blessed”, and “Beelieve in Miracles” The line has been a huge success! It appears that the positive message that started Bee-Tees is now an all out attitude adjustment. What’s your attitude today?!

The Personal Side:

Now I’m simply a small town Mom in South Carolina. When I created Bee-Tees my husband Kevin & I owned a diner in our hometown which was known for quality food with a friendly smile. Then when Bee-Tees began to create such a buzz, I committed myself to do whatever it took to take the positive message of character outside of my small town. I was featured on television, radio, newspapers and magazines as well as appearances in numerous nationwide Mommy blogs.

During this time of Bee-Tees creation my husband and I were desperately trying to have another child. By this time Lena, our only child was nearly four and we were within a couple of months of giving up the dream of adding to their family. Life was very hectic with the restaurant, a family, Bee-Tees and other businesses that Kevin owned, and we felt like it just might not be in the cards for us to have more children. But God had another plan. During the same month that Bee-Tees was in negotiations with Cracker Barrel we learned we were pregnant with TWINS!! This was quite a shock to us considering there was no history of twins on either side of our families. And the fact that Melissa was 39 and Kevin 51 at the time made the news even more surprising.

With this news, the growing demands of Bee-Tees and a virtual certainty that I would not be able to serve her customers at the restaurant during the later months of the pregnancy forced us to sell the diner and set our sights on building business from home and focus on raising the twins once they arrived.

In May 2010 Bee-Tees debuted in Cracker Barrel and Jackson and Nora arrived in the Patton family. The babies were small but healthy and before long we were in the swing of a constant feeding schedule. During those first few months I worked frantically to return all the emails that I received daily due to the huge exposure of the Bee-Tees brand in Cracker Barrel. Simply replying to all the emails was one thing, but digesting the suggestions, recommendations and encouragement from thousands of women nationwide continues be a daily job. It seems that women really understand the message behind our humble animated bee. And that they appreciate that someone is trumpeting character as a positive personality trait. In a time where greed, selfishness, and corruption rule the airwaves and are often rewarded, I feel that character must be a focus and a guide for all young people today.

The last few months have brought a flood of emotions – joy, exhaustion, confusion and most of all a feeling of just being overwhelmed. There has been so much going on, that I felt that I must get hold of my life and find my guiding beacon again. Some days the light just wasn’t there and I didn’t know which way to turn. However, last February I implemented a plan to bring my life back under my control and gain perspective and focus on all that had happened in the past couple of years. After all I have been so blessed with the opportunity that the Cracker Barrel exposure had given the Bee-Tees brand, but with the arrival of the twins, the ability to react to it and define where I wanted to go has proved difficult.

But now, less than a year after implementing my plan I have brought myself back as a priority and lost 35 lbs! I spend time everyday focusing on me and what I need and want then I work on my business and my family. I have taken the reins and now I’m driving the once runaway stagecoach!

The Next Chapter:

The one thing that I discovered during the past few months was that there is no magic formula, no drug, no DVD or book that can help me get control of my life. But it’s me, just me, my knowledge, my will, my ambition and my drive that controls my life. And by golly I’m going to be in control of it! This plan has turned my chaos and feelings of being overwhelmed into a calm, deliberate and focused life! And I feel that this is a goal of every Mom, every woman, and every woman in business; to find balance for all aspects of your life. This & step plan has changed my life forever. I can now see the beacon in my life clearly and I’m moving toward it. No one and nothing will ever cloud my vision again. I’m moving forward!

Join me & move forward at UniversityofMom.com! It’s my new adventure. A resource for Moms, stay at home Moms and Mompreneurs. Beginning in January 2012 I’ll be offering 2 workshops for women. One for Moms who need what I needed; focus, balance and serenity and the other for Mompreneurs who want to know how to get started, how to get exposure, how to get into a large national chain and how to make your dream come true! Through my life experiences (the great and the crazy) in the past few years I’ve accumulated a wealth of knowledge that will help all women feel empowered, in control and ready to take on the next year of your life! Go to UniversityofMom.com and read more about how you can change your life in just 6 weeks! 2012 is the year, it’s a new year, make it your year!

Our giveaway:

The listeners at Word of Mom Blog radio can register now for a Bee-Tees Gift Bundle worth over $100. This gift bundle will include tee of your choice, a tote, a cozy beanie cap, a Bee-Bandz, a vinyl Bee-Cal and a set of “Bee Thankful” notecards. Simply register at Bee-Tees.com.

We’re also giving away FREE tuition for our 6 week Mompreneur 101 or our Gain Control of Your Life in 7 simple steps course. This is a $399 value. Go to UniversityofMom.com and register!

Happy to bee in South Carolina!

We’re happy to bee in South Carolina! Such a beautiful time of year down here and what a great way to show our Gamecock pride as well! Go Gamecocks! The rich garnet colored Bee-Tees are available in long and short sleeve for ladies and short sleeve for kids. $12.99 for kids and starting at $19.99 for ladies. Order now as supplies are limited!

Our next "Greatest Generation"!

Before I had children I didn’t think too much about the big picture in life. I knew I wanted a family and that I wanted to fulfill my potential (whatever that might turn out to be!) But a much older and wiser Melissa and 3 kids later, I realize that our future is not in what I can accomplish, it’s what these little guys and gals will do. And it’s imperative that I not sit by and watch them grow, but nurture their physical bodies, their intellectual minds and their character.

As I watch the news and see the protesting, the fighting, the lying and the self-absorption that is now our society and our lives, I am convicted with the will to raise my children with a sense of character. Life is not just about stuff, how much stuff you have, how expensive your stuff is, and having more stuff than anyone else. It’s about family, love, friendship, fulfillment, honesty and faith. These are not the glamorous things, the most watched or the most written about ideals. But these are the things that we all long for as we mature, not a bigger TV or fancier car.

My grandparents were part of what is considered to be “The Greatest Generation”. They were simple but loving people. They went to church every Sunday and taught Sunday school for the kids and served as deacons and mentors. They worked hard but loved even harder. There was never a time that I can remember them wanting any more stuff, only more love from the people in their lives. Family and God came first and doing the right thing was expected.

This is the type of environment I wish for my kids to grow. A nurturing, loving and full home of conversation, explanation and imagination. Character is one of those elusive terms that can sometimes be difficult to explain to young children. This is why I started Bee-Tees. I needed a reason to bring up kindness, fairness and honesty in our daily lives. What better catalyst to a preschooler than a cartoon character?! I will begin these conversations with my twins in a few months as well. I can only hope that as they grow, this meaningful time with Mom and Dad and the home that we have created for them will define their personality and their character. And they can be a part of the next “Greatest Generation”.

I'd rather bee a Tiger Fan Bee-Tee for ladies and youth available in short and long sleeve!

Hear the Buzz? Yeah Baby! Could this be the year? 30 years later can we finally make it back to the National Championship? Whatever happens now it’s great to be Tiger Fan! Dabo has done a phenomenal job of  turning the focus off the individual player and on the team and their collective talents.  Show your Tiger pride in a new way with our new “happy to bee a tiger fan” Bee-Tee. It’s available in long and short sleeve for ladies and short sleeve only for youth. Hurry and get yours before they are all gone!

New Bee Blessed Ladies Bee-Tee only $19.99

What a great way to introduce our Christian line of ladies Bee-Tees than with the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-12). See our store for more details.

Blessed are those…

• the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (5:3)
• they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. (5:4)
• the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. (5:5)
• they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. (5:6)
• the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. (5:7)
• the pure in heart: for they shall see God. (5:8)
• the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (5:9)
• they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (5:10)

New Youth BLJ Bee-Bandz

the other side

BLJ Youth Silicone Bee-Bandz What’s the BUZZ about? It’s about our new BLJ (Bee Like Jesus) youth silicone wristbands! These bands are just one more really cool way to spread the word for positive character and remind everyone that we can share in the human traits of Jesus, like respect, acceptance, being yourself and being united behind your beliefs. BEE the Best You Can Bee with Bee-Bandz! See our Store for more info.