100 Calorie Recipes and 100 Calorie Meals From The 100 Calorie Diet

Hi 100 calorie and The 100 Calorie Diet fans!  I think it’s a good day for 100 calorie recipes and 100 calorie meals.  OMG!  How can you possibly have a 100 calorie meal?  Susie says, “EASY!”  You build your meal around FREE foods from The 100 Calorie Food Counter.  FREE foods are those foods that are so low in calories and/or high in fiber that you can eat these foods all day long and still lose weight.  So without further ado, let’s get it started!

100 Calorie Recipes

Bangin’ Brushetta

4-6 Garlic Cloves, Chopped – FREE

1 Tablespoon Onion, Chopped – FREE

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil – 100

4-6 Tomatoes, Diced – FREE

Fresh Basil To Taste – FREE

Fresh Parsley To Taste – FREE

Fresh Rosemary To Taste – FREE

Salt and Pepper To Taste – FREE

¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese, Grated – 100

12 Slices of Baguette, 1 ½ oz. Each, Toasted – 1200

Saute garlic and onion in olive oil for 2 minutes.  Set aside to cool.  In a medium bowl, place tomatoes, spices and cheese.  Add cooled garlic and onions.  Mix well.  Top baguette slices with mixture.  Serve immediately.

Makes twelve 100 calorie servings.

“Down Town” Manhattan Clam Chowder

1 Slice Bacon (1/2 oz. Uncooked) – 100

1 Large Onion, Chopped – FREE

3–5 Garlic Cloves, Minced – FREE

1 Green Bell Pepper, Chopped – FREE

1 Carrot, Chopped – FREE

2 Celery Stalks, Chopped – FREE

24 oz. Clam Juice – FREE

12 oz. Baby Clams, Canned With Juice, Chopped – 300

14 1/2 oz. Can of Italian Style Diced Tomatoes – FREE

4 Bay Leaves – FREE

1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme – FREE

1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley, Chopped – FREE

1/4 Cup Green Onion, Chopped – FREE

1/8 Teaspoon Thyme – FREE

Salt and Pepper To Taste – FREE

In a large soup pot, cook bacon over medium heat until very crisp.  Add onion and garlic, cook, stirring until tender.  Next add green pepper, carrot, celery and cook for about one minute.  Add clam juice, baby clams (with juice), tomatoes, bay leaves and thyme.  Boil for 1 minute.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove the bay leaves.  Lastly stir in remaining ingredients.

Makes four 100 calorie servings.

Quick and Easy Spinach

1 Can of Spinach, Drained Well – FREE

Garlic Powder To Taste – FREE

1 oz. of Your Favorite Cheese, Shredded – 100

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place drained spinach in a small casserole dish, sprinkle with garlic powder.  Top with cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Makes one large 100 calorie serving.

Variation:  Use canned asparagus instead of spinach.

For a Cool 100 Calorie Meal, Try My FREE Soup and 100 Calorie Salad!

Simple Japanese Onion Soup

1 Celery Stalk, Chopped – FREE

1 Small Onion, Chopped – FREE

1 Carrot, Chopped – FREE

1 Teaspoon Fresh Ginger Root, Grated – FREE

1/4 Teaspoon Fresh Garlic, Minced – FREE

2 Tablespoons Chicken Stock – FREE

3 Teaspoons Beef Bouillon Granules – FREE

2 Cups Fresh Mushrooms, Thinly Sliced (Shiitake or White Button) – FREE

2 Quarts Water – FREE

4 Tablespoons Fresh Chives, Chopped – FREE

 In a large stockpot, place celery, onion, carrot, ginger, garlic, and one cup of the mushrooms.  Next add chicken stock, beef bouillon and water.  Bring to a rolling boil.  Cover pot and reduce to medium low heat.  Cook for 1 hour.  Place the remaining mushrooms (1 cup) into a separate pot.  Place a strainer over this pot.  Pour your boiled mixture into this pot letting just the liquid come through.  Discard the strained vegetables.  Divide soup into four Asian type bowls and sprinkle the fresh chives on top.  Serve immediately with Asian type soup spoons.

Makes 4 FREE servings.

Japanese Steakhouse Salad

4 Cups Iceburg Lettuce, Chopped – FREE

1 Large Carrot, Shredded – FREE

1/2 Cup Purple Cabbage, Shredded – FREE

Dressing:

1/4 Medium Onion, Minced – FREE

2 Tablespoons Peanut Oil – 200

2 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar – FREE

2 Teaspoons Water – FREE

1 Tablespoon Fresh Ginger Root, Minced – FREE

2 Teaspoons Catsup – FREE

1/2 Teaspoon Sugar – FREE

1/4 Cup Soy Sauce – FREE

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice – FREE

1-2 Garlic Cloves, Minced – FREE

Salt and Pepper To Taste – FREE

Place lettuce in a medium bowl, top with carrot and cabbage.  Place all salad dressing ingredients into a blender.  Blend on high for 30 seconds.  Pour dressing on top of salad.  Serve immediately.

Makes two 100 calorie servings.

Susie Trimble and her sister, Tammy Trimble, developed and co-wrote The 100 Calorie Diet and Food Counter for people who love to eat. It’s easy! Eat anything you want in 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500+ and still lose weight.  She has a degree from Canyon College in Health and Nutrition and is also a Certified Personal Fitness Chef.  Susie has lost over 100 lbs. on The 100 Calorie Diet and has learned to finally stop dieting and start living the 100 calorie way.  She loves to cook delicious food and create new and exciting recipes.  Visit her at http://www.The100CalorieDiet.com  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brett Favre: What Should We Expect From Him?

 

Brett Favre is in the news again. But this time it is for not showing up to mandatory practice for the Packers. Team relationships were already tense with Favre mentioning that he doesn’t feel like a part of the team since he retired and came back. He has even said that he wouldn’t mind being traded to any other team. And because things weren’t sorted out before Sunday’s beginning of camp, he didn’t show. The Packers have reported a little apprehension with all of this because they are a little nervous that he will sign with a rival. But luckily for them, his contract puts him with the Packers until 2010. Whatever happens in the next few weeks and months, we can be sure that we will be hearing a lot more of Brett Favre, and we can probably expect great things for him if he decides to play.

Favre has been in the public eye for many years, including being a huge motivator for those looking into football picks. Let’s take a look at some of his background and past achievements:

Favre played one season with the Atlanta Falcons in 1991.

He was then traded to the Green Bay Packers in 1992.

Since the fourth game with the Green Bay Packers, he became quarterback.

He has started every game from 1992 till his first retirement in 2008.

He holds the record for the most career NFL touchdown passes: 442

Most career NFL passing yards: 61,655.

Most career NFL interceptions thrown: 288

Most career victories as a starting quarterback: 160.

Most career pass completions: 5,377.

Favre was named the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of 2007.

In 2003, Favre was voted by the Men’s Health Magazine as the toughest person in America.

 

Favre has had an incredible career—with hopefully more to come. If he has his way, he will play for the 2008 season. And that will be great entertainment

From Rancho Cucamonga to San Francisco: the Arquati Usa warehouse moves

Arquati Usa, the Texas company producer of wooden picture moulding and retractable awnings, improves its distribution network and, in order to be even much closer to its customers and to guarantee fast deliveries, moves to a brand new and well-equipped location in San Francisco, leaving the old headquarters of Rancho Cucamonga, situated in northern California.
From the city of the Golden Gate it will supply the entire American West Coast: for the delivery of Arquati Usa products, Canada, Nevada and Arizona will be reached in one day only, while Utah, Oregon and the State of Washington in 48 h.
The distribution service, regarding the bay area, will be shared with J Orr Moulding, partner in the north area of California, and it will guarantee to cover any distance, at any range, with the usual celerity, efficiency and punctuality.
The southern areas of California, instead, will continue to be managed by Valley Moulding.
The move entailed a few months of work, during this period it was invaluable the collaboration shown by the customers, who patiently endured the discomforts of the “work in progress”, as the company wants to underline.
For any information it is possible to contact the West Coast Regional Manager Mark Schusterman at the phone number 714.348.7532, while for the other orders the usual green number 800- 527.0421 will be active.
For any further inquiry about the Arquati Usa wooden picture frame moulding collections, or the wide range of retractable awnings, solar shades, roller blinds and patio covers, please visit the website www.arquatiusa.com

Spanish Property in Asturias News from Spanish Hot Properties August 2009

 

 

 

Spanish Hot Properties are please to announce that they now have representation on the ground in Asturias and Cantabria to further benefit the clients of Spanish Hot Properties who are looking to buy property in Asturias.

 

Asturias is quite unique and a very special and very different part of Spain. Asturias is situated on the Spanish north coast facing the Cantabrian Sea (Mar Cantábrico, the Spanish name for the Bay of Biscay). The most important cities are the provincial capital, Oviedo, the seaport and largest city Gijón, and the industrial town of Avilés. Other towns include Mieres, Langreo,(with La Felguera and Sama), Luarca, Siero, Cangas de Onís , Cangas del Narcea, Grado, Lena (L, Laviana , El Entrego , Villaviciosa, Vegadeo and Llanes. See also List of municipalities in Asturias, Comarcas of Asturias. Asturias has a wealth of landscape to see. The Costa Verde (Green Coast) as the Asturias coastline is known is one of the major attractions of northern Spain and offers good fishing. At a length of 145km, the coast would take a good 6 or 7 hours to drive along it Asturias is bordered on the east by Cantabria, on the south by Castilla y León, on the west by Galicia (Lugo), and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea

 

As for Asturias property as Nick Stuart managing director of Spanish Hot Properties explains “Asturias has everything with prices starting as low as €40,000 to some very special properties over €1 million. Cantabria property is also quite special but is far more costal orientated. The property buyers who buy in Asturias & Cantabria are quite special and unique and totally different to those people looking to buy on the Costas of Spain and price tends to be less of an issue.  The great thing now is our clients know they can visit the area and get great first hand professional advice from Mary and her team in Asturias which is vital if you want to buy property safely and securely in Asturias or any other part of Spain, local knowledge is essential.”

 

Anyone wishing to find more about the current state of the Asturias property market or require information about Spanish property should contact Spanish Hot Properties.

Seek Aid from Vietnam Travel Agent to Travel Vietnam

Vietnam has been one of the hot tourist destinations globally for a long time. No doubt, travellers from all parts of the world travel to Vietnam to celebrate their holiday in lap of the Mother Nature. Numerous religious places, natural sceneries and landscapes, beach resorts, fishing towns, small villages, islands, vibrant rice-paddy fields, mighty mountain peaks, lush green forests, long coastline, beautiful beaches, traditional village and attractive cities of Vietnam allure the attention of travellers to travel here. However, only a few years ago, the country was known for horrified memories of Vietnam War.

But with the passage of time, now it has turned into one of the attractive and beautiful tourist’s places globally. In other words, Vietnam is emerging as one of the popular Asian nations known for its diverse culture, eye-catching coastline, rice-paddy fields, mighty mountain and hills. Some of the eye-catching sights include Ba Be Lake, Ha Long Bay, Cuc Phuong National Park, Hue, the capital city-Hanoi and numerous others. Needless to say, all the beautiful and attractive places and sights boast their own distinctive characteristics that lure travellers from all parts of the world.

When it comes to travel to this beautiful country, you will find numerous travel agents offering you attractive tour packages. Apart from this, these Vietnam travel agents also provide you detailed information and an option of advance booking for Vietnam tours. These online travel agents offer you an assortment of tours including heritage tour, beach tour, wildlife tour, cultural tour, culinary tour and a variety of other tours at with attractive offers. If you want to make your Vietnam travel hassle free and memorable, then you are advised to book your tour in advance at any selected online travel agent.

For booking your tour, all you have to do is simply fill in an online form with a few details about your timing, members, budget and type of tour. One of the interesting facts about the Vietnam travel agents is that, they also help in getting Vietnam travel visa. Attractive tour packages offered by these travel agents include flight tickets, comfy accommodation, delicious cuisine, sightseeing, etc. These online tour and travel agents also provide you travel guide to keep you away from any kind of problem.

Hello From Toronto – Part 1- A First Little Driving Tour -The City Viewed Through The Eyes Of First-Time Visitors

So my brother is in town, together with his wife and 2 friends from my little home town in Austria. It is everybody’s first time in North America and their initiation to Toronto. Just to give you ideas of dimensions: Austria has a population of about 9 million and the country extends about 900 km from east to west while the Greater Toronto area nowadays probably has about 4 to 5 million people and Lake Ontario alone is over 300 km long. The first thing my visitors noticed was the difference in size: the size of the city, the size of the lake, the size of cars, the size of supermarkets, and even of refrigerators.

On Sunday we started off with a little driving tour of Toronto where I first took my visitors down to the lakefront by the historic Art Deco style R.C. Harris Filtration Plant. All of them love water and to have a lake as big as an ocean so close by fascinated them. After a leisurely drive on Queen Street through the quaint Beaches neighbourhood we parked the car close to the St. Lawrence Market and started our walk around.

Since my brother is a chef and always loves to purchase market-fresh food, I initially took him to the St. Lawrence Market which always has an antique sale on Sunday. The food market is actually closed on Sunday. We checked out the wares from old furniture to cameras to various knick-knacks.

Our exploration continued westwards along Front Street past historic 19th century houses and of course past the famous triangular-shaped Flatiron Building which has a mural on its west side. Approaching Yonge Street we walked past the Hockey Hall of Fame, a historic Beaux-Arts former bank building, the magnificent Royal York Hotel, built in 1929, once the largest hotel in the British Commonwealth.

One of the things that fascinated my visitors most was how old and new can coexist right next to each other: shiny skyscrapers are located right beside historic sandstone churches. Our walking tour continued past Union Station, Toronto’s impressive central railway station, built between 1914 and 1927 as a joint construction project by the Canadian Pacific Railway and Grand Trunk Railway (now the Canadian National Railway). Its monumental scale, classical detail and rational, ordered planning were hallmarks of the style. The station is massive and takes up an entire block on Front Street between York Street and Bay Street. The Great Hall of the Station is 250 ft. long and 84 ft. wide.

Our walk continued further west on Front Street past the Convention Centre to the base of the CN Tower and the entrance to the Skydome, Toronto’s multi-purpose stadium with a retractable roof, now called the Rogers Centre. We then snaked our way up through the Entertainment District to Queen Street where we admired Osgoode Hall, built in the 1830s, and now an oasis of green in the city. An ornate iron fence, built in 1867, renowned for its peculiar “cow gates,” surrounds the property and its beautiful gardens. The cow gates in particular fascinated my visitors.

Our next stop was at New City Hall and Old City Hall, opened in 1899, which racked up construction costs of more than $2.5 million at the time which caused great controversy in those days. Continuing past the Bay Department Store on Queen we passed the Metropolitan United Church, an English style cathedral dating from 1872, whose churchyard was filled with people enjoying the warm day.

Once back in the car we drove through the U of T campus, my Alma Mater and we stopped briefly to check out Hart House and Kings College. Then we headed down to Chinatown at Spadina and Dundas and my visitors marvelled at this exotic, busy market area. Our last stop on the tour was Kensington Market, a lively little neighbourhood full of food and clothing stores and restaurants where we ended up picking up fresh vegetables, dry beans, and a variety of cheeses for some of the scrumptious meals to come. My brother, the chef, marvelled at the variety of food available here, combined with the inexpensive prices a food lover’s dream.

We took our loot home where my husband was waiting for us with a big brunch to strengthen ourselves for attending a birthday party of one of my friends that had the motto of “let out your inner child”. The party was unique in that it involved such time-honoured Toronto traditions as hitting a piñada while a bunch of adults were playing with water guns, chasing one another around the house with buckets of water dropping on the combatants from the second floor.

I think our visitors had a full day, from getting a first taste of Toronto, to participating in a rather eventful birthday party, their first impressions were very positive and they were looking forward to exploring more of this exciting city.

Reserve Charter Flights to and From Cyprus

Cyprus increases in popularity every year with many visitors, holiday makers and also people looking to relocate permanently to a sunnier and safer climate. This is made easier with the advent of the increasing number of charter flights to and from Cyprus which are becoming cheaper each year due to the competition between airlines.

Summer timetables are usually run from May through to October and winter as November through to April, sometimes there is overlap by a week or two. There are also special timetables that run for short periods, over Christmas and New Year or an early Easter. Charter flights to and from Cyprus are run mainly to provide transport for package holidays, excess seats are then sold off on a flight only basis. The cost of these seats is usually less expensive when compared to scheduled flights. The airlines can offer these charter flights to and from Cyprus by offering more restricted services than the major scheduled or low cost airlines.

There are two airports in South Cyprus – Larnaca is a working town and resort, a Cyprus detailed map shows that it is placed on the East Coast, and offers miles of long sandy beaches, and with the island having an average of up to 330 days of sunshine each year and the clear blue waters enabling many different water sports have made this resort popular. The seafront boasts a stunning promenade called Finikoudes named after the tall palm trees that line the beachfront with many tavernas, restaurants and bars, and the town also has great shopping with all the major shops being located here as well as many unique boutiques.

Cyprus property for sale in the East of the island area is popular, taking advantage of the charter flights to and from Cyprus landing in Larnaca makes it the ideal location for a holiday home and the biggest resort towns of Ayia Napa and Protaras which as a Cyprus detailed map shows are just an hours drive from the airport. The proposed golf course at Tersefanou has also made the area a property hotspot for investors and golfers who see the advantage of being off the plane and on the greens in well under an hour.

The other airport is in Paphos which was once the capital of Cyprus, and situated on the south west coast of the island, this lush and colourful resort is always popular with holidaymakers and has a large ex-pat community. There are beaches to suit everyone – from the popular tourist beaches, to quiet coves and sandy bays waiting to be discovered. Kato Paphos is famous for its fishing harbour, which offers freshly caught fish in its superb quay-side restaurants.

Cyprus property for sale in the Paphos area takes in all types from studio apartments in the heart of the tourist areas to breathtakingly beautiful bespoke villas in the hills, a Cyprus detailed map show these are the foothills of the Troodos Mountains which give lots of properties both sea and mountain views, and their lucky residents can take advantage of charter flights to and from Cyprus to come on holiday or welcome their many visitors who love to come and stay with them on this beautiful island!

From Cheese Hats to Satellite TV: Why Football Season in Packer Territory is No Joke

Packer Sunday is a phenomenon very few people out of the state of Wisconsin will ever come to experience. Churches filled with members decked out in green and gold. Shopping malls cleared out as game time approaches. Sudden traffic rushes at the half. For many Wisconsinites, the Green Bay Packers are more than a sports team, more than even a passion. For many Wisconsinites, the Green Bay Packers are a way of life.

Packer fans begin to prepare for the NFL season long before it is set to start. They clear up their schedules, taking note of bye weeks and Monday Night Football appearances. They get their high definition and satellite TVs ready, knowing that watching their favorite sports team in action is the closest they will get to really being on the field. They may invest in NFL Sunday Ticket not necessarily to tune into lots of other games but to watch how their long-lost Brett Favre will perform while suited up as a Minnesota Viking.

Some Packer fans are lucky enough to go to a game or two. A few will fly to far-away locations to see their favorite teams, but most will brave the harsh cold of the freezing tundra that is Lambeau Field (some of them without their shirts even in sub-zero temperatures and snow).

When Packer season finally does arrive, the stakes are even higher. Chose and shopping must be done on Saturday – especially those related to food, for Sunday may be too late. Those who head to the supermarkets on a Sunday are brave souls, facing a crowd desperate for the picked-over snacks and drinks loved by sports fans. Food is prepared early on in the day. Snacks are set out, and cold beer is stocked in the fridge. During the fall, some will choose to grill out on a Packer Sunday – all the work, of course, will be done before or after the game.

With the food set out, most move on to the clothes. Wisconsinites generally own a fair share of packer gear to sport on game days. Some dress with style and variety – others stick simply to tradition. That’s right, many Packer fans put on the same outfit – down to socks and underwear – every Sunday. And the superstition doesn’t end there.

From lucky underwear to special seating arrangements to plain old prayers, Packer fans engage in all sorts of behavior (much of which is rather off-beat) in an attempt to influence the outcome of a game. For many, the rituals involved in Packer Sundays are borderline religious.

Those looking to be astonished at the devotion of a group of people to a sports team out to head to Cheese Head Land. Wisconsin Sundays in the fall mean beer-boiled brats, cheese hats and a tolerance for cold that is all but inhuman. The sea of green and gold is truly a sight to see.

Which Nfl Semifinalist From 2007 Season Will Take The Biggest Tumble?

The list of semifinalists from this 2007 season are; New York Giants, New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers, and San Diego Chargers.
Chicago Bears had the huge tumble this year as missed the playoff as they placed at last place in NL Central.
Which team will face the biggest tumble in 2008 season?
It’s too early to see who will have huge tumble in 08 season. We have take focus on the upcoming baseball and the path ot the playoffs for NBA and NHL.

Market Perishable Assets and Other Important Lessons Learned from the Streets of Boston

Beyond its character, open markets, Freedom Trail and the scent of fresh bolognese simmering, Boston’s Italian North End street merchants offered me some of my most profound experiences of rustic but pure competition.  Long before Faneuil Hall Marketplace’s sheik restaurants and shops, street vendors dominated Blackstone, Cross and Salem Streets’ sidewalks.  This microcosm of entrepreneurs peddled fresh produce, cold cuts, Italian specialties, meats, and fish.  The occasional food vendors’ kiosks offered some of the very best sausages and pepper sandwiches, pizza, fried dough, Italian ice and pastries.   

The most established vendors, and perhaps the wealthiest had shops.  As inviting as they were, especially during winter shopping, it was the hustling push cart vendors, seemingly everywhere that attracted most shoppers.  The locals came for the bargains.  Some of the out-of-towners, many were students also came for the deals, but the folks from Beacon Hill and Back Bay came for the authenticity and culture, often bringing friends to witness and experience its theater. 

Friday afternoon through Saturday night were their money days.  In fact, most only set up shop those two days.   

None departed from their specialties.  Many built loyalties through differentiation and trust.  Although most butcher shops sold home made Italian sausages, Lucia, my mother only bought from one.  “I can’t be there to watch what they’re putting in that grinding machine”.  She only trusted Gino.

Like caricatures accentuating dominant facial features, Italians like to use nicknames describing something about each person.  Some meanings were a lot more obscure than others, some obvious.  Johnny scissors cut hair and Joe shoes was a door to door salesman.  Tucked away in a basement store on Salem Street near the corner of Richmond, Joe Bananas sold bananas; only bananas.  No one knew where Joe lived, his nationality, whether or not he had a family, or his real name for that matter, but when you wanted bananas, you visited Joe. 

Joe would receive 200 pound bunches of bananas from Central America.  They were carefully transported in refrigerated cargo ships, protected, maintaining temperatures between 57 and 59 degrees for their 3 week journey to Boston.  Joe continued to store them on meat hooks in his controlled basement ripening room. 

By introducing ethylene gas in this room, he could cut ripening time but he was limited on what he could do to delay the ripening process.  Joe was well aware his customers would not buy bananas when they were deep green and hard, they didn’t want to wait a week until they were edible.  They also wouldn’t buy bananas when they had brown spots.  Joe knew he had a small window and had to sell his bananas at their peek ripeness, slight hints of green at their edges, firm and bright yellow.  If he didn’t, his bananas would rot.  Each rotten banana cost him as much as the perfect ones he sold.  Too many making it to his dumpster, there went his profits.

Joe also attracted customers by finding differentiation.  Most bananas imported are Cavendish.  They have a longer shelf life and are more durable in transport.  However, there are sweeter and better tasting varieties.  Joe also sold limited quantities of red and other bananas.  Fortunately, this old section of Boston did not have any large grocery store chains convenient to local shoppers and residents preferred the relationships they built with  trusted vendors like Joe.

Here are five profound lessons I learned from Joe:

Urgency, sell now, tomorrow maybe too late.

Ownership, in addition to selling, Joe was CEO, CMO, CFO, head of procurement, VP of sales, office manager; you get the picture!  He owned the entire process and had sole responsibility for selling.

Creativity, Joe knew when inventories were dangerously high and would stay open a little later than normal.  He discounted prices, and gave “trial” samples of red bananas with purchase. 

Execution, he knew when to hasten the ripening process.  He had to order his inventory three months out and took forecasting seriously.  His display tables were always detailed and clean.  Articles talking about the health benefits of bananas were everywhere and he was always available to discuss the changes in growing habits of bananas and new varieties.  He was the banana king and everyone knew it.  If he didn’t do everything needed to be done, it simply did not get done.     

Passionate.  Above all, he was passionate and nobody knew and cared about bananas like Joe.                 

What does this have to do with my business?   Maybe everything!  Hotel rooms not filled when the lights go out, rental cars sitting in lots after the last flight lands, or unfilled airline seats when the doors are closed for takeoff are all obvious examples of market perishable assets.  Although they don’t spoil, unsold, they are no less perishable. 

Whenever an opportunity is lost, that revenue is lost forever and consequential revenue losses may go on for a very long time. We choose television program providers, cable verses satellite.  Once one or the other is chosen, the loser not only lost the first month’s  revenue but a revenue stream measured in years. 

A computer comes off an assembly line packed with components.  You’re in the component business.  If those computers ship without your parts, isn’t that opportunity just as perishable as Joe’s bananas?  Future deals won’t replace it either.  It’s like the Giants’ surprise Super Bowl win against my beloved Patriots in 2008, stealing a perfect season.   Although an incredibly sweet victory for New York fans, does it really make up for all their losses since their 1991 victory over the Bills?  
If we think about every sales opportunity, whether a service or a tangible product in market perishable terms, perhaps we will approach them differently.  You can’t win every sale but we can improve winning averages.    

Time was Joe’s enemy.  Joe knew how many bananas he had to sell and when.  If his sales were behind, he had to drive more volumes.  If his sluggish sales proved to be a trend, he could adjust future supplies. 

Unlike Joe, our biggest enemy might be what we don’t know.  It’s difficult exposing all traditional opportunities, but more challenged finding less obvious, different and creative channels, other ways to get to market.  You may have products traditionally not sold through retail and don’t understand how to package, price, and customize presentations to traditional brick and mortar, catalog or internet.  Help is readily available.   

Remember the five lessons learned from Joe?  As you walk through the different novelty and gift stores in and around Boston, you might find gourmet banana nut bread, packaged in cellophane like fine cologne with a distinctive red ribbon and a tag telling us it’s contents were hand crafted with only the best ingredients.  Did Joe Bananas find his way to incremental profits, salvaging those over ripped bananas? 

Please visit us at http://www.amherstmkt.com.com

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