by Chris Horst | Jul 23, 2013 | Blog |
I probably have an unhealthy Moleskine affection.
I grew up sketching and making to-do lists. So when I stumbled across the Moleskine display at a Barnes & Noble in 2006, the chemistry was instantaneous. This wasn’t a cheap Mead Five Star notebook. It wasn’t a fancy art sketchpad unfit for business meetings. Oh no. This was a Moleskine–the legendary notebook.
After paying ten dollars, I pulled out the trifold insert housed within the back cover. It disclosed the historical aficionados of Moleskines–Picasso, Hemingway, and van Gogh. And if this notebook worked for them, it certainly should work for me. I’ve tried a few different varieties and sizes over the years, but my favorite is the squared large notebook. I rarely need graph paper grid, but I like to think I need it. If graphing isn’t your thing, however, have no fear. If you are looking for a journal to catalogue your favorite films or you are a Hobbit-loving fan of Middle Earth, there is a Moleskine for you.
Moleskine: The Legendary Notebook
Since that day, I’ve not even glanced at another notebook. Why would I? The Moleskine is everything a notebook should be. If you’ve never unwrapped one of these French jotters, let me recount what separates Molekines from everything else.
- Moleskines fold flat. It’s a simple quality, but it makes all the difference. Moleskine’s flat-folding nature makes writing on its crisp pages work better than any other pad. I’ve not yet found a comparable competitor.
- Moleskines withstand stand the rigor of life. I envision the Moleskine factory filled with French artists hand-weaving these pads while drinking lattes, accompanied by traveling minstrels floating through the factory. That might not be true, but whatever wizardry they use, Moleskines are well-built. My only complaint is with the binding quality. Mine typically accompany me to every meeting and church service for 2-3 years, jostling along inside bags and resting on coffee shop tables all the while. And the binding typically weakens at the end of the tenure. So they aren’t perfect, but they are darn close.
- Moleskines make things stick. Research suggests we remember more when we write than when we type. And suggests the process of writing is a healthy cognitive exercise. This is why I prefer the Moleskine to Evernote, which is certainly the coolest of electronic note taking tools. Paper and pens trump stylus and screens. Every time.
- Moleskines fit any setting. Like a classy pair of jeans, Moleskines work in business meetings and in social settings. They are fancy enough for an important presentation or casual enough for coffee with an old friend. There’s never a bad place to Moleskine.
This might come across like an advertisement. And I guess it is. But Moleskine isn’t giving me anything for writing these niceties—apart from an exceptional product I’ve purchased. The same is true for Southwest, Costco, Western Union and the other companies serving their customers, like me, with laudable care and craftsmanship. Moleskines aren’t for everyone. And my glowing endorsement might not mean much. But if you’re between notebooks or you are suffering from iPad fatigue, take a Moleskine for a calligraphic spin.
![An Open Letter to Bell Sports]()
by Chris Horst | Jul 23, 2012 | Blog |
Finding a positive news story is a formidable task. Finding a positive news story about business is a nearly impossible task. Ponzi schemes, Hollywood’s corporate caricatures, and lavish executive bonuses define our perceptions. Examplars are one small we can all undercut the negative onslaught.
This story isn’t just inspiring–it’s personal. Mary Wolgemuth is my courageous and compassionate mother-in-law. Her survival story (as articulated by my father-in-law) reminds me that no job is just a job. And that no company just makes widgets. From the skilled chopper pilot who whisked Mary to her hospital to the medical engineers who designed the bolts that now hold her bones together. From the florists who arranged her hospital room bouquets to the gentle Southwest flight attendants that smoothed her path home to Denver. Bell Sports is just one player in the team of people who preserved Mary’s precious life during these arduous weeks: A beacon of entrepreneurial excellence.
——
An Open Letter to Bell Sports
Mary Wolgemuth has been my wife for over 34 years. We live in Colorado and we love to ride and hike together. On July 10, 2012 we were in Anacortes, Washington intending to do some riding with family for a few days. After roughly 25 miles of riding Mary lost her balance and fell into the path of a passing pickup truck. I was immediately behind her and witnessed her crashing to the pavement.
She was unconscious when I got to her. In ten minutes an ambulance arrived and shortly after that Mary was airlifted to Harborview Hospital in Seattle. Skilled doctors put her pelvis back together, while her fractured ribs and collarbone will have to heal on their own.
I firmly believe that God spared the life of my wife – but He used a Bell bike helmet to get the job done. The attached pictures show the compression in the area of the left temple of Mary’s helmet. She didn’t scrape on the ground but was pounded directly into the surface. It cracked her helmet in at least a couple of places… but it did what we needed it to do.
Mary’s Bell Helmet
I am deeply grateful to the Bell Helmet company for the protection provided to the head of my wife. You have given me my wife back, and I will be forever grateful. To the engineers who designed this, to the salespeople that got it placed at Performance Bike, and to the business people that helped to price this at a point where I could afford it… Thanks, a thousand times thanks.
God bless you and grant you much success in the days ahead.
Dan Wolgemuth
President/CEO, Youth for Christ USA
by Chris Horst | Mar 8, 2011 | Blog |
I hated the first commercial break. Just ten minutes into the show, Alli and I were instant evangelists for our new favorite show: America’s Next Great Restaurant. It’s everything good from The Apprentice–entrepreneurship, hard work, and real people chasing their dreams–minus everything really bad about The Apprentice–Donald Trump’s ego, superfluous drama, & The Donald’s hair.
Photo source: Hulu
The concept is simple: “People from every walk of life will vie for the opportunity of a lifetime to see their original restaurant concept spring to life – starting with the opening of a restaurant chain in three locations – Hollywood, Minneapolis and New York City.” It’s a ramped-up business plan competition planted in the fast casual (e.g., Subway, Panera, etc.) food industry.
Be warned, this show induces stomach-rumbling, but aside from that, we see no weaknesses. So much to love, but here are our highlights:
It’s entrepreneurship at its best: Our economy desperately needs fresh ideas, and the data is clear: It’s gonna have to come from new small businesses. This show gives a glimpse into what it takes to translate a fresh idea into a viable concept. The pilot episode was an entire business school crash course. The contestants pitched their concepts and discussed pricing, differentiation, innovation, and leadership with the talented crew of judges. Speaking of which…
These are great judges: No token old British guy. No brainless celebrities. These four judges compose a savvy, experienced and inspired panel. The headliners are Bobby Flay, Food Network phenom/burger artist, and Steve Ells, the founder and CEO of our country’s undisputed top restaurant chain — Chipotle. Bobby is the chops and Steve is the genius–a tandem cowering above the likes of Abdul & Cowell.
The judges are the investors: This is the show’s most unique concept. The judges aren’t just critiquing the contestants and their concepts to conjure-up oohs and ahs. They are determining whose name is on their respective checks as the winning contestant will be funded and coached by the judges themselves. They have skin in the show.
Sure, there are probably better things to do with an hour each week than watch a TV show. You could plant a tree, read a self-help book, or knit a sweater. But, nobody plants trees at night or actually helps themselves after reading self-help books. And, you can knit your heart out while still watching the show.
To boot, this isn’t Skating With The Stars. It’s Hollywood at its best–an educational and inspirational delight. Like The Social Network, I finished watching compelled to create. To innovate my own restaurant concept (..and I do have a great concept). If I were Bobby Flay, I would be high on Joseph Galluzzi and his grandma’s meatball recipe. Maybe I’m going out on a limb (can you really build a restaurant around a meatball?), but watch for yourself and convince me why you wouldn’t invest in Joe. Like the show and the judges; he’s the real deal.
[vodpod id=Video.5721398&w=500&h=413&fv=]
by Chris Horst | Oct 27, 2010 | Blog |
We are city folk. I’m not sure how or when it developed, but Alli and I love urban living. While we certainly are activists for the joys of the city, we aren’t exclusivists. We love small mountain communities, rolling farmland and the towns outside the city — the suburbs. For us, however, the city is home. And here’s why:
Density: Cities are packed with people. Houses are slammed against each other and apartments are stacked up high. Streets swarm with all stripes of humanity on bicycles, in cars, riding buses and boarding light rail (or, as true urbanists hope: Walking). This people potpourri creates an incredible amount of energy. Weekend days in the city are filled with street festivals, political picketers, farmers markets, sporting events…on top of the normal hustle and bustle.
(photo credit: Lancaster Living)
Culture: We like living in community with folks who look, think and act radically different than we do. It’s not a race issue as much as a variety issue. Our neighbor, Vicky, has lived in our flavorful neighborhood for 45 years. She’s a widowed, African-American great-grandmother who has lived through the civil rights era and has spent a life watching the streets where we now live. There is a Latino entrepreneur who peddles his tamale varieties while peddalling his bicycle through our neighborhood. It’s a joy to be surrounded by people and perspectives from different age brackets, cultures, faith backgrounds, and educational levels.
History: Our cities are like living memoirs, filled with stories, buildings, scars, and relics of our country’s past. We love the aging homes, ornate old church buildings, and the stories of our city’s yesteryear. The richness of these stories is woven through the tree-lined streets and historic neighborhoods–and the people who walk them.
Need: In 1900, 9% of our world’s population lived in cities. In 2000, that percentage exploded to 50%. Where there are lots of people; there are lots of challenges. Cities, and uniquely so in our country, are poor. We are drawn to live in tough neighborhoods because we feel called to do so.
City living is the hip thing to do these days. But, for the above reasons, I don’t think that we are living here (solely) because its cool. I just think it happens to be that many people share some of these same appreciations. But, either way, we love it.
by Chris Horst | Jun 3, 2010 | Blog |
I’m not a big hanger guy. I’m really not. But, some hangers simply outperform the others… and their story needs to be told. So today, I would like to publicly celebrate “The 2” pant hangers. I nickname this item “the 2” for purely visual reasons. As opposed to standard hangers, these beautiful time-savers provide easy access to your trousers via one open-ended side, leaving the shape of the hanger resembling a number two. Don’t let the name fool you, however. In my books, this culture-altering hanger is absolutely numero uno.
It would come as no surprise to learn that many of you are skeptical, and perhaps even scoffing, at this post. But, my guess is the scoffers are also those who have never experienced the metal and vinyl brilliance of “the 2.” I can say this with confidence: You will scoff no more if you throw down the extra few bucks to pick up a few of these closet champions.
It will make getting ready for work and coming home at the end of the day less stressful and more efficient. If your experience mirrors my experience, your hanger-to-legs time average (and, on the flip-side, your legs-to-hanger time averages) will be slashed in half. I will provide this warning, however. After your purchases (just make the investment and buy a handful), you will quickly loathe the fact that you spent the majority of your life without “the 2.” But, apart from self-loathing, you have nothing less to lose.
It is time to demand excellence in our britches’ storage. Our khakis, chinos, dress slacks and corduroys deserve nothing less. Join me in kicking the cheap plastic hangers and dry cleaner throwaways to the curb.
(Chris)
