"You gotta learn how to box."

Yep, that's what her dad told her.

Several weeks ago, I had coffee and conversation with a "new friend," Leasa Maxx, who with her husband Terry, owns Maxx Grafx, a graphic design business.

She has a sister and although she felt her dad was partial to girls and wanted them to wear pink, frilly things, he had a few rules when his daughters were growing up: he felt that all intelligent, hard-working, independent women had to know how to box, how to give a proper handshake (web to web, firm but not too firm) and how to drive a stick shift while wearing high heels!

Perhaps it's the age difference between me and Leasa, but my parents were just the opposite - my brother got to learn and do all the "guy things" and I didn't. Although they did make me learn how to drive a stick shift, they made me take typing in high school. How sexist! And he got to learn how to light the pilot light on the water heater!

Hindsight being 20/20, I've always been glad that I could drive a stick and that I know my way around a keyboard. And when is the last time that knowing how to light a pilot light on a water heater came in handy?

Did your parents have any rules about what you had to learn when you were young?

Do you collect anything?
Alex Trebec of Jeopardy! fame noticed long ago that many of the show's contestants are collectors of various things. Over the last 40 years, I've amassed way too many collections.

My oldest and largest collection was owls - all kinds except for real ones. Wood, glass, paper, stone, clay, paintings, drawings, ashtrays, matchboxes, sculptures, bookends, candleholders - you name it and I had it. At last count, I had almost 400 before I started to sell them.

Then I moved on to angels and cherubs, especially antique cherubs. Then faces. Then reading art. Then nudes. Then antique yellow pitchers. Then antique blue pitchers. Then other related pieces of art...the list goes on.

I've almost stopped collecting anything now and I'm planning to get rid of most of it.

Except my Santas! Oh, how I love my Santas. I haven't even tried to count them. My whole house this Christmas season is Santas - everywhere you look. My pride and joy is my Christmas tree. But I'm afraid if my devious black cat doesn't destroy it, my 18-month old granddaughter will when they're here for the holidays. Oh, well...there's always next year.

What do you collect? How many do you have? What's your favorite?

What's in a name?

I recently met an entrepreneur, or should I say a "pandapreneur?"

Several weeks ago at a luncheon meeting of the Women's Entrepreneurial Network, I met Randa (The Pandapreneur) Shallal who recently started her own business, "Sweet Louise Sauces." She produces and sells wonderful toppings for ice cream (I tried them so I know first hand how good they are!). We started talking about how we came about naming our businesses.

I started using the name "Sandy's Stuff" in the early 90's when I tried my hand as an antique dealer (LONG before I ever dreamed I'd someday own a women's consignment store). I then registered that name when I applied for my vendor's license (still not knowing exactly what I wanted to sell). In hindsight, the name worked because I ended up doing several different things under one business name.

I also thought people would remember my name since it's part of my business name. (Was I wrong - hardly a week goes by without someone calling me "Sally!")

So how did Randa come up with Sweet Louise? Well, her fiance's last name (and soon to be hers) is Sweet. So that part makes sense. One day, she and her fiance were agonizing over what to call their new enterprise. Their cat Louise startled them by jumping up on the table. Her fiance yelled, "Sweet Louise!" . . . and the rest is history.

What is the origin of the name of your business? If you weren't able to name it yourself, what would you have named it?

What I learned from Bonnie...

Bonnie is the store's newest employee and started about six months ago. My husband is actually the one who suggested her. She also works in friends' restaurant, Ansara's Steakhouse, and we'd known her from there for almost two years.

Bonnie is a great waittress, but how would I know if she would do well in a women's clothing store? Let me tell you I had nothing to worry about.

I taught Bonnie most of her duties. But one thing I didn't have to teach her was how to treat customers and how to "help" them buy. Now I don't like to be bothered at all when I shop. Leave me alone and let me find/look for what I want.

So one day early in her employment, one of my semi-regulars (I'll call her Ruby) came in and began browsing through the shirts & blouses. Within minutes, Bonnie approached her and asked if she was looking for anything in particular.

"Yes, " Ruby replied, "I'm looking for camisoles or shells to wear under my suits that I wear to church. Bonnie then started going through the racks and I was concerned that that would bother Ruby.

Not to worry - Ruby came in to buy at the most two items - she left with six!

So the next day with Bonnie not there, I tried the same thing. And had the exact same results! A woman came in to buy one or two items for which I helped her look and she bought six!

Thanks, Bonnie, for teaching this old bird a thing or two about retail.

Have you ever had a newcomer teach you a thing or two about your own business?