Leadership by Example

In my previous blog post I gave a "shout out" to Denise Schultz, cookbook co-chair with Aspen Kohl at the Junior League of Tampa. I mention this League often because of their strong commitment to publishing through their six cookbook titles. Amazingly some of the very best leaders I have encountered through the years have come from this League. Obviously, the League itself has seen the same leadership qualities in the cookbook committee chairs, as many of these women have gone on to serve on either the Board or as President of the League.

Denise sent me a story and some photos of an event she recently hosted.  I found it inspiring, humourous and fun. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did. This story serves as a perfect example of leadership and supports the theory the that it is impossible to lead if you aren't passionate about what you are doing.

Thanks Denise for taking the time to share--no doubt others will be inspired as well.

Sunday, July 24, 2011 – Mission Accomplished

If you know me it’s no secret the main appliance I use in my kitchen is my microwave to reheat food that I got from eating out the night before. In fact, I lived in my house for over a month without a stove or oven – not kidding. I realize this is not a good thing.

I sat down and started to reflect on my positions in the Junior League of Tampa (JLT). I noticed that The League is determined to have me in the kitchen. Last year I was the Kids in the Kitchen Chair and this year I’m one of the Cookbook Co-Chairs. I thought about it more and both of these positions have been MY FIRST CHOICES; therefore, it’s not The League that wants me in the kitchen I obviously subconsciously want to be there. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I’ve never hosted a dinner or lunch, etc. but I realized I have been fortunate enough to always date men who love to cook. I just figured I would be on permanent dish duty forever. I’m now single and realize that I need to work on my MRS skills and start to take charge and ownership of this quest I obviously want to go on.

I decided to give myself my first mission: host a brunch. I had to decide my first victims, I mean guests, carefully. I needed to choose people that would be honest with me, ones I could potentially cook dishes that were complete flops for but would also challenge my ability. After much thought I choose my good friend Sarah Herbling, who spent a month with me in Brazil (after that trip you either love the people you are with or hate them), Michelle Bremer (one of my dearest friends for the past fourteen years and after-college roommate) and I was very daring with my last invite. I thought about inviting her to another mission, once I had some practice but then I reconsidered and thought why not bring in the big guns in the beginning? I’ll really find out if I’m on the right track or not by having her taste my food and she’ll be honest, so I made the call: Mrs. Aspen Kahl. In my opinion Aspen Kahl is the host of all hosts. Every party she has is pristine, detailed oriented and picture perfect – literally. It’s one guest list everyone wants to be on. Besides being fortunate enough to be a guest at her events a number of times through out the years, she is my other half on the Cookbook Committee, the other Cookbook Co-Chair and very good friend. She has been warning me that at the first Cookbook Committee meeting I would have to say my favorite dish that I’ve cooked from the cookbooks… I think she keeps warning me knowing FULL WELL I have cooked NOTHING from them. From a leadership perspective, how can I help lead more than 40 women to sell something that I have no knowledge of? I have to get to know the product, period. The guests confirmed and I have to say with this line up I was nervous but it was all so much fun and exciting at the same time! The date was locked in on the calendar.

I woke up the Saturday morning before the big event and pulled out all of The JLT cookbooks. I poured over them for hours trying to determine the best brunch menu I could come up with. I choose the following:

• Champagne Lime Cooler (Capture the Coast, pg. 31)
• Brie with Herbs in a Baguette (EveryDay Feasts, pg. 27)
• Asparagus Pecan Stack (The Life of the Party, pg. 64)
• Strawberry Spinach Salad (Savor the Seasons, pg. 39)
• Mushroom Frittata (Savor the Seasons, pg. 95)
• Fresh Orange Sherbet (Capture the Coast, pg. 118)

I have to be honest, when I choose the Fresh Orange Sherbet I truly had no idea how I was going to make it but I thought I would put it on the list and go from there. I entered my kitchen and started looking at my sparse kitchen counter space and thought I really need to purchase a rolling island. There was no way I could cook everything I needed to at my house so I headed over to a kitchen that I could borrow, my parent's.

I got there, made my grocery list and realized I was now going to spend hours in the grocery store given I had no idea where the items were kept and I wasn’t familiar with the store at all. Luckily my mother offered to go with me to the store.

Once everything was bought I headed home and started on my quest. The rules were no short cutting anything and my mother could observe and add comments but not do anything. She said fine, sat at the kitchen table and enjoyed her glass of sauvignon blanc watching me work away, must have been nice.

I reviewed all of the recipes and realized that by complete chance everything I choose could be prepared at least the day/night before. This was great news especially given I did not want to worry about having to cook everything in the morning! I looked at the prep time of all the dishes and decided to start with the sherbet. Once I told my mother how I wanted to create this tasty dessert but I had no idea how to pull it off, she said, “I’ll call Connie – if anyone has an ice cream maker it would be her.” Ah, Mrs. Galbraith. Mrs. Galbraith is the cook of all cooks on the street I grew up on, San Mateo – another Aspen in regards to cooking. Of course she would have one!

I made the mix and started to grate the orange peel. Let’s just say the grater won. My whole thumb was bleeding (the peels were spared) and I thought great, I have to take a time out to mend a cooking wound on my first dish. This could be a long day. While the sherbet was mixing I began the brie with herbs in a baguette. Once I figured out how the recipe was telling me how to cut the bread (remember I am only a beginner) it was a pretty easy dish to make. My favorite part was making sure the bread was smashed like a Cuban sandwich.

From there I just kept going. It seemed to take some time but luckily I was drinking wine. I have a new appreciation for items that help you prepare the food. For example, I used my mom’s chopper so I immediately went out and bought one. Using only knifes would have drove me crazy. I was so exhausted by the time I completed everything I stayed the night at my parent’s house and went to bed.
I woke up early the next morning to head home, clean my place, bake the frittata and get the last details completed. The guests arrived and they were all pleasantly surprised. They enjoyed everything that was made and I have to say it felt good to be able to say how the food was prepared. I felt like I now know the jargon of a secret club I wasn’t in before. They left that afternoon stating that I had earned my ‘M.’


Mission accomplished until next month. I’ve decided to invite the close guy friends of mine to dinner. I figure if I really want to work on my MRS skills I have to let the guys let me know if I’m heading in the right direction or not. Until then happy cooking!

If you are marketing a cookbook, what about the job are you passionate about?

ACTION GETS RESULTS

During our FRP Cookbook University seminar in April, one of our publishers that sent representatives was the Junior Legue of Tampa.  Denise Schultz and Aspen Kahl were there as the new committee co-chairs.

This week I received an e-mail from Denise and I inquired about their sales efforts. Here's what she had to say:

"Sales are going! We had a brunch for all of the previous cookbook chairs to get first dibs on the new book (50th Anniversary Edition of Gasparilla) and we sold 104. We did a cookbook sale to the committee and sold a ton of books. I'm not sure what the final number of it is.

Our Marketing Committee just brought on two new wholesale accounts this past weekend and they are getting together this Thursday night to create goodie bags for a sales push for the month of September. The women in charge are on top of it and have created a strategic plan, a tracking sales spreadsheet and a detailed listing of vendors."

In my mind this is a testimonial to what enthusiasm and commitment mean to a marketing effort such as a cookbook. I shared a quote last week from Sue Gruber in Louisiana on their success--again it was fueled by passion and commitment.

Don't let the hype of the world get to you.  Cookbooks are as popular as ever--we're still eating 3 times a day and we crave new and exciting ways to fix the same foods. A successful cookbook campaign (even like the one in Tampa which has been going on for 50 consecutive years) is about enthusiasm, passion and effort. 

Thanks Denise and Sue for sharing your good success and please tell your other committed volunteers thanks for reminding us what success is made up of.

GREAT EXAMPLE

The following newspaper article is a tremendous example of what self-publishing is all about. This organization (Krewe des Ambassadeurs-Minden) had a vision and a work ethic which is allowing them to earn a significant profit to support the organization.

Click here to read all about the new Krewe des Ambassadeurs-Minden cookbook project.

A few things that jump out at me are how excited and proud they are of the project, but even more importantly is the fact that they are rallying the community around it with their marketing efforts. Too many organizations today want someone else to do the hard work and, in reality, that approach doesn't cut it. If you want to be successful at a publishing project, be prepared to put in the effort and you will reap the benefits.

Media Examples

Over the last few weeks I spent some time discussing Media and passed along some tips from our resident media personality, Sheila Thomas. Included today is a link to her recent QVC appearance which I hope you will enjoy and benefit from.

http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.CM_SCID.coll.item.F09021.desc.More-Recipes-Worth-Sharing-Cookbook

What are you doing to get media exposure for your book titles?

Action Gets Results

One of the biggest challenges for non-profit organizations is the summer down time for volunteers. FRP holds its annual cookbook training, Cookbook University each spring because that is when new volunteer chairs take over. Unfortunately, they then go home to “on vacation” committee members.

In spite of that, the better and more committed Cookbook Chairs take the time to make sure various actions are ongoing during this time and are actively laying plans for the fall when the volunteer starts back up.

Here are a few examples:

The Junior League of Tampa—Denise Schultz and Aspen Kohl are brand new cookbook chairs from a League who has a 50 year history of successful cookbook sales efforts. They have two new ideas to implement—one for now and another new effort when the League year kicks off.

• Hosting a brunch for past Cookbook Chairs to promote the books, especially since the highest percentage of people who buy books are baby boomers (Sustainers) and they want them as our advocates. They also plan to do a quick brainstorm session titled, “what worked while they were chairs and what didn't”.
• The Iron Leaguer competition before every meeting to create buzz around the cookbook table. Have a competition prior to the General Membership Meetings between two League members using the same ingredients they but can choose any recipe out of one of the Junior League of Tampa books. The members vote on which one is better and who wins. The point is to get people out to the cookbook table to buy books! They plan on announcing the competitors on their Cookbook Facebook page with a picture of each person and stats, etc. like boxers. Make it fun!

The Junior League of Tallahassee—Sarah Collins and Emily Howard are also brand new chairs and their book is going into its second year. They share the following:

• Emily and I are so excited to announce our first task as the incoming Cookbook Chairs is the launch of our blog! We will be taking the League year to cook our way through A Thyme to Celebrate! We are working hard on promotions for the blog and are already receiving a great response!”

The Junior League of Pensacola—Mandi Edwards is a Past President of this League but decided to take this placement rather than go sustainer. That is real dedication. Although the League is small they have a steady cookbook business with two titles (Some Like it South and By Invitation Only). Mandi has done some good planning and is ready to start the year with some strong goals.

• Quarterly press releases to Pensacola and surrounding area media outlets
• Add 10 more retail stores to our list
• Combine swaps from FL Leagues into a 3-4 book package at a discount
• Work with Wines for Humanity to hold 3 combined (cookbook and wine tasting) events this year
• Create a media kit for both books

While each of these groups is a Junior League the same principles apply to any self-publishing group. Using a cookbook as a fund raiser means you are setting up a business which requires a business plan, marketing strategy and product movement to generate profits. What are you doing to create a demand for your book?

Very Cool Exhibit

In 2009, I worked with John Guider, a local Nashville photographer who had launched the fabulous journey of canoeing the Mississippi River.  Of course John took fabulous photographs along the way and included many of them in his book, The River Inside.

Many people within the local community, including David Fox with McNeely, Piggot and Fox as well as Craig Philip, CEO of Ingram Barge helped make a traveling exhibit of the adventure possible. The exhibit debuted at the Tennessee Museum and has traveled extensively since then. On Monday, July 25th the exhibit will be located in terminal C of the Nashville International Airport.

Details of the exhibit are included later in this post via a press release from the Nashville International Airport . For a fun time please check out the John Guider website and journey with him by ordering a copy of The River Inside here.

Arts at the Airport Brings ‘The River Inside’
Showcases local photographer John Guider’s canoe trip down the Mississippi River

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority’s Arts at the Airport program is bringing life on the river inside the terminal—literally. Complete with a canoe suspended from the ceiling at Nashville International Airport, a new exhibit entitled “The River Inside” will feature photographs by Nashville resident John Guider from a three-month journey down the Mississippi River. The photo exhibit, part of the art program’s Flying Solo Series, opens July 25 and will run through July 2012. The exhibit is located in the C Concourse food court.

“By hosting local artists’ work, Nashville International Airport introduces its passengers and public to the culture and feel of Nashville and Middle Tennessee,” said Raul Regalado, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority. “The Arts at the Airport program is one way we continue to provide excellent service to our passengers, strategic partners and employees—known as the Nashville Airports Experience.”

Guider is a successful Nashville commercial photographer who stepped away from the comfortable routine of his life and challenged his mind and body in ways he never thought possible. With virtually no camping or paddling experience, he bought a canoe and set off on a solitary, artistic adventure that led him from the creek behind his farmhouse to the Harpeth, Cumberland, Ohio, and eventually the Mississippi Rivers, until he reached the Crescent City—New Orleans.

After completing the three-month journey, Guider began looking at the more than 2,000 photographs he had taken. He experimented with printing techniques, and what developed before his eyes were powerful images that pulled him right back to the immediacy of life on the river. He sat down and began to write, expanding his sketchy daily journal entries—often written in the margins of water-soaked maps—by delving more deeply into remembered experiences.

Guider began to imagine his photographs and stories as both an exhibition and a catalogue of images accompanied by texts. He spent a year learning the artistic discipline of the almost-lost platinum print process and pounding words out onto the page. “The River Inside” is not only Guider’s compelling story of his life-changing journey, but also a stunning visual narration of more than 70 platinum prints.

TV Media Tips Part II

In my last post I shared some very practical advice and tips for recipe demonstrations and food preparation for TV appearance from FRP’s “resident expert”, Sheila Thomas. Today, Sheila shares a bit more information about your appearance on air as well as how to handle some unexpected challenges which pop up from time to time.

WHAT TO WEAR: Avoid wearing red, white and black, cameras have trouble with these colors. Stay away from big bold patterns, they can be very distracting and unflattering. Small, tight patterns and pinstripes can cause moiré patterns on the screen and makes the picture look bad, and no shiny fabrics.

Your best bet is to go with bright, solid colors as they usually look best on camera. Choose rich colors such as a royal or deep navy blue, hunter or kelly green, deep purple, chestnut brown or maroon. Wear comfortable clothing that is tailored. DO NOT wear puffy or loose sleeves, especially if you are doing a demo. Three-fourth length sleeves are perfect, as they stay out of the way, do not drag through the food and are not distracting.

Don't wear flashy or jangly jewelry. You don't want the viewer distracted by your jewelry whether it is the light reflecting, the swinging earrings or noise from a bangle bracelet. You want them focused on you and what you are saying and doing. In the case of QVC, they suggest small stud earrings and a simple necklace. QVC does not want the distraction, but they also don't want the viewer calling in wanting to order your necklace (that you most likely did not get from QVC) instead of your cookbook.

Even if the studio provides a salon for hair and makeup, you should arrive at the studio with your makeup applied normally as you do every day so the stylist can see what your normal look is. They will then 'enhance' your makeup, hopefully keeping it natural looking. If you choose to do your own hair and makeup you will want to choose a matte lipstick and stay away from bright red and apply loose powder to help eliminate shine. Even if you normally don't wear makeup, a little will help to keep you from being washed out looking under the bright lights. QVC offers a salon. I used the stylist once but have found I am more comfortable doing my own hair and makeup and I have not had a local studio to offer the service.

LIVE VS TAPED: I have more live TV experiences than taped and they are very different. With live TV you have a very short timeframe to get your message across and your host can make or break the segment. It is important to establish a relaxed relationship with the host immediately upon meeting him/her. The ultimate goal for each show is a little different. If you are selling a cookbook, your goal is to sell more cookbooks, whether the show is QVC or local noon talk show such as Nashville’s Talk of the Town; however, the goal of the show is not always the same as yours. Of course QVC's goal IS to sell books – therefore, the dialogue with the host is all about the selling features of the book, and tasting recipes – talking about the book. On the other-hand, the goal of a local talk show is to entertain their viewers, give them some information that will improve their life. While they understand your mission is to sell more books, the presentation is completely different and that is NOT the focus as it is on QVC. Of course, there are exceptions to this, but that should be discussed and agreed on with the shows producer early on.

MEDIA TRAINING? QVC requires every On-Air guest to complete and pass an online test in addition to attending their On-Air Guest Certification Training. During the training, you actually are taped with a host doing a segment, then you go with a mentor to watch and critique the tape. Then you tape another segment and review once again. Noone enjoys this process. You always hear actors say they never watch the movies they are in, now I believe them and understand, it is very hard to watch yourself on screen; however, it is VERY helpful. I strongly recommend Media Training, but if this is not possible, then have a friend video you and give you constructive feedback.

DIFFERENCES IN APPERANCES & DEMOS: A QVC spot is longer, 7-10 minutes and is much more expensive yet much easier than doing a demo. You pay a stylist who prepares the recipes you have carefully selected and you and the host talk about the amazing recipes, other selling features within the book, and the host will taste 4 or 5 recipes. With a live TV demo, you must do the planning, shopping, prepping, which takes a lot of thought and time. Sometimes you might have a recipe prepared in 2 or 3 different stages and then the final stage. You also must take a lot of stuff with you. I have taken a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer, blender, griddle, and I took a small counter top oven to one show in Memphis that has a great kitchen set, but none of the appliances work. You must take all of the utensils, bowls (use clear bowls for your ingredients so the views can see), plates, paper towels, cutting board, knife, can opener, etc. Once on Talk of the Town, I was making quesadillas and I forgot a spatula. It is really hard to flip a quesadilla without one. So be prepared to improvise on the fly.

ONE MORE LESSON: Another lesson I learned is when you are cooking on TV, you do not have to be exact with your measurements, I was preparing a bread pudding and the actual ingredients combined filled the bowl so full that I could not stir without spilling – the host suggested next time to just not pour all of the ingredients in the bowl – no one will ever know.

Just roll with the flow and have fun with it.

-- Sheila Thomas, Favorite Recipes Press (picture with her son, Layne, at a cooking demonstration for In the Kitchen with Kids.)