Our ENVY Organics/FHTM Family Reunion

I just came back from a huge family reunion.

Great company; lively conversation; bright, enthusiastic family members; and more love than you can fit into a million square feet of convention space. Oh, and while I was not technically related to anybody at the event how else can I describe last week’s FHTM Convention in Orlando, Florida?

All of my staff feels the same way and we love coming to any FHTM event. The Orlando Convention was especially rewarding as I got to talk to hundreds of people one-on-one and was privileged to introduce the latest additions to the Envy Organics product line.

It is particularly gratifying to hear the numerous stories of success people have had with the Envy product line. One gentleman had burned his arm badly and got relief from our Pure Aloe Gel and healing from the aloe and the cream. Another man proudly showed me his new hair growth resulting from using our sulfate free shampoos!

I had glowing reports from several members who have had great improvement with their eczema and psoriasis from daily use of our incredible lotions. And, countless who swore their hair looked better than it ever had using our personal care regiment.

But overwhelmingly I heard stories about improved skin after using our Organic Crème and Organic Oil and diminished wrinkles with use of the Day Serum, Night Serum and Eye Serum. I was really impressed with the results people are getting from the facial line. Of course, not only did I “hear” the stories, I witnessed the results.

My “family” is doing well and I’ll take as much credit as you want to give me for younger looking, more healthy, vibrant skin and hair!! We put our heart and soul into the Envy products and love hearing about and seeing the results.

Now the family was really excited about our new products. My favorite product (among the 300 or so we make) is the whipped coco-lime butter. It is magnificent for really dry skin and will be especially effective in the dry, cold winters. We also had a lot of excitement about the new Menvy line and I look forward to hearing from some of our gentlemen after they use the shower gel, shave cream and after-shave splash.

I have already heard positive feedback on our new shampoos and conditioners as we now offer a color treated product and a super hydrating shampoo and conditioner. Along with the Papaya Pineapple, there is now a wider selection for different hair types. All are Sulfate and Paraben-free, of course, while the color treated benefits additionally from sun-protection.

It was a blast introducing the other new products and your excitement was contagious. Our new insect repellant will be a great addition for you as will our coco-lime refreshing aloe mist. I keep one in my car as every year it seems I can drive less and less until I get “highway paralysis”. A nice blast of the mist brings me right back around.

On a personal note, I enjoyed the breakout sessions; you really know how to make someone feel welcome and I was energized after each of the presentations. And, I want to thank all of the FHTM corporate for making us part of the family and for building such a positive company.

This was a great family reunion; the only thing missing was my crazy Uncle Skeeter! We are looking forward to the next one.

Spring is Coming, Really

When you live in Florida and your typical business trips include the Caribbean, Mexico and Hawaii, sometimes you have the tendency to forget what winter can be like.

But this year has been so rough all over the country that the news reminds us constantly of the hardships endured by our friends in cold, windy, snow laden regions.

Looking to thaw out?

The Carribean
Negril, Jamaica
Any of the Sandals or Beaches properties would fit the bill but I particularly recommend Sandals Negril in Jamaica as well as the Sandals St. Lucia property. The Negril Sandals has awesome beaches and a ton of activities. They also have a great spa which features our products under the Red Lane label.

St. Lucia
St. Lucia also has a fantastic beach and stunning views. The island actually reminds me a lot of Maui as far as topography goes.

Turks & Caicos
Another great choice for families would be the Beaches Turks & Caicos. This truly a spectacular property that has activities for all ages of kids as well as unique programs for adults as well.

All these properties can be reached by a short flight from Florida and of course, they are all inclusive. For one price you get a great room, incredible food, a variety of activities and for those of you so inclined, all the drinks you want. There is a no tipping policy which adds up to big savings as well. You will want to bring a little extra though for the luxurious spa services featuring our products!

Hawaii
If you are starting out from the west coast or have the time, the ultimate pre-spring trip would be to Hawaii. Absolutely Natural products are featured at 30 plus resorts on three islands!

Sheraton Maui
On west Maui I absolutely love the Sheraton Maui. It is built along side the world famous Black Rock where you can enjoy spectacular snorkeling and SCUBA. The fish have been hand fed for 40 years. The beach in front of the Sheraton is among the best on the island.

Our products are featured at the beach desk there as well as the Spa at Black Rock.

Over the past few weeks, we have spoken to a lot of our customers who are tired of the winter blues and eager to go someplace warm. Sounds like a good idea to me.

Best regards
Charley

Home, Sweet Home

I am happy to be back in Melbourne. Since September 2nd, I have been to Hawaii, New York City, West Virginia and Austin Texas in addition to a trade show in Orlando. Hawaii was sales training for the pool and beach personnel and meetings, meetings, meetings. NYC was a trade show for the Health & Beauty Association; West Virginia was to see my old college for the first time in many years and visit Mom; Austin was the I-Spa Show where Absolutely Natural exhibited for the first time and Orlando was a trade show for our tattoo products. Quite an eclectic mix!

The I-Spa show in Austin was particularly gratifying serving as a barometer for just how far our spa division has come since inception in 2003. This was the first time we had exhibited at I-Spa although I have been to several shows and gave seminars at a couple on natural products and private labelling. As a first timer, you really can't expect to be highly recognized by show attendees, but we were! Despite being in the back corner of the massive hall, we were busy the entire three days. In fact, we were described by one attendee as the "darlings of the show". Quite high praise when you consider we had a 10x10 booth (nicely done thanks to Todd and Lindsey) next to some of the bigger company's huge islands and elaborate displays.

Why does our tiny company garner such attention? I think the answer is simple. Our absolutely, 100% dedication to making the finest natural and organic formulas possible. We always use the best raw materials and never cut corners for costs consideration. Couple that with innovative ideas, excellent formulators, unparalleled service and the extras that we bring to our business partnerships... effective sales training, help with marketing and even fulfillment from web sites and 800 numbers.

Finally, we can do every aspect of a resort's needs. Sun care, amenities, spa products, personnel care, locker room amenities, professional sizes and retail. We were the hit of the show in Austin and I want to thank Suzanne Clements for the awesome graphics for the booth as well as Absolutely Natural staff, Lindsey Pushman, Todd Anderson and Bob Hamner for a job well done.

Best regards, Charley

Back from Hawaii

I just returned from a quick trip to the Hawaiian Islands where I met with many of our sales representatives and conducted sales training for our suntan consultants and spa personnel.

If you are contemplating a trip to Hawaii now is a great time to do it. Although the resorts are not desolate as many of the gloom and doom crowd predicted (thankfully), it is not as crowded as in the past. So, it makes for a much more pleasant trip. No parking worries, no traffic, short or no wait at even the most popular restaurants. It was great.

If you are on Kauai, make sure to stop at the Kauai Hilton and say hello to Robert Virgillitti (B.V. to his friends) who presides over the pool shop pretty much everyday. B.V. is doing a great job for us and really knows how to take care of his clients. He also offers the largest selection of Absolutely Natural products on any island and includes several spa products (facials, bath & body oils, Shea butter, foot creme) and even our personal care line.

On Maui I did several clinics and had a great turn out for a Beach Activities of Maui meeting. A lot of new sales associates and some veterans participated in a lively meeting and I appreciate their enthusiasm and dedication to the product. You can get Absolutely Natural at every hotel in Kaanapali except the Kaanapali Alii and the Westin (what is wrong with them!) as well as the Marriott Wailea.

I highly recommend visiting one of these properties to get a clinic and some great Absolutely Natural products from one of our associates. Give us a call at 1-800-848-8498 to see if your hotel is represented and if not, check out and go to one that has Absolutely Natural!

Finally, I really enjoyed meeting with the fantastic crew of Mike Kelley's Spa at Black Rock. We did two training sessions and I believe these spa experts are about the best I have worked with ... knowledgeable, passionate and caring. A trip to the Spa at Black Rock at the Sheraton Hotel is a must do. The spa is new, stylish, intimate and has an incredible family atmosphere. Visit their web site at www.blackrockspa.com for more info.

Take care
Charley

My trip to the Cayman Islands

In the past week, I was fortunate enough to travel to Grand Cayman, the largest island in the Cayman Islands. It was everything I expected and more. The local restaurants, pubs and shops reminded me a little of back home. Considering the island is only 22 miles long and 8 miles across at its widest point, it was almost the size of my home town!

My trip consisted of snorkeling, horse back riding and just relaxing by the pool. The Cayman Islands are known for there beautiful reefs… so I knew the top thing on my list was snorkeling! We snorkeled along the very popular seven mile beach and then traveled across town to Rum Point. Both were great for snorkeling but if your interested in diving… the locals recommended Bonnie’s Arch and Doc Polson Wreck which is a sunken ship wreck.

Another highlight in my trip was the horse back riding. We rode the horses along West Bay. This was great because we were able to run the horses, walk them in the water and through trails. The horses were very well trained and were not hard to handle what so ever. I would strongly recommend doing this if you want some adventure!

One of my favorite things to when I am traveling is to eat at the most popular pubs. We dined at Aqua Beach, Reef Grill and Coconut Joes. These were the places we found to be the most fun. Aqua Beach has a live band and great drink specials. Reef Grill is right on the water so I would recommend eating dinner at sunset because the view is amazing! Coconut Joes is similar to Aqua Beach… the food is great and it’s a perfect place to loosen up and enjoy the weather. Which ever one you choose you will not be disappointed!

For romantic dinners I would recommend the Luca. It’s located in the Caribbean Club and you can enjoy your dinner seaside. I would recommend having the Seafood Fettuccine or Pumpkin Ravioli. They have a very large menu so you would sure find something you love. Don’t forget to make your reservation at sunset!

If you are looking for a hotel or condo for your vacation, I would recommend staying at one on the seven mile beach. The beaches there are beautiful and very clean. The water is very calm on that side of the island so it’s great for water sports.

Here are a few pictures of our hotel view, dinner at the Luca and horse back riding:

Vacation in the "North Woods"

Recently my better half and I took a trip waaay up north into the “Northern Woods” of Wisconsin. It’s a favorite vacation spot, among family, and as I’ve found, also among Floridians as well. Several friends down here frequent the glassy cool waters of Northern Wisconsin come summer. Just mentioning such towns as Rhinelander, Eagle River, Minocqua, and Woodruff can result in a manic reply of “Did you just say…!?” From there an excited and often frenzied conversation commences covering all subjects from the entomological pests, to our favorite restaurants, fishing spots, and lakes.

Now, I live in paradise, so you’d think, why in the world would you LEAVE Florida for vacation? To be honest, when we first moved here several years ago I thought the same thing. Nothing, however, can compare to the lake. It can be all at once, quiet, still, and peaceful… then hop into your boat and you’re zipping around the lake at breakneck speed.

DINING RECOMMENDATIONS:

Paul Bunyan's Camp Style Shanty:
This food isn't going to beat mom's, but you can't beat the kitch. All you can eat, camp-style dining is tough to beat with the family. Don't miss breakfast, their homemade donuts are delish!

Lakeside (on Lake Tomahawk):
Boat up or drive up, you choose. Delicious Walleye (all you can eat on Friday's), yummy pitas and among the best deep-fried cheese curds in town.
Otto's (downtown):
I have been dreaming of their classic brats for 4 years now. It was worth the wait. Grilled, outside the casing, these brats are hard to beat... even better with a cold hard cider.
Minocqua Brewing Company (just outside downtown):
Known for hosting the annual beer festival, they also serve some excellent savory temptations. For appetizers I absolutely recommend the Bavarian pretzel & beer/cheese dip.

I can’t believe how many times, driving through town, I looked at a lake or pond and wondered “How many gators live in there?” Funny. When we first moved here, I evaluated turns and hills as “potentially dangerous” come winter. Ahh we bring home with us wherever we go don’t we?

I could go on and on about vacation, but I think I’d rather share some pics instead
(the road our cabin is on, Patrick and I on the Dock, the cabin):