Jen

Over the last month it feels like I’ve been living in various little bubbles, hopping from one reality to the next as if controlled by some kind of cosmic TV remote. Things have been moving so fast that I until today I have yet had a moment to catch my breath, let alone stop to connect with all the people along the way.

January 16-20 I was in Las Vegas for Affiliate Summit. Once again the show was fantastic! Along with all the fabulous parties, sessions full of tips, tricks, advice and information, I once again organized the AS Mentor program, I think it was a great success. The events started within hours of my landing in Las Vegas – there were more people, more activities and more opportunities to learn than ever before! I was moving non-stop until it was time to hop a plane back home.

More photos from ASW10

I came home just long enough to wash my clothes and find my artsy mindset to head back out of town, this time to Anaheim for the Craft and Hobby Association Winter Trade Show. This was my first experience (in my entire life) of hanging out with such an enormous group of creative people – I was in heaven! I went to this event to check out the scene for art licensing, a new direction I hope to take my art. The experience was amazing yet I had a serious learning curve as far as the tone of the show compared to my past experience with the crazy socializing atmosphere of the internet socialites at . You can read more about my experience on tara Reed’s Blog, A first timer’s experience at the CHA Winter Show.

More photos from CHA 2010

While I was away, the Colorado government began the process of trying to push through a bill that would kill the Performance Marketing industry in Colorado. AKA the Advertising Tax, HB 1193 threatened to hurt mine and thousands of other affiliate businesses with one big swoop. When I arrived home from CHA on the 27th, I jumped in head first to fight for my business and the continuation of the industry in the state. The battle isn’t quite, over, as the bill still has to pass a 3rd reading in the Senate along with a final vote by both the Senate and House, however, affiliates have been removed from HB 1193 entirely from the bill. Weeeee Ha! It’s amazing what can happen when you combine the power of the people with team effort.

All the traveling, networking, learning, socializing, planning, coordinating and everything else that goes along with event hopping I’ve been doing, ended with a not to fabulous flu day yesterday. My tired body stayed on the couch all day while I finally rested my mind.

It’s been a sureal experience jumping from one reality to the next – each with a whole new set of faces. I’m so thankful for notes and social networking so I can keep in touch with all those that I came across.

Most of all I’m thankful for my family – my husband especially who played single parent while I was away.

Now on to being productive – or at least sorting my thoughts for another adventure – what next?

Over the last week, Colorado has been discussing House Bill 1193. This bill is also known as the Advertising Tax throughout the permformance marketing community. In the states that have passed this bill (New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island) hundreds of business have been destroyed over night.

The Colorado House has one more vote on this bill tomorrow, so today I wrote and just sent the following letter in hopes my state representatives hear and realize the impact their votes will have on my family and hundreds of other small business owners in Colorado.

My name is Jennifer Goode and I am a 4th generation Coloradoan – very proud of my Colorado heritage. I am a mother of 3 (14, 7 and 2) and both my husband and I are small business owners. I’ve been successfully self employed for over 10 years. I pay my taxes, support local fund raising efforts and do all this due to online business opportunities.

I oppose HB1193 because it doesn’t help Colorado’s budget, it will directly impact my business and family along with hundreds if not thousands of others in Colorado – devastating our incomes. I urge you to vote NO!

I have a number of websites that advertise for various retailers. I do not collect money nor handle transactions. I do not deliver products. I advertise and redirect traffic to advertiser websites.

One such example is http://www.detailsofdesign.com – I share ideas about creating art and advertise for various art related companies, but I do not sell the art supplies and programs myself. This business model is important to me because it allows me to run a business and earn an income while working from home with my children.

If HB1193 passes, the out-of-state retailers I work with will terminate this business relationship as they did with New York, North Carolina and Rhode Island when similar bills passed. As result my income will be devastated. This will, in turn, hurt the Colorado budget as I can’t pay income tax on income I don’t earn.

I urge you to vote NO on this bill. If passed it will result in Colorado small businesses going out of business literally over night. The amendment included in this bill does not solve the problem… Advertisers will still terminate their relationships with Colorado affiliates. This bill will not earn new revenue for the state of Colorado, but if passed, it will lose revenue for a great number of Colorado businesses, organizations and families.

I can appreciate the need to gain new revenue for Colorado. I have young children in public school, and my grandmother is also a Colorado resident. My grandfather, Rollin Barnard, was an active member in a variety of areas throughout the state including Mayor of Greenwood Village. At one point I myself was a single mother benefiting from public assistance with a 2 year old son. I appreciate and am so grateful for the funding the state provides for our children, seniors, families and schools. HB1193 is not the answer to gaining new revenue – for these types of needs – not for any of our state’s programs. HB1193 will only create more need, putting more people out of work and more families in financial despair.

Please, I urge you, vote NO to HB1193.

Respectfully,

Jennifer Goode
Colorado small business owner – Independent voter

More info about this bill, A pdf file from the state website: http://bit.ly/CObill

If you would like to support this effort, please sign up with the PMA.

I also urge you to write your representative today!

I’ve been designing and creating art for over 14 years, the last 5 focusing on Print on Demand. Now, I’m heading into a new realm of selling art… art licensing. I’ve always wanted to be lucky enough to have art I created on products for the masses to buy, yet I’ve never been sure where to start. I’ve designed product packaging and labels for clients but that’s not really MY art… it’s art someone else wanted me to make for them. I’ve also sold hundreds of products featuring JGoode art through places like Cafepress or Zazzle – but this angle doesn’t allow you to walk into the mall and see a JGoode penguin to purchase.

So Now, after years of focusing on online marketing for my art, I’m taking the leap and heading toward the world of art licensing in hopes of building relationships and landing contracts with manufacturers so you CAN walk into a retail store and find the penguins just waiting to be taken home. How cool would that be?! I can think of 100 things I’d love to see with a penguin… or any JGoode grin for that matter. I’d start collecting my own art!

Tomorrow I will be heading to my first art licensing related show, CHA (aka Craft and Hobby Association’s Winter Trade Show). I’ll be checking out the sessions and learning me something fabulous. Of course the penguin will be with me, so if you’re near by, holler and we can take a picture!

Here’s a little video that I created in honor of this big step…

Special thanks to Tara Reed for the inspiration to create the video.

I am hoping to continue to learn and grow with this new direction. It’s an exciting industry! I want to take my design business to the next level. I hope you come along for the ride!

I just received an email this morning from KHOW radio with an invitation to help raise funds for the Haiti people.KHOW will be broadcasting live from the Denver Press Club TODAY from 3pm-6pm and is inviting you to stop by and make a donation. You can also make a donation through the website or text via your cell phone.

Here’s the full message:

After being hit by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake, the people of Haiti need your help. 630 KHOW is joining forces with Andrew Hudson’s Job List and the Red Cross of Colorado to raise funds for the relief effort in Haiti.

We will broadcast our show 3pm – 6pm tonight live from the Denver Press Club at 1330 Glenarm Place in downtown Denver. You can drop by during the show with a donation, drive by the Press Club at 13th and Glenarm and we’ll have Red Cross volunteers collecting your donations in the streets (no parking hassles!), make a contribution online at www.khow.com, or text “Haiti” to 90999 to donate $10.

Nobody can help everybody, but we can work together as a city and have a real, positive impact.

See you tonight, jen!
Dan Caplis & Craig Silverman

Running my own business, working my own social networking, creating new art and grinnable goodies… all working from home –  I tend to hide out and not socialize as much as I should. I really do need two of me to accomplish the list I create for myself. However, this month is particularly busy with travel and events, not nearly as much home time. There is a wide array of topics I’m interested and involved in so the mix of upcoming events for JGoode Designs and The Penguin is rather spread out between designing art, handmade goods, internet marketing and social media/networking – regardless of how thin I might be spread sometimes, it is what I do and I love every minute of it!

The penguin and I will be at the following events,
if you’re nearby definitely say hi!

Listen to me on Twitter Talk Radio – live online
January 6 at 12:30pm PST
(podcasts of the show will be available later through itunes)

Affiliate Summit West 2010 – Las Vegas, NV
January 16th – January 20th

Mile High Mamas/Mom it Forward @Sephora- Boulder, CO
January 16th – January 20th – more info

CHA Winter Convention and Trade Show – Anahiem, CA
January 22 – January 27th
the show is really 1/24-1/27 but I will be attending industry sessions and the Super Craft Show on the 23rd.

More upcoming events:

South Denver Internet Group – Lone Tree, CO
January 12th – Clocktower Grill

COMA meeting – Denver, CO
February – Location TBA

SURTEX – New York, NY
May 16-18, 2010

I’m pretty sure me and my penguin mobile will be out and about round town from time to time as well… I do have to make sure the kids eat, ya know. So if you see me around please wave!