Author Archive

http://cheftoolsblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/story-of-grill-charmstm.html

 Hello folks!  Here is a little bit more of my presentation:

“Something else I did often during my R&D phase was ASK FOR HELP!

 Did you know that you can actually have an online mentor and councilor for FREE in just about ANY field or genera you can think of?  I used several virtual SCORE.org councilors during the beginning stages of my entrepreneurial journey.  They helped me with everything from writing my business plan to metal fabrication processes for my product. In November I was invited to one of my virtual councilors’ banquets to receive an award for success story of the year. It just so happened he lived in Myrtle Beach, so it was for Grand Strand SCORE Chapter 381. We still talk today.  Once again, it is all about building your virtual village.  

On blogs and forums, join the conversation.  Ask for help.  You don’t have to do it alone and people really like to share information they have learned.  People love to “talk” so ask and then sit back and listen

Another thing I did (and still do) in this interactive social world of ours is enter business contests relevant to my field.  There are so many out there for start up companies.

www.startupnation.com always has tons,

Idea Café gives away $5000.00 every year to a new business

Whirlpool’s Mother of Invention Grant is an annual contest

Make Mine a Million

A lot of these contests I learn about from checking blogs and forums like mompreneursonline.com.”  This will help with building your credibility which I’ll talk about next week. 

Let’s see…. In the world of Grill Charms™, I’ve been a little under the weather with a cold and consequently I sound like a frog!  This was really frustrating because I felt like I couldn’t make any sales calls and grilling season is creeping up fast.  The specialty retailers are buying now (if they haven’t already) for spring and summer and here I am, unable to call on any stores because I sound like an amphibian!  Very frustrating!  I did what I could via email (which is not as effective) but Monday, I’m going to hit the ground running!  Have a wonderful weekend folks!

Leslie Haywood, Founder and President of Charmed Life Products, Inventor of Grill Charms™www.grillcharms.com

Hello hello!  The other night, I was watching American Idol when I get an email on my phone.  Robert was down in his house in Miami shot me a quick note that the grilling and barbeque accessory buyer for a BIG BIG account want to talk to me! Since then, the buyer and I have chatted and samples have been sent off!  The BIG accounts (more mass retail outlets) work about a year out, so really soon they will be doing their product reviews for spring and summer 2011, (which is fine just fine) but he also said that it isn’t to late to test market Grill Charms in a few stores for this year.  Keep your fingers and toes crossed! 

Last week I was a guest speaker at a conference here in Charleston for The Center for Women www.twitter.com/c4womenchas   It was and amazing gathering and I’m so honored to have been asked to speak.  Since most of you don’t live here, I thought I’d recap the things I went over.  I was paired with an amazing woman, Jo Ann Studtmueller.  www.twitter.com/joannepicvu  I was asked to speak about social media and Jo Ann TRULY is an expert.  As most of you know, I’ve always considered myself technologically handicapped, so when the Center for Women asked me to speak on this subject, I thought there must be some mistake.  I love talking to a brick wall, so ANY chance to speak in front real people, especially fellow women in business, I jump all over, but when I met with Jo Ann the first time, I confided in her my fears.  I said “Jo Ann… I’m not really sure why I’m going to be up there with you.  I’m successful in business, I’m pretty darn good at getting my brand out there, I can talk all day about inventing, entrepreneurship, marketing and PR, but I’m truly technologically inept.  She said… “do you use twitter”… I said “yes”, “do you blog?”  I said “yes”.  “do you have a FB account and business Fan page?” I said “yes”.  She said “are you Linked In?”  I said “yes”. She said “do you link your blog and website with your YouTube videos?” I said “yes” and low and behold, she said  “YOU’RE IN!”   And in preparing for this presentation I began to realize just what a vital part social media and content marketing has played in getting where I am today.  I’m living proof that it does not take technological know-how to get started.  There are tons of folks out there that are much more tech savvy then I am, but I’ll give you a few easy tricks of the social marketing and PR trade.  

Over the next few weeks I’m going to tell you a little bit about how I used this mystical, magical box called a computer during all of the different phases of my business.  First I entered into what I call the “Research and Development Phase”.  So I had my spicy light bulb moment… now what?!

The first thing I did was turn on my computer and got to googling.  I scoured the blogs and forums for information on the two things I identified myself with most at the time and that was:  a mom and a budding entrepreneur.  Regardless of your industry and what business you are thinking about going into, “Join the conversation!”  

Comment on blogs; praise the contributors and bloggers if something they said helped you.  Post questions (or answer questions) on forums.  There is a blog and/or forum for EVERYTHING!!  The true benefit in “joining the conversation” might not be apparent right off that bat.  You might think that praising a blogger just makes them feel good and maybe brightens someone’s day and that getting active on forums helps because it answers questions you have but it does so much more than that.  It helps you build your virtual village.  It gets you connected to people already “in the know” that can help you later when you need it most.  

Our fearless leader over at the Center for Women Jennet Alterman www.twitter.com/jeannetalterman made a truly profound statement at a networking function, but I have found it equally if not more true in the cyber world. 

“It isn’t who you know, but who knows you and knows what you do.” These people you connect with during this pre-start-up phase are the people that will be rooting for you and who will help you along the way. They will become your virtual village.

3 places I started were

www.mompreneurslonline.com  OF COURSE!

www.mominventors.com

www.startupnation.com

Okay…. this is getting a bit lengthy for a blog post (Thanks to Jo Ann, I learned that blog posts should be between 250 and 500 words and be posted on Tuesdays and Thursdays)  Who knew??!!  So, with that, I will continue this discussion next week with more from my presentation “Don’t be a Twit”.  See you next week!!

Leslie Haywood, Founder and President of Charmed Life Products, Inventor of Grill Charms™  www.grillcharms.com

Bringing a product to market is one of hardest and most rewarding things I have ever done but like most folks who have never done (or tried to do) something before I had some misconceptions about what to expect.  Now that I have little bit more experience and know so many fellow Mompreneurs® and inventors, I want to share with you a general rule of thumb if you are thinking about taking the plunge.  Now I’m not sharing this with you as any sort of discouragement, but I just feel that if people are more prepared, they won’t be disappointed or be too hard on themselves later when things don’t go the way they THOUGHT they should.  (Because what you thought, is probably wrong!).  Okay… here goes…. This is short and sweet:  The first year on the market, expect to HEMORRHAGE money.  The second year, you are doing well if you break even.  The third year, you should be making a profit.  There are always exceptions, but if you go into it with your eyes wide open, you won’t be nearly as disappointed when your QuickBooks reveals the ugly truth every December 31^st. 

I did turn a modest profit in year two but that was entirely because of Shark Tank.  I was extremely fortunate.  Now again, I’m still standing by what I have always said about media…I CAN NOT rely on that (or any other media hit to come) to carry me through year 3.  This time next year do you think anyone will remember me from that show?  NO.  Sales sales sales is where the money comes from.  What’s a little discouraging to me is that what I really SHOULD be doing right now is hitting the tradeshow circuit hard, but I just can’t.  With my husband’s job as a pilot, he’s only home 15 days a month, and so child care is a HUGE issue.   Last year Pa helped out TREMENDOUSLY because he was retired and he would pick the kids up from school etc… but now what he’s gone, it just puts too much stain on my family.  So now, I need to work on a plan B. 

I’ve got a new sales rep that I have high hopes for and I just signed on with a distributor for the state of Hawaii.  I’m really excited about that!  I’m hoping for great success out there.  They grill all year round and if they do well enough, maybe it will warrant a family / business trip out there to visit J  hee hee.  I grew up on Oahu (Pa was stationed at Pearl Harbor) so I have a very special place in my heart for the island.  Since moving away in 3^rd grade I have been back 3 times, but that was BC.  (Before Children). 

Here’s a short little lesson on Distributor basics: Distributors are companies that buy and store inventory and sell to retailers.  They are “middle men” so to speak.  They buy your product is bulk (for less than wholesale) and are responsible for a certain geographic area. FYI, distributors will usually require a gross margin between 20-40%. When working with a distributor, there are many things to take into consideration.  Most will want exclusivity for their territory.  In my case, it was just Hawaii, so exclusivity was not a problem for me.  I don’t have tons of Hawaiian stores beating down my door right now, so that was fine.  I do feel it is important to put in writing the annual or quarterly sales or purchasing “quota”.  It needs to be reasonable and attainable and something you both come up with together.  If the quota is not met after the specified time period, then the “exclusivity” becomes null and void.  Also the terms should be able to be reevaluated and adjusted as both parties see fit every year or two to insure it is still a win-win for both parties.  That’s the only way a relationship works.  Well, I think that’s all I have for now.  Chat with you soon

Leslie Haywood, Founder and President of Charmed Life Products, Inventor of Grill Charms™  www.grillcharms.com

Hello folks!  I’ll get the “news” stuff and links out of the way then I think it’s time for a year in review don’t you?

http://www.thefabulousfinds.com/2009/10/all-you-grillers-out-there-this-is.html

http://tobtr.com/s/709444  (Radio interview will Heath, follow Shark Tank Alumni with Pork Barrel BBQ)

http://www.frugalrimama.com/HolidayGiftGuide/grill-charms

http://gift-guide.mywoodenspoon.com/tools/grill-charms%e2%84%a2/

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/inventRight/2009/09/30/Interview-With-Leslie-Haywood–Regarding-Appearance-On-ABCs-Shark-Tank  (Radio interview with Steven Key)

To listen to behind the scenes commentary on Shark Tank about Grill Charms, hit play: http://www.daymondjohn.com/power_journal/grill-charms-commentary-part-1/  THIS IS REALLY COOL!  Daymond gives a total behind the scenes view of Shark Tank. 

http://www.mominventors.com/2009/12/09/mom-invented-holiday-gift-guide/

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xbnrek_grill-charms-the-ultimate-grill-gad_school  Video from @The_Grilldog

I’m not really sure what to say about 2009 other then… It was “Interesting”.  I feel like I not even remotely the same person I was 1 year ago in just about every aspect of my life.  My first year on the market (2008) I felt like I was really just dipping my toes in the entrepreneurial waters.  I made sales calls on stores, tried to build up my brand and gain some product awareness.  2009 I really jumped in with both feet.  I did my first tradeshow in January then a second (one of the largest in the housewares industry) in March.  I secured my biggest wholesale account and due them going into bankruptcy, lost that same biggest account. I more than tripled the amount of stores I was in and to my surprise actually turned a profit for 2009.  (which is almost unheard of 2^nd year after launch!) I had the biggest triumph in my professional career with Shark Tank and was devastated by the worst personal tragedy of my life.  It has been a complete whirlwind of emotions, new experiences, excitement and grief all rolled into 1 little package called 2009.  Looking at where I started January 1^st it seems like 2009 was MUCH longer than 365 days.  I’m more experienced, more jaded, more hopeful and more hopeless.  I’m more appreciative of the life I have and in the same breath a little bitter and hardened by the cold hard facts of it all.  If you were to ask me 1 word that best describes 2009, it’d say it was “growth”, in every sense of the word.

Leslie Haywood, Founder and President of Charmed Life Products, Inventor of Grill Charms™  www.grillcharms.com

Hello folks!  Here are a few links to some press just to keep you in the loop. 

http://kitchenrap.blogspot.com/2009/09/living-charmed-life.html 

http://agirlsgottaspa.com/blog/2009/10/leslie-haywood-breast-cancer-survivor 

http://realitytvmagazine.sheknows.com/blog/2009/09/29/shark-tank-episode-seven/ 

http://www.mominventors.com/2009/09/30/mom-inventor-causes-bidding-war-on-shark-tank/

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/oct/06/local-mom-savors-success-as-grill-charms-inventor/ 

http://www.allbusiness.com/entertainment-arts/broadcasting-industry-television/13119994-1.html 

http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/news/29747-president-of-s-c-startup-gets-50-000-in-capital-after-appearance-on-lsquo-shark-tank-rsquo?rss=0 

http://www.charlestoninspired.com/blog/2009/10/08/local-inventor-gains-investor-from-reality-tv-show/ 

Okie Dokie, onto business!

Wednesday (tomorrow) I’ll will be doing a live teleseminar with friend Traci Bisson, Founder of The Mom Entrepreneur.  It’s free, but space is limited so please sign up now!

http://www.themomentrepreneur.com/oct-09.html#sharktank  Hope to see you there! 

I’ll give you a quick update on business, and then I want to get in a little “Pink” business since we are winding up Breast Cancer awareness month.  Sales since the show are better then they have ever been and I’m still excited to see what my inbox brings every morning.  On the wholesale front, I have tried to get on with QVC before, but have not been successful.  Most recently the buyer mentioned something about not wanting to take on many new “unproven” products in light of the economic uncertainty.  (This is last year about this time and I’m sure you remember just how “uncertain” things were November of 2008).  Well I’m going back for another try!  A broker (which is how many folks get on to QVC, is through a broker) whom I met a while back is really hopeful that this media attention recently is what will push them over the edge and take a chance on Grill Charms™.  In the past, QVC never had the opportunity to “see” the inventor and the product in action, and now they will have the added benefit of seeing about 15 minutes of how I do in front of a camera.  We are hoping for a spot on one of their Father’s Day gift giving special programs next year.  If you think Grill Charms and I would do okay on QVC, feel free to make a “suggestion” https://quality-s.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/main.html.file.|cs|cs_email,html/left.html.file.|cs|cs_nav,html/

(and maybe even give them a link to the show: www.hulu.com/watch/99124/shark-tank-week-7)Hee hee  

Okay, on to thinking Pink!  October is almost over, so I wanted to get in one last push for raising awareness and support for the cause.  For those of you who are just joining me, I am a breast cancer survivor as my mother before me.  We both were diagnosed in our 30’s.  I have two daughters and two sisters so I do what I can to raise awareness and help find a cure before my daughters turn “THAT” age.  A very talented photographer friend of mine took a powerful, inspirational and admittingly a tad bit shocking photo entitled “Hope”. It is a photo of my sister and me. 

Without getting too technical, the reconstructive surgery that I had after my bilateral mastectomy is called DIEP.  It is a relatively new and “all natural” procedure that does not involve the use of any implants.  The results look and feel “natural”.  The primary market for “Hope” is reconstructive surgeons that perform this procedure as the scars in the photo are completely un “photo shopped”.  It is not only a powerful and inspirational photo, but it also shows the results of the procedure (to some degree) and gives “Hope” to women in their offices faced with trying to look “normal” again.  Ironically enough, about 6 months after the photo was taken, my sister (whose arm and tattoo are featured) had her own bilateral mastectomy and natural reconstruction by the same wonderful doctors I had.  She had hers done prophylactically as she didn’t want to wait for the other shoe (or in our case, the other boob) to drop.  

We have decided to bring “Hope” to the masses and are donating 20% of the proceeds from www.keychainforacure.com  to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  I supposed that’s about all for now from this “inventor mom” for today.  I’ll be back soon with more!

Leslie Haywood, Founder and President of Charmed Life Products, Inventor of Grill Charms™  www.grillcharms.com

The night of the show was one of the most exhilarating nights of my life. There was so much adrenaline, excitement and anxiety. I knew how it ended, but Pa was such a big part of the story and I didn’t know what they were going to show. There was a local film crew at my viewing party and I had no idea how the “Pa” part was going to turn out, so they got my sisters, mom and I boohooing on the couch!! We’ll…. if you’re gonna put yourself “out there” that’s what ya get! I didn’t mind. All of this media stuff is part of my healing in a weird weird way. Okay…enough mush and sad stuff…. WHAT A WILD RIDE HUH???!!! (in case you haven’t figured it out, I think I’m pushing a lot down and just don’t know it) A psychiatrist would have a field day with me right now I’m sure!) Here is the viewing party on the news: http://cfc.wciv.com/videoondemand.cfm?id=49654  I did a Skype interview called “after shark” on AOL wallet pop (http://www.walletpop.com/after-shark-tank ) where I gave a shout out to www.mompreneursonline.com. The coolest part of the night was after my segment was over and it cut to commercial and my friends and family are all high 5ing and yelling and screaming and my phone rings….. IT WAS ROBERT!!! I totally put him on speaker phone and he talked to us all and said congrats again to my family and friends etc…. It was such a great night. Pa was watching and I’m sure got such a kick out of it.

(oh and if you missed the episode all together, here you go: http://abc.go.com/watch/shark-tank/225872/236301/week-7

I also just want to say a BIG BIG thank you to everyone on the production side of Shark Tank. Now you all know that it was while I was there taping that the biggest tragedy of my life occurred. Now you can read this and know what was REALLY going on: http://www.mompreneursonline.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20108

The Shark Tank crew was unbelievable. I can’t thank them all enough for everything they did for me. And as a side note, none of the sharks had any idea that it was my second time. Before you walk out to do your pitch, they know VERY little about you (on purpose). The premise of the show is to get reactions and real first impressions to businesses, people and products. When I walked out there finally (in August) they had no idea that I almost walked out there in July. It was only after it all happened that I wrote/emailed/and told them the whole story. Then we ALL watched it for the first time September 29. Not even the sharks see the episodes before they air.

Since the show, the sales have been wonderful. I more then doubled my monthly online sales average in the 5 days following the show, I received more wholesale inquires in 5 days then I had all year and the hits on my website were about 6000 in the hours following the show.

I was scheduled to go to Toronto this past weekend and film my follow up with Robert, but the trip was postponed. There are only a few weeks left in the season and the film crew was going to fly here to Charleston then follow me to Toronto etc… and get the whole thing on tape for my follow up. There aren’t enough episodes left in the season for it to air, so we are going to wait on the trip and the taping. Not to worry though… as the show states clearly on their website

“And our legal folks need us to tell you that Shark Tank depicts negotiations between entrepreneurs and investor ‘Sharks.’ The Sharks are investing their own money at their discretion”

Regardless of filming or no filming, things with Robert and I are EXACTLY as I had hoped for and I couldn’t be happier (accept for the little disappointment for not spending the weekend up there BUT apparently is was AWFUL weather. Bright side…it was 88 degrees and sunny down here.

Having said all this, I do however stand by my previous blog post of 9/22. Now that the show is a few weeks out, most folks have forgotten about the “charming housewife from Charleston” and it’s MY JOB to keep the momentum going. I do have some very exciting irons in the fire, but they are not things that just fell into my lap. Regardless of what happens in the media, it is not enough to make you millions all on it’s own. There are no short cuts. (Remember that newbie entrepreneurs!)

Thanks so much for riding along with me. I’ll keep the updates coming.

Leslie Haywood, Founder and President of Charmed Life Products, Inventor of Grill Charms™ www.grillcharms.com

Hello all! I hope you all have your DVR’s set for 8:00. The hype is pretty cool! They are leaking all kinds of little teasers. On Friday I appeared on a local TV show called LowCountry Live. Here is the clip from that: http://www.grillcharms.com/demovideo.html

Tonight I’ll be on twitter at #sharktank while the show is airing. I’m having my very closest friends and family around me to share in the moment. We are keeping it small because it’s going to be hard watching it. In case you don’t have all the pieces of the puzzle, this was all about Shark Tank and I couldn’t say anything:

http://www.mompreneursonline.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=20108&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=back&start=0

I’ll be reliving “the event” for the 3^rd time. It will be hard, but in a strange way, I feel closer to Pa when doing Shark Tank stuff. The two events are so intertwined for me that I can’t really separate the two. A physiatrist would have a field day with me!

So I have done all I can do. Every buyer I know has been made aware, every media outlet I can think of has been notified, and now it’s out of my hands. Hopefully my dream of having Grill Charms™ in every home with a BBQ is on its way to fruition! (Okay… so maybe that dream is a TAD bit lofty, but if you’re gonna dream, dream BIG right?!)

Tonight I’m going to try to tweet as much as I can live during the show. To follow I’m www.twitter.com/grillcharmer.

The Sharks are

@TheSharkDaymond
@robertherjavec
@infomercialking
@ BarbaraCorcoran
@kevinolearytv

You can join me tonight at #sharktank. If you don’t know much about twitter (and believe me, I’m no expert) and want to join in on the party, I’ll give you the REAL easy 411.

Sign up for an account at www.twitter.com then go to www.tweetchat.com and you’ll be asked “Hashtag to follow” and simply put sharktank. You will then be in on all conversations “shark tank”.

If I don’t see you tonight, I’ll write when I can REALLY talk about what happens in the tank! Start chumming the waters!

Leslie Haywood, Founder and President of Charmed Life Products, Inventor of Grill Charms™ www.grillcharms.com

It is so ironic…  Last week I was going to post an entry about the biggest lie in business and it related to Press and sales.  I’m going to post it now and hope beyond hope that the biggest lie turns out to in fact be the truth.  Here it goes:

“I’d like to share with you one of the biggest lies about business and a mistake that many new inventors and entrepreneur make. 

I naively thought (as you might too) that Press = sales.  That is simply not the case….unless maybe you get on Oprah.  PR is necessary and gives you the creditability to go GET the sales, but it is not the golden goose that newbie inventors and entrepreneurs think it is.   I thought that a few big newspaper articles, a national cable TV appearance and a few national magazines would mean life on easy street.  NOT SO!  There is no substitute for good ol’ fashion pounding the pavement.  Making sales calls is where my money comes from, not from an article in a magazine or a few appearances on The Big Idea.  Had I understood that sooner, I would have made a lot more sales calls early on and wouldn’t have been so preoccupied with the press.  New entrepreneurs think that there is some ”golden ticket” out there and I’m here to tell you, it’s a lie.  Don’t get me wrong, PR and marketing are important, but you have to understand what it is, what it does and how to use it to increase revenue.   It (in of itself) is NOT instant millions! Press alone does a lot more for your ego then it does for your bottom line. Now I might wind up eating my words someday and lord knows, I sure hope that day comes, but if you are looking for that 1 golden ticket or are basing your business plan on fame and not sales, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.  I do what I do to keep my name in the media to continue to build brand awareness, but I no longer hold out for that “one big break”.  Sales Sales Sales is where my bread gets buttered. “

Since Shark Tank has come along, I have talked with some new friends who have been on the show the past few weeks and the ones I have talked to have said that being on the show (regardless of whether they got a deal or not) has been “life changing”.  Maybe, just maybe Oprah is not the only golden goose.  Regardless, I still stand by my original statement in that basing your business’s success on press is a BIG MISTAKE and in most cases, if you don’t parlay your media attention into something more then your 15 minutes, then you will be no better off a month down the road, then you were before you got your “big break”.  I can’t wait to put this little experiment to the test.  7 more days and counting!!!  Now, in order to maximize my 15 minutes and try to turn into 30, I am trying to do all the “right things” such as notifying other media, current customers, target customers and pie in the sky accounts as well.  The day after the show airs, my press release will go out to the media and I’m already setting up interviews with folks who have been there for me in the past.  I’m trying to do all the right things to make this attention do more then just flood my inbox with people wanting to know if I can get them on the show too or soliciting everything from closeout inventory offers to warehousing.  I do know one thing for sure…..  sitting back on my 15 minutes would be a HUGE mistake and it’s going to be my job to use the attention for what it is… a door to get more sales and not rely on it to bring sales all by itself.  In the days and weeks after the show, I will call every account I possibly can.  24/7 sales baby!  Then and only then, I think it will it be everything I hope it can be.   

Leslie Haywood, Founder and President of Charmed Life Products, Inventor of Grill Charms™  www.grillcharms.com

Here are a few links and stuff for you:

http://www.uberapparatus.com/grill-charms-grilling-accessory/

http://www.toiletpaperentrepreneur.com/blog/how-to-increase-retail-sales-video

If you have a small business or want to help one, here: shinealight.ivillage.com

With October being Breast Cancer awareness month I have been sending out press kits to my “short lead media list” regarding The Pink Collection.  I have my media contacts in two categories.  My long lead which includes most magazines, and my short lead which includes newspapers, TV and radio.  The magazine’s editorial calendar is about 6-9 months out so I submitted my stuff to them around the first of the year for October.

Okay… enough small talk, I’M GOING TO BE ON ABC’S SHARK TANK!!!  OMG, that felt good!!  I have been holding that little secret in for MONTHS.  Well…. Not that I was going to be on, but that I even taped the show.  Up until you see yourself on the screen (which I did in the promo on tonight’s episode) there really is no guarantee that your segment will air.  Now that it’s “public knowledge” well…. It’s public knowledge.  It’s fun to follow the sharks on twitter. Sometimes you get an inside scoop!
@TheSharkDaymond
@robertherjavec
@infomercialking
@ BarbaraCorcoran
@kevinolearytv

Also there is a show on TV LAND called “How’d you get so Rich”.   Joan Rivers is the host and she is HILLARIOUS! There are a few episodes where she features a few of the sharks. Just to get to know them better, check out this one to meet Robert Herjavec
http://www.tvland.com/prime/fullepisodes/howd_you_get_so_rich/season1/

and

This one to meet Kevin O Leary:
http://www.tvland.com/prime/fullepisodes/howd_you_get_so_rich/season1/index.jhtml?episodeId=22365

I’m hoping she’ll do the other sharks too in upcoming episodes.

Now whether I sink or swim in the Shark Tank, you just have to tune in and see.  I am still not 100% certain when my segment will air.  I’ll let you know as soon as I know.  I’ll be back again soon!

Leslie Haywood, Founder and President of Charmed Life Products, Inventor of Grill Charms™  www.grillcharms.com

http://www.marnijameson.com/father%E2%80%99s-day-gadgets-that-help-dads-moms

http://www.peekaboopicks.com/2009/06/07/fathers-day-gift-guide-giveaway/

http://www.marinij.com/lifestyles/ci_12582114

http://www.outblush.com/women/home/kitchen/grill-charms/

Oh my goodness where oh where do I begin? First of all I want to apologize for the first part of the summer and my totally slackness in blogging.  I am going to do better I PROMISE.  Just to get you up to date on some major events in my life since we last spoke, I’m going to fill you in for those of you that don’t know.  This has been the best summer and the worst summer of my life.  Sounds like I’m being melodramatic, I know, but that is seriously the truth.  It all started when I got a call saying that I had the chance to go to Los Angeles for a fantastic business opportunity.   I arrived on July 8th and my event was not until July 11^th.  On the morning of July 10th while staring out the window of my hotel room in Beverly Hills, amazed at where I was and what I was about to do,  I received a call from my mom back home in Charleston.  My father had very suddenly and VERY UNEXPECTEDLY passed away from an abdominal aortal aneurysm.  It was truly the most horrific day of my life.  I am fortunate enough to have lived 37 years without knowing this kind of loss or pain. (My family is extremely close… we all still even get together once a week for dinner.)  The folks in LA moved mountains to get me on the next flight back to Charleston where I went through (and am still going through) the process of grieving and loss.  My mother told me one of the last words my father said was “please don’t call Leslie”.  He knew where I was and didn’t want to be the reason for me missing the opportunity of a lifetime. 

Apparently during my first few days of the trip out in July I made an impression on the folks out there because I got a call back a while later from them saying they WANTED ME TO COME BACK!!!  I was so overjoyed that they would actually give me a second chance.  The entire process was surreal.  I had some anxiety when packing the night of August 6th because I had not touched any of my things since they were frantically thrown into my suitcase on July 10th while in a state of raw grief. When I got off the plane in LA on August 7^th it felt like “Groundhog Day”.  My bags came down on the same carousel, the van was the same, the place where the driver picked me up was the same; the hotel was the same… I felt like I was in a reoccurring nightmare and I knew how it ended, but there was nothing I could do to stop it. THANKFULLY everyone involved with my travel arrangements was SO thoughtful and considerate that they made sure my room was on the other side of the hotel, the room set up was opposite etc… They were very aware of how hard it must be for me and were AWESOME! Once I got to my room and saw that the “nightmare” was different, I was fine.  Instead of being sad that my dad would never see what I was doing, I KNEW he was with me the whole time.

I can honestly say that both trips to LA were two of the most insane, surreal, unbelievable, out of body, crazy experiences of my life, just on totally opposite ends of the spectrum. Ironically enough, my long flight back Monday August 10th was EXACTLY 1 month to the day that I was on that same long flight back July 10th. WOW what a difference a month makes!  Okay… so that sums up how the summer has been for me.  Now things are settling back down, my oldest started 1^st grade and the little one is home with me until her preschool starts next month.  It’s been one heck of a summer and honestly…. I’m glad it’s over.  I’ll write more often and be better with the blogging I SWEAR!  Thanks for hanging in there with me, and I’m glad to be back!

Leslie Haywood, Founder and President of Charmed Life Products, Inventor of Grill Charms™  www.grillcharms.com