OpenSky Blog

The US economy is facing tremendous dislocation. Work isn’t available. Hiring is at a standstill. Real change has come to America. It is the brutal and fierce change of an economy that is leaving many talented people without a viable way to create economic value for themselves and their families. I read President Obama’s State of the Union speech this morning. I voted for him and believe he has the potential to be a great leader. In his speech he talks about “creating jobs” and job programs. This is goodness and I hope it will lead to better roads, high speed rail and other essential improvements to the basic infrastructure of our country.

But I do not believe it will create the energy our economy needs to flourish.

What we need today are platforms that talented people can use to create opportunity for themselves. Twitter is platform for establishing real time influence. YouTube is a platform for entertaining the world. Our OpenSky platform, while certainly young, is potentially as powerful. OpenSky is the way for people to take what they know, what they care about, and with the force of their ingenuity and relentless hard work and hustle, build a long-term commerce business for themselves.

If you’re a supplier or inventor of an amazing product, OpenSky is the distribution that you need. Our platform connects you to hundreds of taste-makers and millions of consumers. Make a great item and work like hell to get OpenSky Shopkeepers to sell your goods.

If you have expertise and are building a brand around your knowledge and passion, OpenSky can help you turn that energy into income. This requires hard work, tremendous focus and a commitment to excellence that your audience and consumers demand.

There really aren’t any shortcuts or easy solutions. Here at OpenSky, we’re taking as much of the friction away as we can: can’t afford inventory, you don’t have to; don’t have access to great goods, we do; can’t find people to co-market with, meet our community.

OpenSky Shopkeepers are making money and Suppliers are finding new markets. They are establishing a new channel and building the foundations for their future success.

We are at the beginning of the road. There is a lot of work ahead. I am optimistic about our future.

- john caplan

The Super Bowl is about more than competition; it’s about more than three-million-dollar ads. It’s about eating. With friends.  And because we believe that there’s nothing quite like lounging around and eating with great company, we’re helping you and your friends celebrate with a Super Bowl Special contest and sale!

Our Shopkeepers know a thing or two about cooking and entertaining friends, so it was no hard task to scour OpenSky for some of the best products to help you create the ultimate Super Bowl party.

We chose a few game time necessities, whether your goal is to throw a classic Pretzels and Beer Super Bowl party or a Super Chic Super Bowl soiree. When you sign up for a Super Bowl coupon, you’ll get 25% off any of our Super Bowl party picks AND a chance to win one of our two complete Super Bowl party packages!

So which type of partier are you?

Super Beer or Super Chic?

You make the call.

Four new shopkeepers in the Fitness, Parenting and Cooking categories are officially open for business at OpenSky!

Emily of Healthy Fit Mama just became a mommy in March! However, that hasn’t stopped her from being active and continuing to make healthy choices when it comes to meals. She is striving to stay fit and healthy not only for my well-being, but also to set a good example for my daughter as she grows up.

In Emily’s first blog on her OpenSky shop opening, she was excited to share the Bosu Trainer Ball with her audience. “This product is one of the most versatile pieces of fitness equipment. You can stand on it, jump over it, do crunches on it, and even turn it upside down and do push ups with it! It makes a wonderful addition to any home gym”.

Danica of Danica’s Daily has a passion for all things food, whether it is going out to eat or making her own healthy versions at home.

In Danica’s blog announcing the opening of her OpenSky shop she revealed to her audience why she deiced to open an OpenSky shop. “My goal is to add a personal experience with each product and hopefully to feature as many as I can on my site so you know first hand why I LOVE the products I am displaying”.

Stacy of Glimpse Reviews was born, raised and still lives in southern Manitoba. Being a wife and mother is all that she has ever wanted, and she is so happy to be living her dream”.

Stacy’s first OpenSky blog post announcing the opening of her shop gave insight into why she thinks OpenSky is perfect for her and her readers. “The really cool thing is that it is interactive. So if you are interested in a product, you can get some great feedback on what it’s like, before you make your purchase”.

Two years ago April of The Weigh I am joined dreambodies.net, and it was the best decision that she ever made. She has competed in figure competitions and she is now content with herself, and is anxious to see where her life will go. However, that does not mean that she isn’t pushing 110%, because she always striving to mold her physique every single day.

In April’s first blog post about her OpenSky shop, she explained to her readers what the OpenSky brand was all about. “The Open Sky Project is a place designed to make online shopping a more friendly place with interaction between shopkeepers and consumers and manufacturers. I was thrilled to be contacted and have the opportunity to be working with them”.

For the holidays this year, John and Alan gave everyone a copy of Jim Collins’ Built to Last.  The book looks at why some companies become visionary industry leaders and others remain simply successful.  Think Walmart vs. Ames or Disney vs. Columbia.

Collins gave a lot of examples and case studies but the one that resonated the most with me was the willingness of visionary companies to take huge risks, accept failures along the way, continue to innovate and as a result, thrive.

My favorite example is Boeing.

THE SETTING: In 1952, Boeing was primarily a builder of military planes and had failed repeatedly to break into the commercial market.  Rival Douglas Aircraft believed propeller-driven planes would dominate the future of commercial air travel.

THE RISK: Boeing ignores its past failures and industry conventions and commits to building a commercial jet powered plane – the 707 and then the 727 and 737 and then the 747.

THE RESULT:  Well…have you ever heard of Douglas Aircraft?

The best part is that Boeing never stopped taking risks and accepting failure.  Building the 747 jumbo jet required the resources of the entire company.  If the 747 failed, the company would fail.  And in fact the jet didn’t sell as well or as quickly as Boeing predicted and Boeing laid off 60% of its workforce before  sales of the 747 picked up.

OpenSky is working to revolutionize shopping – to make connections between Shopkeepers, Suppliers and Shoppers that do not exist today on a new complex technological platform.  Since we are growing and moving so fast in many new directions, we encounter and face challenges daily.  And I know we always will.

Our latest Shopkeepers to join the OpenSky Community are Alyson from Nourished Fitness, Jenn from Eating Bender, and Lori from Finding Radiance.

Here’s what Alyson is blogging about today:

“Right now I just have a handful of products, but they are all things I regularly rave about, don’t know what I’d do without, and are must haves for any fitness-minded, healthy living enthusiast. There are a couple fitness products, a bunch of my favorite kitchen tools, and a couple food items too. I wrote brief summaries on why I use/love each of the products, and every so often I’ll post specific recipes, cooking technique or helpful hints related to them. Though I must admit, everything that’s on the shop I already talk about all the time.. that’s what’s great about this site, it’s all about spreading the word on items I already go on & on & on about anyway, and now there’s an easy place to buy them. Love it!”

Alyson is a figure competitor and began her blog back in Fall 2009 to document her first competition. Her blog has become a place to document  “daily experience with, and philosophies on, fitness and nutrition as she pursues a fit and delicious life!”

——

Check out what Jenn is posting…. An OpenSky Dinner Special!

“Yes, friends. Like several of my fellow bloggers (even more, I’m sure, than who I have linked here), I have decided to open shop on OpenSky! My store is still technically under construction, but I now have three of my favorite products added and you can check them out at my store front.

Click here!

I’m so glad that everything is finally ready for launch. The great thing about this site is that it allows me to share my favorite products with you and allows you to engage in a discussion around them! I can’t wait to continue adding new items that have inspired my blogging in some way these past (almost!) two years.”

Featured in this post are veteran Shopkeepers, Zesty Cook, Carrots ‘N Cake, Kath Eats, and Megan’s Munchies.

Jenn lives in Chicago and writes about finding time for great food even when things seem a little hectic!

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Lori asked her readers to “Follow her to OpenSky” this week… check it out:

“The Open Sky Project is basically a place designed to make online shopping a more friendly place with interaction between shopkeepers and consumers and manufacturers.

What I hope to focus on with my shop is being environmentally conscious, health and fitness conscious, and incorporate my love of the outdoors (and food – you know there is a wafflemaker up there!).  This will be an evolving project for me, so if you want to bookmark the site, please feel free!  Open Sky is working with us to find really neat things to add all the time!

Open Sky is also going to donate their proceeds during January to benefit the Haiti earthquake victims, so this is the perfect time to be introduced to OpenSky if you have not seen it before.”

Lori has lost 105 pounds in the last couple years and documents her success and sells products that can help you too!

I had a very successful and interesting time last week attending the LA Gift and Home show.  This was the first time that I was able to meet vendors face-to-face as a representative of OpenSky and I can’t express how much easier it was to relay the company mission and goal in person rather over the phone or through e-mail!

Vendors were much more excited about the idea and concept once they saw how enthusiastic I was.  The hand-outs which Mike provided to the buyers and ShopKeepers attending were essential and were much better than just passing out the traditional card.  (I definitely recommend bringing these to a show with your card attached)

My first stop was on Tuesday to the LA Mart.  (I went on the first day before the weekend because I knew that the showrooms would not be as busy with their normal accounts and might have more time to speak with me.) The LA Mart is a large building in downtown Los Angeles filled with furniture, gift, accessory, home decor, textile, and seasonal showrooms.  Now since showrooms make a money from orders being placed, these showrooms were generally not to keen on listening to my OpenSky pitch since we were not interested in placing orders, just opening accounts.  But some showrooms were happy to show me lines which did drop ship and I did write down names of several accounts to contact on my own without the help of the showroom. (the notepad feature on your iphone is perfect for this task as from afar it looks like you are just typing a text or email).

Then it was time to hit the Gift Show at the LA Convention center on Friday.  Honestly I was quite disappointed with the show.  The show was almost 1/2 the size of two years ago and childrens section was almost non-existent.  I felt as if most of the concentration was for product to fill vacation touristy stores. But I powered through to try and find some gems in the rough for departments other than my specialties.  Luckily I found some great vendors to sign up.  One of the highlights was meeting up with Mary Kinkaid, a ShopKeeper and founder of Zuburbia.com. I had a wonderful time visiting with her and talking about OpenSky.  It was helpful to have someone else there from OpenSky to double-team vendors and answer questions.

After a long Friday at the Convention Center I did not return to the show until Monday when I went back to the LA Mart to check out the temporary exhibits (only exhibiting Friday-Monday).  I was very successful there and was happy to sign on quite a few new vendors.

My best advice is to not give up, smile, stay positive (even if people are rude) and pass out your OpenSky information.

Here is the list of some of the lines that I am hoping to bring to OpenSky in the next few weeks:

Baby/Children: little nest, Moonlight Slumber, Go Go Gear, Empress Arts, Urban Infant, Ribbit-Ribbit, Moncalin

Home/Decor: Mantague & Capulet, LG Designs, Collectibles, Napa Home & Garden, Corsican, EnviCorp, Whitelines

Jewelry: Branch, Cake

Lifestyle: Picnic Time, Table in a Bag

…stay tuned!

When winter strikes it can often be difficult to stay upbeat and energized; however, this doesn’t have to be the case. It’s time to take control! According to basic Feng Shui principles, adding certain colors to your life can transform the way you think and behave. Below, you will find a list of amazing OpenSky products that correspond to any mood or emotion you might be craving.

White is the color of serenity, poise, and confidence. If you often lose your cool on the golf course, this adorable headcover will protect your driver and keep you levelheaded. Or perhaps you are looking to transform an outdoor space into a tranquil destination? This wind chime combines light and sound for a magical effect!

Red is the color of joy, sexuality, and passion and has the ability to instantly boost your energy. Instead of spending an expensive evening out at a restaurant, cuddle up with your sweetie around the fondue pot, a much more intimate and fun alternative. Make sure to wear this chic reversible cooking apron while prepping for the evening and become the vixen of your kitchen.

Pink is the color friendship and love. Nothing will make your friends feel more special than receiving a thoughtful surprise in the mail from you. This “Piggy Paint” package offers two bubbly pink nail polishes; a percentage of your purchase is donated to help fight breast cancer! Another thoughtful option are these gorgeous and tasty Love & Kisses cookies. They’re even organic! Or if you have the time, unleash your inner Martha Stewart and make your own cookies with this amazing pink rolling pin.

Blue is known for its ability to calm, relax, and heal. A kitchen is the heart of a home, so it’s important to add many cool blue touches for a sophisticated and classic look. Perfect in its ability to calm Fido down, this dog duvet can be customized to your home and is earth friendly. A perfect addition to your Sunday morning routine of crossword puzzles and The New York Times are these tribal-inspired mugs. It’s a playful touch that lends a relaxed, comfortable feeling to your routine!

Yellow is the color of cheerfulness, friendliness, and energy. Using inspiration from the sun, bring yellow to your outside routine for the maximum effect. Give back to nature with this simple yet effective Sunflower & Nut feeder sure to make your backyard the hit of the neighborhood. Energized by its vibrant yellow color, update your garden with this fun Groundhog rake. This rake is super easy to use and really effective – results guaranteed!

-Lindsay

OpenSky is growing larger everyday, and it is my pleasure to welcome 3 new shopkeepers to the community. Please Welcome…….

Rachel of Hounds In The Kitchen
Hounds in the Kitchen is the chronicle of the urban homestead occupied by Rachel Tayse Baillieul and family. She loves nature, eating, and the connections between them. Rachel, Alex, Lillian, and their two dogs live in the mid 1900s neighborhood of Clintonville in Columbus Ohio. They grow a large organic garden on their small urban lot. They cook for themselves, friends, and family in their recently renovated kitchen.

One of the products that Rachel has chosen to sell in her shop is the Ball Blue Book Guide To Preserving because she says, “it is the be all end all guide to home canning”.

Kelly of Healthy Living with Kelly

Kelly is 28 years old with a HUGE passion for Healthy Living! She lives in Austin, Texas with her husband Keith. She has her personal training license from The American Fitness Training of Athletics (AFTA) and her Nutrition Manager certification from The American Academy of Sports Dietitians and Nutritionists (AASDN). Her passion is to show people that healthy living can be a lifestyle that is obtainable and not a sacrifice. After getting her nutrition manager certification she realized that a lot of people out there are willing to make the necessary nutritional changes yet they simply don’t know how. Nutrition can get very scientific and be very confusing causing most people to just throw up their hands in disgust. Her mission is to be the bridge between the science and the everyday life.

One of the products that Kelly has chosen to sell in her shop is the
Body Sport -Balance Disc because she says, “It makes your workouts even harder”.

Lisa of Kidding About

KiddingAbout is all about pointing you in the direction of great products that will help you encourage creativity in your kids through art and play. Lisa Keegan is the founder of KiddingAbout and is a professional artist with three young children.

One of the products that Lisa has chosen to sell in her shop is the Melissa & Doug Easel Accessory Set because she says, “It has everything you need for getting started with the Easel.

We have a saying at OpenSky: Doing Well By Doing Good.

We try to keep this phrase in mind whenever dealing with Shopkeepers, Suppliers, Shoppers and each other.  It helps guide us.

This past Friday, it helped guide us to the decision of helping the Haitian people.  So we announced to our Shopkeepers that we’d be donating 100% of the profits generated from sales between Friday and the end of today.

The response has been overwhelming.  OpenSky team members emailed thousands of their friends and family, while Shopkeepers tweeted, facebooked, posted on their blog to get the word out.

Additionally, many Shopkeepers volunteered to donate 100% of their profits as well.  Here are just a few:

Robert from Bunker Shot
DeDe from DeDeMed
Lexy from Alexandra Zissu
Elizabeth from Gourmet Kosher Cooking
Tamara from Glamamara
Megan from Megan’s Munchies
Genevieve from North Coast Gardening
Vickie from Vickie Howell

Please check out their Shops and learn a bit more about our amazing Shopkeepers.

Thank you.