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The Tip is 'Ask Before You Buy' I went to a department store for a pair of dress shoes recently. The clerk helped me with three different pairs that I tried on. 'The Big Secret' was on the forefront of my mind so I asked, "Are these shoes imports?" The salesman responded that they were in fact imported. "Do you have any Made In America shoes like these?" I asked. To my surprise he said, "We have a whole line of Made In USA shoes." I was able to purchase the same color and style with the Made In USA label. These Made in America shoes were less expensive, came with a better warranty and were more comfortable. It's amazing how often this simple Made in US question yields unexpected and often times pleasant results. I now ask this question regularly, whereas before I would not have thought to ask for a Made in America alternative. More often than not, I can find a Made in America product of higher quality and at the same, or slightly higher price. Asking the question is so simple and can make a positive impact, in both the short and long term. Try it sometime. If you are like me, you may be surprised with how many Made in US products are out there. You will love it when you realize you are making a difference that benefits many. With your help America will be ours again and that is a good thing. Buying Tip Continued - Read more on Made in America Products by Green Toys We believe the world would be a much better place if everyone said please and thank you, cell phones didn't ring during movies, and all toys were fun, safe, and made from environmentally friendly materials. Since it's probably no use holding our breath for those first two, we're concentrating on the toys. Green Toys Inc. makes an awesome line of classic children's toys constructed from recycled plastic and other environmentally friendly materials. This helps reduce fossil fuel use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improving the overall health and happiness of the planet. Robert von Goeben - Co-Founder, Products Way back in the pre-Green Toys era, Robert was the founder of Propellerhead Studios, a leading Silicon Valley design studio specializing in electronic toys and games. At Propellerhead Studios, he worked with many major toy companies, including Mattel, Radica and Wild Planet. Before that, he was the founder and managing director of Starter Fluid, a seed-stage venture capital fund backed by institutional and corporate investors, including Compaq Computers and the University of Chicago. Robert's career began in the entertainment industry where he started and managed the online division at Geffen Records. Robert has an MBA from the University of Southern California and a BA in Mathematics from the State University of New York. Bonus factoids: Robert holds two U.S. Patents in the field of toys and games, and plays a mean set of drums. His all-time favorite toy is Bing Bang Boing. Laurie Hyman - Co-Founder, Marketing Prior to starting Green Toys, Laurie worked as a marketing executive for several online consumer-marketing companies, including most recently Ingenio, a pioneer in combining the power and ubiquity of the Internet and phone to connect buyers and sellers. Before that, she was the first member of the marketing team at Webvan, where she managed relationships with some of the world's largest consumer packaged good companies, including P&G, Nestle, Coca-Cola, Kraft, General Mills and Pillsbury. Laurie also served as the director of marketing at Goodcompany.com, one of the Internet's first online social networks. Laurie has an MBA from the University of Southern California and a BA in Business from Indiana University. Bonus factoids: Laurie is a certified public accountant, bakes incredible brownies, and has run the Los Angeles Marathon. Her all-time favorite toy is Gnip, Gnop. Steve Markey - Sales Having seen a potential professional soccer career in England cut short due to a tragic lack of ability, Steve entered the toy industry over 20 years ago. He has served in a variety of senior sales roles, including Director of International Sales for Ertl Europe, International Sales Director then Director of National Accounts for OddzOn, and VP of Sales for both Wham-O and Sprig Toys. Steve was born in Manchester, England, and is armed with a degree in French and Spanish from Leeds University. Bonus factoids: Steve is a terrible cook but an awesome dishwasher. He has completed six triathlons but has no intention of attempting a seventh. His all-time favorite toy is Subbuteo. |
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