I moved to Nashville in January of 1996. I was chasing my dreams. I wanted to do the music thing. I wanted to write and arrange music. In July of 1996, I went on a mission trip with our church (The People’s Church, Franklin, TN) to Ukraine. I was playing trumpet. There was this cute girl who was one of the singers in the group. I remember vividly the first thing I said about her on that trip: “She is going to make a GREAT mom!” She was handling some of the crazy, wild kids during a meeting in such a loving and caring way. During that trip, we hung out a lot. As the trip progressed, we begin to realize we liked each other a lot more than just simply friends. I remember us sitting on the stairs of the boat we were on late one night and praying. I said Amen and I remember looking at her and thinking, “Oh my goodness, she’s the one.” Our first kiss was in a garden in Zurich, Switzerland at the end of the trip.

We began dating. On our 2 year anniversary (after I asked her father’s permission-TERRIFYING if you know her dad), I asked her to marry me. 6 months into dating, I had written a song that I played only the introduction for her on the piano. I told her she would not hear that song again until I proposed to her. On our 2 year anniversary, we were at youth camp (as leaders) with our church and the Kent (youth pastor) let us have the night off to go out on a date. He knew what I was going to do. We went to The Outback, got carryout (we still have those steak knives) and went to a park. During dinner, I was playing a mix CD (hush..it was romantic). There were 12 tracks listed on the CD packaging. As the 12th track finished, another song started playing that wasn’t listed. I got down on one knee and sang the song I had written a year and a half before that. “You stole my heart, will you take my name.” She said yes. We were both crying. Then, I realized I hadn’t given her the ring. Nice.

Saturday, April 24, 1999
2 o’clock pm at The People’s Church (then still called First Baptist Church)
Dana and I (with over 600 of our closest friends watching-yes that’s right) get married. We were the first big event in our new building. My father-in-law was the minister of music and he pushed the builders like crazy to make sure they stayed on schedule. I had the Nashville String Machine play with Jeff Bailey (trumpet) in the wedding as well as Sam Levine and some great jazz musicians play for the reception. Some great friends, Mark Box and Angie Lentz sang “From This Moment” with the String Machine playing behind them. It turned out to be a HUGE event. So many people. We did both get a plate of food and cake. She picked the groom cake and I picked the bride’s cake (she-chocolate;me-white cake)

Fast forward to 11 years later. Today, as I sit here and type this, it’s completely clear that I won the lottery. No doubt. I am married to a stunningly beautiful woman. She is a Godly woman. She has a tender heart. She is strong. She is silly. She has an amazing voice. She glows when she sings on stage. I take pride in being able to identify amazing things immediately (songs, ideas etc). I nailed it spot on. She is an unbelievably amazing mom. I can not imagine my life without her in it. She is completely supportive of my endeavors. If you have the personality, ambition, goals and inner workings like me, you HAVE to have someone behind you who gets you. If you don’t, you simply won’t make it. The days I want to take 12,000 crickets and have the longest freshwater trotline in history, she is there to pull me off the ledge.

I can not imagine my life without her. She is an absolute gift. No question. As for why on earth she picked me, I have but one answer. DNA X-ray glasses. Dana apparently has the ability to look at someone and figure out what their DNA is and how it would combine with hers to make 3 of the most beautiful and amazing kids in the world. That’s the only reason I can come up. In that way, she’s a genius. (chirp. chirp.)

To my beautiful, stunning, supportive, amazing, sexy (I can say this..my blog), crazy, goofy, and completely overwhelmingly breathtaking wife Dana, Happy Anniversary.

No regrets, I love you.

To holding hands in our seventies.

Jeff

     Does anyone have any of their life lessons that they wouldn’t mind letting me borrow?

     The journey of an inventor/creative/entrepreneur is a fun, rewarding and extremely challenging one. But it seems that almost every lesson learned comes from something not working correctly, a mistake made, or some unfortunate set of circumstances. It is not often you hear, “I knocked it out of the park and boy did I learn from that.”

     (crickets chirping)

     As I am moving forward with the next phase of theCRICKETtoy® I would like to see if I could skip some of these hard lessons by simply borrowing someone else’s. I promise to return them with nary a scratch. If…if…if we entrepreneurs would learn from the mistakes of others, there is tremendous potential to save a lot of hardship and move towards success a little sooner. If we only would listen. Well, I’m listening.

     To make it a ‘fair trade,’ I am offering some of my life lessons in return. This is really a good deal as these lessons I have paid OVER $50,000 for. They are worth that and more!

     Here are my life lessons (don’t use these unless you offer something in return though):

     • How much money do you have planned that you need for your start-up?

     Multiply it times 2 and you’ll be much better off. If you can multiply by 3 you will really be much more prepared.
     I create records/projects for a living with my publishing company. I have to make estimates for budgets all the time. But when you start a company, there are just a large number of unforeseen costs that arise. Maybe the mold charges end up costing you $2,000 more because of a defect. Maybe there’s a glitch in the manufacturing. Maybe you spend $30,000 on an advertising/marketing campaign and a volcano hits Europe, a hurricane hits Florida or an earthquake hits California and your huge viral marketing campaign gets NO attention whatsoever. Maybe you fly out and make 20 pitches to prospective clients and the airlines start charging for carry-ons and the price of oil goes up so each flight costs an extra $100. Trust me. You need more money than you think. EVERY business book says this. I am living proof.

     • Get everything in writing, even when dealing with friends

     A good friend of mine in the publishing world (who once owned the song “Tequila” when it hit big time with Pee Wee Herman) gave me great advice. Someone said to him, “We’re friends. We don’t need a contract.” He responded and said, “Because we’re friends, we need a contract.” Unfortunate circumstances and unforeseen events happen. When everything is written down along the way, expectations are completely clear and there is no ambiguity. The contract SAVES friendships, it does not hurt them. When problems arise, the contract makes it clear what should happen.

     • Figure out your strengths and weaknesses

     I’m not really a great seller. I’m not great with money/doing the books. I haven’t really done any marketing before. I’m not a big picture sort of person, but I’m great at getting things done. I’m not great at small detail things, but I’m a great big picture/vision casting person.
     You really need to figure out where you are naturally gifted, what comes naturally and what is like pulling teeth. You may need to consider hiring a marketing person. You may want to think about a part-time bookkeeper. You may consider an administrative person to help keep things on track. There are certainly times when you must do things that are not your strengths. That’s just life. BUT, make sure that all the critical things for success are being handled at the highest level possible. If that means someone else can do it much better than you (and quicker), see if you can get them involved somehow. Make sure each necessary function of the company is handled by someone that can knock it out of the park if at all possible everytime. Ask a few friends to really give you honest feedback about your strengths and weaknesses (ask your spouse too, BUT be completely appreciative of her answers).
     For me, I need a better strategic plan for marketing. I have fun, creative and attention getting ideas at times, BUT they do not all fit within a strategic plan for world domination of theCRICKETtoy®. I’m also not great at small details (like mailing single crickets out). I have an assistant who handles the day to day details who is GREAT at it! What takes me an hour to do, he gets done in 10 minutes.

     • Is your baby ugly?

This is the big one. I just can’t say this enough. This was the last quote The Tennessean quoted me on in the article a few weeks back. BEFORE you even get started, find a small group of advisors who will give you completely honest feedback. To me, this is the most fun part of the process. I have ‘theCRICKET team” that is my team of advisors. I have 2 owners of companies, a music producer, a CFO, a healthcare analyst, a executive in another industry, a music publishing guru and a few friends that have similar personalities to me on my team. It was a fairly strategic group of people that I asked to be involved before I even got started. We met when I simply had a sketch of the idea to talk through this. I tell them my idea and how I plan to implement it and they then rip it to shreds. I love that part! Why? Because I have to be able to defend my actions and decisions to them. As I’m explaining to them, I’m also working through my plan and looking for holes myself. The ADD/ADHD thing is a blessing at times as I’m able to completely step outside myself and look at me from the outside(with the team’s help). Make sure to have team of people that you can bounce ideas off, explain your business plan and think outloud with. Also make sure you are willing to accept their opinions if you can not legitimately justify your position. That’s the point of them. If you can’t prove that your baby is not ugly to the team of friends who are there to help you be a success, well then…maybe your baby is ugly.

     Those are some of my life lessons as I’ve started out on this entrepreneurial journey of theCRICKETtoy®. As I said, over $50,000 of life lessons I have paid for that I will certainly let anyone borrow. Just let me borrow a couple of yours in return. Fair trade.

     Life lessons. Some you learn the hard way.

     There are some lessons that it seems ‘almost’ everyone knows, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out how they learned them. I suppose my entire life has been a series of awkward moments where you could hear crickets chirping. I SO wish I had theCRICKETtoy® when I was younger.

     My wife retold this story (with my permission) at a couple’s retreat for our church, so I’m pretty sure it’s been retold numerous times now. I thought I would share this with you in hopes that you might use my life lesson and not have to experience this yourself.

     Freshman year of college. I’m a heavy drinker. What I mean is that I would drink 5-7 cokes with each meal (yes..I know this is NOT good now). After supper out with friends, I stop by a local card store to buy a birthday card. As I’m walking around the store, I realize I REALLY need to go to the bathroom. I quickly pick a card and go to cash register. There is only one person in front of me. I really have to go now. They take forever. It’s really beginning to hurt and it’s my turn to check out. The pain and the pressure are almost unbearable. What am I going to do? I don’t see a bathroom and I know won’t make it home.

     “I wonder if I could just let a little bit out to relieve the pressure.”

     I make a judgment call.

     It is as if I blew a hole in the Hoover Dam. The lady at the cash register (of COURSE it’s a woman) asks , “Would you like anything else?” “No thank you”. I can’t turn off the valve. To me, it is so loud as it pours down my leg into my shoe and makes a puddle on the floor. I am sure she hears it, but I can’t make it stop. I quickly pay and leave the store. I drive home leaning on my right side as the left side of my jeans, sock and shoe are soaked. I get home, walk in the garage, shut the door and throw away my shoe, jeans, socks and drawers. I never (obviously) went into the store again. It’s closed now (no connection).

     As you’re possibly reading this thinking “No normal sane person would EVER do this,” just know I am not alone in this scenario. Possibly the toughest, fiercest comic book character in the world, Wolverine, had a similar story happen to him. I figure if Hugh Jackman tells his story in print AND on video, then mine’s ok to share. I’ve only got 20 readers anyway(probably 3 after this).

     So if the situation ever arises and you are wondering the same thing I did, please learn from my experience.

     You can’t let a little bit out.

Every time I turn on the Late Late Show, I find myself laughing at (with) Craig Ferguson. Certain types of humor resonate with different people. For example, most folks have a STRONG opinion either for or against Jim Carey, Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell. Craig Ferguson is one of those guys I think of as a genius. He is SO quick witted and dry. It’s in my wheelhouse 110%.

Craig has done a series of awkward pauses with actors on the show that are great. Travis Ketcheson (T-Bone TV) has uploaded a compilation of those awkward pauses on YouTube. Thank you Travis!

Now imagine crickets chirping and the camera panning to:

Crickets are being mailed to Craig today. REALLY want to be on the show. I promise I’ll be a great guest.

Either:
1. I’ll be funny
2. I’ll be awkward-so chirp me
win/win

Chirp. Chirp.
Jeff

link to Richard Simmons

     Serendipitous moments. My life is comprised of a string of them. A year and a half ago my good friend and neighbor, Randy Anderson (owner of JumpZone in Franklin, TN) was having a story written about him and his car wrapping business (I now have images in my head of cars with gold chains beatboxing like Roxorloops)

     squirrel

     The Tennessean wanted to have a car being wrapped to be included in the story so I went and immediately bought a PT Cruiser at the auction through my auto broker friend and had it wrapped like a giant version of theCRICKETtoy®. Hence began my relationship with the reporter from The Tennessean. Fast forward-I told her about our National Awkward Moments Day event in March and afterwards I talked with her about the good, bad and awkward of it. She felt like there was enough fun, goofy, random, unfortunate, fortunate and AWKWARD moments to make it a story.

     So…check out the article about us in The Tennessean that came out today (Wednesday). I’ve already had a drug store chain request a meeting next week as a result of the article as well as a few other things. I haven’t been contacted by Taylor Swift’s folks yet. Chirp. Chirp. Taylor. I’m also waiting for the first talk show host that wants a giant cricket in the audience. Just sayin’.

Click HERE for the article!

Thanks to Jill and The Tennessean for a really great article and not making me look..well..you know…

awkward

Chirp. Chirp.

     Calvin, the mascot of theCRICKETtoy® was not at Ravenwood High School in Brentwood, TN yesterday when thousands of crickets were released upon the school. I have already received a number of emails asking if we had anything to do with this. We did not. If we had done this, we would have made sure to tip off the newspapers and television folks beforehand to have cameras there when it happened.

Here’s the link to the story in the Tennessean (thanks to the great reporter Jill Wiersma for the heads up about this random awkward event)

     Calvin was actually en route up to Washington D.C. this week when the ‘occurrence’ happened. After searching out the LARGE NUMBER of awkward pauses in Washington D.C. this week, Calvin will then be making his way to Augusta, Georgia for the “Green Jacket” golf tournament next week just in case there are any awkward moments there.

just sayin’

     We theCRICKETtoy® folks do not condone any massive releases of live crickets in public areas, especially when our logo is not ALL OVER THE PLACE during the event. We do, of course, encourage the ‘release’ of thousands of theCRICKETtoy® any time you want. That would work well for us.

Many awkward pauses,
Jeff (theCRICKETtoy®) Anderson

side note:Of course I am smiling so big about this occurrence at Ravenwood. It’s just way too funny to me. I did not do it. I did not do it. I did not do it. (but..sure..I’m going to try and take advantage of it.)

chirp. chirp.