Jalem's Blog.

Interactive Video

2008-11-16T12:09:00.003-06:00

Chad Matt and Rob have come up with a very cool way of using YouTube to create interactive videos.

I should just leave this alone

2008-11-14T15:16:00.003-06:00

Color me Sadd...

An amazing team

2008-10-31T18:28:00.003-05:00

Seriously - I have very little to do with this great things we have going. Thank you to all the great people in GB, NB, and Kirkland -

AC/DC is the world’s greatest band and I can prove it

2008-10-25T19:10:00.002-05:00

They are the 2nd highest seller of back list albums, behind The Beatles.

AC/DC is still producing albums, hits and touring. The Beatles are not.

Look out world, here we come.

2008-10-23T12:56:00.001-05:00

No, it's not 1992 - it's Halloween! The boys and I have decided on our Halloween 2008 costumes. The women don't stand a chance, these guys were classy – and clearly they have staying power.
I know what you’re thinking: Why didn’t I think of that? The answer is simple; you still have your dignity…

Yeah - this is why I love the Halloween Biz.

2008-10-23T09:10:00.001-05:00

What's wrong with this picture?

2008-10-19T10:36:00.001-05:00

Seesmic.com is just crap.

2008-10-18T13:16:00.002-05:00

On the last day of my 35th year...

2008-10-16T21:01:00.003-05:00

I needed something to make me feel young, cool and relevant. This was it.

Vote often, vote early!

2008-10-15T14:35:00.001-05:00

Some local TV coverage for BuyCostumes.com and the local Halloween company who copied our paper mask poll.

Scouting for Camel Toads…

2008-10-08T10:48:00.002-05:00

I know this article is nearly 3 years old, but some things just never stop being funny. It also reminds me that Iced Tea is the root of all evil.

Sell your house on MySpace?

2008-09-07T17:42:00.005-05:00

Why not? I figured I'd take the opportunity to test MySpace as a place to sell things. In the process I learned there are a lot Real Estate groups on MySpace and since selling a house is all about networking I figured I give it a shot. You can check it out here: and if you have a MySpace don't be shy - befriend my house!

Lunch

2008-08-03T16:44:00.002-05:00

Lunch tastes better when you eat it here...

Seriously, I'm testing...

2008-07-26T16:15:00.001-05:00

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

Test #1

2008-07-26T15:31:00.001-05:00

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

They're back...

2008-07-25T16:14:00.001-05:00

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

Google's Lively view of the future

2008-07-25T15:47:00.001-05:00

Another great widget from BC

2008-07-25T14:12:00.001-05:00

Very cool Halloween widget!

Bringing Sexy Back!

2008-07-18T09:05:00.002-05:00

I was chatting with a friend over dinner the other night about the growth of Sexy costumes in the Halloween Industry. We were discussing how Leg Avenue has kept their position as the leader in the category since the beginning. Much like BuyCostumes.com they had a key value proposition and also established their brand. I have yet to hear of a customer looking for a “disguise” or “Rubies” costume, but quite often I hear customers asking for Leg Avenue. Regardless if this was luck or a well planned strategy it worked. It will be interesting to see if licensed costumes change the game.

Social network overload

2008-05-12T17:57:00.003-05:00

MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Google and Blogger - the list of social sites I belong to goes on and on. A while back I thought someone should create a "single" sign on or user authentication which would allow my Face Book friends to view my MySpace profile. I extended the idea to include a project which I cannot actually discuss, form a company I am very close to. The idea is let people pick their religion (social network) and then empower them to jump across other social network sites. If this idea takes off it will greatly reduce the number of accounts (I'll be the first to toss my Facebook in favor of MySpace), but the upshot is it will be much easier for me and others to interact with all friends, regardless of their religion. I read a very interesting article on this very topic here. and here.

New 5 Under 5 Widget!

2008-05-02T13:24:00.002-05:00

Once again, BuyCostumes.com is kicking ass and taking names. (or at least selling stuff cheap).

Product first, everything else second.

2008-05-02T13:04:00.004-05:00

I was checking out You Tube last night and noticed there was an original trailer for one of my all time favorite movies; Back to the Future (the first one). While I was watching it one think came abundantly clear; the trailer sucked. We all know the movie is an all time classic (if you disagree you are stupid and I hate you). It made me realize it’s not the marketing, fancy packaging or even the stars; it’s the product that counts. At the end of the day, if you have a quality product you will be successful. The rest just doesn’t matter as much.

The press train continues

2008-04-17T15:08:00.003-05:00

Great article from the Freeman, read the intro here.

City can't afford to snub jobs

2008-04-11T09:23:00.001-05:00

The story that just won't die...

New BuySeasons Facility.

2008-04-10T17:06:00.004-05:00

A WillowTree development for BuySeasons, Inc.

Berghammer helped WillowTree Development, LLC create an environmentally sustainable, 360,000 square foot facility for the new BUYSEASONS, Inc. world headquarters. The green building components include regional, recycled, and low-emitting materials as well as water conservation elements. The online costume supplier and retailer’s headquarters also houses its call center, information technology and fulfillment centers in a park like campus setting.Location: New Berlin, WisconsinArchitect: Zimmerman Architectural StudiosDuration: 10 monthsScope: 360,000 Square Feet. Read teh article here.

I'm a fat bastard and now all Milwaukee knows :(

2008-03-31T22:46:00.006-05:00

Okay, I’ve come to the conclusion that I am vain and therefore I must be punished. Why? Because vanity is a sin – and given all my other sins, I suppose if I’m going to be punished for any of them it might as well be vanity. So without further adieu, I present a picture that will be published in the Business section of tomorrow’s Milwaukee Journal.

Never mind the article, check out that chin! Fuck! At lease I’m not the only one in Milwaukee with a face made for radio…

Widgets, Gadgets, and Gizmos.

2008-03-30T23:12:00.001-05:00

A few links to remember:
http://www.gadget-builder.com/
http://www.apexoft.com/gadgets.html
http://desktop.google.com/plugins/

Zappos - SXSW Presentation - Top 10 Lessons Learned in E-Commerce - 03 08 08

2008-03-25T09:33:00.002-05:00

From: zappos, 2 weeks ago

View Upload your own

Powerpoint of presentation given by CEO Tony Hsieh at the 2008 SXSW Interactive conference.

SlideShare Link

iMemories – a good idea, or dying market?

2008-03-21T13:22:00.010-05:00

Okay, a friend of mine turned me onto this site and I have to say I like it and hate it at the same time. Maybe hate is too strong of a word, but the best part of the model still manages to underwhelm me.

What I like:
While it’s unclear how the company plans to capitalize on the growing use of pictures, video and other digital media by today’s consumers, there is an opportunity to create a private virtual album whereby users can manage all aspects of their “digital” memories.

What I don’t:
In their own words: Protect, preserve and share your home movie history. Okay, what will they do when their customer base dies off? Even Polaroid announced they will no longer make their namesake product (oh, shit). What I’m saying is its lights out for the old (non digital) formats of media storage (photos and video tape). Not good for a company who relies on this old media for their survival.

Summary:
Clearly there focusing on the dying market first – not good since it’s an established fact that as a company grows it is increasingly difficult to change focus (see the myriad of catalog companies who tried and failed to migrate online). Net-net – I wouldn’t bet on them capturing the real opportunity; online digital asset (memory) management. While it is quite possible they will pull something off, even something big, I still give them less than 50%/50% odds of doing so. I call this a golden turd...

At least they're on You Tube!

Wisconsin weather sucks DONG

2008-03-21T09:49:00.008-05:00

Okay, if you live in Wisconsin you know this time of year the weather can get nasty. But this has been one of the worst winters in the 17 years I’ve lived here. Snow, cold, and more snow. Yesterday it was sunny and 45 degrees, today it is supposed to snow up to 10 inches.

Two weeks ago I was in Playa Del Carmen and the weather was spectacular – I mean it was perfect every day. Warm, but not too warm, sunny but not blistering. Today, as I think about Playa I ask myself; why do I live in Wisconsin again?

Spy Fu - but is it true?

2008-03-19T13:59:00.002-05:00

There are a lot of competitive intelligence companies out there (see previous posts under this topic) the latest is Spy Fu. The presentation is great; they seem to show you everything about the target companies marketing. What they spend, where their links come from, SEO results, paid results, the list goes on and on. My only questions is how accurate is Spy Fu? I ran the results on one of my competitors to see if it passed the smell test. So far the jury is still out…

Even the homeless hate Bob Donovan...

2008-03-12T10:16:00.006-05:00

We already know Bob Donovan is a total douche bag, but what happened last night was just too funny, and underscores how this particular alderman is simply the foreskin of the political system (foreskin being the useless piece of flesh on the male penis which is usually discarded). Apparently Mr. Donovan was out getting his drunk on, er attending a meeting, when he spotted a homeless man taking a wiz on the ground. What ensued was apparently an altercation whereby Bob was bitch-slapped and reminded you don't pick a fight with a guy while he's taking a piss. Rather than simply letting it go as a lesson learned, Bobbie decided to hold a press conference this morning. Good job Bob, what's on tap for the remainder of the day? Perhaps saving other homeless men from evil companies who are trying to create local jobs.

350,000 installs. Games are good.

2008-02-02T23:39:00.000-06:00

This Widget reminds me we should make a Halloween Game Widget.

Mask sales can predict the future!

2008-02-02T21:55:00.001-06:00

The only thing I love more than selling costumes is using my companies Ninja skills to predict future events. Like the next President of the United States!

Knicker Picker Dot Com... More than just a catchy name

2008-02-02T19:06:00.000-06:00

So, you fancy watching women try on Lingerie, but you've been busted one too many times loitering at your local Victoria's Secret. Good news old chap, our friends across the pond at Scene Stealer have come up with a web 2.0 site which solves your predicament, they call it Knicker Picker Not only will creepy old men and prepubescent boys find endless hours of entertainment, mainstream customers will rejoice in the slick way Knicker Picker bridges the gap between online retailing and the real world desire to try shit on.

Another great idea I didn't come up with...

2008-02-01T14:17:00.000-06:00

Qtrax is bad ass and I hope it kills Apple. Free music, without jail? what's better than that? I suppose free music, no jail time AND a kick in the crotch to Steve Jobs. Where do I sign up!

The dirt:
After years of battling the illegal downloads it feared would drive it out of business, the music industry has launched a free and legal service which will allow internet users an unlimited number of tracks from a catalogue of 25 million songs. Continued...

Competitive intelligence part 2:

2008-01-29T15:47:00.001-06:00

Competitive intelligence part 2: Elesha found this cool site today: Compete

BuyCostumes.com has ninja skills

2008-01-28T14:53:00.000-06:00

BuyCostumes.com, the world’s largest online retailer of costumes and accessories, has 100% successfully predicted the next President of the United States since 2000 based solely on the sales of candidates’ masks.

This year we’re up to our old tricks with a few new treats. Consider the 2008 presidential election the only election that can be bought! Candidates: tell your supporters to don a mask to guarantee your turn in the White House! Supporters: this may likely be your best means of voting this year.

One Mask = One Vote. Buy a mask to cast your vote today!

Free competitive intelligence

2008-01-24T14:15:00.000-06:00

In my quest for free competitive intelligence apps I came across quantcast, like Alexa only better?

Party Planning for Web 2.0

2008-01-24T14:09:00.000-06:00

During my research for the perfect party planning/invitation website I came across the following sites:

http://bestpartyever.com/ - odd site, but seems to have a little traction. Read an interesting review on the site here
I also like Man Vite, a cool site - I used it last weekend in fact.
The best site I've seen so far is My Punchbowl I like their web 2.0 features (like auto saving of invitee list) and the fact they let you know who has viewed, RSVP'd and who's email has "bounced" insuring efficient management of your entire guest list.

Viral Video

2008-01-15T13:03:00.001-06:00

If BlueFly does something you can pretty much bet it sucks. I often ask myself why is this crappy company still around? While this post does nothing to answer that question, it does show that even BlueFly is capable of doing something cool. Check out the “grab it” icon on this video. And remember despite having a good idea BlueFly still manages to suck at everything else...

Anything is possiable

2007-11-14T13:37:00.000-06:00

When I was on the road 18 months ago selling my Company I had the opportunity to present to a very cool investment bank (will remain nameless, but was on Sand Hill Road). While they liked BuySeasons, and what we were doing, they mentioned another cool(er) company they were involved in; YouTube.com. This graph reminds me of something I've always said; you can take a market, or you can make a market. Here's to the next market...

The iPhone is a piece of shit, and...

2007-11-14T11:04:00.000-06:00

Not my article, but it reminds me that I need to spend more time reading the literary genius that is Maddox.

Google: the antibrand?

2007-09-27T12:36:00.000-05:00

Sound interesting? This is an article I’m currently working on. Stay tuned for further developments.

Make Your Millions with Facebook Applications

2007-09-14T13:58:00.000-05:00

Ben found this great article on Face Book Apps. This is a MUST read.

BC Widgt #2

2007-08-08T21:35:00.001-05:00

A New Twist on Human Powered Search

2007-07-31T17:29:00.000-05:00

I grabbed this interesting article from WebMag
Human-powered search, where search results are determined and refined not by computerized algortihms but by people, has generated some buzz lately, including the release of Jason Calacanis' brainchild Mahalo and other, more established systems such as ChaCha and Acoona. Now, Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia has ideas on a new approach to human-powered search, and envisions a rival to Google and Yahoo.

"If we can get good quality search results, I think it will really change the balance of power from the search companies back to the publishers," said Wales. Wales is chairman of Wikia, a service that has helped set up thousands of Wikipedia-style sites on the Web. Wikia recently acquired Grub, a Web crawler to help with the project. The new Wikia search service will combine computer algorithms and human-powered search - the human element will help refine results of search terms that could have multiple meanings. Unlike Google, where search algortihms are a highly secretive formula, Wikia plans to open Grub to developers for improvements or to incorporate the crawler on other sites.

Wikipedia is under constant fire as to the validity of the information presented. It's easy to see that a Web crawler indexing thousands of wiki-style sites will face the same challenge. And as developers will have the option to tweak the search service, there will certainly be concerns of devlopers "gaming" the system to serve their own interests. Even so, the concept of the community shaping search results rather than one central authority is very interesting.

Final BuyCostumes.com Widget is here!

2007-07-31T12:59:00.000-05:00

Killer Startups - cool site for trendy new companies.

2007-07-27T12:23:00.000-05:00

KillerStartups.com is a user driven internet startups community. Entrepreneurs, investors, and bloggers are staying informed on up-and-coming internet startups using our blog platform, where internet entrepreneurs submit their startup to see what others think about it.

Google Rank Widget - for BC

2007-07-23T18:40:00.001-05:00

Good Widget article

2007-07-15T11:20:00.000-05:00

I came across this Click Z article on widgets, worth reading twice.

Creepy Marketing

2007-07-08T14:15:00.000-05:00

Just when you thought the Internet was getting safer from creepy stalker types, the folks over at Social Flowers figured out a way to let your secret admirer/stalker send you flowers. Even if they don't know your name, address, or know anything about you, for that matter. While my gut tells me the model is way creepy - my capitalist brain asks why didn't I think of that? Well, at least I can finally send flowers to Rosie O'donnell.

Marketing old school

2007-07-08T12:44:00.000-05:00

This old poster reminds me that all advertisments are a form of propaganda. Remember "You can't beat the Axis if you get VD" words to live by, in my book.

Mpire widget

2007-07-05T10:55:00.001-05:00

Mpire Widget - Trend Watch - Mpire.com

Get your own free shopping widget!

More of me...

2007-07-03T14:56:00.002-05:00

Picks Pal POP Widget

2007-07-03T14:29:00.000-05:00

Kyte Face Reviews

2007-07-02T22:45:00.000-05:00

FaceBook - Widget Machine

2007-07-02T13:09:00.000-05:00

So, I'm just waking op to the fact that FaceBook.com is getting a lot of press for their new "Widget" platform.
Read about it here and here.

USVI Map

2007-06-26T16:50:00.001-05:00

R/C cars with a new twist

2007-06-25T21:22:00.000-05:00

I came across an interesting and new concept in "experience retail" Race Line Motor Works. A friend of mine told me about the concept today, and since I was in the area I decided to check out there new store at Mayfair Mall. Very cool, but not open yet. I have to say the concept is very interesting, and I thought it was unique, that is until I found the folks over at Build-A-Bear are in on the game too. I'm sure there is a battle looming, BAB might have the money, but from what I can tell Raceline has the heart.

St. Thomas Map

2007-06-07T14:32:00.000-05:00

A map of St. Thomas.

Another great example of Viral Videos.

2007-06-02T16:19:00.000-05:00

http://www.comedycentral.com/motherload/?ml_video=87525

Location of our New Facility for 2008

2007-06-02T15:33:00.001-05:00

The new facility construction is under way.

Light Emitting T-Shirts by Phillips

2007-05-28T08:30:00.000-05:00

Jon found this interesting video on You Tube. Here is the link to the official Phillips website relating to this product called Luma Live.

UK Costume retailer map

2007-05-27T14:54:00.000-05:00

Here is a map I made of the UK with various costume retailers

Halloween in the UK

2007-05-26T08:56:00.001-05:00

Halloween seems to be taking off in the UK. Some interesting sites I've found:
http://www.abfab.co.uk/
http://www.justforfun.co.uk/about/who.htm

Microsoft's Pop Fly

2007-05-22T15:49:00.001-05:00

Okay, this is interesting... Apparently Microsoft is getting in to the social networking game too, but they have a twist: Cross Platform compatibility.

DZOIC Yet another social networking platform

2007-05-21T18:25:00.000-05:00

Handshakes 3.2 some people seem to like this platform too. It does work with vBulletin too.

"our Space" - Community Software

2007-05-21T18:14:00.002-05:00

Apparently there is some debate on weather PHP Fox is any good. regardless, it lead me to find "our Space" yet another community software program.

Onesite - Hosted "white label" community software

2007-05-21T18:14:00.001-05:00

http://www.onesite.com/

PHP Fox Social Network software

2007-05-21T17:48:00.001-05:00

The PHP Fox software is used by many small social network sites, not a bad package for only $300.00

Me Me Labs - Video site in a can...

2007-05-21T09:19:00.001-05:00

reminder: Check them out

Wiki list of "social Networking Sites"

2007-05-20T20:19:00.000-05:00

And you thought it was just Myspace and FaceBook, check out this list of sites and their user count. Chances are you haven't heard of half of them. If you have, then you're clearly spending too much time online.

Bud TV

2007-05-20T10:55:00.000-05:00

The folks over at Anheuser-Busch have decided to throw $20-million at Bud TV. I think they could have saved $19,900,000. First of all it is a LDA site (that's Legal Drinking Age for all of you) which means they have to verify that you are 21 or older before you can get in and it seems to look like every other wannabe corporate [hip] site out there. What makes it different? besides the $20MM of course...

Widgets from Clearspring.com

2007-05-14T16:59:00.000-05:00

Clearspring is an interesting company whos value prop is widgets

Bright Pic - Rich media for static images

2007-05-14T16:48:00.001-05:00

The funny BuyCostumes.com softball team race between a hot dog, mustard and ketchup bottle. who will win? Watch and find out.

2007-05-14T12:28:00.000-05:00

A great example of Disney using viral video to market movies.

2007-05-14T11:11:00.001-05:00