For most of my time in the window business, I have seen some manufacturers increase prices annually and others at least every 24 months. These increases are generally for reasons such as inflation, raw material increases or aging workforces, which increase the cost of benefits. Those reasons made more sense to me, even if some […]

Today, I cried. Shakespeare once said that to weep is, “to make less the depth of grief.” But my tears were not of grief. Instead, they were the oft familiar yet mysterious response to art—in this case, music. I describe it as “familiar,” because I am confident that no matter who you are, chances are […]

What a year it has been. In the most improbable fashion imaginable, 2020 is turning into a record-breaking year for many of you. After the March/April lockdown, while many cities retained significant restrictions, most began to operate under a “new normal.” This new normal included a great deal of working from home, and families adjusted […]

This morning, as I walked into the family room (an addition to the back of my home), cup of coffee in hand, looking through the windows and watching the natural world awaken, I heard a “crack.” Or, perhaps it was more of a “snap.” What scenario is more likely? a.) During the night, the enormous […]

“Every reform movement has a lunatic fringe.” – Theodore Roosevelt In many studies on human behaviors, psychologists have found that there are typical (“normal”) distribution curves. They follow a curve we’ve all seen before—the one that looks like a bell. The peak of the curve is roughly in the middle and represents the highest number […]

I can’t believe it’s already the end of May. Right? We all know how time flies, so I hope you’re not taking these moments for granted. Each day is truly an opportunity, to broaden our perspective, to work toward goals and to serve others. At the same time, the last few months have been unlike […]

I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to get some serious COVID fatigue. The ‘novelty,’ pardon my pun, has completely worn off. I’m tired of “groundhog days;” I’m tired of social distance; and I’m tired of uncertainty. I want things to be … well, normal. But … something else has occurred to me that is giving […]

Last Thursday was quite a day … eh? The world seems to be shutting down. Actually, the world is shutting down. Schools, businesses, gatherings—I’ve never really seen anything like this in my lifetime. I could draw some similarities (from a business point of view) to the events of 9/11, but frankly, I don’t want to assign that […]

I was thinking about the saying—children are the best negotiators. Is that really true? And if so, then why? I think part of the answer is that children are laser-focused, in the moment, on what they want.  Think about it. They want that piece of candy and they will absolutely wear you down to get […]

We all sort of understand that our lives and businesses are increasingly influenced—if not controlled—by algorithms, even if we don’t really know what an algorithm is. In short, an algorithm is a set of rules or instructions. Algorithms are usually associated with computers; sets of instructions written in code that computers follow to solve problems, […]