I have been in a whirlwind this week between my brother’s wedding, preparing for settlement on the building,  and of course job training in the garment center.  After 3 weeks of delay on the paperwork from PWDC, we finally got started interviewing applicants at the end of last week.  I was really nervous for the first few days because their initial recruiting was not as successful as anticipated and we spent a few days scrambling but I think that we are close.  We have already recruited 5 of the first 7 people and have just a few more applicants to review for the program.

Let me back step and tell you how it works: because of the nature of our business we are eligible for job training dollars from the City and State.  A few years ago I met Steve Organ and Mary Geoghegan of Maxwell Consulting Group http://themaxwellgroup.org/ which turned out to be equally as clandestine as Eng and Thi.  They consult on and run various types of job training programs across the country. So when it came time to get started they were the first people I called.  (running job training programs funded by the City is not my area of expertise believe it or not but it is in fact theirs).  The applicants go through a 3-6 week training program where they learn how to make the types of garments that I design.   Most have sewn on industrial machines before but primarily doing piece-work, without knowledge of garment construction or fit so the training is critical.  So, let me get to the good stuff….

Steve and Mary spent a good deal of time with developing a plan that would create the type of working environment I envisioned.  I

Steve Organ

want people to love coming to work, feel good about the work they do, and feel empowered.  Mary did two 1/2 days of classroom training this week where the trainees created their commitments, what they would work toward and the ways in which they would like to be evaluated for their work.  I can’t believe how in line it is with what we were working towards. They included honesty, collaboration, sharing ideas and sharing the happiness in their lives and of course the basics of punctuality, honesty etc.  They ended their commitments with ‘yes we can’  and you know how I love Obama!

Well, back to work to square away things for settlement – so everyone cross your fingers on Monday that it goes smoothly without surprises!!!!

haaaaaaah!!! (giant exhale).  It is simply bananas around here! In a totally good way but nonetheless, bananas!  We are in the middle of a move that was originally going to happen tomorrow (while I was in Maine for my brother’s wedding) but is now happening next Thursday.  We held two days of interviews for garment sewers that included sewing tests this week. Fittings, purchases, factory prep and most importantly, Monday was Thi, Eng and Kristen’s first day of work!!!!

Eng is our Production Manager.  A serendipitous thing actually…. we were producing some jackets in Chinatown in a factory that was closing and had to rush to find a new factory.  We were lucky enough to find Louis of S Clothing in North Philly.  We needed to get the

Eng in the Garment Center

marker made and so he referred us to Andrew.  We met with Andrew (who is awesome!) and he menitoned his wife Eng also worked as a Production Manager at Mother’s Work back in the day and that she could help us…… We met with Eng and I instantly knew that she was going to be critical to the success of the garment center and the whole business.  Besides the fact that she is super nice, already she is getting us together!!!!!!

Thi at the cutting table in the garment center

When we were having work done in Chinatown, which came about equally as serendipitously, we met Thi.  Thi is our Fabric Cutter and Production Assistant. We needed help when we were developing the line before we knew we would move right in to opening the Garment Center simultaneously and Winner (who did some samples for me in the past) stopped in and mentioned the factory her mother worked in.  Winner put us in touch with the factory and Thi began doing work for us.   He is phenominal!

And then, last but not least, Leida came to work with me for the summer.  For those of you who don’t already know her, (Kristen) Leida is one of my closest friends from college. She is an Art Teacher in Delaware and came for her summer job.  Already I am getting organized! And of course – much more

Kristen in our soon to be X office (we're moving to 4)

accomplished!

Lots to do before b-day drinks with the office crew at 6!  More later.

Well, there are only 5 days until we start the training prep for the factory.  We are 20 days away from settlement on the building.  65 days from the soft opening of the store and 91 days from the launch of the webstore and the launch party. Tick, tick, tick, tick….. can anyone tell that I am starting to feel anxiety??!?!?!?!?!?  Just a little…. mostly about getting the garments made, getting the workers trained, wondering what the actual productivity of the size factory we have will be and managing the costs so I can sell all of these clothes at affordable prices! All the rest is a peice of cake   oh- and have I mentioned the wardrobe issues all of this schlepping leads to? Silk dresses + moving fabric rolls = wardrobe issues! but luckily I have bigger things to solve!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COHuAm-5Swo

In other news, the Webby awards..(if you don’t know what they are, you best take a look) courtesy of my friend Neil……  one of the 5 word acceptance speeches

I’m off to volunteer at PEC, last night before summer recess!