Open E: ModernTribe's Best & Worst of 2008

In the spirit of the Open Source software movement, I'm sharing my learning as an e-commerce entrepreneur. 2008 was an incredible year for ModernTribe.com and No Limit Texas Dreidel. Our first full year in operation was filled with triumphs, mistakes and exponential learning. Here are some of the best & worst, biggest flubs and greatest wins of 2008:

Best Marketing ROI (return on investment):

Direct mailing of postcards to media resulting in editorial in the Los Angeles Times, B'nai B'rith Magazine, and more. Approximate Cost: $500. Estimated ROI 5-10x!

Most Exciting Unexpected Editorial:

Inclusion in Newsweek's holiday gift guide which we found out about through a customer. We didn't believe him and then he scanned in the page and emailed it to us.

Biggest Advertising Disappointments:

With the sad closing of Jewish Living Magazine we lost our banner ad, some great editorial links, and an editorial feature of our Stainless Steel Scroll Menorah. Also, the Google Jump Start program conducted during Passover was a blood bath: our $116 average purchase cost us $93 (that means each $46 gross profit, cost us $163 to generate -- ouch!)

Best Buying Decision:

Listening to a product rep and stocking the best sellers from the line including the Jumbo Glitter Crystal Balls.

Biggest Supplier Nightmare:

Selling 80 Peace Sign Menorahs over the weekend and then finding out our order from the manufacturer wasn't coming.

Biggest Buying Mistake:

Not paying attention to an invoice and missing that an artist increased his wholesale price 40%. (The dollar's weakness against the shekel was part of the reason why). I'd set and advertised the retail price, based on the original wholesale price.

Biggest Manufacturing Triumph:

When the No Limit Texas Dreidel games were late, insisting that a small amount be air shipped to fulfill a large customer's order.

Second Biggest Manufacturing Triumph:

Games arrived in pretty good condition, pretty much as specified, and late but early enough not to miss the season. (In manufacturing, this mediocre result is a triumph).

Biggest Manufacturing Mistake:

Failing to get a detailed, complete price quote in writing resulting in us paying $1400 for production molds we had understood were part of the per piece price.

Biggest Heart Attack Moment:

Getting a call from "The View" and then finding out they were looking for one of our suppliers, not us.

Biggest Heart Attack Moment II:

Getting a call from NPR and finding out they were looking for us!

Biggest Serendipity:

Erica with her complimentary skills and geographic desirability became a business partner after getting a gift from ModernTribe.com from her mother.

Best Unofficial (and Unpaid) Business Partners To Whom ModernTribe Owes Big Thanks:

My husband Webb contributes his smarts and talents to nearly every aspect of the business. Todd, Erica's husband, manages our intellectual property. Jill, Jeremy's wife, edits and contributes to the blog (and just started her own editing/writing business). Mike Weiser and Beth Shapiro of Donner, Weiser and Associates provide excellent accounting services and advice. Brian gives his opinions freely about our ads, influenced our design direction considerably and gave us the lead for the Time Out New York editorial that lead to one of our biggest sellers of the season: Mix Tape USB Stick. Meredith Jacobs included No Limit Texas Dreidel in her TV show on The Jewish Channel, named for her book and her website: Modern Jewish Mom, and talked about us on DC radio. Lauren is always looking out for PR opportunities for us and introduced me to HARO, my favorite PR tool. Christy hooked us up with two Pittsburgh retailers who sold No Limit Texas Dreidel. My mom, our loyal customers, and many others have helped make 2008 a success for ModernTribe. To all of you, my most sincere thank you!

No Limit Texas Dreidel on The Jewish Channel's Modern Jewish Mom

The Jewish Channel has a new lifestyle show with Modern Jewish Mom Meredith Jacobs. Their Chanukah special is available On Demand for all of you who have cable television that carries The Jewish Channel. A segment of the show is on No Limit Texas Dreidel! Meredith interviewed me at Kosherfest this November and then the team at The Jewish Channel made these great clips demonstrating play of the game. We don't get The Jewish Channel in the ATL, unfortunately, but Time Warner & Optimum carry it in the North East and Verizon FiOS TV offers it in many states -- check if your state has it.

You wanna know how to play No Limit Texas Dreidel? Watch this:



By the way, the correct term is "hole cards" and "hole spins" -- not "hold" -- although it should be "hold," yes? Thank you The Jewish Channel and Modern Jewish Mom Meredith Jacobs.

No Limit Texas Dreidel is HOT!

From Jeremy:

I am so excited that No Limit Texas Dreidel has caught fire in the press, in site visitors, and in sales. We knew all kinds of people would get excited about this party game that combines the traditional Hanukkah dreidel game with no limit Texas hold'em poker! Now it's reached Jewish and mainstream audiences worldwide. We appreciate all the love and encourage you to spread the word too on your blog, facebook page, or twitter!

• Fark.com -- on the geek page of this hugely popular link-sharing site
  
• BoingBoing -- on the homepage of this mega-site
• Gifts.com
  
• National Review Online
• Many twitter users
• Ima on (and off) the bima blog -- check out her incredibly popular NLTD contest!
• Global Voices
• My Right Word
• The Angel Forever
  
• Purple Pawn
• Many, many other blogs
• In Newsweek's holiday gift guide
  
• For sale at Bloomingdale's, PopJudaica, Amazon, eBay, and many other retailers

Now get out there and Go All Spin!^TM

Texas Dreidel on The Radio this Weekend!

Listen up No Limit Texas Dreidel fans! This is the weekend for No Limit Texas Dreidel on the radio.

National Public Radio (NPR) -- Everywhere -- Saturday, December 13th -- Times Vary

I have been interviewed to be on "Only A Game" the nationally syndicated NPR sports show which airs Saturdays. The producer chose No Limit Texas Dreidel for their holiday gift guide saying No Limit Texas Dreidel is, "Absolutely irresistible to us." I've been interviewed about the game by veteran NPR commentator and show host Bill Littlefield. The portion on the game and me will probably be only a snippet so listen carefully.

The nerdy, sports-challenged Jews that you may be (and I count myself in this category), you may not know the show but apparently it's pretty well known. http://www.onlyagame.org/about/

Listen on your local NPR station this Saturday or look up stations and times here: http://www.wbur.org/syndication/?program=Only-A-Game

UPDATE: Listen to the Only A Game Gift Guide. Listen to my snippet on NLTD.

1160 AM -- Newstalk 1160 Atlanta -- Women on the Move with Jennifer Green -- Saturday & Sunday, December 13th & 14th 1-2 PM

I'm really excited about this interview! Jennifer Matilsky (AKA Jennifer Green) and I "chatted" yesterday for about an hour about the origins of No Limit Texas Dreidel and ModernTribe.com. I share several triumphs and setbacks during the start up of our businesses. It will only be broadcast in Atlanta but I hope to post the show -- or excerpts -- online for everyone soon.

Making Hanukkah Fun and Meaningful For Adults

Image is from BonAppetit.com

My husband and I invented No Limit Texas Dreidel so that adults (and older children) can enjoy dreidel too. Here are some other ideas to make your Hanukkah party fun and meaningful for your adult friends whether they are Jewish or not.

Have guests bring a symbol of a freedom they are guarding or fighting for. Yes, there is the (silly) story about oil lasting for eight days. But, really, Hanukkah is a celebration of religious freedom. In 167 B.C.E. the Maccabees fought Antiochus who brought Greek idols into the Temple and banned the practice of Judaism. The menorah is the Jewish symbol of this fight for freedom. Ask guests, "What freedom are you guarding or fighting for?" Invite guests to bring an object that represents this freedom. Guests can choose to share the meaning with the group or simply set the item with the others.

Upgrade your holiday menu for an adult palate. Chocolate gelt (coins) has developed a bad reputation as something you don't necessarily want to eat. Serve gourmet chocolate coins, which the most discerning chocolate lovers will appreciate, such as those (personally taste-tested and approved by me!) from Madelaine, Godiva, or See's. Serve sweet potato latkes or Zucchini Latkes with Garlic by Faye Levy, the cooking columnist for the Jerusalem Post, or try serving traditional latkes (like those from Modern Jewish Mom Meredith Jacobs) with gourmet Rosemary and Brown Butter Applesauce from Bon Appetit. The Bon Appetit website has many gourmet latke recipes.

Tzedakah is always appropriate for any Jewish holiday. Tzedakah is translated as "charity," but its root, tzedek, means justice: We give not only to help those in need but to help set things right, as part of the process of creating a just world. Have guests bring a grocery bag of food for your local feed-the-hungry program or a toy for the Toys for Tots program. Or have each guest "buy in" to receive their chocolate gelt for the No Limit Texas Dreidel game and make a group donation to a local charity. The buy-in idea came from a ModernTribe customer, who is doing this for her own Hanukkah party this year.

Hanukkah FAQ

Have a happy Hanukkah! Here's an FAQ from Jill about Hanukkah traditions.

When is Hanukkah?

Jews begin celebrating on the first night of Hanukkah: after sunset on December 21, 2008. The first day of Hanukkah is December 22. The eight-day Festival of Lights ends on December 29, 2008.

Why does the first night of Hanukkah change each year?
Chanukah always begins on the twenty-fifth of the month of Kislev, as Jon Stewart tells Stephen Colbert below. The Jewish calendar is lunar, and its dates vary each year relative to other calendars, such as the Gregorian calendar used in the U.S. In fact, the first day of Chanukah can fall anywhere between November 28 and December 26.

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

A Colbert Christmas: Jon Stewart

Colbert at Christmas
Colbert Christmas DVD

Green Screen
Bill O'Reilly Interview

Why do Jews celebrate Hanukkah?

Hanukkah celebrates religious freedom and the rededication of the Temple (Hanukkah means rededication). Around 165 BCE, two groups of Jews -- one led by Judah Maccabee -- successfully revolted against the oppressive King Antiochus IV, who had prohibited the practice of Judaism, desecrated the Temple in Jerusalem, and ordered the killing of Jews.

Once free, the Jews were able to rededicate the Temple. They needed oil for the Temple's menorah, which was supposed to burn every night, but according to the Talmud, the Jews had only enough oil to burn for one night. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, giving them enough time to obtain more oil. To celebrate this miracle the next year, the Jews began to observe an eight-day festival.

What is a menorah?
On each of the eight nights of Chanukah, Jews light a candelabra called a menorah after sunset. The menorah holds nine Hanukkah candles (or wicks in oil). On the first night, Jews light the shamash (attendant or "helper" candle), then light another candle with the shamash. On the second night, we light two candles plus the shamash. This continues until the eighth night, when we light eight candles plus the shamash. The custom of lighting Hanukkah candles has given the holiday its nickname, the Festival of Lights.

In what direction do I light menorah candles?
Candles are added from right to left, but they are lit from left to right. On the first night of Hanukkah, place one candle in the far right holder of the menorah, and light it with the shamash. (The lit shamash is often placed in the center of the menorah.) On the second night, put two candles in the two far-right candle holders, then light the left-most candle first.

Is there a special blessing I can recite while I light the Hanukkah candles?
Yes, while holding the shamash you may recite the Blessing over Candles and the Blessing for Hanukkah. On the first night, it's customary to recite the Shehecheyanu as well; this prayer celebrates special occasions and milestones.

Where can I get a menorah? ModernTribe has unique artisan-made menorahs from girly to manly, glass to chrome, plus a kid's play menorah. Menorahs are also available at synagogue Judaica shops and Jewish bookstores.

What are some other Hanukkah traditions?
A Jewish holiday wouldn't be complete without special foods! On Hanukkah we often eat foods fried in oil, such as latkes (pancakes made of shredded potato) and doughnuts (sufganiyot), to commemorate the Hanukkah miracle. Dairy foods also are commonly eaten.

Families often exchange Hanukkah gifts or just give gifts to children. It's traditional to give children gifts of money, or gelt. Another Jewish custom is to give more money to charity each day of Hanukkah.

Another Hanukkah tradition is to play dreidel games—including No Limit Texas Dreidel. Singing Hanukkah songs is also a fun family activity.

Jews often send each other Hanukkah cards.

I've seen "Hanukkah" spelled many different ways. What's the correct spelling?
Because it's transliterated from Hebrew, there are several possible spellings: Hanukkah, Chanukah, Hanukah, Chanukkah, Hanuka, and Chanuka. Less typical spellings include Hanaka, Channuka, Channukah, Hannuka, Hannukah, Kanukkah, Khannuka, Khannukah, Khanuka, Khanukah, and Khanukkah!

To read more about the Festival of Lights, visit Chabad's Chanukah guide or Judaism 101's Chanukkah page.