If you give a hamster a piña colada

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know I am a big fan of Hello Denizen's Tiny Hamster videos. And their latest Tiny Hamster video, titled "Tiny Hamster's Tiny Tiki Party," which has a Hawaiian theme, does not disappoint.



And speaking of getting one's Hawaiian on, my Hawaii-inspired cool casual clothing company, Prepster Pineapple, is offering free shipping to anywhere in the U.S. through the month of May (a $6 value) when you use the code PP-SHIPFREE-MAY at checkout.

Cheers and aloha!

[Wish someone would make me a piña colada...]

Don't ask, don't get

[Alternate title: Would it kill you to buy a t-shirt?]

As many of you know, I recently launched my first ecommerce business, a clothing line called Prepster Pineapple. The brand and logo were the brainchild of my teenage daughter (who has since turned her attention to food blogging), who loved the idea of mom turning her doodle of a cute, preppy pineapple-headed Hawaiian boy (at left) into a line of clothing for teens and tweens.

Since launching, I have learned that writing about small business (my day job) is waaaaay easier than creating and running a small business, especially a clothing brand.

Indeed, in the past few months alone I have re-shot all the website photos (most of which were taken on the Big Island of Hawaii and feature local teenage surfers), added a blog, and launched my first PR campaign (which landed Prepster Pineapple in the New York Times, as well as several other newspapers, and in the upcoming back-to-school issue of Girls' Life magazine).

I've also added new products, like these adorable Prepster Pineapple 100% Cotton Bucket Hats (available in White and Khaki)...

and these very stylish, vintage-looking, 100% cotton, garment-dyed Aloha t-shirts for him...

and the Aloha tee for her...

So why is this post titled "Don't ask, don't get"? Because I need your help getting the word out about Prepster Pineapple. And as anyone in marketing will tell you, a recommendation or referral from a friend or colleague is worth more than any ad.

So whether you have already bought a Prepster Pineapple t-shirt or a Prepster Pineapple polo shirt (in which case, THANK YOU), know someone who would look sweet in a Prepster Pineapple t-shirt or polo shirt (And who wouldn't? They are awesome) or bucket hat (Don't go out in the sun without one!), or want to help out your old friend J., please take a minute to tell your friends about Prepster Pineapple and like the Prepster Pineapple page on Facebook.

Mahalo.

Think pink!

Now, I wouldn't presume to tell a woman 

what a woman ought to think, 

But tell her if she's got to think: think pink!

              --Maggie Prescott, Funny Face

As many of you no doubt know, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the symbol for which is a pink ribbon. And to support breast cancer awareness, education, and research, many businesses around the country offer pink products for sale during October and donate a portion of each sale to worthy charities. So this year, now that I am a business owner, I decided to join in and commissioned special pink Prepster Pineapple t-shirts.

And now through October 31st when you purchase a pink Prepster Pineapple t-shirt*, I will donate $5 of each sale to breast cancer research -- and will personally match the amount.

Don't need any more t-shirts right now? I understand. But please consider making a donation to the charity of your choice to help scientists discover a cure for breast cancer, which affects 1 out of 8 women in the United States.

And... think pink!



*T-shirts are $26 and are only available to customers in the 50 United States. Shipping is a flat rate of $6.