We support high-fives. We have a Nifty Note to prove it.

We’re big fans of high-fives—have you seen our best-selling High Five Nifty Note or our head honcho, Jen, dominating the High-Five Challenge? (If you haven’t seen the latter, scroll down, it’s below). Yup, high-fives are the fiber of our hands. And since it’s National High-Five Day (NH5D), who knows, we may just go beyond the standard palm slap and try The Escalator.

This year, we also want to give a special high-five to a non-profit dedicated to the hand gesture, The National High Five Project. They’re founders of the National High-5-a-Thon for cancer research. But today they’re wanting folks to join in their online NH5D Rally in support of the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings:

For this year’s National High Five Day — today, April 18 — let’s all reach out to help Boston. After tragedies like this, two critical services are often not covered by victims’ insurance companies — mental-health counseling and physical therapy. We’re partnering with Boston-area providers offering affordable services (including Kennedy Brothers Physical Therapy and Thriveworks Counseling). On average each $5 donated today pays for 5 minutes of care from those providers . . . Let’s high five for Boston!

This non-profit is dedicating their high-fives to the Boston Marathon Bombings.

Using high-fives as an instrument to help each other out is a beautiful thing. And even if you refuse to slap someone’s hand today, just know we’re sending all of you Internet high-fives with the intensity to match Jen’s skills:

The Knock Knock digital team, minus Trish (who took the pic), waiting for bags at JFK airport. We do digital stuff like this. From left to right: Jen, our head honcho; Sara, our e-commerce manager, and Mel (me!), marketing and digital coordinator.

I’m currently watching the highly-acclaimed Olsen twins classic New York Minute while I write. It’s the only Olsen flick I have not seen, and by fantastic chance I DVRed it in the nick of time, which may or may not be one of the most embarrassing things I’ve chosen to share with the Internet. Nevertheless, it involves a young woman who’s determined to make it big in a city saturated with hustle and bustle and Simple Plan cameos. One of those two plot points is completely relatable to my current, post-college pursuits.

At the tail end of January, I had the opportunity to travel with the Knock Knock team to New York City, which I consider an extraordinary accolade, considering: 1. If thought bubbles hovered over our heads in the office and labeled us, mine would read, “Mildly mellow chick, semi-decent fashion sense, junior status”; 2. New York is way over there, literally on the other side of the country from our Venice, California, locale, and plane rides ain’t cheap these days. So when my colleague and Knock Knock e-commerce manager, Sara Hartman, sent me an email asking if I’d like to come to NYC for digital department meetings and the New York International Gift Fair, that was an immediate “Uh, hells yessssss!” And while prepping for the trip, I made sure to revisit my inner “how to not fuck things up” canon.

So there I was, 37,292 feet in the air, working on Knock Knock social media, PR, and video items from above and exchanging interplane emails with the boss ladies—Trish, our VP of branding, and our head honcho, Jen, have you heard of her?—and Knock Knockers back in Venice. All the while scheming up ways Sara and I could somehow sneak into first class and make Chris Pine fall in love with us, although I kindly gave Sara dibs. (Yes, the actor really was on our flight and newsflash, he reads newspapers! Whoa, guys, it’s like he’s a real person!)

Top: Sara and me at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). We are so contemporay and meta that we took a pic in front of a regular set of stairs. And yes, that is what we look like on the reg. Bottom: The ladies of digital at dinner, discovering our love for skinny margs (they has agave!). Trish is actually in this one!

It all felt so very odd to me—like, taking-off-my-boots-and-putting-heels-on odd. Why did I feel so weird working? I had no idea. I’ve been on flights where I was perfectly sandwiched between two coworkers chatting it up about plans and “next steps,” but didn’t think I’d be doing the same exact thing at the tender age of twenty-three. I was out of my element. (If you wanted to know, my “element” is falling asleep to my iPod and spontaneously waking up to make sure I didn’t miss the food cart.) But damn, did I feel productive! And so my fingers returned to my keyboard.

The four-day trip itself flew by at the same fast, fervent rhythm of New Yorkers’ feet pounding on the concrete. We weaved in and out of digital meetings the first two days. In and out of the freezing 19-degree chill that made my breath look as if I was smoking my lungs out, sans cigarettes. Surprisingly we had a few spurts of free time, which Sara and I used to walk around a snow-blanketed Central Park and visit the beloved Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

At night, the Knock Knock digital ladies also had spurts of alcoholic beverages that made walking outside a bit warmer, our team a bit closer, and our list of bad pickup lines you should never, ever say to a gal that much longer. For pete’s sake, guys, do not try to woo women from Los Angeles by saying that you “expected them to be more beautiful” and then proceed to call it “witty banter.” In the real world, this is actually considered an insult, and you will be branded an “asshole” with inept social skills.

Amazing Knock Knockers at the Knock Knock booth. From left to right: Jim, president; Craig, publisher; Travis, sales associate; Dave, our friend who has helped us out at this show numerous times; Lonnie, national sales manager. You all are the best!

Sunday came around, the first day of the fair at the Javits Center. Unlike Ms. Jen, who has a decade of trade shows under her belt, I’ve never been to a trade show in my life. I’ve heard so much about the show over the last few years from the reports I’ve received to post about on Facebook, but that was the extent of it. My plan was to live-Tweet and -Facebook the experience, but when I got inside the Javits I realized I didn’t have Wi-Fi for the designated Knock Knock social media iPod Touch, which meant I was pretty much screwed out of that scheme.

The upshot? For those of you who have never experienced a trade show as grand as NYIGF, go to at least one or two in your life. By the end of it, you’ll want to hug and high-five each and every member of your sales team and cater to their every need, because the logistics of it all are exhausting. Our superstar sales team not only set up the booth, which, by the way, looked über-fantastic, but spent the entire week on their feet with huge smiles on their faces, taking time to talk to each and every person who stopped by. For an ENTIRE WEEK. I was at the Knock Knock booth for less than an hour and within fifteen minutes I knew I couldn’t do what they do so seamlessly. A supreme shout-out to them (and to our Tradeshow Jots, which were freebies just for the show, and very, very popular)!

Walking the show. There were a lot more people than this, I swear.

I also had the opportunity to walk the rest of the aisles and aisles and aisles of booths. Walking the convention center, spanning two huge floors, made my brain spin, but in a good way. I tried as best as I could to keep up with Trish and Jen’s strides but I easily became overwhelmed with the thousands and thousands of brands and companies—both big and small—and the tens of thousands of products with which they’d stocked their booths. Not to mention the tens and thousands of people running around trying to sell and buy all of it—oy, I had to sit down and take a breather and reflect upon the fact that this craziness happens twice a year. After the this experience, I was thinking of submitting “trade show” to UrbanDictionary.com, alongside the definition, “embraced ridiculousness.” There are just so many items with which to become fixated, it would take weeks for you to sift through them all. Although it would take me months, because I shop like a snail.

Sara and Trish at the gala d-a-n-c-i-n-g! Such a great time for all!

To close the day, and the trip, the Knock Knock team attended the Gift for Life AIDS charity gala and auction, which is probably the swankiest event I’ve ever been to. Hanging out, drinking, and catching up with other Knock Knockers outside of the office was oh-so-refreshing and extremely fun. If you didn’t see the photo-booth snaps from the event, check them out, because it really does capture our inebriation. On a side note to other twentysomethings: if you go to a future event with your management team and there’s an open bar, sip with caution. I know it’s tempting, but do not, I repeat, do not, take advantage of it to the point where you’re doing power-hour shots or anything of the like, because getting blackout drunk in front of your execs is utterly moronic, but more importantly, unprofessional.

Once again I worked on the plane ride home. As I pushed pixels, that funny, fickle feeling crept over me again, that feeling of sudden assimilation into unknown territory. Not to sound too cheesy or stupidly soft, but I realized that “unknown territory” was confidence. Finding confidence in my own work efforts and ethic in this bachelor’s-degree afterlife. Here I was, hunched over and editing a video for four hours on an airplane, not because I was required to, but because I wanted to, and I actually felt I had a purpose within my own career pursuits. And by flying me across the nation, I realized I felt comfort in knowing my company thought I did, too.

For more pics from the New York trip, and let me tell you, there are many more, check out our FB album all about it!

———-

Do you have any comical story nuggets from your first business trip? Share in a comment!

Admit it, we’ve all asked ourselves “To share or not to share?” when posting information on social media on Facebook, Twitter (. . . Myspace?), or at least, we wish other people would do the same. For those of you who need a little guidance, a social media expert will offer “netiquette” tips on the do’s and don’ts of sharing information online on Ricki Lake’s new show The Ricki Lake Show, Thursday, October 4th at 3 p.m. PST/12 p.m. EST on FOX.

And even better news: our Social Media Citation Nifty Note will be featured on this week’s episode. Oh, the relevance! We’re a bit late, but we’re glad Knock Knock is finally fulfilling its 1996 dream.

What are your social media do’s and don’ts? Share your tips in a comment below! As for the experts, make sure you get your hands on our Social Media Citation Nifty Note and fine away!

The Social Media Citation. For the faux pas that can't be undone (without a keyboard).

When I first started to look around tradeshows and see Knock Knock’s influence, sometimes a little too transparently, I was able pretty quickly to calm myself with the knowledge that imitation was one indication we were successful. It wasn’t that I didn’t feel hotheaded and indignant that other creators couldn’t find their own voices, and if so, they shouldn’t be playing the game, but instead the recognition that I was witnessing the inevitable and in the larger picture this meant we were doing things right.

Sometimes aspiring entrepreneurs or product designers come to me and say “I have a great idea for a product.” After asking me to sign an NDA and squinting with cagy suspicion, they allow that it’s an idea for a card. Or a pad. Or a sticky note. My response? God help you if you only have one idea. In the world of creative product, your longevity and success are based on your ability to come out with good ideas over and over and over again, and the produced good ideas are the winners among many, not a sole strike of momentary genius. When I see our, or another company’s, influence running too rampant, I know that we’ve played out that theme and it’s time to move on.

All of us more experienced and perhaps not insane gift-and-specialty companies (the industry term for us) know that we’re playing in the same sandbox. There are only so many things you can do with paper and ephemera and cloth and plastic. When I’m at a tradeshow and I see that file folders are coming up, and we have a great idea for file folders, I’m aware that it’s not appropriate to do it if only one company is doing it, but if I see a few doing it, and Knock Knock can bring something to the form that isn’t about competition but about what we want to create, then we make file folders. Great minds are constantly thinking alike, and honestly, there are a number of things we’ve thought of that we haven’t produced because someone else did it before us and we don’t want to be perceived as followers or copycats. Creativity is our stock in trade.

From Robynne Raye, founder and principle of Modern Dog: “On September 12th, 2011, I received an email from a designer working at another design firm who said he saw our dogs on a product being sold through a major retailer. At first, I was skeptical: I had to see the actual item to make sure for myself. A few days later, as I waited for a flight to take me to an AIGA event in Nebraska, I was sent the image that contained what the person thought was our dogs on my iPhone. Even though the image was tiny, I immediately recognized my best friend's Dalmatian Rudy, my business partner's whippet Rosie, my client's poodle Albert, and my own cairn terrier pup Conan. I also thought I recognized other dogs so I ordered the shirt online. When I returned from my Nebraska trip, the shirt was waiting for me at my office. The hangtag on the shirt was also part of an advertising campaign for a movie. We believe that all 27 t-shirt dog images came from our poster art book (Modern Dog: 20 Years of Poster Art).”

But then there are the actual copycats. The ones who, due either to lack of conscience (not too long about I read this book on psychopaths, AKA sociopaths, who, according to the book and this This American Life episode, are especially prevalent among CEOs; also, here’s a TED Talk about it) or complete and utter denial, can’t help themselves from stealing intellectual property. I find out about these copycats primarily from customers and other supporters (thank you!) who email us to say, “Is this yours?” One was a company I saw while walking around one of the gift shows, and it was so bald-faced that I was shocked they’d had the gall to obtain a booth. They had barely changed our wording. I plotted with a sympathetic retailer to check it out: she went into the booth, looked around, and said, “Is this Knock Knock?” The woman in the booth replied with a smug smile, “Oh, no. Our stuff is much more sophisticated than theirs.”

In the last couple years, the copycats have gone international. A small company in Argentina whose mission statement celebrates their creativity basically put our pads and sticky notes on a color xerox machine and then got very mainstream press on them! A not-so-small publisher in Germany asked to license our product when we nabbed them for their color xerox infraction. Are you kidding me? I’m going to do business with you? This is your reward for ripping us off? The current challenge in Australia is with a known knocker-offer, a very large company that has already lost similar lawsuits, which makes me think their CEO certainly must be a sociopath, because he clearly knows exactly what he and his company are doing and doesn’t care. I’m sure you won’t be surprised that one of my least favorite activities is pursuing these infringements with our attorneys and that my very least favorite check to sign is the one for these legal fees. We’re talking tens of thousands of dollars a year, and that’s even with assiduously avoiding litigation.

People often ask us who our competitors are. You may think this is disingenuous, but I don’t feel we have competitors. Instead, I believe we have peers. Since we don’t create generic commodity items, our products don’t have exact equivalents. Retailers and buyer want our sensibility. Other companies that have similar sensibilities may be competing with us for open-to-buy dollars (the term for the budget a buyer or retailer has for a certain product category and season) or space on a particular display table, but it’s our job to put out such good stuff that we’re happy with their choices to fly Knock Knock.

Big chain retailers have over time been building their in-house product development and design teams. We create customized product programs for many of these retailers, and one of the things they tell us is it’s difficult to knock off Knock Knock because of our conceptual underpinning and emphasis on language. They just can’t get it right. Of course they don’t state it exactly like that, but it’s the gist.

One of the many products on which Modern Dog’s imagery was reproduced.

Not too long ago, I heard a sad story about the design company that does a lot of work for one of our favorite peer companies, Blue Q. How can you not respect and love Blue Q’s work? How can you not frequently kick yourself because they came up with something great that you didn’t? This design company, Modern Dog, does fantabulous work, much of which you’ve seen without knowing it was them. I recently became aware of a challenge that Modern Dog is having. A creation of theirs that is especially near and dear to their hearts was knocked off very broadly and very profitably by more than one multinational corporation. These corporations know that small companies don’t have the resources to fight back (because to do so is much more than the many tens of thousands of dollars Knock Knock has been spending) so they stall until their opponents go broke.

Modern Dog believes, as I do, that “Copyright law should protect everyone, not just those who can afford to litigate” and “Copyright only works if you are willing and able to protect it.” Would you believe also that as a trademark owner, you are legally obligated to fight to protect your trademark, and that if you do not fight each and every instance of known infringement, you have a much weaker case down the road, making it sometimes dangerous to back down whether or not you can afford to go on? Modern Dog, “like a lot of small businesses” doesn’t “operate with a reserve account for emergencies. And it’s not possible to apply for a lawsuit loan.” So they’re fundraising, something they were reluctant to do until friends pushed them to do so. Knock Knock has donated, and I think all folks who believe that this kind of creative theft and bullying is wrong should do so as well.

Modern Dog has chosen to sell the house in which they’ve had their offices for almost twenty years in order to fund the lawsuit and bring down overhead. Knock Knock so identifies with its home and surroundings, and I’m such a nester myself, to me that is one of the ultimate sacrifices. I think it’s critical that we make it less easy for anyone to steal others’ creative work, but especially the Goliaths who pick on the Davids—and Davids without slingshots at that, because slingshots are cheap but lawyers are costly. So I urge you—donate to Modern Dog, and keep your eyes and ears open for companies and people who are willing to steal creativity in order to compensate for their own laziness or inadequacies, and report them to the entities that put the hard work in to unleash something new and brilliant upon the world. Because we have a right to defend ourselves.

New York Fashion Week is here and while we aren’t fashionistas in the slightest bit (FYI, the word “fashionistas” makes us cringe), we do appreciate and can’t deny the creativity that radiates from the runway.

We do, however, love all things books. And when fashion meets books—well, we’re in.

For example: recycled book purses.

Caitlin Phillips, the artist behind Rebound Designs, recycles damaged or discarded books into fashionable bags! The best part is no books are harmed, but rather rescued from dumpsters and library discards, and transformed into wearable art.

Here are five other fashionable accessories we think you booklovers may enjoy:

1. Book scarf. With fall just around the corner, this scarf makes it easier to cozy up with your favorite book.

Book scarf. Wrap it around your neck while you read. Or, unwrap it and read that instead—whatever floats your boat.

2. Book brooch. Since we’re already addicted to “pinning,” pin your favorite book on your clothing or messenger bag. It’s the perfect accessory to your accessory.

This isn't your seventy-five-year-old aunt's brooch. Or maybe it is.

3. Typewriter necklace. Whether you prefer to write down your thoughts in one of our journals or tap away on a laptop, we highly encourage you to record your brilliant thoughts. Wear this detailed necklace as a reminder of how important it is to vent it all out.

A tiny typewriter for your neck.

4. Book perfume. Nothing can really compare to the scent of a crisp new read! So stop being that weird book-sniffer at the back of every bookstore and get your hands (and neck) on this scent. We’re sure you’ll make all the e-readers jealous.

Perfume to make you smell like a new book, because god knows you don't want to smell like peonias.

5. Paperback wallet. This DIY wallet is great for channeling your inner craftsperson, or, at the very least, gain something from your copy of Fifty Shades of Grey.

DIY paperback wallet. Much cooler than duct tape.

Do you think any of these deserve a Fashion Citation? Share your favorite book-inspired garb in a comment below!

Props to the SMARTY ladies, who sponsored an inspiration-heavy “biz-lebrity” panel at the splendid Los Angeles Herman Miller Showroom last night. If you haven’t heard of the entrepreneurial-support organization that’s SMARTY, make sure to read all about them here! *Cue “girl power” sentiment.

Outside the Herman Miller L.A. Showroom.

Alongside our head honcho, Jen, the panel included Wende Zomnir of Urban Decay and Susan Feldman of One King’s Lane—all wonderful and influential women who can instantly make you feel like an underachiever after reading their one-paragraph bios.

Each brand differs in business model, company-size, and products sold. And each founder faced her own trials and tribulations while building her company. But as a whole, their insight was unparalleled. In short—they know their shit.

Here are some of their pointers on jump-starting and developing your own brand:

•  Always have a “why” and a purpose for your business. If you have no reason to start it, then what is the point of executing it?

• Be clear and specific in describing your brand. When people ask what your company is, be able to answer in one sentence. (For example, Urban Decay’s brand message is “Beauty with an edge” and Knock Knock’s is “We put the fun in functional.”) Also, if you have to explain your company in more than 15 seconds, it’s back to the drawing board for you!

• Don’t be afraid to evolve your brand, but stay true and stay relevant to your original purpose. (Going back to the first point—doy.) Also, don’t be afraid to say “no” to opportunities. But don’t say “no” too early, because you never know what that chance may bring!

• Regarding your website, do the “heavy lifting” for the customer and keep his or her experience simple. While the customer may not always be right, do your planning with his or her benefit in mind.

• Hire people who are already passionate and excited about your company, because that passion is contagious within the team. And a few key qualities to look for in a new-hire: resourcefulness, independence, and innately entrepreneurial.

• Be realistic of your expectations and know your own capabilities. And make sure to surround yourself with a management team whose strongest attributes are your weaknesses. That’s where effective teamwork comes in, peeps!

And finally, be a “productive procrastinator” (a term Jen described herself as). If you’re going to put your agenda off to the wayside, you might as well transfer your energy and time into another project that benefits you in a different facet of your life.

Whew. Brain is in overdrive right now.

In your life, you probably know Star Wars fanatics, jazz junkies, and beer aficionados. How about bacon buffs? Carolyn, our former VP of Sales, continues to pave the way for bacon enthusiasts everywhere.

She mentioned in her “In It for the Money” that she’s a lover of bacon:

11. Food or drink you couldn’t live without? Trendy or not, it’s bacon. Note exhibit A: I am a known bacon lover far and wide—as indicated by a sampling of related gifts given to me over the years.

So the night before Carolyn’s last day at Knock Knock, our manufacturing director, Elyse, used her innate ingenuity (and leftover felt) and crafted the perfect send-off present for Carolyn: a giant stuffed bacon.

(From left to right) Elyse, felt bacon (name still TBD), and Carolyn.

We hope this piece of bacon takes top-shelf priority among your collection, CA!

The lost art of sharpening pencils has been rekindled, more so set afire, by David Rees—who traded his political clip-art-cartoon career to become a pencil-sharpening craftsman. His business, appropriately named Artisanal Pencil Sharpening, offers no. 2 pencils that are shaved down and encased in plastic tubing by Rees himself (each pencil is $15). Rees also showcases his craft for parties, festivals, and even cruise lines. Yes, cruise lines.

How did Rees get into this rare profession? Check out the video below from Paper magazine. It’ll make you want to become best friends with him.

Rees’s quotes to note:

“Once I got into no. 2 wooden pencils again, it really made me kinda despise mechanical pencils and the people who use mechanical pencils, and the people who brag about how their mechanical pencil never needs sharpening. I mean, fuck you. Fuck you.”

“I thought it would be cool to use the Internet to send people pencils in the mail. Because pencils are really kind of the opposite of the Internet, anyways. So I thought it was cool to combine those two technologies, like a really old method of communication, the pencil, and a really new method of communication—social networking and the Internet.” It’s like he gets us.

We’ve always been ardent supporters of the no. 2 pencil. You may have even seen this logo on our products:

Rees also just penned a book about his craft, How to Sharpen Pencils, and is wrapping up his book tour. Sadly, he just came through Los Angeles and we missed him. If you have or do get to see him in action, lucky you!

Scattered across thirty-four states and seventeen countries are over 200 handmade wooden “boxes.” Small in stature but mighty in practicality, each one can be easily mistaken for a birdhouse at first glance. But these quaint structures, perched in front yards and in residential neighborhoods, contain books, novels, and magazines—all free to share.

Little Free Library’s motto is “Give a book, return a book.” The project, started by two Wisconsinites, encourages each community to browse their local Little Free Library and borrow or donate books for others to explore. They also emphasize to leave notes in the books for future readers. Perks of this miniature-literature haven are that it requires no card and no fines. Hooray for no more overdue books!

There are only three Little Free Libraries in SoCal, and lucky enough, one was within walking distance from my apartment. So, of course I had to check it out:

It was very much picture-perfect: a welcoming Little Free Library, sandwiched between two stone benches, in case you wanted to relax while you read.

Attached to the library was a pamphlet detailing how the whole Little Free Library system works. This was so helpful, considering it’s rare to stumble upon a random array of books so conveniently arranged.

This library had an eclectic collection—from A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin to an issue of Garden Design magazine. I didn’t take any books this time around, but I’ll be sure to drop a few titles off next time I’m on a stroll. I may throw in a Personal Library Kit too!

Either way, you FOKKers should definitely check to see if there’s a Little Free Library nearby. To find the closest Little Free Library in your area, click here. Or if you want to learn more about how to build or donate toward your own Little Free Library for your neighborhood, click here.

And finally, a big thank you to our managing editor, Erin, for the scoop!

This study by Chemistry.com named our locale the top city where sex is valued the most.

Note that eight out of the ten cities listed are all in California, and seven of those are in SoCal. The blog post also states that valuing sex may correlate with a higher dopamine level. (Interpret that how you will.)

No wonder we have our own stash of products for lovers. Use them as catalysts if you want:

Check off reasons using our Why I Must Have Sex With You Pad.

Or sound like a sexpert with Sex Chic-chat for All Occasions book.

Nevertheless, if you’re in the Golden State, don’t feel bad about having spring flings—it’s in our geographic blood after all.