Avant Folk

The Number of Entrepreneurs is Growing

entrepreneurs-think-differently

The world of business is always in a flux. The idea of commerce standing still is completely contrary to the entire concept. It isn’t impossible, but likely improbable. Even when the US housing bubble burst in 2008, rocking the very foundation of the banking industry, business kept morphing and marching forward.

Small brick and mortar business owners found themselves without the backing of their long standing banking partners. These institutions were forced to trim down their workforce and scale back private jets and luxurious Fayetteville party buses for a while. The self-employed little guy was considered slash, and left out to dry.

Are You a Foodie?

foodies

Trends fill a need. Maybe the need is to bring awareness to a cause, and maybe the need is just to be fun. I think we can all agree that there could be a gamut of “maybees” in between.

We are a fickle species with insatiable appetites. Although we resist change we also crave new, fresh ideas. No better time of the year to witness this in the making than the holiday season. We love traditions, yet we love to make new ones. Turkey or tofu? Jello or aspic? Pumpkin or chocolate crème pie? Event catering is one arm of food service that has to be on the pulse of food trends. Those in the culinary world know that to showcase their unique style it takes getting it in front of the right people.

From Shabby to Chic

If you haven’t heard of Chip and Joanna Gaines, come on out from under that rock and let me be the first to introduce you. They are the epitome of Avant folk. Both were born and raised in the big, beautiful state of Texas. Both are country at heart, but along the way have developed an Avant sophistication that showcases both country and chic.

Relatable as country fried steak with Uncle Ellis’ gravy, this couple can turn a shack into a Shangri la. Chip and Joanna are down home folks who make you feel comfy right from the first meeting. In their series Fixer Upper they show how they have contributed to the lives of dozens of new homeowners as well as to their home community of Waco, Texas.

Their premise is to take the worst house in the nicest neighborhood and make it a masterpiece of comfort and style. Working with building contractors, landscapers and simply hard working people, the transformation they bring to a house is jaw dropping. My uncle and his partner now own several of the best 24 hr towing companies in Toledo Ohio but they used to be general contractors and decided it was just too labour intensive and that towing was a better niche for them to focus on. Either way, he taught me a lot about the value of blue collar work.

2 Trends That Will Blow Your Mind

next-big-thing-1

Throughout history, we have followed trends that make sense and then there are others that are real head scratchers. From trends that help us become more productive like calling for 24 Hr Towing Wichita KS when your vehicle breaks down, to ones that fuel our mind, body and spirit, trends shape the world around us in almost every niche. Now a days we tend to create and follow trends mostly in the name of beauty. Our idea of beauty has changed over time, and so have the practices we follow, nonetheless the backbone of these changes have generally been in the name of lookin’ good.

We bleach our teeth, opt for breast augmentation, botox, tanning beds, hair coloring, face lifts, striped socks. If given a look back from the year 2050 will these societal inclinations be any less aberrant than foot binding done by the Chinese or heading planking done by the Mayan? I wonder?

Humans have also used trends to signal to the general public that they are of a certain class and therefore by appearance alone, demand a measure of respect. We send a sign that we are ‘in the know’ when we show up looking so ‘with it’. So what are we towing from the past that has influenced some of our modern day inclinations?