Monocle Marquee could have saved us time and money

Posted on October 12, 2011 by monoclemarquee

All I had to do was open the oven door and I knew it was time to replace the foil that I had placed on the bottom of my stove to catch the drippings from overflowing pies and other exotic baked goods. I easily removed the stained foil and disposed of it in the garbage can. Without giving it a second thought, I reached into the drawer where I normally keep all my food wraps and grabbed the “aluminum” foil. I noticed the fine print but there is fine print on everything and most of it is non-essential. I didn’t have my glasses on and was too engrossed in what I was doing to reach for my Monocle Marquee. That was a huge mistake!

A couple days later we used the oven to warm up some Chinese food. The oven was probably set a little high for warming—300 degrees—but certainly not as high as it would have been set for cooking a casserole or a pie. Before long, there was smoke and a very pungent odor escaping from the oven door.  We immediately turned the oven off. There were no visible flames but we waited for the oven to cool down before opening the door. When we did it was readily apparent that the foil had melted to the base of the stove. We tried everything to remove it. Nothing worked short of ordering a new base panel for the oven.

Lesson learned:  Generic foil is composed of unsavory chemicals that cause the foil to melt and ruin your stove at medium high temperatures and greater. Instead of trying to save a buck on foil this cost us more than $50 to replace the base of the stove.  If I had just picked up my Monocle Marquee, I would have seen that the fine print I had previously dismissed warned of such an outcome.

I really kick myself since my Monocle Marquee was right there and this was the one time I didn’t use it. Have you ever had a similar experience? Please share!

Posted in Gadget, magnifier, magnifying lens, monocle marquee, vision loss | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Let your entrepreneurial spirit out of the box

Posted on October 6, 2011 by monoclemarquee

It's never too late!

For those of us who have a lot of years under our belt, it is never too late.

I mentioned earlier that Monocle Marquee evolved from an idea to a prototype to a product as the result of experiencing difficulty reading the fine print on menus and restaurant receipts. I am sure we would not have “seen” the need if it weren’t for the fact that our eyesight reflected our aging.  And then when we shared the concept with numerous other people, they were able to envision applications that have taken Monocle Marquee into markets that weren’t even on our original radar screen .

I think about the fact that Colonel Sanders was 65 years old when he founded the Kentucky Fried Chicken fast food chain that has become one of the mainstays of American culture. I find his story to be an inspiration. It’s the thought that counts, not the age of the thinker!

One way to get started is to reflect on the times when we’ve said to ourselves, “I wish this design was more user-friendly” or “Wouldn’t it be nice if. . . .” These thoughts are trigger points for tinkering, for building a prototype.  Most likely, we will come up with ideas that overcome a current difficulty and that generally represent an unfulfilled need.  If the idea represents an unfulfilled need to you, will it be the same for others? That’s fairly easy to test by getting together a group of people that you don’t have a relationship with and who can provide objective feedback. That same group can also tell you how much they would be willing to pay for your product or service. Then it is a question of researching the cost to produce and the profit margin that remains once it has been purchased by the end user. If you can live with that then maybe it’s time to make it happen.

I hope you will share your entrepreneurial experiences. What tips do you have to offer?

Posted in innovation, magnifier, monocle marquee, promotional item, vision aid for seniors and baby boomers | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Three Key Lessons for Entrepreneurs

Posted on September 21, 2011 by monoclemarquee

What can be more exciting than creating a product that has never existed before? The answer to that is NOTHING! Monocle Marquee is just one example of the evolution of a new product based on a need that turned out to be common to many people in our demographic.  In fact, we have been involved in several such endeavors and would like to share some of our key learnings:

  • Double or triple whatever amount of money you think it will take to start your business. It is very common to underestimate the cost of startup because you don’t always know what will be required until you get into it. For example, what if you need to hire a lawyer to do a patent search (as we did with Monocle Marquee) or what if the cost of production turns out to be higher than you anticipated because the cost of raw materials has increased? What if you have to consider production in another country in order to offer your product at a competitive price?
  • Double or triple the amount of time you anticipate it will take to have a finished product ready for market. Invariably delays occur. Perhaps people critical to your business have other priorities, it takes longer than you had planned to get scheduled for a production run, you are having difficulty finding a sales representative.
  • Make sure your “rainy day fund” can carry you through the ebbs and flows of new business startup. It can take a long time to get recognized if you aren’t one of the “big boys” in the marketplace. Brand recognition takes time, money, and/or a distributor that is equally excited about your product.

There are many more lessons to be learned and shared but we’ll start with these.

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How did Monocle Marquee get its start?

Posted on September 15, 2011 by monoclemarquee

What a difference that magnifier makes!

I can’t believe I haven’t already shared this. A customer asked about the origin of Monocle Marquee the other day and I thought it might be something that others would be interested in as well.

It all started about 10 years ago. My husband and I had been seated in a restaurant and offered a menu. We looked at the menu, looked at each other and commented on how neither one of us could read the fine print. We were getting to that age but didn’t yet own a pair of reading glasses. Jeff was the first to notice a tabletop menu holder that was clearly easy to read and pondered aloud at how convenient it would be if the tabletop incorporated a magnifier above the display area. We had fun thinking about the idea but didn’t do anything with it at the time.

Then last year we were having lunch with some friends who had forgotten their reading glasses. They went through the gyrations of squinting and holding the menu out at arm’s length but still couldn’t make out the fine print. Again, there was a tabletop menu holder displaying the specials in a very easy-to-read point size. That was when Jeff told them about his idea for mounting a magnifier above the display area to solve this very problem. So many of us just use readers and frequently leave them at home or have to search through pockets or purses to find them. They encouraged us to move forward with the idea.

After a lot of consideration we decided to make some prototypes. We tested the idea with other baby boomers and seniors and it was unanimous that this would be a big help and convenience. They also thought it would benefit the restaurants since their specials or whatever they were pushing would end up in the hands of the person using the tabletop magnifier.  Additionally, they gave us lots of other good ideas for uses of the display area, many of which you can see on our website. . . so go take a look and ponder the benefits of Monocle Marquee in your life. Then share your thoughts with all of us!

Posted in Gadget, magnifier, monocle marquee, new innovations, restaurants | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Monocle Marquee encourages you to share your thoughts

Posted on September 7, 2011 by monoclemarquee

We value your thoughts!

Have you ever seen something new to you, liked the “look” and “feel,” felt the price was right, but hesitated to make a purchase? Maybe something like a software program or a phone or even a fancy pen? You go back and look at it multiple times, ponder its use, think about where it will go or how it will make life easier. You make sure you understand its features, benefits, and how it works. Well, we’re finding that it is like that for Monocle Marquee as well.

Our early adopters are the type of people who just enjoy trying new things. In fact, they will try most anything new as long as the price is right. But what is really heartening is the feedback from these people once they actually create their own display inserts and find that the magnifier really does come in handy. They say, “It’s like you don’t know what you have missed until you have a Monocle Marquee and find that you use it all the time because the applications are limitless.”

Several people have commented on the Customize-It! feature and its utility, particularly the fact that they can make changes to their insert whenever they want. The ability to change font size is a real benefit to the vision challenged. 

We are definitely interested in your thoughts. Please let us know what aspect of the Monocle Marquee is most appealing to you so that we can share ideas and input with others. We enjoy your comments and find that they also help us fine-tune our message and better your needs.

Posted in gift ideas, magnifier, monocle marquee, new innovations, time-saving ideas | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Little Conveniences Make All the Difference

Posted on September 1, 2011 by monoclemarquee

The display area enables you to create your own convenience!

As we age there a lot of things that we learn to appreciate like never before. . .those key rings with the electronic tracking device so you can be reminded of where you parked your car, the heated massage pillow that you can place under a stiff back muscle, warm electric throw blankets on those cold winter days. I would also include the Waterpik that has made a big difference in my periodontal health (I actually got a Gold star on my last checkup).  I think it is safe to say that Monocle Marquee also falls into the category of new conveniences.

As my husband and I work on marketing this product, we are getting involved in all kinds of websites and blogs and you name it that require new User IDs and passwords. We have been keeping our list in the Monocle Marquee that we share in our office, recently crossing out websites or blogs that we no longer use and writing in new information as we have moved on.

This morning we decided it was time for a clean slate. We gathered our list, including some user information that we found on random scraps of paper, and went to the Customize page of our website.  We were surprised by how lengthy our list had grown—to the point that we now have two Monocle Marquees in our office, a His and a Hers. We couldn’t help but marvel at this incredible convenience. It really is nice to have all those User IDs and passwords organized and easily accessible. I hate wasting time looking around for information that needs to be at my fingertips. This really is a huge time saver, not to mention a frustration reducer!

Shortly thereafter, I was researching a software program for tracking distributors. There was a sample tracking form on the screen but even with my glasses on I couldn’t make it out. Voila! The magnifier on my Marquee was handy and made all the difference. (I decided against that software).

Maybe I am biased about Monocle Marquee, but I bet your experiences are similar to mine. Take a minute to share!

Posted in Gadget, magnifier, time-saving ideas, tips for organization, vision loss | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Joy of Interacting with our Grandparents

Posted on August 29, 2011 by monoclemarquee

It's always fun with the grandparents!

Grandparents love to interact with their grandchildren. They look forward to their visits and often have special outings or activities planned that they can all do together. It might be a visit to the local railroad museum, lunch at McDonalds, a swim in the creek, an afternoon together just relaxing on the porch swing when it is too hot to do anything else—it doesn’t really matter what it is. It’s being together, bonding and building special memories that will always be treasured.

Monocle Marquee offers a way to keep that bond alive whether the grandparents live next door or across the country. In fact, in today’s tech savvy environment the grandchildren may have computer skills that they can put to work to aid their grandparents. All that is needed is a Monocle Marquee. Since everyone has access to the Monocle Marquee website and can use the Customize page at any time for FREE, the grandchildren can easily create a personalized display area for grandma and grandpa. Maybe the grandparents need a list of family telephone numbers or emergency numbers that are clearly visible in the tabletop design of the Monocle Marquee. Or maybe the grandparents already have this information and the grandchildren just want to create a Thank You note to be displayed on one side of the Marquee with a picture commemorating their visit on the other side (might even need a second Monocle Marquee!). Perhaps they want to share words of wisdom gained during their visit. This is an opportunity for them to let their imaginations run wild.

Even if the grandchildren live far away they can just email their “creation” to the grandparents who then print it out, cut along the perforated lines, and insert it into their existing or new Monocle Marquee. Actually, it doesn’t hurt to have more than one around the house. Just refer to previous blogs to see all the interesting ideas that the display area can accommodate to make life easier. Furthermore, most of us grandparents can use the handy magnifier in multiple rooms of the house.

What are some of the ways that you use your Monocle Marquee?

Posted in address book, Gadget, grandchildren, grandparents, leisure activity, magnifier | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Applications Just Keep Coming

Posted on August 24, 2011 by monoclemarquee

This example shows Contact Information in the display area

As you know, Monocle Marquee was developed by baby boomers especially for baby boomers and seniors. However, there is another important audience that Monocle Marquee can serve.

What about moms and dads with school age children who arrive home before they do? These moms and dads know when their children are expected home and frequently place a call around that time to make sure everything is okay and that the homework, chores, or other extracurricular activities are underway. They breathe a sigh of relief when the phone is answered and they have been reassured that all is well.

However, a friend of mine pointed out that these moms and dads could also benefit from a Monocle Marquee. The display area can be used to list emergency numbers, mom’s and dad’s cell phone number, the next door neighbor’s number, and relative phone numbers just in case something goes awry while the kids are home alone.  This obviously makes perfect sense, especially since the Monocle Marquee stands upright and can be seen from anywhere in a room. The kids won’t panic while looking for a number and multiple options can be listed in one place.

I was also reminded that the magnifier is an extra plus in this case. Perhaps it isn’t needed so much for the younger generations with their younger eyes but there will come a day when, no matter how good their eyesight, they will be glad they have it! It’s amazing how frequently a magnifier comes in handy for any age group.

Just out of curiosity, when was the last time you wish you had a magnifier handy?

Posted in emergency phone numbers, Gadget, helpful aid for children, magnifier, monocle marquee, personal messages | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Reminiscing on Favorite Memories

Posted on August 19, 2011 by monoclemarquee

Inspirational messages keep us up and are a great use of the display area of your Monocle Marquee!

I have lots of pictures surrounding my workspace–several are pinned to the wall and others are arranged neatly in frames.  I really enjoy looking up from the computer and seeing  my family, friends, and dogs cheering me on. Some of the pictures include captions like, “Friends make the path of life worth traveling.” Isn’t that the truth!

Every once in a while I even take the time to really study these pictures, to think about the time and place in which the memories were captured, to re-experience the emotion of the moment, and to realize how fortunate I am to have such a rich repository of stories to share. I guess that’s one of the benefits to growing “ancient.”

I also like to post inspirational messages around my workspace, especially for those days that we all have when we wonder if we are going to catch a break.  In fact, someone sent me a very insightful message that is currently residing in the display area of one of my Monocle Marquee’s. It goes like this:

‘To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did. When God takes something from your grasp, He’s not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better.  Concentrate on this sentence. . .The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.’ Something good will happen to you today; something that you have been waiting to hear.

Angie Galphin Avery

If this message strikes a chord for you, please make a copy for your Monocle Marquee.

Posted in address book, Gadget, magnifier, monocle marquee, vision aid for seniors and baby boomers | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A Special Week

Posted on August 13, 2011 by monoclemarquee

Monocle Marquee aids in reading menus and restaurant receipts

Nearly every year my sister and I manage to get together for a few days. Just the two of us—no kids, no husbands, no responsibilities.  It’s all about enjoying each other’s company and doing what we want to do when we want to do it. This “get together” usually takes place during the summer and, in order to enjoy a reprieve from the mid-summer heat, we usually head up to the mountains in Colorado.  We stay in a condominium and eat about half of our meals in. Otherwise, we treat ourselves to a few meals at our favorite restaurants.  As we have aged we have noticed that our eyesight isn’t what it used to be. Gone are the days when we can read the fine print on restaurant menus without some sort of aid. In fact, my sister was constantly looking for her glasses to read menus, price tags on items in stores, the telephone book in our condo, etc. Of course, I was right there with her and I bet you experience the same thing when you are out and about.

Every time we tried to read a menu, we couldn’t help but comment on how much easier it would be for all of us if more restaurants used the Monocle Marquee in place of their tabletop displays.  What a difference it makes in the dining experience and customer satisfaction. It also leads to higher profits for restaurants since customers readily notice the “hologram” appearance of the magnifier positioned above the tabletop display area where restaurants list their high profit items. At least this is the feedback we get from the restaurants that do provide Monocle Marquees. We’re working hard to get the message out and you can help us. Next time you are in a restaurant and can’t read the menu, let your waitress know that there is a win-win solution. All the restaurant has to do is visit the Monocle Marquee website and call or place an order on line.

Likewise, Monocle Marquee is now available for home use—like reading prescription bottles, medicine instructions, recipes—and you can even customize the display area to suit your own needs.

Posted in Gadget, monocle marquee, optical display, vision, vision aid for seniors and baby boomers, vision loss | Tagged , , | Leave a comment