New Trend: Swim To Work Week?

While flipping through Aqua Magazine I came across the most interesting article titled "The Liquid Commute." Apparently, London is considering converting the history Regnets Canal into a swimming "lane" for commuters who are interested in swimming themselves to work. 
I am truly very interested to hear how this works out. What do you think - will swimming become the new transit system?
Learn More

The Atlantic City Pool & Spa Show is just around the corner, scheduled to begin on Jan. 29th
Will you be there?

Flexible Solutions will be! Please, take a moment or two to stop by booth #1537 to say "Hi" to Grant Moonie. I'm sure he'll be happy to show off our fresh materials and exciting news for the upcoming season.

There are also some very interesting sounding seminars being held. Though I won't be going myself, this year, I would have been interested in learning more about...

15 Things All Successful Businesses Have in Common - a full day seminar being held on the 28th. If you go, I'd love to hear how it was!

Rex Richard, the founder of the Pool Genius Network and mentor of yours truly, will be presenting 2 seminars: Rock The Web - An Advanced Study In What Works Now - being held on Monday afternoon (the 28th) - and The Internet Price and Information Wars - to be held Tuesday morning.

There are others, but those would be my first picks. What are you planning to learn about?
Do you have any buzz worthy current events to share?

Email [email protected] and they may be featured in next month's current events issue!

If you haven't yet perused your copy of Aqua Magazine's January 2013 Issue, I suggest it is time to take a look. Starting on the 16th page is the "Retail Forecast 2013." (If you are an online reader, it hasn't hit the stage yet, but keep checking back, I'm sure it will show up soon aquamagazine.com)

Here are a few - though certainly not all - of the points I noted:

• "Retailers are most concerned about jobs and income". Happily, the seasonal pool industry will bring employment, however temporary, for many people which is great, but it also means that Retailers will have the power of employee choice. This is really important because, in an economy where consumers are being careful with their spending habits, it is crucial to offer high levels of customer service, education and an "over-and-above" type business model. The right employees are the only way to accomplish this, so being careful during the hiring process will pay off in the end, and right now, that is a luxury Retailers can afford.
• "Employers have little slack in their labor forces so layoffs have declined dramatically." I find it somewhat ironic that in an affluent economy there is so much more wasted time, effort and money than there is when all of a sudden purse strings tighten up. I think this is a great thing, Every person is challenged to work to the best of his or her ability which can do nothing but improve our industry standards as a whole!

There are so many more factors considered in the article, and I feel that it is a worthwhile read for everyone in the industry. It concludes with a reference to an old proverb: "Patience will be rewarded." It reminds me of something my grandfather used to say to me ALL the time...

"Patience is a virtue, catch it if you can.
Seldom in a woman. Never in a man."