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  1. #1
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    Nov 2009
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    152

    open letter to 333 skis (michael Lish)

    Well the mercurial Michael Lish, the next day posted what seems to say he wont be quitting. You can see what he wrote at 333skis.com. Here is a email I sent him:


    Hi Michael. I applaud your effort. I have been following your story on various boards, kind of a soap opera. I read teton every day, and people on there can be downright vicious. I know you probably wont listen to what I say, but I hope you do.

    1) NOBODY HATES YOU!! They are just consumers commenting on a business, it has nothing or little to do with you.

    2) Running a business is EXTREMELY tough. Over %50 of small businesses fail in a year.

    3) Dealing with customers is TOUGH. Not everyone is right for it. You seem to have the drive and heart, so I hope you take these into consideration

    a) you shouldn't be making content on your web site. Your mood seems to swing too much. Alot of people seem to want to help you. Maybe you can find someone who is good at marketting to take care of that? Or maybe Kristen?

    You did not go to "collage" (sic). Is that how you want your company to be looked at? 333 skis are supposed to be top notch custom made, expertly crafted skis. Your web site needs to have expert grammar, expert spelling, and only about what the consumer wants to know, about the skis! If I am trying to decide what ski to buy how is what you are putting on your website applicable? You can succede, you just have to realize your strengths and weaknesses, and let others handle what you are weak at.

    b) about your mood swings... this is not perjorative. I take anti depressants. I am not crazy, and millions of people take anti deppresants. I am ABSOLUTELY NOT BASHING YOU. I am not saying you should take them, but you should honestly reflect on this and talk to your doctor

    c) Your "are you right for 333 skis" philosophy... You make a product, ANYONE WHO WANTS YOUR PRODUCT is right for 333. Almost everyone. Sometimes you have to politely tell the person "maybe 333 is not the right product for you?". YOU SHOULD NOT BE TELLING THE PEOPLE THIS THO, I dont mean to hurt you, but customer service is not your thing, and for a small business it is INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT!!! If you want to succede you need the right people doing this, and I am afraid you are not the person. I dont see any way you will succede otherwise.

    d) quality: the quality of your product is synonymous with 333 skis. Your skis have to be impeccable. Your web site has to be impeccable. Your web site is symonymous with 333 skis. If you have a rambling letter where you go on about your mother being a samuri, misspelling college, is that what you want 333 skis to be known for? Every ski you send out, you need to have someone who CARES about 333 to look at the ski and say to themself "this ski represents 333, is it perfect?"

    I would suggest slowing down, making some skis and demo'ing them at Mammoth, wait until you are making EVERY SKI PERFECT, waiting till you have a friend that can help you with the business side, have someone else take care of the customer service. QUALIFIED people may due this as a intern, just to learn from you how to make skis. You have had some really good ideas, but your customer service model and your business model are going to doom you. You have such a following you can probably get competent people (people with business degrees, people who excel at customer service) to work as interns for free just for the knowledge of how to build skis and maybe some free skis. The business and customer service will doom you, but it doesnt have to!



    Work on making the customers who have already ordered %100 happy. Not just "well the skis are skiable" but %100 happy. I think you can absolutely get there, but I dont think you are there yet. You need to slow down, work on quality, and get qualified people to handle the customer and your web site.

    When your skis are %100 perfect, you have others helping you with the business part, you have others doing the customer service, I think you can succede.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
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    hey JONG, who asked you?

    delete this thread and put in one of the other 333 threads already in existence.
    Quote Originally Posted by Hohes View Post
    I couldn't give a fuck, but today I am procrastinating so TGR is my filler.
    Quote Originally Posted by skifishbum View Post
    faceshots are a powerful currency
    get paid

  3. #3
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    Nov 2009
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    Quote Originally Posted by My Pet Powder Goat View Post
    hey JONG, who asked you?

    delete this thread and put in one of the other 333 threads already in existence.
    No, retarded utardian.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
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    Bay Area
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    569
    Your letter echoes my sentiment. Not sure why it has to be public, but hopefully michael will take it to heart.
    "Life's not a bitch. Life's a beautiful woman. You only call her a bitch 'cause she won't let you get that pussy." - Aesop

  5. #5
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    Oct 2009
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    Also, it's spelled succeed.

    If you are going to bash a guy for his spelling try and get it right yourself (especially when you spell it wrong 3 times in one post)!

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by SpinalTap View Post
    Not sure why it has to be public.
    Because he's a self important (jong) windbag?

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by PNWbrit View Post
    Because he's a self important (jong) windbag?
    QFT


    333
    222
    111

  8. #8
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  9. #9
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    stevey s - nice blog.
    Gravity. It's the law.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by axebiker View Post
    stevey s - nice blog.
    don't encourage him, he will think you are serious.
    Quote Originally Posted by Hohes View Post
    I couldn't give a fuck, but today I am procrastinating so TGR is my filler.
    Quote Originally Posted by skifishbum View Post
    faceshots are a powerful currency
    get paid

  11. #11
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    The thread title seems disingenuous, I see nothing in either letter that indicates he knew it was an open letter.

    Did you really send an unsigned letter?

  12. #12
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    Why the fuck is this in every forum. Fucking retard, who cares?
    Flying the Bluehouse colors in Western Canada! Let me know if you want some rad skis!!

    "He is god of snow; the one called Ullr. Son of Sif, step son of Thor. He is so fierce a bowman and ski-runner that none may contend! He is quite beautiful to look upon and has all the characteristics of a warrior. It is wise to invoke the name of Ullr in duels!"

    -The Gylfaginning

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gripen View Post
    Why the fuck is this in every forum. Fucking retard, who cares?
    That's what I was about to say. Who gives a shit about your correspondence? Do you really think we all care about it enough to see it posted in every forum. Your a fucktard. Now are you going to amaze us with his repsonse like in the other thread?

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by stevey s View Post
    QUALIFIED people may due this as a intern,
    They may "due" this, huh? Dude, did you even go to collage?
    "Shit, I'll choke her while she's cleaning, and I'll do it wearing a helmet cam mounted on a full-face helmet.
    I'll have meatdrink9 do the lighting for the shot. He'll make it artsy as fuck."
    - Phunk

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Crass3000 View Post
    That's what I was about to say. Who gives a shit about your correspondence? Do you really think we all care about it enough to see it posted in every forum. Your a fucktard. Now are you going to amaze us with his repsonse like in the other thread?
    ...and YOU stuck up for him in another thread. Add that to your "things that are gay" thread. "Crass3000 is gay cuz he likes bloggers". Really disappointing... Next thing you know, you'll probably say you want to take up meadow-skipping or something like that.
    Gravity. It's the law.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by axebiker View Post
    ...and YOU stuck up for him in another thread. :
    Refresh my memory. I certainly can't keep everyone here straight

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Crass3000 View Post
    Refresh my memory. I certainly can't keep everyone here straight
    Oops...you were defending 333 guy, not Stevey McBloggofag... My bad. But I still find you fairy-like...
    Gravity. It's the law.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by axebiker View Post
    My bad. But I still find you fairy-like...
    Well I'm only part homosexual and that part don't have anything to do with you so don't get any ideas

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