Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/275779
Ki t c h e n wa re N e ws & H o u s e wa re s Re vi e w S h o w D a i l y 1 2 1 S a t u rd a y, M a rc h 1 5 , 2 0 1 4 Neatfreak ® has come up with a term that I really like. Nf3: form, function, and, fashion. The idea that organizing products should hit these three goals is something I truly believe in too. For a product to connect with its user, it must have great form - it should be easy to handle, be uncomplicated and should accomplish the goal of helping the user get more organized. Its function must be clear and useful, and not further compli- cate the user's life. Even more important- ly, it must look great. Organizing prod- ucts are reflections of the user's life – they must look great. For the past 10 plus years, whenever someone stops me on the street, they gen- erally say something like, "Hey, aren't you that organizing guy on TV?" When I tell them yes, there are only two different reactions I get: a) "Can you come to my (or my mother's, best friend's, etc.) house now?" or, b) "You're never going to be invited to my house – I'd be too ashamed!" What I've learned is that almost everyone deals with some level of disor- ganization in their lives. (No news there; we'd all be out of jobs if that weren't the case!). But what intrigues me the most, and what keeps me excited about what I do, is that by helping people get a little more organized, a little more happiness returns to them too. Seeing our posses- sions organized, knowing where our papers are, feeling confident that the clothes in our closet will fit us and are easy to access – all of these things con- tribute to an overall sense of calm and happiness. Neatfreak ( Cont'd. from p. 1) It's because of this power that organ- izing has over our lives that Oprah stopped calling me "The Organizing Guy," and started referring to me as "The Get Your Whole Life Organized Guy." Many people are surprised to hear me say that I really don't care whether your clothes are ordered by color or whether all of your books on your shelves are arranged alphabetically or by height. What I do care about is how you feel when you look at your closet or your bookshelf. If it's stressing you out (or just not helping to contribute to the calmness that we all crave), then it's a problem. I often say "stuff has power." The stuff in the attic, or even the clothes that used to fit, evoke strong memories of our pasts. On the other hand, the things we hold onto because "we might need it one day" are reminders that we're prepared no matter what life throws in our way. Great organizing products are designed with the understanding that people want a way to honor and respect all of their stuff. Neatfreak has a reputation for mak- ing superb products while not taking itself too seriously. I like that a lot. In a way, I think that's exactly what a happy life looks like. Meaningful, dedicated, superb but also fun, playful and enter- taining. I hope you agree that getting organized is all about living a more pro- ductive, healthier, happier life. If you do, then please check out the neatfreak booth – I know you'll be glad you did! Visit neatfreak at booth N7352. For more information, go to www.neat freak.com, call 888-827-4676 or email info@neatfreak.com. AB: Better Living Products™ was estab- lished in 1991, with a mission of supply- ing every home with a practical and con- venient way to eliminate shower bottle clutter. We continue to be best recognized for pioneering the shower dispenser cate- gory and for being the leader in this mar- ket with our award-winning product, The Dispenser™. Over the years, we have expanded our product offering to address the growing need for bathroom organiza- tion and products that simplify our lives. Our focus remains on the designing, manufacturing and marketing of unique, high-quality bath and shower organiza- tion products. KNSD: What makes Better Living unique? AB: With a focus on innovation, we are constantly introducing products that are functional and practical – providing time-saving convenience during our daily routines. Our mission is to make our customers' lives a little easier through having an organized bath. Key to these innovations is the simplicity of installation. All of our products are designed to be installed quickly and easily – many without the use of tools. High quality and durability is para- mount for our products to be successful, especially since most of our products – whether they are shower dispensers, baskets or caddies – find their home within wet and humid shower environ- ments. We have chosen to concentrate on utilizing honest materials, such as stainless steel, chrome, nickel and alu- minum to deliver the absolute best qual- ity to our customers with products that blend in seamlessly with contemporary home décor. KNSD: In March of 2013, Better Living Products published a press release announcing that you joined the company with a mandate to infuse a 'Culture of Creativity' into the well-established 22 Better Living Products ( Cont'd. from p. 1) year-old business. What's changed in the company since then? AB: A lot has changed, and at the same time, the core values of the company have remained the same – offering value, innovation and new products that make our customers' lives a little easier. It has been an intense year of change, creativi- ty, design and development. First, I designed Better Living's first ever Design and Innovation Center, a great new space in which to work. It is an inspiring and productive hub of activity filled with the latest equipment, comput- ers and design software. We hired new product, graphics and packaging design- ers and got busy planning our re-brand- ing and product strategy. We also set out to streamline our design and development process, and adopted best-in-class practices and pro- tocols in our design, development and project management processes. Among other changes, we now run all of our projects through Basecamp, a state-of- the-art cloud-based project manage- ment package that has already improved our project management process and communication. We identified new brand colors, refreshed our logo, revamped our pack- aging, elevated our photography art direction and even changed how we name our products. It is a complete brand reboot that is all culminating in our com- pletely new trade show exhibit, which we are unveiling during our 2014 show cir- cuit. It will be our largest exhibit in BLP's history, and we aim to catch a lot of attention with both the exhibit and with the new products inside. On the product side, we focused on developing two entirely new modular dispenser families, new squeegees and shower baskets and a series of new toilet caddies with new and innovative fea- tures. Visit Better Living at booth N7701. For more information, go to www.better livingproducts.ca or call 800-487-3300. been tempting the taste buds and enhanc- ing the health of ancient civilizations for centuries. When I discovered rich intense flavors and unparalleled health benefits by preparing fresh food in unglazed clay cookware, I created the VitaClay pot. My intention was to bring the superior results of clay cooking into my kitchen for fast and easy family meals. KNSD: Something special happens to ingredients cooked in clay. Can you tell us why? ML: It's really about synergy and inte- gration. Healthy foods react positively together when heated inside unglazed clay. The ancients knew how low heat and clay created a delicate and evenly cooking environment that optimized the nutritional profile of their meals and made them richer, tastier and healthier. This is because clay neutralizes acidity and unlocks nature's gifts in the food such as salts, vitamins, minerals and nat- ural sugars. Another big plus is that fats and meat juices are preserved when steamed at low temperatures and remain nourishing, bioavailable and digestible. The smell molecules also remain intact with our special seal, waking up your digestive powers and satisfying your appetite. KNSD: How easy is it to use the VitaClay? ML: It's so simple, because it's a techno- logical breakthrough and fully pro- grammed for soups, stews, varietal rice, whole grains and low-temperature yogurt. All it takes is good quality ingre- dients and pushing a button. KNSD: The VitaClay is gaining a reputa- tion with doctors. Why? ML: Ancient cultures knew food prepa- ration to be both an art and a science. People discovered that foods and herbs, when prepared or combined in non-toxic and non-reactive vessels, especially clay, was vital to their survival and growth. Many doctors today use our prod- ucts because they see great results from steaming and boiling, plus there is the added benefit that clay offers. When your body is getting the proper fuel, most food cravings disappear along with overeating in search of nutrients. These doctors know the secret to longevity! They recommend it for their patients who are on low acid diets. It is also rec- ommended for people with dietary VitaClay ( Cont'd. from p. 1) restrictions and food intolerances such as salt, sugar and wheat because green cookware is a must for the supporting the immune system and for getting the highest quality and bioavailable nutri- tion into the body. KNSD: What is a new nourishing tradi- tion for VitaClay? ML: I am very excited about making large batch low-temperature yogurt in our latest model. Besides making thick, rich probiotic Greek yogurt, this new set- ting has many uses. It germinates rice, grains and legumes, creating more amino acids and reducing phytic acid for your good health. KNSD: Who are your customers? ML: People who want healthy living and have an active life. Food is the fuel your body takes. It's very essential to fuel your days, your years and your life, and now it's possible with just one pot. KNSD: What new products have you created due to customer requests? ML: Our new 2-quart yogurt cooker and slow cooker is our latest edition, and is tailored to people who wanted an easy, inexpensive way to make large batches of probiotic rich yogurt at the temperature to preserve nutrients and living cultures. It's also very handy for cooking small meals, especially for traveling. Many people are gluten-free, so eating on the road is challenging. With our small meal maker, it's easy and even convenient to make something special for yourself. KNSD: With a degree in science and a career working as a top-level engineer for major companies such as Apple in full swing, what prompted you to start Essenergy? ML: The VitaClay products are a reflec- tion of my long journey. A reflection of me. I have always had a passion for healthy cooking and healthy living, along with a love of sharing these with friends. With my background in designing highly advanced computer and medical equip- ment plus a long family history in Chinese healing arts, it felt natural to make a product that merged new technol- ogy with the ancient culinary art of clay cooking. I created a new nourishing tra- dition for busy people who want to live a healthier lifestyle. Visit Essenergy at booth L11035, Lakeside Hall.