Anecdotal Saturday

I'm interested in what my clients do.  They all have enough disposable income to hire people to clean their houses and wash their windows, so few if any of them are struggling financially.  Usually I just ask, "So, what do you do?"  I don't blurt it out, but I bring it up in conversation when the clues and hints in their house aren't enough for me to figure it out. 

There are the lawyers, which comprise the vast majority of my client base.  There are business owners and upper executives of the large corporations in the area.  There are doctors of various specialties and there are more than a couple hospital administrators and health insurance representatives. 

But two of my clients have surprised me with their answer. 

One of my long-term repeat clients is a piano player.  Specifically, he plays Christmas music.  He records CDs of him playing Christmas music and sells them on the Home Shopping Network.  That has been enough to secure him a multi-million dollar house on the lake and the lifestyle that goes with it.

And another of my clients invented a shoe accessory.  So I inquiring further.  She patented two pieces of ribbon, which when secured around the heel of a high-heel shoe can then be wrapped around a woman's leg and tied somewhere between her calf and knee.  (sounds like stripper-wear to me).  She sells this invention on . . . . the Home Shopping Network.  And she's made a bundle doing it. 

Interesting, no?

 - rick, uncreative.

 - note:  for purposes of this post, I group all shopping channels under the title The Home Shopping Network - because I don't know anything about those channels except there are quite a few of them and I've never purchased a single item from any of them.  I've never even watched it longer than it takes to scan while going channel up and channel down on the remote.  I don't actually know if there is a HSN still or whether its name has changed since the 80's.  I do know that Christmas presents from my mom always come in a QVC box.

Comments

[Success Warrior]

I've always thought it weird that there were such channels. I have a hard time watching interesting shows. I can't imagine watching a video of a catalog where I can't skip the pages that don't interest me.

[Cele]

QVC and HSN are alive and quite healthy. I am amazed at the people who stare for hours at the tube just watching what's for sale. My husband watches once in a while when it's Craftsman day.

QVC is on channel three here, so I always notice the butt ugly, herky jewelery when I am flipping over to my VCR.

Selling music QVC is becoming a frequent occurance. Recently Carly Simon, Clay Aiken, and Neil Diamond have released their CD's on QVC. It must have made the Claymation so proud.

[Seraph]

Back when I actually had a TV and would turn it on, I would occasionally watch QVC when i wanted to take a nap. It puts me to sleep.

[a rose is a rose]

nbc has a shopping channel as well. since i'm an insomniac there are loads of 'em on at 1, 2, 3 am. i don't have cable so i'm talking odd odd odd shopping channels. there's one that ALWAYS sells KNIVES. big big big knives. the kind of knives made to KILL THINGS. there's one that sells gem stones. they don't cost $10.00 either. more like in the thousands.

i have read the people who hawk stuff on the bigger channels like qvc, etc MAKE TONS o' cash. tons and tons. i've seen tori spelling selling some cheap shite jewelry (it's hideous) and joan rivers of course (even MORE hideous, as is her jewelry) and i heard even rosie o'donnell is going to hawk shite as well (don't remember what). marie osmond sells her dolls and the other day i saw some balinese 'dancer' selling some jewelery (it was actually rather nice. the jewelry that is. the dancer was rather long in the tooth)