To be leader you must first follow

I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit, but I did not begin to truly strike out on my own until later in life. Through my formative years (which never end in my opinion), I focused on sports. As I aged, my focus was non-productive i.e. women, partying, and all out debauchery. What I came to realize is that your clearest thinking will continually pervade you when clouded in non-productive behaviors. So when the smoke cleared, I had an immense desire to create something viable, but no real plan. So I sought out those who walked before me, a mentor. I followed this man and attempted to absorb as much as possible about life, business, and politics. I came to realize that I have always found someone to emulate and always will. Some of you might think that will always make me a follower, but you would be naive to think you arrived on your own accord. We are all an accumulation of many different people, whether negative or positive. As we grow older, this continues. The difference being we are better able to choose who we emulate and for what purpose. It is not following, its borrowing and making it your own. It is the only shortcut that won't compromise all that a person has worked for, so choose wisely.

The Start

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)

The idea for Maxwell Christian & Co. came to me in Feb. 2007. At the time I only had visions of making some clothes that would fit. That eventually morphed into the idea of an apparel company that serviced various areas of the Big and Tall market. Today, I am preparing to launch my first clothing line, a brand of tee shirts. It has taken more than 2 years to get to this point, but had I not started this would be a different story. Many of us have had "the great idea", whether social, financial, political, or a combination thereof. The majority of these ideas never leave the drawing board; some feel things have to be perfect to start, some over-analyze, and others are afraid of failure. Do you know what I fear? Not trying, to look back and see missed opportunities and regrets is what I fear. To be an old gray-haired man whose life was a safe bet from beginning to end, No Thank You! Failure is a part of life, but before failure you will come across numerous opportunities for a solution. How far are you willing to go to succeed?

Twitter inductee

Just recently joined Twitter and have no idea what I am doing. It is comparable to attending a formal dinner and not knowing what fork to use first, but way less stuffy. Fortunately, there seems to be plenty of guidance on the net and I have come across some helpful Twitterers. I am pretty excited about the possibilities of being social in the moment as opposed to more stagnant social networks. Though a bit apprehensive at the amount of time Twitter could consume, not sure if there are enough hours in the day. Are you on Twitter? How do you manage?

Meet me at Macys.

Gentleman, looking for some classic styles?
Check out Macys.com. Since Macys is not considered a mecca for larger sizes, inventory sits and is discounted to your benefit. Take for example, the blk heritage sports coat by Ralph Lauren pictured to the left, retails at $285.00, currently selling at $199.00. If you have a girlfriend, ask her about Macys rewards and watch as the clouds part. Given the right strategy, you could purchase the sportcoat for well under $150.00, plus free shipping. The coat is available in larger sizes and will never go out of style, money well spent.

Burlington Coat Factory

Check out the Burlington Coat Factory in North Riverside, large selection of men's clothing. It will take some work due to the racks and racks of clothing, but my true clothes whores will be up to the challenge. If you are not in the mood to comb through the piles of clothing(literally), head towards the back left.
I have yet to visit the remaining BCFs in the area, so if you know of one that caters to the big-bone men, please speak up. We need as many resources as possible. Also, can someone please come up with a new moniker for us. I am utterly tired of "Big and Tall". Once again, if you have any suggestions, I am all ears.

Ebay

As you endlessly scour the internet and local retailers for style, try Ebay. As an accessory aficionado, Ebay has become quite the oasis for me. They have categorized appropriate clothing as "Big and Tall", but don't let that limit your search. I have found some great finds among the ordinaries (and I say ordinaries due to their lack of extroidinary stature) such as socks, ties, scarves, hats, tee shirts, belts, and the so on. Rather inexpensively priced from trusted and not so credible sellers, so beware. It is a human built, human powered system, so do your homework to curtail shady transactions. If you find something worth mentioning, take a pic and send it in. I would be more than happy to post it.

The new blankie

Oh how I miss my blankie, so warm and snuggly. I never felt alone as a child. Fortunately, as an adult I have my cellphone. Cellphones are the adult version of a blankie, security in the palm of your hand. As you sit on the train or basically anywhere in public, notice the amount of people on their cellphones. Are they really in demand or do they not want to be perceived as being alone? I have done it before, searched for someone to call. How about you? Have you found yourself pulling out your cellphone to mask that lonely feeling? Possibly on a train or even at home? Have you ever seen the cellphone effect in action? Watch as one person pulls out their cellphone, then another, and another, and so on...like drones. I have a tendecy to become attached to my cellphone and also to detest it...depends on self-time. I set it down when I have not had enough time to myself, which is usually more times than not.