Lynnpro - May 2020

Lynnpro - May 2020

Live Life Mother’s Day is coming up this month, which means you’re probably already seeing a lot of touchy-feely stories in the news and happy faces on billboards and in TV commercials. I’m not sure how much those ads are meant to reflect reality, but for me personally, my relationship with my mom was never that simple. To put it bluntly, my mom raised me alone with no money, and she was an angry woman who wouldn’t hesitate to whoop me when I misbehaved. But she was also the most thrifty, tenacious person I’ve ever known. I learned a lot from her — good, bad, and ugly. She passed away a while back, so we won’t be spending this Mother’s Day together, but I know that without her I wouldn’t be the same man I am today. In last month’s newsletter, I told you a bit about what my life was like growing up in the Iowa projects. This month, I want to take you back there again to help you understand my mom a little better. For some context, back then we were so broke that we bought everything on a payment plan. Even our cheese wasn’t really ours — I remember my mom making payments to a guy who used to come by and sell it in huge blocks. Because she was a single mother, those payments always fell on her shoulders. Despite financial, mental, and physical struggles, my mom passed on some valuable life lessons to me. She taught me to always be clean and courteous, and drilled into me how important it is to work hard and save money when you can. She used to say, “If you don’t have any money, just don’t go to the store.” She was also incredibly tenacious. If she got an idea in her head, not even a train hitting her full-speed would make her change her mind, and I’m sure that’s where I got my stubbornness. Both thrift and tenacity

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY WHAT I LEARNED FROM GROWING UP WITH A DIFFICULT MOM

have served me well in life and helped me build my business into the success it is today.

than she used to be. She always had a smile on her face, and she loved to come around and spend time with my kids. She’d give them baths every night and a glasses of juice every morning, and she called them her beautiful babies. It’s that side of my mom I sometimes miss. If your mom is still around and the two of you get along, I hope you get to spend Mother’s Day together. As I always say, the days are long but the years are short — so enjoy them while you can!

Looking back, I can see that my mom was a walking contradiction, like all of us are to a degree. Yes, she carried a ruler in her purse, but she was also the one who took the lead in organizing parties for all of the kids in the projects. She would walk all over town, knocking on doors and asking businesses to donate so that the poor kids could have something to unwrap for Christmas. When someone turned her down, she’d keep pushing until they gave in and contributed to the fundraiser.

–Jeff Saxby

By the time I had kids of my own and she became a grandma, my mom was a lot less angry

“Despite financial, mental, and physical struggles, my mom passed on some valuable life lessons to me.”

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A LOOK BACK AT THEGREATEST NBA PLAYOFF RUNS INMODERNHISTORY

The NBA playoffs were postponed this year, but the love for basketball still thrives in the hearts of millions worldwide. It’s a better time than ever to take a look back at some of the greatest championship runs in the league’s modern history!

THE 1991 CHICAGO BULLS

Many Chicago fans remember where they were when the Bulls won their first title in 1991 — in fact, most basketball fans know about this historic title run. The road to the championship took the Michael Jordan-led Bulls through Detroit. Back then, the Detroit Pistons were known as the “Bad Boys” in the NBA, and they won back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990. But the Bulls — backed by head coach Jim Boylen’s philosophy that every player on the team had value — shut down the Pistons on their route to the championship. The Bulls would go on to beat the Los Angeles Lakers, win their first championship, and cement Michael Jordan’s legacy.

row and win once again the following year to join the Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls as three-peat titleholders.

THE 2017 GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

THE 2003 LOS ANGELES LAKERS

Much like their LA counterparts did in 2003, the Golden State Warriors were undefeated heading into the NBA Finals. Thanks to the addition of superstar Kevin Durant, the team’s regular-season record of 67-15 propelled them into a hot streak in the championships. What’s even more impressive about this season was the Warriors’ plus-13.5 point differential against championship-caliber teams, and they even managed to handily defeat future Hall of Fame player LeBron James when he played for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The early 2000s were a prime period for basketball, in large part thanks to Los Angeles Lakers legends Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. In 2003, the Lakers were looking for a repeat victory to make them back-to-back NBA champions. Having gone 15-1 in the playoffs, the Lakers only lost once in the finals. This is even more impressive when you consider that the teams they faced housed six future Hall of Fame players and none had any major injuries. The Lakers would go on to win their second championship in a

CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT:

THE ‘TEN JUNK MILES’ PODCAST

Here at Lynnpro, we outfit a lot of running groups and foot racers. We love working with those clients to provide race bibs, T-shirts, and more, but the “Ten Junk Miles” podcast and its unique crew of fans have a special place in our hearts! Runner Scott Kummer started “Ten Junk Miles” in 2015, spurred on by a lack of humorous, down-to-earth podcast content for runners and dozens of envious comments about his Chicago-based running groups from friends scattered across the country. “I came up with the idea for a podcast that can be your running friend if you don’t have anyone to run with,” Scott explains. “On the show, a group of us talk about our running, what’s going on in our lives, and things like that.” Over time, the podcast evolved to become part running tool, part comedy club. On top of episodes Scott calls “Long Runs,” which feature meandering conversations with people in the running world ranging from decorated runners to beginners, Scott and his team put out “Gang Shows” — shoot- the-breeze sessions that sometimes go hilariously off the rails.

“People listen to it at work, and we have some listeners who aren’t even runners,” Scott says. “Somehow what happens is people listen to it for a while and they get to know the characters — it’s kind of like watching a sitcom. At some point, you know all of the inside jokes, and it takes on a life of its own. During the Gang Shows, friends of mine come over and have too much to drink in my basement and tell inappropriate stories … it’s not safe for work at all, but everyone seems to love it.” “Ten Junk Miles” has such a dedicated fanbase that Scott created a companion series of Wisconsin-based races to bring fans together, including the Sugar Badger and the Badger Trail Races. After working with several other companies and coming away disappointed with their speed and quality, Steve’s team found Lynnpro, and we’ve been partners ever since.

“Everybody loves their race shirts!” Scott says. “They wear them all the time, take pictures, and put them on our Facebook page.”

To listen to “Ten Junk Miles” and learn more about its upcoming races, visit TenJunkMiles.com.

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CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT: GATE CITY ADVISORS You may know us best for our custom-printed T-shirts, but here at Lynnpro, we have the equipment to print your logo on just about anything — including desserts! You don’t have to take our word for it, though. To prove our case, we sat down with one of our customers, Jonathon Schultheiss of Gate City Advisors. Jonathon has worked in finance for more than 15 years, and he’s an expert at corporate retirement planning. He’s also a member of Strategic Coach, the business coaching company that has helped our founder, Jeff Saxby, take Lynnpro to the next level. Jeff and Jonathon connected at a Strategic Coach event, and it wasn’t long before we were whipping up some custom marketing for him. “Jeff helped me create some Oreo cookies that were chocolate-covered, with my logo on top of them!” Jonathon says. “We got a really good reaction — our clients loved it.” To design the cookies, Jonathon worked directly with Liz Holland, one of our sales representatives. Together, they came up with the perfect edible look.

“Liz was awesome. She stays in touch and reaches out to me occasionally just to see if we’ve got anything going on,” he says.

Jonathon has more ideas for creative marketing, but they’re on the back burner as his company works to help businesses ride out the economic chaos of the coronavirus pandemic. If you’re an entrepreneur in Greensboro, North Carolina, you can visit GateCityAdvisors.com to see what he and his team can do for you! We’re looking forward to working with Jonathon again as soon, maybe even on another edible campaign. In the meantime, if you could use some tasty, custom-printed treats to remind your clients you care in this tough time, reach out to us today at Lynnpro.com or by calling 563-243-6459. We’re here to help!

Springtime Cacio e Pepe

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INGREDIENTS

Inspired by Eating Well

• •

6 oz multigrain spaghetti

• • • •

1 tsp lemon zest

8 oz fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 tsp black pepper

•

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup baby arugula

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 425 F.

2. In a large pot, cook spaghetti until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of water before draining and put spaghetti in a covered pot to keep warm.

3. Line a 15x10-inch baking pan with foil and toss in asparagus and olive oil.

4. Cook asparagus for 5–7 minutes and sprinkle with lemon zest.

BUTTERFLY FLOWERS JEDI LADYBUG

MAYFLY MEMORIAL MEXICO MOTHERS

OUTDOORS POLLEN SUNSHINE TAURUS

5. Add 3/4 cup of the reserved water, Parmesan cheese, and pepper to the spaghetti. Stir until creamy.

6. Toss in asparagus and arugula before serving.

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1625 13TH AVENUE SOUTH CLINTON, IA 52732

PHONE: 563-243-6459 LYNNPRO.COM

inside this issue

1

What I Learned From Growing Up With a Difficult Mom

2

Celebrate the NBA Playoffs With Some Championship History

Lynnpro Outfits Podcast Junkies

3

The Case of the Custom-Printed Cookies

Springtime Cacio e Pepe

4

Bird-Watching for Beginners

Bird-watching is like a lifelong scavenger hunt that you can play anywhere on Earth. The activity provides a mixture of science, travel, and beauty, and it’s a chance to get outside for feathered adventures and quiet reflection. The month of May is a great time of year to go birding because rising temperatures prompt spring migration. So if you’re eager to begin bird-watching, there’s no better time than now. Here are some tips to get started.

you’ve got your field guide and comfortable walking shoes, the only other thing you’ll need is a pair of binoculars. And they don’t have to be fancy. As long as they can zoom in on faraway trees and perches, they’ll work for now. You can always upgrade later.

GO EXPLORING

Your very first birding excursion is important because you don’t want to be overwhelmed or underwhelmed. So use your field guide to home in on a single bird and go find it. It may be local, or you can plan a trip to a specific bird’s natural habitat. Stay focused and don’t get distracted by other species. The thrill that comes with spotting your first bird will keep you coming back to find the rest. Bird-watching is a wonderful hobby because it’s easy to get started and can last a lifetime. As long as you can walk, drive, or look out a window, you can be a birder. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and find some birds!

EDUCATE YOURSELF

Thousands of species of birds span all corners of the globe. That’s why finding them is an exciting prospect — there’s no end to the hunt! Start by researching birds that are native to your location. Purchase a field guide with pictures of each bird and maps of their range and use it to figure out where different birds live. From there, it’s easy to pick your first spotting goal. You can even get yourself extra excited by watching a few bird documentaries.

WHY MAY IS THE BEST MONTH TO START BIRD-WATCHING FOR BEGINNERS

GEAR UP

One of the best things about birding is that you don’t need a lot of equipment to do it. As long as

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