Tremblant Lifestyle

Bags are an essential accessory for most people, there seems to be a style for every occasion. The difficulty comes in finding the right one for you at the right price.

Sometimes the purpose of a bag and its practical application is more important than how it looks; this is often the case with a backpack. The backpack has many advantages, but the most obvious one is the fact that it leaves both hands free. Below we will review the whys and wherefores of a good backpack.

Why Should You Buy A Backpack?

Using shoulder bags, worn either on one shoulder or across the body will still leave the bag free to move and slip around. If you are hiking or walking over rocks or mud, the swing of your bag can be enough to off balance you. A backpack would be securely fastened to you and would be less likely to cause a slip. If you are not used to carrying a backpack there is a simple test you can do which may be quite an eye opener. Next time you are out shopping or commuting to work take note of which arm/shoulder you usually carry your bag on. On the return journey try to carry the bag on the opposite side of your body, this will probably feel quite uncomfortable – the reason for this is that either you have developed stronger muscles on one side of your body, or in the case of shoulder bags, you have learn to hold the bag on by moving your shoulder up and down. Both of these options could suggest that you are walking in a lopsided manner; this potentially can damage our spines. So the carrying of an uneven load can be harmful and should be avoided if we want to keep our back in good order. The design of a backpack should allow one to carry your load evenly, you will probably also find that you can carry a heavier weight without straining any muscles

What Should You Look For When Buying A Backpack?

First you need to establish when you will be wearing your backpack; will you be using it for long periods of time? If you are hiking and will be carrying it all day, it is best to choose a backpack with wide supporting straps. If you are simply carrying your book and house keys when commuting to work, you can go for backpack with thin straps which would be quicker and easier to slide on and off. If you are going for a backpack with wide straps, make sure that these are fully adjustable; you will need to be able to adjust the backpack to fit not only your build, but also be able to adjust it depending on the weight you are carrying. It is important to make sure that you try the backpack before buying it and also wear clothes that will be worn when you are using the backpack the majority of the time; for example, if you are buying your backpack for hiking, make sure that you can fit any waterproofs underneath comfortably.

What Do You Need It For?

You should also consider what you will be carrying in your bag. Firstly for weight purposes and secondly to make sure that you have enough pockets and compartments laid out in suitable positions. If you have small children, you may want to make sure there is a section where you can put their spare clothes or snacks in, which is easily accessible.

Where will You Be Using Your Backpack?

Although you can never guarantee the weather it is worth thinking about how waterproof or water resistance you need the backpack to be. Another consideration worth bearing in mind when deciding what size of backpack to buy is that warm winter clothing takes up a lot more space than lightweight summer waterproofs.

Good luck with choosing your backpack, remember, if you are not sure it is the right one then keep trying on more of them until you are happy with your choice.

Ships and businesses are a lot alike.  Both reflect the dream and inspiration of the owner.  Both start with desire and get launched with excitement by all connected.  Both tend to come in various styles and sizes and can be manned by 1 person or a whole crew.  They also fall pray to the occasional disgruntle deckhand!

Ships (boats if you like) and businesses also require constant maintenance.  The owners may not be involved with them daily but they’re usually top of mind around the clock. Depending on the level of participation, owners can spend a lot of time just floating in place or navigating the chosen waters of their voyage. 

Businesses, like boats, need direction.  It’s best if you know where you’re going before you begin your journey.  Is your business ‘seaworthy’?  Does your business have what it needs to make the journey?  Can you make course corrections or do maintenance if the waters get rough?  Do you have the know-how if the engine stalls or the weather clouds your vision?

Yes, there are many parallels between boats and businesses.  One of the biggest similarities is the owner’s desire and commitment to stay the course.  Many boat owners celebrate the day they buy their boat and the day they sell it.  For most, the jubilation of owning one’s own watercraft is quickly replaced by the desire to unload a depreciating asset that knows no boundaries when it comes to sucking up all your money.  As a business owner, are you sinking money into your vessel without any idea of the expected return on your investment?  If so, how long are you will to keep going in this direction/?

So, is your business turning into a boat?  Do you find yourself going around in circles or just tied up to the dock when it comes to pursuing the voyage to greater revenues and profitability? If so, you’re not alone.  Many businesses that head for the open seas end up taking on water and finding themselves being towed to the nearest marina.  Then, they sit indefinitely while the captain tries to determine what happened and what it will take to get back on course.

As a business owner (and a former boat owner), there are things you can do to get yourself out of ‘dry-dock’.  Here are a few tips from my check-list on becoming seaworthy again:

1.                  Reassess your reason for ownership- Years of toiling away in a business or maintaining a boat can sap your spirit and drain your checkbook.  Take some time to rekindle the dreams that encouraged you to start your business.  If you’re clear about why you chose your venture, this alone can have a tremendous impact on igniting the passion to continue.  Often times, owners feel overwhelmed with the demands of running their businesses and can grow distant for no other reason than the need to survive mentally and physically.  Rekindling the passion that got you started does wonders for your desire to chart a new course.

2.                  Recalibrate your position- Sometimes the desire to hold on to a boat or a business without making the necessary course corrections can deplete you of all your resources.  For boat owners, it’s putting their ‘pride and joy’ on a storage lot whole they contemplate selling.  Business owners don’t have that same remedy.  Your business is your life, the future to your financial freedom, the totality of your existence.  In most cases, you are the business!  Your current latitude and longitude are the direct result of what you know and what you’ve chosen to do.  If you’re off course (regardless of the weather) it’s a result of what you don’t know and haven’t done that’s got your business in uncharted water.  Take a critical, unbiased look at what you have done so far to determine what was missed and what didn’t go as expected.  The answers to your future are in the decisions you made in the past.

3.                  Evaluate what makes your business different from others-   Everyone has choices including the customers you serve.  Since boats are an emotional purchase, the prospective owner usually decides to purchase based on something that touched them emotionally. Consumers make their decision to purchase based on something unique about the business, the way the service is provided, the particular array of products offered or the way the business owner treats them.  Whatever the reason, determine what makes you different from your competition.  Nothing brings a greater sense of pride than having a unique position that your customers’ value and your competition envies.

4.                  Is your business structure right for today’s market?- When diesel fuel crested $5.00, many boat owners decided to seek other recreation.  What about your business’ exposure to economic influences?  Is the business model you built still viable for today’s marketplace?  Are you making productive use of today’s marketing tools; think website? It’s very common to find matured businesses run just like they were when they opened, some 20 years ago.  A business that’s positioned for growth needs to be nimble, flexible and adaptable in order to weather the severity and frequency of change in today’s marketplace.

5.                  Thoroughly evaluate who your customers’ are- Consumers are faced with ever increasing choices.  It’s not just a matter of who offers what you offer but what else a customer can chose as an alternative to what you offer. People want value which does not mean lower prices.  If you offer value and promote price, you attract customers who value price.  As a small business, the product or service you provide contributes a small percentage of your overall success.  Figure out what drives your success and it will be smooth sailing.

In reality, running a business is much more difficult and demanding than owning a boat.  And while captaining a boat has its own special challenges, the similarities with running a business are noteworthy.  In the end, you must insure your business is seaworthy, you have your direction well planned and you keep a sharp eye on the horizon.  It also helps to remember to have fun.  After all, that’s the main reason we boaters decide to take the plunge!