This week, I reviewed Trail Blazer’s mid year financial performance & presented results to Trail Blazer’s management team. We discussed the importance of continuing to focus on the unfavorable gaps & required corrective actions, as we move into the third quarter. I’m ending the week tonight with Dawna & me celebrating the results with the team. We reviewed Trail Blazer’s mid year financial performance as of October 31. As you may be aware, we started working with the Business Development Bank of Canada’s consulting team, in February 2012, to improve the financial performance of our business, three months before the present fiscal year started. With the much appreciated assistance of Dale Thibodeau, we have compared our financial performance to industry benchmarks and have implemented corrective action

This week, Betty Millard, our Shipping Coordinator, continues to look for better shipping rates to Sweden. John Ross with Woodland Supplies in British Columbia confirmed receiving 150 of Trail Blazer’s new catalogues. Trent Gowan, with Red Pine requested images of our logo. Trey Smith sent orders for our Reverse D-Handle Snow Shovels. Betty Millard, Trail Blazer’s Shipping Coordinator in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, continues to look for better shipping rates to Sweden. Betty has received new rates from United Parcel Service this week and is waiting on two other companies to get back to her. Then she can compare rates with what we are paying now, with hopes of large improvements. I look forward to getting her report next week. We are trying to get better rates to improve Trail Blazer’s prices in

This week, customers looked for Sawvivor™ Saws. We received orders for Collapsible Saws from Northwest Outlet in Wisconsin plus Xtend-A™ Pole from Miramichi Paint & Décor in New Brunswick. We manufactured Xtreme™ Ergo Hatchet in multiple bright colors. Donald met with Sports Excellence while I worked with Kent Building Supplies. Per Inge Sagmoen with S-Ski & Sport in Norway needed to know what was happening with his purchase order. The shipping department has been waiting for Sawvivor™ Saws with Carrying Sheaths. The production department has completed building the saws and has the sheaths. They are waiting for the packaging so they can be displayed at the retailers. I’d like to thank Per Inge for his patience and everyone else waiting for this

This week, I received a purchase order from Hyams Garden Center in Charleston, South Carolina while we received positive words about Red Pine Outdoor Equipment from Algonquin Outfitters in Huntsville, Ontario and I answered questions for Northwest Outlet in Superior, Wisconsin. I also seek financing to support growth with Sears USA. On October 18thCarol Thomas with Hyams Garden Center in Charleston, South Carolina, let us know that she ordered Trail Blazer’s Xtend-A™ Shrub Rake through Wetsel, one of the Gro Group (Lawn & Garden) distributors that we no longer distribute through. Carol asked what distributors carry our line now or can she order direct from us … I told her she could order direct from us. Trail Blazer’s products are no