2024-04-19 19:20
Recently, I was talking to my friend and op-ed writer for the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Tommy Foltz. Tommy is a deep thinker and even if you don’t agree with his opinions, speaking wi… Read More
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Bannerisms - Kerry Mccoy's Business Blog
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A 40-year veteran entrepreneur of a multi-million dollar flag company offers advice, tips and information about running a successful business. Kerry McCoy is owner of FlagandBanner.com and publisher of Brave Magazine.
2024-04-12 16:46
Well, they were right. Monday’s total solar eclipse was thrilling to watch and everything everyone said it would be.
The post An Eclipse Over Our Heads appeared first on Kerry McCoy's… Read More
2024-04-05 20:08
There are so many interesting things about Winston Churchill. One that I can totally relate to: he took a lot of baths. Maybe that isn’t particularly interesting, but that he had his s… Read More
2024-03-29 19:30
Spring is not only my favorite time of year because the world is waking up from a long winters nap, but it is also my favorite because we have March Madness.
The post March Madness & Mus… Read More
2024-03-22 16:57
Spring is here! My favorite season. I know, I know, I know; the air is full of pollen and we’re all sneezing our heads off but, to me, it’s worth every tissue used.
The post Wake… Read More
2024-03-15 20:46
This Keytruda cancer treatment I’m receiving for the melanoma on my nose is kicking my butt, but I am A-OKAY.
The post A. O. K. appeared first on Kerry McCoy's Blog Read More
2024-03-08 21:56
Surprising to many, election years are not good for the flag business. Sure, we sell bunting to campaign offices and pep rallies, but that doesn’t make up for the overall downturn in a… Read More
2024-03-01 18:36
I have four children, three of which work with me and my husband in our flag business. This makes me happy. It makes all of us happy and (I think) makes my employees and customers happy.
The… Read More
2024-02-23 20:52
The story of Matthew and Dreamland began in utero.
I was pregnant with middle-son Matthew Savage McCoy when I bought and restored the Taborian Hall with its Dreamland Ballroom on the 3rd flo… Read More
2024-02-16 16:58
You don’t have to be Mexican to celebrate Cinco De Mayo or Catholic to enjoy Mardi Gras. Same goes for the Lenten season that began this week on Ash Wednesday and goes ‘til Easte… Read More
2024-02-09 18:16
Watching the Grammy’s is an easy way to keep music relevant. But a few years ago, when Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion performed WAP, complete with a stripper pole and a big bed… Read More
2024-02-02 19:46
Don’t ask me why, but writing seems to be good for everyone, even for those of us who feel they don’t read or write well. Just the mere exercise of putting your thoughts down on… Read More
2024-01-26 22:23
I started my radio show Up in Your Business to pay forward my earned business knowledge. Business principles are the same, no matter the business size; watch your COG’s, treat your emp… Read More
2024-01-19 21:54
Unlike the winter of 2021 when Arkansas had a rare 14-inch snowstorm, this past week we had a typical winter accumulation of 4–6 inches.
The post Tracks in the Snow appeared first on K… Read More
2024-01-12 15:00
It’s happening again. Another state, Minnesota, is adopting a new flag design. It was just 10 months ago, after 18 months of debating and $500,000, that Utah adopted their new flag, wh… Read More
2024-01-05 17:16
Son Matthew uses the phrase “Keep dreaming,” when he closes his emails that go out to the hundreds of dedicated supporters of the Friends of Dreamland Ballroom. It reminds me of… Read More
2023-12-29 20:02
Besides finding out my melanoma was stage one and confined to only my nose, the second-best Christmas gift I got this year was a new puppy.
The post Meet Coco, My New Puppy appeared first on… Read More
2023-12-22 17:32
Don’t look too closely, unless you’re gross like me and want to. No, that is not a red Christmas decoration in the picture above. It is an amelanotic melanoma that Dr. Chris Shew… Read More
2023-12-15 20:19
Recently, I decided to use AI to help me reflect on FAB’s year-end sales and write some ad copy. This is what I sent ChatGPT...
The post I Used ChatGPT to Sell Flags appeared first on… Read More
2023-12-08 19:11
The social juxtaposition of my time in Miami and my life in Little Rock is glaring. In Miami, I feel almost alone in a crowd. I know no one. On those days when I don’t feel like puttin… Read More
2023-12-01 17:25
Once again, I am fighting the good fight against the skin cancer on my nose. The dang stuff just keeps popping up and the doctors keep scooping out hunks of flesh to send off for biopsy. Thu… Read More
2023-11-24 18:06
“It’s better than watching TV.” That is what I told my husband this past weekend as we helped our old friend and metal artist, Mr. Jeff Waddle, and his wife LeaAnn install… Read More
2023-11-17 20:08
As the weather changes, you may be like me and begin to feel the effects of seasonal depression. The phenomena is so prevalent that healthcare providers have even given it a name and an acro… Read More
2023-11-10 18:39
There seem to be two constants in our world today: viruses both figurative and literal.
The post Viruses appeared first on Kerry McCoy's Blog Read More
2023-11-03 16:46
To rest easy, my mother always said she had to see where her babies, no matter how old, laid their heads at night.
With that in mind, Grady and I made a trip to Urbana-Champaign, Illinois to… Read More
2023-10-26 16:29
Some fun flag trivia to think about: when considering buying a new home, how would the flag the neighbors are flying affect your decision to make an offer?
The post Your Neighbor’s Fla… Read More
2023-10-20 19:32
It’s that time of year again: time for the flag industry’s annual convention. Yes, flag makers have conventions too and ours is called NIFDA, National Independent Flag Dealers As… Read More
2023-10-13 17:01
It may seem too early to start planning for Christmas. But for us retailers, it is late. Most retailers buy their holiday stock in January, with a late fall delivery schedule. Though FAB doe… Read More
2023-10-06 18:23
We’ve had 5 months of a writer’s strike, 2 months of talks with auto workers and, according to CNN on Wednesday, more than 75,000 employees of Kaiser Permanente walked off the jo… Read More
2023-09-29 15:42
This past weekend, in Columbus, Ohio, we married off our last child.
As I think back, I realize each of my kids’ wedding was unique and a reflection of them.
The post Another One Bites… Read More
2023-09-22 15:00
Last week, in my blog titled “Cuba’s Secret World” I shared a customer’s flag story and video. In doing so, I realized I never wrote a blog about my 2016 trip to Cuba… Read More
2023-09-15 15:51
Want to peek behind the veil of Cuba’s secrecy? Well, here is your chance.
The post Cuba’s Secret World appeared first on Kerry McCoy's Blog Read More
2023-09-08 17:31
For a person who likes change, I’m in a rut.
FlagandBanner.com is over 45 years old, I’ve been married for over 35, and I’ve lived in the same house for three decades. This… Read More
2023-09-01 15:03
The most important stories are the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves.
The post Stories appeared first on Kerry McCoy's Blog Read More
2023-08-25 15:00
When my daughter, Meghan, called the AMFA to enroll herself and my granddaughter in an art class, she was told, because of their age difference, they couldn't take a class together.
The post… Read More
2023-08-18 20:07
I wanted to wait a week longer to tell everyone the good news but, as anyone who knows me will tell you, I can’t keep a secret, especially a good one.
The post It’s a Family Trad… Read More
2023-08-11 16:11
This is an unexpected trick I stumbled upon that has added some pizazz to my marriage and that I've shared with a few friends. Surprising to all of us, it works. (And, no, I am not tal… Read More
2023-08-04 16:31
Excited and shaking in my boots describes how I felt while on my way to Russellville, Arkansas to speak to 400 bright Arkansas Governor's School students. I didn’t know what to expect… Read More
2023-07-28 20:03
Problem solving in groups is one of my favorite things to do. I’d like to think I’m good at it and, usually, people like the things they are good at.
When I read about crime in L… Read More
2023-07-21 13:21
Being a flag maker of 40+ years, I’ve witnessed a lot of redesigning of country and state flags. For instance, a few years back when all the confederate flag hullabaloo happened the so… Read More
2023-07-14 16:25
It is 9:00 AM on Friday, July 7th, 2023, when the well-groomed young man, Mr. Jack McCoy, enters a meeting room in the horticulture department of Ohio State University. Three hours later, th… Read More
2023-07-07 17:08
I consider myself lucky that I no longer have to travel on holiday weekends. When my kids were young, vacations had to be planned around their school breaks, which always coincided with a ho… Read More
2023-06-30 16:50
Sometimes I feel like I am shouting (my metaphor for writing) into the wind. Therefore, when I get a reply of any kind on my blog, I like it. It is nice to know people are reading my weekly… Read More
2023-06-23 20:34
After losing our Brave Magazine editor to retirement, I wondered if Flag and Banner (FAB) would ever have the chutzpah to publish it again. I say that because making a magazine is hard work… Read More
2023-06-16 16:14
Our family doesn’t need a reason to get together, because we do it all the time, but this past weekend we did it with spiritual purpose; It was for baby Arthur’s Christening cere… Read More
2023-06-09 16:53
Though I did not vote for her, I am trying to like Arkansas’s new Governor, Ms. Sara Huckabee Sanders, but sometimes it is hard to understand her decisions. Stay with me as I explain m… Read More
2023-06-02 15:39
When I saw this Memorial Day party picture and heard about the wheelbarrow full of babies, I knew I had to use it in this week’s blog.
The post Babies in a ‘Barrow appeared first… Read More
2023-05-26 16:05
How much can one really manifest through the power of positive thinking? According to all the self-help books I read, it is a lot.
The post The Power of Positive Thinking Doesn’t Work… Read More
2023-05-19 18:08
It’s nice to recognize all the moms on Mother’s Day and all the dads in June. I did a little research on the origins of Mother’s Day and found that it wasn’t until wh… Read More
2023-05-12 19:50
Anyone who knew me in high school might never have thought that one day I would be giving tips on how to be successful. From what I can recollect, I barely got out of high school.
The post W… Read More
2023-05-05 16:41
Such is the nature of a busy life, when you must travel 2,000 miles to northern California to make time to see neighbors and friends that live two blocks from you in your hometown of Little… Read More
2023-04-28 17:16
It seems like it has been a while since I have written about the business of entrepreneurship.
My daughter-in-law, the newest entrepreneur in the family, has hung up her apron as manager of… Read More
2023-04-21 19:49
Last week, I wrote about how buying myself a Tesla was, in some small way, investing in my grandchildren’s future. This week, while pushing the stroller with our family’s newest… Read More
2023-04-14 16:18
To be a good grandmother and expand my grandchildren’s world view, I took them to New York City over spring break. When I returned home, I found a lot had changed.
The post A Tesla for… Read More
2023-04-07 17:01
On the afternoon of March 31, 2023, I sat at my desk while sirens blared a warning that a tornado had been spotted. For their safety, my employees were sent to the first floor to hunker down… Read More
2023-03-31 20:24
I’m a big proponent of change and believe that if your business or personal life are not evolving, then you are being left behind. But change can be difficult, emotional, and controver… Read More
2023-03-24 21:57
Why, why, why, after six years and over 300 interviews, do I continue to mess with Up in Your Business? Every time I think, “okay, it may be time for me to stop interviewing successful… Read More
2023-03-17 20:06
Salespeople are a lot of help. I know they are often stereotyped as a nuisance, as robocalls are (which aren’t real people), but a good salesperson is more like a secretary to their cl… Read More
2023-03-10 21:11
Have you been wondering what ever happened to the restauranteur Rodney Ely, founder of Satellite Coffee and Rodney’s Chicago Dogs that used to be in Little Rock, Arkansas?
Well, I foun… Read More
2023-03-03 17:27
What does an entrepreneur, her daughter, and a long-time friend of the family do when they get together in Miami? Put on funny socks and take pictures of their feet.
The post Mother, Daughte… Read More
2023-02-24 17:24
Have you heard the term Harlem Renaissance when describing the prosperous lives of negros between the Civil War and Desegregation? No, me neither, until son Matthew uncovered the term. Recen… Read More
2023-02-17 17:32
“Thank you for letting us, all of us, share in your dream tonight.” That is what Dancing into Dreamland judge and actress Joey Lauren Adams said to the man who, at the end of a d… Read More
2023-02-10 17:30
I am living my own version of Netflix’s “Seven Days Out” mini-series. If you haven’t seen this show, each episode is a documentary and witness to the excitement and d… Read More
2023-02-03 17:29
At least once a year, I need a little motivation and reassurance that I am on the right life-path. I find such encouragement in self-help books. Much of who I am today may well be accr… Read More
2023-01-27 17:35
In preparation for my Up in Your Business interview with local celeb Lisa Fischer, I listened to several of her Lisa Fischer Said podcast episodes and learned that Lisa is a sufferer.
The po… Read More
2023-01-20 23:34
It is not every day you hear “Help! Help! Help!” screamed from your basement by a workman. But that is what happened this week.
The post A Traumatizing Visit for My Plumber appea… Read More
2023-01-13 20:53
In 2007, I turned 50. For my mid-life crisis, I pondered a facelift, a boyfriend, or a new car. I opted for a used, 5-speed, convertible Mini Cooper. Driving it, with the wind blowing in my… Read More
2023-01-06 18:14
Why is New Year’s Day so full of optimism? It’s just another day on the calendar; or is it?
On New Year’s Day we close the books on business, Christmas, and the Winter Sols… Read More
2022-12-30 18:09
Like everything in my Libra life, there is the constant balancing of the scales. Before Christmas, I worked hard; during Christmas, I played hard; and afterwards, I crashed hard.
The post A… Read More
2022-12-23 17:46
I didn’t just turn into a Grinch; I’ve always been a Grinch.
It is not the family and fellowship that makes me Grinchy; I love that part. But rather, it’s the consumerism a… Read More
2022-12-16 18:48
In my COVID fever fog last week, I heard through an open window the non-mechanical hacking of Grady splitting wood for our fireplace.
The post From COVID Delirium to Cocktail Party appeared… Read More
2022-12-09 21:29
Prior to emails and the internet changing our lives, English teachers worried that writing was going to become a lost artform. Ma Bell had turned all of us into voice communicators, making l… Read More
2022-12-02 18:06
Has your Christmas cactus forgotten how to bloom?
Though this may sound like a metaphor for one’s aging brain, it is not. It is a serious question, pondered by many persons this time o… Read More
2022-11-25 15:00
Little Rock, Arkansas has a wonderful and long running non-profit called Quapaw Quarters Association (QQA). Founded in 1968, in response to urban renewal teardowns, the QQA has fought to pre… Read More
2022-11-17 21:32
Many things are coming back; like the return of shopping catalogs in my overflowing mailbox, conventions are making a comeback, too.
The post We’re Back from NIFDA and Historic Charles… Read More
2022-11-11 20:56
Gran Ann and Daddy Mac are the grandparent-names given, by my children, to husband Grady’s parents.
Last week, against Daddy Mac’s objection, we planned and invited friends and n… Read More
2022-11-04 20:05
As the election grows nearer, like everyone, I worry.
People often think election years are good for the flag business but, in truth, most retailers (except media ad men) post low sales duri… Read More
2022-10-28 16:46
In past years, voting day has been akin to a neighborhood block party. Everybody knows everybody. As we all stand in line chit-chatting, we talk about dog-walking, the weather, and who&rsquo&hell…Read More
2022-10-21 19:45
A “girl’s girl” is not a usual descriptor for me. But, one night a month, I attend a Girls Night Out (GNO). I have been dining with the same group of ladies for years, real… Read More
2022-10-14 16:48
Amazon is putting the squeeze on small businesses in ways you might not have thought of. Everyone knows Amazon sells everything cheap (remember when they only sold books?). But another… Read More
2022-10-07 17:43
I can’t say I have always agreed with our local newspaper, The Arkansas Democrat Gazette. During Little Rock’s famous newspaper war of the ‘80s, I was impressed by the Demo… Read More
2022-09-30 17:01
God luv 'em. That’s all I could say after last week’s disappointing ending to the Texas A&M vs Arkansas Razorback football game.
The post Trying to Call the Hogs, I Learned t… Read More
2022-09-23 17:42
So often I think of the Royals as fodder for the tabloids. But after learning about Queen Elizabeth II, her job description, and watching the ceremonial funeral and pageantry on Monday, Sept… Read More
2022-09-16 20:15
Need to get your party started? Call the McCoy Clan.
Ever wonder what that smooth-talking son of mine looks like on the radio? Meet son Grady McCoy IV who, with the rest of his family, is ha… Read More
2022-09-09 20:51
As the smell of Fall fills the morning air and the end of another year approaches, I begin to let my mind wander. One of my weirder thoughts is, “What’s going to be this year&rsq&hell…Read More
2022-09-02 20:00
What a week. School started, traffic increased, my baby had a baby, my kitchen remodel culminated in my house, we had sweeping staff changes at FAB, my husband got mad at me, I interviewed a… Read More
2022-08-26 19:23
Another “McCoy Boy!”Meet Arthur Ellis McCoy, weighing in at 8lbs. 3 oz. on Tuesday, August 16th. He is beyond precious.
The post He’s Here! appeared first on Kerry McCoy's… Read More
2022-08-19 17:26
In the years before Covid, everyone’s dance card (so-to-speak) was full, and high-society-photographer’s evenings were busy as they party-hopped, taking pictures. But not anymore… Read More
2022-08-05 19:59
In high school, Pat Matthews had a compulsion to create and his talent was evident by the art competitions he entered and won. But, alas, he knew the career of a young artist was uncertain… Read More
2022-07-27 21:40
We’ve had backyard chickens for years. We first got them when the boys were still living at home. Taking care of pets is a great way to learn responsibility. After the kids left and th… Read More
2022-07-22 20:16
“Baby Wedding” is the name son Jack coined for this past weekend’s whirlwind of baby showers and parties.
The post Baby Wedding Weekend appeared first on Kerry McCoy's Blog… Read More
2022-07-15 20:08
You know how, when you go to parties, the ice breaker between strangers is either sports talk or what-show-are-you-binging? It seems we are all looking for tips on something new to watch, an… Read More
2022-07-08 17:08
I am so tired of the “F” word being overused. I feel like it has been stolen from me. It used to be one of my favorite words; the flair in which I used it was an artform, or so I… Read More
2022-07-01 15:40
What a week. After the Supreme Court’s overturn of Roe vs Wade that has ALL women reeling in their emotions, I went to Florida to work.
The post What a Week appeared first on Kerry McC… Read More
2022-06-24 17:07
Son Mattie's time is about to get more precious.
Did I tell you that, in August, I am going to be a grandmother, again? It has been 12 years since we have had a new baby in the family and ev… Read More
2022-06-17 20:47
Have you heard of the 10,000-hour rule? It was made popular by author Malcom Gladwell, who wrote the bestselling book, Outliers: The Story of Success. Mr. Gladwell said you need 10,000… Read More
2022-06-09 19:43
No longer having mouths to feed at home, I was able to travel to Connecticut this past weekend to see a long-time friend of mine’s daughter get married. It was fun. The weather was pic… Read More
2022-06-03 16:45
Young people often ask me, “What was your favorite age?” My answer is always the same: “Now.”
The post Practicing Gratitude appeared first on Kerry McCoy's Blog Read More
2022-05-27 20:21
Everyone laments about all the negative news these days, but you can’t really blame the media. They are only serving up what we humans like to hear. I must admit, when CBS’s Nora… Read More
2022-05-20 19:35
The Dallas Cowboys football team is about as close to a pro sports team as Arkansas gets. We Arkansans relate to them because their current owner, Jerry Jones, and their former coach, Jimmy… Read More
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