What's in a Name

A number of people have asked what the title of this blog means. Speedos, slides and slippers? Let me explain.

A number of years ago I was forced to actually have an employee manual by the PEO that was handling our payroll and benefits. I balked. After all I had started the company because I didn't want to work in the corporate world anymore and "rules to work by" just smacked of everything I hated about the cubicle world, But they insisted and sent a very nice HR person to help me through the process.

At one point, after she had asked about vacation time (of course, whatever they need!) and annual reviews (only if I have to) she inquired if I had any rules in the office. I wondered if she meant something like "No running with scissors" or "If we run out of it put it on the shopping list" or (my favorite) "No Whining," but she was serious. I thought about it and said, " The only office rule at cds creative, inc. is You have to wear shoes when you meet with a client." Now it was her turn to balk. But I won, You see, we all tend to walk around barefooted here. Our office is an old home and we tend to be very relaxed. So where do the slippers fit in? It gets cold in the winter!

The slide? We rennovated the building in 2003 adding a large room to the second floor and lofting it up to the third floor. Previously we had all been on the first floor and a tenant occupied an apartment upstairs, Some discussion started that we'd have to be running up and down the stairs all day and why didn't we get a fireman's pole? We thought some more and realized we're almost always carrying things with us, so why not a slide? A yellow, spiral, playground slide? When we told our contractors they just shook their heads and when it arrived they had to take out the front windows to corkscrew it into the building. Now we can slide from the "Great Room" upstairs into the reception area to greet visitors and vendors who almost always ask if they can try it too! It has become our signature - oh you're the guys with the slide.



And finally, speedos. I'm not sure I want to get into this too deeply. Let's just say it takes someone with great confidence to wear a speedo and I'll leave it at that.

Let me know your thoughts. catherine@cdscreative.com

On to the next!
Catherine