LABOR DAY - Appreciate being in business - every - single - day - as you dreamt to do when you started your business.

Hello Client, for me Labor Day includes appreciation of my employees as well, in addition to honoring the social and economic achievements of American workers.

When I was 6, my Granny Katherine taught me to say a prayer as I planted corn seeds in my Mountain View garden. It went like, “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost,” for each of the 3 seeds I dropped into each hole before covering them up with dirt and watering.

Seemingly like magic, in the same city known for its apricot, plum and cherry trees long before the silicon chip was invented a few miles away, (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Semiconductor), those corn seeds grew to 7 to 8 foot heights in the rich Mountain View soil.

Our neighborhood is still appropriately called Blossom Valley: coincidentally where my three kids were born and where at the same hospital my sister had died in 1964, at age 17. All Mountain View.

For me appreciation is about family, faith, nature, people, history, achievement, love and successful businesses. Appreciation means so much more than ofttimes realized.

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Over the last 2 weeks we’ve lost 2 very influential, very different leaders in Dolly Parton (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolly_Parton) and Gloria Steinem (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Steinem). Life lessons. See Gloria Steinem “Famous Last Words” interview on Netflix. (https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2026-09-03/gloria-steinem-famous-last-words-netflix).

Dolly and Gloria sure influenced our society.

Dolly Parton was universally loved and an economic powerhouse. No small achievement when considering today’s “billionaire class”. Through her vast talents and achievements, she set an example of how to rise economically. Ever been to Dollywood?! Ever hear Dolly say anything you did not agree with?!

Less universally accepted, Gloria Steinem women’s rights and equality advocacy nonetheless accomplished more for society than many people today care to realize. TradeMark Express has had older women employees denied generational wealth in the 1960’s/1970’s as banks did not allow most women to have a credit card or buy a house. Today, look at how most doctor and lawyer graduates are women. Kevin O’Leary has noted his most successful investments are run by women. Best talent. Best ideas. No bias. What could be more capitalistic than that?

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Last night, after laughing through Netflix’s “Ladies First” Sacha Baron Cohen movie with my Wife and Daughter, I remembered the article I had promised Toni.

Last weekend while staying at the Boulder City, NV, Wyndham and getting my 10,747 steps before midnight while my car charged – I noticed Starbucks would be open at 5am.

Drifting into Starbucks the next morning at 7, I noticed there was just one barista working by herself, artfully hustling through the line weaving between taking and making orders. Having worked retail sales in gas, 7-Eleven, photofinishing and even a pretzel stand – I recognized the skill.

I asked, “Have you been doing this all by yourself since 5am?” Toni said, as she effortlessly handled the line and made the drinks, “I came in at 4:30 after working 12 hours yesterday – and today is supposed to be my day off. Someone has to be here!”.

Impressed, I commented: “You should own the place.” She laughed.

I replied, “I’m going to quote exactly what you said in an article.” She laughed again. 5-Stars on Google Reviews. Check it out. Search Boulder City Starbucks, then click on NEWEST, or see here:

“On August 29, Toni was handling the store by herself. Instead of being down and sullen she made my no-foam latte with a smile.

It was inspiring to see someone so committed to their job, as if she was the owner, as owners of small businesses often are.

Toni said, as she effortlessly handled the line and made the drinks, “I came in at 4:30am after working 12-hours yesterday – and today is supposed to be my day off. Someone has to be here!”

I commented she should own the place. She laughed.

I wondered if the Starbucks corporate decision makers and stockholders were truly, fully aware how integral their front line store staff are to their enterprise’s success.

People like Toni.”

Toni went above and beyond for Starbucks. Right then, on what was supposed to be her day off, Toni was Starbucks. Some may say, she came in on her day off for the pay. I say, seeing her smile, it was because she just wanted to cover the restaurant. Simpe as that.

Tireless, dependable employees make our businesses work.

Lest we forget, the definition of management is: “getting things done through other people.”

Even at as big a business as Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX), their staff is how it all works. Their Boulder City location would have been closed that day without Toni.

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When business failures can SO EASILY happen – appreciation is the glue, the foundation, the bridge that is the difference in holding it all together. Irreplaceable.

Like every life, every business is really a day-to-day proposition. Today is a new day. A new breakeven to be met. Expectations. Performance required. It all adds up.

Sure, businesses can appear monolithic. Indestructible. They are not. Yes, there are many, many aspects that make a successful business thrive.

In this case, Toni clearly appreciated her job. Toni felt responsibility. Toni was there. Toni smiled through the need to work by herself because she felt appreciated.

When we as business owners express our appreciation, appreciation is returned by our employees. Our customers feel it.

When you demonstrate appreciation to your employees and your customers, how often have you seen their appreciation come back to you in one way or another?

Staff loyalty. Customer loyalty. Growth. Resilience against stress, competitors, recessions, tariffs, cost increases, pandemics – what have you. Appreciation is GOOD BUSINESS!

Appreciate being in business – every – single – day –

as you dreamt to do when you started your business.

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(Note, our TradeMark Express staff has been with us an average of 14 years.)

PS: Be sure not to neglect, to take care of, to protect and to secure your INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. Trademark to own ALL your trade names, logos and slogans. Don’t let someone trademark on top of your IP, thereby limiting your rights in sound, appearance and meaning.

Click on the order link at the top of this page, NOW!

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Thank you, Chris DeMassa, Founder – 650-948-0530

Email: staff@tmexpress.com

Web Site: tmexpress.com

Order: https://www.tmexpress.com/order-my-trademark

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LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisdemassa/