From pink KitchenAid blenders to colorful tissue boxes and Toy Story Band-Aids, customizing consumer products is nothing new. However, even in light of the economic challenges, consumers are still willing to pay a bit more for commodity products that bring a touch of personalization to their world.

With hundreds of kitchen products on the market and only so much room in consumers’ cabinets, Sweeney set out to discover just what kitchen product categories consumers are most aware of, what they actually own and their purchase intent. What this survey clearly indicated is consumers love their kitchen products!

When Leanne LaFave, a triathlon-training buddy, told me she was going to do a 10-mile solo swim in the Intracoastal Waterway this summer, I thought she was crazy.  Five hours in jellyfish infested waters; what was she thinking? Even though Leanne will be the first person to do this on August 13, 2011, there was no doubt in her mind that she can complete the swim.

The daily deal industry has exploded over the past couple years. The industry is estimated to be worth $1.25 billion, and according to Bloomberg, Groupon will seek an initial public offering of about $20 billion. Also, sites like Groupon and LivingSocial have become so popular now Facebook, Google, Amazon, and AT&T are jumping on the bandwagon.

This past year has been a difficult one for both my husband and myself as he defended our country on his second tour to Afghanistan from mid-2010 – early 2011. I can honestly say that our lives have been changed forever, probably more so his than mine.

Lush, a manufacturer and retailer of fresh handmade cosmetics, serves up a very powerful brand experience when you visit their retail stores. I was just at a Chicago store in April and had the opportunity to visit a Philadelphia store this week to stock up on my favorite Lush products.