member
connection
YUEN LUI
Scrapbooking entrepreneur
Kim Guymon. Don’t sc✃rap
this biz
THROUGH HER company
ScrapBiz (
www.scrapbiz.com),
Costco member Kim Guymon
helps small, mostly home-based scrapbooking and
rubber-stamp firms handle
the business side of preserving memories.
“I don’t need to teach
them how to scrap … there’s
no end to the creativity,”
says Guymon.
What she does provide for
her 300 customers in North
America and Australia is practical business tools, including
a business start-up guide and
online support. She also helps
clients develop relationships
with wholesalers and handles
research and development to
alert them to trends and hot
items in the industry.
Guymon runs the Everett,
Washington–based business
with her husband, Mark. However, she tells The Connection
that they have a silent partner: Costco. On a monthly
basis, Guymon buys upwards
of 20 binders along with
hundreds of sheet protectors.
She uses those items to create her start-up kit. She also
recommends Costco’s credit-card processing as “a great
option“ for the business owners with whom she works.
“By the way, scrapbookers love Costco!” says
Guymon. “Money saved by
shopping at Costco means
more money to spend on
scrapping supplies!”
—Stephanie E. Ponder
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This painting, an origin al
Tom Haverfield, graces a
wall of Studio of 5 Rings.
PHOTODISC
COURTESY STUDIO OF 5 RINGS/TOM HAVERFIELD
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Cook says the diversity of his gallery transcends mere creative
marketing: He drew
from the teachings of
Creative retail Miyamoto Musashi, a
17th-century
Japanese artist,
swordsman
WHEN COSTCO member Matt showcase individual and author of
Cook opened his gallery, Studio artists. The Web café/wine The Book of
of 5 Rings (
www.studioof5rings. bar offers free wireless Five Rings
com), in midtown Cleveland, he Internet access and hand- (hence the stu-took a novel approach. “I realized crafted wines. The dojo area of dio’s name), for
that simply having a gallery space the space offers instruction in his business concepts.
alone might not bring me imme- self-defense, including empty “Musashi teaches that
diate rewards,” Cook explains. hand, Japanese sword and understanding the meaning
“So I decided to use nontradi- European fencing. of each brush stroke brings
tional approaches in hopes of Cook, who opened 5 Rings understanding of many things,”
becoming the premier venue in 2004, feels that each aspect explains Cook. “Rather than
using art, in its various forms, to of his business complements operating simply as a merchant,
enrich people’s lives.” the others, allowing wine- I created this venue hoping to
The result? Studio of 5 Rings bar patrons or self- bring new meaning to the
is part art gallery, part wine bar, defense students to lives of those who are
part Web café and part martial- discover local art, or art open to personal growth
arts studio. Twice a month the lovers to discover the arts of through art in its many
gallery hosts receptions that defense or wine. forms.”—Will Fifield
Nature and later, she incorporated Oaks & table manners (Teas & Treats)
Acorns (
www.oaks-acorns.org) to discussion groups with
nurture in San Diego, to bring senior high school students (Great
adults (oaks) together with chil- Oak Dialogues) to a musical
dren (acorns) in shared activities. acting troupe that entertains
WHAT IS THAT MAGIC that The organization has multiple at local schools (The
occurs when children and programs that allow the Outrageous Sages).
senior citizens interact? generations to interact—
Costco member Alannah from learning good Oaks & Acorns is a
Sinclaire first noticed it as a nonprofit that teams
graduate student in preschool up children with
education. Unable to manage seniors (like these two
a group of unruly 5-year-olds, program participants)
in shared activities.
Sinclaire recruited a friend of
her grandmother’s, a former
teacher, to help out in the
classroom. The results were
remarkable as the children
showed immediate respect
for the visitor—and the elderly lady broke through
her reserve to connect with
the youngsters.
For Sinclaire, a passion
was born. Twenty-some years
