All the sublimation terms you need to know—and a few you may not even have known existed.

“Just rain.” That’s what the local meteorologists said. No hurricane. No tropical storm. Not even a tropical depression in sight. When the forecast is “just rain” in south Louisiana, it means you might have to postpone mowing your lawn for a day. You can probably skip watering the flower beds. You take a rain poncho with you to the LSU football game. You wear old shoes to play golf. But you do not purchase extra canned food or bottled water. You do not rush to the station to fill your vehicle with gasoline. You do not take extra money out of the ATM in case power is lost for an extended period. You do not check the generators. And you certainly do not waste 1 minute worrying about rain in an area of the United States that gets more than 60 inches of rain in a typical year.

At Champion Awards & Apparel, “we do a lot of stuff to make a living,” summarizes President and CEO Mike Bowen. Champion comprises nine divisions in 40,000 sq ft in Memphis, TN, with $4.5 million in gross sales each year.

Over the years, we have all made decisions about our businesses that have allowed us to be more competitive. We have taken our brick and mortar stores online, allowing us to win customers on a much larger stage. We have gone from traditional marketing strategies like direct mail to social media marketing. We have transitioned from trophy dealers to personalization retailers.

Money talks. The question is what your money is saying to you. For most of us, it says, “Use me to grow the business,” or “Invest me for a more secure future.” But sometimes, in spite of your best intentions, it seems that your hard-earned cash is saying, “Bye-bye!” and being spent almost as quickly as it is made. Been there?

The green movement that was so en vogue in the 1990s and early 2000s took a backseat to the Great Recession. Companies struggling to keep their doors open had bigger problems than their environmental impact. Today, we’re working hard to get back to business as usual. It’s in this environment that buyers are motivated to seek eco-friendly products and spend with green businesses. Promoting the earth promotes profits, but you need to be armed with green products and knowledge.

Well, now it is official. I am old. I have come to this conclusion because in the last year phrases like “back when I was young,” “time goes by so fast,” and “the young people today” have rolled out of my mouth. This realization presented itself in full last month when I wrote “Build a Door” and used “the evolving profile of customers” as an example for reaching goals. That’s when it hit me that some of my friends now have grandchildren and many are looking forward to retirement. As my mother used to say, “Where has the time gone?” I used to roll my eyes when she said it (behind her back, of course), but now I understand.

Do you have your eye on a new piece of equipment for your shop—or have dreams of starting your own business—but have no idea how you’ll pay for it? Lease financing may be your answer.

Another busy season is in the rearview mirror. All of us made the deadlines, maintained great customer service, and worked until we were totally exhausted. The long hours, the weekends spent at work, and the many last-minute orders helped to ensure the 2015 busy season would be one of the best ever. We were all prepared, our staffs were well trained and at the top of their game, and everyone committed to going the extra mile. So, let’s take a moment and give ourselves a pat on the back for a job well done!

I had a weird dream the other night. I was sitting in a courtroom, in the defendant’s chair. The judge walked in and the bailiff said, “All rise,” and then the judge pointed at me and said, “You stand here accused of violent prioritization. How do you plead?”