In our early days, as sales began to grow at Daphne’s my Mom, our company’s namesake, and I decided that we should “become international.” So we contacted my uncle Nick in England. Nick was an avid golfer, retired businessman and had a car that could hold plenty of headcovers, he was perfect for the job of our first international salesman!. As our relative we knew he’d handle this opportunity with tremendous effort and we placed our trust in his success. Of course we didn’t ask for his references, Nick was family. When my mom went home to England she brought him headcovers and catalogs and he agreed to become our representative. Daphne’s Headcovers was about to become an international company! After many weeks of waiting and imaging the stellar success Nick was having we realized that we hadn’t heard a word. We gave it a bit more time and still, nothing! So, my mom and I got up early in the morning and called to ask Nick how things were going. “Oh, yes well you see I’ve been very busy going to golf courses but now that I am retired I have time to play golf. So when my friends see me they invite me to play a round of golf and I do. I haven’t had time to actually sell any headcovers although I’ve been giving them away as thank you gifts for these lovely invitations I’ve been receiving. They’re ever so nice, do you think you could send some more?” We decided to find someone who didn’t play golf but who knew about business. We reached out to my cousin Ann and she thought the idea was “simply spiffing.” Ann had a career in London but said she had “oodles” of spare time and knew just where to start. We knew as our relative she’d handle this opportunity with tremendous effort and we placed our trust in her success. This time we were sure to clearly explain that we expected sales to be made and that the samples were for the golf shops and not gifts for friends. We were back on track to becoming an international golf company! We sent Ann oodles of samples and catalogs, discussed our goals, and sent her off. After a few weeks we hadn’t heard a word. We gave it a bit more time and still nothing! So my mom and I got up early in the morning (sound familiar?) and called Ann. She was delighted to hear from us and share her success. She’d seen a golf shop near by and went in to check it out. When she got there she met a “very lovely, tanned American golf pro” who seemed very interested in her, and “oh yes the headcovers too.” Well that night Ann had a brainstorm. She brought all the samples to her “lovely American” as a gift! She knew we wanted them in a golf shop and said he was delighted to get the headcovers at no charge! She went back the next day and they were all priced and already selling! She wondered if all American golf pro’s were this tanned and charming and could we possibly send some more headcovers? Our next great idea came when my childhood friend and his mates were coming to America for a break from their studies at Oxford. They were low on funds and asked if they could stay with us as they made their way across the U.S. Again we had a brilliant idea and thought that we’d pay them to be our representatives if they made sales along the way. We gave them firm guidelines that they were to sell and not give the headcovers away, etc. Although they weren’t family we thought “hey, how can we lose if we don’t send too many samples?” When the guys landed in New York they bought an old Buick for $700.00 went to the first golf course they saw and made a sale! An actual sale, we were thrilled! As they made their way around the States we got phone calls about our “British threesome” from customers. The golf buyers were impressed and surprised by this sales tactic and it worked. The boys were happy too as we sent them commissions and they developed an affection for the drink cart girls. Sales were growing, feedback was great, we were shipping orders, the boys were getting cash (and some dates) and life was good! My roommates were delighted when they came to stay (I was finishing college at the time). The boys continued to sell headcovers around Arizona, provide beer money for my roommates and stayed and stayed. One day a bottle of Lime A Way appeared on my dresser and I realized this was a subtle hint from my fiancé. So off the boys went to California (with one of my roommates). They sold Daphne’s Headcovers up and down the coast, sold their Buick for $750.00 and went back to England. We were all delighted with the job they’d done and the fun we’d had along the way. We weren’t international yet but we’d learned a lot about the importance of getting references–especially from our family!
Daphne's News | Jane Spicer | 
May 4, 2010 5:57 am 
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By Libby Mosier, May 11, 2010 @ 12:56 am
This reads like a fairy tale, Jane — in the way that everything (tasks, lessons, wishes) comes in threes. The third time is, indeed, the charm! And, apparently, the (British) threesome is very charming!