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In the news...
Mul-Ti Enterprises, Inc.
P.O. Box 6097
Gainesville, GA 30504
phone: 1-877-482-6643
fax: 678-450-5907
email: info@thetannie.com
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...November 2007
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The Tannie Wins
"Industry Choice Award"
for Favorite Salon Accessory
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...June 2007
Island Sun Times Magazine
Tanning's Guys on the Go - 2007
It’s time we gave the guys
their “props”…
This is our first-ever
special salute to “Tanning’s Guys On The Go” – recognizing
dedicated industry notables who keep the tanning biz alive &
kickin’!
Our 2007 honorees include
tanning pros filling vital roles in every industry sector –
CEOs, salon operators, sales consultants, educators and key
players “behind the scenes.” These “Guys On The Go” were
nominated by their employers and colleagues in appreciation for
their contribution to our industry.
IST head writer John Ribner
spoke with each honoree about their careers and families, and we
even managed to squeeze a few personal details out of ‘em, too.
We know you’ll enjoy reading their profiles.
IST congratulates
“Tanning’s Guys On The Go” 2007 and thanks the companies that
chose them to be included in this exclusive feature.
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Fritz
Boothe • Vice President • Mul-Ti Enterprises, Inc.
My hobbies include: Hunting & fishing
with my son, Billy.
My favorite sport is: Football
In my CD player right now: Brandy
Vaughan, Jimmy Hendrix
My favorite food is: Pasta
My favorite way to “chill out”: Dancing
with my wife, Annette. |
Hardworking and humble, Fritz
Boothe is the “man behind the scenes” at Georgia-based Mul-Ti
Enterprises.
Fritz has worked side-by-side
with his wife, Annette, at Mul-Ti Enterprises, Inc. – makers of
The Tannie UV hair protector – since its inception about five
years ago. “Annette was tired of using towels and other things
to cover her hair during a tanning session, so she got an idea
to create a UV hair protector. We did a lot of research,
discovered the material and began manufacturing The Tannie, and
the rest, as they say, is history.”
As Vice President of
Manufacturing, Fritz’s duties are clearly defined and key to
keeping the fabrication of the entire product line running
smoothly. “I work with our suppliers and oversee production in
order to ensure that we continue to make quality products,”
Fritz explained. “I also solve manufacturing issues that come
up; for example, the stitching of our products. One of the most
difficult things to do in sewing manufacturing is stitching in a
circle, and most of our products require that. I had to actually
design and make an attachment for our sewing machines in order
to produce what we need.”
True to his honest nature, Fritz
is straightforward about his life’s goal. “I’m a man of faith
who works hard for God and for his family,” he commented. “But
even though I like to stay busy, I’m never too much so to help
someone when they need it. That’s the kind of person I am, and
that’s how I’d like to be remembered.”
...May 2006
Island Sun Times Magazine
They say that necessity is the mother of
invention, and never was that more true than with Mul-Ti
Enterprises, Inc. An avid indoor tanner, retired real estate
broker Annette Boothe wanted something to protect her hair color
from UV light during her sessions. And so The Tannie was born,
becoming an instant hit with women in the tanning industry, and
thus establishing Annette’s company – Mul-Ti Enterprises, Inc.
The sudden success The Tannie achieved inspired Annette to
diversify and offer additional UV-protective products, further
strengthening her company’s name and reputation in the industry.
Now, when it comes to UV-protective products, many tanning pros
think of Mul-Ti Enterprises, which continues to add new and
exciting products to its offerings.
A Good Idea
 One
day, the idea for The Tannie just came right off the top of
Annette Boothe’s head. “I’ve always enjoyed indoor tanning, but
like most women, I was concerned about the UV light drying my
hair and fading its color,” recalled Annette. “I used to wrap an
old T-shirt or a towel around my head when I tanned until I
found out that it didn’t offer much protection. That’s when I
started looking for materials that would effectively block UV
rays.” Through her research, Annette located a blue fabric that
blocks 90 percent of the UV rays emitted by a tanning unit – 544
times more than
 plain,
white fabric. Excited about this discovery, she quickly used it
to fashion a special cap that would protect her hair during
tanning sessions. Little did she know it then, but Annette had
created the prototype for what would later become her first
commercial product – The Tannie.
She’s On To Something
Once Annette started using her UV-protective hair cover, people
began to notice. Soon, many of her friends were asking if she
could make such a cap for them, too. That’s when she realized
she was on to something. “I started to think that this was
exactly what the tanning industry needed, which got me thinking
about the possibility of manufacturing and selling them,”
Annette said. “My husband, Fritz, was very supportive in helping
me take my idea for The Tannie and turn it into a company – I
could never have done any of this without him. He believed in
The Tannie and in me so much that he came out of retirement to
help me. His love and support are such a blessing.”
Annette and Fritz formed Mul-Ti Enterprises and began to
manufacture the company’s first product – The Tannie – made of
the blue UV-blocking material, which is washable, breathable,
re-useable and woven especially for them. The Tannie was
designed to fit easily and comfortably over a tanner’s hair and
head, offering UV protection while the rest of the body develops
a tan. “My sister Kristine Sanders and I debuted The Tannie at
the Indoor Tanning Association World Expo 2002 in Nashville and
it was very successful!” Annette exclaimed. “There was a
fantastic response to the product at our exhibit; we ended up
talking to so many people that we both lost our voices by the
end of the first day. What we kept hearing from women was that
this product was exactly what the industry needed.”
Up & Running
From its humble beginnings in Annette and Fritz’s home, Mul-Ti
Enterprises has grown into quite a substantial operation.
Staffed by four people, corporate headquarters occupy a 3,000
square-foot facility in Gainesville, GA. The company also has a
manufacturing plant in Jasper, GA, where The Tannie and other
Mul-Ti Enterprises products are sewn, packaged, warehoused and
shipped to many countries outside the U.S. “Initially, we sold
The Tannie directly to indoor tanning salons; but as its
popularity grew and through the advice of industry mentors, we
realized that selling them via tanning product distributors was
the way to go,” Annette commented. “We now have a wide
distributor network and are always looking for more. Our
products are also distributed internationally in Canada, the
United Kingdom, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Germany and Australia, to
name a few.”
Adding On …
Annette founded Mul-Ti Enterprises with her flagship invention –
The Tannie – and now the company has expanded their
UV-protective offerings with two more successful products. For
the 2005/2006 tanning season, the company introduced Tanfacia.
“We’ve been working on this product for the past two years,
after hearing from female tanners who were concerned about UV
overexposure on their faces,” Annette explained. “It utilizes
the same signature blue fabric as The Tannie, but offers
protection from 98 percent of the UV rays, and it’s designed to
be worn over the face. It ties in the back of the head and has
elastic bands that prevent it from being blown off by the
tanning unit’s cooling fans.”
The third product in Mul-Ti Enterpise’s UV-protective line is
called The Manly. As one might surmise, this product protects
the most sensitive areas of a male tanner’s body. “This is an
important issue for many male tanners,” Annette commented. “Now,
the guys have a product to help them avoid UV overexposure in
that area. Like The Tannie, these products are also washable,
breathable and reusable.”
The Success Story Continues…
Annette is enjoying the success she’s had with The Tannie and
the other Mul-Ti Enterprises products, and plans to continue
 inventing
UV protective items for indoor tanners. “Fritz is in the process
of making the molds for our next product – The Tannie Nail
Tips,” she explained. “Just like their hair and faces, women
want their nails to always look their best and spend a lot of
money doing so. Our Nail Tips product is designed to block 100
percent of the UV rays emitted by a tanning unit to keep nail
color from fading, and offers protection for acrylic nails as
well. We’re very excited about this product, and we’re looking
forward to being able to offer it to the tanning industry.”
Looking back on all she and Fritz have achieved with Mul-Ti
Enterprises, Annette says it’s hard to believe that at one time,
she was a little nervous about the idea of starting her own
company. It was a gutsy move, for sure, but she’s glad she took
the chance. “I have always told my children to believe in their
dreams and never give up on them, so I knew it was time for me
to follow my own advice,” she commented. “I’m glad I did, and
I’m also very thankful for the support of my family and friends.
Our goal is to become the leader in lotion-less UV protection; a
large goal, indeed – but we believe that with faith, all things
are possible.”
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