I will be in West Palm Beach tomorrow, March 11th, to attend the Green Conference and learn about the latest "green" practices and suppliers.
On Thursday I will be in Ft. Lauderdale and visiting the Design Center of the America's (DCOTA) to see what is still available from their floor sample sale last week.
On Friday I will be in Orlando attending the Home Electronics trade show and learn about the latest and greatest in home entertainment, security and more.
I will update my blog with everything I learned on this trip!
Pray for safe travels!
Beautiful Sarasota
Condo at Ritz-Beach
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
Newspaper Exposure!
My picture is in the Longboat Key Observer this week! Thanks to photographer Jessica who was snapping pic's at Lee Hienemans open house last week.
I am in the papers a lot because I go to a lot of events on the island. 80% of my customers are on Longboat Key so I attend a lot of events and I end up in the paper. It just so happens that a lady who was referred to me by her realtor the first year of my business was at this party - 6 years later! She said that she really appreciated my input to her project and that I really listened to her. Turns out she hired Lee Hieneman to do the remodel - it took her 6 years to make a decision though! She also mentioned that she's been following my career in the paper the entire time! That was great news for me to hear.
Be where your business is!!
I am in the papers a lot because I go to a lot of events on the island. 80% of my customers are on Longboat Key so I attend a lot of events and I end up in the paper. It just so happens that a lady who was referred to me by her realtor the first year of my business was at this party - 6 years later! She said that she really appreciated my input to her project and that I really listened to her. Turns out she hired Lee Hieneman to do the remodel - it took her 6 years to make a decision though! She also mentioned that she's been following my career in the paper the entire time! That was great news for me to hear.
Be where your business is!!
Give and Gain
I think I was on Linkedin when I got a link to a blog from a guy that runs a marketing firm. His philosophy for networking is to be a good listener and help people to build their businesses, give them ideas to grow on and in turn they will keep you in mind when the perfect referal comes up. This theory is called Give and Gain. His blog got a lot of positive feedback to this method of networking.
My first thought was "well, no kidding!" I guess I have always instinctively done this. Because of my line of business I have to be a good listener and I am. Because of the amount of networking and marketing I do in the community I come in contact with a wide variety of business people and ideas. Therefore whenever I speak with someone about their challenges I can almost always come up with an idea or solution for them. I also have a large binder that holds all the business cards of people I've met, therefore I can always put people together that can help each other. This morning I was talking to a business colleage who wants to sell her business so I gave her the contact info for an immigration attorney who helps foreign nationals buy businesses! Viola!
I belong to the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce. This is the best small chamber in the area by far. Mainly because it's members really do help each other build their businesses - unlike any other chamber in the area. There is another larger chamber in the area that is struggling. I believe it is because everytime I attend one of their events its always "what can you do for me" attitude I get from its members, or, it's a pick up joint! The members dont seem to try to help each other. Until they get that attitude adjusted they will continue to struggle in growing their membership. They need to learn Give and Gain!
This brings an important point to mind. Whenever you hear of a networking group or some sort of business group to join. Ask if you can attend a couple of meetings first. This is very important. Every legitimate group will be happy to let you attend and you get a feel for the group to see if it is a good match for you. This will save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars every year. I review the groups that I am a member of every year to see if it is providing me with referals and business. If it is not then I dont renew my membership. I try to join a new group every year to expand my exposure and meet new business leaders in the community. A $250 membership fee for a year of exposure beats the price of print ads any day!
So Give and Gain is a great way to grow your business, and help others to grow theirs!
My first thought was "well, no kidding!" I guess I have always instinctively done this. Because of my line of business I have to be a good listener and I am. Because of the amount of networking and marketing I do in the community I come in contact with a wide variety of business people and ideas. Therefore whenever I speak with someone about their challenges I can almost always come up with an idea or solution for them. I also have a large binder that holds all the business cards of people I've met, therefore I can always put people together that can help each other. This morning I was talking to a business colleage who wants to sell her business so I gave her the contact info for an immigration attorney who helps foreign nationals buy businesses! Viola!
I belong to the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce. This is the best small chamber in the area by far. Mainly because it's members really do help each other build their businesses - unlike any other chamber in the area. There is another larger chamber in the area that is struggling. I believe it is because everytime I attend one of their events its always "what can you do for me" attitude I get from its members, or, it's a pick up joint! The members dont seem to try to help each other. Until they get that attitude adjusted they will continue to struggle in growing their membership. They need to learn Give and Gain!
This brings an important point to mind. Whenever you hear of a networking group or some sort of business group to join. Ask if you can attend a couple of meetings first. This is very important. Every legitimate group will be happy to let you attend and you get a feel for the group to see if it is a good match for you. This will save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars every year. I review the groups that I am a member of every year to see if it is providing me with referals and business. If it is not then I dont renew my membership. I try to join a new group every year to expand my exposure and meet new business leaders in the community. A $250 membership fee for a year of exposure beats the price of print ads any day!
So Give and Gain is a great way to grow your business, and help others to grow theirs!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Design for the Times- Creating Calm
When we are bombarded daily with instability and lack of trust in the very establishments that we are supposed to rely on, we crave the escape to a calm and peaceful environment. Have you ever spent time in a Japanese garden? It is simple, beautiful, has lot's of open space. It involves your sense of sight, smell (subtly) hearing (with water features) and touch. And taste, if there is a Japanese tea house involved.
If you want to create a sense of calm in your own personal environment there are some easy inexpensive ways to accomplish this.
Get back to nature. Water or fire features. Nature scenes via pictures, paintings and murals. Colors from nature. Remember that in nature, the colors are dark on the floor and get lighter as you go higher. Dark ground, light sky. Add fresh flowers, real plants!
Paint. Paint your walls with soft, calm, & peaceful colors. Shades of biege, or sand are very calming. So is pale aqua, or pale pink, or soft yellow.
Remove the clutter. Clutter stifles the flow of energy. Take all the accessories out of the room then add in only a few personal items such as pictures, art, or sculpture. Personalize it but dont put every personal item in the room. Collections of similar items in threes spread around the room creates interest and a sense of balance.
Balance. Creating symmetry in a space is calming. Divide the space in half and whatever is happing on one side of the room in terms of heights, line, proportion should be happening on the other side of the room as well. For example, when you have a fireplace with a mantel and you put a tall candle on one side of the mantel put a tall candle on the other side as well to create equal balance. When you have a tall entertainment center or flat screen tv on one wall, offset on the other side of the room with a picture of the same scale hung at the same height. Asymmetrical design, where things are not equal, creates excitement and high energy - not calm.
Line. Creating horizontal lines in the room is calming. Zigzag lines create action, energy, movement and are not considered calm. Vertical lines create height but not calm. I love painting wide, horizontal bands on the walls. Even horizontal lines on pillows will work. I love horizontal lines in a room. I have taken molding strips and attached them horizontally to the wall.
Scent. I think we all know by now that Vanilla is a scent that speaks to our soul. I personnaly am tired of that scent and prefer other calming scents. I really like the Ralph Lauren Spa scent. I love lavender! People always comment on how wonderful my house smells because I have Glade plug-ins in the lavendar scent scattered throughout my house. Visit a candle and atomizer specialty shop to find the scent that speaks to you personnaly.
Sound. Home fountains come in all styles and prices. The sound of flowing water is soothing. Water features in general connect us with nature. Also, if you have a lot of hard surfaces the sound is bouncing around the room. Buffer these sounds by adding area rugs, and drapery panels to absorb the sound. Turn off the tv. Turn on soft, soothing music.
Lighting. I love dimmer switches! You can set the level of lighting according to your mood and what you need to accomplish. Task lighting or general lighting is overhead, well lit lighting in the room. Add a dimmer switch and you can lower the level of light output. How about turning off all the lights and just lighting candles?! Or turning off the overhead lights and turn on low wattage lamps. Lighting is a key element to creating a calm environment.
Taste. Mmmmm! Comfort foods. Soup, starch, scones! Wine!
So, if you need a calm, personal environment to escape to just implement some of the ideas above and RELAX!! If you look around you probably have many of the items mentioned and may not even have to spend any money!
If you want to create a sense of calm in your own personal environment there are some easy inexpensive ways to accomplish this.
Get back to nature. Water or fire features. Nature scenes via pictures, paintings and murals. Colors from nature. Remember that in nature, the colors are dark on the floor and get lighter as you go higher. Dark ground, light sky. Add fresh flowers, real plants!
Paint. Paint your walls with soft, calm, & peaceful colors. Shades of biege, or sand are very calming. So is pale aqua, or pale pink, or soft yellow.
Remove the clutter. Clutter stifles the flow of energy. Take all the accessories out of the room then add in only a few personal items such as pictures, art, or sculpture. Personalize it but dont put every personal item in the room. Collections of similar items in threes spread around the room creates interest and a sense of balance.
Balance. Creating symmetry in a space is calming. Divide the space in half and whatever is happing on one side of the room in terms of heights, line, proportion should be happening on the other side of the room as well. For example, when you have a fireplace with a mantel and you put a tall candle on one side of the mantel put a tall candle on the other side as well to create equal balance. When you have a tall entertainment center or flat screen tv on one wall, offset on the other side of the room with a picture of the same scale hung at the same height. Asymmetrical design, where things are not equal, creates excitement and high energy - not calm.
Line. Creating horizontal lines in the room is calming. Zigzag lines create action, energy, movement and are not considered calm. Vertical lines create height but not calm. I love painting wide, horizontal bands on the walls. Even horizontal lines on pillows will work. I love horizontal lines in a room. I have taken molding strips and attached them horizontally to the wall.
Scent. I think we all know by now that Vanilla is a scent that speaks to our soul. I personnaly am tired of that scent and prefer other calming scents. I really like the Ralph Lauren Spa scent. I love lavender! People always comment on how wonderful my house smells because I have Glade plug-ins in the lavendar scent scattered throughout my house. Visit a candle and atomizer specialty shop to find the scent that speaks to you personnaly.
Sound. Home fountains come in all styles and prices. The sound of flowing water is soothing. Water features in general connect us with nature. Also, if you have a lot of hard surfaces the sound is bouncing around the room. Buffer these sounds by adding area rugs, and drapery panels to absorb the sound. Turn off the tv. Turn on soft, soothing music.
Lighting. I love dimmer switches! You can set the level of lighting according to your mood and what you need to accomplish. Task lighting or general lighting is overhead, well lit lighting in the room. Add a dimmer switch and you can lower the level of light output. How about turning off all the lights and just lighting candles?! Or turning off the overhead lights and turn on low wattage lamps. Lighting is a key element to creating a calm environment.
Taste. Mmmmm! Comfort foods. Soup, starch, scones! Wine!
So, if you need a calm, personal environment to escape to just implement some of the ideas above and RELAX!! If you look around you probably have many of the items mentioned and may not even have to spend any money!
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