June 2013 Newsletter

Good afternoon, happy Thursday! 

Thanks for visiting - this is the first installment of my new blog - super excited!  

Below is my monthly newsletter I've been doing for a couple years - enjoy! 

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Hello again to my friends, colleagues, clients, and business partners.  I am very fortunate to be out every day networking with an eclectic group of people.  I’m always interested to hear about what others are reading about, listening to, watching, or just flat-out DOING. 

With that in mind, this monthly digest (and TWITTER account) shares the latest Chicagoland findings, music I’ve enjoyed, new ideas I’ve been exposed to, the latest in the world of Precision Payroll & Sales Empowerment Group, as well as other things that may be of interest to you or someone you know.  Thank you for your recommendations and thoughts, as well as taking time out to enjoy it.

Featured Charity

ATTENTION BIKERS!  Whether you prefer a bicycle or a motorcycle, I have something for you…

1. A Giving Heart Foundation, a 501c3 “dedicated to saving lives of children with congenital heart disease” is raffling off a 2012 Harley-Davidson Dyna Switchback.  Tickets are $50 each and they are only selling 1,000 tickets total (drawing on July 15^th).Check it out and buy a ticket (or increase my odds by refraining…)!
2. Bike4Life – next Tuesday, June 25^th there is an event for the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation.  I am trying to help them sell 10 tickets ($30 – food & drink for 3 hours).  Take a look and write me back about getting your ticket – thanks for your support! 

Featured Business Partner

JJR Marketing is a full-service, award-winning marketing and public relations agency.  Their integrated approach harnesses the power of your marketing to create leads, increase sales, drive digital traffic, and tap into new markets to make things happen. JJR’s founder, Jacqueline Camacho Ruiz, has published her 2^nd book; a new memoir, The Fig Factor, about embracing life’s big sky possibilities, even amidst our greatest struggles.  In this beautifully written memoir, Jackie shows us how to find more in every moment of living through love, awareness, forgiveness, gratitude, and more.

Human Resources & Business

• Have you been considering a new business card design?  Are you a solo-preneur and trying to stand-out in a crowd?  Read this article for some quick, thoughtful tips & ideas (including 5 great sites to get them printed). 

Precision Payroll & Sales Empowerment Group

• Precision Payroll – I’m excited to share the launch of our new website.  Please take a click onto the NEW SITE!

• Sales Empowerment Group – here is a recent article discussing all of our programs at SEG – exciting growth ahead!

Web

• How many times do you think you could clap in a minute?  Ok, now just watch this guy…absolutely ridiculous. 

• Like many children, I used to pretend the carpet was a lagoon with alligators or steaming hot lava, and then proceed to death-defyingly jump from couch to end table to fireplace, etc. – skillfully navigating the obstacle course.  This guy kicks it up a notch using just his bike. 

Chicagoland

• Retired, but not yet forgotten, Brian Urlacher has been the man here in Chicago for a while.  This article has some clips highlighting his best plays as a Bear. 

Music

• I hope to pass some level of musical prowess on to my unborn child.  This video is about as cute as it gets as this little boy belts out a Beatles classic with his dad. 

• This one time, at a band concert in 5^th grade, I had to get in front of about 200 people and recite the lyrics to Little Drummer Boy – including each delicate “Pa-rum-pum-pum-pum” after each line.  I was mortified, and unknowingly happy that Youtube had not yet been invented.  This poor kid however was on camera for a related but more embarrassing moment, but recovers brilliantly.   

Quotes

The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources. – Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by. – Douglas Adams (1952 - 2001)

You can't have a light without a dark to stick it in. – Arlo Guthrie (1947 - )

I went to a fight the other night, and a hockey game broke out. – Rodney Dangerfield (1921 - 2004)

I hope you enjoyed the newsletter and found something of value for yourself or someone you know.   Again, I appreciate your recommendations, thoughts, and referrals that so many of you have shared with me.  GO HAWKS!  

May 2013 Update

Good afternoon – happy sunny Tuesday! 

 

Hello again to my friends, colleagues, clients, and business partners.  I am very fortunate to be out every day networking with an eclectic group of people.  I’m always interested to hear about what others are reading about, listening to, watching, or just flat-out DOING. 

With that in mind, this monthly digest (and now my TWITTER account) shares the latest Chicagoland findings, music I’ve enjoyed, new ideas I’ve been exposed to, the latest in the world of Precision Payroll & Sales Empowerment Group, as well as other things that may be of interest to you or someone you know.  Thank you for your recommendations and thoughts, as well as taking time out to enjoy it.

While I enjoyed the Cubs rooftop game last night, I hope it’s the last time I have to wear a stocking cap for a while.  This upcoming flip-flop weather is the reason we all live in Chicagoland and I intend to take advantage this summer more than ever.  This (3 minute) TED talk has inspired me to get out of the Starbucks and Corner Bakeries for meetings and get out enjoying our beautiful city.  I hope many of my appointments the next few months are outdoors and active!   

Featured Charity

The Holiday Heroes Foundation’s mission is to visit hospitals for a number of holidays including; V-Day, Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, T-giving, and Christmas/Chanukah. During those holidays, they attempt to recreate the spirit of each holiday in hospital wings all across the nation by throwing a party and giving out gift cards to the children.  Professional Athletes past and present have also been involved with Holiday Heroes’ events and hospital visits. Their annual fundraising event is on Thursday, June 6^th from 6-9PM at Quay Restaurant & Bar downtown.  TOM THAYER – FERGIE JENKINS – DESMOND CLARK - TED ALBRECHT and more sports celebrities will be socializing with guests attending this exciting, casino-themed event!  SOX, BEARS, CUBS - Unique and Exciting Live and Silent Auction Items!  Great networking opportunity – clients, prospects, friends, spouses, etc.  TICKETS HERE.  (Early Bird Rate: $100.00 if purchased TODAY!  General Admission: $150.00 if purchased after 5/15/13).

Featured Business Partner

Legalshield – this unique, affordable employee perk/benefit is something to consider as health insurance confusion and rates rise.  Plus, LegalShield takes the stress and strain of legal issues off your employees’ shoulders and puts their focus back at work, where it belongs.  These plans are designed to meet the most common legal needs encountered by employees and their families.

Human Resources & Business

• Does your company offer a 401K plan?  Do you take advantage and get good guidance?  Read the points on this brief article and start saving!  Those in the financial services arena, I’m curious to hear thoughts/feedback.   

Precision Payroll & Sales Empowerment Group

• Precision Payroll – many companies are struggling with proper time & labor solutions.  Accurately tracking hours, over-time, projects, and client costs can be challenging.  We get rid of the labor-intensive work and “ka-chunck” clocks to help streamline the process.  Email me back if you’d like to see/hear more on the technology.   

 

• Sales Empowerment Group – If your company is looking for solutions on appointment setting, lead generation and/or prospect profiling, we may have the solution for you.  We are quickly growing a new division to help tackle these common sales areas.  More news to come soon!  

Web

• This is a disturbing video about the ever-rising obesity rate in the U.S.  Start eating healthy people!

 

• Some of grew up watching “Whose Line is it Anyway?”, but you had to know they weren’t the first.  Jonathon Winters shows here how it’s done.   

Chicagoland

• Trying to convince Lindsay that we should get this print for out Chicago-themed nursery.  If I don’t happen to win that discussion, please go buy one and I’ll live vicariously!   

Music

 

• Some extraordinary subway performers with their take on a popular tune.  If you have a son/daughter/grandchild that plays violin and thinking of quitting, show them this video.  

• The Polyphonic Spree has been around for a while and live shows are pure joy.  The group travels with 20+ members, so you know they do it for the love of it (hard to make money on the road with that many people).  They are releasing a new album soon and here is the single – good stuff!

 

Quotes

The real hero is always a hero by mistake; he dreams of being an honest coward like everybody else. – Umberto Eco (1932 - ), Travels in Hyperreality (Harcourt)

Whenever I dwell for any length of time on my own shortcomings, they gradually begin to seem mild, harmless, rather engaging little things, not at all like the staring defects in other people's characters. – Margaret Halsey

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. – Herm Albright (1876 - 1944)

Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are more pliable.  – Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)

I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be. – Douglas Adams (1952 - 2001)

I hope you enjoyed the newsletter and found something of value for yourself or someone you know.   Again, I appreciate your recommendations, thoughts, and referrals that so many of you have shared with me.