Lea Woodward posed a question the other day that had me thinking, “If you could keep just 7 books, what would they be?”
First thing I thought was, “OMG, there’s no way I could keep just seven books.” I tend to buy and hold on to books like prized possessions. They mean more to me than most things I own and I could likely put myself into poverty buying books if didn’t check myself. There’s something about the physical way books feel and smell that digital can’t replace. I mean, I have a Nook Color and I use it every day, but the type of book I read on it differs from what I like in a physical book. Continue Reading →
Mrs Edith Peacock (née Nile)
100 years ago today, many people died in a tragedy that’s both horrified and fascinated us ever since. My cousin four times removed, Edith Peacock (maiden name Nile), was one of the Titanic victims along with her two small children.
I first learned about her sad story last year when I decided to Google my last name and the town where my ancestors are from in Cornwall to see if any family are still there. My aunt has spent many years doing the family genealogical research and has traced our roots back several generations. So, I already had some information that she had passed to me although I didn’t know anything about Edith beyond that she was one of 10 children and was the daughter of my great great great grandfather’s brother.
The more I read about Edith’s sad story, the more it moved me. How could it not?
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I’ve had the privilege of doing a good number of website audits for clients the past several months. Although each one is custom, it’s funny how often the same kinds of issues pop-up.
So, I figured I’d share some common solutions with you!
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Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how important it is to keep pushing ourselves. I believe the single most beneficial thing I’ve done for my career is to learn and push my skills every single day. Sometimes, I can’t even believe the doors that have opened up for me just because of this.
In the past 10 years, I’ve went from zero (hey, I was still soul-searching back then) to making a career that I truly love. When I say “make”, I mean it. I’ve built it, piece-by-piece. Blood, sweat, tears and all. Now I can say that I look forward to each day and get to do the work I love to do and help others. I think that’s something to be proud of.
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A few weeks ago my husband and I were watching a popular Spanish television mystery show called Cuarto Milenio. Cuarto Milenio has a unique format because they typically do a report about a particular subject and then call in experts to discuss and debate that subject.
The particular episode we were watching had a few music therapy experts who were talking about the effects of music on our brain and on the fetus. In particular they were discussing the bad long-term effects of “heavy” music and the beneficial long-term effects of listening to classical music.
The main argument for this view is that studies have been done that show that when you listen to one particular type of music or another, your body manifests physical changes like increased or decreased heart rate, changes in blood pressure, changes in brain activity, etc. Continue Reading →
Numbers are beautiful. They whisper things in your ear that your intuition doesn’t. Sometimes they shout. They don’t have opinions or intelligence, but they let you know what you need to hear anyway.
I love numbers, not for the sake of loving numbers. But, for what they tell me. I’m no number cruncher. Math was my worst subject in school and it still is. Ask me to add multiple digit numbers spontaneously in my head and you’ll get a slightly panicked look. Ask me to look at a bunch of numbers to find patterns and insights though, and you’ll see me rub my hands together with glee.
Why Numbers are Beautiful
The thing about numbers that people tend to forget is that it’s not about the numbers at all. It’s about people. Real people with wants, needs, desires, and dreams. Those visitors to your site are complex, demanding, and very real.
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2012 is almost upon us! Can you believe it?
If you’re like me, maybe you like to start planning for the new year asap. So, I’ve put together this free website planner for you. Would you rather be braving the crowds at the mall or planning for your business’s future? *wink*
Here are just a few of the areas that this planner looks at:
- Website re-alignment
- All about you
- Your brand
- Innovation
- Tools/Software
- Website content
- Conversion optimization
- Metrics
- Outreach
- Fires! (putting them out, that is)
- Your blog
- and more…. Continue Reading →
The past year, I’ve thought a lot about values. What do they mean, why do they exist, and are they really one of the main things that separates one person from another?
It’s intriguing to me that you could have a similar background, grow up in the same environment, and share genes with someone else and yet have a very different set of values.
It’s the same with business. Every business has it’s own goals and values, even businesses in the same field. You’ve probably even noticed businesses mentioning their core values in their mission statements or similar. And really, for a large corporation, a statement of values can seem rather trite.
However, it’s surprisingly common for small business owners to not sort out their values first before they begin their branding or even their business. I mean, most people don’t even know what their top values are in the first place. Continue Reading →
Being a creative service provider often means you must try to be both a creator and a supporter. You compromise your creation to fit your client’s wants and needs.
If you do not create, you are no longer a creator. You are a supporter.
To be a creator, you must have autonomy. And with absolute autonomy, you are no longer a supporter.
So, which do you choose? Can you be both or must it be one or the other?
Set measurable goals and work diligently toward those goals. It’s good advice. They help you understand if you’re moving in the right direction and help you shoot for something tangible.
When we first take on a new client, one of the very first things we do is have them tell us what their goals are in specific and measurable terms. But, we don’t do this with the sole intention of achieving those goals (although that’s always great).
We do it to help give direction and guidance to our time working with them. Because, without goals, you’re shooting without aiming and/or running around in circles. Neither of which very productive. Continue Reading →
