Helping Others on a Corporate Level

It's easy for us to get wrapped up with our own lives. It is in the nature of humans to consider our own needs before that of others, whether it be our car, home, or recreation. This isn't a negative thing. It's hard-coded into our genes. This pattern continues into our work as well because it is our work that supplies the resources to provide for ourselves and our family. Take this concept further and we'll see that corporate entities follow this direction as well, supplying and nurturing their own needs before all else.

This isn't wrong nor should we ever feel guilty for prioritizing ourselves, individually and corporately, before others. It is only when our own needs are met that we can begin to help others. Many people do this by donating their time to charities like Goodwill, soup kitchens, or church projects. Personally, I've been blessed to have helped with some non-profit causes in Africa and post-quake Haiti.

How do we take this concept of charity to the business level? It starts with Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR for short. This can be as simple as a company giving money to help charities. However, that misses out on opportunities to accomplish some organizational goals such as team building or employee appreciation while giving.

Style My Office

Over the past few weekends I have been working on wedding story boards, proposals, and contracts.  Don't get me wrong. I love it but this involves a lot of brainstorming thus leading to "some" wall staring.  I write this and feel like I am saying I'm bored...Not the case!  Well y'all get this.  I have found a few DIY items that I placed in my office to get my brain going or to place emails and pictures on pertaining to what I am working on.

DIY Magnetic Board:  Go to your local hardware store and have them cut metal to fit any size frame you have chosen.
I used spray adhesive with scrapbook paper to give it some color.  You can use fabric or leave it the "industrial" metal look.
Then get some fun magnets and there you have it.  OR you could get some regular magnets and glue buttons, marbles, or other fun objects to them for your own touch. 
You can also add some magnets to empty pill bottles with gaff tape to make pen holders...

I also took a regular 8x11 picture frame and placed more scrapbook paper behind it...Voila! A snazzy dry erase board for all of the good ideas that eventually slip your mind when you do not write them down.

Last but not least; the liquor cabinet! Just kidding.

Staying Productive When You Seem to have ADD During Business Hours

I do not know about you but my most productive hours are from 7:45AM to 11:20AM Monday through Friday.  When I get into work, I turn on my venue and get to emailing, sorting, calling, and filing.  When 11 AM rolls around I feel myself slowing down.  Lunch time?! (man we love lunch here) Lunch is a great way to take a break and relax but when you come back it is hard to get out of that mindset and back into productive mode.  Here are some things that help me get the wheels spinning again:

1. Before lunch, lay out the items/tasks that you either need to complete, should have started, or just plain do not want to do. Don't make a stack that you know you will not finish.  Just a few things that really need to be addressed.  RULE: DO NOT file them somewhere to work on b/c if you are like me, they will just stay filed in that spot.  I cannot stand to have loose items on my desk so this makes me finish them or at least notice that that task needs to be worked on.

2. Set calendar reminders.  Again, only make a few and doable tasks so you can avoid clicking the close button without completing the project.

3. COFFEE... No need to elaborate on this one.  I do not get this luxury.  My co workers have taken away my privileges of afternoon coffee due to excessive "sparkle" (refer to earlier blog, "Sparkle Effect").

4.  Slow down and focus.  I know this sounds crazy but if you really slow down and take the time to think about what you want to get done before tomorrow, focus, and DO IT, you would be amazed at what you can get done.  I find myself staring at one of the files I placed on my desk before lunch thinking...uhhhhhh. However once I slow down and start working on it, it just starts flowing.  Its like going to the gym. The hardest part is getting there.  Once your there it's easy!  You also have the feeling of accomplishment when you are finished.   

Kinda like this blog... I knew I wanted to write one but didn't want to start it AND here I am.  One task complete and feel GREAT! What do you do to keep you day productive? 

Sparkle Effect

EFFECT:

1.something that is produced by an agency or cause; result; consequence

2.power to produce results; efficacy; force; validity; influence

3.the state of being effective or operative

4.a mental or emotional impression produced, as by a painting or a speech.

5.meaning or sense; purpose or intention

  

I have come down with the sparkle effect.  My entire life has been full of friends and family telling me: "Stow, calm down.", "Stow, you need Ritalin!", "Holy crap! You're hyper!", "No wonder you stay so small.", "How do they keep up with you!".
  

I 100% feel that when people say I am just so ecstatic they are referring to my sparkle effect.  If you are reading this and have not met me yet, let me fill you in.  In a nutshell, this is me day to day and just some general information:

• Wake up: 10 minutes of plyometrics, COFFEE, COFFEE, COFFEE, emails, small amount of news and weather, and cartoons! Next, breakfast (protein pancakes) and finally, walk my dog (Name:Evie Called:Ratsie, Ratsis, or Tuesday and I do not know why I call her these names)
• Driving to work: Call Mom (she normally gets 20 words in)
• Work: This is an entire workout!  I turn on my venue, do little dances here and there, check emails, pull traces, talk to my Purple Cape (this is a real person.  I am not that insane...yet), talk to the lovely Christina and Matt, maybe talk to some appliances, and of course talk to our Oracle, Mr. Clarke Allen about normal things like workouts that make you nauseous, pancakes made strictly out of casein powder, and disposing animals that should not be in your driveway. During meetings with current and new clients, I really have to refrain my excitement.  It is like I am meeting a new best friend! I have to concentrate on not bursting out in excitement and scaring the client. Most of the time, I am more excited than the bride on her wedding day! REALLY. I guess this is where that saying, "love and be passionate about your job" comes in.  GOT THAT; CHECK!  Something about making others lives exciting makes me happy.  I always treat every event like my own just through another person's mind/eyes.  To be honest, I do not even want an elaborate wedding if one at all.  I get to see what it would be like to plan my wedding everyday.  And it is never the same! Like I said I treat it like it is my own but OF COURSE exactly how my clients wants it (with my personal care).  
• Don't talk to strangers: My poor mother must have worried sick.  I wouldn't stop talking to them. I do not know what it is about knowing what is going on in other lives and how I can make it more exciting that fascinates me? A stranger is a new potential friend (and a friend that may love to party).
• My afternoons after work: Gym, walk Ratsie (sometimes enough to where she is asking to SLOW DOWN), cook dinner (FOOD is a whole other blog), talk to my boyfriend, and SLEEP.  Funny, most think it has to be late before I can fall asleep.  Wrong.  I am in the bed and asleep by 10 pm.  I believe all of my sparkle wears me out.    
• Weekends: Time to relax? NOPE. Any and all activities...bring em' on! Can I tight-rope? I don't think so but I will sure try. 

In other words, I do not stop until I am in the bed.  I like to call it sparkle be cause when you see glitter, lights, sparkling things, they put you in a better mood (unless it's your house on fire) and for the most part it keeps on sparkling!  I keep moving and working.  I love to put people in a better mood and I hope to rub off on others...AKA My Sparkle Effect

Rolling tables in style

Anyone who has read my blogs before knows I am an OCD, overfiler, organizer, and prepping individual.  With that being said, every evening after dinner, I pick out my outfit for the following day.  I always consider who I will be meeting with, in front of, the weather, and most importantly the current trends. Hello?!? What's in style y'all!  After all, I do work in the industry where you must show that you are boldly fashionable and can pull anything off.

• Monday: Free People black skirt and hot pink blouse. 
• Tuesday: Trina Turk Cheetah leggins, black tunic, and Toms wedges.  
• Wednesday, Thursday, etc. Friday: Yellow Pencil skirt... 

WAIT, vendor load-in day. High heels? No, bad idea. Ella Moss dress? Nope. What if I am rolling tables?  Ugh... How do you look fashionable while working or setting up an event?  Good news! There are two ways to pull this off.  One: the easy way.  Bring a change of clothes!  Wear your t-shirt/work shirt and jeans during the set up and when it is time to manage change into your perfect event outfit.  Easy, right?!  However, what if your guests want to load in early or you will just not have time to change?  How can you look professional in the eyes of your client and physically work as well?

My go-to article of clothing is... nice black stretch pants (yes, ladies.  I know you love them)  I have found that a nice pair of black stretch pants (mine are Victoria's Secret sport) look classy enough to throw on a nice top and look professional enough with tennis shoes for your guests.  Its almost says,"I'm here to manage but I can also produce physical labor as well."  Sometimes I slip on some 1 inch wedges with a collared shirt or vintage top accessorized with jewelry and now you are comfortable enough to move around and look the look.  Another item for days like this are leggins. Again, a pair that do not have holes or the potential to acquire one from wear.

Both of these articles, stretch pants and leggins, can be dressed up or dressed down easily.  Without changing.  Basic shirts; ( I prefer Karlie shirts) a solid color shirt that can simply be accessorized are wonderful.  Not anything too expensive because there is always a chance it can be damaged. There are always those events that you must be professionally dresses no matter what!  This requires the change into outfit method or have set up and break down staff.

Tech Savvy: Google+ Your Next Event or Meeting

If you're a geek like me, then you were probably getting curious looks from your coworkers during Google's I/O conference just like I was. Having the live stream playing for a few days, I absorbed a fair amount of interesting news about Google's offerings for the year. Though the new Nexus Tablet stole most of the thunder, Google+ had some interesting evolution.

For all those who are living in the 21st century, you may have been inundated with Facebook invitations to various events sometimes relevant and other times annoying. With this in mind, I tread carefully in recommending any online-based invitation solution. However, Google has found a way to outdo the juggernaut known as Facebook.

Why Do You Meet?

When I attended my first training meeting, I was instructed by my manager not to get distracted by the speaker, but to try and focus on the information the speaker was delivering. Good advice, because when the speaker entered the room, he was a very unimpressive man with a speech impediment that after a period of time really got on one's nerves and to this day, I don't remember what he said. He was followed by another man in a wheelchair who told a heart wrenching story about his life and then followed it with some really impressive sales training. He made the group get up and repeat after him, and interact with him.  We cried, we laughed, and I remember him well. I never anticipated being the one who would be planning events like this but this experience taught me one thing: make it memorable!

10 Event Essentials

Over the years I have learned to pack along with my event road case, besides the normal sharpies and scissors.

Wrinkle Releaser- This is great for linen creases when the linens are already down or when using pipe and drape. Makes it a lot easier than steaming and ironing in a hurry! 

Zip Ties- From your standard cord bundle to your cocktail table sash, they can do it all. They can replace floral wire and also make your LED Lighting cords a lot less chaotic. 

Gaff Tape- Perfect for taping carpet steams, bundling your pipes during strike, and making the holes in your hanging drape disappear. Need to sew something onsite and fast? Gaff tape is usable without damaging fabric (except lace and velour).

Anti-Bacterial Windex- From touching up your mirrors and glassware onsite to cleaning up what the last event left for you. 

Command Strips- This is one of my favorite items. I cannot tell you how many times I have been thanked for using these on podiums and doors instead of tape or other adhesives. They hold quite a bit of weight and come off clean, leaving no trace of residue or damage to the surface. These are also wonderful when you do not want a centerpiece to slide around on mirror or fixing a feather topper to tall skinny piece of glassware.

Staple Gun- From a quick fix of drape to fixing signage they come in handy.

Magic Erasers- Checkered dance floors are quite popular these days along with a lot of acrylic products. These will remove those transportation and installation marks not to mention the scuffs on a brides shoes or the spot on your muslin fabric. They are truly magical. 

Tylenol- Not only is this for the team but for your flowers. Have your floral had a rough day? Give them ½ an aspirin and it will perk them right up. 

Power Strip- Have a cord that just won’t reach? Did the DJ not plan on you having to use that source as well? Want to protect a valuable electronic? Power strips are great to keep a circuit from completely tripping out your entire system to protecting your products onsite. Also when working at an outside festival or event your electronic devices are best plugged into the power strip because you never know how the outdoor source will react to weather and or a lots of use.

Bounce Dryer Sheets- Are great to get that leftover wax off your mirrors and glassware to making an entrance way a little fresher smelling by hiding them in your entrance fabric and or greenery. Trust me someone will notice the fresh smell.  These too are great to remove static on the bride or mother of the brides dress or the key note speaker’s jacket. You don’t want that type of electricity in the wrong place.

Happy Candy Month

June marks the beginning of summer and a large number of weddings. What item best helps celebrate these two special occasions?  Candy, of course!  Not only does candy add temptation and an interactive component to summer celebration or reception, it also brings texture to a table by integrating a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors.  Any color/theme that is applied towards an event can be complemented by incorporating candy.  Here are a few ideas to "sweeten" up your next June event:

Customized Candy as a Favor:

• Give away candy that has the name of the bride and groom printed on it.
• Give away the favorite candy of the bride and groom.
• Give away candy that has a message from the bride and groom printed on the wrapper.
• Give away candy that is related to the last name of the couple (i.e. if the last name is Atkinson give away Chick-O-Sticks; if the last name is Boyer give away Mallo Cups).

Candy Buffet:

Fun items to include-

• Red Wedding?  Red hots, licorice, and candied apples.
• Yellow Wedding?  Lemon Heads and Peeps.
• Winter Wedding? White chocolate covered pretzels and white jordan almonds.
• Asian Themed Wedding?  Fortune cookies and green tea candy.
• Valentine's Day Wedding?  Hershey's Kisses, Brach's Candy Hearts, and Cherry pops.

 Centerpieces:

• Replace crystals/aqua beads with colored candy.  
• Mix wrapped candy in with aqua beads or water.
• Fill varying height cylinders with a complementing colored candy.

Candy Inspired Drinks

Peppermint Candy Martini
Courtesy of Flavor Laboratories

1 shot of Peppermint Schapps

1 shot of Vanilla Vodka

1 shot crème de cacao

1 Peppermint candy

A few drops of grenadine for color at bottom of glass  

Broken peppermint candy pieces to rim

Rim glass by wetting rim and dipping in broken candy.

Place a few drops of grenadine at bottom of glass.

Shake with ice and strain into glass using a spoon to slow down the pour-so the red at the bottom stays fairly unmoved.

Change and Adapt

About two months ago, my manager came to me with quite an opportunity. As a "real" venue manager, my response…"HECK yes!" Becoming or morphing into the new venue manager at CenterStage@NoDa was everything but slow. I literally had to pick up where someone else left off with structure and organization that I was not used to. It’s hard to follow in the footsteps of someone who has been a rock star.

I guess it would be safe to say I am an OCD organizer, “must have structure”, and I am a professional over filer! After one week of familiarizing myself with a new desk, I found it difficult to operate using the old structure. I had no choice but to tear it up and start over; all while keeping events running. The freedom of creating your own framework of; working and building relationships, events, marketing, and sales is 50% AWESOME and 50% OMG! Making it your own is a beautiful thing but the time it takes to see if it works is terrifying and can be stressful.

“Change and adapt” is my motto for the month after discovering my inner organizational diva. My advice for others who find themselves in this position is, “do not be afraid to make changes so that the system will work for you. Implement your changes into your work load, make it fun, own it! When you work in the creative world you must work creatively."

It Takes Two to... Tangerine Tango

Drum roll please... The official color of 2012 is... Tangerine Tango! Since it's announcement by Pantone LLC, this color has had a prominent influence in home decór, fashion, and beauty by industry experts.  You too can also get recognition for the use of Tangerine Tango. Here are some creative ways to incorporate the color of the year into your event of the year:

Tangerine Tango Uplighting

Use (Don't Abuse) Technology

I'm not sure if I am in the minority by saying this but I have noticed that some of the people in my life have developed an unnatural attachment to technology.  They're emailing and texting while they're driving, they consume more Facebook content than soak in their surroundings, and the mobile phone has become the window into the world outside of them.  They seem to be missing out on the natural connections that, in my opinion, fuel our humanity.

Please don't misunderstand me.  What I'm saying is not that technology doesn't have a very large role in the evolution of our culture (obviously, it does) but rather that it wasn't intended to replace vital interpersonal interactions.  It was meant to augment those relationships.  Many people are no longer picking up the phone for a quick conversation but rather texting.  ATM's are replacing the friendly faces of tellers.  And libraries have become archaic only to be replaced by the leviathan we know as Google.

Flash Mob Team Building

Are you looking for a new creative way to engage your team?

We have just the thing.  Charlotte Arrangements has taken “Flash” mob to a whole new level.  You have 3 options to involve your team in activities designed to bring them together.

#1 Flash Picnic

Your office may seem like an unusual place for a picnic, but we think it’s the perfect place to rally the team.  Waiters and waitresses in uniform will swarm your office with delectable mocktails and invite employees out of their cubicles to a central dining location decorated and ready for their arrival.  Upbeat music will highlight the delicious fare and employees will feel appreciated and valued as they eat and share time together.


#2 Flash Dance Teams

At a location of your choosing, your group will be divided into teams that they will name.  A choreographer song to will be assigned to each team so that they can learn a routine.  After a little practice time each team will perform for pre-assigned judges and awards will be presented.  You can add video services and Youtube uploads for residual impact.

#3 Flash Party

Bring your group to a meeting where we set the expectation that they will be watching a Powerpoint presentation just like the ones they've seen before. Once everyone is seated, the room will be transformed before their eyes into an elegant soiree or sports bar.  We will interrupt the meeting with large scenery moving into the space, food displays, decorations, and fun activities transforming the room into a good time.

Why Team Building?

Reinforce your corporate culture by providing your employees with an outlet for socializing.  Company culture comes from the top and can thrive when it is supported by activities built around engaging the team on a social level.  Nothing speaks team work more than running the 3 legged race with the boss, or watching the VP of sales get drenched in the water balloon toss.

The investment to create a memorable experience for your team and to bring them together in a way that improves communication among the ranks could be the difference between a motivated group of individuals striving for the same goal and a group of individuals seeking self gratification.  How many opportunities do the players on your team get to communicate offline in a safe environment?

What do you think the difference would be if they had this opportunity?

Other Picnic Ideas we can do for you:

• Boat Cruises
• Theme Park Picnics
• Outdoor Venues
• Gourmet Cooking Competitions
• Carnivals built on-site
• Old Fashioned picnic with games

Unique Marketing - POW!

Working among a throng of right-brain professionals, I often find myself saturated with unique and creative ways to sell our business. One such idea that was sparked several weeks ago was meant more as an internal exercise than external marketing material. During one of our weekly staff meetings, a few jokes were made about one of my colleagues who is known for the occasional inappropriate quip. He later earned the nickname: "HR Man." Realizing the diversity in the room, our business manager tasked us with individually brainstorming on super hero style nicknames for everybody at our office. A few weeks later, we'd vote on them and everybody would have a new persona.

We eventually did finalize our nicknames and I walked away with "Binary Man." I received this name because of my expertise in technology. A few other names: "Zippy" for our facility manager whose creativity with the uses of zip-ties and gaff tape has saved many of days, "Longshot" who is often tasked with the most impossible sales calls, "The Phantom" for the young woman who took a job elsewhere for several months and then returned, and "Cruncher" for the accountant. Having completed our task, most of us moved on and never thought of the names again.

Team Building

As the weather transitions from the dreary, cold winter to the warm, sunny spring and summer seasons, staff members crave a chance to step away from their cubicles, phones, and computers. Grant their requests by scheduling a day to conduct a team building activity.  Here are some the trendiest outdoor programs that are sure to please even the grumpiest co-worker:

Pontoon Photo Pursuit:  This unique team building experience will add fun and excitement to any corporate meeting. Guests will divide into teams and trek on a timed photo journey around a lake. They may be asked to snap a shot of a waterfront restaurant, a specific mile marker or just of themselves having fun on the water.  Once time is up, the team with the most challenges documented on the camera will earn bragging rights!

Geoteaming:  Explorers are equipped with GPS receivers to track and pinpoint hidden checkpoints.  Splitting into small teams, participants decode visual and written clues to move along with the GPS system that will lead them to the treasure known as a “cache”. This game of high-tech hide and seek will test communication skills, build trust, and sharpen their competitive edge.

Float Your Boat:  Guests are not just boarding a boat, they are building one…with just cardboard and duct tape!  With no choice but to think outside of the box, participants must put their heads together and figure out a way to stay afloat utilizing these classic non-waterproof materials.  Once they think they can manage a successful trip across the water, teams will race against each other in their boats with only the safety net of a paddle and life jackets.

Retro Recess:  Miss gym class and being picked to play on a dodgeball team?  Well here is your chance to rediscover everyone’s favorite school activity…recess!  Take a trip through childhood lane by playing dodgeball, four square, kickball, red rover, and flag football.

Don’t forget that these activities will encourage hearty appetites, so treat them to a rewarding meal afterwards, such as:  a picnic, outdoor seating at a well-known restaurant, or keep the teambuilding momentum going and supply the teams with the ingredients to create their own ice cream flavor!  The possibilities are endless as will the direction of your product/service once you get them away from their dark and drab desks and inspire them to have a renewed work spirit!

After the Storm

A few days have passed since our big event Friday.  The event was a garden party at Maya Angelou's house for a school in Africa sponsored by Oprah Winfrey.  Oprah and several of the girls of the school were there to celebrate their accomplishments and absorb some of the wisdom offered by Dr. Angelou herself.

To be honest, I had left the event well before the festivities truly began.  Normally, I would feel disappointed in being absent to such a wonderful party adorned with African traditions, music, and activities.  However, deep in my realm of exhaustion, I was quite satisfied for some R&R away from the set.  After hanging pipe and drapes for the first time in my life, some guests trickled in and we, the crew, knew our time had come to a close.  Polishing off a few final pieces, we clambered towards our modes of retreat and sought the refuge of our hotel.

Behind The Scenes

I joined the Clarke Allen Group at the beginning of the year and have made a role for myself in the company as a jack-of-all-trades (perhaps master of none but I like to think I am).  Throughout most weeks, I find my daily responsibilities ranging from IT troubleshooting, website design, a bit of graphics, occasionally taking out the trash, and most recently, video production.

Strangely, video production is one of my strongest talents, being as I spent several years in television news and film making.  It's not common for a company like the Clarke Allen Group, which is usually associated with event and experiential design, to employ a videographer.  This, however, is possible through a division of the company with whom I do the most work, Creatrix Design.

Briefly, Creatrix Design is a segment of the whole, the whole being the Clarke Allen Group.  In the past, Creatrix specialized in temporary and permanent installations.  Basically, we designed and built anything ranging from trade-show booths to elaborate scenery for massive events.  Now, Creatrix is expanding its services beyond the physical environments and branching into the world of virtual.  This encompasses web presence, multimedia, graphic design, and believe it or not, video.  That's where I come in.

Riding Together

The crack of the first baseball bat rings in the spring along with many other wonderful sporting opportunities.  The Quail Hollow Championship is just around the corner, and the Sprint Cup races and legendary Coca-Cola 600 are next month.  It's an exciting time and these events allow businesses to network while enjoying the outdoors and the activities.  You can maximize the time you have to network by arranging to ride together, here are a few of the advantages of having everyone together in a van or on a motorcoach:

• Think back to those Sunday drives with the family where you shared car games and stories with each other.  It's hard to get uninterrupted time with family let alone clients, this could be your golden opportunity. 
• Riding together is a "Green" way to travel by combining people into one vehicle it reduces the carbon footprint.
• If the group plans to enjoy some intoxicating beverages you can rest easier knowing they won't be driving.
• Parking is a breeze because someone else will be doing the driving.

You can leave the driving to Charlotte Arrangements this year, we can arrange for any size vehicle to accommodate  your group, provide you with transportation coordination, or even an escort to handle the details of your day.  Time is precious and if you are entertaining clients at sporting events you will want to get the most out of the experience. 

www.charlottearrangements.com

Google Apps

When I came on board with The Clarke Allen Group, I found that we suffered from the same basic infrastructure problems that many small businesses face in this evolving world: emerging technology.  We had issues with lost emails, finding documents for clients, and managing our people and time well.

A friend of mine, who also happens to do a lot of work with IT and web design, recommended that we look into a cloud solution.  Upon a bit of research, I stumbled onto a few solutions but was really intrigued by one in particular.

Google Apps really caught my eye because of its low cost (free at that time for under 50 users, now free for up to 10) and functionality.  After going through the myriad of applications, I found that it could easily cover most of our needs.

Reception Responsibilities

It's your special day and the union of families, which is big responsibility financially and relationally.  Anything goes in terms of food, decor, and timing but depending on your family's background there are rituals that will still be observed and need to be planned for.

You are the hosts of possibly the biggest party of your life.  Your role as a host demands that your guests be comfortable and happy.  This consideration begins with the earliest decisions in your planning with the food, music, seating, transportation, and other details.

Before the event takes place, you need to decide how you want to receive (i.e. reception) your guests.  Will you be there ahead of them to greet and thank each one personally or do you prefer to make a grand entrance and then visit from table to table receiving guests and thanking them?  Once you have decided which approach to take you will want to enlist some assistance.  Have trusted friends or family be there to let the guests know what is happening, answer questions, and help you manage the people so that you can still have a positive experience on your wedding day.  Make sure that if you have a DJ or band that you have reviewed the evening in detail with them and instructed them on what your expectations are for the evening.   If you have enlisted the help of a wedding planner make sure you have shared your vision of "how you want the event to run" so that they are able to meet or exceed your expectations.

CenterStage@NoDa works with brides and grooms to provide a great reception location, Charlotte Arrangements can provide wedding planning and coordination, and also we are experts in transporting your guests to any location chosen. 

www.clarkeallen.com
www.centerstagenoda.com
www.charlottearrangements.com

Learning To Fly

“Well, you got the position!” said my manager, Vicki Nobili. It was like a wave crashing on the shore from a never ending swell. I found Charlotte Arrangements rather soon in my search for an internship and I traveled 250 miles from Wilmington to Charlotte, NC and all 250 miles paid off. At the end of my interview Vicki told me I had the internship if I wanted it. My first day at Charlotte Arrangements was anything but slow. I was “shown the ropes”. How to log into computers, calendars, and emails, the correct way to make client files, and keep up with my supervisor, Clarke Allen, and most importantly what and why we do what we do.

Hiring A Web Developer

Every business decision maker eventually needs to employ the services of a web developer.  Typically, it's for a one time project such as a creating a company website or editing one already in place.  Since my company offers up these services, I felt it would be useful to provide a few tips (and maybe a few DOs and DON'Ts) in the search for the perfect web guru.

Interview Them

Probably the most important and yet most overlooked aspect of the process is personality.  In running a business, one doesn't typically hire the first person to walk into the office.  In that same vein, one doesn't hire somebody based on references alone.  When a manager hires an employee, they look at all of the elements.  Is this person a good fit for the company?  Is he/she reliable?  Has this person been difficult to manage in the past?  If one approaches minimum wage entry positions thoroughly, why would one not approach a highly paid contractor as such?

It is important to remember that this is the individual with whom you will be working closely to build your company's presence on the web, collaborating on social medias, and creating the first visual most people see when looking into hiring your business.  Having a developer who you like, can work with, and who truly strives to help your business succeed through a melting pot of HTML and graphics is key to being successful on the world wide web.  Don't get stuck with somebody you'll dread calling when you need to discuss revisions and edits.

Inspiration

Inspiration comes in many forms: poems, pictures, nature, and experiences, just to name a few.  I was working on updating the information about our Meetings Management the other day and while creating the copy for our website, I came across a Microsoft photo of two young girls smiling and laughing while they worked on a laptop together.  The picture made me smile but more than that, it inspired me.  It took me back to a simpler time when two people could come together and experience fun while collaborating.  We are in the meetings business and we bring people together everyday through design and content.  I have this picture pinned to my bulletin board to remind me that we should never take the fun out of what we do.  We're working hard to assist our clients with creating meetings that are exciting, fun, but most of all, meetings that create memorable experiences.

There are a lot of details involved in planning that can suck the life out of anyone trying to handle a conference, convention, or meeting on their own.  We thrive on the details as if it were bread and water,  and our passion is to take the stress of planning away from our clients and replace it with the fun of participation.  We want you to be where your highest value role is, in front of your attendees and receiving the positive feedback from a great event.  Inspired meetings speak to the attendee that says, "I don't sit in meetings, I experience them".

How will you inspire your attendees next time?  What experience will your group walk away with the next time they meet or collaborate? 

http://www.charlottearrangements.com