Cindy Seip, Director of Book Design
Born with a crayon in one hand and a camera in the other, Cindy Seip has never ventured far from her creative instincts. Through the years, her creative side took hairpin turns but always finished with a checkered flag.
As an “A+” student in art, it was her 12th-grade art teacher, Mr. Popovitch, that set her on a professional course in design, introducing her to the Ft. Lauderdale Art Institute. There, she would earn her degree in Advertising Design.
She began her career at the Miami Herald Tropic Magazine and later started her own design + underwater portrait photography business.
Over the years, Seip has amassed an impressive client list with some high-profile names like Sony, Nasdaq, Ericsson, Blue Cross Blue Shield, AvMed, Miami International Book Fair, Breakthrough Miami, and many more. Her accolades reflect her keen eye for design.
Seip resides in sunny Miami with her husband, Miami Herald Photojournalist, Al Diaz, two great kids, and a cute Wheaten Terrier named Amanda Bubbles.
By Bryan Beatty, CFP®
Certified Financial Planner™
Partner, Egan, Berger & Weiner LLC
When you run your own business, you are a master juggler—someone who as business guru Michael Gerber says succeeds most quickly when he or she works on their business, not in their business.
Too often, however, business owners get so overwhelmed with growing their organization that they neglect personal financial-planning issues.
Why would you want to move the goal of saving for retirement up higher on your priority list?
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The Inkandescent Group, LLC is a PR, marketing, publishing, and design firm that helps business owners polish their image so they can increase their presence in the marketplace.
To help our clients accomplish that goal, we offer a series of services—including website development, PR, marketing, monthly newsletters, media outreach, event planning, strategic social media, networking opportunities, an online magazine, and access to Internet TV. Additional services in the works include a Speakers Bureau and a book publishing imprint.
Our team includes experienced journalists, illustrators/designers, photographers, and videographers — who, like many of our clients, are also entrepreneurs. We have worked in the publishing world for decades and know what it takes to get the visibility needed to help a company grow.
Click inside to find information about the seven services of The Inkandescent Group. Please contact company founder and president Hope Gibbs with questions: hope@inkandescentpr.com, or 703-346-6975.
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We are regularly asked by experts and business owners how they can become a columnist for Be Inkandescent Magazine, an online monthly business publication for entrepreneurs, which gets more than 300,000 hits each month.
Established in January 2010, the magazine is a publication of Inkandescent Public Relations, www.inkandescentpr.com, a full-service PR, marketing, design, and website development firm that helps entrepreneurs get more visibility so that their businesses can grow and prosper.
Click “Read More” for a list of the benefits of joining our team as a Columnist. And for more information, contact publisher Hope Katz Gibbs at hope@inkandescentpr.com or 703 346-6975.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Hope Katz Gibbs
Inkandescent Public Relations
hope@inkandescentpr.com / 703 346-6975
5 TIPS FOR RETIRMENT SUCCESS
Everyone knows they should plan for retirement-but too many people never get around to doing it. Following are five simple ways to make the process easier, courtesy of the financial planning firm Egan, Berger & Weiner, LLC
Washington, DC, July 2, 2012 – Although many people are concerned about the economy, planning ahead for a secure financial future isn’t something that most people have mastered. And that can be a big mistake, especially during turbulent financial times.
“Planning for retirement is the equivalent of deciding to go on a trip to a place that’s far away and unfamiliar,” says Bryan Beatty, a partner at Egan, Berger & Weiner, LLC, who has been a financial planner for more than two decades. “You need to figure out how much gas and food you’ll need, and which transportation methods you will use. Then you have to chart a route or series of paths you must take to get to your destination without getting stuck at an impassable bridge or diving into a ravine or missing your target entirely and getting lost in a desert. You get the picture.” Following are some of the tips that Beatty shares with his clients.
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June 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — In Chapter 29 of my latest book, The Big Book of HR, we talk about risk management. What better way to avoid risk than to incorporate wellness programs in today’s workplace?
Indeed, many organizations already provide employee wellness programs, including nutrition and weight control, smoking cessation, stress reduction, and fitness. These programs yield healthier and more productive employees, which translates into savings on health insurance for the employer and the employee.
What else pays off? Motivating employees, and their family members, through information and incentives that encourage them to participate in wellness programs.
Consider the ROI on the program initiated at Johnson & Johnson.
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http://www.beinkandescent.com/articles/1015/wellness+programs+work
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By Andrea Keating
Founder and CEO, Crews Control
June 2012
When it comes to having a healthy business, I know the key to success is to surrounded myself with creative people. Not only do I have more fun, but the more creative they are, the more I learn from them.
I then find ways to take their best ideas and incorporate them into my business, so that my employees and clients all benefit from the creativity that is generated. Click here to learn more about Crews Control’s Four Creativity Secrets.
In my quest to understand even more about the power of creativity, I picked up a copy of “Imagine,” by Jonah Lehrer. In it, he points to research that shows entrepreneurs with expansive social networks are three times more innovative than people with only small networks of close friends.
“Instead of getting stuck in the rut of conformity—thinking the same tired thoughts as everyone else—they are able to invent profitable new concepts, thanks to their wide social circles and collections of acquaintances who inspire novel thoughts,” he writes in Chapter 7.
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June 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — Discussing financial matters can be stressful for couples.* It pulls up a lot of emotional baggage and fear, and may shine a light on fundamental differences that the couple isn’t aware of.
Hard as this conversation is, the key is to a happy marriage is to address money issues long before a conflict, or financial crisis, emerges.
Here are three things you should know the money habits of your partner—before you marry:
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August 9, 2012, MO.com — Entrepreneur and PR specialist Hope Katz Gibbs was featured today on MO.com, a website that interviews entrepreneurs from all walks, across all industries, and from around the world.
“We focus on their habits and methods; what makes them tick,” says founder Brian Null, noting M.O. is the abbreviation for Modus Operandi or Method of Operating and we interview entrepreneurs to learn about their methods and to share their strategies and business philosophies with our readers.
“We’re entrepreneurs ourselves and we get energized talking with others that have traveled down the same path of launching a new business or folks that are just about to embark on the adventure of starting a business,” he says.
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By Bryan Beatty, CFP®
Certified Financial Planner™
Partner, Egan, Berger & Weiner LLC
5 Tips for Retirement Success
1. Understand the risks of longevity and aging.
Part of any retirement plan should be to live a healthy and enjoyable life. However, living a long life presents a challenge you may not be fully aware of—longevity risk.
The fear of outliving ones assets is one of the highest fears expressed by today’s Baby Boomers. Today the average 64-year-old couple retiring has about than 20 percent chance of one of them living to be older than 95, according to the Single Life Expectancies Based on Annuity 2000 Mortality Table.
If we are going to live that long, we need to plan for our own long-term care, sometimes referred to eldercare. This is in addition to maintaining a nest egg for as long as 30 years while providing adequate income that increases with inflation.
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By Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais
Authors, Millennial Momentum
One of the distinctive traits of Millennials (born roughly 1982-2003) is a constant feeling of being pressured. Thanks to their parents setting high expectations for them, Millennials consider life a series of hoops to be jumped through.
At each stage of their young lives, from kindergarten to college, the pressure to succeed has made them a risk averse, anxious generation, even as they remain optimistic about their ultimate success.
As a result, almost half of Millennials (45%) report feeling nervous due to stress at least monthly, and more than half (52%) say that their stress levels have increased over the last five years. But Millennials are also demonstrating a much healthier approach to dealing with this problem than older generations, reinforcing their reputation as the best-behaved American generation in decades.
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May 30, 2012, The Network Journal — In today’s edition of The Network Journal, reporter Ann Brown explained how entrepreneurs can develop their creative minds.
“Some of the most successful businesspeople are those who think outside of the box,” she writes, and quotes Inkandescent PR’s founder Hope Gibbs about some of the steps needed to accomplish that goal.
“Creativity is the key to making any dream come true. Innovation in business is obviously driven by imagination,” Gibbs says. “But do keep in mind that all of the creative thinking in the world won’t make a business successful. A strategic plan, with goals and a timeline, is the key to turning the best ideas into reality.”
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Writing / Concept by Hope Katz Gibbs
Design / Illustration by by Michael Gibbs
Photos by TaranZ
CLIENT: Hope Katz Gibbs, president and founder
Great Handmade Gifts, Inc.
Clifton, VA
ASSIGNMENT: Create sophisticated corporate look for e-commerce gift company that mostly functions online.
TARGET AUDIENCE: Shoppers, with focus on women (busy ones — and moms, in particular); and male / female artists and artisans to join the network
CHALLENGE: Although she launched in September 2001, Hope took several years to perfect the image and goals of her company. When she launched her website in December 2003, she wanted to have marketing materials ready get the word out in a bigger way. But she needed them to reflect the high-end gifts she sells on her website, www.greathandmadegifts.comBecause part of her business plan is to attract artists and artisans who make handmade gifts, it needed to be inviting for that arts audience, as well.
SOLUTION: Mike and Hope came up with a cover image for the brochure (three stalks of lucky bamboo, signifying happiness) that suggest the company is holistic and creative, but grounded. Inside the three-panel brochure are images of the assortment of gifts offered on the website’s nine “shops:” art gallery, books & music, home & garden, jewelry, clothes, babies & kids, brides & grooms, chocolates & treats, and wine & dine.
The colors of the brochure, and accompanying letterhead, thank you notes, and business card are warm olives and greens, which reflects the colors of the website.
CLIENT FEEDBACK: “I felt the entire package worked and the hit the mark I was going for: sophisticated, elegant and practical promotional materials,” says Hope. “These reflect the image I was trying to project for the company as a whole. I have only gotten positive feedback from the clients who shop with us and the artists / artisans who have joined the network.”
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Writing / Concept by Hope Katz Gibbs
Design / Illustration by by Michael Gibbs
Photos by Steve Barrett
CLIENT: Tony Simon, owner
The Fun Company for Kids
Fairfax, VA
ASSIGNMENT: Create brochure, letterhead, business cards, prize tickets for children’s party / play place in Alexandria, VA
TARGET AUDIENCE: Kids, teens, parents
CHALLENGE: Tony bought the Fun Company in the summer of 2003, and spent months upgrading the play place. He wanted the look of his marketing / promotional materials to reflect the new energy and offerings.
SOLUTION: Mike and Hope came up with a large format three-panel brochure full of color, photos by Steve Barrett. The theme of balls, balloons, and birthday party fun dominated.
CLIENT FEEDBACK: “I loved the way it came out because you really get the feeling that the Fun Company is a great place to have a birthday party or bring a play group,” Tony said. “But you also can tell that we have a cool snack bar and arcade, which makes it a good place for teenagers to come and hang out. I felt these promo materials really hit the mark.”
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Writing / Concept by Hope Katz Gibbs
Design / Illustration by by Michael Gibbs
CLIENT: Bobbi Katz, interior designer
Philadelphia, PA
ASSIGNMENT: Create brochure, letterhead for new interior design business for children’s rooms.
TARGET AUDIENCE: Parents, grandparents
SOLUTION: Fun and colorful, but sophisticated design dominates the look of this package.
CLIENT FEEDBACK: “I felt Hope and Mike accomplished the goal of illustrating the fact that I’m running a kid-focused company — but one that offers elegant, high-end interior design,” Bobbi said. “I am very proud to hand out these brochures. I have gotten several clients since I the materials printed, and the feedback from customers — and my vendors — has been incredibly positive.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Hope Katz Gibbs
Inkandescent Public Relations
hope@inkandescentpr.com / 703 346-6975
A NEW GENERATION DEBUTS: MEET ‘THE PLURALS’
Futurists and authors of “Millennial Momentum,” Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais, Welcome the ‘Pluralist Generation’
Washington DC, June 6, 2012 — “Evidence of the arrival of America’s newest Adaptive generation has surfaced, which is beginning to define how and why this latest Adaptive generation differs from the older Millennial Generation,” researchers Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais announced today.
In a groundbreaking release, they point to the market research firm Frank N. Magid Associates, which name the emerging, Adaptive generation the “Pluralist Generation.”
“Its members, known as ‘Plurals,’ reflect the overwhelmingly distinguishing demographic of America’s newest generation: its ethnic, racial, and religious diversity.”
Somewhere among the nation’s current crop of grade-schoolers is a charismatic charmer who will become this century’s rebel. It remains to be seen if he or she will enlist fellow Plurals in a cause that will remake the country, or simply signal the beginning of yet another generational shift in the nation’s attitudes and beliefs.
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Honesty and integrity are the core values that drive the team at Egan, Berger & Weiner, LLC. For decades, its 10 professional advisors have provided independent financial advice and guidance to thousands of clients.
Areas of specialization include retirement and college planning, gifting and estate planning, investment portfolio management, tax strategies, risk management, and insurance planning.
“Everyone has what they feel is their own unique vision of their future financially,” says partner Bryan Beatty, CFP®. “By skillfully navigating clients through life’s myriad financial decisions, we help them realize their personal aspirations.”
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By Andy Hines
Futurist and Author of ConsumerShift
Founder, Hinesight
As a lecturer and executive-in-residence at the University of Houston’s Graduate Program in Futures Studies, I am fascinated by the workforce of the future.
Having established the Global Trends Program for Kellogg Company, and served as futurist and senior ideation leader at Dow Chemical, I have decades of insight into the inner working of corporations large and small.
So what will the “Workforce of the Future” look like?
To make sure we don’t overlook the obvious, the shift to knowledge-based work is the overarching driver behind the changes in the world of work. A big way that is showing up, finally (we futurists can be impatient at times), is that working with digital information frees us from the tyranny of sitting at a desk. No longer do we work only where we need to work—increasingly we are working where we want to work.
Of course, we know people and organizations tend not to like to change. Inertia is a strong force. But it no longer makes any sense to force people to battle a congested commute to travel downtown, head up to the 35th floor, and spend their whole day working on a phone and computer in an office. That can be done from home, at a coffee shop, or at one of the emerging co-working collectives that serve telecommuters from different organizations. Going to what I call the “glass tube” downtown simply wastes time and energy (gasoline and the emotional sort), and doesn’t help the environment.
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January 2013, Be Inkandescent magazine — In the first new “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” book in nine years, international bestselling author Kristine Carlson shows us how moms can live with less stress and more happiness.
“My goal is to give mothers tried-and-true advice that will empower them to find greater peace, joy, and harmony within themselves and their homes,” says Carlson, who with her late husband, Richard, has written nearly 40 books in the Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff series.
Already, it is getting some high-powered endorsements.
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May 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — You know you need to hire someone to make your company or department more efficient and effective. But you want that person to be the right fit. You want them to be happy in their new job. And you want them to fit in with the corporate culture. It’s not an easy task.
Here are 10 tips to help you do it well, do it right, and make the process as stress-free and enjoyable as possible. After all, that’s the point, right?
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May 1, 2012, Washington DC — In the May issue of Be Inkandescent magazine, futurist Andy Hines gives us insight into the future of the workforce. He says:
“To make sure we don’t overlook the obvious, the shift to knowledge-based work is the overarching driver behind the changes in the world of work. A big way that is showing up, finally (we futurists can be impatient at times), is that working with digital information frees us from the tyranny of sitting at a desk. No longer do we work only where we need to work—increasingly we are working where we want to work.
“Of course, we know people and organizations tend not to like to change. Inertia is a strong force. But it no longer makes any sense to force people to battle a congested commute to travel downtown, head up to the 35th floor, and spend their whole day working on a phone and computer in an office. That can be done from home, at a coffee shop, or at one of the emerging co-working collectives that serve telecommuters from different organizations. Going to what I call the “glass tube” downtown simply wastes time and energy (gasoline and the emotional sort), and doesn’t help the environment.”
Want to learn more? For details click here.
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By Andrea Keating
Founder and CEO, Crews Control
May 2012
Hey all you entrepreneurs out there: Whether you know it or not, you are engaged in highly creative activities.
Indeed, every successful entrepreneur I know is creative with messaging, visual arts, negotiating relationships, and—without doubt—managing budgets in a highly creative way.
So how can you maximize creativity at your office?
Click inside to read few of our Crews Control Creativity Secrets.
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May 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — My father emigrated from Taiwan in the 1960s with only $17 to his name and the clothes on his back. Even though he was poor in the material and financial sense, he never considered himself poor.
His mantra was that financial wealth alone did not represent one’s “true wealth.” He stressed the fact that he was rich in spirit and blessed with his education.
The most valuable financial advice that my dad instilled in me was not to define myself by what I have, but rather by my accomplishments and education. He insisted that while money did not buy happiness, it did provide peace of mind, freedom, and flexibility.
I learned that money should not be the sole determining factor for the decisions I make in life. His financial wisdom and insight have enabled me to adopt a balanced, holistic approach to financial matters, for which I am eternally grateful.
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A journalist since graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 1986, author, publisher, and owner of Inkandescent Public Relations Hope Katz Gibbs launched the Inkandescent Speakers Bureau in 2012. “The goal is for our veteran business owners to provide best practices, and share lessons learned, with entrepreneurs around the nation to help guide them to small-business success.”
Gibbs’ Speaking Topics include:
PR Rules: The Playbook
As a PR specialist, journalist, and entrepreneur since 1993, Hope knows that your goal as a business owner is to excel in your area of expertise—but you also need to be savvy, strategic, and smart when it comes to getting the word out about the great work you do. In this 60-minute speech, she’ll teach you how to make the PR plays that score customers using the five tools and rules from our Inkandescent PR toolbox.
The 7 Steps to PR Success
Includes Gibbs’ handout, The 12 PR Rules of Thumb
Of the zillion PR firms in America, odds are good that no two will approach PR and marketing your business the same way. But, we all use the same tools in the PR toolbox. What will set your business apart from the pack is how you finesse your message, stay consistent, and find clever ways to maximize your visibility.
Overcoming the Trifecta of Small-Business Failure
Why do so many small businesses fail? Because as entrepreneurs the very characteristics and skills that make you want to start a business are most likely the ones that are causing you to stumble. Here’s how to turn the trifecta in your favor.
Media Savvy Workshop: How to Make the Press Want to Meet You
How can you get in front of reporters, and talk to them so they care about your story? This talk is a strategy session that will help you learn to think like a reporter, and get your company in the news. We’ll teach you how. We’ll also discuss whether getting in the news is the best use of your PR energy.
Embrace Your Inner Publicist: 5 Ways to Breathe New Life Into Your Small Business
Before the branding and website, before the press releases and media kit—and not long after the business plan is penned—it’s essential when launching a successful company to know, down deep, who you are, what you truly want from your company (besides making money), and what is going to get in the way of accomplishing your dreams. It’s not easy owning, running, and growing a business—especially in an era when the national and global economy are perpetually shifting. But it can be done. You just need a strategy, a timeline—and unadulterated determination to succeed.
Gibbs also offers 30-minute luncheon topics for entrepreneurs. From “Crisis Management 101,” to “Ending the Mommy Wars in Your Own Head,” click inside for more details.
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When Andrea Keating founded Crews Control in 1988, it was the country’s first film and video staffing agency. Since then, the company’s focus has been to match each client with the perfect local crew for each specific shoot.
Since then, she has perfected the art of making a business soar, and is available to talk about the following:
How to Build a Business; Expand your Business, and Gain Marketshare
In today’s ever-shifting economy, the key to success is to not only stay on top of your industry—but to keep an eye on the global business marketplace. If that sounds daunting, don’t worry. In this speech, veteran entrepreneur Andrea Keating, founder of the international video staffing company Crews Control, will provide the 3 key things you need to know to help your business thrive.
The Future of the Video Industry: The Trends, Techniques, and Equipment That Keeps Videographers on Top
The biggest trend in the creative field of videography is outsourcing. Crews Control founder Andrea Keating will teach the audience how to use existing data to plan for growth—and educate your clients—in the digital age.
Dispelling the E-Myth: My Life as a Successful Entrepreneur
Andrea Keating is a fan of Michael Gerber’s “E-Myth” — especially his incisive observations that many entrepreneurs know considerably more about producing what they sell than about operating their business; and his explanation that to be effective, the entrepreneur must work on his or her business, not in their business.
In fact, after almost 25 years of owning her own international video staffing company, she believes that this is the biggest challenge for anyone working in a creative field. “Too many entrepreneurs—especially those who are highly creative and very good at art, writing, cooking, videography, photography, and other right-brain endeavors—too often don’t have enough of the logic-oriented business skills they need to successfully promote their talents,” Keating says. In this speech, Keating will offer the three things every entrepreneur needs to do to dispel the e-myth, and have their business succeed.
The Art of Creativity: Crews Control’s Four Secrets to Creative Success
Whether they know it or not, every entrepreneur is creativity—from messaging and visual arts, to negotiating relationships, and managing. So how can you maximize creativity at your office? In this speech, Andrea Keating takes her 25 years as an entrepreneur and introduces audiences to four of Crews Control’s Creativity Secrets. From surrounding yourself with the creative elite to filling your office with the things that inspire you, her tips are ones you’ll be able to implement immediately. And better yet, they’ll give you a brand new way of looking at the art of creativity.
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Barbara Mitchell is a human resources and organization-development consultant who is widely known in the areas of recruitment and retention. She has experience in both for-profit and not-for-profit sectors and has consulted for a variety of organizations around the world.
She served in senior human-resources leadership positions with Marriott International and several technology firms in the Washington, DC, area before co-founding the Millennium Group International, which she sold in 2008.
Mitchell’s books include, The Essential HR Handbook, and “The Big Book of HR.”
Her talks entertain audiences, and get them thinking not only about “Best Practices when it comes to Hiring and HR,” but also her favorite topic, “The Bucket List.”
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After feeling he had no choice but to close the doors of the school his parents founded in 1992, ACT College president Jeffrey S. Moore fights for change and for rights for all students in the nation’s career colleges
April 10, 2012, Arlington, VA —Jeffrey S. Moore explained today why the for-profit vocational school his parents founded in 1992, ACT College, was required to close its doors on April 3.
“We feel terrible for the 361 students who were enrolled, and the 54 employees on our payroll,” says Moore, who been president of ACT College since 2002. “We have always been focused on the students. We tried desperately to keep the school open, but could not overcome the Department of Education’s refusal to reimburse the school for money it had earned for teaching the students since December 2011.”
Moore’s attorney, Gerald Ritzert of Ritzert & Leyton in Fairfax, VA, indicates that the total being withheld is $1,444,974.
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The Washington Post, April 11, 2012 — Washington Post reporter Daniel de Vise posted an entry on his blog, College Inc., today explaining the position of ACT College president Jeffrey Moore.
De Vise explained: “The president of ACT College, a for-profit higher education provider shut down last week for alleged federal aid violations, says the institution never intentionally withheld aid dollars from students.
“The Northern Virginia college closed its three campuses after the U.S. Education Department revoked its access to federal aid, a deal-breaker for any institution. Federal officials alleged the college “routinely and flagrantly” flouted the rules by withholding hundreds of thousands of aid dollars from students.” Click here to read the entire article.
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By Futurist Chris Carbone
Where will you work in 2020? That’s the million-dollar question. In fact, the future of work is one of the hottest trends I am studying. Like the economy, it is one of the big mysteries that keeps us all up at night.
As a futurist, my job is to track international business and consumer trends by reading and analyzing just about anything I can get my hands on. The goal is to determine what the world might look like five, 10, and 20 years down the pike, and by tracking what’s going on today, my colleagues and I are able to forecast what life might look like around the bend.
In fact, my research shows that work will look much different in 2020, whether judged by the types of computing devices we use on the job, where we work, or the way we collaborate with our co-workers. Following are some of the trends that I am seeing.
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OUR MISSION: Because finding the career of your dreams too often seems like a tight rope walk, we aim to provide students, parents, career changers and bored professionals with a fun-to-use, easy-to-understand series of maps, apps, and books that will a shine light on what you want to do next with your life.
Our research includes:
- Research and analysis from the data published by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics offering details on the Hot Jobs to 2020
- Details about the best colleges, universities and trade schools offering degrees and certificates required for each profession—and the cost of admission
- Salary ranges for your dream career
- In-depth interviews with the professionals in the trenches who tell you the great, good, and icky parts of what it’s like to spend a day in their shoes
- A list of skills needed for each profession
- And assessments for the Career Challenged and Career Confident, to help you find the best fit for your skills
OUR VISION: Believe us when we say that we know that finding the perfect career, much less the best place to work, is something you’ll likely wrestle with for your entire adult life. Just ask your parents. And your doctor, lawyer, dentist or vet. And your teachers, the guy who runs your gym, your dry cleaner, and the cute girl who is managing the Starbucks down the street.
The truth is that no matter what you choose to be when you grow up, the process of finding the perfect profession is just the first step. For once you make that choice, there are dozens of possible jobs in hundreds of different cities, in thousands of different companies. And quite honestly, it’s a crap shoot as to which one of those variables will make you happy.
Unfortunately, we can’t help you with that.
What we can, and aim to help you with is sorting through many of the options that are available to you. Armed with a high school degree, and maybe a college diploma or even another piece of sheepskin that shows you really know your stuff—your choices are endless. That’s where the “SO YOU WANT TO BE A…” series comes in.
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April 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — When it comes to hiring the right person for the job, keep in mind the fact that most applicants are hoping to find their dream job.
Sure, they’ll settle for less, but wouldn’t it be great if your firm could help make those dreams come true?
Keep this in mind, though. However great it sounds to make someone’s dream come true, you are running a business. So their dream job has to be doing something that will either make money for your organization, or bring in new customers or members.
Still, it is possible to balance their dreams with your needs.
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By Andrea Keating
Founder and CEO, Crews Control
April 2012
Like many other companies that are working with cutting-edge technology, Crews Control is excited about “the cloud.”
Many of us are already working in the cloud when we use Google docs, Twitter, Facebook, and our video favorite, YouTube.
That’s why we’re very pleased to announce that Scenios, a cloud-based software provider and a company on whose board I sit, has unveiled an enterprise edition of its cloud-based video production platform—the ideal place for corporate customers to manage their in-house video productions.
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April 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — I was introduced to Martha Beck years ago by a dear friend in a moment when I felt like I was blowing in the wind. (Yes, even executive coaches lose it from time to time.)
I madly paged my way through her first book, Finding Your Own North Star, and diligently worked the exercises to find my “essential self.”
I found the activities very rewarding and insightful during a time when things in my life seemed quite blurry. As I write this, I am reviewing my notes from Beck’s book—and smiling! That is because I experienced great value in understanding a good deal more about Laura Berger. As the executive coach columnist, why I would be so open to revealing that time in my life when I needed direction?
The truth is that we all are in constant need of self-reflection, which helps us grow and develop into our better selves.
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Meet Our Team:
- Journalist Hope Katz Gibbs is a mom (Anna, 16, Dylan, 12), author, publisher and the founder of Inkandescent Public Relations
- Futurist Chris Carbone is a dad (Mia, 3), trend tracker, and thought leader
- Educator Carole Kihm is the mother of two grown up kids, Keira, 26, and Jonathan, 24), and has spent her life as a guidance counselor and student services director before becoming a middle school principal in Fairfax County VA
- Illustrator Michael Gibbs is the dad of Anna and Dylan, whose art has graced the covers of dozens of magazines, newspapers, books, websites. Check out his award-winning work on this website, and at www.michaelgibbs.com and www.mglenwood.com
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By Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais
Authors, Millennial Momentum
Martha Beck, as with many of her Boomer Generation peers, finds the principles to guide her life though a deep exploration of her inner self.
Boomers, like other “idealist” generations before them, believe life should be about a search for truth that their inner consciousness reveals.
The generations that come along after this “idealist” type, such as Generation X, and the Lost generation of F. Scott Fitzgerald in the 1920s, react against the previous generation’s efforts to change society according to notions of some revealed truth, but join the “idealist generation” in encouraging the celebration of individual effort and risk-taking.
As a result, “reactive” generations spark a renaissance of entrepreneurship in our economic life, even as overall confidence in our economic institutions declines as problems with an inner-directed approach to leadership become clear.
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By Andrea Keating
Founder and CEO, Crews Control
March 2012
Technology changes very quickly in the world of digital cinema and video. High- definition (HD) video is progressively replacing standard definition (SD) video in professional applications, and hard-disk recording formats are replacing tape formats.
The initial change from analog to digital video was driven by the savings in time and money when Sony first introduced the Digital Betacam (DigiBeta) camera format in the mid-1990s. The current change from tape to hard-disk recording was driven by the same cost savings both in time and also equipment savings since multiple playback decks are no longer needed for in-house edit systems.
And now, with the introduction of a variety of tapeless cameras, the digital tapeless camera is becoming the standard.
At Crews Control, we have collected statistical data on the increase of tapeless formats where the deliverable is a hard drive—and found that from January 2009 to December 2011, the use of tape-based camera formats has steadily decreased—by 36 percent.
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March 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — First, let me ask a question: Is success such a hard nut to crack?
Now, allow me to let you in on a secret. The nut is you.
Why? Because so many of us run around asking this question—in our heads and to other people, but the truth is that you have the power within you to be successful in whatever you choose. It is your ability to think big that determines the success or failure of your business.
Focus on the Five Ps: Passion, Plan, Premeditated Risk, Persistence, People.
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By Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais
Authors, Millennial Momentum
Members of the Millennial Generation (born 1982-2003) differ sharply with older generations on what constitutes success in life. Consider the Life is good Playmakers, the nonprofit organization of the Life is good Company, where Steve Gross holds the title of Chief Playmaker.
“Play is serious business,” says Gross, a social worker who is on a mission is to help kids overcome life-threatening challenges. ““Millions of our nation’s youngest children have experienced profound trauma in its many forms, including domestic violence, abuse, neglect, natural disasters, and severe poverty.”
So last summer, Gross and his band of millennials jumped into their lime-green cars and traveled 1,200 miles in 30 days to spread the power of joy and optimism to thousands of children from Boston to New Orleans. Click here to read more.
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By Andrea Keating
Founder and CEO, Crews Control
February 2012
I have been a fan of Michael Gerber’s “E-Myth” since reading it in 1995, a few years after starting my company.
It was a dream of mine to found a corporate video company that provides camera crews for video shoots and production at locations around the world. Since 1988, my team has successfully been fulfilling that dream.
It hasn’t always been easy. That’s why Gerber’s book resonates with me. In talking about “the myth of the entrepreneur,” his bestseller dispels the commonplace assumptions surrounding starting and running a successful small business. In fact, Gerber practically tells the story of the challenges I faced as an new business owner.
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February 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — Dear U.S. Congressmen, U.S. Senators, and Key Staff:
Following is a proactive reading list for February 2012. Your public approval rating of 12 percent demands changes of quite some magnitude if America is to believe you are leaders in putting this country on the right track.
This list is based on my belief that we, as individuals, communities, organizations, institutions and a nation, should always strive to improve through personal and professional growth.
I am not alone in wanting you to succeed in doing what is best for this great country, and I won’t give up my hope that one day soon you will begin to collectively work toward your fullest potential.
Here is my recommended reading list for the next session of Congress.
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February 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — I am a huge fan of “Heaven’s Banquet: Vegetarian Cooking for Lifelong Health the Ayurveda Way,” by Miriam Hospodar.
Not only does she show us how to make our kitchen the basis for health and healing, the recipes are simple enough to appeal to everyone—even those who don’t know their way around the kitchen.
Of course, the serious chef will appreciate the sophistication of the recipes, and those of us who have been studying nutrition for years will find solace in the manner that the dishes are crafted to balance the body and mind.
In fact, Hospodar follows the principle that if food does not taste good, it is not truly nourishing. She says, “If you aren’t up to a little magic occasionally, you shouldn’t waste your time trying to cook.”
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February 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — We often take positive steps forward in whatever we are trying to achieve. Sometimes, however, we fall back into old habits that sabotage our efforts. Or, we fail to recognize that we’ve moved forward, because we see only small gains in our efforts.
The important thing to recognize is that we are indeed making progress and those small steps really do add up and move you forward in ways that you can sometimes only recognize in hindsight.
But how can you always have forward progress?
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By Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais
Authors, Millennial Momentum
Everyone knows the Millennial Generation (born 1982-2003) is obsessed with electronic media—video games, social networking, and MP3 players. But few recognize that this obsession extends to books in ways that are both saving and transforming the publishing industry.
A study by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 8- to 18-year old Millennials spent 43 percent more time interacting with various forms of media in 2009 than they did in 1999.
Yet during this period, almost half (46%) of the Millennials surveyed spent at least part of their day reading books, a percentage that remained steady throughout the decade. Even as computer usage quadrupled for these teens and tweens and video-game playing more than tripled, books remained of interest to a generation often accused of being more interested in texting than writing, and more likely to use an iPod than a Kindle.
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January 25, 2011, PR Newswire — “If there’s one thing that every small business can benefit from at one point or another,” writes PR Newswire columnist Grace Lavigne in an article entitled, Small Business PR: Unique Goals and Challenges.
“But it definitely takes a different approach to help a small company or ‘solopreneur’ than it does a larger firm,” says PR specialist Hope Katz Gibbs, founder and president of Inkandescent Public Relations. The trick, says Gibbs, is to help clients avoid what she calls the “Trifecta of Small Business Failure,” which is when they have one of these three attitudes.”
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Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012, Annapolis Capital — Our Life Coaching expert Amy Steindler was featured on the front page of the Business section of the Annapolis Capital today in an article entitled, “Annapolis woman quits Wall Street to help others.”
“Looking back, Amy Steindler can admit that she knew a finance career wasn’t for her, even before the market tanked,” writes reporter Shantee Woodards. “The Annapolis resident had been caught up in the prestige of being a wealth adviser, but knew she wanted to do something more creative. So Steindler quit her job and spent more than a year re-evaluating her life.”
Inkandescent’s Hope Gibbs is also interviewed.
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Jan. 7, 2012, Money Watch — “Do you view HR as the enemy, doing recognizance for Corporate? Or do you see your HR rep as Michael Scott did Toby—someone who tries to suck the fun out of the office?” asks CBS’ Money Watch reporter Amy Levin-Epstein. “While human resources teams can often lubricate sticky work situations and help build strong office relationships, they’re often viewed less generously by staff.”
But what is the most challenging part of the job? Epstein asked Inkandescent PR’s client Sharon Armstrong, co-author of The Essential HR Handbook.
Nowhere is this more clear than in the comments section of a story I posted a few months ago, 4 Things Never To Share With HR. But is such distrust really warranted? How do HR folks themselves view their position on the corporate ladder, and the criticism they might face? I asked four career experts — all former HR professionals — about their past professions (the good, the bad, and, at times, ugly). Here are their candid responses.
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October 31, 2011 — “Dylan Gibbs Raised $2,150 for the Life is good Playmakers — and you can, too!” is the headline on the Life is good Playmakers blog, that appeared as today’s entry.
Click here to read that. Or click to read more to see the entire entry, inside.
To learn more about the Life is good Playmakers, check out our interview with Chief Playmaker, Steve Gross, in the September issue of Be Inkandescent Magazine.
And learn more about the creation, philosophy, and long-term goals of the Boston-based Life is good Company by reading our interview with co-founder, Bert Jacobs, our September Entrepreneur of the Month.
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In a December 2011 article for Parents.com, reporter Linda DiProperzio writes about how interfaith families across the U.S. celebrate the winter holidays.
“One thing that can make the process easier is discussing with your spouse what each of you would like to do to celebrate your respective religion during the holidays,” she explains. “Whether it’s decorating the house or attending services, work out all the details well before the season begins.”
When interviewed, I told Linda about our way of mixing my Jewish roots with my husband Mike’s Catholic upbringing. Linda shared:
Hope Katz Gibbs, a mom from Arlington, VA, makes sure her house is decorated for both Hanukkah and Christmas, and isn’t afraid to combine the two. “Our tree is decorated with popsicle-stick ornaments in the shape of Jewish stars,” she reveals.
Click here to read the entire article.
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October 1. 2011, Annapolis MD — Inkandescent Public Relations is thrilled to have partnered with Art at Large, Inc., a graphics and public art company based in Annapolis, MD, on the fall 2011 Get Your Joy On Annapolis marketing campaign.
In addition to helping with project management, hiring photographers and videographers, and assisting Art at Large’s president Sally Wern Comport, Inkandescent PR’s Hope Gibbs helped write the text that appears on the Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Conference & Visitors Bureau website, www.visitannapolis.org/get-your-joy-on.
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Congratulations to illustrator Michael Gibbs, whose artwork appeared today in The New York Times.
The article entitled, “Chasing Opportunity in an Age of Upheaval,” discusses the fact that while a series of extreme events in global financial markets this year have shaken investors’ confidence, some are maintaining his strategy of investing in undervalued companies.
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We close 2011 with words of entrepreneurial wisdom from Alan Webber, the co-founder of Fast Company magazine, and our December Entrepreneur of the Month.
Webber is the author of, Rules of Thumb: 52 Truths for Winning at Business Without Losing Your Self. He insists: “The time has come to rethink, re-imagine, and recalibrate what is possible, what is desirable, and what is sustainable. It’s time to rewrite the rules.”
That wish is our command. Our columnists, all experts in their fields, know that before you can break the rules, you have to master them. So click around the articles on the Inkandescent homepage to view their insights, including advice from:
- Financial whiz and author Herta von Stiegel, who shows us how we can climb to new heights by facing The Mountain Within.
- Rachel Renée Russell, author of the bestselling young-adult series, “The Dork Diaries,” and our Truly Amazing Woman of the Month. After a nasty divorce, she rewrote the rules of her life and landed on the New York Times bestseller list—three times.
And consider this quote from the Talmud, which Webber offers in the introduction to his book: “What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow man. This is the law: all the rest is commentary.”
Here’s to writing your own perfect set of rules! Happy holidays to all. We’ll look forward to talking to you more in 2012! — Hope Katz Gibbs, publisher, Be Inkandescent Magazine
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January 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — The holiday season afforded me a moment of downtime, allowing for the opportunity to review and critique 2011, take a deep breath, and think about what’s coming in 2012.
I am excited about what I see coming this year. Even though fears of an ongoing recession, and increased government regulations, will keep spending for meetings and events at reduced levels, innovation and creativity will rise to new levels.
Here’s what you are likely to see at the most successful affairs of 2012.
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January 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — Attention everyone who works with or in government-funded programs: Rather than focusing on what you want or need—let’s ring in 2012 by bragging about your expertise.
It’s not easy, I know. Government-funded programs are being challenged like never before to create a new mindset and to be innovative in their problem-solving.
Public housing programs are no exception.
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January 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — Ah, the new year. That dreaded time when we all sit back and reflect on what we really want to accomplish in the coming months, knowing full well that it will quickly be forgotten.
If getting in shape is your goal, however, do not despair.
You can eat better, and exercise more. So let’s dust off that sit-up machine that has been sitting in the corner of your bedroom, and get to work!
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January 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — “Every moment’s a ‘what’s next,’” says well-known yoga and meditation teacher Rod Stryker.
I like this idea, especially as my clients and I ruminate on what we’d like to manifest in 2012. To me, the advice is as logical as this perfectly simple adage: You are what you eat.
Originally written in a 1983 essay entitled, “Concerning Spiritualism and Materialism,” Ludwig Andreas Feuerbach wrote: “Der Mensch ist, was er isst.” That translates into English as, “Man is what he eats,” insisting that the food one consumes has a bearing on both state of mind and health.
What does breakfast have to do with determining what’s next?
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January 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — This year, like all others, I have a New Year’s resolution: I want to focus more on getting publicity for my business.
Writing this column is one example of this strategy, which I started in 2011 and plan to continue in 2012. I’ll also be adding additional outreach efforts to get in the news, expand my network, and increase my visibility so that more people know about my service.
Why does this work? Because I have chosen one thing in my personal and professional life to really focus on. If I keep it up, and stay dedicated, odds are very good that it will bear fruit.
But there is a problem. If I fail to be consistent, and let other aspects of my business and personal life interfere with my goal—I won’t accomplish it. That’s not news to you. But you may benefit from my strategies for persistent single-mindedness.
What can you do to ensure you stick with your New Year’s resolutions?
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We kick off 2012 with an interview with Reebok International’s president, Uli Becker, our January CEO of the Month.
Responsible for the Reebok brand’s business around the world, Becker has since 2008 been at the helm of the U.S. branch of the firm owned by the Adidas Group. The German-born athlete has big plans on how he and his team will keep the company in its place as an industry leader. Here’s a hint: CrossFit. Scroll down to the feature to read more.
What will it take to help you stay on top of your game in 2012? Here are a few ideas to run with:
- Exercise will make you smarter. “It’ll also make you stronger, healthier, and could help you grow your business,” says Harvard professor John Ratey, author of “Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain.” Click here to learn more.
- Exercise will make your kids smarter, too. Kathleen Tullie, the head of Reebok’s nonprofit, BOKS Kids, knew that from observing her own kids. But after reading Dr. Ratey’s book, she was inspired to start an organization that Reebok has invested a few million dollars in to help parents and teachers in schools around the country get kids moving through before-school programs. Click here to learn how to become part of the revolution.
- Consumers are shifting how they spend their money. Reebok is one company that is paying close attention to this trend. How can your organization adapt to the shift? Futurist Andy Hines offers insight in ConsumerShift.
Also in this issue:
- This month we also have the honor of interviewing Maria Aguilera, our Truly Amazing Woman of the Month. Since 2007, she has battled a rare form of cancer. She shares the source of her strength as she embarks on the new year.
Here’s to kicking off 2012 with fresh and fabulous ideas, well-considered resolutions, and much joy!
— Warmly, Hope Katz Gibbs, Publisher, Be Inkandescent Magazine
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By Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais
Trend Trackers, Authors
Millennial Momentum: How a New Generation Is Remaking America
In 1987, as the oldest members of the Millennial Generation (born 1982-2003) were entering kindergarten, the groundbreaking television show, Thirtysomething, began its Emmy-award-winning, four-year run.
The one-hour drama focused on eight Baby Boomers struggling with the conflicting demands of work and family as the generation known for its rebelliousness attempted to settle into the culture and routine of suburban life.
January 2012 marks the date that these “first Millennials” will be 30 years old. For the next two decades, America’s most populous and diverse generation, defined in its teens and 20s by its penchant for social networking and sharing, will enter the phase of life when the choices dramatized in “Thirtysomething” will become central to their generation’s persona.
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Aside from “What do you do?” how do you approach people at a networking event?
Click “read more” to view my top 3 ice breakers—openers that work like a charm when I’m trying to make connections at events. They may be the trick you need to ease your way into a meaningful conversation, too.
For an incredible list of events that you might want to attend, check out hundreds of networking events in 7 east coast cities at www.inkandescentnetworking.com.
Woof!
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