Business

Some Things Never Change

by Ray_anne

Social Media – what has it done for you? I am continually fascinated by the round of complaints that occur every time technology evolves or improves on networks like Facebook. I rarely notice these changes until somebody else complains. They just are part of the evolution of new media. I embrace these upgrades because I automatically assume [...]

November 4, 2011 CONTINUE READING THIS POST →

6 Travel Tips to Keep You Sane

by Ray_anne

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” ~Henry Miller Given that my work travel season is winding down, I thought I would share a few travel tips that have saved me time, over and over again. Travel time management tips that really work and are practical are hard to come [...]

November 3, 2011 CONTINUE READING THIS POST →

Social Media is the Icebreaker, Not the Party

by Ray_anne

Here’s the thing, as much as most of us LOVE social media, as much as we engage…, there is nothing like a face-to-face greeting or meeting. There is nothing like that chance to sit down and actually have a conversation where real eye contact can be made. It is easy to forget, as we sit behind [...]

November 2, 2011 CONTINUE READING THIS POST →

Know When it is Time to Diversify

by Ray_anne

Stan is a good guy. In his spare time, he likes to sing karaoke, act in local theatre and produce a radio show. Today he is a wine broker. He loves his job and business is going well. He used to be a recruiter with an agency that specialized in IT. Placing engineers used to [...]

November 1, 2011 CONTINUE READING THIS POST →

Hitting Reset

by Jessica Miller-Merrell

Personally as well as professionally October seems to be a time of changes, resets, and renews. In October 2004, I separated from my first husband and ended our very unhappy marriage. In October 2009, I left my corporate gig and started out on my own as an entrepreneur. In October 2010, I changed my focus in [...]

October 31, 2011 CONTINUE READING THIS POST →

Saying “You’re Fired!” for the Whole

by Ray_anne

Several years ago, I was directing a one-act play; the show included five actresses and one actor. Given that it was merely a one-act, it was a little less involved than a full-length production. The actors were expected to show up for rehearsals prepared, meaning know their lines and remembering their blocking->the actor’s movement on stage. I have worked [...]

October 31, 2011 CONTINUE READING THIS POST →

3 EASY Steps to Secure Mutual Satisfaction in Business

by Ray_anne

You know how when you drive on a country road and you hit a dip doing about fifty and your stomach feels like it’s in your throat? Have you ever had that same feeling while speaking a client or a lead? Or worse, your boss? Did you say the wrong thing or did the conversation take a [...]

October 26, 2011 CONTINUE READING THIS POST →

8 Sure Fire Ways to Network for the Holidays

by Jessica Miller-Merrell

You may not be aware but we are 73 days away from Christmas, and many retail companies are already knee deep in holiday staffing for the busy and profitable holiday shopping season. I myself, still have yet to even put up my Halloween decorations. I’ll probably get to putting those up around Wednesday of this [...]

October 25, 2011 CONTINUE READING THIS POST →

Control Your Most Precious Resource: Your Data

by Ray_anne

There are very few things in life you can control. I have a neighbor with a barking dog – it keeps us awake at night or wakes us up too early. It has barked for up to four hours straight. We have talked to the neightbor numerous times, face-to-face. We have called animal control, we [...]

October 25, 2011 CONTINUE READING THIS POST →

Breathe, Balance, and Clarity: Focus

by Ray_anne

The current generation of business has heard a great deal about bringing diversity to their skill set and how imperative it is to be a multitasking guru. However, in this pursuit of multitasking mania, we seem to have lost focus. And lost focus leads to lost time. How many of us spend time on the phone [...]

October 24, 2011 CONTINUE READING THIS POST →

Wasting Time = Wasting Money

by Ray_anne

There are 168 hours in a week. That’s what we are given. Forty or more of those hours are typically devoted toward a career, toward making a difference in a chosen field, toward providing for individual or familial needs. Mark Zuckerberg has the same amount of time as you or I, that just seems [...]

October 20, 2011 CONTINUE READING THIS POST →

No Excuse Leadership: Reasons, yes.

by Ray_anne

Several years ago, I faced a very difficult time. I had left a long-time position as an executive recruiter but was soon working as an in-house recruiting manager and recognized rather quickly that I wanted more for myself. I had tampered with completing my business degree but was so caught up in my work and [...]

October 19, 2011 CONTINUE READING THIS POST →

Into the Fray- The Phoenix Infection, part 7

by Ray_anne

Sometimes the fray comes before the leader is ready. It isn’t always an easy thing to step up and be the leader everyone needs. But when the need arises and leaders are born, greatness will appear. We live abundant lives. I was going to say simple lives but most of you, including myself, would argue that [...]

October 18, 2011 CONTINUE READING THIS POST →

Finding a Bit of Yourself in The Eyes & Lives of Others

by Jessica Miller-Merrell

A short time ago in a workplace not that far away I worked as Human Resource professional. And as a human resource professional and manager, I’ve dealt with my share of the not so enjoyable things like terminating employees as well as coaching, giving feedback, and being privy to information and conversations I wish I [...]

October 18, 2011 CONTINUE READING THIS POST →

Seeking the Right Level – The Phoenix Infection, part 6

by Ray_anne

I’m sure you have heard the phrase that “water seeks its own level.” While this may be true for water, this expression is most often used to describe people and how we end up with those that are at our same level, be that income, lot in life, intelligence, common interests, class, etc…, And this would seem [...]