Small Biz is Big Biz

Growing up the youngest of nine children, the value of a dollar was very strongly impressed upon me over the years. Any item of clothing I wanted my Mom would ask "What else do you have that goes with it?" I wore a uniform five days per week for seven years, so as far as she was concerned I didn't really need many other clothes anyway (tell that to a 12-year-old these days!). We drank powdered milk, and so on. Because of this I admit I truly do enjoy saving a dime, but as I grow older I'm realizing the value of good service and good business (and a really great vacation!) even more.

I also joke that I'm an anti-wal-mart-ite. That is one store I've never been able to get on board with, especially after learning how they force their vendors to lower their prices to such a level that they’re then forced to manufacture overseas. The lure (the volume) is too much to turn down, but then it forces businesses into a place they don’t want to be. I read an article in Fast Company in 2003 called The Wal-Mart You Don’t Know and it stuck with me. It doesn’t even speak of the labor and low-wage issues that come with the monolith, but sheds light on the business, and it's a must-read.

I've come to understand this Wal-Mart way is capitalism in the highest form, and that I'd prefer to patronize smaller businesses. Small business owners might need to charge more than the Wal-Marts and Amazons of the world, but I'm willing to pay it to do even a small part to keep the little guy in business. Today I bought two real-life books with paper pages and all—in an actual bookstore! Upstart Crow is a bookstore & coffee shop located in a tourism-rich area called Seaport Village in San Diego. It’s beyond charming, and evokes feelings of how bookstores used to be, much like "The Shop Around the Corner" in the movie You’ve Got Mail. Most of the stores and restaurants in the Village are owned by small-business owners, and I love it.

According to the Small Business Association (SBA), in 2014 28.5 million small businesses were in operation in the US, 22.7 million of which were single-owner ventures (like my own). It goes on to say that small businesses have been touted as having a huge part in ending the U.S. recession, and that 58% of business owners expected growth in 2015, further encouraging us that the economy is solid.

Do you have small businesses in your community? Show them some love! Buy a book. Buy your flip-flops from the corner surf shop. Hire an independent consultant or a small agency to help you with your marketing… You’ll be helping the economy, in addition to helping individuals vs. the big box corporations.

Ten Tips for Using Instagram for Business

I had a young college student ask me for some tips on Instagram because her employer has asked her to take over their Instagram account, and she had only used it on a personal level. How we use Instagram absolutely depends on the product, service, audience, etc., but I really think these tips should help anyone who is just getting starting with a business account. They're in no particular order!

1. Create a hashtag that you’ll use with every post that is reflective of your business--hashtags is one of the main ways your account will be found.

• Keep in mind whether there are other locations or businesses that yours might be confused with, and use location as part of the hashtag. For example, there are several Harbor House restaurants around the world, so the San Diego restaurant uses both the #HarborHouse and #HarborHouseSD hashtags. The SD one reflects the location, but by also using the other, the restaurant also has a chance of being “found” by a larger group of people.
• Search on hashtags using https://www.hashatit.com to see if the hashtag you want to use is already in use.

2. Look at what hashtags similar businesses, the competition, and industry are using—and use them also. 

• Also use variations on the hashtags that are a bit more unique. Some are totally over-used, so it makes it harder for your posts to be seen. #SanDiego, for example is one of the most used hashtags (so popular people who aren’t in SD use it!). 
• See what the “top Instagram hashtags" are: http://top-hashtags.com/instagram/ 

3. In your initial post* how many hashtags to use for "maximum impact” is different depending on which expert you listen to, but 5-11 seems to be the range. However, you can then add a comment with numerous other tags, and your post will still be found by all the tags attached to it.

• This also makes your post more visually appealing to followers in their feed—there’s nothing worse than hashtag overload!
• Use a notes app on your phone to store your most used hashtags so you don’t have to re-type them every time you post.
  * Instagram now “auto-completes” hashtags (& lists similar ones) as you enter them in the initial post (only - not in comments), so you can see how many times the tags are being used. 

4. Each time you log in to post, I recommend searching on your top hashtags first. This will show you posts your guests or customers might have posted of or about your business. 

• Go through and like all of them, at a minimum—but make comments on as many of them as you can to show your appreciation. 
• Repost the good images, and give the initial poster attribution. This gives you more content ("user generated content"), and people LOVE being highlighted for their photography! 
• NOTE: Some people will include your location in their post (like a check-in), but haven't used your hashtag, and you do NOT get notifications on those posts, so seek those out in the posts that have used both... it was a goldmine of content once I figured this out.

5. Good community / social media managers are also relationship-builders. In addition to liking posts using your hashtag, you should also be regularly following those people who you think are good, and who might be following your account also. 

• Make sure to like a handful of posts by those you are following whenever you log in. 
•  Also make comments on those posts you like—they should be genuine, though—so you don’t need to overdo it. 

6. What to post & how often? Visually appealing photos get the most activity, period. 

• Colorful product photos, scenery… along with clever words—make your caption brief, and try to use your business hashtag within the sentence structure. 
• Mix in some videos in your posts if it makes sense for your business—Instagram has them auto-play in the feed. 
• Do not post a bunch of images all in-a-row because that's the quickest way to get un-followed! How many will depend on your business--I typically post just one per day (5-6 days per week) for my client's accounts.

7. Be sure to reply to every person who comments on your posts. 

• Make your comments personal based on what they have written, and know that you have to use their handle in order for them to get a notification. 
• To include their handle, swipe left on the comment, and click the arrow--this will add their handle w/o having to re-write it.
• Many times people will just say “Great!” or post a thumbs-up emoji, and for them it’s okay to reply "Thanks" in one comment using all their handles. 

8. If you’ve noticed you made a mistake after you’ve posted, you can edit your post (yea!)—click the three little dots to the right of the heart and comment bubble, and click edit.

• You cannot edit comments, so if you need to edit your own comment, you’ll need to delete it and re-write it. 
• You do have the ability to delete comments that other people have made—occasionally people will spam your posts, so you can either report them (which will delete the comment) or simply delete.

9. The only “hot link” (clickable URL) you can have in Instagram is in your bio.

• Normally you would want this to be a link to your Website or blog, but if you’re running a contest or have some information that’s particularly important (like a press release), you can always switch it up. 

10. Instagram provides the ability to simultaneously post to different social platforms—Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and Flickr. 

• Unfortunately, either the Twitter or Instagram engine gets confused… So, if you’re managing multiple accounts, that post can go to the wrong Twitter account! 
• As a workaround, I recommend posting to Twitter separately -- I copy the initial post after I write it, put it into the notepad file, copy out the additional hashtags in a comment, and then post it to Twitter. 

Of course, this isn't everything, but hopefully it's a good start as you get going with Instagram! And perhaps even you veterans learned something new? If you have any additional tips, I'd love to hear them in the comments, and perhaps I'll use them in a future post. 

It's Raining Plumeria

Sun is shining. Birds are chirping.  Waterfalls are flowing. Kids laugh and splash. It's another magical day in Indonesia. It's also my last full day here as my vacay comes to a close.

The last day of a vacation is always filled with a mix of emotions... and this time it's a bit different. I'm not all that sad because it has been one of the best and longest vacations I've ever taken. It's probably the first time I'm not dreading going home & back to work! I'm also really not homesick - if I had the means right now, I'd keep going for sure.

But overall, I am at peace, and filled with joy because of all the awesome experiences... Not to mention all the great people I've met along the way.

As I soak up the last ounces of sun in Bali, my soul & spirit are full. And how could I not love sitting under a tree that is shedding one of my favorite flowers right onto me? It is indeed raining Plumeria. <3

From Great to Better

The season of resolutions is in full swing!

We all know a new year is that time people declare as a new start. It's the opportunity so many see to make a "better effort" with their health or careers or personal lives... It's natural.

Over the last few years I've tried to set goals instead of making "resolutions." I made an effort to focus on making improvements with my mind, body, and spirit... Of course, it turns out I was a little over-zealous and the sum of the total wasn't terribly realistic. Like most people at the new year, I had the best of intentions!

2014 was a great year. And so I decided as this new year approaches that I want to take things from great to better.

I know it won't be easy to measure, but I'll know it when I feel it, and that works for me! This past year was full of brief trips, seeing family and lots of football, finishing my masters degree, and running my own business. Notice the order I put those in? I have priorities!

It was a great year and my hope is 2015 will be even better. I also wish the same for you.

Be a Doer

I think there's an epidemic afoot. This epidemic is called being stuck. What makes people stuck? Part of it is fear. Fear of failure, fear of success (no, really), fear of the unknown… or all of the above.

What I hear from people A LOT is "you're so lucky" when referring to my travels or the sporting events I attend. Lucky? I struggle with how to take that because I know I'm fortunate, but luck has nothing to do with it. I work hard for one, but I'm also a "doer."

So many people sit on the sidelines and watch other people do. I'm not saying people don’t have financial struggles or reasons for not being able to "do" things, but I strongly believe it's possible for everyone to DO.

Game 5 NLCS Giants clincher last week!

If you've always wanted to get to Europe? Create a plan to get there. Figure out when you can get off of work and for how long, get estimates on how much it's going to cost… And start to save. If attending a baseball playoff game seems like an impossibility? It isn't. I simply got online and found tickets I could afford. Period. There's no secret sauce! 

The thing is you can apply this to all parts of your life. I'm reading a book right now by Jen Sincero called "You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life." There are so many quotes I could share, but one that stands out is this: "Living a life on purpose is available to everyone." It's the notion that things reveal themselves through doing and not thinking. Everything you do along the journey contributes to where you want to "get"… I learned early in my career that it's about the journey and not the destination. Trust your gut and make your move!

I know I don't have certain things that might prevent me from "doing," but I also create opportunities for myself because I'm a doer. The next time you find yourself thinking "Man, I wish I could do that," STOP and ask yourself WHY not? You might just discover that you can, and perhaps you can get unstuck and be a doer too.

“New Media” Brings New Identity Theft

Everyone's aware of what "identity theft" is and how devastating it can be. It can take forever to straighten things out with all of your accounts and even longer to clear up your credit record. It's SO pervasive because of all the online access hackers get, and other ways thieves can get access to our money and identities. Because it's so pervasive, there's lots of help out there when it occurs. 

But what about the theft of a persona? The theft of a person's face, via photographs and an online profile? As my friend Kim stated today, "The laws have not kept up with technology"… too true. It appears that by having our photographs on the Internet we are all opening ourselves up to theft of our photos. Of our selves. 

For months—or maybe even years—some person or group of people have been using a collection of my photos and portraying themselves as me. Not with my name, but with my face. It’s my face that's out there and has been trying to commit fraud (though, I'm guessing they have had some success or they wouldn't still be doing it), and pry money from unsuspecting men on Match.com. Apparently it's called a "Romance scam." 

And it appears there's absolutely nothing I can do about it. I haven't been on Match.com for 2.5 years, but I first learned of this happening nine months ago… Unfortunately, Match says there's nothing they can do about it other than remove a profile. But what's to stop the thieves from creating another and another? Nothing.

When I told my Dad the San Diego Police Dept. came to my door today as a favor to the Sunnyvale PD because they couldn't reach me, and someone was pretending to "be me" he said, "I've never heard of such a thing." Of course not, because the Internet brings with it its own special version of violations and crimes! 

Img credit: blog.fanchimp.com

It's one thing to use an image that is copyrighted without giving credit—and that is difficult enough to manage… But using a person’s total image as their own? It simply HAS to be a crime. How many other people is this actively happening to as I write this? 

When is the law going to catch up to not just be concerned with the "money fraud" part of the equation? I believe a crime is also being committed against me.

Ain't No Shame

Sometimes I write when I want to get a professional thought or perspective out there. Other times I write when my heart tells me to. Today my heart yelled at me.

Everyone's trying to make sense of the loss of the late, great Robin Williams. But we won't ever make sense of it. We might come to grips with it, once the healing has started, but depression is a tricky beast. I was first touched by suicide in high school when a friend’s brother took his life. I thought it was so selfish. I was young and naive at the time, but this is a sentiment I've heard many times since then. Included among those times was when I was in a regional leadership role for my sorority when a collegian in one of our chapters committed suicide in 2006. And when a good high school friend took her life in 2009. And again when my friend's husband took his life in 2013. I've come to learn that it's an illness—depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain and so many more people suffer from it than we even know.

While I personally have never been clinically depressed, I have had some VERY low lows. The lowest came when I was a sophomore in H.S… and other lows have come and gone, but I know it’s NOTHING compared to what people who are truly sick experience. That’s the thing – depression IS a sickness. It’s nothing to be ashamed of because it’s a sickness, just like addiction is. When struck with both? What a horrible combination—a vicious cycle for so many—most of whom we’re familiar with because they’re famous. Chris Farley, Heath Ledger, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Williams… Sadly, these names came to mind VERY quickly, but there are so many more. These people I just listed might have touched our hearts with their talents, but there are one in ten other folks out there who are "regular Joes" and "Jills" who suffer without us knowing.

Circa 80-something - the good 'ole days... Me, Mindi, Tracy, & Sarah 

Have you considered reaching out to someone in your life who you worry about? Or do you hold back for fear that you'll hurt their feelings or because it might hurt your relationship? I know I have someone in my life whose depression I worry about all the time, but I've never really said anything. I worried about my brother Terry's alcohol addiction, but I never said anything, and that slowly killed him. Not that I could have changed it, but I do wonder.

I briefly worked for an ad agency that has the task of supporting a local San Diego county (www.Up2SD.org), and now a statewide (www.suicideispreventable.org), campaign to help recognize mental health challenges in others and ourselves. What important work this is! It's so awesome that government funding is going towards this very important cause. Hopefully it will make a difference.

If you or someone you know needs help or support with depression or addiction, please speak up. But also know THIS: All you can do is try. If something happens with them, it’s not your fault… They say there is no "try," there is only do or don't, but that doesn't apply here – TRY, try, and try again.

Captain My Captain, you are missed - #RIPRobinWilliams. And so are you, Chris, Stephanie, Mindi, Thad… and all of the “regular” people who have left us far too soon.

Visit the Websites above if in CA or www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org nationally… Or call this national suicide hotline number: 1-800-273-8255. There is HELP out there – you DO matter – and there is ZERO shame in raising your hand to ask for help for yourself or someone else. Please do.