One of a Kind Show – Chicago As you all know, I LOVE the One of a Kind Show – Chicago. I’ve posted, talked, and gushed about it for years…so much so that a group of us head there together each December. I find the best, most unique gifts. And since the holidays don’t automatically […]
Previously… Much like A Christmas Story, there I was. 7 years old. On the big guy’s lap, providing detailed evidence as to all my nice deeds for the year and clarifying a few naughty moments. My Christmas list was simple and pretty on target for my age group. I was just about to pounce off when I decided […]
It’s budget time! If the calendar year is your budget year, you are probably waist-deep in the budgeting process. I know I am. How fun! Revenue projections… Scheduling major projects and expenses… Non-profits are holding 2023 dates for fundraisers… Companies are planning new product announcements… Everyone is looking at marketing and communications, from simple social media tweaks to […]
Have you ever heard the term “it’s in the bag?” Not many people know where it originated. Story Time The start of the baseball season, May 1920, the Ohio newspaper The Mansfield News prints this report: An old superstition was revived at the Polo grounds, New York. Recently when Eddie Sicking was dispatched to the clubhouse with […]
Time. Treasure. Talent. These are the three “Ts” of philanthropy, commonly given by you or me to a deserving cause or organization. Growing up in a small town, with a family very active in our church, school, and community, I learned at a young age that giving back was beneficial not only to the recipient […]
It seems weird (read: terrifying!) to say it, but we are officially SIX MONTHS away from Christmas and less than that to the holiday season. And with the holidays can come stress. A survey by the American Psychological Association, 38 percent of people said their stress level increases during the holidays. Another survey, by Principal […]
Recently I was working with a client. And they asked me how I decided on the elements of their custom Connection Plan. Psst: If you are wondering what a Connection Plan is, please reach out. I’d be happy to tell you! (Hint: Client/Customer/Employee recognition is a key component.) Plans and Processes For starters, I’m a […]
One of my FAVORITE parts of creating a curated gift is the design of it. If there is a theme, what is it? How many things can I fit into the theme before it is too many? Staying within the budget is its own kind of challenge. How can I get the best product that […]
“So, what is it that you do?” “What is your business?” These are the questions I get all the time. Because who starts a luxury business in Iowa related to gift-giving!? What does she even do? My business is two-fold. I find gifts for special occasions. I help companies come up with ideas for their […]
I worked at TrueNorth Companies in Cedar Rapids many moons ago. For large projects I lead, I was given directions and autonomy. My boss knew where my strengths were and let me live in those and worked with me on growing and evolving in our weekly meetings. But most importantly, this company knew how to […]