Advice You Would Give To A College Freshman

Recently, we conducted an ideation session with one of our corporate clients to help them create promotional concepts for their next media campaign. We began the session with a practice brainwriting topic on “advice you would give a college freshman”.

All teams had 3 minutes to write as many ideas as possible on Post-its. After the brainwriting exercise, each group converged the ideas, narrowing them into themes. Below are some of the key themes based on the team’s ideas:

1) Don’t Lose Who You Are:

• “You are smart enough…”
• “Do the right thing”
• “Don’t worry about what others think”
• “Do what makes you happy”
• “Be present”

2) Don’t Forget Who Got You Here:

• “Call your mom”
• “Call your dad”
• “Take your laundry home”

3) Practical Tools To Get You Through:

• “Learn to powernap”
• “Coffee”
• “Don’t buy books- rent”
• “Join groups on campus”
• “Find a mentor”

4) Be Adventurous:

• “Travel overseas for class”
• “Live in the moment”
• “Seek out people not like you”
• “Go where others are not”
• “Meet different people”

5) Stay Motivated And On Track:

• “Keep your eyes on the goal”
• “Be honest about real goals”
• “Look ahead”
• “Don’t procrastinate”
• “You can change the world”

This practice brainwriting session was a great way to get the participants thinking creatively and helped lead the group through a successful ideation session. We also came away with great advice for those entering their freshman year of college. Now that I’m thinking about it...this advice would have been valuable to know when I was a college freshman!

Making the Connection

As my economics professor likes to say, “economics is the study of making good choices.” While most people consider economics to be relevant only in financial markets, in reality, economics impacts everything around us. Economics explains why we choose to go to work each morning rather than stay home and lounge all day: in theory, we have more to gain by what we can accomplish at work than what we can accomplish at home, be it financial, social, psychological, or personal gains. Economics explains why we eat just one (or maybe two) pieces of cake instead of consuming the whole thing: because the pleasure received from each additional piece of cake decreases as more and more is consumed. Economics also explains why we choose to buy one product over another: if we are behaving rationally, the product we choose to buy will bring us a higher level of utility per dollar spent than the product we do not purchase.

Being a student of economics, I am a rational and logical thinker (or at least try to be). I enjoy trying to understand why consumers make the decisions they make. But for me, there has always been a disconnect. I have always understood that there are factors which change the consumer demand for a product (income, changes in consumer preferences, or changes in the price of related goods). I also understand that competitive markets will respond to this demand. Firms will increase production of the good as demand increases and decrease production of the good as demand decreases. But how do companies predict these changes before they happen? How do companies respond to changes in the market demand before they find themselves out of business?

This is where marketing research comes in—it connects consumer’s wants and needs directly to the company’s business strategy and operations. It provides a means for companies to continue to grow, develop, and stay ahead of the competition. Marketing research is the link that has been missing from my understanding of the consumer-producer relationship. This internship at April Bell Research Group has allowed me to explore the relationship between uncovering consumer wants and the business strategies companies employ in response. I definitely have a lot to learn!

A New Beginning

What a wonderful whirlwind these past few months have been! Time has flown since I packed up my belongings in Austin seven months ago and made the decision to move back to Dallas, eager to start a position with April Bell Research Group. I was excited for the opportunity to work with April again, but I really had no idea what to expect with this new role.

When I joined the company, it was just April and I, working from her home office. It was great - I could wear jeans to work everyday and take breaks to play with April's sweet little 2-year old, Autumn. Starting out in such a relaxed environment helped me feel comfortable quickly and made my job transition easy and painless. I was learning a lot and helping out with many different aspects of the business, and it was so fulfilling to be making a meaningful impact. Not too long after I started, April hired another awesome employee, Talia, and since then, we have been growing, non-stop.

As much as we all loved the casual, fun environment of April's home office, we were soon on a search for a new office space. Now, if you've ever tried to find an office space, you'll know that it's not typically an easy task, but we were lucky in finding an amazing space pretty quickly. Christine Rogers at Sparkfarm connected us with a cool office loft in the West End that had availability, and we jumped on it!

We moved, with almost no down time, and I am loving it here! I really can't think of anything I don't like about the space. It's wonderful. Well okay, it's always really cold in the office, but we make it work with our blankets and Snuggies. If that's the only problem with this space, then I'm sure we're going to be just fine!

These past couple of months, we have been at full speed, with a lot going on, and the three of us hard at work on getting it all done. But it's such a good problem to have, and I am loving the experience. This journey has been full of so many pleasant surprises thus far, and I'm looking forward to the exciting opportunities that lie ahead for us!

Learning My "ABCs"

I never truly understood the meaning of “going from 0 to 60“ until I got to know April. That phrase is now the definition of my life every day, every week - and I'm loving every second of it!

This summer, April hired me as her Chief Wrangler, which is just a really awesome way of saying office/project manager. I was thrilled to be putting some of my strongest skills to work - I excel in organization, planning and keeping everyone calm, all in a super fast-paced environment. On top of that, we were working out of April's home. It's always an adventure when you are sharing an office with 2 dogs and a toddler running around. It was never a dull moment.

Although we all enjoyed our afternoon breaks to play with April's adorable little girl, the three of us were growing busier by the minute. In August, we decided to get a space of our own - a really cool, loft-style space in the West End with wood floors, exposed brick and a great view of the city. As an added bonus, we are in the same building as one of our long-time clients!

My first few months have been full of training, researching, assisting on projects and keeping track of ever-changing schedules. April, Mayuri and I are always on the go, while trying to coordinate our schedules and keep communication lines clear and open. Work days have been more on the longer side lately, which isn't so bad when your company promotes Friday afternoon fiestas! We always try to keep things fun and interesting!

Despite all the madness, there are some really exciting things happening in our company with some great opportunities ahead of us this fall. I can't wait to see where we are in the next few months and to help our company grow. I've had to do some adjusting on my part, since I've never had as much responsibility as I do now. However, I feel truly blessed to be a part of such a unique and talented group.

The next few months are sure to be a wild ride. Keep tuning into our blog and you will hear all about the exciting upcoming months and the everyday happenings in a small, yet extraordinary/dynamic company.

Growing Without Pain

They say if you're not growing, you're dying (I don't actually know who says that besides my Dad who repeated it often)….but these days, I'm definitely living because I'm growing!

I wasn't planning on growing. In fact, I emphatically said to many people that I don't WANT to grow my business!  But I started to change my perspective after reading EMyth late last year. Since then, I've been noodling on their ideas about purpose, vision, blah, blah, blah. The primary message of that book (for me) is that when you get clarity on what you want out of life, you can get clearer on what you want out of your business...and when you get clearer on that, you begin seeing how so much of what you're spending your time on is not getting you more of what you really want. 

So what I really want is to have long-lasting relationships with awesome clients. And to conduct really cool research with them so that we're all learning…and growing. 

And to do that flawlessly, I am finally realizing I can't do everything by myself. I need help.  Wow, I said it. And, a few months after deciding this, I DO have help…in the form of 2 full-time employees. And, it's awesome. Yippeee!!! I know not everyone has awesome employees but I can honestly say that for all the waiting and grumbling about having them, I am pretty darn blessed, lucky, whatever you want to say. Because I found 2 who are extremely bright, responsible, and passionate, and they're helping me grow in ways I wasn't expecting.  

Meet my new team:  

Mayuri Joshi, 

whose official title is Research Magician because she's helping me magically turn consumer learnings into insightful stories with recommendations. 

And Talia Short, 

who is my Chief Wrangler and manages the important details that make or break a project as well as my daily office happenings. I'm loving their fresh passion and hard-working spirit.

AND, I've been working on defining a business plan amidst a busy research season and found this slideshare powerpoint, which has provided more motivation and information about how to go about taking a business a small business to the next level from Adele Barlow.

Now, back to work and on to more growth!

New Year's Food for Thought

A quick excerpt I enjoyed reading from My Fit Foods  in their Tip of the Week. Love their quick, to the point suggestions on living a healthier, happier lifestyle.  It motivates me...and I'm all about being motivated after a crazy 2012 4th quarter and busy Christmas!  

 Be "un-perfect". 

That may be the best made up word and New Year’s resolution ever!  Perfection is a trap.  If you wait until the situation/weather/way you feel is perfect then you will find precious days and years will pass you by.  Now is the time to dance in the rain.  So many times in life, we want to wait until the storm passes until we make a change, start something new or just enjoy life.  You are in control of the choices in your life, and now is the best time to start achieving your goals.

Here are 5 simple ways to start making the most out of life!

1. Put your mind to it.  Believe…such a simple word with so much power!  Think of your brain as fertile soil and your words and thoughts as seeds.  When you plant positive thoughts and beliefs, just like seeds, that is what grows.  Plant a tomato seed, grow a tomato. Negative thoughts and self-doubt act as weeds that can sabotage.  Each day, visualize your goals and believe you can achieve them.  "I am the greatest of all time."  Muhammad Ali said that thousands of times, and millions of people agree he was the greatest of all time.  He began that journey by telling himself first, and so can you.
2. Take action each day to form new habits.  If you decide that workouts are going to happen before work each morning, then schedule it like a business appointment. Each time you perform that action, it starts to become part of a routine.  Consistent routine then forms habit.  Picture this:… a 3 year old that had to get him or herself ready for school in the morning.  Alarm goes off and BAM! The race against time starts! Spring out of bed, teeth brushed, shower, hair, breakfast, news/traffic report, and off.  Not likely, right? For a 3 year old, heck, the process of just getting dressed in the morning without crying is sometimes an accomplishment!  But over time as we get older getting ready in the morning becomes simply “our routine.”  In starting new things, you sometimes can feel like that overwhelmed 3 year old just trying to get your pant leg on, but as you take action and stick with it, everything will simply fall into line…into your routine.
3. Label your actions in two categories:  Goal achieving & Stress Relieving.  Goal achieving activities are productive and move you closer to your goal and success.  Stress relieving activities (such as binging on junk food, gossiping, t.v., procrastination, and excessive alcohol consumption) all feel good at the moment, but waste time and derail you from long term success.   Make sure all your actions are goal achieving!
4. 30 seconds of willpower.  You ever notice that it is typical only “moments of weakness” that can start to unravel you.  Practice 30 seconds of will power to say no, distract yourself or find a healthy, goal achieving activity to keep on course.
5. Plan ahead.  In the battle of hunger and the bag of tortilla chips – the chips will always win.  Be prepared for the day with your meals and snacks that will keep you on track and feeling great.  Eat every 2-3 hours starting with a protein based breakfast.

Road Warrior Mommy

Wow, I can't believe it's been 5 months since Autumn was born!!

I am about to leave for my 3rd traveling research project. Does the travel ever get easier now that I have a baby at home??

Our newborn photographer posted this picture of our sweet cupcake on her blog--just saw it!

Top 10 Things To Do in Nevis

#1 -- Go sailing with Irene & Steve on The Star. Not only were they really cool and took us to the best snorkeling areas around the island, they also fed us a great lunch from their own organic garden. Seriously, it was fabulous!

#2 -- Drink Killer Bee's @ Sunshine's on the beach. Need I say more?

#3 -- Let Calvin Klein take you on a tour around the island....as

#4 -- Rent a scooter to tour the island but be careful of the stray donkeys!

#5 -- Eat lobster at Gallipot.

#6 -- Sing karaoke on Thursday night with the empty nesters and local staff at Nisbet Plantation.

#7-- Stay at Nisbet Plantation.

#8-- Keep your camera handy so you won't miss a good shot of the very fast monkeys lurking in the trees....everywhere!

#9 -- Lay in the closest hammock for hours and read.

#10 -- Be nice to EVERYONE because they all know each other in this island of 10,000 people. And many are related.

Dallas Home Renovations

Besides research, my life has been taken over with trying to renovate a home in Lakewood area of Dallas and I have decided...rennovating is not fun.

However, I have had several friends and family who have been

But if you're looking to renovate and trying to decide what to do, how to personalize AND make it ultra cool, here are a few things that others have taught me along the way.

With the help of a few of my friends who actually enjoy the hunting experience,

Local Dallas:
Dulce
Antiques Moderne
Lula B's

Insight into Social Media Users

Step right up folks! It’s the social media bandwagon. I’m on it, you’re on it, and with the recent study from Anderson Analytics, marketers better be on it. At this point in the game, most marketers are, but this study reveals some interesting findings on what your preferred social network says about you.

Apparently, I’m all about the business or the benjamins, because I prefer LinkedIn over other social networking sites. I’m also more likely to own top of the line electronic gadgets, like HD televisions, blu ray players and digital cameras.

The study found 60% of Americans are social network users, but the study defined a user as someone who had uses a social network at least once a month. The average user collectively spends about an hour each day on social networking sites.

So what does your social networking site say about you? Or more importantly, what will this study tell marketers, specifically online marketers? Here are some findings that really jumped out at me:

• 52% of social networkers had friended or become a fan of at least one brand on Facebook. Getting individual endorsements on Facebook can be a HUGE marketing accomplishment, because when someone becomes a fan of a brand on Facebook, he or she is saying “Brand X is apart of who I am and I want everyone to know about it.” The brand has not only produced brand loyalty in said-user, but that brand is also reaping the benefits of word-of-mouth advertising. When asked their feelings on seeing a brand on a social network, 17% felt positive and 19% said negative.

• When asked if they want more communication from brands 20% said yes. I think this percentage would be higher if it’s the right kind of communication. If brands communicate the message their target consumers want to hear and in a way they want to hear it, then they will want to hear from the brand.

• Social media users are four times more vocal than non-users online, such as commenting on discussion boards, forums, blogs, etc., which means they would be more likely to be vocal about announcing on the World Wide Web their feelings, both positive and negative, about a brand experience.

• Out of the four user groups defined by the study, Anderson said social media mavens are the key group for marketers not only because of their high incomes and decision making power, but also their large social media footprints can make them excellent brand allies or evangelists.

• Users preferring Twitter are big into pop culture.. movies, music, TV and reading and their buying habits mirror that. They are more likely to buy movies, books, shoes and cosmetics online than other network users. So marketers, take the hint and get on Twitter.

• LinkedIn users have the highest income averaging at $89,000, and they are also more interested in high-tech gadgets, as well as the gym, yoga, spa treatments, golf and tennis. Hello luxury and travel brand marketers.

I’d love to hear others take on these findings listed in more detail on Advertising Age.