CRAVE CRUSH the urban girl's blog to all that you CRAVE

Holiday Wishes!

December 23, 2009 by Lilla | Comments (0)

CRAVE would like to wish you and your loved ones a wonderful holiday season and a very happy new year!

It was a busy year for the CRAVE team and we are excited to report the successful launch of new books in Portland, Austin, San Francisco, Chicago and Atlanta!

We enjoyed the opportunity to expose new CRAVE entreprenesses to CRAVE girls all around the country, and are thankful for all the support we received along the way.

As the year comes to an end, we have no intention of slowing down. In 2010 we will launch another five books in five new cities: Toronto, DC, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Boston!

You can also look forward to new editions of the Seattle and Vancouver books. Get those calendars ready- we will be bringing you a fabulous new series of events, CRAVE chats and speakers.

This is the season to spoil your loved ones and yourself! We hope you will get all that you CRAVE – you deserve it!

the CRAVE team.

p.s- CRAVE is Taking a Blogcation, see you in 2010!

At Home Spa Party With Your Girlfriends

December 22, 2009 by Nicole S. | Comments (0)

The winter holiday season is a time to be joyful and thankful. However, every year it seems we spend the majority of our time running around trying to buy the perfect gift and appear at every event.  All of us CRAVE girls can get frazzled by the stress (not to mention the havoc the cold air is playing on our skin) and forget what is most important- spending time with the people we love! So go ahead and trade in those boots for cozy slippers, call your best girlfriends and treat yourselves to something we all CRAVE- a DIY at home spa day of pampering and relaxation.

Mani/Pedi
Sure we can all paint our own nails- but it’s so much less fun! Take turns doing each other’s nails, but let the manicurist choose a color you never would. Are you a classic red? Switch it up with bold orange or purple for fun. A flirty pink? Step out of character and don some fierce jet black nails. And don’t forget to treat your pals to a hand massage and a salon-style gab fest.

Facial Steam
Before you get ready to moisturize and clarify, treat your dry skin to an easy and relaxing steam treatment. Simply boil some water and then pour into a large bowl with circumference at least at big as your face. Throw in an herbal tea bag, and wait a few moments for water to slightly cool. Grab a towel to place on top of your head to trap in the steam, and lean with your face at least 6 inches from the water. Now breathe deep, relax, and repeat. Rest like this for at least five minutes to open up your pores.

Home-made Face Mask
This is a fun one to really play around with whatever you have stocked in your kitchen and pantry. There are hundreds of ways that you can prepare an at home facial from kitchen edibles. You can check online for different suggestions- but great go-to ingredients include honey, bananas, brown sugar, strawberries, avocados, yogurt, lemon juice and oatmeal! Special tip- if you have normal to oily skin, use an egg white. For dry skin, use the yolk.

Home-made Hair Treatment
Believe it or not, you can easily use all the same ingredient you just put on your face to double as a miracle hair moisturizer! Some of the best super products for your tresses are: honey, egg, yogurt, olive or almond oil, banana, and full fat milk. Want to get ultra shiny locks? Mix orange juice and honey.  A great post-shampoo rinse for redheads and brunettes is apple cider vinegar, blondes stick with lemon juice.

Massage
There is no better feeling than the lightness you experience after a great massage. While you and your girlfriends can attempt to get out each other’s knots- for an extra indulgence you can hire a professional to come in to give mini-massages to everyone.  The rest of the gang can sip tea and catch up on your favorite Sex and the City episodes while you wait your turn!

Tips From CRAVE Chat – Business Strategy for 2010

December 10, 2009 by Lilla | Comments (0)

In case you missed the fantastic tips given at November’s CRAVE Chat on perfecting your business strategy for 2010, check out the top ten takeaway points.

Thanks to our great speakers: Angelika Coghlan of Catwalk Consulting, Elizabeth ‘Lulu’ Miranda of Mercury Organizing Professionals, Linda McCabe of Optimal Level and Gail Zelitzky of Silver-Robins Consulting LLC

1. Don’t have your fingers in too many pies! We can’t be everything to everybody and we can’t do everything at once. We all try to be Wonder Woman, and that just leaves us over-worked, sleep-deprived and exhausted. Instead of spreading yourself so thin, put all your energy in a few specific things.

2. Your life needs to be planned! Know where your time is best spent, and adjust your schedule accordingly. Everything you do should have a reason behind it. Whether you need to attend monthly networking events to build connections or find time for yoga, make sure to pencil everything in your schedule. Including “unschedule” tasks like laundry, sleeping and eating is crucial. When you know exactly how much time you have each day, its easy to see where there are holes and it will help you manage your time more effectively.

3. Organization does matter! Most people weren’t born with the organization skills of Martha Stewart. Being organized seems like a daunting, time consuming task, but in the long-run it will save you time, money and energy. Make sure to keep a calender, keep your workspace and living space tidy. Being organized alleviates stress, and helps keep your personal/professional life on track.

4. Networking: It’s not quantity, its the quality! Networking is one of the easiest ways to help yourself and your business get to where you want to go. When you meet people it’s not having a one minute conversation with 100 people that will get you the farthest. Cultivating a few strategic relationships will be more beneficial. After you make a connection with someone, be sure to follow-up within 24 hours, so they don’t forget who you are and vice versa.

5. Ask for the business! One of the hardest parts of selling is the close. If you don’t ask for the business directly, you’ve just canceled out the other 90% of the pitch. You know your product/service is great, so make sure your pitch is tight and your close is even tighter.

6. Appreciation wins over self promotion every single time! Building long-term relationships with clients and customers will keep them coming back for more. Make sure your customer service is outstanding. People will be loyal to you, especially if they like you and how you make them feel. So instead of self-promoting, try putting the focus on them and try to meet their individual needs.

7. Competition is all around! Competing against similar local businesses is tough, but there are several ways to stand out in the crowd. Understand the value of your business. What makes you different? How is your customer service, and how could you take it to the next level? Are you marketing to everyone when you should be marketing to a smaller, specific group? Pinpointing what makes your business unique and flaunting it will make competition disappear.

8. Use cross-promotion! Have a high-end hair salon? Why not do a promotion with a high-end fitness center? Partnerships can be a fantastic free way to bring more business in the door. Be sure to be strategic and find a partner that you trust and that compliments your business.

9. Don’t forget to pick-up the phone! In a world where basically everything is done online, it’s easy to forget that people are people, not email addresses. If possible, try calling or meeting in person. Obviously, that’s not always possible, but at least try to make some of your emails have personality. People are more likely to respond well if you treat them like a individual, not one of many clients/customers.

10. Get Help! Never be afraid or ashamed to ask for help. Places like the Womens’ Business Development Center offer free classes and groups like SCORE and NABO will help you get moving in the right direction.

Author Credit- Lindsey

Spend the Holidays with Your Girlfriends

December 7, 2009 by Gina | Comments (0)

The brisk air is upon us, lit trees line the streets, and the feeling of giving is all around us. Oh, and did we mention the traffic, packed malls, and hectic shopping scene? This season, spend time with friends and family without any worries. Our advice: stay away from the malls and head out for some quality holiday time with your girlfriends. Here are some activities and ideas you can try this season for some holiday cheer.

Ice Skating
Most cities and towns open an outdoor ice skating rink surrounded by lights and holiday music. This is a great idea to do something active outside. You can usually rent skates at these locations, so don’t worry about bringing your own.

Tree Lightings
Check your community newspaper or online to find out when their tree lighting ceremony is. There are usually refreshments available, and of course, some great lights and holiday cheer!

Holiday Cocktails
Some restaurants during the holidays will have one or more special holiday drinks. Grab your girlfriends for a night on the town!

Holiday Shows
Whether it’s the classic Nutcracker or White Christmas, check to see what’s playing in your area and head to the theater. Make a night of it by going out for dinner first. Maybe the Rockettes are in your town—don’t miss that show!

Holiday Party
Throw a holiday party for a group of your girlfriends. Make cookies, egg nog, and holiday-inspired cocktails. Get the ingredients to make gingerbread houses and you can all make your own. Play Secret Santa or a Yankee Swap. A Secret Santa is when you put all your girlfriend’s names in a hat and you each pick a name. The name you get is the person you buy a gift for. Then at the party you exchange gifts. A Yankee Swap is when everyone buys a gift and brings it to the party. Then you put numbers 1-10 (or however many people you have) in a hat. Each person picks a number. Number 1 picks a gift first from the pile of gifts and opens it. Number 2 picks a gift from the pile and opens it, then has the opportunity to keep the gift or take Number 1’s gift. This goes on until you get back to Number 1 who then gets to pick from everyone’s already opened gifts.

Decorated Houses
Have a low-key night with your girlfriends. Take a warm drive around your neighborhood (cocoa in hand!) to see who has decorated their houses in lights. Some people go all out with so many lights you wonder what their electric bill is!

Holiday Shopping
Everyone has some shopping to do during the holidays, whether you’re treating yourself or giving to others. Avoid the malls, with their long lines and crazy traffic, and instead visit locally-owned shops this year. Some local boutiques have such unique gift ideas, including great clothes and accessories. Grab your girlfriends, map a route, and explore some local shops! Grab a CRAVE book to guide you along!

We hope these ideas inspire you to go out and enjoy this time of year with your best friends! If you and your girlfriends have any other holiday traditions, let us know by commenting below.

Happy Holidays!