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Design*Sponge at Home

Friday, September 30th, 2011

Last night, we had the pleasure of meeting Grace Bonney from the design blog Design*Sponge at the Seattle book launch for her new book, Design*Sponge at Home.

On a daily basis, Design*Sponge demonstrates the importance of visual design in all aspects of life. From interior design and flower arrangements to web and packaging design, Grace’s blog has been a guiding light for thousands all over the world. She also has a popular column called Biz Ladies, which addresses just about every topic you can imagine that has to do with running any kind of business!

Design*Sponge at Home, includes 70 home tours, 50 DIY projects, step-by-step DIY basics tutorials, 50 before & after makeovers submitted by readers of Design*Sponge, and essential tips on modern flower arranging, with 20 arrangements.

Throughout the years, Grace has been a huge inspiration for many members of the CRAVE team. Not only is she stylish, thrifty, imaginative and smart, she is humble about her successes and extremely down to earth. Meeting Grace—if only for a minute!—was an absolute dream.

Buy the book on Amazon, or click here for a full list of stores.

Posted in What Not to Wear for Your Business | No Comments »

Put A Twi$t On Your Business Model

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011

As a business owner I know you are working very hard in your business, serving clients and staying on top over everything else that needs to be managed.

But what if all the hard work you are currently doing is not necessarily the most effective way to grow your business?

A solid business is built around a business model that works. If you think you have a great business model in place then it will only take a few minutes to confirm that this is the case.

If you aren’t quite sure if your business model is functioning optimally, now is the perfect time to give it a quick check-up and find out.

When I talk about your business model I simply mean the way your business makes money. Think about these basic components:

* Your business offer products and services

* You sell them for a certain price

* A certain number of people buy them (once or even better, repeatedly)

* You deliver them in a certain way (in person, electronically, third party, etc.)

Why not revisit your business model to see if there are a few ways you can change it. This doesn’t have to be complicated, simply take a piece of paper and a pen or open a new file on your computer.

Write down all the products and services your business currently offers, the price for each, how many clients you have who purchase each offer and how frequently. Total this up, subtract your costs, and see if this structure is going to bring you the financial results you want.

Now imagine how many different ways you can upgrade your business model to attract more business and leverage what you already have.

Get creative and try out several combinations of products and services. Here are some ideas:

- Perhaps you can add something new, additional revenue streams.

- You can also think about increasing the amount of what you already deliver.

- Or maybe at this point it’s even best to remove a part that isn’t profitable.

- Consider changing the way you deliver your products and services.

- What if you didn’t change a thing except to increase the prices (speaking or pricing, when is that last time you increased the prices for your products and services)?

Let’s use the business model of a consultant as an example.

CURRENT BUSINESS MODEL

Product/Service: Consulting services delivered by the consultant alone

Price: Per hour

Clients: One at a time full time or two to three part-time

Delivery: In person

UPDATED BUSINESS MODEL

Product/Service: Consulting in person delivered by the consultant, additional consultants working for you, speaking, selling intellectual property (an ebook, audio, or other information product)

Price: Consulting per project (and part of the fee for consultants working on behalf of the consultant), speaking per event, intellectual property per item

Clients: Many at one time

Delivery: In person, automated (via the internet)

Are you starting to see the possibilities for your business? Renewing your business model can re-inspire your enthusiasm for what you do as well as increase your desire for marketing your business.

A healthy business model is the foundation for a successful business. Take time to examine your business model and make sure it is the strongest it can be.

With a few simple changes, you will probably make more money and you may even find that you don’t have to work as hard to do so. Now who doesn’t want that!

Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to set their profits on fire! Grab your FREE copy of the special report ’7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time’ plus business building tips, at: fireflycoaching.com.

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Posted in Put A Twi$t On It! | No Comments »

Blackberry Bonanza: Ultra Low Cost Girl Date

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

blackberry

Blackberry bushes are going wild right now, producing glorious high antioxidant morsels jam-packed with polyphenols and anthocyanins—the excellent cancer and heart disease defense chemicals found in some plants. We recommended taking advantage of nature’s bounty by grabbing your girls and heading out for a day of blackberry picking followed by cooking and cocktailing! Check out a few seasonal recipes we are loving right now:

Blackberry Mojito via Foodchannel.com
Ingredients: 6 each mint leaves, 5 each fresh blackberries, 1/2 part simple syrup, 1 part fresh lime juice, 1 part white rum, 1 part crème de cassis, 1 part club soda. For garnish: 1 sprig mint, 1 each fresh blackberry speared with cocktail pick
Preparation: In a Collins glass, muddle mint leaves with blackberries and simple syrup. Add lime juice, rum and crème do cassis and stir to combine. Fill glass with ice, top with club soda, and stir to combine. Garnish with mint sprig and blackberry.

Blackberry Chicken via tasteofhome.com
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup fresh blackberries, divided, 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, minced, 3/4 teaspoon paprika, divided, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each), 4-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Directions: In a small bowl, mash 2 tablespoons berries. Add 1/4 cup broth, brown sugar, vinegar, oil, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon paprika and cumin. Place chicken in an 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray; pour broth mixture over the top. Sprinkle with thyme, salt, pepper and remaining paprika. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until chicken juices run clear, basting occasionally with pan juices. Remove chicken and keep warm. Skim fat from pan drippings. In a small saucepan, combine cornstarch and remaining broth until smooth. Gradually stir in drippings. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with chicken; sprinkle with remaining blackberries. Yield: 6 servings.

Blackberry Salsa via Nikibone.com
Ingredients: 2 chipotle peppers, dried, 6 serrano peppers, finely diced, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon ground oregano, 1/2 cup water, 12 ounces blackberries, fresh or frozen 3 tablespoons chocolate syrup, 2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Directions: Place chipotles in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cover, and boil until tender about 15 minutes; drain. Set aside to cool. Finely dice the rehydrated chipotles and combine with serranos, sugars, salt, cinnamon, oregano and water in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a low boil. Cook until thickened slightly about 7 or 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add blackberries and cook until they start to break up but not disintegrate. You want the salsa to have a chunky texture. Remove mixture from heat, and stir in chocolate syrup and pecans. Chill thoroughly, and serve over ice cream.

Posted in Sip / Savor | No Comments »

Hot and Bothered: Keeping cool in Extreme Heat

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

heat

The recent heat has got us hot and bothered. Keeping cool when temperatures reach record highs isn’t just about comfort. Dangerously high temperatures can result in heat-related illnesses ranging from heat cramps to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The following tips via MedicineNet help you keep cool all summer long.

1. Alter your pattern of outdoor exercise to take advantage of cooler times (early morning or late evening). If you can’t change the time of your workout, scale it down by doing fewer minutes, walking instead or running, or decreasing your level of exertion.

2. Wear loose-fitting clothing, preferably of a light color.

3. Cotton clothing will keep you cooler than many synthetics.

4. Fill a spray bottle with water and keep it in the refrigerator for a quick refreshing spray to your face after being outdoors.

5. Fans can help circulate air and make you feel cooler even in an air-conditioned house.

6. Try storing lotions or cosmetic toners in the refrigerator to use on hot, overtired feet.

7. Keep plastic bottles of water in the freezer; grab one when you’re ready to go outside. As the ice melts, you’ll have a supply of cold water with you.

8. Take frequent baths or showers with cool or tepid water.

9. Combat dehydration by drinking plenty of water along with sports drinks or other sources of electrolytes.

10. Some people swear by small, portable, battery-powered fans. At an outdoor event I even saw a version that attaches to a water bottle that sprays a cooling mist.

11. I learned this trick from a tennis pro: if you’re wearing a cap or hat, remove it and pour a bit of ice cold water into the hat, then quickly invert it and place on your head.

12. Avoid caffeine and alcohol as these will promote dehydration.

13. Instead of hot foods, try lighter summer fare including frequent small meals or snacks containing cold fruit or low fat dairy products. As an added benefit, you won’t have to cook next to a hot stove.

14. If you don’t have air-conditioning, arrange to spend at least parts of the day in a shopping mall, public library, movie theater, or other public space that is cool. Many cities have cooling centers that are open to the public on sweltering days.

15. Finally, use common sense. If the heat is intolerable, stay indoors when you can and avoid activities in direct sunlight or on hot asphalt surfaces. Pay special attention to the elderly, infants, and anyone with a chronic illness, as they may dehydrate easily and be more susceptible to heat-related illnesses. Don’t forget that pets also need protection from dehydration and heat-related illnesses too.

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