Elizabeth's Biztalk posts

Client Appreciation Event

I am looking for some great ideas for a client appreciation event that would be held one day over the next month or so. It could be an event that includes all members of the family. I would like it to be an opportunity for people to mix and mingle amongst themselves as well as get back in touch with me.

This is a fairly loosely based idea right now. People have suggested renting out a local movie theatre for a private screening...that type of thing.

Are you planning any sort of client appreciation event and if so, what do you have in mind?

THANKS

Unsolicited phone calls

I have my phone number posted on my Biznik site so that members, and those folks out there who find me through Google can contact me regarding my services. I did not post my phone number on my site so that other members, or outside vendors could contact me to solicit their services.

Unlike unsolicited emails, unsolicited sales call put you on the defensive because you cannot simply hit the "opt-out" button. You have to tell the person that you do not appreciate their call. Personally I don't want to be in that position with another member of Biznik...do you?

Any sales calls that are made without your express permission are unwanted and a violation of your phone privacy. Have you received unsolicited calls from members that found your number on Biznik? Do you think that they are inappropriate?

Thanks for your feedback

Happy Birthday Judy Dunn

A sweet little bird told me that today, July 18th is Judy Dunn's birthday. If you get a chance drop her a note or post "HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUDY" here

Help Homeless Youth when you attend Bizjam

Project Cool for Back-to-School provides homeless youth with back to school supplies each fall. This year the organization anticipates that they will serve approximately 2,100 homeless students between the ages of 3 and 18, from preschool to 12th grade, living in nearly 60 different emergency shelter, transitional housing, and homeless youth drop-in centers throughout King County.

Each student will receive a backpack filled with age-appropriate school supplies, gift certificates for new shoes, dental care items and information on community resources. Project Cool allows homeless students to return to school with dignity and promise, without the stigma associated with homelessness. Starting the year on positive footing means the difference between success and failure for many of these children.

For the past 7 years I have worked with Project Cool every summer to help raise money and to gather school supplies. This year Lara and Dan have generously agreed to allow me to ask the Biznik community to please consider donating to Project Cool.

This is the 2008 School supply list :

3-ring binders (2 inch)
Ballpoint pens (black and blue)
Colored pencils (12 count non toxic)
Crayons (24 count non toxic)
Colored markers (12 count non toxic)
Composition notebooks (college ruled)
Glue sticks (non-toxic)
Highlighters (various colors non toxic)
Index dividers (for 3 ring binders)
Loose-leaf paper (wide and college ruled)
Two pocket folders
Pencils (12 count boxes)
Pencil pouches (soft)
Pencil sharpeners
Pink erasers
Rulers (12 inch)
Spiral-bound notebooks (wide and college ruled)

If you would like to donate there will be collection bins at Bizjam. If you would like to make a cash donation please see me at Bizjam and I will happily take your donation and give you a big hug and a receipt.

It takes over 900 hours to plan, transport, sort, count, assemble, purchase and distribute the backpacks, so thank you for your part in helping.

What do you know about Variable Universal Life Insurance Policies?

Recently our financial planner suggested this concept as an investment vehicle for my husband and me for our retirement and for some college savings.

Have any of you looked to the VUL as an investment opportunity?

Thanks for your financial knowledge and opinions.

IT Job Posting

This just came from a friend of mine here in Seattle.

A job at Varolii Corporation in thecorporate support IT group (of 13 people). Duties split between procurement of IT hardware (placing, receiving, tracking) and supporting our Director of IT with setting up external meetings and various other little duties.

Need someone who is detailed, can think on their feet and take rather direct and sometimes limiting requests on the fly…. Past procurement experience would be a plus.

If you are interested let me know and I will pass your name along to my friend.

What is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you in business?

One of the things that I miss about working in an office environment, and mind you there are only a handful of things I miss about working in the office environment - free office supplies and .... let me get back to you on that.

This past week I have found myself missing the camaraderie among co-workers. You know what I mean - the back-slapping, high-fiving, fist-pumping. I miss having a co-worker grab an important phone call because I had to run and make copies, or having someone offer to throw some change in the meter so my car does not get a ticket. Grab me a sandwich because I have not eaten all day and tell me that the Petersen presentation was "Spot On". I know that these things seem insignificant but they are just nice.

You can't be kind of pregnant...which is it?

One of the blogs I read suggested that there are certain things in life that inspire folks to make a steadfast stance either for or in opposition. The logic is often fuzzy, but it seems like every fiber of one’s being is involved:

cilantro
reproductive choice
the pronunciation of the word caramel
the designated hitter
clowns
blackberry pearl

What do you stand firm on?

TV Converter Box Coupons

I have two coupons worth $40 each for the purchase of those converter boxes you might need for your televisions . I will not need them so if you want them let me know and I can mail them to you. They expire 7/23/08.

They are good at Radio Shack, Circuit City, Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Precision Audio all in the West Seattle/Seattle areas.

Office Manager Job Available

I have a very good friend who owns a very successful manufacturing company that is located in South Seattle. They are in the process of letting their office manager go and looking to replace her with someone who can:

wear 4 or 5 different hats
think on their own
handle everything from customer service to accounts
payable and beyond

There is tremendous growth potential in this position.

Pay starts around $40k but they will pay more if the right person applies....

If you are interested or know someone who might be please email me and I will give you my friend's contact info.

Thanks

Blackberry Pearl - WHY???

I got a new cell phone this weekend...the blackberry pearl and I AM IN MISERY. The 24 year old salesgirl talked me into it because she loves her crackberry and said I will too. She says it will be just a matter of days before I love this phone so much that I can't put it down.

Does anyone else feel this way? How do you adjust to the letters being all on the same keys? I just want to make a phone call.

Opinions please.

A day without news?

Can you imagine a day when there is no news? Nothing to nothing to talk about or spin into a story. This video was so wonderful given the constant barage of "news" and news channels. What do you think?

Why Leisure Matters

There was an odd article in the NY Times today about leisure time. The word leisure always makes me snicker because it makes me think of leisure suits and when my grandma and I were down in Miami in the late 1970's and her friends who would play cards in the late afternoon.

The article suggests that one day (in a galaxy far far away) baby boomers will have an excess amount of time on their hands....I need to get myself some of that. All of this leads of course to specialized fields of study in LEISURE TIME and OUR RELATIONSHIP TO LEISURE.

So my question is....how do you define leisure time?

I need a caterer

I am coordinating a party for about 200 people and the theme is Green Northwest Living. I need a caterer for the event which will be June 19th 4:00 - 9:00. If you are interested in bidding the job please contact me.

Shutdown Day - May 3rd

Can you go 24 hours without your computer? For me , I think it'll be easy to spend the day in the sunshine {providing that it doesn't rain} or more time for reading {providing that I have some good reading material} or more time for knitting the sweater I have been working on for 3 months {cheers to that!}

This means we will be cut off from one another here at Biznik for a whole day, I will miss you all, but I'm giving Shutdown Day a shot.

http://shutdownday.org/

Can you? If so, what will you do? If not, what is keeping you glued to your computer.

Looking for sugarist for an awesome Fremont salon

I have a client who has hired me to help her find a new employee for her salon. I am doing the initial screening for her and wanted to put out the word in this great (EXPANDING) community.

-Current Washington State Esthetician’s License -Certification in the Advanced Sugaring Process -Experience in performing the Advanced Sugaring Technique -Show competency in sugaring all areas of the body - including male and female Brazilians

Part time but may lead to full time in near future.
(Schedule will probably include- some evenings and Saturdays)

This is one of Seattle's premier studios and besides being a terrific place to work, the owner offers medical and dental benefits.

If you are interested in the position or know of someone who might be, please let me know.

...another Excel Question

Hubby is using the following equation to compare values in an array. The problem arises when all the values are zero. Then it returns the value in cell M$3 when it should return a blank.

=IF(COUNTIF($P412:$V412,">19")=0,IF(W412=MAX($P412:$V412),M$3," "),IF(W412>19,M$3," "))

WHAT?????? Clearly this is beyond my capabilities. Any ideas? Thanks.

Springsteen Concert

Jersey in the house checking in. Of course I was there last night paying homage to perhaps the greatest singer songwriter of all time. Were any of you there? Did you hear me screaming?

Wanted: Storage Space to Share

I am all full of wants this month....roofers and now this

As a professional organizer, one of the services that I offer clients is to help them sell items that they no longer want. Well I have an amazing client who is selling many large pieces of furniture that have come out of their home AND penthouse remodels...including a gorgeous fireplace surround and custom built desk/bookcase unit.

I am looking for a place to store all of the items that I will be selling so I am wondering if any of you have a storage unit that is partially full that you would like to share access to? How about a locked garage that is not being used?

The space needs to be in the Seattle area since that is where all of the items are and where I am.

MANY THANKS.....

Wanted: Roofer

We are putting a new roof on the old homestead this summer (there goes the trip to Italy). If you know of any fabulous roofers can you please have them contact me. They must be experienced roofers, not contractors that have done a roof or two because this one is a doozy.

Many thanks for helping me get rid of the catch basins in the kitchen when the rains come.