An Affordable Vacation Your Family Can Enjoy This Season

It’s almost summer and you know what that means, it’s vacation time! It is always better to start planning family trips months or sometimes a year in advance depending on where you are traveling to. However, things can happen where enough time is not allowed to plan. Such as, you are receiving an unexpected raise at work or you have saved up some extra money and decided you want to treat your family to a getaway trip. Whatever the situation is, there are always places you can choose to go to that will not necessarily break the bank. Who says your vacation destination must be in a far-a-way country or some exotic island? There are plenty of good vacation spots right here in the U.S and its surrounding areas that will provide just as much fun!

According to “U.S News and World Report” there are some places that are perfect for families to travel to this spring/summer right in our own backyard:

Yellowstone National Park, which many people don’t know is located across three states; Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. Featuring views of multicolored stone pools around beautiful hot springs and the forest. Top on the list for most affordable trip as well.

The Grand Canyon, located in Arizona with fun activities such as; hiking the trails, sight-seeing the canyon, and water rafting on the river.

Washington D.C, perfect place to explore endless history walking around the national landmarks, going to museums, and enjoying delicious food around town.

Disneyland, located in Southern California. Have a fun adventure exploring the amusement park, meeting your favorite Disney characters, and so much more!

Myrtle Beach is always a good choice. Located in South Carolina, it offers endless family bonding activities such as the Ripley's Aquarium, the amazing amusement park in the area, and of course the beach!

Ways To Save Money And Time By Organizing Your Personal Space

Do you ever look around your room and wonder where you have misplaced something you use daily such as; a hairbrush, your favorite cardigan, or your cell phone charger? You will find yourself buying these same items again to only later find what you originally lost. These are all minor issues we can avoid if we have effective organizational skills. Spring cleaning is in full effect this time of year and can be one of the reasons you can save money while gaining some valuable time as well!

In order to start organizing your home, cleaning up the place is where you need to start. It’s time to make wise sacrifices and start removing old items you have not used in the last 6 months. If it is not something that you use daily, 9 times out of 10, you will not use it again unless it has sentimental value or has a holiday theme for later decoration purposes.  When you remove items that are not being used, it can free up much needed space in your home. You can also save money by reselling those objects at a local consignment shop or holding a garage sale. It pays back to de-clutter your home in more ways than one.

Another reason organizing can help you save money is mainly because when your home is free of clutter, you can grab items easier and more efficiently. This will give you more time to do other important matters, than using that time to search and look for misplaced items.  When you go to the store, you won’t feel obligated to spend unnecessary money purchasing the same items again. It’s estimated that you will probably save over $20,000 a year or more by just placing things around your home in strategic areas for better placement of scale and location. Having great organizational skills not only has a great impact on your finances, but it can also reduce stress for a better day!

Spring Into The New Season

We are officially over with winter, over with the anticipation of snowy weather, and layering up with heavy clothes to stay warm. Now we can start our spring cleaning, organizing, and packing away those unnecessary winter items. Spring is here! There’s a lot of fun to be had, new places to explore, and many activities to accomplish to help bring in that warm spring feeling!

Make the most out of the extra sunlight that we are having due to daylight savings. Spend more time outdoors; such as going for a hike, walking to the park with your family, or even planning outdoor get-togethers at your house. Having brunch is a fresh way to always have family and friends over without it having to be a such planned event. Just cook some waffles, eggs, and squeeze some fresh orange juice and there you have it, an instant brunch party!

While we are on the topic of being more active outdoors, it’s a good idea to start bringing some color and life into your garden. As important as it is to have the inside of your home clean and organized, it is just as important to up-keep the outside as well. Planting some cool new flowers and plants is a great activity to do with your family. It’s a great way to bring in a sense of community and work towards a beautiful accomplishment that you will see when the flowers bloom. April showers bring May flowers, sounds familiar? 

All the fun doesn’t have to be outdoors - there are activities to be had indoors as well. Playing cards, having karaoke night, or even organizing a scavenger hunt in the house are all great ideas! One idea that would be exciting would be to have a cook-off competition. Inviting your loved ones over to a friendly cooking show-down is another way to make the indoors more enjoyable. Making the most out of those raining days is what makes spring-time so much more special. 

D.I.Y Interior Design Flower Wall

Here is an amazing way to connect with your family over a neat interior design project! This is a great craft to do indoors especially on a rainy day with your friends and family. The past year or so, the new trend is having a wall of succulent plants.

However, cute and fun ones can become somewhat pricey. Here is an alternate way to add your own personality to your décor with majority of the items around your house. Check how cool this is!

All you will need to complete this project is:

Clear string, scissors, screw driver or electric drill, D-ring picture frame hanger, (option) glue gun/glue sticks, wood cutting board, (5) screws per board, flowers with sturdy stems and preserved Sphagnum or Spanish moss.

So here is how you can create a wall of art with just some wood cutting boards, moss, flowers, and screws, seems easy enough huh? The key is to find cool cutting boards with fun shapes whether it’s round, rectangle or diamond shaped, it will be used as the base, as the frame of an artwork. What you will need to do is lay the cutting board on the table and add 4 screws to every corner of the wood board. You can use a regular screwdriver that’s handy or a drill. Although, a drill would be much easier, and you can find an affordable one at your local store.

When you get the screws in nicely, do not screw it all the way down leaving some space about ½ inch for the clear string to have room to wrap around, as you will see later in the project. Next, you want to add the D-ring hook to the back of the board so it will be able to hang on the wall. Place the hook in the top, center spot down from the top of the cutting board. Drill the screw all the way down through the hook’s hole to secure it in place.

Next, grab a hand full of moss and shape it where it will lay nicely in the center of the board but, just enough to add some flower stems into. Place it on the same side you have the screws facing up. It’s better to add the flowers while its lying flat on the table so you can have more control over the overall look of the frame. If you need to, use a glue gun to mount the moss to the cutting board and make sure to fluff it out with your hands to give it that messy art look.

Once you have your flowers placed how you want them, grab the clear string and start from the bottom right corner, then tie it around the screw. Wrap it around about three times and secure it. With the same string, drag it diagonally to the corner across from it at the top. Wrap it around a few times and then tie it very tightly, so the moss will stay in place on the board. Do this same process again, starting from the bottom left corner screw to the top right one.

After that last step, you are all done! Hold it up and make sure it looks presentable and you are welcome to go ahead and hang it on your wall. If you are using real moss and flowers, make sure to use your spray bottle and water it down every week to keep it fresh!

For more detailed information on this project visit Better Homes & Gardens

https://www.bhg.com/decorating/do-it-yourself/accents/diy-wall-planters-from- cutting-boards/

Why You Should Use Social Media for Your Business

People use social media for everything these days. From reading the news, communicating with friends, and even shopping. For that reason, it's a necessity to have social media accounts for your business. Social channels can really grow your business, so you're definitely missing out if you aren't taking advantage of them. Let's discuss some ways social media can help take your business to the next level. 

Revenue. Social media can be used as an eCommerce to make purchases and having that option makes it more likely for someone to order when they come across your accounts.

Brand Exposure. As you gain followers, people who aren't following you will see your accounts as well. If you're frequently posting good content so that your followers like and share it, then you'll keep gaining followers. This will also allow your business to be seen constantly, so your company will be the first one that comes to mind when someone needs to make a purchase. 

Brand Development. Social media gives your company a voice. By sharing content and interacting with followers, your company has a personality associated with it and seems more humanized. That way, people feel like they're talking to someone who cares instead of an online robot.

Crisis Management and Customer Service. If your business is facing a public relations problem, you need to be able to address it quickly. Social media will allow you to do that, and it's a way to respond to customer inquiries in just minutes, giving them the instant gratification they desire.

Research. You can use your company's social channels to see what competitors are doing, which you can help you make business decisions. Social media channels offer real-time analytics to get important information about your followers like age, location, and gender. You'll also find industry news on socials, especially LinkedIn and Twitter. 

Gain Traffic on your Website. Sharing content like blogs from your website to your social 

channels can further increase traffic to your site and boost sales. 

Targeting Ads. Digital ads can be purchased through social media channels to target any desired demographic, which will drive more people to your accounts and your website.

The big takeaway is that social media is a must if you want to keep growing your business. If you plan on targeting groups like millennials, who use social media daily, then having multiple channels for your business can play a big role in its success. 

What Does a Business Consultant Do?

As a business owner, it is natural to search for the next step.  It is natural to focus on getting outside help to grow and enhance your business.  Thinking about talking to a business consultant and understanding a business consultant are two different things!  The question now is “What does a business consultant do?”

Identify Your Expectations

Think about what you are expecting when you consider a business consultant.  Are you wanting them to come in and transform your business?  Are you planning on working together with them to find the best solutions for your business?  Maybe you just want some insight from somebody outside of your business.  Figure out your expectations so that you can find the perfect business consultant match for your business. 

A Business Consultant’s Mission

Now that you have your expectations in line, you need to be realistic as to what a consultant actually does.  Every business consultant is different in their approach, but one thing is always the same. They want to help you improve your business! They will sit down with you and learn your business inside and out. They will need to know your successes and your failures. This is not to harp on your business model or point out your faults. This is to give you constructive criticism. Without that, they cannot do their job. 

A business consultant will work to improve performance and efficiency, analyze your business, and create solutions to help you reach your goals. If you are unsure of your goals, they will help you create new ones. 

What Can A Business Consultant Do For You?

This goes back to the first section and identifying your expectations. You not only need to identify what you want from your business consultant, but what they can actually offer you. In most cases, a business consultant is there to help you improve your business. They will analyze it, find any issues, and help you create a plan for change. 

There are many different reasons you might be considering a business consultant. You may want to grow your business, identify current issues, make big business changes, get assistance teaching and training staff, drum up new business, bring a business back from the edge, or maybe just get an outside view. Whatever your reason for hiring a business consultant, listening to them is the most important part of the process.

How To Start With a Business Consultant

Once you make your decision to hire a business consultant, you will need to find one that offers what you are looking for. The first thing they will do is learn your business. They will expect you to explain things like your company’s mission and your expectations. You will probably do most of the talking initially because the consultant can’t help you until they are completely informed about your business. 

Once they understand your business and expectations, they will make a plan. The plan will be based on any issues that they were informed of by management, problems identified by the consultant, and the goals of the business. The business consultant will set additional goals, decide what needs to be changed, and how to do it. They will come up with solutions for the problems, and work with you to come up with the perfect solutions that everybody can agree on. 

As the owner or manager, it is your responsibility to LISTEN to the consultant! You are hiring them to figure out how to help your business. They are there to give you constructive criticism and be objective. You will need to work with your consultant to build on your assets and eliminate your liabilities. Your consultant will monitor progress with help from you and adjust as you go. If one thing isn’t working, then it will be reevaluated. 

Why are you looking into business consulting? If you decide we are a good fit for your business consulting expectations, give us a call! You can also schedule your appointment now to see what we can do for you.

Keep Your Business Running During the Holidays

It is that time again! The holidays are here, and business is starting to show the signs of the slower season. Don’t fret! You can keep your business running during the holidays while preparing for the next season to come! Here are some ways to keep your business running during the holidays.

1. Focus on what you can do instead of what you can’t. If you focus on all the business you do not have during the slow season, you aren’t able to look at what you can do! Spend this time focusing on building a plan to better your business. If you noticed that your infrastructure isn’t functioning well, now is the time to figure out a plan. 
2. Make a plan for streamlining. Now is the best time to reflect on what you needed help with when you were in the busy season. Get a plan in place for streamlining this. If you thought you needed help with certain things, figure out how to get that help and hire somebody now - not when you actually need them! Get a person comfortable in helping with your business and then they will be ready when you really need it.
3. Show yourself! Take pictures of your holiday activities and share them with your social media followers. Putting up a Christmas tree? Take a picture of it and encourage others to share theirs. Make your followers see you as a real person, and not just a business. The more somebody sees that you care to share your life with them, the more you will be on their mind when they need what your business offers. 
4. Plan ahead! The holidays come at the same time every year. Record your sales, income, and expenses for this time. Try to plan ahead before the holidays hit so you know exactly what to expect. If you notice you spend a lot more during this time, you can either save up early, or set a spending budget so you don’t hurt your business. 
5. Stay connected with your customers. This can be a simple email, text, or even a phone call just to say happy holidays. Spend your spare time showing you are thinking of them, and that you appreciate their loyal business. This is the best time to nurture your relationships and show your clients you really care. 
6. Take time off! I know this doesn’t really keep your business running right now, but it will give you the break you need to do great during the busy season. Take a vacation while you are slow. Relax, breath, spend time with family, and enjoy having time to do this before you get busy again. 

What are some things that you have found help you get through the holiday season? If you decide you need help preparing your business for the busy season, give us a call! You can also schedule your appointment now to see what we can do for you.