With clients ranging from the Jaguar Luxury Brand, New Era Cap, Ciara, Estelle, Amar’e Stoudemire (Phoenix Suns), Lebron James (Cleveland Cavaliers), Porsche, Adidas, Xbox and more, also with efforts appearing on MTV, BET, E!, VH1, NBA TV as well as  on the glossy pages of many of today’s most well-noted magazines and blogs, this author, instructor and practitioner has asserted herself as an authority in this mysterious field of publicity.

Opening The Garner Circle PR on the turn of the millennium, her PR firm represents clients in raw, rich, and unconventional territories.

1. FINE ATTENTION TO DETAIL:

An event planner that I once worked with who served as a great teacher and mentor told me, “Plan every event as if you’re putting on the event for the president.” The goal is for guests to leave not simply satisfied, but overjoyed. It is imperative to exceed their expectations and create an experience that cannot be found elsewhere. Glassware must be spotless and free of  fingerprints and dust. Props and decorations must be secure and never fall out of place. Smart space planning of furniture must be well thought-out, for the purposes of aesthetic value, convenience, and safety. The party area must be clean, free of trash and organized at all times.

2. ENGAGING ACTIVITIES:

It’s been said many times, it doesn’t matter where the party is, as long as you have the right people. This can be true in many situations, but is not always the case. Many parties have taken place where guests do not know one another. In a situation like this, people tend to stay segregated in their cliques and make no attempt to talk or interact with new people. This is why additional activities should be planned into the schedule. Games and contests can be great fun for both kids and adult parties. Certain amenities such as a pool, game room, or a dance floor are great central meeting spots that encourage guest interaction. The buffet and the bar should also be strategically placed because most conversations take place around food or drink.

3. SETTING THE MOOD:

Creating the perfect ambiance for the perfect party makes all the difference. This includes all forms of lighting, music, accessories, and the attire worn by guests. It is important to remember that each event is unique and the setting and style must be tailored to each particular event. For instance, at certain events it would be more appropriate to have a candlelit environment to convey a romantic tone, as opposed to artificial colored lighting to encourage dancing at a high-energy celebration.

4. FOOD AND BEVERAGE:

In the catering world, presentation is everything. All food must look appealing and taste even better. Something may taste delicious, but no one would try it if it looks like a messy concoction of ingredients thrown together.

Not only should it look tempting to guests, but small finishing touches can give dishes artistic flair and personalize the cuisine. Also, keep in mind that the beverages served should always compliment what is on the menu to create a robust and perfect combination of  flavors for your palette.

5. PERSONALIZE EACH PARTY, ACCORDINGLY:

What truly makes an event magical to guests is their sense of feeling welcomed as if their arrival was highly anticipated by many. For all crowds, large and small, it helps to envision each event as targeting a certain “market.” Each group has individual needs or preferences when it comes to food, music, and activities. It helps to know the audience and what they expect to get out of attending a party.

One’s job as a host is to be delightful, warm, and welcoming to every single guest who attends an event. Just by sending a warm greeting or periodically making small conversation with guests touches people and makes them feel like an important part of any occasion.

- Ingrid Priscilla Wiggberg is a successful Event Planner in metro Atlanta who specializes in dream parties and dream weddings. She can be reached at The Party Makers 770-853-2069.

No one ever saw it coming.

Skid-e-Kids Network launched the site in December of 2009, just three months after the initial conception of the idea. “We want to take over the world,” says Brandon Mychals, the company’s Account Executive and Chief of Operations.

Godwin and Mychals were both winding down careers in the entertainment industry when they recognized the potential wealth an internet company could gain. Using industry connections, the two men took their ideas and made them a reality. “When it comes to kids, we think this is something that’s long overdue,” Mychals says.

The overall goal of the company is to “improve the quality of life between the parent and the child,” says Mychals. He explains that through the website, children can make friends, play games, write blogs, and join groups while their parents are doing the same things with other parents. Mychals says that the site was designed with the child in mind. While the website is still very young, it is not at all underdeveloped. It was initially created for kids between four and eleven years old, but that has changed. Mychals says, “We’re going to let the people on the site tell us the way they want it to go.”

“Skid-e-Kids” is an acronym for Super Kids In Development Enjoying Kindled Interest Driving Success. Although it is a website for kids, it has something for everyone. Parents might find the site useful for making extra cash, networking, chatting, or blogging about parenthood. For teachers, the site has activity sheets, game ideas, homework tools, and a pen pal function.

In early March, the website will be launching their newest function, Toys and Games Swap. Brandon Mychals says, “It is basically an eBay for toys.” Members of the site can gather gently used toys and games and sell them to other members with no upfront costs.

Mychals mentions another way to use the site to raise funds is to advertise your fundraising cause on the website. It is a sure way to gain exposure. Already, the website has had over one million visitors worldwide.

The website also features a number of colorful characters who are citizens of “Skid-e-Ville”. In the beginning, the characters were marketing tools created to be role models for kids and a means of moderating the site. Since then, the cartoons have taken a life of their own. “They have a say-so in the direction they go,” says Mychals.

Each cartoon character, he explains, represents a different type of personality. One character, Hang Time the friendly ghost, is an athlete. He is not the best at playing sports and he has never won any awards, but he never gives up.

Something Mychals hasn’t told anyone is that Skid-e-Kids.com will soon be releasing a quiz that allows members of the website to see which character they are most like because he says, “There is a character to [reflect] every type of child.”

The founders of Skid-e-Kids Network agree that their journey has not been easy. There have been lifestyle adjustments and sacrifices along the way. Mychals says, “For me, it’s a lot of work. Each day we want to make progress.” He says that the sacrifices he has made for the company don’t feel like sacrifices in retrospect “because results outweigh everything else.”

Mychals says he hopes the work he has put in will be a blueprint for a very successful legacy. To other rising entrepreneurs, Mychals says, “My advice is to make sure you donate time to your dream. If you don’t, it will burn off.”

The website is currently endorsed by the Department of Education in Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. They are also in partnership with Communities In Schools, an organization dedicated to connect community resources with schools to help young people successfully learn, stay in school, and prepare for life.

Projected to be “the next Google” in terms of its fast growing success, Skid-e-Kids.com and the Skid-e-Kids Network represent the future of social networking. Their key to success, Mychals says, is to “force what’s in the outer world to match what’s in your head.”

-Alesha Johnson

Luisa Margarita Ayes is a native of Puerto Rico. She completed major studies in marketing at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. Highly motivated, energetic, enthusiastic, creative and social are some of the qualities that best describe this successful businesswoman.

Ms. Ayes is a co-founder of Hispanic Marketing Group, Inc., which is dedicated to linking corporate America and the Hispanic Community. She is also a co-founder of the popular and well-attended Festival Peachtree Latino.

Press Release from http://pitchengine.com

SIX ATLANTA WOMEN TO BE RECOGNIZED AT 2ND
ANNUAL CHOZEN AWARDS IN HONOR OF WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

Cocktail Reception on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at Artist Trifecta Gallery

03.05.2010 – Atlanta, GA (March 1, 2010) — The CHOZEN AWARDS pulls out all the stops in time for the 2nd annual awards and cocktail reception. The event will take place on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at the Artist Trifecta Gallery (161 Mangum Street) in Atlanta’s Castleberry Hills district.

The highly anticipated community-based awards recognize the unwavering efforts of individuals and businesses that go above and beyond the call of duty. This year in honor of Women’s History Month, in addition to acknowledging the accomplishments of the nominees chosen by the people in the areas of business, health, music and entertainment, the CHOZEN AWARDS will also honor six dynamic women across Atlanta.

The group of honorees includes: WNBA Atlanta Dream General Manager and Head Coach Marynell Meadors; Georgia Institute of Technology Professor Dr. Catherine L. Ross; Recording Artist Monica; Entrepreneurs Luisa Margarita Ayes (Festival Peachtree Latino) and Dee Dee Cocheta-Williams (A.B.C. Publicity) and Radio and Television Producer Nina Brown (Frank & Wanda Morning Show).

A special presentation will be made to this multicultural group of professionals on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. at Artist Trifecta Gallery, located at 161 Mangum Street #102, Atlanta, GA 30313, in addition to the winners of the online voting taking place now until March 17 at www.chozenawards.com.

This year’s sponsors include Artist Trifecta Gallery, Real Atlanta Magazine, The Style Suite, Deep Standard, Just BE, SIR Magazine, Only In the A and CHOZEN MEDIA.

The CHOZEN AWARDS
Established in 2008, CHOZEN MEDIA, a trend-setting, Atlanta-based, multimedia company, created the CHOZEN AWARDS to inspire, impact and empower the Greater Atlanta community in honor of the unsung heroes who are the lifelines of this city. Nominees are selected in the areas of business, entertainment, health, hospitality and the arts and are voted on by the public.

For more information about the CHOZEN AWARDS please visit www.chozenawards.com or contact Lenora Bowler, lb@justwant2be.com, 404-840-0516.

Attorney Rooks was admitted to the Georgia Bar in November 2000. She is a member of the Georgia Court of Appeals, Georgia Supreme Court, and the Eleventh Circuit United States Court of Appeals for the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia. She is the owner and principal of Shana M. Rooks & Associates, LLC.

Professional affiliations and memberships include, Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Gate City Bar Association, Clayton County Bar and the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia. Attorney Rooks was awarded the National Order of Barristers in 2000. She was a member of the National Moot Court and ATLA Moot Court Teams, and the Executive Editor of the Sports Lawyers Journal while at Tulane.

Attorney Rooks values her call to service and believes to whom much is given, much is required. She graciously serves as the Second Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity, President of the Board of Directors for Shoot the Hoop, Inc., and President of the Board of Directors for the Southern Crescent Pearls Foundation Inc, an affiliation of Psi Alpha Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.  Shana is also the Corresponding Secretary for Psi Alpha Omega Chapter and the Chair of Savor The Taste, the chapter’s premiere male cook-off and signature fund-raising event.

Attorney Rooks is a 2006 graduate of Leadership Clayton and also serves the citizens of Clayton County as a Clayton County Juvenile Court, Judge Pro Tempore and a Former Magistrate Court Judge. She is also a member of St. Philip AME Church in Decatur, Georgia.

Regardless of what you may have heard,

Here are some basic steps you should take to help ensure the survival of your business.

Determine who will succeed you. Will it be family members, your business partners, your employees, or an outside buyer? Each choice requires a different plan.

Prepare a time line. Barring death or disability, when and how do you plan to exit the business? Well in advance of your planned departure, equip your successors with the skills and experience necessary to take over.

Maintain complete and accurate financial records. Your company’s financial history is essential to preparing a fair business valuation. An accurate valuation is important for several reasons. First, you deserve a fair price for your business. Second, a buyer and his creditors will want evidence that the purchase price is fair. Finally, your company’s
valuation may have to withstand IRS scrutiny.

Create a financing plan. Your plan might include life and disability insurance, an employee stock ownership plan, or a stock redemption plan. Whatever your plan, it should take your future financial needs into account and provide a method for your successors to meet those needs.

Surround yourself with a team of advisors. Your accountant, your attorney, your banker, and your insurance agent can each have an important role to play in completing your plan. Failure to plan for an orderly transition can result in financial losses or even the loss of your business. A well-designed plan, on the other hand, can protect your family, your employees, your co-owners, and your customers.

Call By The Book Accounting for assistance in setting up a succession plan for your business at 678-608-2775.

Born in Staten Island, New York, Ingrid Priscilla moved to Georgia in 1991. The combination of the witty and wise New Yorker teachings of her parents and the sweet, Southern hospitality of her childhood gave her the best of both worlds, and shaped her into who she is today.

Ingrid Priscilla has been involved in planning parties and various events for as long as she can remember. Her mother, known for her art of entertaining and hosting, is the main inspiration for her desire to pursue event planning as a career. After her mother’s passing, she felt the need to take this inherited gift to the next level by starting a professional event planning business.

Because of this passionate spark that ignited the launching of The Party Makers, it is her main goal to transform one’s dream party into a reality. With Ingrid Priscilla’s fine-tuned attention to detail, sharp creativity, and strong understanding of how to create the perfect event, every client is treated as one of a kind.

The Party Makers’ mission is to give its clients an experience that is unique, magical, and unforgettable. 770-853-2069

As soon as you meet Lisa Nicole Cloud

Lisa’s in-depth experience in Sales & Marketing, Strategy Development & Implementation, and Training for several Fortune 100 companies has enabled her to revolutionize and build a large Direct Sales business in the Telecommunications and Technology industry. As a result of her groundbreaking achievements, she began and launched a successful direct marketing company, Elite Marketing Strategies. Her focus and success has been in the areas of Personal Development, Executive Coaching and Network Distribution Building Strategies and Training. To compliment her training and coaching techniques, she has produced several audio training series on Personal Development and Direct Sales Building Strategies.

Over the last several years, Lisa has conducted several hundred high-energy leadership trainings and sales seminars throughout the US and abroad in which she impacted and trained thousands of representatives in areas of Direct Sales, Personal Development and Professional Networking. She has provided consulting services in the areas of Marketing Strategy Development & Implementation and Organizational Development for companies in various business sectors such as Healthcare, Sports Entertainment, Information Systems, Pharmaceuticals, and Telecommunications, just to name a few.

Don’t let her small stature fool you, Lisa is a Little Dynamo! Dynamic, Captivating, Charismatic, Passionate, and Genuine, are often terms used to describe her. Lisa’s mission in life is to help people identify their God-given talents so they can do more, be more, achieve more and impact our community in a positive way.

Lisa will motivate and inspire any audience as she consistently applies Management, Psychology, Personal Development and Leadership principles, bringing real life experiences to her presentations and trainings. She captures and holds her audiences with high-energy, passion, captivating stories, real life examples, and humor. Her messages motivate, inspire and produce quantum leaps in productivity and performance for any company.

Lisa shows audiences the power of dreams and shares the keys to turning them into realities through her simple message, “Your Attitude in Life determines your Altitude in Life.” Stay Focused and Live Your Dreams!

Lisa has helped develop and train thousands of entrepreneurs around the world and is a renown and well respected trainer in the Direct Sales Industry. Lisa has been featured in “International Power Magazine”, “Your Business At Home”, “Success From Home”, “The Woman’s Journal”, “People You Need to Know”, and most recently “Atlanta Business Journal”. Lisa’s new book “Live Your Dreams…It’s Possible”- 8 Success Principles for the Christian Entrepreneur was released in December 2009.

For more information about Lisa Nicole Cloud please contact her office at 1-877-486-4774 or visit www.lisanicolecloud.com.

• January 30, 2010 – Get Body Beautiful Expo: Cobb Galleria
• February 27, 2010 – Lighten Up Expo – Georgia International Convention Center
• _____________________________
• March 07, 2009 – College Expo: Cobb Galleria
• March 14, 2009 – Women of Strength: Sheraton Gateway Hotel
• March 27, 2009 – American Association of Blacks in Higher Education: Sheraton Downtown
• March 28, 2009 – Women in the Media Conference: Spelman College – Sisters Chapel
• ____________________________
• April 04, 2009 – Health Expo: 8900 Tara Blvd. – Jonesboro
• April 10, 2009 – 100 Black Women’s Day at the Capitol
• April 23, 2009 – Synergy Business Expo – Georgia International Convention Center
• ____________________________
• May 02, 2009 – Mother/Daughter Breakfast – DeShawn Snow Keynote Speaker, Dekalb Tech Conf. Center
• May 04, 2009 – Sweet Auburn Heroes & Heroines Awards Luncheon
• May 06, 2009 – VIP Media Reception for Sweet Auburn Springfest – Atlanta
• May 08, 2009 – Sweet Auburn Springfest
• May 09, 2009 – Sweet Auburn Springfest
• May 10, 2009 – Sweet Auburn Springfest
• ____________________________
• June 04, 2009 – New America Media Conference (Atlanta Hyatt)
• June 20, 2009 – Cobb County NAACP Juneteenth Festival (Marietta Square)
• June 21, 2009 – Real Men Cook – Railroad Depot (Atlanta)
• June 22, 2009 – Pure Hearts Girls’ Conference (Decatur)
• ____________________________
• July 04, 2009 – New Birth Family & Friends Day Celebration – Lithonia
• July 11, 2009 – Pleasant Hill Community Impact Expo – Roswell
• July 25, 2009 – Vendor Day Celebration – Lithonia (Main Street)
• ____________________________
• August 8, 2009 – Wellness Fair (St. Phillip AME – Decatur)
• August 14, 2009 – National Action Network Summer Conf. (Atlanta)
• August 23, 2009 – Festival Peachtree Latino – Underground Atlanta
• August 27, 2009 – Women’s Wealth Conference – Doubletree Hotel Atlanta
• ____________________________
• September 5, 2009 – Business Expo – Little Five Points – Atlanta
• September 6, 2009 – House In The Park – Music Fest – Atlanta
• September 11, 2009 – Marietta Movie Night – Laurel Park
• _____________________________
• October 6, 2009 – Motivation for the Single Moms – Morrow
• October 10, 2009 – The Pink Party – Georgia World Congress Center
• October 16, 2009 – Rainbow Push Conference – Hyatt
• October 24, 2009 – Smart Women Business Expo – Decatur
• _____________________________
• November 4, 2009 – Marietta Business Association Expo – Cobb Civic Center

———————————————-

2008 People You Need to Know Grass-Roots Publicity Tour!

• Sponsored by: Dr. Danielle Wilson & Dr. Sharon Harley

• April 07, 2008 – Bally’s – Cobb Parkway (Cobb)
• April 10, 2008 – Bally’s – Pleasant Hill (Gwinnett)
• April 17, 2008 – Bally’s – Stone Mountain (DeKalb)
• April 18, 2008 – Business to Business Mixer (Downtown)
• April 30, 2008 – LA Fitness – Morrow (Clayton)
• __________
• May 02, 2008 – Urban Network Fridays (Downtown)
• May 03, 2008 – 2009 Front Cover Photo Shoot
• May 10, 2008 – Financial Literacy, Real Estate & Wellness Expo (Atlanta Voice)
• May 12, 2008 – Holistic Health & Fitness Fair – Sam Nunn Federal Center (Downtown)
• May 13, 2008 – Peachtree City Kiwanis Club (Tyrone)
• May 19, 2008 – Savannah State University (Savannah, Georgia)
• May 29, 2008 – Women Make Things Happen Seminar (Atlanta – Cascade Library)
• ___________
• June 12, 2008 – Presentation @ Be Someone Summer Camp – Redan, Georgia (10:00 am)
• June 12, 2008 – Taking Control Of Our Image – Atlanta Metro Black Chamber – Paschal’s (6:30 – 9:00pm)
• June 15, 2008 – Real Men Cook (Georgia Railroad Depot)
• June 17, 2008 – Presentation (Branding) Michon’s Loft
• June 20, 2008 – Apex Museum (Juneteenth Celebration – Downtown)
• June 21, 2008 – Cobb County NAACP (Juneteenth Celebration – Marietta Square)
• June 25, 2008 – Public Speaking 101: What They Don’t Teach You In Toastmasters (Sandy Springs)
• June 26, 2008 – Women Make Things Happen Seminar (DeKalb – W.C. Brown Library)
• ____________
• July 23, 2008 – Life Lessons I Learned From A 110 Year Old Georgia Doctor (Buckhead)
• July 28, 2008 – Life Lessons I Learned From A 110 Year Old Georgia Doctor (Hampton)
• July 29, 2008 – Life Lessons I Learned From A 110 Year Old Georgia Doctor (Fairburn)
• ____________
• August 12, 2008 – Life Lessons – Dr. Denmark (Riverdale)
• August 14, 2008 – Life Lessons – Dr. Denmark (Clayton)
• August 19, 2008 – Life Lessons – Dr. Denmark (Morrow)
• August 26, 2008 – Public Speaking 101 – What They Don’t Teach You In Toastmasters (Tyrone)
• August 28, 2008 – Life Lessons – Dr. Denmark (Downtown Atlanta)
• _____________
• September 02, 2008 – Life Lessons – Dr. Denmark (Lovejoy)
• September 13, 2008 – For Sisters Only (World Congress Center)
• September 14, 2008 – For Sisters Only (World Congress Center)
• September 20, 2008 – Public Speaking 101 (Peachtree City)
• September 30, 2008 – Public Speaking 101 (Morrow)
• _____________
• October 3, 2008 – Sweet Auburn Heritage Festival (Downtown)
• October 4, 2008 – Sweet Auburn Heritage Festival (Downtown)
• October 5, 2008 – Sweet Auburn Heritage Festival (Downtown)
• October 11, 2008 – Business Expo (DeKalb)
• ______________
• November 16, 2008 – Gwinnett Place Mall

Nevertheless, during the passage of time, as things grew, began to change, and demands became greater, I also needed a change.The WordPress bug bit me and I decided to give in and give it a whirl.

Now … here I am, trying to figure things out, seemingly making two steps forward, one step back, but taking it all in stride. This is not what I expected, but I’ve always enjoyed a good challenge.

Looking back, podbean.com was definitely a honeymoon period of blogging compared to my current situation.

Since January 2010, I’ve been doing the tango with WordPress and to my dismay, it’s been requiring much of my time, mostly babysitting. Because of the complexities I’ve been experiencing with this blog publishing application, or should I say, my theme, I’m not in love yet, but the possibility of it winning my heart is still open. In spite of my “not ready to jump up and down” emotions toward WordPress, it is the most popular blog software in use today.

So, I’ll continue to warm up to it and see what I can learn, continue to grow, change and evolve and maybe even fall in love. But until then, I’ll keep tweaking the design of this site until I can say, “Estoy acabado!”

By the way, I’m sticking with podbean.com and will still post there from time to time for sentimental reasons … my first love, of course. Not only that, we’re still listed as number one (myideas1.podbean.com) in their network of bloggers.

Are you a WordPress fan?

- Jacqueline

Mr. Johnson has a passion for Atlanta’s Auburn Avenue that began when he moved to the city in 1984 from Philadelphia. He didn’t know anything about Auburn Avenue or its “great history” at the time, he says, and walking the street was his introduction to the community.

“It’s been a love affair ever since,” says the founder of the Spirit of Sweet Auburn (formerly the Friends of Sweet Auburn). In the late 1980s, Johnson participated in the Sweet Auburn Festival as a vendor and in later years became involved in Sweet Auburn’s business association. In 1993, he spearheaded the production of the festival, he says, and has done it ever since.

Today his voice is vibrant while detailing Auburn’s expansions, developments and happenings on what he calls “the greatest street on the planet.” “We want to promote the spirit that makes Auburn Avenue great. It’s a universal spirit,” says the Stone Mountain resident. “The same spirit that the people of South Africa had to fight apartheid. . .that’s the spirit of Sweet Auburn. That’s what makes the spirit great. That’s why 350,000 to 500,000 people come to the Sweet Auburn Festival.”

“When I originally took over the festival, to some extent, it was a big flea market, says Johnson. What we’ve done over the years, we’ve developed various venues of the festival that include arts and literature, business and technology, a Dream Home Showcase, International Film Festival, Just For Women Expo, Car and Bike Show, the Fantastic Family Fun Zone, and last but not least, the Health and Fitness Fair. We want people to come to the festival to discover new stuff. We want them to see what folks are achieving. Those who come to the festival also have an opportunity to rediscover Auburn Avenue.”

“When I speak of Sweet Auburn, I’m not just speaking of Auburn Avenue, I’m speaking of Edgewood, JW Dobbs, Jesse Hill Jr., the community, Johnson says. And if you look on Edgewood, you’ll see there are a lot of new exciting businesses opening: young Black visionaries, entrepreneurs are opening businesses. And that is what we celebrate.”

“What’s great about the district is all of the major institutions have remained here, and they’re the ones who are supporting the resurgence of Sweet Auburn. Developments include the SCLC new National Headquarters; First Choice Credit Union Building; the restored Odd Fellows Buildings; Big Bethel AME: Wheat Street Baptist Church is planning major development; Butler CME; developing the Edge Lofts on Edgewood Avenue; First Congregational; the Historic District Development Corporation; Ebenezer Baptist Church; Butler Street Y; Prince Hall Masons also have projects in the works. These institutions are the ones that have maintained the street and are leading the redevelopment of the district. There is also great anticipation of the APEX Museum’s Phase 2, a $65 million plus Epcot type exhibit of the African American Panoramic Experience.”

“It’s wonderful when you can do something that you love to do and it’s successful. It’s a great satisfaction. It’s not a job,” he explains. “When you see people are pleased and people come out to the festival and the businesses on the street prosper, the vendors make money and the artists who entertain are discovered, that’s fantastic.”

“More important is that people rediscover Auburn Avenue and see it as a destination, a place to live, shop, dine, work, play and worship.” Johnson’s vision is to expand the festival to include Lucky Street (NW Auburn Avenue) and extend activities to Centennial Olympic Park, encompassing all of downtown, making the Sweet Auburn Springfest one of the largest street festivals in the world.

Complete information about the Sweet Auburn District may be found at www.sweetauburn.com.

Written by: Petula Wright – originally posted on myideas1.podbean.com.

Though it seems to make sense

Way back in 1927, the Harvard Business Review published a report tracking 200 companies from the beginning of the 1923 recession. The results were clear. The companies that didn’t cut back on marketing – those that advertised the most during that period – enjoyed the biggest sales increases.

Another later study measuring the effects of business-to-business advertising looked closely at the recessions of 1949, 1954, 1958 and 1961. In these tough times, sales and profits dropped for companies that reduced their advertising. In addition, when the recovery came about (as it always will) those same companies lagged behind those that did NOT cut back.

That was proven again by McGraw-Hill Research when examining the financial performance of 600 companies in 16 industries during the recession of 1981-1982. The report, published in Laboratory of Advertising Report 5262, showed that sales for companies which aggressively marketed during the recession rose 256% over those that cut back – and stayed growing for up to three years AFTER the economic downturn.

A Cahners Publishing Company study in 1980 and a Center for Research and Development study in 1990 both concluded that those companies which maintain or increase their advertising during recessionary times stand to gain the most market share during that period (an average of 1.5 points.)

Coopers & Lybrand and Business Science International put it this way in their joint report published by Penton Media in 1993: “Businesses that maintain aggressive marketing programs during a recession, outperform companies that rely more on cost cutting measures. A strong marketing program enables a firm to solidify its customer base, take business away from less aggressive competitors, and position itself for future growth during the recovery.”

There is a book of such research findings entitled Advertising in a Recession by Bernard Ryan, Jr., published in 1999. But these examples will probably suffice to tell the story.

The word “recession” has its origins in the Latin for “move backward.” In an economic recession, when those around them “move backward,” smart marketers do just the opposite. They STEP FORWARD.

By BBlackwood - Longtime creative director and marketer.

As our lives progress and things change, our taxes tend to become more complicated. Now you own a home, have rental property or even a part-time business. Not to mention all the recent changes in the tax laws. Who can keep up?

Whether you file your taxes yourself or pay someone else to file them, you are ultimately responsible for what’s in your tax return. So choosing a tax preparer is a task that you should not take lightly.

Here are some tips that will help:

1. Be knowledgeable. Although you are not (nor do you desire to be) an accountant, you should have some degree of knowledge when it comes to taxes. If you don’t know, you need to find someone who does and can explain it to you.

2. Word of Mouth. When searching for an accountant you want to find someone who is reliable and trustworthy. Word of mouth is the best mode of advertising so ask for referrals from family, friends and co-workers whom you respect and trust.

3. Availability. Having an accountant who’s readily available to you is invaluable. When you have questions after tax season or the IRS sends you a “love” letter, you want someone who will be there to meet your needs.

4. Simplicity. It is a known fact that the U.S. Tax Code is written in a language that we don’t speak. You want an accountant who can “translate” the code into plain English.

5. Qualified. This goes without saying but I thought I’d say it anyway: choose someone who is qualified. Check out their educational background and experience. Be sure the person is current on all of the tax law changes and has experience in your area of need. Be leery of someone who claims to know it all. You know how the old adage goes, “Jack of all trades, and master of NONE!”

6. Guarantees. Listen carefully to the guarantees an accountant gives. If they guarantee you a refund without assessing your financial situation, you should run the other way. A true tax professional knows that you cannot give that type of guarantee without knowing your situation.

Choosing a tax preparer can be a difficult task but these tips can make it a lot easier.

©Copyright 2006, By The Book Accounting, INC. All Rights Reserved.