Thank You, Triad Stage

It was my privilege to be an audience member for the premiere performance of When Everything Was Possible at Triad Stage in downtown Greensboro. From the opening notes of the live musicians, masterfully directed by Michael Rafter, who also played the piano for the production, I was as caught up in the performance as any I’ve ever seen.

Two actors alone occupied the stage, but their command of that intimate space filled the entire theatre. Kurt Peterson and Victoria Mallory bring to the stage their own personal history of pursuing a dream and finding friendship together in the process. Telling their story through spoken word and song, we arrive with them in New York City at the onset of their celebrated respective careers and stand when the last notes are being sung, not because we want to leave but because standing is the only way we know to give back to them our gratitude for what we just received.

For those of you who missed this unique two-performance run in Greensboro, it’s not too late to attend the New York City premiere on Sunday, April 29, 2012, at the 2200 seat New York City Center. Personally, I’m grateful to have been part of the much more intimate 300 seat performance in my own backyard.

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Wayfair : Bringing Nobility Back to “Homemaker”

Kristine Kennedy is on a mission. Since becoming the Editorial Director of  Wayfair.com, the largest online-only retailer of home furnishings, she has made it her mission to bring the pride and passion back to the label of “homemaker”. . .  one blog post at a time.

With a dynamic approach to building the Wayfair brand and a fresh digital presence, Kristine has made social media content her main focus by creating a growing community of loyal brand advocates and “She is committed to offering inspiration, ideas, advice and conversation to everyday people.”

The Wayfair brand is offering customers, who are passionate homemakers, inspiration and value as well as information. Committing to an active online presence on social sites such as Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter as well as having a stable of industry influencers like Kate Smith, president and chief color maven at Sensational Color, Matthew Mead, former style editor of Country Home magazine and Erika Johnson, the voice behind Radiant Republic blog (just to name a few) Wayfair shares with readers a colorful and active community of inspiration with ‘My Way Home’.

Kristine shared quite simply that Wayfair is committed to bringing nobility back to the moniker ‘homemaker’.  “We want it to be a description about those who are passionate about their home, and we all are passionate about our home.”

Note: Special thanks to High Point University for hosting the 2012 Knabusch Shoemaker Seminar where Kristine Kennedy was the keynote speaker.

Do you blog about your ‘homemaking’ adventures? If so, what makes your house a home?

Is an active online presence key to making you more loyal to a brand like Wayfair?

Were do you look for home inspiration online?

 

Climbing Out of Chaos : 15 Ways to Claim Success

Let’s face it – life can get pretty chaotic.

Every day there is a new call, text, task, meeting, play date, family emergency or event to add to the chaos of modern living. We schedule, plan and make long ‘todo’ lists – but we can only fit so much into 24 hours.

Here are 15 ways to calm the chaos and claim your success!

  1. Access Your Responsibilities. Make 3 separate columns on a sheet of paper   (family, work, community) and be honest with where you are spending your time. Look at what you can start saying no to, delegate or eliminate completely from this list.
  2. Schedule Private Time. If you want to claim your success, you need quiet time to rest your mind and reflect on what you have, need to and hope to accomplish. Treat this alone time with as much respect as you give a client meeting.
  3. List Your Goals. Write your top 5 immediate goals on a piece of paper and keep it with you. Goals are beacons in the chaos. Personal Goal Setting serves to remind us of what is truly important and helps guide our decisions in our day to day life.  At lunch, in between meetings, while waiting in line at the grocery store – as often as you can – LOOK AT THIS LIST. When you complete a goal, replace it with another one from your master goal list.
  4. Chuck Your Stuff. Schedule time each month to get rid of clutter. . . at your office, home and your car. Have 4 boxes handy (donate, give, put away, throw away) to make this process more organized. A favorite book is Lose 200 Lbs This Weekend: It’s Time to Declutter Your Life by Don Aslett and Carol Cartaino.
  5.  Learn to Say NO. For many of us – saying no is difficult. This article by Zen Habits is a great place to start learning how. 7 Simple Ways to Say “NO”
  6. Create a Board of Advisers. Whether you are a seasoned professional or a young adult, having a trusted and varied group of people who you can turn to for advice and guidance is priceless. This post from Inc. Magazine is perfect to get you started : How to Assemble a Board of Advisers
  7. Study the Masters. Regardless of your profession or trade there is, inevitably, someone (or many) whom you admire.  Learning from Leaders by reading their blogs, following them on twitter, reading their books and when the opportunity arises – engage with them. Focus on a more respectful studying of what has made this person a success . . . that includes their failures.
  8. Create a Vision Board. What The Heck’s A Vision Board—and How Can It Change Your Life? Cut out images from magazines or use your own images, sketches and pictures to create a living life plan of what you want. You can easily create or purchase a cork board to hang in a private room to create your masterpiece. When you achieve a goal on your board – take a photo, then replace that accomplishment with the next goal.
  9. Read More. There is a wealth on knowledge on the internet that comes at you at break neck speed. Taking time to read and learn things that will help you reach your goals will give you much needed rest while you still fill your head with valuable knowledge. Success Books is a great blog that has reviews of Success Books, Blogs, Podcasts, Websites and other tools that will help you claim your success.
  10. Sleep. All too often we make poor judgement calls when we have not had enough rest. From bad driving, short temper, dozing off in a meeting – none of these will help you reach your goals. Learn more about how much sleep you need from the National Sleep Foundation. 
  11. Learn How to Manage Your Time. At the end of your day write the top 6 priorities for the next day. Number them from 1 to 6 in order of importance – tackle each task until close of business. What ever you did not finish gets bumped to the top of your list for the next day. This advice comes from Ivy Lee, known as the “founder of public relations” and the man who gave this same advice to Charles Schwab back in the 1920’s.
  12. Turn Your Phone Off. When you are faced with a task or meeting that needs your undivided attention – turn your phone off. . . or for those of you who are parents – at least put it on vibrate. Giving the task and the people in front of you your undivided attention will go a long way in helping you reach your goals. Remember to Turn Off That Cell Phone! Business Etiquette Still Counts.
  13. Follow Up. Whether by phone, email or handwritten note – make time each week to touch those that have made your week great. Keep a list of those that you want to stay in contact with and schedule alerts that remind you to reach out. Here is an oldie but goodie post on The 10 Best Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Tools.
  14. Organize. When you are organized both in the physical and virtual worlds your everyday tasks take less time. Think of how much time you waste searching for files, tools, clothes or that thingy that you need to finish that home project. Woman’s Day has a fantastic list of 100 Ways to Get Organized.
  15. Ask for Feedback. It’s a good rule of thumb to always ask for feed back.  Whether it’s for your new recipe, your recent blog post or that project you just completed. Not everyone will respond and you may not always like what you hear – but those willing to offer constructive ways that you can improve what you are doing . . . they will be the hands that guide you and helps you climb out of chaos. Learn How to Offer Constructive Feedback.

What tips would you offer to conquer the chaos and claim success?

 

 

10 Things I Learned About Blogging from Apartment Therapy at the WithIt Educational Breakfast at High Point Market

Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, Co-Founder / CEO of Apartment Therapy Presenting to Withit at High Point Market

Thanks to long time twitter friend Julia Rosien, who just happens to be the Withit 2012 President, I attended the WithIt Educational Breakfast at High Point Market this morning featuring keynote speaker Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan of Apartment Therapy.

For those of you who may not know . . . Apartment Therapy is one of, if not THE, top design blog. They receive 7 million unique visitors per month (PER MONTH!), their reader base is 59% women, and they currently have 18 full time and 170 freelance design bloggers that contribute to their success!

Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan’s presentation “10 Things You Need to Know about Apartment Therapy” shared Maxwell’s personal philosophy and and the mission that has changed the way millions approach creating a home. Regardless of whether you’re a renter or own your own home Maxwell says that “your home is a path not a place.” He went on to share the “Design’s purpose is beyond “stuff” it’s how you, your family and friends feel in your home.”

10 Things I Learned About Blogging from Apartment Therapy at the WithIt Educational Breakfast at High Point Market

  1. Have a mission.
  2. Know your purpose.
  3. Be a resource.
  4. Collaborate with guest bloggers.
  5. Share your passions online and off.
  6. Know your blog’s “prime time” – the better you know your readers the more your can offer them information they crave when they are hungry for it.
  7. Visit your readers blogs and participate in their success. Comment, share and celebrate!
  8. Paths are often blurry. Your success comes from knowledge of yourself and knowing where you excel.
  9. Don’t be afraid to put people in the rooms when taking photography of your projects.
  10. Environment affects learning – make sure your blog is the right environment for your readers.

What did you learn from Maxwell’s Presentation?

How will it change the way you connect with and build your community?

Follow Apartment Therapy on Twitter and show them how much you like them on Facebook!

Be sure to enter Apartment Therapy’s Room for Color Contest!

High Point Market Makes Planning Easier With Event Calendars

This year, planning which events to attend during High Point Market just got easier with their Social Events and Educational Events calendar!

Deciding which social and educational functions to attend during Furniture Market is always challenge. These calendars are an amazing tool to keep you in the know and on time!

Here are just a few Highlights from each day thanks to High Point Market  website. Please visit the Social Event / Educational Events Calendar for the full daily listing of events)

Friday ::

 

High Point Market Kick-Off Party

When: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Where: Center Stage, Between the Transportation Terminal & Showplace

Summary: The official kick-off to High Point Market Week presented by IHFC, Market Square & Suites, Showplace, Plaza Suites, Furniture Plaza, National Furniture Mart, Hamilton Market, 200.320.330 North Hamilton. Sponsored by: Shelba D. Johnson Trucking, Ashley Furniture, Furniture Today and Home Accents Today.

Saturday ::

 

Breakfast in Bed with Leslie: Waking Up to the Power of Social Media

When: 10 AM – 11 AM

Where: Market Square, Antique & Design Center – Mezzanine Level Seminar Space

Summary: Featuring Leslie Carothers, The Kaleidoscope Partnership. Sponsored by Pandora de Balthazar. There’s one topic currently befuzzling the minds of designers, retailers and manufacturers everywhere: How do you measure the return on investment (ROI) of social media? Does it really work to get new sales? Secure new clients? Attract media attention? If you’re wondering whether your investment is truly paying off, join social media expert Leslie Carothers for a rousing wake-up call on social media metrics. Chock full of insight, specific tips on how to measure a program’s effectiveness, and real-world examples on how to connect the dots between sales, client acquisition and the kind of media exposure that leads to further financial opportunities, this presentation will kick off your Market and get your social media strategy on track faster than a double-shot espresso. Complimentary breakfast served.

 

Industry Mixer

When: 4 PM – 7 PM

Where: IHFC, The Phillips Collection IHFC – C 202, sponsored by ASFD, ART, SFC, YHFP, WithIt

 

Meet Rachel Ashwell – Shabby Chic® Founder

When: 4 PM – 6 PM

Where: Miles Talbott, 1690 English Road

Summary: Come early and receive a signed copy of Rachel’s newest book, Shabby Chic Inspirations and Beautiful Spaces. Cocktails and hor d’oeuvres.

 

IMC Opening Night: featuring the B52s

When: 7 PM – 9:30 PM

Where: Center Stage, Between the Transportation Terminal & Showplace

Summary: Please join International Market Centers (IMC) as we make our debut at the High Point Market with a concert and celebration co-sponsored by the High Point Market Authority. IMC will present The B-52s, the World’s Greatest Party Band.

 

Sunday ::

WithIt Educational Breakfast

When: 7:30 AM – 9 AM

Where: IHFC, IHFC Green Wing, 11th Floor, Ballroom A

Summary: “The 10 Things You Need to Know About Apartment Therapy”, presented by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan. Maxwell is an interior designer, author and the founder of Apartment Therapy Media, a network of blogs devoted to helping people make their homes beautiful, organized, and healthy. Today, Apartment Therapy is the web’s leading source for all things design and the most-trafficked blog in the design space. Maxwell’s talk is a compelling history of his personal story, the humble beginnings of the brand, and a general roadmap for understanding design and the role it plays in our lives. Sponsored by IHFC and WithIt. Breakfast and Seminar are free of charge. Reservations are required by email (please see event page for email details) or www.withit.org.

 

Dwell Studio’s Christiane Lemieux – Growing a Business in Today’s Digital Age

When: Noon – 1:30 PM

Where: IHFC, Green Wing, 11th Floor ballroom B

Summary: Dwell Studio founder Christiane Lemieux will delve into how today’s small businesses can get ahead and compete with the big brands by being creative with the resources they have and the free technology available to everyone. The key to growing a successful business in today’s economic, digital and sonsumer-driven age with topics ranging from sourcing to marketing to media and design trends. Sponsored by IHFC and IFDA, Carolinas Chapter. $20 includes lunch. Advance registration recommended. Reservation is secured upon receipt of payment. Mail check to IHFC, Attn: Holly Allred, PO Box 828, High Point, NC 27261. You can request a credit card authorization form via email. (Please see event page for email details)

 

David Easton Book Signing

When: 3 PM – 4 PM

Where: Market Square, Safavieh, Suite 120

Summary: Renowned architect and interior designer David Easton and rug maker Safavieh will introduce Easton’s new Indian Sojourn collection of ikat carpets for Safavieh Couture with a celebration and book signing on Sunday, October 23, 2011 from 3:00 to 4:00 PM. The designer will sign copies of his latest book, “Timeless Elegance” at Safavieh’s Market Square showroom, Suite 120. Wine and Indian-inspired refreshments will be served, and Easton will present the collection with insights into his extensive studies of weaving crafts in Silk Road Cultures.

 

American Furniture Hall of Fame Induction Banquet

When: 6 PM – 10 PM

Where: IHFC, Green Wing, 11th Floor International Ballroom

Summary: Each Fall Market, we induct industry leaders into the American Furniture Hall of Fame, the furniture industry’s highest honor. Cocktail reception begins at 6pm, dinner at 6:45pm. Tickets are $125 a piece. To purchase tickets, please call 336.882.5900 or purchase online at www.furniturehalloffame.com

Monday ::

Reception with Kathy Ireland

When: 11 AM – Noon

Where: IHFC, Pacific Coast Lighting – M430

 

“Modern Design in the 21st Century” by Dwell Editor Amanda Dameron

When: 6:30 PM – 8 PM

Where: 220 Elm, Leif Petersen Showroom 328

Summary: Appetizers and cocktails followed by the Dwell presentation.

 

ASFD Pinnacle Awards Banquet

When: 6 PM – 9:30 PM

Where: IHFC, Green Wing, 11th Floor ballroom

Summary: Winners in 16 home furnishings categories will be presented by Furniture/Today and Guest Retailers at the 16th Annual ASFD furniture design awards dinner. For more information: info@asfd.com or www.asfd.com

 

UPCYCLE Textile Runway Show

When: 7 PM – 9 PM

Where: Market Square, Courtyard

Summary: In conjunction with Dstripped Magazine, ITMA – producers of SHOWTIME, and Market Square & Suites, we’re putting on a fashion show like no other! Designers from the apparel, footwear, jewelry, furniture and set design industries are collaborating to showcase their talents. Come see these designers’ creative solutions light up the runway with recycled fabric swatches. Join us for live entertainment, food, beer and wine.

Tuesday ::

Julia Rosien of Social North – “The Digitally Savvy Retailer – Using Emerging Technologies to Engage Shoppers (and sell more stuff!)”

When: 9 AM – 10 AM

Where: IHFC, Green Wing, 11th Floor ballroom B

Summary: In 2011, consumers can know as much about your products as your sales staff before they step foot inside your store. Your business survival depends on creative and inexpensive initiatives for you to leapfrog past the competition and grab the spotlight. Do you know how to break through the clutter and capture your customers’ attention? Fortunately, a virtually limitless supply of new technologies, tools and networks are available. Social Media Strategist, Julia Rosien, will help “demystify” some of the more exciting new technologies like location-based marketing and social media marketing. It’s not rocket science but it is the smartest way to get and keep your competitive edge. “If you’re not doing business online, you’re just not doing business…” ~ Julia Rosien. Complimentary Continental Breakfast Provided. No reservation needed.

 

Currey Honors ASID

When: 4 PM – 6 PM

Where: IHFC, Currey & Company, M-110 Streeet Leve

Summary: Currey takes time on Tuesday to honor and support the American Society of Interior Designers. National ASID Board members will be on hand from 4 to 6 PM to answer your questions about ASID and to provide extensive information on this very important organization. Italian food & wine will be served –music will be a provided by Four For One Jazz Quartet and Martha Bassett & Friends.

 

Wednesday ::

“Market Trend Wrap-Up” Presented by Jenny Heinzen York – Home Accents Today

When: 9 AM – 10 AM

Where: IHFC, Green Wing, 11th Floor ballroom B

Summary: The editorial team from Home Accents Today spends each High Point Market seeking out all the latest product styles and trends. Editor in Chief Jenny Heinzen York leads this exclusive review of the hottest trends from the October 2011 show. Complementary pastries and coffee provided. No reservation needed.

 

Designer Luncheon

When: Noon – 2 PM

Where: French Heritage, Inc., 1638 English Road

Summary: Spend some time with Henessey and Jacques Wayser as they introduce over 60 new items for market and enjoy a Classic French Lunch in our Bistro. 336-882-3565

 

Courtyard Cookout

When: 7 PM – 9 PM

Where: Market Square, Market Square Courtyard

Summary: Pull up a chair and kick back under the stars and join us for our traditional Market cookout. Connect with colleagues enjoy food, drinks and live entertainment on the last night of Market!

Thursday ::

 

Complimentary Buyers Breakfast featuring Starbucks Coffee and Krispy Kreme donuts

When: 8 AM – 10:30 AM

Where: 330 S. Wrenn St.-The Platinum Building, Platinum Decor

 

 

Complimentary Buyers Lunch

When: Noon – 2 PMWhere: 220 Elm, Leif Petersen -328; Jesper Office – 324; Linon – 202; Outer Limits/TemaHome – 311 

What #HPMkt events are you most looking forward to?

How will you use social media during High Point Market?Want to write a guest post on Furniture Market for Linking Triad? Leave a comment and we will work with you to share your High Point Furniture Market Experience!

 

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