No Cheese like my Laughing Cow Cheese

Get your Laughing Cow Cheese today! No, really! There is nothing quite like my Laughing Cow Cheese. 

I'll let you in on a secret as to why I love them so much (two secrets actually):

1. The Laughing Cow Brand is all about living healthy, being fit, fabulous and achieving a vibrant life. Don't believe me? Check it out!
2. The obvious. The taste is unreal and the calorie count even more unreal. For 35 calories I get all the flavor I need when I make my "tofu-wrap" recipe (which you can view by clicking above on the "check it out!)

CHEERS!

Confused about Twitter?

Since part of my goal through this Blog is to reach an infinite amount of people, it should come as no surprise that I love Social Media. I have talked about it some on this Blog before, but it is a huge part of my life. I have made a career out of it. 

My love for Marketing meshed with Technology, the Digital and all things Social lead me there! 

If you haven't seen my website yet, you can find it by clicking HERE OR you can see it in the right column titled, "Digital Mention by she." (she = sarah hoffman enterprises)

From time-to-time I am going to put up Social Media-related posts here. I think people enjoy them and can benefit from them. 

Today: Confused about Twitter? For the full version click HERE to be taken to my original article. (QUESTION: What types of Social Media information/articles/how-to's do you want to see??)


One piece of advice to kick this off, go out and get yourself Hollis Thomases’ book, "Twitter Marketing: An Hour a Day." (I got it directly from Amazon - link/picture to the left.) I bought the book just recently. I learned so many new things, but it would have done even more wonders for me had I picked it up from the beginning!

So, Twitter: not a nasty 7-letter word

• The very basics:
  @xyz = saying something to someone, everyone in your network – people that follow you will see it
  d @xyz = sends the person a direct message – which they can only receive if they are following you
  RT @xyz = retweets something the particular person has already said – goes to your entire network
  #hashtag = a trending topic – an index of finding everyone talking about that topic
• Don’t spam.
  Don’t go on Twitter expecting to “sell, sell, sell.” As a matter of fact, until people like and trust you, I recommend not selling at all.
• Show up to Participate. And Add Value.
  Participate in the conversation happening. Engage with people. Show your personality, without talking about yourself or your business in every tweet. Say you are a Local Fitness Club. For every one tweet you put out that makes “noise,” (ie. I’m listening to my iPod and wondering what workout to do at the gym tonight) you should put out 3-5 “added-value” tweets (ie. Great article on the best fitness routines for summer). See the difference? People care less about you and more about WIIFM (What’s In It For Me.)
• 140 characters. Wait, maybe just 125 characters.
  You are allowed 140 characters per “tweet.” But if you want to be retweeted, try to fall under that so there is enough room left for added commentary by the “retweet-er.”
• Shorten that Link.
  When you want to include a link into your Tweet, make sure to use a URL-shortening service. You have many to choose from. Here are just a few: tinyurl.com, zi.ma, bit.ly and budurl. Not only, will they reduce the overall characters used, but they also provide you with a platform to track how many people click on the links you have provided!
• Find Locals Talking about things Relevant to You and Your Business
  Didn’t think this was possible? It is! One of my most favorite tools to use is socialoomph.com. You can actually track anything on Twitter you want. For example, for my clients, I always set up certain keywords that happen within a certain distance. I have them sent to me 2 times/day so I always know what’s going on. It is a great lead-generation tool, among many, many other things.
• Don’t Underestimate the Power of Twitter Advanced Search
  Local Business will always benefit from the standard Twitter Advanced Search. Just a couple of minutes navigating through it will show you all the capabilities.

Twitter is not scary. Twitter is not useless. I have skimmed over very, very basic Twitter applications and “tips.” There are thousands of tools out there to help you get the most out of your Twitter strategy.

Of all the tools, tips and tricks, nothing compares to the fact that in order for it to work, you must show up and actively engage. People like to share and talk on Twitter. They don’t like to be sold to, and they are definitely turned off by the classless “salesman” pitch. Keeping your “voice” authentic and consistent on Twitter can do wonders for you. Just give it a little time, patience and personality!

Yolo Industries

Free. And loving life!


Today closes week one for me with my new company, Yolo Industries. And I have to say, it's been an amazing week! I tend to stay pretty optimistic from week-to-week, but this week has by far "trumped" most weeks! It's Friday today and I find myself saying, "Where the hell did this week go?! I'm just getting started!" And that's the beauty - Just. Getting. Started.


I've had multiple people ask me, "What are you doing? What is YOLO?" So here it is:

1. First off, I have been hired by Yolo Industries as their Social Media Strategist. Prior to me coming, they didn't really have a Social Media presence. They had a company who did it from time-to-time, but nothing full time. I have spent my first week doing "foundational" things. I'm trying to figure out, learn and engage more with the brand as a whole. I feel that all too often in Social Media people just shoot from the hip without knowing who their target market is and/or what they want, where they shop and what they do. I'm still learning this. I will be building everything Social Media-based from the ground up. And that is so exciting to me!
2. So WHAT is YOLO? There was just an article published in the February Issue of ALIVE East Bay Magazine about YOLO Industries. Here is the article: 

Discovering YOLO Industries - You Only Live Once

As I was driving through Downtown Danville the other day, my attention focused on a huge, monster truck advertising YOLO Industries. My curiosity had me hooked and I pulled up their web address: www.yoloindustries.com. To my surprise, YOLO- “You Only Live Once”, was not a website hosting extreme sports or adventure travel, but a host to the beauty industry. YOLO names Glo Tanning, Salon Forty Sixty Two, Dabble Cosmetics, Jellyfish Spa and Route 66 Barbershop as its partners and is offering unlimited memberships for $99 a month! I was completely intrigued and decided to dive in a little further to get in contact with YOLO Founder and CEO, Chris Ruggieri. I wanted to meet with him and hear all about this brand new concept.

We met for coffee at the Blackhawk Plaza, where all of his YOLO businesses are located. I expected to see a high powered executive in a business suit, but what walked in was entirely different. Here came a young, “skater-like” dude, wearing a beanie and a track suit! “What’s goin’ on?”, he said in a disturbingly loud voice, and I didn’t know whether to laugh or be scared of whom I was meeting. But after chatting for a few minutes, I realized not only was he professional, but extremely energetic and passionate for his unique vision of YOLO Industries.

“What is YOLO?” Chris replies. “Yolo is a philosophy, a state of mind, a way of life. It’s about having fun and living life in the present, in the moment. It’s about taking care of yourself and taking chances, taking risks. It’s about asking yourself, when I am at the end of my life, would it have made a difference to have spent that extra buck, to have taken that well needed vacation, or to have taken that risk. How does all this apply to the beauty industry, you might ask. YOLO is about feeling good. When you feel good, you are happy. When you are happy, your heart is open. And when your heart is open, the possibilities are endless!”

It is by this mantra that Jellyfish Spa was created.

“I woke up one night to a light going off in my head. I thought....Unlimited services on a membership basis for $99 a month. BAM! Thus, my concept was born! I wanted to bring a totally new concept to the public, where every person could afford and enjoy getting pampered. At Jellyfish Spa, the members can get their nails done, facials and massages as frequently as they want.”

Could this really be true? I pay $90 for a one- time massage alone, I said.

“Yes”, Chris replies, “and now there’s no excuse for taking care of yourself. We are providing luxury on a beer budget for anyone who wants to make a change in their lives. For $99 a month, clients can come utilize Jellyfish Spa, they can get make overs and discounts at Dabble, they can get discounts at Salon Forty Sixty Two, and coming soon, exclusively for men, Route 66 Barbershop memberships for unlimited haircuts and spa treatments! I was tired of the typical spa experience and frankly, bored”, Chris said. “My vision was to energize and excite the client.”

And boy am I excited! The moment you step foot in Jellyfish Spa, you realize you have entered something entirely new. Embellished with all modern elements and architecture and a 600 gallon jellyfish tank, you will be refreshingly amazed. “People always ask me why I would name a spa after a deadly creature”, Chris said. “My response is simple; jellyfish are the only species that metamorphosis from an adult state back to that of an infant, thus making them immortal. And, who doesn’t want to reverse time!?”

By this time, I was completely engrossed by this man and he proceeded to tell me how he got this concept started.

“I started out in the gym industry, managing clubs and getting them off the ground, moving from location to location. Ending up in New York City for a brief time, I fell in love with the modern architecture and one day while tanning, I came up with the concept of Glo Tanning and opened our first location in Walnut Creek.”

Six locations later, Chris received his General Contractor’s License and started Ruggieri Construction, focusing on various modern projects throughout the Bay Area. Soon after, while having many family members and friends in the hair industry, he opened Salon Forty Sixty Two.

“The Salon was a huge challenge for me. Not being a hairstylist myself, I was always intimidated to walk into an upscale salon. They always seemed cold and uninviting. I had a tough audience. Not only the clients, but the team of stylists who had high expectations and a need for constant inspiration.”

And boy, did he inspire. The moment you walk into Salon Forty Sixty Two, you are consumed by its beauty and design, not to mention its bright pink wallpaper! It’s hard to imagine not being inspired.

“Our stylists are like mad scientists”, Chris said, “mixing up their potions to change the way the client perceives themselves. They are expected to know all the latest gossip, trends, give advice on relationships, kids, life and all the while looking dynamic themselves. All that and a great cut! I wanted to create a forum for them to inspire and be inspired and that is how I came up with the idea of having round tables as work stations. Most salons have you cramped in a little cubicle, hiding behind a wall of mirrors. We pride ourselves with having the ‘creme de la creme’ of the industry, and I wanted them to be able to share their wonderful creations with not only fellow stylists, but the other clients as well. Who doesn’t want to show off their happy and proud clients?”

“The owners of the Blackhawk Plaza had been so impressed with the success of Salon Forty Sixty Two, they asked if I would be interested in opening another beauty outlet. Ready to take on any challenge, I agreed, thus Dabble Cosmetics was born. I saw a niche and went for it. With Dabble, again, I wanted to create a space that was exciting, inspiring and beautiful. The idea behind Dabble was what every girl dreams of...One big, luxurious closet! You can’t resist the oozing sex appeal and charm of the space. The hot pink and black damask wallpaper and crystal chandeliers scream glamour! We spent countless nights searching for those hard- to- find product lines that are hip, trendy and mainstream.”

You’ll think you’ve died and gone to boutique heaven walking into Dabble!

“2010 is not going to be any slower of a pace. In fact, hold on to your pants.....Here comes YOLO and watch out, we’re ready to take on the world, city by city. We are launching YOLO Foundation, YOLO Energy Drink, YOLO Reality Show and my man cave project, Route 66 Barbershop”.

To learn more about YOLO Industries memberships and upcoming events, visit:www.yoloindustries.com.

“Oh yeah, one last thing.....You Only Live Once, so do it right and have fun! Let’s do this!!! “ -Yolo Industries

And there you have it....that is what YOLO Industries is/will be, what I am now a part of and what I am so excited and passionate about! I can't wait to watch the company grow and to help make that happen! My initial plans are to revisit the Website that was previously done, incorporate a Blog and all Social Media. From there, I'll strategize content, promotions, giveaways, marketing, interaction and engagement! 

It's going to be exciting! I would love to have you follow the progress! And here you can get started (much more to come):

• Friend us on Facebook - Yolo Danville 
• Fan us on Facebook - Yolo Industries
• Follow us on Twitter - @YOLOindustries

If you have any ideas/suggestions of things you'd like to see us do, please send me an email HERE!

Cheers!

How I Landed My Dream Job

Resume, originally uploaded by sarahkayhoffman.

Passion. Persistence. More Passion. More Persistence. AND....

A creative, different, out-of-the-box and fun resume that I designed around the idea that I wanted to demonstrate Social Media, Marketing and a Creative Edge through my resume. 

After attempting for so long through traditional resumes and tools, I decided to take this different approach. It made all the difference.

And so now....Passion, Persistence, Most Passion, More Persistence AND a unique approach is how I landed my dream job! 

What will YOU do to land YOURS? Click HERE to email me for more information on landing your own! Cheers!


And ps. MUCH MORE to come about my new gig!

if better is possible - good is not enough

I found a Nike Blog post in July stating that they were looking for "Nike+ 10K Human Race Ambassdor's."

It sounded like fun to me. I applied on July 30th. The first two sentences of my email stated,

Choose me to be one of your Nike Ambassadors!
I promise to make Nike proud!

On August 3rd, just days after, I received an email from Nike. Their first two sentences were,

Congratulations! You have been selected to be a
Nike+ Human Race Ambassador.

Life has not been the same since! I have a quote that says, "if better is possible - good is not enough." This quote should have been my Human Race Ambassador Motto; I am now certain of that.

From August - October 24, 2009, I would habitually wake up everyday at 4:30am. I would check my email and respond to new or existing Pied Pipers. I would then head to my favorite coffee shop to "strategize, plot and plan" until about 6am. At 6am I would hit the gym to run and/or lift weights. (Since I was asking my team to run and then run some more, I felt it was nothing less than absolutely essential for me to be doing the same. I believe: Leadership does not exist without the leader doing as they wish to have done.) I would get home around 7:30am, at which point I would check more emails, shower and head to work. I would work my regular, full-time job, from about 8:30-5pm, fight traffic and get home. The rest of each and every night was devoted to the recruitment, development, inspiration, motivation and Social Media Marketing for the Nike+ Human Race promotion and the Pied Piper Team I worked so hard for!

And then on October 25, 2009 it was over. I had given the "run" everything I had. My only hope and wish at that point was that the team I had built enjoyed it all, ran their hearts out and (mostly) respected, appreciated and were (even more than before) motivated by not only Nike+ & the Nike+ Challenges but also by me, Sarah Kay Hoffman!

On October 29, 2009 it was announced that my team, Team Pied Piper, had WON the Nike Human Race Ambassador's Challenge!

Here is what they did during that short amount of time:

• Built my Pied Piper Facebook Fan Page to 723 Fans
• Grew to a team of 1,039
  
• Ran 114,390 miles (whew!)

In addition, the Pied Pipers had the most people sync their 10K runs on 10.24.2009. Mission was 100% accomplished! THANK YOU!

The Nike+ Human Race might be over, but I still believe...."if better is possible - good is not enough." I found my Passion in recruiting, developing, inspiring, motivating, leading through Social Media Marketing and through this wonderful (and yet crazy) Virtual-osity. I am not ready for it to be over. I am not ready to stop doing what I love so much! I can't wait to help the next person and/or company get from HERE to THERE! I can't wait to watch myself get from HERE to THERE!

Thank you, Nike (for the opportunity)!
Thank you, Pied Pipers (for having Passion and spreading that Passion)!
Thank you, Ryan (my husband who didn't see me for 3 months, for supporting me)!

Tonight I'm just simply thankful.

Tomorrow morning, I'll just simply be thankful for my coffee and the opportunity to "strategize, plot and plan" my next endeavor!