Greenhorn Creek Guest Ranch

It was Ryan's birthday this past week, so I surprised him with a mini-vacation to Quincy, CA to Greenhorn Creek Guest Ranch. 

We had an amazing time! I always learn something new about myself each time I step out of any comfort zone. And this is the reason I love taking mini-vacations - traveling and exploring new places, especially with Ryan!

This time, we also brought the dogs with us. Greenhorn is extremely accommodating to dogs, so it worked perfectly for us!

Heading out of Town.

My Babies.

Ryan & Ms. Rae.

Ranch Chuckhouse.

Absolutely gorgeous views.

Getting ready to ride.

Ryan ahead of me on Dolly.

When Cody met Dolly.

Ranch Saloon.

Fiona hanging out in the Saloon with us.

Sweet, little girl who loved Fiona.

We loved the Saloon! Best Saloon Bartender around:)

Always in love with the country look.

Simple, beautiful and open!

The dogs loved all the space!

Running back to our room. Trying to catch up to Ryan & Reagan.

Driving home. Absolutely exhausted. (And yes, somehow we all fit in the front seat!)

If you ever have the chance to get to Greenhorn Creek Guest Ranch, I highly recommend it! They were the nicest, most down-to-earth people I've met in a long time! Everything about the place from the people to the atmosphere to the activities and overall ambiance is simple, stress-free, active and yet magnificently peaceful! 

Furthermore, I really love them because when I was researching "dude ranch" and stumbled upon them, I was able to find out even more about them via their Facebook Page and Twitter Profile! I was impressed with what I saw, and I truly believed that "sealed-the-deal" for me!

So what did I learn about myself this weekend?

1. Being active does not just mean "24/7 in-the-gym bootcamp-style rah-rah-rah." It can mean a weekend getaway (or any "daily getaway") with movement. We were highly active this weekend - always out running around with the dogs and horseback riding. I didn't feel an ounce of guilt for not being in the gym! (But I am also excited to begin my new program tomorrow!)
2. I love horseback riding! 
3. I CAN disconnect from my "digital life." I had no cell service. I barely jumped on my computer. Though it was tempting to be on the computer more, staying away from it from time-to-time is not only a good thing, but an absolutely critical thing for my mind, body and overall well being!

FINALLY, my husband and dogs reminded me that no matter where I am - California or Minnesota - HOME is truly where they are (HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RYAN - hope you loved it)!

And I hope all of your weekends were healthy, fit and fantastic as well! 

CHEERS!

I'll Make it through...Thank You Mr. Coconut Butter

Have I ever told you before about my Artisana Organic Raw Coconut Butter? If not, now is the time. If so, tough - listen again because it's that good!

Today is Day 3 of my GAPS. Overall, I feel better than I did the 1st two days. But I'm still virtually carb/sugar free. Oh it's so hard! You don't realize it until it's gone. You can say you've given up sugar, but just because you are eating "sugar-free" or "artificial-sugar" products doesn't mean you are actually sugar-free. And that's the rough part. I was thinking, "A sugar-free stick of gum or some sugar-free jello sure would taste great right about now."

But then I remembered a "sugary taste" that I can have (and that I should have) that I haven't had yet (except a little yesterday) - Artisana Organic Raw Coconut Butter. It is so unbelievably good! I just eat it plain, for the calories and for the taste. I try to limit to 2 Tbsp/day, but if I go over, oh well! For "normal" people, you can put this on toast, fruit or any baked goods. For me and for anyone else like me, eating it plain suffices way beyond belief! Do yourself a favor - get yourself some today. You can thank me by posting pictures (you + Mr. Coconut Butter) on my Facebook Page or Tweeting at me!

In other news, I had my doctor's appointment today.  All my tests came back fine. He is still certain there is something going on (obviously) especially since I have cut Wheat, Gluten and Dairy and "magically" I'm better. I have another endoscopy next Friday. This time, he said, "the tube will be longer." And if that shows nothing, he said that I may be the rare (handful) of his patients that don't ever show things by blood work or other tests/panels, yet have an intolerance that is only "cured" by keeping away from those foods.  


I will do whatever it takes to feel better. Whatever!

Day 3 Food:

• Slow-cooked chicken
• Magic Mineral Broth
• Homemade chicken broth
• Slow-cooked turkey
• Lean beef
• Avocado
• Broiled chicken in Coconut Oil
• Raw Coconut Butter
• Probiotics

I had more energy today, but still not a ton. I was able to make it through a 35 minute (fairly intense) workout before I crashed. After the doctor's appointment, I felt tired again. I just need rest because I know the end (of the fatigue) is in sight. And that is super encouraging and inspiring to me!

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!