Tips for Success

The Interview

When embarking on an interview, make sure you know the company's weaknesses and not just their strengths. You should be able to explain what drew you to that company, but be prepared to express what the company needs to improve upon how you can help them.  In other words, what can you bring to the company that they don't already have?

Words From the Wise

"Be greedy when everyone is fearful, and be fearful when everyone is greedy"

                                                                                  ~Warren Buffet

"Be loud when everyone is quiet and be quiet when everyone is loud"

~Joerg Koch

Your Daily Motivation

Royal Villa at Grand Resort Lagonissi / Athens, Greece

This "Royal Suite" is the most expensive hotel room in the world - with a price tag of $50,000 a night. An indoor pool, steam bath, massage room, office, private marina and beach, butler's quarters, and private chef are just a few of the endless amenities provided by the Grand Resort Lagonissi.

The Perfect Gift

Create a customized photo album by dragging and dropping your pictures onto one of My Publisher's versatile layouts. Choose from a variety of picture combinations and themes stemming from  weddings to travel. It is fun and very affordable! This particular website  is big on discounts - usually you will get a second copy free with purchase. Prices range from approximately  $30-$50 for a 50 page book. Results are AMAZING! LOVE IT!

www.mypublisher.com

The Elevator Speech

An elevator can be the door of oppurtunity. The odd situation of silence meets avoidance can make for an uncomfortable situation - yet we have a captive audience for that short period of time.

An elevator speech is a short, carefully prepared presentation that emphasizes a core message about yourself and/or your business.

Below are 5 easy steps to help develop your pitch:

1. Who is your audience?

2. What are you offering? Service, Product, Company

3. What problem do you solve?

4. What sets you apart from the competition?

5. Why should your audience care?

Your Daily Motivation

"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently"

~Henry Ford

Thought of The Day

Keep a jar of candy on your desk at work. You will have sweet tooth's from all around the office coming to you for a little snack. Long story short - it's a great way to network!

The Creative Follow-up

A few weeks ago I interviewed for a dream internship. I sent a thank you following the interview, and now it is time for the follow up email. I was told that for this particular position, I need to keep following up until a position becomes available. As I was writing my email, I realized how redundant it would become sending the same emails every week or two. I need to be more creative next time around - so I came up with a perfect idea...

Everyone in LA loves Sprinkles cupcakes. I have decided that in 12 days from today I will send the interviewer a dozen cupcakes. I will include a personalized note along the lines of "It's been 12 days since my last follow up, hope to hear from you soon. Happy Holidays!"

This will also make for an enjoyable holiday treat for the whole office!

Starting From Scratch

Creating a business plan for my clothing line has proved to be more difficult than expected. Sure I wrote a million business plans in college, but it is seemingly harder when you are dealing with actual decisions verses imaginary scenarios. The preparation for an investor worthy pitch involves loads of research. Professors of mine had always raved about the SBA website, and I must admit it has been very helpful. The Small Business Administration helps Americans start, build, and grow businesses. Their array of resources includes everything from lender information to mentorship programs. The website’s small business planner is ideal, mapping out the step-by-step process with useful links and resources. Also the sections pertaining to licensing, permit, and insurance information are great - being that we do not go into dept about those steps in school.

Thinking of You...

Holiday cards can be more than just family portraits sent out to the masses. Believe it or not, they are a great networking tool for us young adults. The simple gesture will let your peers know that they are in your thoughts over the holiday season.  Always make sure your card is hand written, and include your business card so that everyone has your current contact information.


The hardest part is chasing down the addresses of all your contacts, but once complete, start a database for future reference!

STRESSED - Out

It seems as if everyone is stressed out right now. Finals, the current job market, money troubles - tensions are running high. Before you loose your mind, try some of the following tips...

~Exercise
~DONT PROCRASTINATE
~Reduce caffeine intake
~Laughter
~Sex
~Music
~Eat a balanced diet
~Journaling
~Breathe
~8 Hours of Sleep
~Conquer time management
~Take a walk
~Drink in moderation

Your Daily Motivation

"How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone."
                                                    ~Coco Chanel

A Debt Free Christmas

Here are some guidelines for this years Christmas shopping:

1. Do not buy gifts or everyone and their mother, a simple christmas potluck or holiday card will be sufficient (I promise).
2. Do your research before you buy.
3. Make a Christmas budget so you don't get carried away!
4. When Christmas shopping for yourself - we all do it - go to websites such as Shopbop that offers free shipping and no sales tax.
5. Try to shop with your head and not your heart.
6. Give back - it feels good

And most importantly...DO NOT BUY THIS YEARS GIFTS WITH NEXT YEARS MONEY!

Email Etiquette 101

~Choose your email address wisely, it will determine how you are perceived.
~Always include a courteous greeting and closing.
~Be careful of your tone.
~SPELL CHECK, SPELL CHECK, SPELL CHECK!!!
~Do not fill in the TO field until email is completed and spell checked.
~Keep emails brief and to the point.
~Do not type in all caps.
~Keep fancy fonts and colors to a minimum.
~Chain emails are viewed as annoying by most recipients.

You can find more tips by visiting http://www.101emailetiquettetips.com.

Words From the Wise

"You learn nothing from success, because you have to repeat it."

~Karl Lagerfeld

There's an App for That

I love spending money! My credit card bill - lets not go there! One day I installed an Expense Manager on my blackberry, and now track every penny I spend.

This application creates a customized expense report according to your preferences. When tracking a purchase, you input the amount, payment method, catagory, and currency. At the end of every month you have the option of exporting this document to Excel. Expense Manager also allows you to set a monthly budget for each category, thus besides tracking your expenses it also works as a budgeting tool.  It will also help you keep track of what exactly you owe on each credit card. 

I have been trying to lower my expenses from month to month, using my previous expense reports as a threshold. Once you start seeing all the little expenses add up - i promise that you will begin to change your spending habits!

Overachiever

"The art of setting goals involves establishing specific, measurable and time-targeted objectives."

To be most effective goals should be tangible, specific, realistic and have a time targeted for completion. You need to have a plan of action to achieve goals – the more precise the better. Sometimes I get so caught up in random tasks, that I do not put enough motivation and time into the deliberate steps I need to take to achieve my goals. 

        I recently bought a miniature notebook that I carry with me everywhere. I write down every task I complete during the day. At the end of the week I compare my achievements with my goals. I then modify my objectives for the following week.

I have been using this tactic for a month now - I think It’s an amazing way to track your progress and hold yourself accountable!

Your Daily Motivation

Vacations!!!!

Pick a destination, set your goals, and go for it!

The Informational Interview

Lets be honest, people love to talk about themselves. Informational interviews are a great way to prepare for your chosen profession. It is very unlikely you will get turned down – and not only are you being provided with the inside scoop, but you will also stand out to the interviewee as a person who is passionate and hungry.  
                 
Below are some tips on how to run a successful informational interview: 

1. Always prepare your questions in advance.

2. Make your questions as specific as possible – you should already know the answers to the general questions surrounding your industry.

3. Be friendly and personable, put the interviewee at ease.

4. Do not ask for a job!!

5. Do not ask compensation questions.

6. Listen more than you talk.

7. Always send a thank you card.

The In Crowd

            We all make strive to accomplish goals in our personal and professional lives.  We gloat to anyone that will listen about our dreams and aspirations. Talk talk talk talk.... how do we ensure we are progressing in these goals? There are many people whom year after year have the same objectives – the goals themselves never evolve, and these individuals are no closer to achieving them. You do not want to fall into this category!

            It is often difficult to track your progress after college, you have to be self motivated because no one is forcing you to do the work. Many of us take noticeably longer to accomplish our goals, if not loosing sight of them first.

            One idea to ensure success is to develop a "Dream Team." These are people you meet with once a month to discuss your personal progress. Members of a Dream Team need to be highly motivated and eager to succeed. The goal is to stimulate the team to make big strides towards their professional goals on a daily basis. This type of group provides accountability. How embarrassing would it be to go to a meeting having made no progress? Exactly

Your Daily Motivation

"There are three types of people in this world: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened. We all have a choice. You can decide which type of person you want to be."                                                                                  ~Mary Kay Ash

                                                                              

Working the Room

Picture: W  Magazine ~ Editors' blog

While searching the internet for conversation starters, I came across a great website by Susan Roane.   On her site you can find conversation starters, networking tips, business etiquette, and much more! I thought I would post a few pointers on how to network successfully, always be prepared to make an impression at any social engagement that may come your way.  

The Art Of Savvy Networking

~Look people in the eye and make them feel comfortable from the very first meeting.

~Ask questions and listen intently, rather than scanning the room for someone more important to talk to or checking a Blackberry for incoming messages.

~Stay in touch with people − especially when you need nothing from them.

~Be loyal and look out for your friends.

~Be easy to work with.

~Have an enjoyable presence and be at ease with both men and women

~Exude confidence.

~Offer to help before asked and do so when asked

~Embrace all people, not just the right people.

http://www.susanroane.com

The Intern Queen

Photo: Vogue UK

Lauren Berger has become known as the Intern Queen, having held 15 internships while in college. Launched  in 2006, Intern Queen  is a website dedicated to connecting students with free internship opportunities. The site features internships from companies such as Sony, Nascar, and Seventeen Magazine. Intern Queen is user friendly, and internships are easy to search by location or field of study. Lauren also runs a blog where she posts necessary information about landing the perfect internship, as well as answers questions from followers.

An internship can be the first step to "getting your foot in the door", I suggest you check it out!

http://www.internqueen.com

Your Daily Motivation

                                               

   "Success comes gradually, and then all of a sudden..."

Picture: www.businessoffashion.com

Out of the SHOEbox

I have realized the Internet can be a very useful source of ensuring your success. Twitter, Facebook, Blogs – they can be used for a greater advantage than just keeping in touch with friends.

Case and Point

While reading a fashion blog, I realized the editor and chief of my magazine of choice is having a book signing in Los Angeles this week. I will be there of course, with another Louboutin shoe, a resume and cover letter. There is nothing like face to face contact!

Here are a few key steps in utilizing the web…

1. Follow your desired companies on Twitter, Facebook ect. – especially the key executives and decision makers.

2. Dial into in blogs that are related to your desired industry. For example – I have found a million fashion blogs that post amazing internship opportunities and events I would have never known about otherwise. They also updated to the minute!

3. Look out for events, appearances, seminars, ect. that may get you up close and personal with your muse.

Just One of Us

While reading a book about marketing, I came across an interesting excerpt beneficial to all future entrepreneurs.

David Neeleman, founder and former CEO of JetBlue

              JetBlue CEO David Neeleman realized early that without talking to his customers he would never be able to build a customer-centric airline. As a result of his unique approach to customer interaction, Neeleman has been featured in a variety of business magazines. When he flies, he flies just like everybody else, in coach. He even drives himself to the airport. Once there, he waits in line-just like you and me. He is, for all intents and purposes, just another customer-at least until the plane gets into the air. Then he walks up and down the aisles, talking to customers, hearing what they have to say.

                                                                                    -Blog Marketing, Jeremy Wright

Keep this strategy in mind while growing your empire!

Your Daily Motivation

"If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it."            

                                                                        ~ Jonathan Winters                                                        

Sweet Escape

I always hear people my age dreaming about a vacation in Italy or the South of France… followed by an excuse on why they will never be able to afford it. 

News Flash - it’s not that difficult - all you need is a little discipline and a credit card.

The catch is acquiring a credit card that gives you miles with every purchase. In many instances you can receive up to 20,000 miles just for signing up, which is a round trip ticket anywhere in the US. These miles may take awhile to accumulate, but think about how many you can earn in a year from necessities such as rent, food, car payments, ect. There are also many opportunities to earn bonus miles. I even let my parents use it for really big purchases – they pay me back and I get the miles!

I personally love the American Airlines Advantage Rewards credit card, but just about every airline has a similar rewards program. 

Wealth Determiners

During a meeting today, my boss Ralph Odierna said something that made a lot of sense.

You need a sphere of 5 wealth determiners in your life

 at all times

Plain and simple - these are people that MAKE YOU MONEY. There should always be at least five individuals that are referring you business at all times. You should be their go to person – if clients or friends need a service in your industry, they immediately turn that person over to you. Having each wealth determiner in a separate industry is ideal. Preferably, they need have a large rolodex, and are most likely thriving in their career of choice. In return, remain loyal to your sphere by returning the favor.

Get to networking!

Your Angel

While composing an exit strategy for my business plan, I came across a term vital for future entrepreneurs. 

Equity investors, also known as venture capitalists or angels, provide cash to invest in your business and therefore end up sharing ownership of the company. Equity investors invest in private companies, not publicly traded on the stock exchange. Private equity investments can be used for the launch, early development, or expansion of a company.

Picture: www.businessoffashion.com

Myth vrs. REALITY

Myth: A revolving balance on your credit card will help you build credit.

Reality: Oh contraire, never leave a balance if you can pay if off.

 Myth: By making the minimum payment you are successfully paying off your debt.

Reality: If you make minimum monthly payments on a $5,000 credit card debt with 15% interest, it will take you 32 years to pay it off. Interest paid: $7,789.46  

Broke and Fabulous

This post is not really on the professional side – but practical nonetheless. 

Being young, we are often tempted to indulge in alcohol during dinners and social outings. These drinks add up fast, and before you know it you are having buyers remorse the next morning.

One solution – the pre-party – is a quick fix, but pre drinking will still alter your perception of money when you get to the venue, and more than likely, you won't feel guilty racking up a tab.

If you want a more practical approach to a fabulous night – bring a flask. Order a glass of cranberry juice, and pour. Don’t make it obvious, but I have never known anyone to get caught. Most locations do not check your bag, and if they do… ABORT! 

P.S. Don’t parade your flask around – stay classy.

Out of the SHOEbox

The following four steps outline a more practical approach to “getting your foot in the door”…

1. Look up the company’s address (preferably the headquarters in the location of which you are applying).

2. Figure out who runs the show!

3. Send your resume and cover letter via first class mail (so that the addressee has to sign for it).

4. Find the company’s general email address and follow up.

I have actually received numerous responses using this approach!

Your Brand

       One signature item every woman needs in her Vuitton wallet is a business card. A simple black border with your name, phone number, and email, will set you apart as an individual and will add to your professional appeal.

       Now don’t get fancy – less is more! Bright colors and decorations are just too much, perhaps a better way to make your card stand out is by placing a quote on the back-defining who you are or where you are going.

And the best part…a set of 250 cards is less expensive than an apple martini.

Try Vista Print, I just ordered 250 cards for $11.00.

 www.vistaprint.com

Your Daily Motivation

I have spent the last hour looking for my future home along the French Riviera. 

Needless to say... I found it!

This 5 bedroom 5 bathroom villa has been fully renovated to the highest standards, including marble floors, luxury fittings & 180° sea views throughout.

From the large living area on the ground floor, access by lift to an indoor spa with hammam, gym & counter current swimming pool. Lift access again to garages with indoor secure parking for up to 10 cars.

1st floor: 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. The master bedroom & 2nd bedroom both benefit from balconies with superb sea views.

Garden level: 2 bright bedrooms, 2 bathrooms; office with access to the garden; utility area.

The outdoor swimming pool features a shallow ‘beach’ level for children. There is a summer kitchen, as well as changing and showering facilities. From the poolside terrace you will again appreciate the 180° sea views.

A truly special property just minutes away from the centre of Cannes (located just inside neibouring Golfe Juan.)

FANTASTIC VALUE!!

Listing price: $5,500,000

Goal: Own this property before the age of 30!

Young Ambition

Jane Aldridge

www.seaofshoes.com

          Jane Aldridge currently reigns as the virtual style’s “it girl.” With the launch of her blog, “Sea of Shoes,” Jane has become an international style icon. Having successfully branded her image through a distinctive style, she has caught the attention of every notable industry figure. There is no doubt in my mind that her recent capsule collection of shoes for Urban Outfitters, will be the first of many collaborations.

One more thing…she is only 17!

You're SO Money

www.mint.com

Top 10 reasons why this website will make your life 

more effortless!

1. Mint will link together all your bank accounts, credit cards, and loans, so that balances can be viewed simultaneously.

2. In the left column sits an overview of  all account debits and credits – similar to something you would see in your accounting class.

3. Customize a budget – Mint will categorize your expenses and track them.

4. You will be alerted when you are spending too fast, or when you are over budget.

5. Alerts you when accounts are low –you can set up a custom alert when your account falls below a specific dollar amount. 

6. All transactions are automatically cataloged in terms of dining out, car, bills ect – Mint will even break it down into pie chart format

7. You can tag transactions as reimbursements and tax write-offs.

8. Transferring balances across your different accounts is so easy!

9. Mint will link you directly to investment sits such as E Trade.

10. Mint will track your net worth.