#MotivationalMonday: Never cease from dancing

I slacked off a little today with finding the lyrics that spoke to my soul. Nothing like being exhausted from a super active toddler to keep me from getting stuff done! But then, in the midst of a tantrum, I remembered...turn on some music and dance!

I love reggae. The music just speaks to my soul. I spent a year in New Zealand right after college and learned about Katchafire there. I hadn't really been exposed to much reggae at that point, but I loved Bob Marley and was a fan of popular reggae. In NZ, I didn't have an opportunity to see Katchafire live, but I did get in a Black Seeds show.

I love these lyrics because they resonate so well with me. Ever feel like the world is crumbling around you, only to hear an awesome song that totally gets your heart pumping? Next time that happens, DANCE! Dancing brings joy to my heart, and even if you don't care for it I bet it would totally brighten your mood. Why more offices don't do this I will never understand - talk about a productivity and mood booster!

Curious what song we danced to? My kiddo is addicted to Itsy Bitsy Spider, and because mama loves reggae, we groove to the sounds of Basho & Friend's version. This is my favorite kid's CD...win-win cause we're both happy!

#MotivationalMonday: learn to fly

I've always been a fan of #motivationalmonday - so much so that every time I manage a social media account I still create and share these graphics. It may be played out, but I love it. We can never get enough positivity in our lives, especially considering we're inundated with such negative content, news and images.  

I've created my own theme for my Monday posts - song lyrics. Music holds such a special place in my heart. I met my husband because of music (he used to be a hip hop MC!). I was saved through music worship. Music brings back memories...can make my cry, brighten my day and even stops me in my tracks to dance. Even my toddler loves a good dance party! So I thought what better way for me to share my emotions - and a positive vibe - than through some lyrics.

I love the lyrics from Blackbird so much. So simple, but has a big impact. We can all relate to a time when we felt broken and defeated. If only it was simple enough in those moments to just learn to fly again. But I share this today because it can be that easy. I am a believer, so I know that through Christ I can learn to fly again when I feel broken. 

2 Kings 20:5 says: ...Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you... (NLT). In the Gospel, there are more than 30 documented healings by Jesus. But the ultimate healing is Jesus rising from the dead and ascending to heaven. Y'all, we are saved by grace and healed through Jesus!

Whatever it is you believe in, I hope you find that inner strength to mend your broken wings. And, if prayer is what you want, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll happily pray for you. 

Back in the sky with dandelions

So, it's been a while. It is not that I didn't have much to say, it's that life was so hectic with a demanding career, new family and the responsibilities of being a new home owner. I decided that it was time to get back to documenting what I am up to. Not far any particular reason other than wanting a creative outlet in my new season of life. See, I used to write for a living.

Used to? Yup, that's right. There have been some interesting changes going on in my life. In December, I took a huge leap of faith and left an amazing job and organization. It was a tough decision, and ultimately came down to a few things: I wanted to spend more time with my family (because I worked more than 60 hours a week average), the pay was higher at the new gig and the commute was much less than 15 minutes. What I didn't take into account was the security of leaving a huge, multi-billion dollar organization to a mid-sized local company that some people love, and many others have never heard of.

Three months later and the company decided to eliminate my position and the department I was overseeing. So, that was that. And now I am just trying to figure things out as I look for my next opportunity, dabble in the idea of owning a business, run from playdate-to-playdate and entertain myself with all my makeup and clothes.

That's me (at least circa 2017) in a nut-shell. I hope you'll stick around and join my conversations. Seriously, I'm not just here to talk to myself.

Shop Local, Save Lives

So last Sunday I decided that I needed to get a jump on my wedding invitations. I had just changed my mind on my old design, so needed inspiration stat. We had our best friends over that night, and the energy in the room really gave me that oooomph I needed! After they left, I stayed up till 1am creating the design.

Originally, I was going to get them printed with Vistaprint – quick and easy. Then, I realized these are my wedding invitations! So at about 1:30am I filled out a quote with Market Mail Print. I know these guys well through the Hispanic Chamber, and they were always great to work with. So, I figured, why not?

I was off on Monday, so I slept in. By the time I woke up, I already had a quote from them – and it was way under Vistaprint. They literally blew my mind! So this is how the week went:

•  Monday: Dropped by MMP to see my invite in printed form (not a proof, but just to see how colors/design looked)
• Tuesday morning: Dropped by MMP to pick up my proof of the whole set
• Tuesday night (after hours): I put in my order for the invites, RSVP cards and envelopes 
• Thursday: I got a call that my order was ready!

The moral of the story: shop local. Not only was the service impeccable and personal, but I couldn't be happier with my invitations. They did everything as I wanted, even printing them in my unique size option.

Whether you are a bride or a business, MMP should be your new printer. I guarantee you won’t regret it. And because of their urgency, it helped my sense of urgency – I addressed all the invites late Friday evening and got them in the mail by Sunday!

Now, let’s see how the RSVP’s go…

Reunited and it feels so good...

{my "first meal" - Fuji Salad at Panera}

Well the cleanse is over and I feel absolutely fantastic! I officially ended my juicing yesterday, but went ahead and had one more this morning as my breakfast. 

I want to say that this is one of the best things I’ve ever done. I know I already said that, but seriously – I feel great! I lost another 5 pounds (even though it’s not about that) and really feel full of energy. In addition to the cleanse, I started oil pulling this weekend – so I just feel great.

Just to review what was in the Skinny Limits cleanse – I opted for the tropical with the Scorpion Lemonade as a substitution:

·         Pure & Simple: Kale, Cucumber, Spinach, Apple, Parsley, Celery, Lemon.

·         Balance: Kale, Cucumber, Spinach, Apple, Parsley, Celery, Lemon, Ginger.

·         Green Firefly: Kale, Cucumber, Spinach, Apple, Parsley, Celery, Lemon, Pineapple.

·         Scorpion Lemonade: Lemons, Agave Nectar, Cayenne, Filtered Water.

·         Green Firefly: Kale, Cucumber, Spinach, Apple, Parsley, Celery, Lemon, Pineapple.

·         Crescent Moon: Raw cashews, Vanilla Bean, Cinnamon, Agave Nectar, Filtered Water.

The highlight of every day is Crescent Moon, which tastes like Horchata but is much healthier and dairy-free. 

You get 6 juices per day for 3 days.  The juice is so fresh – as if I had just juiced them myself. Except without all the mess and having to buy produce. This is a total #win!

My journey to a decent bridal body

So, I am getting married in October. While I could go on and on about my wedding, I really wanted to talk about another journey inspired by my impending nuptials.

I’ve always battled with weight and my love of food. I came to terms with it years ago, but after starting my new job with a national healthcare nonprofit, I decided I needed to make some major lifestyle changes.

In January, after realizing how bad I was really eating and taking in too many cupcakes to count at a bridal expo, I decided to cleanse my body by juicing for three days.

In comes Skinny Limits – one of the best things that have ever happened to me! Not only do their juices have an incredible taste, but they are all natural, cold pressed fruits & veggies. So, both my fiancé and I decided to give it a go on January 13 and completed a three-day cleanse.

Fast forward to today. I have now dropped 47 pounds and am on my way to a truly healthy lifestyle. We’ve pretty much maintained healthy eating, eat at home much more than we used to, and I walk 4-6 times per week plus I go to Zumba once a week.

I decided to visit Skinny Limits this morning and do another three-day cleanse. One of the biggest reasons I wanted to do the cleanse again is to ward off all my bad cravings. In May there were graduations, parties and even a Quinceañera and I had way too much cake. Really, I’ve just had a hard time saying no to sweets since that first cupcake. After my juice cleanse in Jan, I didn’t crave any kind of sweets, and couldn’t have enough veggies.

So after a pretty bad weekend of some mimosas and a big sugary waffle, I went ahead and picked up my juices this morning. So far, so good…. It helps that I get to daydream about the last drink of the day: Crescent Moon.

Don't shut your virtual door, be social online

{source}

There's something my boss said recently during an interview that has been on my brain lately. He said that a recurring theme for small business owners is that they are too busy working in their business, they miss out on the opportunity to work on their business.

I think we all know this to be true, but we rarely take a moment to think about it. And I believe this is a problem when it comes to being social online. I hear from many business owners that they are concerned about how much time they will spend online, but what many folks don't realize is that it is important to nurture your client relationships both in person and virtually.

People are spending more time online, and this is just increasing. Case in point: I am always on the hunt for fun, retro office supplies and even though there are great places in Austin I could shop, there is one website that pops up on my favorite blogs and on my Facebook feed quite often. They are always on my mind, so next time I plan to shop for office supplies, I will probably turn to their website before I check out any stores.

We all listen to our friends (word of mouth is king!), and this is a great opportunity for your customers, friends, and family members to be your ambassadors. Just a quick "wow this is great!" or a snapshot of a product or service can help drive traffic to your business - both in person and online.

Don't shut your virtual door. And when you make the decision to be online, make sure you engage your audience. It is not just about what you have to say, but what your audience has to say.

The Hispanic market, and what it means to Austin

The GAHCC Social Media Ambassadors

The Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GAHCC) Annual Members’ Meeting was held January 23^rd, 2013, to showcase the current climate of the Chamber and Central Texas, and where we are headed. Currently, Hispanics make up 35% of the population in Austin, and represent a $13.5B impact. The GAHCC plays a pivotal role in growing the economy through offering programs and initiatives that stimulate Hispanic businesses to prosper in Central Texas.

We began our evening with the Chamber’s 2012 highlights as reported by our Immediate Past Chair, George A. Gutiérrez. Two of my initiatives that were mentioned include:

• The Chamber hosted more than 86 businesses development programs, including a numerous amount of social media and online marketing workshops.
• Launched the 40 Reasons Why Campaign. Join the conversation here, or on Twitter using #40Reasons.

The agenda seamlessly proceeded with City Demographer, Ryan Robinson, who provided attendees a look at the Central Texas evolving demographics. Robinson led the conversation with: “This is a fantastic time to be in Austin, Texas,” and the Chamber is proud to be a driving force in Central Texas. Following are a few key takeaways:

• One Workforce, Two Marketplaces: We have a growing Latino marketplace between Austin and San Antonio, a challenge now is connecting the two areas.
• Austin, which refers to the Austin Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), is the fastest growing city in the United States in 2010 – 2011.
• Austin MSA has a growing inflow of economic migrants, primarily from CA, FL, and the Upper Midwest.
• As reported in November 2011 the annual rate in job growth was 12,800. In November 2012 the rate jumped to a whopping 35,300.
• There are more than 12,000 condo and apartment units currently under construction within City of Austin.
• From the years 2000 – 2010, the Latino population growth was attributed to 41% Domestic Migration, 36% Natural (born), and 23% International Migration.
• Predicted growth: between 2035 & 2037, Texas will become a majority Latino state.
• Austin is getting bigger & bigger, and there are opportunities everywhere!

This impactful information was followed by a presentation on the new 2013 strategic priorities for the GAHCC. Gutiérrez began the conversation by reiterating the Chamber’s Pillars: Economic Development, Workforce Development, Business Networking, Community Advocacy, and Policy Advocacy. These pillars reinforce the Chamber’s vision to be the leading force for Hispanic business’ economic growth in Central Texas. The Chamber will focus on implementing our new priorities to help build Hispanic business:

• To ensure Hispanic business growth and close annual revenue sales gap.
• To improve the climate for Hispanic business growth through advocacy programs.
• To recognize, communicate, and connect Hispanic owned businesses.
• To become the largest member based Chamber by the year 2020.
• To ensure optimal GAHCC infrastructure to enhance strategic success.

In 2007, there were 21,000 Hispanic owned businesses in Central Texas, with $2.5B in annual revenue. Currently, in Central Texas there are 33,000 Hispanic owned businesses with $4B in annual revenue. According to these statistics, in 2020 there will be 42,000 Hispanic owned businesses at $7.5B in annual revenue.

With the GAHCC’s 2020 Multiplier Effect, there will be 47,000 Hispanic owned businesses in Central Texas, with $15B in annual revenue, and $30B contribution to Central Texas’ economy, and it is the GAHCC’s goal to achieve this through our 2013 strategic priorities. Whether you are a Hispanic business owner, a corporate executive, or sell/provide services to the Hispanic market, the GAHCC is an organization you definitely want to be a part of.

Thank you to the sources that made this information possible:
City of Austin, City Demographer
2010 Census
Cultural Strategies, Inc.
Q Communications Group

Full article available on Noticias Digital.

6 Steps to Building a Successful Media List

1. Keep up with local and industry specific news

In this new digital age, we are continuously bombarded with news, both from traditional outlets and from our friends’ updates. Sometimes I’ll see “breaking news” on Facebook faster than I do anywhere else. You want to stay up-to-date with your news outlets and industry specific publications. Subscribing to your favorite outlets using a reader allows you to reach up on your own time, with targeted interests. Google Reader is a free, easy to use option.

2. Stay updated with Google Alerts

Speaking of Google, you should also take advantage of Google Alerts. This free service will search for keywords you choose and deliver them right to your inbox or reader. Utilize search-friendly punctuation to really target your results. For example, if you use quotations for your keywords, Google will search for the phrase specifically. “Austin Hispanic Chamber” will yield results that use all three words together, so you don’t end up with articles about a guy named Austin, who dressed up like the X-Men character, Chamber, for Halloween. I suggest not only using alerts for your company name, but use them for keywords, initiatives, or even regional searches.

3. Keep an Excel spreadsheet, and maintain detailed notes on publications & journalists

Keeping a detailed Excel spreadsheet will keep you sane. I make notes about everything. If a reporter covers a story, there’s a note. If a publication writes about a competitor, there’s a note. If a blogger told me when her dog’s birthday is, I add it to my calendar. You never know when these tidbits of information will help you. If I’m pitching a reporter that I know loves a certain sports team, and they just won a game, I’ll mention it. You may want to avoid using this example for UT – almost everyone’s a fan and it won’t help you stand out! I also keep detailed notes on what reporters DON’T want to be pitched, or if they never respond to me. Some don’t like phone calls, where others are happy to get last minute news. Write it all down, it won’t hurt.

4. Add different types of media, make use of tabs and structures

Don’t just focus on print or TV. You want to capture a big audience, so spread your net. Using the tabs in your excel document, you can categorize by media type (print, radio, TV), or categorize by region or by industry. I have an Austin tab, as well as a Hispanic-focus tab, Williamson County tab, CEO tab, etc. Use your judgment. Categorizing can really help once your list starts to flourish.

5. Social media is where everyone’s hanging out now, and you should too

Stay up to date with media outlets and journalists on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc. I love using Twitter for staying updated because of their list feature. I have a list of just media folks that I track most often, so they stand out from all the other “noise.” This can be especially helpful if you are being much more targeted in your media list building.

6. Don’t just create it and walk away. Nurture it, update as you go

Once you have your list, I guarantee it will change. Journalists leave, industries change, and new media outlets are added. Make sure you continue keeping your eyes open, and always stay up to date of what’s going on in your city and industry.

photo: source

The Fruit of my Creativity

I wish I had known when I was in college that I would dig graphic design so much, but with lack of guidance I decided to minor in Criminal Justice. I thought if anything, I'd really enjoy the classes.

But I've always fancied dabbling in graphics. I haven't used Photoshop since college, so the fruit of my creativity comes strait from Microsoft Publisher. I know, graphics folks are cringing when they read this, but I wanted to share my latest "ghetto-design" that I'm pretty darn proud of.

http://thebrunchingbloke.blogspot.com

Not too shabby, eh? I also came up with the name for the blog!

Check out some of my other designs here.

Dogs, Frocks and Foot in Mouth

Do y'all like to dress up your pets? I find it interesting to see all these dogs in pretty decked out frocks. The other day I saw this wiener dog and he was dressed just like his hipster owner. I remarked, "wow - that's a pretty cool hipster pup." I do have to admit that he looked pretty snazzy in his lumberjack button down and straw hat.

Then, all hell broke loose. The human hipster distorted his face, looked completely appalled and then (in all caps, of course) loudly said "HE'S NOT A HIPSTER, HE'S THE SCARECROW."

Whoops.

The moral of the story is assuming something about a pet is like assuming a woman is pregnant.  Don't go there.

Wow - These Guys Get It! A Look at Social Media Success.

These companies & brands

fully understand social media,

and use it to their full advantage.

How are you leveraging your social media?

Take a look at these bright ideas…

«Extremely Diverse – The hotel focuses on art, cuisine, travel, local history, pop culture and other topics that may be of interest to their target audience. Both visitors and residents of  Dallas would find it most advantageous to follow The Adolphus.

«Highly Interactive Content – The hotel does not simply self-promote, however gives its readers the ability to be “in the know” about the hotel’s happenings and current events in Dallas.

«Shared Discussion – Their audience connects through shared discussion of their common interests, which is ultimately a goal for any brand or company participating in social media.

«Trend Setters – With all the options for Brides, The Adolphus wants to keep an interest in that market. Each month, on Facebook, the hotel features a different wedding to really showcase their beauty and services as a wedding venue.

«Highly Interactive Content – Their audience is highly interactive, both with Embroidery Online (EO) and with each other.

«Builds Community – EO asks lots of questions and encourages people to interact with their page. They show a genuine interest in what their fans have to say, and many of their fans frequently interact on their wall. Fans even post questions for other users. EO has created this central hub for anyone that loves, or wants to learn, embroidery.

«Trend Setters – They always post the latest trends and are quick with industry news. Fans know, and truly utilize, EO’s fan page for the latest news or to find out more information.

«Quick Turnaround – EO is quick to respond to their audience on both Twitter & Facebook, and creates goodwill among their fans.

«Genius Creative Content – Skittles gets people talking.  It offers fun, creative content that will leave their audience with positive thoughts and a general yearning for their candy. 

«Bold & Innovative – They have created an energetic community. Their momentum drives people to want skittles, and to potentially post how much they love skittles. They push the envelope, and everyone is buzzing about them.

«Amazing Online Presence – Not only does Skittles have an amazing number of fans and followers, they have fantastic interaction. Social Media should not only be measured by how many people follow, but how they interact. That is the ultimate goal of any brand.

«Photo Sharing – Skittles has gone beyond the encouraging “Hey – post on our wall!” and has a weekly contest for their Facebook fans. Anyone who posts a photo on their wall is eligible to win the “Rainbro of the Week.” Fans love putting their photos on Skittle’s wall, and it creates great return when fans are featured.

 Social Media needs this connection between you, the brand, and your consumers. Remember these five simple rules:

Personalize, Engage, Promote and Entertain

«Personalize: Maintain a human voice. Establish & nurture relationships. Share relevant content.

«Engage Your Audience: Encourage your audience to contribute content. Provide instant customer service, keep up with your brand and what people are saying about you. Be quick to respond to both positive and negative feedback.

«Promote: Be a trend setter. Cultivate brand awareness. Manage your reputation.

«Entertain:  Add value to your content. Build a  community for your fans. Show  them why your “friendship” is important to them, and important to you.

Kids, Kiwis & Canines!

I'm very excited about this placement Party Animals received in the July issue of Kiwi Magazine.

If you're ever needing some pet party planners, or even some ideas, check out Party Animals!

Advertising is Selling the Milk, PR is Promoting the Cow

FreeDigitalPhotos.net

To anyone not in this industry, there can be a lot of confusion between public relations, advertising and marketing. My professor in college gave us this catchy little tagline to quickly clarify the difference: "Advertising is selling the milk, PR is promoting the cow."

This saying quickly became a favorite and I included it on all the PRSSA materials when I held my presidency, and it helped a lot of students understand the very basic nature of PR.

Now with social media (wow - is this dating me?!) where does that fall in this tagline?

I would propose to say "Social media is talking about the milk, the cow and the farm" - and it's a whole lot of fun!

What do you think? How do you use social media for business?

Cross your T's, Twitter!

It's important to have both a Facebook and Twitter presence for your business. They are both very different outlets and you should be taking full advantage of them. A lot of folks like to incorporate both tweets & Facebook updates together, but in my opinion this is a bad thing to do. You want to have people follow you on both social platforms, but you don't want to feed them the same information twice. My suggestion is to rewrite your posts for each outlet - especially because twitter talk is so different from normal lingo.

The "F's" of Facebook:

• FULL MONTY: Facebook updates can provide your fan base with a lot of info - you can post photos, events, questions, links and video. And you want to do ALL of these, do not leave a stone unturned.
• FEED: You shouldn't overwhelm your followers on Facebook. Your fans want to hear from you, but not be bombarded with useless information - which is how they feel when they read your updates more often then from their BFF from college.
• FASCINATE: Engagement is key. You don't have to have a lot of followers to have excellent engagement - just interested fans. And you're in charge of keeping them interested! Facebook is a little more challenging when it comes to enchanting your audience, so it's especially rewarding when you succeed. 
• FORTIFY: Ask questions, and not just to poll kind. Your fans want to be part of a community and give you their knowledge and insight. Make sure you continuously give them the opportunity to do so.
• FLOURISH: Always respond to your fans when they write on your wall or updates. Even if it's just a click of a "like" button, make sure they know you are listening.
• FILL A VOID: Offer your fans something no one else does. For Hydrant, I update my fans about social media trends AND fun pet facts. My favorite segment is "Word at the Hydrant" where I give random pet facts. Make your page fun, think outside of the box.

And let's not forget the "T's" of Twitter:

• TEMPT: Tweets have to be done in 140 characters or less, make your followers want MORE! You can include a link with more information - short tweets usually see more engagement and clicks than long ones. And make it interesting, you want them to wonder and therefore click on your link: "Cross your T's, Twitter! LINK."
• TANTALIZE: You can send out more information than on Facebook, and get away with it! Twitter is happening so quicky, in bulk, you can get lost in the tweet clouds. Stay grounded with useful information and lots of interactions with your followers. Engagement is key, both TO others and FROM others.
• TRANSLATION: Twitter has special speak, get with the lingo! Know the basics: 
• RT is Retweet: Sharing a tweet someone else posted and giving them credit
• FF is Follow Friday: Showcase the people you enjoy hearing from most
• WW is Woof Wednesday: Showcase your favorite furry friends and organizations!
• # is a hashtag: use this to make a topic and it creates a link to the topic. "I love living in this beautiful city! #austin" so "austin" becomes a link, and when clicked anyone who hashtag's Austin will appear in a feed. 
• TWINKLE TOES: Twitter has the great capacity of being light. You don't have to put as much thought as Facebook, it's okay to update more frequently and even better to interact often.

How do you use Facebook and Twitter? 

What My Large Mexican Family Taught Me About Social Media

Photo by Visual Photos (not my family!)

I had a whole lot of family members visiting this weekend. In addition to my boyfriend, myself and my parents, we had my aunt & her family of four, another aunt and her family of four, my uncle's family of four and my grandparents. This is just half my family, by the way!

It was a mission getting all 17 of us got together (give or take a person or two!) for our various meals around Austin. So while I sat back and watched, I thought of how these restaurants or retail shops could capitalize on our invasion and get some free publicity.

If I was working at a restaurant and 17 people came in, you bet I'd take a quick photo and post it on Facebook & Twitter. Why aren't these businesses doing that? Talk about quick, free promotion. Not just with a big crowd, but anytime anything fun, unique, weird or funny happens. I bet a lot of people new to Texas have no idea what sizzling fajitas look like, or a slab of brisket cooking on the grill at a local BBQ spot. What about a really cool looking beverage? Or a guest that's wearing a funky outfit, or better yet - a tee shirt with your logo on it!

In addition to the exposure, it's really important to cater to ALL customers - big crowds and single people. Something I really hate is bad customer service, and with peer review sites like Yelp and City Search, you would think the managers of these establishments would keep an eye on us - that's a potential 17 bad reviews! And we had some pretty bad service, but I won't point any fingers.

So restaurants and business, keep in mind how taking a quick photo and putting it up on social media sites is a great way to catch people's attention, without blatantly self promoting. Encourage patrons to like your page on Facebook, tag these photos and leave comments.

What do y'all think? What opportunities have you capitalized on using social media?

Come Together on a Magical Mystery Tour

I'm pretty stoked with this flyer and upcoming event my partner and I are planning. 

I'm not a design person by profession, I don't even have Photoshop - so these moments when I put together pieces like this one make me proud! 

We wanted to put together an event that shows what Party Animals can do, and bring it all together with a really fun theme conveying something we both love.

I do it in my white spandex...

I love a good ad, this one is right up there.

We're celebrating Jack the Pug's Birthday, Doggy Style!

Media Contact:

Lisa Rodriguez, Party Animals

lisa@partyanimalsatx.com

@PartyAnimalsATX on Twitter

Birthday Parties Are Going To The Dogs

Jack the Pug’s Birthday Shindig at metrodog and he’s invited everyone

Austin, Texas – Dog owners and party goers are in for a real treat on March 26th. Jack

Adkins-Stowell is celebrating his fourth birthday, doggy style.

Party Animals will be hosting the event on Saturday, March 26th, 2011 at metrodog. An all day affair with specials and a rescue group, the party itself will run from 7pm-9pm.

The Pug Rescue of Austin will be at the event, and because it is Jack’s favorite organization he’s donating a portion of the proceeds from the party to this rescue group.

There will be pup-cake and doggy gift bags provided by It’s Pawsitively Irresistible,

Peticures from Midtown Groom and Board, Jack-a-Ritas by Treaty Oak Rum and a photo booth by Monika Kelley Photography. 

“Jack’s birthday is this month and of course he wanted to have a huge birthday bash at his store with his sister Sophie,” said Alex Stowell, co-owner of metrodog and Jack’s human. “Party Animals has been so kind to work with Jack on everything he wants and more!”

About Party Animals

Party Animals is a full service pet party planning company based in Austin, TX. Experts in the pet community, they put together fantastic events that has everyone barking about for months.  For more information, visit www.partyanimalsatx.com or join the pawty on www.facebook.com/partyanimalsatx

###

To request images, a fact sheet or to receive any additional information, please email bark@partyanimalsatx.com.

4 Things Holli Holliday Taught Us About PR on Glee!

First I want to say I don't have cable, so it's takes me a while to catch up on television. Yesterday, I saw the November 2010 Glee episode with Gweneth Paltrow and it inspired me to write about the correlation of Holli Holliday and Public Relations.

Here's how I break it down:

• Holli Holliday is the "cure for the common class," and she represents the Public Relations agency.
• Mr. Schuester represents the company or brand - "I'm the teacher - it's my job to know more than they do."
• Glee club represents the consumer

1. Mr. Schuester is stuck in his old songs (old ways) and when the students bring up a new, fun song he says things like "I found another Journey song we haven't done yet!" - This represents your ideas, and how your ideas may have been incredible in the beginning (the pilot episode ROCKED the Journey songs), however sometimes you need to keep an open mind to what's new and fresh. 
2. Buttering the floor - Your PR agency knows what is out there, who your competitors are and why you shine through. They take the horse blinders off and see the big picture. So while you may be slipping and sliding, and potentially falling on your bum on a buttered floor, your PR agency is gracefully sliding through. 
3. Ms. Holliday listens to her students, your PR agency will listen to you. She told Mr. Schu, "You don't know what they care about the most: themselves. They change their mood, they change their facebook status." You have to listen to your consumers - don't just make your brand about you, make it about them, and then they won't stop talking about you.
4. While the students love Mr. Schu, they also loved what Ms. Holliday brought to them - something different and innovative. In the end, Holli Holliday and Mr. Shu put their ideas together and made a big splash finale - and everyone was Singing In The Rain!