January 30, 2017

The Road Less Traveled

I had a conversation with a young woman who had an interest in a job we had already filled, however not announced. During the meeting, she pounded really hard on the fact that she was a hard worker and got along with everyone. It hit me that I wouldn’t hire her even if the position was still open.

Why? She certainly said all the textbook answers. Except, I don’t hire people based on how many tasks they can get done. I hire people who can solve a problem. I hire thinkers more so than doers. And I don’t really want super agreeable people on the team. I want people that have an opinion and derail the direction once in awhile.

I think this younger generation has a tough road toward finding employment because they have been trained by Gen X parents and Boomer instructors who in our early years were taught to be robots. “Do your job and work longer hours than everyone else and you will get promoted. Then, on top of that, be agreeable all the time.” We, as the employer, then hire these young people because they are “like us” and then smack them for not bringing anything new to the table. They are caught in a vortex of having to say the traditional answers to win at an interview and then having to decide if they can fake being a robot for the next 5 years or let their true colors of being creative thinkers come out thus risk losing the job.

Just once, I personally would love to interview a Millennial that would say to me, “I am committed to doing good work, regardless of the job at hand. I am always professional but am comfortable disagreeing when I feel that the team should consider another direction or solution to secure a better end result. I will work the hours needed to do my best work, but I value my life balance.”

At the end of the day, the work has to get done. But BETTER work gets done when we take the factory mentality out of the team and insert a little entrepreneur DNA into the climate. That said, Millennials regardless of bright you are if you cannot complete the job at hand, you won’t survive. Very few companies can afford to have someone ponder new ideas 40 hours a week.

When people are allowed to create their own paths, new roads are built for the entire team to utilize. The goal is for everyone to show up at the same place in the end. But, when it comes to HOW everyone gets to end of the race….who cares? If I take a boat, and you drive a go cart and someone else rides a donkey, but we all cross the finish line on time, within budget and ensure we have a happy client, should the individual’s path to that end matter? I think not.

betsybestheadshot-Betsy McCloskey | Principal/Partner

January 9, 2017

Guerrilla, not Gorilla, Marketing

At Plaid Swan, we help develop unique ways for clients to make an impact in reaching their audience and guerrilla marketing plays an important role in doing so.  When clients ask me what guerrilla marketing is, I describe it simply as “a grassroots method of advertising” and pair that definition with examples.  Common examples that people typically remember, but may not associate with guerrilla marketing, may include the Oscar Meyer Weiner Mobile, Chipolte giving away free burritos for anyone who dresses up as a burrito or in tinfoil for Halloween and Oprah’s Free Car Giveaway with GM’s Pontiac G6. Guerrilla marketing can include attention-getting street graphics, strange occurrences, memorable events, buzz, and/or product placements.  It’s inexpensive, but most importantly, it’s memorable and drives traffic to your organization and brand.

Netflix is on the forefront of implementing memorable guerrilla marketing campaigns. For example, to help promote Season 3 of Orange Is The New Black, they created a public stunt in Paris, France by converting the front of a building into a prison and featured inmates resembling those on the show.  Inmates were shuttled by bus into the prison, then a public stunt was performed. Onlookers stared as inmates stood there looking bored, worked out and chatted.  Watch the video here.

 
How about the launch of Season 4 for The House of Cards?  Netflix set up a faux campaign headquarters for Frank Underwood in Greenville, South Carolina, strategically placed across from the Republican debate in February 2016. “Frank Underwood: Anything for America” was displayed front and center of the structure. Visitors could pick up a “FU 16” campaign button, as well as literature on why Underwood would be the best candidate for the 2016 general election.

 

guerrilla marketing house-of-cards-greenville

Most recently, Netflix implemented a guerrilla marketing campaign to promote the Gilmore Girls show returning to Netflix. To celebrate the shows return, they transformed 200 coffee shops on October 5, 2016 into Luke’s Diner and gave away over 10,000 cups of coffee. From 9:00AM to 12:00PM that day, fans could experience their own mini Stars Hollow by consuming some free coffee, complete with Gilmore Girls-themed cups and sleeves. These coffee shops expanded throughout all 50 states in the US, as well as into Canada.

lukes

Netflix is just one business of many that understands the importance of incorporating this type of grassroots effort into their marketing mix.  No matter the size of your company, you also need to be incorporating these tactics with your traditional media. Let’s talk about why.

It’s Memorable.

Because it’s different from the same day to day advertising methods, guerrilla marketing makes your brand stand out from the crowd.  Many consumers have become immune to standard commercials, billboards and sales pitches over the years, so innovative marketers have implemented guerrilla marketing campaigns that are offbeat and attention grabbing, which in return sticks with the audience.

Unprecedented Exposure.

Media outlets spanning multiple genres covered the recent Gilmore Girls campaign from Netflix. Coverage extended across Adweek.com, Huffington Post, MSN, Forbes and the Today Show, just to name a few. For a campaign that was only live for 5 hours on one particular day, the exposure was unparalleled.  Not only did this campaign gain exposure from media, it quickly went viral when goers to Luke’s Diners’ posted to social media and triggered word-of-mouth about the upcoming release.  When something is out of the ordinary, consumers will talk about it.

Create Collaborations.

Guerrilla marketing doesn’t always involve freebies or your business implementing the entire campaign on its own. Collaborate with another business that attracts the same customers.  Let’s go back to the Netflix examples.  To help with the Orange Is The New Black idea, they sought help from a local transportation company, Paris citizens and a construction company to help build the “prison”.  With the Gilmore Girls campaign, they collaborated with over 200 coffee shops to help implement their idea. This benefited not only Netflix, but also brought in additional business to the coffee shops. Without their involvement, this campaign would not have been successful.

Where does your company start?

Engage your employees and ask them to brainstorm marketing ideas that are inexpensive, yet creative.  The goal of guerrilla marketing is to positively surprise the customers. Think outside the box and take a cue from other companies that have successfully implemented these tactics. When done correctly, it’s a surefire way for customers to remember your brand.

For more information on guerrilla marketing or how your company can benefit from Plaid Swan’s marketing services, visit us at www.plaidswan.com.

Brittani-Brittani Wilson │ Director of Public Relations

December 27, 2016

Implementing Culture in 2017

Since around 2006, we have started to hear a lot about culture in the work place. Most of us that have a role in leadership agonize over how to create the most enviable work environment we can imagine.

A couple of years ago, I started to realize that culture in the office is an ever evolving thing. And rather than me spending hours a month trying to manage the “happy” meter at the company, my job really is just to make sure the core principles of Plaid Swan remain intact.

For me, the number one thing is flexibility. Flexible schedules, flexible work environment and flexible job approach. That last one always raises eyebrows, however I have personally worked in places that have black and white policies and most result in battles that are not worth fighting. “You must be seated at your desk at 8:00A.” Our policy is that the office is open 8A to 5P. If you are late by 10 minutes some days, who cares. If you miss a meeting or run in late to a project round table, now you are missing a deadline and we have a problem. My philosophy is simple. People are adults. I trust them until I have a reason not to. This allows people to be human and the culture evolves from there.

However, our flexible culture is based on three hard and fast policies that are not up for discussion.

1) Hit your deadlines.

2) Accomplish your goals. Each team member that takes a role at Plaid Swan has written goals from day 1. This allows us to ensure that all the flexibility we provide does not hinder the productivity or quality expectation of the partners or our clients.

3)  No micromanaging. I am just simply not willing to do it nor watch someone else do it. If I have to micro-manage someone to get them to produce, or tell a project leader to not micro manage a team, they likely will not fit in to the organization for long.

So all said, who should be leading the culture of the company? To that, I answer, “your employees,” with a sprinkle of intern antics added in for a little whacky fun. The reality of any work place is that people come and go. The days of someone staying in the same job for 10 years are rare, and for leadership to visualize a “fun, cool” culture and then pound it in to everyone, whether they are new or seasoned, isn’t culture, it’s staging.

The people who are living the culture at your business are forever evolving. When we started Plaid Swan, most everyone was single. Now there have been weddings, babies, mortgages, illness, and deaths. People change. Life changes. What they want from their work environment changes.

What if you don’t have fun, cool people, and actually have introverts that are uncomfortable with fun at work? If you push your vision of culture on to the team, you will just be creating stress.  Think of all the employee birthday parties you have dreaded over the years (be honest!) or remember being asked to stop work to join in a team development game when you are on deadline.  Some teams really are just nose- to- the- grindstone workers and that is fine, that IS their culture. Or, you may really have employees who love setting up crazy office videos and that is fine too.

Your team is the best monitor of the pulse. The culture comes when they have choices. When introverts and extroverts are able to decide for themselves what they want from their down time during the work day, the company culture is born.

So, don’t get all wrapped up in what you see on Facebook. Company Facebook pages are a lot like personal Facebook posts. Fun, wonderful things, all day, all the time. See? The world is full of fairy dust and bunny rabbits. Take these posts with a grain of salt and know that most companies are the same. A lot of long hours with a few good times sprinkled in and hopefully a lot of great work coming out.

-Betsy  McCloskey | 

December 12, 2016

Iowa Women Lead Change

I am 69 years and on the verge of being old.  I am retired, and I like to take naps.  Some might think that because I lead a somewhat sedentary life that I can’t be moved to action by the power of words.  So far from true!  About a month ago I attended an event that may have been primarily geared to people still in the workforce, but I, too, walked away with ideas I wanted to talk about and share.  I heard powerful words that motivated me to reexamine my priorities, welcome risk opportunities, and value networks and relationships.

Iowa Women Lead Change (IWLC) hosts conferences around the state of Iowa that promote networking and present nationally and internationally acclaimed speakers who break down what it means to be successful and how that is achieved.  There are ideas there that apply to women at work, but the lessons are equally life lessons as well.  My husband and I attended one of these conferences in Dubuque in October.  He, too, felt included, instructed, and inspired.  Three extraordinary women spoke at this event.  Carla Harris, Tererai Trent, and Sylvia Ann Hewlett all have exceptional credentials, awards, and achievements.

My life has been easy.  I had strong parents who gave me opportunities and experiences that laid the groundwork for a successful person.  While we were not wealthy, we didn’t want for food, shelter, and other basic necessities.  My siblings and I received debt-free college educations; we were so lucky.  To hear stories about poverty and abuse serve to remind me that my life has been charmed.  Sylvia Ann Hewlett recounted her childhood in a Welsh mining community with high unemployment and mediocre education programs.  One day her father and she set out on a bus to see Cambridge University where he told her that there were opportunities out there for her.  She took him seriously.  She had to overcome barriers such as language barriers (her Welsh accent was considered crude and unacceptable).  However, she has gone on to earn a Ph.D. and found a successful consulting company.

Tererai Trent authored a children’s book called The Girl Who Buried Her Dreams in a Can.  It is her story.  She tells how her mother encouraged her to write down her dreams and put them in a tin can to be buried.  As she achieved these dreams, she dug up the can and crossed them off the list.  She has completed her list with the awarding of her Ph.D. and now keeps the list for her children to see.  Married at 11 to an abusive husband, she had three children by the time she was 18.  Education was the thing she valued most, and now she is building schools in her native Zimbabwe, the first started with the $1.5 million gift she received from Oprah Winfrey.  There is courage and determination in these two women that make me reexamine what is truly important in life.

We all take risks at some time – taking a new job, deciding to marry, jumping into parenthood, or buying that first house.  All three of these women are risk takers.  They see risks as opportunities, as welcome challenges.  No one said that taking a chance is easy, but Carla Harris talked about becoming comfortable with the notion.  She says that many people keep their heads down, but not her.  She keeps her head up to see opportunities coming her way.  This is one of “Carla’s Pearls.”  Tererai Trent tells a story about her efforts to raise money for her projects, so she decided to sell T-shirts with the slogan on the front “Tinogona:  It is achievable.”  The plan didn’t work so well in that she only sold 20 shirts, mostly to her friends, but the slogan is still her mantra – accept the challenge because it is obtainable.

Finally, this conference provided an opportunity to network and develop relationships.  It might even be possible to find that “sponsor” that Sylvia Ann Hewlett spoke about.  I no longer need job connections, but I do value networking, particularly with other women.  I am in a book club that meets once a month to purportedly talk about a book, but also meets once a week for a coffee, once a month for a spa visit, and an occasional weekend trip out of town.  These women inspire and inform me.  I need their presence in my life.  Connecting was a part of the agenda for this conference.  At lunch attendees were assigned to a table where there was a list of questions to consider.  The young women at my table were incredible.  They shared so much about themselves and their views on life and their work.  I valued the opportunity to hear what younger women are saying and thinking.  At the end of the lunch several shared business cards, and one even emailed us the next day.  They saw the value in creating networks of support and information.

I am still a work in progress and continue to learn and change.  I hope that will be true for a long time yet.  I need reminders about what is important, new challenges that I am willing to accept, and connections to intelligent and creative sources.  I was well-fed at the IWLC conference.

Diane Repass is a retired tenured assistant professor from The University of Dubuque and now a beloved writer for Plaid Swan Inc. She received her M.A. from The University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa

November 28, 2016

Ramp Up Your Business by Adding a Blog

Are you frustrated your business lacks visibility and digital reach? Listen, there are many solutions people can throw at you, however, have you heard the benefits of utilizing a blog to gain visibility in the digital landscape?  45% of marketers say that blogging is their most lucrative content strategy. It is not only a great way to inform people about who you are and what is important to your business, but it keeps your site active and feeds the search engine. Let’s take a more in depth look on how this breaks down.

Higher traffic = more sales

Creating a blog provides fresh and relevant content for your customers to share. Continually posting new and interesting content inspires your followers to share your articles via their social media platforms, in turn driving new readers to your website. The more traffic to your website, the more sales your company will likely generate. Whether your company is business to business or business to consumer, there is proven success with utilizing blogs. B2B companies generate 67% more leads per month using blogs, while B2C companies generate 88% more leads. Although writing takes time, it has proven to pay off in the grand scheme of things.

 

Gives your business a voice

Having a blog gives your business the chance to get creative and venture from the formal nature of your website. It allows you to create content in a relatable tone your customers will feel connected to. You have free reign—to an extent—to write about topics that are important to you and the clients you work for.

 

You are the expert

Does your business receive frequently asked questions?  It’s recommended that one of the first topics you should focus on is diving into one of those questions in depth. This allows you to showcase you are an expert in that area and in turn, draws people to your website when they search those specific questions. This also increases the likelihood that person will come back to your website for future answers and tips. For example ( internal plug J ) when we at Plaid Swan communicate about the different ways digital marketing can help your business, you’re probably going to search in the future for more advice on similar topics, such as Facebook’s Algorithm Update and why you should be split testing.

 

Boosts SEO

Who isn’t trying to find the newest way to boost SEO? Search Engine Optimization (SEO), in a condensed definition, is the way someone finds your website using a search engine, such as Google. The higher your company is listed on Google, the more likely it is that someone will click on your website versus a competitor’s. Google uses an algorithm that lists web pages in a specific order according to their SEO. The algorithm allows Google to crawl through every web page, on every website and rank their SEO based on keyword phrases, graphics that are used, social networking and backlinks.

Blogging helps boost SEO because it creates additional content for Google and other search party websites to keyword match and crawl through. Additionally, the post permanently exists on the internet and although it may not hit the desired number of likes and shares on the first day of publishing, it will continue to show up in readers feeds and search engine sites. This will allow other bloggers and media to cite your work, continually driving new readers and traffic to your website.

Still having trouble understanding how it works? Check out the graphic below to help:

 

infographic

 

If you have noticed traffic to your website is down or stagnant, it’s time to start writing.  Blogging continues to be a key component of online marketing strategies helping drive customers to your website and in return, your bottom line.

 

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lindsay– Lindsay Hottovy │ Public Relations Intern

November 14, 2016

5 PR Lessons from Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and hopefully you will be spending quality time with friends and family, as well as preparing and enjoying a traditional Thanksgiving meal. When thinking about the upcoming preparations that will go into executing this holiday event, it reminded me how personal lessons can translate into business. Here are five public relations lessons you can learn from holiday events.

Relationships Matter

First and foremost, the holidays are about getting together and spending face-to-face time with family and friends. Extended families may be too busy throughout the year to see one another, yet they seem to always come together during the months of November and December. It’s easy to forget how much relationships matter. Take time to enjoy the people in your life. Not only is it good for your mental health, but it’s good for business.

In the PR world, networking and cultivating relationships are everything. It is how you gain clients, ensure your clients shine in the limelight and call in favors during a crisis. While we all get a little busy during this time of year, be sure to remember to foster both your personal and professional relationships.

Take a Risk on Something Big

Everyone loves the traditions that surround the Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, libations and football. Take a risk and shake things up a bit. Try a new recipe for the traditional stuffing, take a creative spin to the apple pie or suggest a new beverage option like a pumpkin pie martini or a hard cider cocktail. Some of the most memorable feasts happen when someone takes a risk.

In PR, it’s important to make your client stand out from the crowd and to do this, you’ll need to take risks. Go above and beyond the normal realm of work. Whether this is once a month, once a quarter or even the one campaign a year, you need to be imaginative and innovative. That doesn’t mean blow an entire budget blindly. Some of the most memorable campaigns have derived from a tight budget. Think flash mobs, street art and viral videos. When your client looks back on the year, they’ll remember this big win as the reason for investing in PR.

Solicit Help

Preparing for a large Thanksgiving feast is not an easy task and you’ll stress yourself out, along with your significant other, if you try to go at it alone. Whether you have helpers in the kitchen or recruit family members to prepare part of the meal, you’re going to need extra help.

Just as in PR, you surely can’t implement a large project by yourself. Recruit volunteers to help you, or better yet, outsource parts of the project to the experts. Know someone who’s a graphic design guru or media buying professional who can secure you the best promotional deals? Use their wisdom so you can focus on what you do best. No matter the project, you’re going to need help to ensure it’s implemented the best way possible to reach your targeted goal.

Don’t over indulge

Did you know the average person consumes 4,500 calories during a Thanksgiving meal? I’m aware you’re surrounded by bottomless food options during Thanksgiving, but don’t over indulge. 4,500 calories is twice as much as a person should consume in one day and we need to know our limit.

We also need to know our limits in PR. Don’t send out multiple pitches and press releases on every little topic. You’ll exhaust your audience and you’re emails will start to look like spam. Be sure to tailor your angle and topic to the correct medium, as well as reporter.

Plan

Having a plan in the kitchen for Thanksgiving is just as important as having a plan in the PR world. When thinking of Thanksgiving, you’ll need a plan of attack for attendance, grocery shopping and meal planning. No one wants to end up with 4 different potatoes and no dessert because someone didn’t plan ahead. Having a plan in place will make sure you don’t forget anything, or anyone, important.

Similarly, PR professionals need to have a plan for everything. You surely don’t want to be caught off guard when vendors, media, or the public don’t show up to your event. Always have a plan, a backup plan and always plan for the worst case scenario.

Interested in receiving the Plaid Swan blog in your inbox each week? Subscribe here!

Brittani-Brittani Wilson │ Public Relations Specialist

October 31, 2016

Plaid Swan Welcomes Caitlin Wiedenheft

Plaid Swan, Inc. headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa is proud to announce their expansion into Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  This expansion will add additional employees, including our newest employee, Caitlin Wiedenheft. Caitlin is the new Director of Business Development and will be based in the Cedar Rapids office.

Brittani Wilson: Welcome to Plaid Swan, Caitlin!  As the newest member of our team, what are you looking forward to most about working at Plaid Swan?

Caitlin Wiedenheft: Well this is a career change for me. I have a background in TV and video, so working in sales is something completely new for me. It’s a little scary, but it’s also the thing I’m looking forward to most. Developing new skills, meeting new people and reinventing myself are also some perks of this role. I think I have some great skills and connections that Plaid Swan and our clients can benefit from, and vice versa. It is all new and I enjoy that because I get the chance to make it my own.

Brittani: As the new Director of Business Development, what’s the first thing you’re going to do?

Caitlin: Because this is a new role, I will spend some time creating goals, strategic plans and defining expectations of the position. I will create a roadmap of potential clients in the region and a calendar of networking events to attend to make sure people know we’re here in Cedar Rapids.

Brittani: Here at Plaid Swan, we all have short and long term goals we’re looking to achieve.  Tell me, what are some of your goals for your role and Plaid Swan?

Caitlin: Now that I’m in sales, I have specific goals tied to sales, but ultimately my goal is to help Plaid Swan grow in eastern Iowa and to help our clients achieve their goals. When I interviewed for the job, Betsy and Vicki admitted there’s a certain type of client Plaid Swan attracts. They want what’s best for the business, as well as the staff. It’s important for them to consider the team when deciding whether or not to take on a new client. So another goal I see for myself is a professional relationship match-maker. It’s not about just signing on clients to bring in more sales, that’s not what we’re about. It’s about building each other up and into creative, positive, and successful businesses while we all work in areas that we are passionate about.

Brittani: As much as we all love Plaid Swan, every team member has something outside of the office they’re passionate about. Tell me a little about your hobbies or interests.

Caitlin: My husband, John, and I volunteer a lot and we are currently raising and training a service dog through Deafinitely Dogs based in Cedar Rapids. I enjoy learning how to train a dog to do extraordinary things. The things dogs are capable of is just amazing and I’m excited to be a part of their career.

Brittani: Lastly, what do you want current and future Plaid Swan clients to know about you?

Caitlin: I graduated from UNI and worked in video at Mayo Clinic and KAAL-TV in Rochester, MN. For the last five years, I’ve been creating videos, marketing and event planning at United Way of East Central Iowa. I’m very excited to now be here at Plaid Swan. I think you’ll discover that I’m very organized and I like coffee meetings. Lots of coffee, especially before 8am.

To contact Caitlin, please email Caitlin@plaidswan.com or call 563-556-1633 ex.3

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October 17, 2016

Fantastic Fridays

The pace in a marketing firm can be crazy. With media buyers, account people, bloggers, social media types, creatives and strategists, the work load is at times overwhelming and the deadlines can be intense.

At our company, we have a wonderful thing called “Flexible Fridays.” This is a work-where-ever-you-want-day. While we always have the option to work offsite, due to meetings and internal project sessions, we are pretty committed to standard office days, Monday through Thursday.  On Friday’s, the physical office is usually empty. Me? I work at home. It is the one day that I can work uninterrupted for the most part.

I have 4 Friday goals:

1) Complete all my tasks due on Friday and most that are due on Monday.

2) Write proposals; blogs; white papers, articles, and general client correspondence.

3) Plan staff projects for the upcoming week; take time to plan next steps for my own business and prep for upcoming meetings.

4) Really think about next steps for our clients by creating new ideas that will drive their business forward.

When I tell other business leaders about Plaid Swan’s Flexible Fridays, they think I am nuts. “How can you know if people are working?” Easy. They get their tasks for the week done, or they don’t. Someone logging 8-9 hours of work with late or open tasks, would catch my attention but I find that people really do value the time to get caught up. This one day each week has actually become the most productive for the firm. By allowing people to set their own agendas in peace and quiet for a day, allows all of us to be very focused on the tasks at hand.  Take away all the travel time, office chatter and interruptions and Friday becomes extremely productive.

What is in it for me personally? Long lunch time walks with my dog; a Crockpot on the counter of something yummy that will save me a lot of time in meal prep over the weekend, and my laundry getting done. Flexible Fridays set me up to have some free time over the weekend. Come Monday, I am not stressed about unfinished work, nor did I spend my entire weekend working to get caught up. I start my week refreshed and motivated to tackle it all over again.

Consider trying it. Your teams will love you for it.

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betsybestheadshot-Betsy McCloskey | Principal/Partner

October 3, 2016

Can You Have it All?

Work-Life Balance.  Everyone wants it, but is it possible? Can you have the best of both worlds?  That seems to be the million dollar question.

A Blur

I was engaged December 2015 and planning for an August 2016 wedding.  No big deal. I knew what I wanted.  Ask my now-husband.  I knew my vendors, decorations, budget and I had a spreadsheet for everything.  Literally everything.  This preparation helped me coast January through June and enabled me to focus on my new career, months leading up to the wedding.  I was riding the high of getting into the groove of my clients, loving what I was doing, all while knowing I was going to have an incredible wedding.

Boom.  July came.  Final decisions had to be made about the wedding, invitations had to go out, meetings with all of our vendors and payments were due, all at the same time new clients were coming on board demanding more of my attention.  Plus, throw in there I still had to be a daughter, friend, and fiancée on top of it all.   I’m young, healthy and knew I could power through it and be everything to everyone.  Or so I thought.

While I believe there’s a work-life balance, it’s certainly not 50-50 and I don’t believe you can have it all.  That’s right, I said it.  I don’t believe you can have it all.  During the month of July, I know my work slacked.  I was turning in sub-par writings compared to my usual work. I was pushing deadlines and being stretched thin.  I wasn’t focused nor was I giving my all to Plaid Swan.  Plus, part of my personal life was slacking too.  I was making excuses that I was “too-busy” to meet up with friends or go to dinner with my parents.

It was the first time in a long time I can remember feeling the self-induced stress. I was going to bed at 11:30 p.m. and naturally waking up at 3:00 a.m. My mind was filled with a never ending list of “to-dos”. Looking back on it, my life was a blur during July.  I was focused on last minute wedding details, dress fittings, and honeymoon planning, rather than my career.  It was also the first time I realized I can’t be everything to everyone.

Teeter-Totter Effect

The wedding has since come and gone and now I’m career focused. The work-life teeter-totter is now leaning the opposite direction.  I still don’t have it all and I’m okay with that.  I’m focused on furthering my career, so my personal life is on the back burner.  While I still make time for friends and family, I’m saying no to happy-hours, dinners and vendor parties.  Again, I’m okay with it.

1,440

I have a friend who has a demanding career, goes to school full-time, and practices yoga regularly, in addition to being a single mom. To top it off, she’s an exceptional friend that almost always reaches out first.  How does she seem to balance everything, when I can’t?  Life consumes us, but why do some people seem to manage their 1,440 minutes a day better than the rest of us?

“Too Busy” Theory

How does she seem to balance everything when I couldn’t? Well, I asked her.  According to her there are two main things she focuses on.

  1. Stop saying “too busy”. Everyone claims they’re “too busy” and we need to stop saying that.  Will some things be hindered if we don’t spend another hour on them?    But why keep putting off seeing a friend just to spend one more hour at work?  Will that extra hour fulfill you in the long run as much as the genuine conversation? People say life is too short, and it truly is.  If you’ve been thinking about someone for a while, there’s a reason.  Reach out to them and stop being “too busy”.
  2. Prioritizing doesn’t mean what’s due at work for clients, but what’s important to you.  This will be an ever evolving and changing list throughout life.  Everyone will go through phases when their priorities will change, but ask yourself how what you’re doing and working on will not only impact you today, but also three years from now.

She admitted that nothing is ever balanced and she always gives more to one aspect of her life. The teeter-totter of work and life will never be balanced.   You won’t be everything to everyone at the same time and that’s okay.  Life is about balance, prioritizing and a lot of dry shampoo.

 

Brittani-Brittani Wilson │ Public Relations Specialist

 

September 27, 2016

Career Paths

Over the weekend, I went home for my Mother’s birthday. I walked into the kitchen as my mom was talking about her day. She was excited that the student in her 2nd grade class who licks her feet, had worn tennis shoes so she couldn’t do any licking that day. Another student had two “accidents” during the 8-hour school day; Happy birthday Mrs. Swoboda!

As my mom laughed her day off, I started to think about how I ended up choosing my course of study, when I had gone my entire youth imagining a completely different future.

At the beginning of my college career, if you had asked me what I wanted to do someday I would not have been able to answer you. However, at the start of high school, I would have said, “I want to be a teacher, like my mom!” Then, throughout those four years, I spent time in my mom’s classroom doing tasks like grading papers and working with students. Shortly after, I realized that going to school every day to work with young kids was not something that I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Coming to that realization was scary.  I had no idea where to go next. I always had a picture in my head that I would somehow just know what I wanted to do with my future when the time came. I would simply go off to college and live happily ever after.

At Loras College I started off as an undecided major. While the path of knowing exactly what you want to pursue as a major is in the cards for some people, others like myself have to learn through trial and error. Going to college while still undecided as to what to study for the next four years was really overwhelming. Being undecided about my future has forced me to say “yes” to more learning opportunities outside of the classroom.

Once at college, I had discovered an interest in business.  I did some time as an intern working in finance. I learned a lot during that internship; the main one being that finance was not for me. Thankfully that experience was early on in my college career so I was able to choose a different direction with my classes. Without that hands-on opportunity, I may have made some false assumptions about careers in that field.  The internship gave me the opportunity to test drive that career path before committing to it.

The next semester, I took Principles of Marketing. I was intrigued by the material, projects, discussions and assignments.  At first, I was hesitant because of how I had taken a liking to finance only to learn I did not want to pursue it.  I found an internship in social media and marketing to test the water. That internship opened my eyes to all the things I had yet to learn about marketing and I found I was excited to go to work every day. The marketing classes that I had enrolled in were project heavy and did not include many writing assignments. In my internship, I had to write for the monthly newsletters, create content for social media and learn to write on a deadline. These were excellent skill sets to learn!

Internships are an important opportunity for young college adults. They provide the setting for learning about personal strengths and weaknesses and how to apply yourself in a hands-on environment. Going into college undecided was scary, but ultimately something I look back on feeling grateful for. The internships I have experienced all guided me toward something I truly enjoy.

Choosing a major in college is what you study over four years. What you choose as a career is what you study for the rest of your life.  It plays an enormous role in whether you end up working at a job or with a passion.  I am committed to do what I am passionate about and love the process of figuring it out.

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Katie Swoboda headshot– Katie Swoboda │ Business Development Coordinator Intern

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