dsmBUZZ

virtuous and viral

A cast of many international brains with expertise in marketing and social media, including many central Iowa Bloggers, has culminated their great thoughts for the purpose of doing good for children. These profound thinkers have gathered ideas in the second book of this kind of venture called Age of Conversation. Proceeds go to Variety Club program called Lifeline designed to help children with treatable heart conditions in communities where appropriate medical treatment is not available. Great opportunity to get enlightenment when the material goes for a worthy cause.

There was a virtual blip to encourage the race to be listed high on Amazon which occurred yesterday so I'm a day late to help with that goal but it looks like they did very well. I'm a day late for that goal but the project is certainly worthy of keeping the momentum going on and on.

Books by Mode

 

3520 Beaver Ave. Des Moines, IA  515-490-9958, 515-491-5326

Books by Mode uses an innovative print-on-demand publishing system that allows us to easily and quickly take your manuscript from disk or e-mailed Word file to trade paperback. This printing system is faster and less expensive than other self-publishing methods. We can get your book into print in a few weeks, and in some cases days.

You can bring us your manuscript ready to go, with pages laid out and cover designed, or just bring us the manuscript on a CD and have us do the rest.

We do not market or distribute books, but we can help you get an ISBN number and bar code so that you can market your books yourself, if that is your intent. Many authors use this self-publishing system to give their books to family and friends, or to show agents or editors in hopes of securing a deal with a commercial publisher.

Our Web site is www.BooksbyMode.com.
We can also be reached at 515-490-9958 or 515-491-5326. Meetings at our office, 3520 Beaver Ave., Suite G, Des Moines, are by appointment.

Asset Protection Specialists, LLC

Asset Protection Specialists, LLC was founded in May of 2007 to provide homeowners a detailed and accurate database portfolio of all the property they own. Our process begins with a complete video tour inside and outside of your home. Digital photos are taken and model and serial numbers are noted for all high theft and expensive items. Additionally, all receipts, appraisals and certificates of authenticity are scanned into your inventory portfolio.  We are currently recommended by agents from all major insurance companies across Iowa and these agents are listed on our web site www.IowaAPS.com.  We have recently been featured in publications such as The Business Record, Des Moines Women and the Ankeny Register and we currently service the entire state of Iowa. 

Gabriel P. Glynn President/Founder, 1030 NE Hyacinth Lane, Ankeny, Iowa 515.480.1809, g.glynn@iowaAPS.com

Empowerment Stories - April interviews on Entrepreneur People

April 1 - KIVA helps facilitate micro-lending by connecting people in community. Compelling stories of small business owners in developing countries are presented for those who want to help and choose the project they wish to support. Fiona Ramsey of KIVA.org will explain how KIVA works and share some of the ways that micro-lending is making a positive difference in the lives of others. Last year $22 million in loans were faciliated with KIVA.

April 8 - E. Ski Sullivan has been running his own businesses for 30 years. His experience in web marketing and graphic design will be the subject of this interview. Ski will share some tips and break some myths to help you think about ways to maximize your web presence and market to the people who will be most interested in your products and services.

April 15 - RJ McHatton is an award winning documentary filmmaker. He loves the medium and loves history. In the process of his work he found a need to help families’ record personal histories. In October 2005, the vision for this idea was realized and the result was Inventive Productions LLC. RJ will share the personal story of his business, creative ways he markets his business, and why he thinks film histories will be something everyone will treasure and demand.

April 22 - Desiree Nelson is owner of Lavender Lounge Tea and Tea blending based in California. She tells her story of building her shops and offers information regarding her expertise in tea blending. Tea is a drink that brews interest through its history and romance. We’ll learn about this unique tea lounge and the ins and outs of operating a business in tea.

April 29 - The banking industry is feeling the aftermath of a seismic shock these days. Credit is tightening and people are fearful and fed up with the state of the economy. We talk with Chris Larsen CEO of Prosper.com about peer-to-peer lending and how this could be the right time to explore it whether you are a lender or borrower. Currently Prosper has a customer base of 650,000.

photo by blackfin2, powered by flickr

The Nadas - Interview with Jason Walsmith

The business of making music is the subject of this interview with Jason Walsmith of The Nadas. Jason talks about adapting to change, a constant reality in the music industry, and their newest project Ghosts Inside These Halls. He shares an awesome epiphany that will be insightful for anyone engaged in the art of business. Enjoy a sampling of music from their newest release too. Thanks for listening!

# 49 The Nadas. An interview with Jason Walsmith

barry manilow, marketing, and me

Last year when I first launched dsmBUZZ I tried advertising almost immediately. I had maybe 15 or 20 businesses at the time and thought I should market to consumers to sell the membership cards. I tried advertising in the newspaper . . . in black and white (that was all I could afford) . . . to an unknowing audience. It was an ill-conceived, totally deluded, and absolutely invaluable mistake. As Barry Manilow would say, "

"You remind me I live in a shell,
Safe from the past,
and doing' okay,
but not very well.
No jolts, no surprises,
No crisis arises:
My life goes along as it should,
it's all very nice,
but not very good.

As those in the central Iowa bloggers community know there are wonderful people with vast knowledge in the collective. I blogged about my pathetic attempt to market and Drew McLellan generously offered a bit of his time and some feedback.

He suggested that perhaps I place my focus initially on gathering more businesses into dsmBUZZ and less time trying to sell the cards. He may not have realized it at the time but that relieved me of so much stress. I was trying to do and be it all in the beginning with eyes that were far bigger than my business stomach. I needed to create content, court merchants, spread the word, and somewhere in there generate revenue through selling memberships. It was just too much.

A year later and I feel that word has spread, there are certainly a lot more participating merchants and I am more confident that the memberships offer great value and I'm headed in the right direction.I think it is time to try again to advertise memberships to consumers. As the music swells Barry and I sing,

And I'm Ready To Take A Chance Again,
Ready to put my marketing dollars on the line with yooooooou.
Been living with nothing to show for it;
You get what you get when you go for it,
And I'm Ready To Take Chance Again, ready to take a chance again with you, with billboard yoooooouu.

I've decided to spend my advertising dollars on a Tran-Sit bulletin board. I like them, I look at them and the pricing is very reasonable for something that sits there in the same spot. I've hired Rachel McClung who has done most of my graphic design work to help me out. She is always very patient with my scattered ideas and creates beautiful and effective pieces. Here are the options tell me what you think if you have a moment and I won't tell you which I prefer yet.

1. 

2. 

3. 

I'll keep you posted on the one I choose and also some other things I'll be doing this year. Thanks for reading!

Manilow photo by smcgee, powered by flickr

An interview with Ginger Johnson of Snap Creative Works

This is an interview for the souls who LOVE ideas and know the power of employing them. Have a seat but be prepared to stand up and shout "YES" because this is food for entrepreneurs that gets them fired up. A little wind-noise in the beginning but be prepared to be motivated with Ginger Johnson of SNAP. Enjoy.

#48 Interview with Ginger Johnson of SNAP Creative Works

Top Ten Reasons to Practice Yoga

Top Ten Reasons We Practice Yoga

10. Embrace reality – Yoga teaches non-attachment (not to be confused with indifference). Accept that life is impermanent. The problem is not that things change but that we try to live as if they don’t. Accepting that all things change frees us to be fully present.

9. Free your mind – Most days we give our bodies rest, but even as the body is quiet the mind continues to spin with activity. Yoga gives the mind permission to be empty and quiet.

8. Learn to mono-task – As masters of multi-tasking, we are addicted to variety. Yoga postures give us the opportunity to focus on ONE effort; opening the mind and body.

7. Focus inward – Learn to exist on an island of calm within a chaotic world.

6. Soothe stress – Yoga requires us to slow down which is easy for some and near impossible for others. Learn to experience an emotion without becoming the emotion. We cannot change the level of stress we encounter but we can modify our response to it.

5. Lengthen and strengthen muscles – Most exercise creates short, bulky muscles. Yoga challenges muscles while they are lengthened to create strong muscles with less bulk and more flexibility.

4. See yourself in the mirror – Each breath, each movement reflects to us who we are and how we are from moment to moment. The postures teach us about ourselves; makers on the map of the soul.

3. Accept yourself – We all share the same destination. True power lies in our ability to expand and enjoy the journey! Yoga is not about changing who you are. Everything you need is already inside. We were created human beings, not humans doing . . .

2. Improve sports performance – Most of us are not physically or mentally hardwired to enjoy every sport so we choose a few that we excel at. Over time we end up with a body that has some overworked muscles and some areas of weakness. Imbalances over time lead to injury. Yoga enhances athletic performance by improving flexibility and by teaching proper breathing, relaxation and focus.

1. Create băÌ•ance in your life – The word yoga literally translated means union-body, mind, spirit . . . past, present, future. Yoga brings the body back into balance with its full spectrum of poses – prone, supine, backward bending, forward bending – and helps to teach us how to breathe properly, relax and enjoy a flexible mind and body!

So you think you can’t do yoga? Quiet the negative talk in your head and remember that life gives partial credit – focus on what you CAN do. Sandy Eimers, RPh

baĺ▪ance
yoga lounge
2202 West First Street Suite E
Ankeny, IA  50023
515.210.8138
www.balanceyogalounge.com

Bridges Financial

Join the mortgage revolution!

revolution [rev-uh-loo-shuhn] - a sudden, complete or marked change in something

 

With the new HOME OWNERSHIP ACCELERATOR loan, you deposit your paycheck into it and write all of your expenses out of it, just like a bank account.

While you're not using your money,it keeps your loan balance much lower, which could save you thousands in interest, build equity faster and pay off your mortgage in half the time!

• No Change in spending habits
• Save thousands in interest
• Access to equity with ATM & unlimited check writing
• In short, you become your own bank

Derek Bough at Bridges Financial is proud to be the first in Iowa to offer this revolutionary new loan program.This loan is also a powerful and efficient platform to leverage the equity in your home to build a sizable nest egg above and beyond your regular retirement accounts.

Derek Bough
Bridges Financial
3705 Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50312
515-274-8998
www.line20b.com

office hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m Mon. - Fri. and outside normal business hours by appointment.  Just ask.

An interview with Angela Maiers - Maiers Educational Services, Inc

When did you learn to think critically about the material you read and hear? As a chronic media sponge I know I must always ask questions about the content, source, and relevance of information. When Angela asked me this question during the interview, I had to admit it was probably in the late course work of college. I may be a bit slow on the uptake for such things but I suspect others might share the same experience.

How do you build on your knowledge and more importantly strengthen your intellect to go out and take in more? These days what does it take to be qualified as an intelligent learner? What types of skills do these learners need to make it in the workforce?

These are significant issues if you're a learner, a teacher, or an employer. Meet Angela Maiers during this inspiring interview and learn what she is doing to help address the ever-changing learning environment and build a business that she passionately loves.

#47 Interview with Angela Maiers