There comes a time in everyone’s life, where you have to make make a choice or choices designed to guide you towards fulfilling what you feel the formidable plan should be – no, will be. Decisions of this magnitude are often times difficult. Making the right choice often hinges on lessons from the past, taught by institution certified teachers and beloved parents and kinfolk of wisdom. In the end however, the landlord of the choice made, is you!

This edition of ‘What Little I know…’ is going to be the first and the last of heavy prose, as it represents a current and very monumental event in my life.

Six-weeks ago, I made the difficult and cognizant decision to resign from my role at a large media organization. It was a role that gave a young leader, such as myself, everything materially that I could ever ask for. Through this job, I purchased a home in a trendy area of Downtown Toronto, Ontario. Through this role, I was able to purchase the car, or at least one of them, that I always wanted and through this role, I was able to travel, often times to destinations I chose at whim. Resigning, on the other hand, gave me a chance to walk away from a mono-dimensional way of living, thinking and socializing. No more consuming 80 hours a week, in a bubble like state. To be honest, the realization of the need to resign and attain ‘more’ came last May, when I attended a funeral for someone I knew in high school. This individual was my age and with, what most would say, a bright future ahead of him. The one thing that really struck a chord with me, as I sat attentively waiting for the funeral procession to begin, was the number of people that came out to say goodbye to my friend. The funeral home was so full that to accommodate all, they had to televise the ceremony in the gymnasium next door. Nonetheless, as I looked at the different faces, races and ages in the satellite location it made me think, how many lives or which lives have I touched over the years and who would feel compelled to attend my funeral? When you looked at our lives, my deceased friend and I, and compared them, on face value and based on the beliefs of common society, many would have thought that I made all the right choices and was living a fulfilled life. However, when I thought about who would attend my funeral, I came up with approximately 15 people, and they were family members who would be somewhat forced, by relation, to attend. Then it hit me – my deceased friend, who may not have had the trendy condominium and fast car, clearly made some strong decision for the preservation of self and all that it means to attain ‘more’- this was obvious when you looked at the number of lives he touched. At that point, I knew I had dedicated everything, my entire being to just a job. I dedicated my life to a thing that really was not fulfilling or aiding me in exploring my passions. Most of all, I spent the past five working years ignoring my loved ones, my fabulous friends, my spirituality and in the end, blindly ignoring me.

So, funnily enough, my resignation comes close to the one-year anniversary of my awakening. It is unfortunate that it took this long to come to fruition, but everything happens in its due time.

In turning a new leaf in life, I look forward to continuing to work, but for myself, pursuing the things that drive me. Although to some around me, this choice that I have made, in their eyes resembles walking away from the greatest boon in a gold mine, I know that with passion, comes drive, with drive comes growth, and with growth comes success.

Now I think I am finally ready and understand what it means to go out and attain ‘more’.

written by Beverly Crandon

Many of us have or are currently contributing to what we call the service industry, though trade or occupation. The Service industry can formidably be defined and broken down into the following categories:

1. service on a non-tangible; this is the more widely accepted definition
2. service related to widely adopted products, thus requiring larger scale more mass like support, either through third party (usually) and or in-house.

Nonetheless, both segments listed above must fulfill the rudimentary definition of the word service, and if not - there would be grounds for grave misappropriation of behavior. AND THIS IS where my story begins.

I went to a spa to do some maintenance work on my nails and feet and while waiting for my session to start, I was reviewing their pricing sheet. I noticed that the ‘maintenance work’ I normally purchased had another package attached to it. In fact, the other package was preceded with the word ‘Premium’. Although the service was described as being premium, the author left out the most important piece of information - ‘why was it deemed premium’. Anyway, being the inquisitive spa goer, I walked up to the counter and asked about the differences in the package - what makes the premium premium

and the basic basic. The attendant at the counter explained the features and benefits quite well and actually had me roped in to go with the premium service, until I asked the price. The attendant said ” the price is $60 and that includes my tip”.

Imagine my shock at this comment -she hadn’t yet performed the service, but was indirectly demanding that I tip. Well - since I was already there - I took the basic treatment, however the tip comment talked me out of spending more money with this establishment and buying the premium. Furthermore, I don’t know if I will ever return to the spa!

What an unfortunate end to what I thought was a mutually beneficial relationship. I was going to this spa every two weeks and spending considerable amounts of money. Even though I understand they have hired new staff, it still leaves no excuse for what their managers missed in ‘new hire’ training.

I read an article once that brought to light an important phrase ‘citizen marketers’. Each and everyone one of us is a

‘citizen marketer’ for every product, company, service, pass time we endorse and thoroughly enjoy. When will proprietors get it - a ‘citizen marketer’ is an affordable and credible source of advertising.

Now where will I get my nails done? Any thoughts, email me at beverly.crandon@ad-ition.com

written by Beverly Crandon

What Little I know about San Francisco and Web 2.0 really came to light upon arrival to the city. It appears to be a metropolis who hasn’t quite fully executed their social stratification concept and as a result, the city can appear to be somewhat confusing to visitors.

San Francisco can proudly boast however, about their great out-lying scenery, amazing shoes, sour dough, great cocktails and restaurants. For example, I went to a vegan restaurant called Millennium. I ordered the chef’s personally designed tasting menu and was never disappointed, at any course of the meal. Who knew slivers of lettuce and other green vegetation of varying consistencies could taste so good. I encourage everyone who visits San Francisco to stop by Millennium for a meal.

As for Web 2.0, the possibilities are obvious for traditional off line products and specifically media within Web 2.0. The upcoming challenge however, will be getting all players on board in a timely fashion. It’s interesting though, while sitting in some of the sessions, I heard a lot of people make comments about print for example, saying it was ‘totally dead’. My concern, sitting there, was that other advertisers in the room would run out and blow up their business to create some sort of online medium, under a different brand to better separate them from their old dying one. No No No — a lot of print publishers represent some very strong brands that have been around for over a 100 years - you don’t want to blow that up; instead you want to compliment your business with the right set of online tools, strategies and yes - partners if needed.

The emergence of online social networks that dabble in the classified world have many of my publisher friends running scared. I encourage them nevertheless, to step back, do the due diligence and execute accordingly. Really understand what is in your current arsenal and what from that can you build on, as a conduit tool, when looking at the online extension of your business.

Now to close with the important things - this is my last night in San Francisco and need to know if I should run back to pick up these shoes - What do you think? Email me at beverly.crandon@ad-ition.com.

                                       

written by Beverly Crandon