Happy Year, Happy Me: Horoscopes for 2016!

2015 was a year; a lot of people in my life would take back. We wish we could take things back, but soon learn that we don’t have control over the things that happen to us. This can drive us crazy. This can break us emotionally. We want to be able to help, to make things better, to fix things, to fix people, to change outcomes, to re-write stories. We want to know we are making a difference, but we don’t always get that choice. This can be the hardest thing to accept knowing love is not enough to change fate.

Life happens often without reasoning, and it teaches us that somethings will never be the same. Change is drastic. One moment, one incident, one experience can re-shape you, change you. Forever.

We all deal with things differently and express our pain in different ways, and some of us don’t know how to cope at all. Some of us struggle to carry on; some of us feel it’s unfair for us to enjoy life again, while other people will keep going on distractions. When you lose something, it is forever lost, it is missing, and while we will always look back upon them, not even the memories can replace the lose, or bring that person back or make it better. Though we try, that person or thing now gone, changes our life. We will carry that pain with us because some wounds weren’t meant to heal. People become soldiers when they learn to live and cope with their wounds. While they are hard to confront, they do serve as an impression of your strength, your will and your courage.

They give you wisdom. The bullets we take and survive gives us a new figure, a new state of mind, and a new heart. We are carried to new places and points of understanding. As we have seen places we never wish to have visited, our empathy grows. While, I’m sure in many cases it also shuts down, but the capacity for empathy enlarges when you have lost, suffered or endured. Our ability to understand pain changes and perhaps are willingness to help and recognize people as humans before we judge them-- not knowing what is going on in their world. Pain recognizes pain, and the saying that we are often made better by helping someone else is quite true.

Which is why it is so hard when you would give anything to help someone and can’t. When you are forced to realize that looking ahead only makes matters worse. That really all we have for now is just right now, and this moment. We have now. What will come? We don’t know, but until then we can #LiveForTheMoment, and we can #LiveHarder for beautiful people like MP and Tracy Penner who we have lost far too soon and tragically. For our #ReyofSunshine recovering with such grace, and dignity. For all the people who are sick, and can’t get better, but who want to, and will not stop--because as it was stated, we will do whatever we can to keep ourselves alive. We will do whatever we can to help those we love. 

May we enjoy each other for this moment, and share with one another how we feel. Express the gratitude that you have for the love in your life because it is not something to be taken for granted. Moments come and go, but they are precious, so be mindful of them.

Keep things alive within you for an eternity, and never feel afraid to talk about how you are feeling. Things can be bad, and they can get worse, but you’ll reach a point when you know that things can only get better. Life really is a series of ups and downs, and it doesn’t always make sense. It is not suppose to. If it did we would all be figured out, and so many of us still remain giant question marks. So many of us die this way. It is actually not our job to have everything figured out. It might look like we have landed somewhere, but we have no idea where we are going. We would like to say, hope, believe and think that everything we desire for ourselves is going to come true, but life has a special way of giving us things we didn’t even know we wanted. Regardless, the way it works out isn’t always up to you, but what you can change is how you feel about it.

HOROSCOPES FOR THE END OF THE YEAR/THE NEW YEAR

Aries (March 21-April 19)

 

 It would be lovely to see you do something impulsive—switch up the game a little bit. Not to say, this isn't something in your power.You know you need something to make you smile, and while that hasn’t been that easy these days, there is so much left in you to give. This year, give yourself those moments to re-charge. Known when to say no, and remember that everything has to end. It might not be when we want it, it might not even be something that we want, but we have to learn to let it shape us. You have learned that life isn’t always easy, but you are a leader, and rarely give up, even when you are exhausted. Listen to your gut, it will tell all. You're going places at your own speed, so just say when.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

 

Moving onto some new connections could be good here—sometimes you get stuck swimming in the same circles when all you want to do is swim free. Remember you need to breath, in a relationship, you need to breath. You need to feel comfortable. There are a lot of things you have achieved, goals you set that you made happen, but it’s not over yet. There is more, and while you are busy chasing your goals, the other things will come into place, but don’t put too much focus on love, just let it find you, it will, if you are occupied, doing what you enjoy most. Stop worrying. Nobody knows how much you think about the things that you want, and it's frustrating when you have the goods and aren't getting any back. You've simply got to stop working so damn hard at everything! 

Leo (July 23-August 22)

Finding time for you is really important, and no spending time with your SO doesn’t count. "Staying in" doesn't count. What time do you take for you? A long shower doesn’t count. Lately, you’ve been working from fifty different angels, or perhaps it’s always like that, but you need to know when to stop. You are a devoted lover, so much so that you let little things go for your lover, but they fester within you and they build. Speak on the small stuff, you’re actually not as good at letting things go as you think you are. Ask yourself why you spend so much time with others; helping others, working for others, is there something you are too scared to face alone? You need to have a strong relationship with you otherwise you will fall apart.

Capricorn (December 22-Jan. 19)

It’s hard for a lot of you to feel happy, or at least most of the time. This is because you work too hard. If you love your job it’s different, Capricorn will feel on a high at work (and a high on life), but when Capricorn is working hard in places that bring them down, they don’t feel in control and this makes for a bad Capricorn. Love will help support the Capricorn as long as Capricorn doesn’t take their stress out on their love, and learns to give back loving words. Don’t taint your good relationships, remember that work isn’t the most important thing, and ask yourself what it. What do you want? Regardless, it will all fall into place, as I once told a beautiful and intelligent Capricorn girl, “you will get everything you want from life because you work for it”, hard work does pay off here, but it’s not magic, it doesn’t turn around over night, and it will take exactly that, hard work to make it all possible. Ask yourself what you can’t live without and pour your energy into that.

 Taurus (April 20-May 20)

It would be nice to see the Taurus make a change. Not a travel change, or a hair change, or a clothing change, but a real life change. Is there a class you want to take? A job you want to work towards? What’s something you want to do for you? Take up design? Start reading again? Anything goes here, but it needs to be about you and your own productivity. Taurus loves to shares, but they do keep a lot private. A lot. Taurus will straight up surprise you with news that you didn’t see coming. Love is hot when it’s hot, and frustrating when it’s cold, but remember the standards you set for yourself. It won’t just be anybody, and if it's someone, try not to give everything that you have to this person. Having your own life a part from your partner will only make your love stronger. Don’t be hard on yourself either, eat what you want, stop looking in the mirror. You work hard to look great, and trust me, you do.

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

You will come to some realizations about important decisions this year. You will learn that in some regards, you can’t continue to play around. Love is probably the one place you’re not in any rush to go to, though you might be there or have been there a few times. A lot of you are in the right place, with a partner who is finally on the same page as you. Others don’t know, and may not want to, as getting married isn’t the first thing on your list to do. Virgo wants to build their empire and get to a place of power; they will put their drive before their heart. This year, try to let go of things that only bring you down. Try to focus on what’s making you happy, but be honest with yourself, is what's suppose to be making you happy actually making you happy? There are many good days ahead, but you’ll take it all in like a true realist, knowing things will occur that aren’t pleasant. Virgo will take the pain with the pleasure to keep working hard, and finding time for number one. See, Virgo can’t be around you all the time, and if you’re really the right person for them, you won’t expect them to be.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

You probably admit you have a hard time knowing what you want. You know what you think, most of the time, but knowing how you feel has always been a problem. You’re just too curious, sometimes it gets in the way. You do want to know everything, but not for the wrong reasons. You’re just concerned. You just want to know. Some of you have been with people for very long periods of time, and it’s likely your partner has wondered where your level of commitment is at. I’m sure some of you have even broken up and gotten back together with mates. Libra doesn’t always think ahead. They want to be married, sure, to you, and their best friend and other best friend, but they don’t want to have to pick between loves. Libra is likely to have a few soul mates in their lives that satisfy different aspects. Eventually, they are more than happy to settle down, but it does take time—if you’re a true Libra, that is.

 Gemini (May 21-June 20)

 You might say things, but you don’t always mean them. At least not if they hurt people’s feelings. You might act like you don’t care, but you do care. If you’re not right with someone who matters to you, it does affect you. Though, in typical Gemini fashion you will try to play it cool. Gemini hates to wait for results. Even if it’s a matter of paying their own consequences, Gemini would much rather speed up the process. This year it’s important for Gemini to work on their communication (even though Gemini is the master of communication), and really try to notice how they talk to people. Or how they might treat certain people differently than others. Gemini is very prone to having secrets because they don’t like people knowing what could be perceived as “bad” about them. Gemini would like to maintain an image that other people can admire (maybe even idolize.) All that matters is that it's a reflection they are happy to see in the mirror (and we know how much Gemini loves the mirror.) Gemini needs to stop moving towards the danger zone of things, and see if stuff can happen naturally without drama. You’re going to be happiest by getting what you least expect, so stop being so quick to cast things off. What you end up with and whom you end up with will be a surprise, but first, you’ve got to open yourself up to the opportunity.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-feb. 18)

If you feel the need to prove to people that your partner is gold, then, I’m sorry, but you have a problem with you partner. Something about them isn’t good enough for you because that’s not a normal approach. OK. Once in a while, sure, but trying to get the approval of others is a waste of time. If you love your partner, you will just love and accept them for who they are. There won’t be too many things that you need to change, or at least there shouldn’t be. Aquarius sometimes needs to know when to stop striving, but it’s hard for them. They always want more because they always see more. They are smart. They understand how things work so they know what they should be getting or what they could get. They don’t let these things go, so they usually happen. Love isn’t like this, however. Love has to happen organically and without terms. Sure, there can be some "terms", but it’s not like a contract where you both make love like a job. You simply have to let love win, and learn that a lot of things in life are not of our control. We can do our best to voice for our concerns, but sometimes the inevitable change, which is bound to come, takes a bit of waiting.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

 It’s weird for people to see you so set in your ways only to suddenly change them. You're suppose to be a creature of habit. People may wonder what your influences are, but you are simply drastic like that. Scorpio does have a lot of secretive behavior, thoughts and ambitious. Scorpio will come out and surprise you. Don’t be alarmed. Scorpio is learning too. Even if they are always the one giving the golden advice, Scorpio is still figuring out their life journey. Many Scorpios are in hiding, and bent on hiding themselves from the world. They will come back. In their own time. Scorpio is all about going at their own speed; so let them stay in control and don’t try to push them. Their buttons are fragile and if you come at them in any regard, they are more than likely to bite off your head. This is not a sign to fake it for anybody, but when they are in the right spirits, they have so much to offer. Remember, this year is still about you, and you too need to detach from relationships that ask too much of you. You also need a sense of self and a place for personal growth. Start dreaming, there is plenty of potential for Scorpio to prosper.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

The most important thing, this year, is sincerity. If you aren’t ready, ask yourself why? Do you really think you ever really were? Sometimes we sit on stumps for a while, but eventually, we move on from that stump. This is something that Cancer struggles to do—move on. They would rather stay in a crappy relationship than break up, and it only hurts them more in the end. Though, it’s not to say that many Cancers aren’t happy with the right people. It is, however, important that Cancer be aware of their personal thresholds and honest feelings. Cancer can easily get trapped, and it’s best to avoid that at all costs. Cancer can make the mistake of putting others before them to the point that it is unhealthy. Make sure you are taking time to do the things that make you happy. 

Pisces (Feb.19-March 20)

 With all those years of ups and down, this one just might stay on the up side--if you let it. Your popularity is totally dependant on you, your mood and your outlook. You know you can make people love you if you want, but that you’re also capable of the exact opposite. Finding a goal is good. Getting lost in love isn’t. Pisces will drink in their lover 24/7, but this distracts them from their own chaos. You have to "do" in order to make dreams come true, you have to work hard and make things happen. Dreaming is not going to pay the bills. Talent gets wasted in this sign when they lack motivation, but many are driven and will rise to great things. For those single Fish that have been waiting for a catch, it is coming, but the sooner you are too busy to notice it, the better. Career can really take off if you play your cards right, and stick to your tactics, switch things up a little. You know you stand out so use it to your advantage. Cut off ties from people who have proven to be unworthy. Don’t make excuses for people. If you don’t know, you don’t know, so stop guessing and stop asking. Focus on the facts, the things you know for certain. Stop writing your own version of the story. All you know is what you were told or what actually happened, the rest is just a wish, and wishful thinking never got the Pisces to any place good.

Why Every Business Should Use Social Media

Getting Social: The Selling Point of Social Media

   

Social media is the most life-changing form of communication since E-mail. It is a powerful source of media that is changing how we interact with each other, how we see the world, and how we do business. A Balihoo study shows that 91% of people use Facebook to find places, products and services. Social media is the new phone book, don’t you want your business to be in it? Social media benefits the consumer and the marketer. It is the perfect way to achieve brand recognition. Every opportunity you have to syndicate your content, increases your visibility and its value. Social media networks are new, free channels for the voice of your brand and it's content.

Free Marketing Space

While there is paid social media, and this can be effective, you can also access many social media platforms for free. For example, why wouldn’t you create a promotional page for your company on the second most popular website (Facebook) that has 1.49 billion monthly active uses this year? Why wouldn’t you get a twitter account? Both of these moves put you in the forefront of your community. Enabling you to post content that benefits your brand and audience. Current Marketing isn’t about selling products, it is about telling stories and creating authentic relationships. Social media helps you to build these relationships by interacting with your audience. The more you invest in these relationships, the more you will get out of them. Word-of-mouth is one of the most effective marketing tools, and social media provides you with a platform to exercises influencers and be an influencer. Meaning you can show support for other companies, and they can do the same. Or people who admire your brand can directly shout you out on social media. The ability to influence is imperative at this stage.

Gain Influencers: what are Influencers?

Influencers are people who are considered experts to their audiences, audiences which can be large, or small – the key is that the person posting has social influence of some regard. People trust the real word of everyday consumers, more than they trust ads, which is why influencers can help to promote your brand through the use of word-of-mouth, social media marketing—influencer marketing. You can pay people to influence for you, or you can reward them, endorse them with product, or offer to shout them out and their services. For example, if you use a blogger, you can shout out that person’s blog on your social media platforms. Social media helps you locate influencers and engage with them in real time. Discover brand advocates and let them help you build your community. Keep in mind that 70% of consumers who experience an effective brand response on social media are more likely to recommend that brand to others.

The world of Social Media: learn and connect 

Social media connects you with other people who are just as passionate about a certain industry. According to Spredfast, 52% of enterprise brands say that social media is the top driver for growing relationships and building brand engagement. In trying to build your brand, it does help to learn from other people in your industry, hear what they are saying and what they are doing. Monitor your competition, understand your detractors and see what’s working in your marketing. Check out your competitors, see what they are posting and be aware of what is out there. Social media is a great opportunity to see what everyone is doing. It is a great way to make connections all over the world.

You employees and coworkers have an average of 111 friends on Facebook and 25 followers, now you can reach an exceptionally wider audience without any additional costs. Now you have a platform to tell your story. Instagram has more than 200 million active users, and Youtube is the more impressionable network for ages 18-34 years old. Through targeted, one-on-one conversations, you can make your customer part of your story and create a community around your brand.

Find Your Audience

It is very important to find your target audience, and any successful business has learned to know their audiences well. Using tools like analytics can help understand the dominate demographics and patterns of your customer behaviors. Social media not only lets you target your audience better, it also provides you with the specific needs of your customer base. You can measure content, and this lets you see what is working and what is not. You will learn quickly what your audience would like to see more of, and these analytics help you provide it. Social media gives you the platform and opportunity to connect with individuals who are important to your customer service and brand strategy. Having those connections at your immediate disposal can be very helpful. It is important to make connections personal. Write back to comments, follow fans, and like their photos and photos of similar businesses. It is good to make it personal. Studies have proven that brands who engage on social media channels experience a higher loyalty from their customers. 

See Yourself Grow

Figuratively, brands become more humanized by engaging with social media channels. Here, brands can act like people do. People like doing business with other people, not companies. Through social media, you can increase your website traffic. For example, the more social media shares you get, the higher your search ranking will be. If a lot of people Retweet your post it is more likely to run higher in Google search engine result pages. Increase your website traffic – the more social media shares you get, the higher your search ranking will be.

If used properly, social media will make it easier for potential customers to find you. Whether it’s gaining more followers or increasing customer engagement, businesses around the globe are finding ways to how social media is contributing to their success and growth.

If you’re feeling limited in terms of audience, social media is an excellent way to expand your horizons. Using tools like “geo search in Hootsuite” are great for searching hashtags, which people in your neighbourhood are using—this works great with tools like Twitter.

Adding value to your online audiences is easy with social media, which allows you to engage and nurture existing fans, while expanding to new audiences.

Improve Your Customer Service Strategy

Interacting with customers regularly is a sign of good faith for other customers. Social media works in real-time and it provides you with instant commentary from your customers. This is highly valuable insight. It can help everything from new product growth to customer retention. Social media is where people are going to compliment or brag about a brand.

There are a lot of things you can do to interact with your customer and improve customer services. Aside from commenting on photos, following people and liking photos, you can also ask questions on your platforms, which engage users. You can start twitter chats, which are successfully demonstrated by companies like T-Mobile and Hootsuite. You can also do give-aways, draws and contests on your feed. You can find ways to involve customers in your social media: engagement is key.

Social media provides for a richer customer experience, it opens up a line of communication. Social media interaction with customers improves customer insight. You can utilize the skill of social listening and find out what your customers are interested in, and what they would like to see less of. Remember, your competition is likely already involved, don’t let them reap the benefits – get social. 

Increase Leads and Traffic

There are many encouraging statistics which support the concept that effective social media brings leads and traffic.  According to Linkedin, 82% of people report that social media is helpful for lead generation. 77% of b2C and 43% of b2b companies say they’ve acquired customers through Facebook, and 68% of consumers check out companies online before buying. Meaning that your social media, in many rights, is your online catalogue, it’s the medium people are using to check you out before they affiliate with you in any regard. Social media is the new phonebook. Hubspot reports that 92% of marketers (2014) said that their social media marketing was vital to their business. Social media platforms all call attention to your website, 80% of people quoted that their social media efforts increased traffic to their website.

Remember that every created post on social media is an opportunity to convert, and “opportunity” is the first element of any action. Social media profiles create another path back to every website and every amount of content you syndicate to those social media profiles is another chance for a new visitor.

Keep in mind that the content you post will have a huge influence. Aim to post quality content. Quality content = more inbound traffic = more conversions and leads.

Google and other search engines might be calculating their rankings using social media, and because of this, most strong brands use social media. Showing activity on social media can act as a “brand signal” to search engines deeming that your brand is credible, trustworthy, and legitimate. 

You have to have a dominate social media presence. Social media has a 100% higher lead-to-close rate that outbound marketing. A higher number of social media followers can improve trust and credibility in your brand. Building your audience can improve conversion rates on existing traffic.

Social media generates leads for one third of the cost—for example, a social media campaign can increase reach and fuel demand generation. Social media is great for generating leads with gated content. 85% of consumers say they will change their shopping behaviour in response to social media content, “conversations and relationships are currency, it’s time to start cashing in.”

Social networking is the most popular online activity, why wouldn’t you take part in this? According to iMedia 70% of marketers say social media marketing has increased their brand awareness. Increase your brand awareness, grow your audience and communicate with customers affectively. Social Media allows for real-time connections, which is highly beneficial towards creating authentic relationships. Time is of the essence, and the longer you wait, the more you have to lose. Social Media is about building relationships, and you have to start this process now. 

Remember that if social media marketing is executed properly that it will lead to more customers, more traffic and more conversions.

Looking for an exceptional social media consult? Someone who can get you started and has the results to prove she's a success at this? I can guarantee results. Contact me, Tara Chloe Dusanj @ tarachloe3@gmail.com or 604-764-2669.

The Influencer Marketing Miracle on 34th Street

The classic Christmas movie, Miracle on 34th Street bears one of the most powerful marketing lessons of all-time.

The Santa Claus in the film is working at Macy's department store. When he doesn't have what the customer wants, he sends them to shop at competitors. If Macy's doesn't carry the item, or if a competitor is selling it for less, the Santa Claus tells people where they can get the best value.

This reality upsets the toy department manager, until Mr. Macy is forced to embrace the radical new policy when he gets hundreds of telegrams from people expressing their gratitude and appreciation of an establishment that would place customers in front of their profit. The store quickly becomes the talk of the town, and the sales flourish. Not only is this is a valuable lesson in customer service, but it is also a lesson about Influencer Marketing.The Santa Claus in this film highlights the power of word-of-mouth Marketing. A popular study by McKinsey discovered that "marketing-induced consumer-to-consumer word of mouth generates more than twice the sales of paid advertising." Those acquired through this type of advertising, had a 37 percent higher retention rate. Influencer Marketing provides the wonderful opportunity for brands to leverage the impact of word-of-mouth through personalities that their customers already admire and follow. 

The Macy's Santa Claus is showing the benefit of B2B relationships. In the B2C market, Sprout Social reports that 74% of consumers look for social brand and product recommendations as an imperative aspect of their customer journey. Corporations prosper largely from trusted voices who make their way through the vast B2B products and services market. If we give Company A business then company A might thank us by giving us some business back. If we Tweet about how great Company A is doing, maybe they will do the same thing back. Instead of working against Company A,it appears more beneficial to work with them. Creating these kinds of connections can improve business, but also customer relationships, who feel that you truly care about their concerns and needs and not just your own profit. As an establishment you thrive to be an expert in your field, which means people will trust your suggestions. You have a lot of impact, and you should use this to create connections in your community. Reach out to like-minded establishments, let them know you'd be happy to work together. 

This is the heart of what Influencer Marketing is all about. Showing regards for others, who will in turn show regard for you. Expressing the faith that you have in a product or service, in the hopes that people around you will be influenced by your good experience and give it a try. The theme of this is worked throughout Miracle on 34th Street, as it's the word-of-mouth regarding the Macy's Santa, which makes him so popular in the first place. People experienced a good thing and they wanted to share it with others. The power of influence is strong, and when properly exercised can have massive results.  

There are many advantages to making B2B connections. For one, you get a new target group which means additional revenue. This allows you to pursue new sales opportunities, but most importantly it puts you in connection with industry leaders. You can engage with industry leaders through social media, blogs, forums, Linkedin, events, interviews, or by asking them to submit guest articles to your publications. Setting up these relationships is an asset towards seeing what other people in your industry are doing, and the service they provide. It is suggested that you provide rewards for influencers who talk about your brand: invitations, paid articles, social media spotlights. It is also important to team up with other industries, that compliment you, but are not just like you. Perhaps you can trade off service recommendations for the other? Perhaps they provide products that go hand in hand with what you are offering? Regardless, this provides you with an interesting perspective for your content, added data sources, and fresh referrals that haven't been picked-over. Additionally, it gives you a platform for communication that your competitors likely are not using yet. 

Naturally, the Macy's Santa is a influencer towards embracing new Marketing strategies. One like Influencer Marketing, which is statistically proven to be more affective than paid advertising. 

New Horoscopes up on Elite Daily

Check out my Horoscopes on Elite Daily: http://elitedaily.com/life/culture/sign-astrology-fall/1226852/

How the Zodiac Signs Can Right Their Wrongs For a New Season! 

Read em', share em', thank you! 

The Pain of Knowing Your Passion

While knowing what you love and what you want to do is highly beneficial, it can also be very dangerous. Knowing what you want to do limits your options, and makes it harder for you to work in the field that you desire--because you only have a select number of opportunities. For example, if you are a photographer, and you know you will only be happy taking photos. Or if you love PR and can only envision yourself doing Thought Leadership campaigns. This limits your number of opportunity. Knowing what you want to do is powerful, but it makes the objective of "getting a job" somewhat more difficult.


There is also the especially difficult experience of knowing where you would love to do what you love to do. This just might not happen. Despite your creative efforts to get their attention, the dream company in mind may simply not pick you, and knowing this harsh reality, you might be inspired to start something up for yourself. When you have a sense of clarity regarding your dreams, it can be easy to put all your energy towards them and create your own business. Not that this is done easily, though sometimes a will does create a clear path.


I've seen this happen. Passion has opened so many locked doors for the people who exercise it properly. A good mentor is someone who shows you the way, and if you are already have your own style, you might not benefit from learning from someone else--you might just be the leader. You might really be a in a position to own things and set something new and inspiring off the ground.

I've seen a young man drop out of University only to create his own billion dollar startup. I've seen immigrants travel from India at the age of fourteen who have created 35+ million dollar companies. I've seen ambitious 25 year olds get their MBAs and fast-track their career and salary expectations. I've seen people make their business dreams come true, but they had this distinguishable passion. I've seen people who literally get off on their career success and base their entire livelihood off of what they do. Are they compensating for something else in their life that is missing? Maybe, but it's no surprise society defines people by what they do. This is why those who love what they do have a greater challenge of staying loyal to their identity. When you love something, of course it helps define you, though there are other alternatives to expressing your talent. You could get a job that pays the bills and pursue your passions on the side. You don't have to start your own business, but instead work for yourself. Just take note that it is this type of "I love what I do" passion, which often creates successful leaders.

I've seen people succeed and fail, but the one thing they had in common was a knowing passion of what they loved to do, and where they loved to do it or how they loved to do it. The people with the passion generally wind up back on their feet.


I've seen numerous friends go through the motions with their careers, and many are truly, finally doing what they love. A lot of them are successful at it because they want to do what they do, and they do it well, it is there niche. It makes them happy. Once you've found your niche you do have a lot of strength. In choosing to bite the bullet until that dream corporation comes along. Or deciding to start your own business or freelance it, you do create your own destiny. In refusing to settle for anything less, or do any other thing, you are giving yourself a sense of speciality. No matter what you do career-wise, you never gave up on the things that you love, and that contests for something valuable. With this, comes the patience from the greater good, but also the tenacity to never quit. Faith is lovely, but it's hard work you can rely on and depend on. If you keep giving out 110%, eventually someone is going to recognize you, right? Well, at least that is the hope. All you call really do is keep dreaming, and keep putting forth all of your effort into the things that make you the happiest. Continue to put yourself out there and see who responds. You never know who might require your service. You never know who might be reading. Don't lose hope too quickly.


If you are certain of your skill and work ethic, then it is only a matter of time before things piece together. Doing what you love just might be worth waiting for, but you have to have a little faith, and a whole lot of passion to get there.

Supply and Demand: How Companies like Hootsuite are Maximizing Marketing Stategy

Influencer Marketing has been defined as focusing on one's community in order to gain hits and exposure through people, blogs and brands that have influence. Real people influence our decisions more than advertisements too because people rely on expert opinions that they can trust. 

If you work somewhere, doesn't that in some regard make you an expert of that corporation? If you post photos on your social media about your job, and how awesome it is, aren't I meant to trust you? After all, you work there and you would know best. The growing epic fad of #HootsuiteLife is a testament to admirers, but more specifically Hootsuite's employees. This trend was so powerful, Hootsuite canned their old HR twitter @HootHR and reinstated @Hootsuitelife. The company has been branded by their popularity, but also the many grateful owls who work there. 

Additionally, Hootsuite has gotten you to go to market for them. Looking for a job? Looking through the #HootJobs? Well why not take part in a live Twitter conversation, which highlights the #HootJobs hashtag and discusses various aspects of the Hootsuite world like Marketing. In the hopes that you will get noticed, you retweet, tweet, favourite and hastag, but are there any results? It's interesting that whatever talent is discovered through these interactions, it doesn't change the fact that Hootsuite has found a very successful way to monopolize an Ad campaign and create a trending hastag. 

Unbounce does this too. In asking you to create a Landing Page to apply for a job, you must sign up and use their product. Both Hootsuite and Unbounce are making solid choices, by asking for something in return, they are allowing their exposure to dominate from people who genuinely want to promote it.

I would say this is successful Influencer Marketing at its prime. Utilizing a powerful target to promote you, one that is happy to do so, and automatically, very trustworthy.

You're Already an Influencer Marketer

You might be a small company trying to put yourself on the map or you might be trying to put yourself on the map. Maybe you are unaware of this, but you and the people around you play a big role in terms of creating social impact. You might not know it, but you likely already are an Influencer Marketer.

What is Influencer Marketing? It is a form of marketing that identifies and targets individuals who have influence over potential buyers. Brands have targeted popular bloggers and celebrities, but now there is a surge of “everyday” consumers (like yourself) who are making just as big of an impact.

Firstly consider social factors, perhaps you didn't perceive it this way, but all of your social media platforms are marketing tools. These are free places for you to share your products and content with people who credit you as worthy. Influencer marketing does work with numbers, targeting people with large followings to endorse products, but it also deals with expertise. Otherwise known as "mavens", people who know a lot about a topic. This is a person who is well-respected amongst their circle and who doesn't need a lot of followers to create a lot of influence. Impact is driven by credibility and expertise on a subject matter and the relationship between the influencer and his/her followers.

People want to hear from people they admire, people they respect and people they trust.  According to a marketing inspired study, word of mouth generates more than twice the sales of paid advertising. Certain companies and people have really good word of mouth and therefore render exceptional results.  For example, if Hootsuite put out a blog post on how to increase your Instagram following you might be more likely to trust in it simply because it was produced by Hootsuite, a company that has established themselves as gurus in the social media industry. Based on their influencing power, you might deem Hootsuite the best, and ignore all blog posts of a similar calibre. A company that a lot of people are talking about, in a positive way, has a lot of running power. The same goes for famous people. If Oprah Winfrey suggests a book, you might run out and read it because all her book club novels are so highly acclaimed, and everything that comes out of her mouth is not to be questioned. Influence can impact us through these vast pillars of social strength, or it can affect us on smaller scales.

I know people on Instagram with over 2000 followers who could literally post anything and still get a lot of positive attention. Even if it's pointless or silly. Why? Because they have dedicated followers who value them as credible. This loyalty is also displayed when you know a person who doesn't have a lot of followers, but still gets a lot of likes. They are effectively and consistency affecting at least 100 people (per post) who value what they have to say and admire.

Influencing is a great way to market within your community. Remember that 61% of people are referring to blog posts before making a purchase. As Scott Cook (CEO +Founder of Inuit) says, "a brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is--it is what consumers tell each other it is."People want to hear from real people, and they respect the opinions of certain influencers. For example, I follow a fashion blogger, who has great taste, if she suggests a place to shop at, I am going to listen because I value her influence, and hold her in high regards. See how it works?

 Don't underestimate the power of your own influence or the power of influence you have within your community. Reach out to people, see if they are willing to work with you, see how many people you can create a sharing relationship with. A true influencer marketer will pay tribute to the things around them that they think are great, so don't be afraid to represent someone else-- because hey, maybe they can do the same thing for you. Have a talented singing friend? Blogger? Designer? Jewellery Maker? Work together. Share some of their media with your social community. The people who find you influential will trust your opinions, likely keep your suggestions in mind, and hopefully share your content along. If you build relationships with these influencers, you can leverage them to build your own credibility.

Placing Proper Talent: Are you Hiring Right?

We are fortunate to have the gifts of technology in this world. Technology makes our lives easier, our communications swifter, it serves to enhance our day-to-day encounters, and documents our most cherished memories and work moments. Technology is great in so many capacities, but where do we draw the line? Applying for online jobs is a tasking process, many times you send off 100 applications never to hear back. This process can become quite discouraging, and it promotes more people working in jobs that they don't love, which equates to poor performance. Sometimes people are forced to get a job just to pay the bills because they can't get acknowledged by the companies they desire. 

How can people really hire you if they don't have a sense of who you are? So much of being successful at work is fitting into your team and moulding well with a group of diverse yet like-minded individuals. Experience is one thing, but are you personable? Do you fit in with the team?

I think it is really important for people to meet the candidates interested in their company. While it may not be financially possible for all companies to hold them, Job Fairs are a fantastic way to discover new talent and interview people who really stand out. In real life, you are able to perceive things about people you can't in hard copy. Things like disposition. You get a better sense of your candidate, a feel for their energy, their natural intelligence and their communication skills. 

Not everything is on a resume. In fact, a resume is basically a record of the jobs you have had in the past, but does it speak to your true capabilities? Does it speak to your future goals?Your insight? You might still be looking for your dream job, hoping that someone will see past your experiences, and focus on your internal strengths. You're hoping someone will give you a chance because you have to start somewhere. Everyone had to start somewhere, but why has starting become so difficult?

If you are determined to work at a particular company when should you give up? Should you give up? I for one, believe that my talents would be best exercised at a company like Hootsuite or Unbounce.

 I had two phone interviews and one in-person interview at Hootsuite. I got really 'social about social', I made a Google+ posts indicating my interest and ability to work for Hootsuite. I made sure it was seen and liked by many people. I made a photo collage for the company, highlighting memorable aspects of their ultra-inspiring #HootsuiteLife. It was featured on the company's Instagram. I wrote a blog post expressing my interest. I made an Instagram video documenting all the things I had done to get noticed. I attended HootHire and brought a heart-filled handmade Hootfolio with me. This was a detailed portfolio outlining every effort I had made to get into the nest. I wanted Hootsuite to see how passionate I was about working for them, and how this passion would translate into exceptional results and credible work. I am hardworking, collaborative, resourceful, modest and innovative. I have a passion for everything I do, I lead with humility and respect the individual. I am constantly on the mission to build a better way or create an original solution.

I didn't get a job at Hootsuite, though I recently graduated from University and am still trying. They encouraged me not to give up. My application experience has taught me that getting a job is not just about the resume. As the owl says, "not all skills fit on a resume", and you might have to go that extra inch to get noticed. If someone is willing to go to the lengths, which I have and which other people have, then they must sincerely have a dream that they won't give up on. Hootsuite demonstrates that they are looking for the best talent, and they'd like to know and see why you are the best. Understandably, they are a very hot commodity and could hire anyone across the world, but if they stick to their original mantra, they should represent diverse, ego-less talent. They should help promote the upcoming  fresh faces of our generation. These are the people who are getting social and they will guide us where to go next. 

Creative applications might be one way to spruce up the old fashion staple of the resume, but are they respected? Is every company going to be like Hootsuite and accept a delicious cake as an application? Talent needs to be seen, heard, and felt. A dozen cookies isn't really going to to show that you have the goods to increase social impact. Anti-resume companies like Unbounce are wise in their hiring process. They actually want to see you use their product in order to sell yourself, while at the same time showing your ability to make a memorable Landing Page! I have aspirations to work for this company, but my Landing Page skills are terrible, and I wasn't able to impress them like I could in person.

Meet with people. Meet with as many people as you can. Talk to them. Reach out. Network. Listen to the stories of other people who inspire you. Talk to the people who have the jobs you want. Help people get the job they want, if it's in your power to do so. You might just be fresh out of school and looking to start your career, you might have no experience, but you might be naturally great, and you just might need to be discovered. If we remember where Hootsuite CEO Ryan Holmes came from before his successful Startups, and the type of person he was in trying to get there, we can see that  he too had a dream. He should remember that a lot of immensely talented people have the same dream, even if they lack experience or prestige, they might have highly useful innate gifts. At the very least, we should never undermine the individual who won't give up, who just wants a chance to show you what they can do. Try to detect greatness in people, and focus less on the resume. They might be tasking to read, but a cover letter is a far better indication of  a person's writing skills and what they can compose. Personality goes a long way. You want to work with someone you like and respect so take the time to get to know contenders before ruling out their resume. Technology is not the key to finding new talent, personal interaction is. Technology actually stands in the way of placing proper talent. 

10 Things He Should Not Do on Tinder

No matter the reason why you to have a Tinder profile, if you are trying to get a girl's attention there are better ways of going about it than others. It comes as no surprise that people can judge you based on first impressions.Tinder is all about that. Tinder encourages you to make quick judgments, so if that's the case, don't you want to be sending out the right messages? You have to sell your "bottom line" in your first photo, which explains why one guy's profile photo is just of his six pack--he is on the site for one reason and this will prevent a lot of girls (who are looking to date) from swiping left.

If you are trying to sincerely meet someone, here are some things I suggest you refrain from doing on Tinder: 

1. Don't post a photo of you and your dog/cat and call her "your woman" or "the queen in your life."Most girls love animals, and like guys who love animals, but no one wants to compete with your pet. The woman you end up with should be your queen, and the most important lady in your life. If your cat has been sleeping in your bed for the past seven years, awesome, but wouldn't you rather it be a woman?

2. Don't post a group photo of you and your hottest ten friends.Don't even post a profile photo of you and one of your friends. You'd be surprised how many people are assuming you are the OK-looking lad in the group or the ugly guy standing next to a really hot friend. Tinder is not where's Waldo, we need to see you, and you shouldn't be hiding behind your best looking boys.

3. Don't post your fist photo of you on a mountain somewhere. Yes, BC is beautiful and we get that you enjoy adventure and traveling, but still, we need to see your face. You're also just unoriginal because every dude is either posting a photo of himself on a mountain or of him and his pet. Show us something else.

4. Don't posts every single photo of you in sunglasses. Women care about eyes, and eye contact. we need to see what you look like sober and without shades. What are you hiding? People who need to wear sunglasses ALL the time are a prelude to Issueville, don't trust him until you see his features.

5. Don't post just one photo of yourself or someone else fronting to be you. Identity theft is really not cool, especially since one is taking so many risks in online dating. So you got a girl's attention by using a fake photo, but once you tell her it's not you, you've shown dishonesty and if she has any value in herself will not be interested. One photo also doesn't give someone a clear indication of who you are. You really need to maximize your profile. Honestly, put up as many pictures as allowed.

6. Don't post a photo of you and other girls, or in some cases, multiple girls. We get that you can get girls, that you like girls, or have a standard or a type or whatever. Still, no one wants to see it, and no one wants to be reminded of how cute you and your ex were. Get a free application and crop her out already.

7. Don't post an artistic photo as your profile shot. It's misleading, let people see your face as their first impression, trying to trick girls on the internet can only last so long. The hot look away is hot but we need to see more, you first impression should give a good indication of your overall looks NOT your photographic skills or ability to pose well for the camera. Nobody wants to see you highly saturated in a very edited setting, be yourself because that's what's really going to get you on some quality dates.

8. Don't leave your bio blank. Write something that reflect something about you. Women need to get a sense of something that borderlines substance. We will take the time to read it. Maybe not right away, but once you start talking to us and we think we could like you. If you don't write anything it indicates that you are not taking this seriously. Flex your intelligence, sweets or sense of humour, women want to be wooed. Just refrain from putting dirty douche bag comments, unless of course you want her swiping right or even worse, "un-matching you."

9.  Don't promote pictures of yourself drinking, getting stoned or smoking. Nobody ever wants to date the 24/7 party boy, and you say a lot about yourself with the images you chose to share on your Tinder. So this is how he likes to spend his time? It's kind of like the mountain shot. We get it, you drink. You hike. We might too, but we don't need to make a statement about it. Remember, you say a lot about yourself by what you attempt to post. Girls read into everything.

10. Don't send a girl a message saying "hey" or "hi", ask her something inquisitive. Play off a comment in her bio, pay her a compliment that doesn't make her feel creepy. Don't let the conversation die. Take charge and really chase a girl you think is cute. You can't expect Tinder miracles if you don't try, and yes this is going to ensure a lot of whatever dates, but you never know. I know of a few Tinder happy couples, and I think if used properly the application has its promising moments.


In a dating application that thrives so much on the superficial, you really have to consider certain factors, which could increase or decrease your activity. Thus preventing you from finding someone. A lot of people are on Tinder just for fun, and are all "I never check it, but I have 600 matches." If it's just an ego boost for you, fine, but if you are seriously using it for dating you might want to consider these ten things a man should not do on Tinder, and I am sure there are plenty more. Please feel free to share.