Simply Sage

all the "other" good stuff...

[simplysage]

Great example of how good branding helps communicate perceived value: Starbucks Rwanda coffee $28/lb.

[amyohconnor-blog]

The cast of Bridesmaids -

From left, on Wendi McLendon- Covey, Rose Byrne, Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig, Ellie Kemper, Melissa McCarthy.

[simplysage]

Cannot WAIT to see this!

[simplysage]

A few months ago I committed to getting 8 hours of sleep per night.  Once I got my body trained I saw a significant improvement in my energy and focus during the day.  (I was also in a SUPER happy mood all the time.)

I'm trying to get back into this program after falling back into the bad habit of only sleeping 6-7 hours/night.  Gretchen Reuben shares 14 Tips for Getting More Sleep.

[weelamb-blog-deactivated2017122]

[simplysage]

What if Ferris Bueller’s Day Off had been marketed as a drama?  An indie coming-of-age flick?  Watch what happens when you change the way your market something.  (It changes everything!)

How do you market yourself?

via vanityfair

[simplysage]

Interesting! I know that the wedding industry is counting on this forecasted "boom" in weddings from the large millenial population.  (The millenial population is the largest since the baby boom population and is supposed to cause a spike in the number of weddings in the next ~5-10 years as they enter "marrying age".)  But, will this difference in priorities affect the number of weddings that actually occur in the upcoming years?

[simplysage]

Great article from Inc.com including tips on deducting your home office expenses, your health insurance, and how to track your mileage.

- Michelle

[simplysage]

An invite project I was working on last week... I'm a little obsessed with Ms so this was fun.

[rightsidebrainiac-blog]

[simplysage]

colorblindcreations:

Great advice from a great man

[franblog-blog]

[simplysage]

Thinking of purchasing a franchise?  Great food for thought here from franblog:

Franchising has led many entrepreneurs down the path of successful long-term small-business ownership. However, successful franchisees tell potential new franchise owners the most important thing to do when considering buying into a franchise system is to do an extensive amount of research, starting with visiting the IFA’s web site. 

As Shelton Rhodes’ article on Examiner.com notes, the IFA has two great resources for potential franchise owners to read in order to familiarize themselves with the basics of franchising:

An Introduction to Franchising

Frequently Asked Questions about Franchising

By doing your homework and working hard to follow a proven system after joining a franchise system, you could be one of the successful owners of one of the more than 825,000 franchise businesses across 300 business lines currently operating in the U.S. 

Posted by Matt Haller, IFA Director of Communications

[simplysage]

Preparing my presentation for Eventology 2011... Come learn the NUMBERS side of biz with me!

[simplysage]

Great post from Inc.com regarding how to "write off" for tax purposes your travel expenses.  Take note: you can only deduct half of any meals or entertainment!

[life]

[simplysage]

When Steve Jobs was just a boy... and Apple just a little machine...

via life:

Inventor, corporate titan, salesman, cult guru. However you think of Steve Jobs, there’s little doubt that Apple Computer’s CEO and No. 1 pitchman has become the most well-known face in Silicon Valley. But if you’d hung with him back in the day, you wouldn’t necessarily have predicted it.

Interesting tidbit: One of the reasons Jobs and his partners chose the name “Apple” was that it preceded “Atari” alphabetically. 

Steve Jobs: Life and Times

[simplysage]

This has been circulating... but ALL WOMEN need to see it.  Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg on Why We Have So Few Women Leaders [VIDEO]

[simplysage]

I love this post from Chris Guillebeau's blog "The Art of Nonconformity"...

[simplysage]

My office mate... She can't seem to keep her desk clean!

[sebastianwaters]

10 Lessons for Young Designers: 1: Be authentic. The most powerful asset you have is your individuality, what makes you unique. It’s time to stop listening to others on what you should do. 2: Work harder than anyone else and you will always benefit from the effort. 3: Get off the computer and connect with real people and culture. Life is visceral. 4: Constantly improve your craft. Make things with your hands. Innovation in thinking is not enough. 5: Travel as much as you can. It is a humbling and inspiring experience to learn just how much you don’t know. 6: Being original is still king, especially in this tech-driven, group-grope world. 7: Try not to work for stupid people or you’ll soon become one of them. 8: Instinct and intuition are all-powerful. Learn to trust them. 9: The Golden Rule actually works. Do good. 10: If all else fails, No. 2 is the greatest competitive advantage of any career.

10 Lessons for young designers, by John C. Jay (Wieden+Kennedy)

[simplysage]

I’ve had to learn how to accept criticism. It used to irk me and make my skin crawl. Over time, I’ve learned to listen and grow from the (usually) very valuable outside perspective.

Here, Gretchen Rubin, author of “The Happiness Project” shares 8 tips for dealing with criticism.

- Michelle