Before I go on, I want to make one clarifying note – my husband and I look like we’re 12 years old, and perhaps the salespeople just thought we were lost and looking for our parents. Either way, there is no excuse to completely ignore a customer.
The truth is, we are some of the best customers they could have had. We’re DINKs (Double Income No Kids) looking to spend some money on random things for our house and we’re easily talked into something more expensive just because it looks “cool.”
In the end, I didn’t end up buying anything at the stores where we were treated rudely, which only prolonged our search for the perfect vanity light. I’m sure the owners of the store don’t care that they missed out on our one sale but I feel better knowing that I refused to buy anything.
So the moral of the story is that you never know who your customer might be, therefore you should treat everyone with the upmost respect in case they end up being your client next week. If you don’t follow this common sense rule-of-thumb, you could end up making a “big mistake, big…huge!”
]]>According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, play is critical to healthy brain development. It allows children to use their creativity while simultaneously developing imagination, dexterity and physical, cognitive and emotional strength. Yet today’s children spend less time playing outside than any previous generation in part because only 1-in-5 live within walking distance of a park or playground. The resulting play deficit is having profound consequences for kids physically, socially and academically.
Presented by The Humana Foundation, Playful City USA is a national program – now in its sixth year – advocating for local policies that increase play opportunities for children and is a key platform in combating the play deficit.
KaBOOM!, the national non-profit organization dedicated to saving play, created Playful City USA in 2007 to help local governments address the play deficit and it is through mayors, city council members, parks and recreation departments, school districts and community leaders that the program succeeds in benefitting children.
Hailing from 41 states, the 213 Playful City USA honorees range in size from six-time honorees such as Orlando to first-time recipient Independence, Oregon (population: 9,607). These Playful City USA communities are making a commitment to play and physical activity by developing unique local action plans to increase the quantity and quality of play in their community.
“Some of the most innovative concepts and cost-effective programs are being developed in Playful City USA communities,” says Darell Hammond, Founder and CEO of KaBOOM! and author of The New York Times Best Seller KaBOOM!: How One Man Built a Movement to Save Play. “Cities like Commerce City are key allies in the fight to combat the play deficit and serve as outstanding role models for government and community leaders across the country.”
Each of the 2012 Playful City USA communities demonstrated creative commitments to addressing the play deficit. Playful City USA celebrates and highlights these unique initiatives developed by communities across the country. KaBOOM! selected Commerce City for its outstanding dedication to play by providing opportunities for citizens to enjoy the city’s parks and all of its programs.
The 213 Playful City USA communities are now eligible for $15,000, $20,000 and $30,000 grants via Let’s Play, a community partnership led by Dr Pepper Snapple Group, to get kids and families active nationwide. Grant recipients will be announced on June 4, 2012. More information is available at http://www.playfulcityusa.org.
]]>If you haven’t heard of Pinterest, or if you aren’t a Pinterest user, you might be in the minority. According to this Denver Post article, Pinterest use spiked 50 percent in January and February of this year, making it the third-most popular social media network in the United States, behind only Facebook and Twitter.
So what is Pinterest? It is a social media website which acts as an online scrapbook where people can “pin” photos, sites and interests. That’s it. Don’t you wish you had thought of that? However, with more than 10.4 million registered users currently it has become a business’s (free) dream marketing tool. Here are some quick stats on who is using Pinterest:
• 80 percent are female
• 55 percent are between the ages of 25 and 44
• The highest share of visits come from people in the states of California and Texas
• Many visitors spend time on house, garden, sports, fitness and family-oriented websites
Pinterest is a great driver of traffic to a company’s website. Early research indicates Pinterest is more effective at driving traffic compared to other social media sites, even Facebook. Businesses can showcase their latest products in various ways. Both small, home-based businesses and big-name brands like Southern Living and West Elm are tapping into this growing audience by pinning on Pinterest. By posting recipes or a new table accessory, both brands will potentially be pinned by thousands, re-pinned by thousands more and perhaps with a click have their product purchased.
I can’t stop pinning! After all, I am the demographic. Every meal that I am making for dinner this week came from Pinterest and the dress I am wearing today…yep I found it there, too. Don’t underestimate the Pinterest wave both personally and professionally.
]]>“During my time working alongside CIG team members, I felt very privileged to have been engaged in the high-profile campaigns and events that CIG worked on,” said Matthew. “I was very sad when my time working with them was up, so imagine how excited I am to join the CIG team.”
Matthew graduated in December 2011 from Metro State with a degree in Business Marketing. During his days at Metro State, Matthew had the opportunity to work with many small businesses in the Denver metro area, helping them with a variety of things ranging from performing market research and developing and implementing marketing plans, to rewriting entire business plans for companies.
In addition to working with many companies through Metro State, Matthew has also worked as a marketing intern with a local disaster restoration company, a marketing specialist for the Summit County Convention and Tourism Bureau, and he currently works as a part time public information intern for RTD FasTracks.
In his current position at FasTracks, Matthew is highly involved in event planning, social media, developing website content, and writing copy for numerous internal and external publications. He also just recently had an article published on the Colorado Construction & Design Magazine.
Matthew has time and time again shown the members of CIG that he can be a great asset to any team, bringing to the table a hard working attitude along with a great deal of innovative, creative and out-of-the box ideas. Matthew is very excited to be working for CIG, and CIG feels lucky to have him on the team.
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Casey will graduate this May with a degree in journalism and mass communication with public relations and advertising media emphasis and a minor in sociology. While attending UNC, he has helped with the planning and implementation of public relations campaigns for several non-profit organizations in northern Colorado, including the Weld County Boys and Girls Club and Weld Food Bank.
In addition to his academic background in public relations, he also worked as a social media intern for a Denver-based lift ticket retailer where he managed the organization’s social media outlets and gained beneficial experience in online marketing, graphic design and small business development.
Casey has a proven track record of successfully completing tasks and meeting deadlines, and his inimitable array of talents is certain to be an asset to the firm. CIG is thrilled to have him on board until the end of June.
Look for more from Casey in the coming months as he contributes to N.I.T. Picks and other CIG endeavors.
]]>“To be competitive with neighboring states and the nation, all of our communities need to have affordable access to the Internet. Our project will go a long way in making broadband accessible statewide,” said Randy Zila, EAGLE-Net CEO. Zila continued, “By the time we complete this project, we will have built a broadband infrastructure that can serve more than 170 communities across Colorado.”
EAGLE-Net will soon start building the lateral connections linking community anchor institutions to the peering ring – the network’s central core being activated this week. Launching this ring, which loops around the state, makes it possible to connect the network’s fiber lines that branch out in all directions from the network’s central core to provide services statewide.
Funding for network construction comes from a $100.6 million Broadband Technology Opportunities Program infrastructure grant, plus over $30 million in matching funds and services from private and public entities throughout Colorado. Colorado’s grant is the fifth largest award of its kind nationally.
Key Points:
• Colorado schools average about 55 percent of the national average when it comes to Internet bandwidth per student, meaning less time online.
• At the height of the construction season, there will be 25-35 crews in the field with at least 150-200 people working on the project.
• EAGLE-Net is building what’s known as the middle mile, or the section of the EAGLE-Net network between the core and last mile connections provided by local and independent service providers. Middle mile facilities range from a few miles to a few hundred miles in length.
• The EAGLE-Net network combines more than 1,600 miles of existing dark fiber infrastructure (fiber optic cable that’s already installed but not in use), new fiber optic cable, and wireless technology to carry broadband signals.
For more information on this project, go to http://www.co-eaglenet.net.
]]>CIG’s winning submissions are the Brake for Bela Facebook page and a joint submittal with the City of Commerce City for their work on a Redefining Commerce brochure.
The CIG-initiated safe driving awareness campaign, Brake for Bela, is being recognized for its successful social media campaign, which received more than 41,000 daily News Feed impressions and nearly 400 Facebook “likes” during its inaugural year in 2011.
CIG’s contribution to the Redefining Commerce project is also being recognized. The brochure created for the Economic Development Division of Commerce City has been nominated for a component award.
The awards are divided into two sub-categories, silver and gold. Stay tuned for more information and the results following the awards ceremony concludes on May 3.
]]>We’ve all heard the statistic. Public speaking ranks as people’s No. 1 fear – higher than death. In severe cases, glossophobia is its formal name. In today’s business world, most people have to speak in front of an audience at some point, and an overwhelming fear can have a negative effect on a career.
I can’t necessarily relate to the “fear” of public speaking, though it’s not my favorite thing in the world to do, but I can relate to irrational fear. I know the feeling of having the overwhelming urge to flee a situation even though your rational mind tells you nothing really horrible is going to happen to you. The people in the audience aren’t going to throw actual daggers at you, right? I am very familiar with trembling hands, accelerated heart rate and the loss of control over your emotions.
For me, it’s not speaking in front of people. It’s sitting in the dentist chair. Is it dental phobia? I don’t know. All I know is that when I finally get the courage to go (after rescheduling my appointment four times), I generally find myself on the verge of tears (or sometimes sobbing, let’s be honest) and white-knuckling the chair for ABSOLUTELY NO REASON. I think it’s safe to say that I have a greater fear of the dentist than death. Yes, I have had a bad situation or two with a dentist, which is where the fear started, but my rational mind knows that the twice-a-year cleaning is not a big deal and that my response to the situation is silly and downright embarrassing.
Luckily, it seems that overcoming a fear of public speaking may be easier than dental phobia. If public speaking is your fear, there are thousands of resources to help you. Most include tips such as know your material, practice and arrive early to become familiar with your surroundings. Here is one list to get you started. I am still searching for tips on “how to not cry at the dentist.”
http://money.howstuffworks.com/18-tips-for-public-speaking.htm
This fiber network extension complements the dark fiber connections Zayo already provides for EAGLE-Net’s sites in Cheyenne, Wyo. and Branson, Colo., near the New Mexico border.
Randy Zila, CEO of EAGLE-Net, said that the new agreement will help it meet its broadband stimulus buildout deadline.
“This IRU will help us to fulfill part of the requirements set forth by the $100.6 million Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) infrastructure grant which mandates that the statewide EAGLE-Net network be complete by Aug. 31, 2013,” Zila said.
Zayo was previously named as one of EAGLE-Net’s local network partners in its application for the $100.6 million Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grant it won in September 2010.
“By providing EAGLE-Net with additional dark fiber infrastructure, we are enabling them with scalable solutions to meet their growing bandwidth needs,” states John Real, Vice President for Zayo Central Region.
Zayo owns and operates 2,421 miles of dark and lit metro fiber throughout the Rocky Mountain region including Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico.
For more information on Zayo, visit http://www.zayo.com.
Read more: Zayo Announces Agreement with EAGLE-Net Alliance for Colorado Network footprint
]]>The Cover Letter
In many cases your cover letter is the first impression we will have of you, so make it count! You’re selling yourself, but you’re also showing that you’ve done your research. Express your interest in the position and bring up one or more news items or trends you’ve noticed as it relates to our clients. Tie it back to your experience – or even something you learned in class – and make the case that your interest and experience make you worthy of consideration for an interview. Keep it to a single page; often less is more. Finally, remember that typos ensure a quick trip to the recycle bin.
The Résumé
Sorry, but in today’s job market your standard résumé won’t suffice. Other candidates – your competition – will show their hunger by customizing their résumé to match the job description, so you should too. Every item referenced in the job description should have a corresponding item on your résumé. When we’re reading it, we should think, “WOW. This person is perfect for this position.”
The Interview
Whether by phone or in person, the key to your success lays in doing your homework beforehand. Read our website. Get to know our clients by reading theirs. Go beyond the call by reviewing recent news coverage they’ve either enjoyed or endured. Win the gold star if you notice and are able to articulate challenges and trends they are facing. Perhaps most of all, be able to tell us why we should hire you. Think about why we are hiring an intern and be able to tell us why you’ll be a valuable part of the team. Finally, just like if you were selling something, you have to ask for the business. Leave no doubt in our minds that you know what you’re getting into and you want to come aboard.
The Follow-up
Set yourself above the crowd by sending a hand-written thank-you note to those of us who sat in on your interview. This is your last opportunity to make a positive impression, so use this to drive home why you are the perfect candidate and thank us for our time. Will we share these with each other? Yes. Is it a good idea to not have them all read the same? Definitely.
Heather Dean, sales and marketing coordinator for AMA, said if construction goes as planned, the bank will open in late July.
AMA, which is based in Wheat Ridge, specializes in building banks, Dean said.
“We are built on banks,” she said.
The new 3,800-foot bank follows the opening early this month of a Panera Bread in the first floor of the building at 13046 E. Colfax Ave. In May 2011, officials unveiled Colfax’s newest hotel: a 153-room Springhill Suites by Marriott at 13400 E. Colfax Ave. The three businesses are part of the 32-acre Fitzsimons Village development on the south side of Colfax.
Last month, Mark J. Witkiewicz, senior vice president for Corporex Colorado and the lead developer onthe Fitzsimons Village project, said finding retailers was moving slower than they expected, but the tens of thousands of possible customers that flock to the Anschutz campus each day remained an attractive draw for businesses.
New development near the campus has long been a goal of the redeveloped campus, but after Anschutz opened in 2007, development in the surrounding area moved slower than officials hoped it would.
For years, the south side of Colfax — which used to be home to a string of motels and hotels — was populated by razed motels, land that was slated for development along with the campus, but saw projects delayed by a slumping economy.
In 2010, Corporex, based in Covington, Ky., announced plans for Fitzsimons Village. The project will use $17 million in tax-increment financing to pay for business park infrastructure and the pedestrian bridge spanning Colfax and connecting the plaza to the medical campus.
Still, other stretches of land near the campus have languished, in part because of the sagging economy.
The old Heaven On Earth motel property at the corner of Colfax and Potomac had for years been planned as the home to a new Hilton Garden Inn, but the project stalled.
On the north side of the campus, the story for retail business has been much the same.
Officials hoped retailers would join the booming bioscience scene in the Fitzsimons Life Science District, but business moved slowly. Last year, a new bank opened north of East Montview Boulevard and a new restaurant, Cedar Creek Pub, opened in the same neighborhood last fall.
Reach reporter Brandon Johansson at 720-449-9040 or .
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EAGLE-Net is a Colorado intergovernmental entity which operates a cost-sharing cooperative that will deliver a carrier-quality broadband network to more than 230 community anchor institutions. EAGLE-Net is building a sustainable network to better connect education, libraries, government and health care facilities statewide. EAGLE-Net also provides commodity Internet services with access to advanced research and education networks.
“AboveNet continues to work with partners like EAGLE-Net to deliver high performance network capabilities to the Denver market,” said Chris Machen, Director, Sales Engineering at AboveNet. “Specifically, the initiative will add fiber routes to extend from Denver into Colorado’s Commerce City, Thornton, and the Broomfield areas.”
This is a key agreement that allows EAGLE-Net to meet its targets to have a Colorado state-wide peering ring operational by second quarter of 2012. The selection of this route was procured through an evaluation of responses to RFP 107057-06, Colorado Denver Metro Peering Sites.
AboveNet connects to buildings containing more than 500 data centers. Its infrastructure includes 2.5 million fiber miles, an intercity network spanning approximately 13,000 route miles and a global Tier 1 IP backbone.
To contact the AboveNet sales team, please call 877-go-ABOVE (877-462-2683) or email or use the sales inquiry form.
About AboveNet, Inc.
AboveNet, Inc. provides high bandwidth connectivity solutions for business and carriers. Its private optical network delivers key network and IP services in and among top U.S. and European markets. AboveNet’s network is widely used in demanding markets such as financial services, media, health care, retail and government.
About EAGLE-Net Alliance
The EAGLE-Net Alliance (EAGLE-Net) is a Colorado intergovernmental entity which operates a cost-sharing cooperative that will deliver a carrier quality broadband network to more than 230 community anchor institutions. EAGLE-Net is building a sustainable network to better connect education, libraries, government and health care facilities statewide. EAGLE-Net also provides commodity Internet services with access to advanced research and education networks.
EAGLE-Net was awarded a Round-2 $100.6 million Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) infrastructure grant in September 2010 from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and will bring it to completion by August 2013. For more information, go to www.co-eaglenet.net.
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AMA Construction, Inc., recipient of the 2011 Better Business Bureau Small Business Torch Award, is a mid-sized commercial general contractor determined to redefine the role of the contractor in the building process. Specializing in construction of office buildings, retail centers, medical buildings, tenant finish, commercial remodeling and site development, AMA Construction is licensed in most Colorado Front Range communities, as well as Arizona and California. Uniting the objectives of owner and architect, AMA brings a higher standard in leadership, customer service and ingenuity to the industry.
]]>All recent flight attendant meltdowns aside, is there really a need to bring in an outside consultant to teach flight attendants how to use their “indoor voice”? Librarians everywhere must be chuckling under their breath, thinking years of scolding students would make them ideal candidates to offer such counsel.
According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, the whispering coach will teach crew members to speak in tones between 20 and 30 decibels – instruction that will add an extra day to the training of Virgin Atlantic crew members. An extra day? Really?!
While I’m all for new job creation and understand Virgin Atlantic can spend their money any way they want, hiring one person to spend a day teaching something people should already know how to do seems a bit wasteful. Adding to the folly is the fact that not all travelers will benefit from these newfound skills – only those high rollers who can afford to ride in the upper-class “dream suites.”
No wonder the airline industry has a bad rap. They’ll lose your bags, make you pay for a pillow and arrive 10 minutes after your connecting flight has departed, but now they’ll do so quietly. Perhaps Virgin Atlantic and other carriers would be better served hiring a public relations consultant to help them with their public image.
Both Cummins Rocky Mountain and UE Compression chose to remain in Adams County rather than move facilities to Phoenix, Ariz. and Oklahoma City, Okla. or Houston, TX respectively. Precast Concepts relocated the manufacturing operations of a recently acquired Ohio-based company on its current property to support its StoneBilt product line.
“All three of these advanced manufacturing companies are critical to our local and state economies,” said Commerce City Mayor Sean Ford. “We’re thankful these firms leveraged the collaborative incentives to remain in Commerce City. To date, the city’s program has helped 30 firms create 668 jobs and more than $85 million in capital investments.”
Cummins Rocky Mountain is expanding its existing 104th Avenue campus in Commerce City to house four significant business operations. This new project is staged in phases and includes a training center, back-office shared services center, and a potential manufacturing facility. An estimated 73 net new jobs will be created with this project. This phase one expansion of the 35,000 sq. ft. facility complements the existing remanufacture operations and allows for future expansion that could result in a $20 million campus in the long-term. The new Technical Training Center will host 800 customers and distributors from around the globe each year, while the new Technical Support Call Center will handle over 50,000 calls annually from 10 states.
“We are excited about our upcoming expansion in Commerce City, Adams County and the State of Colorado,” said Eric Sparks, chief financial officer and executive vice president for Cummins Rocky Mountain LLC. “The economic development agencies at the city, county and state levels continue to foster an environment that is conducive to business and is receptive to growth.”
UE Compression’s 2010 expansion plans were put on hold when it was purchased by the Kirby Corporation (NYSE: KEX) in April 2011 and the parent company decided whether to consolidate its new holdings to Oklahoma or Texas. A leader in the design and fabrication of custom gas compression systems, UE Compression is currently building a new 100,000 square-foot building to house its manufacturing and business operations on 96th Avenue. UE Compressions is using local Commerce City companies for the construction, and the new facility will add 65 new jobs paying above county-average wages.
“UE Compression is excited with our new facility and our ongoing relationship with Commerce City, said President John Vevurka, UE Compression. “This building is the culmination of our planning that began in 2002 to have a world class facility to serve our customers in the Rocky Mountain area. Commerce City has been our base for a number of years and we plan to be here for a long time.”
Precast Concepts needed more space following the purchase and renaming of the Ohio-based Shawnee Mold Company to Distinctive Modes as well as the expansion of the StoneBilt Concepts product line, which manufactures decorative concrete paving slabs that simulate natural stone, architectural precast products, and plastic molds for precast concrete garden and architectural products. The family-owned company’s multi-million capital investment acquired property adjacent to its existing campus and expanded the current building by 48,000 sq. ft. for the StoneBilt and Distinctive Mold operations. Twelve new jobs were added to support the division.
“StoneBilt Concepts is very pleased with staying in Commerce City and values the partnership with Commerce City in making this expansion a reality,” said Ed Anderson, president of Precast Concepts, StoneBilt Concepts, and Distinctive Molds. “The efforts of everyone with Commerce City Economic Development and the Planning Department fostered an environment of cooperation in achieving the completion of this expansion.”
“The Adams County Board of Commissioners is focused on creating jobs in our county,” said Commissioner Alice J. Nichol. “With up to 60 percent of all new jobs coming from the existing business community, it is imperative that they have our continued support. We congratulate these expanding businesses for their success in the private sector and thank them for their investments in capital, new job creation and a jumpstart in our local economy.”
Each company received the following incentives to remain and expand in Colorado:
• Cummins Rocky Mountain, LLC
o Commerce City: Rebate of city building permit and plan check fees as well as sales and use tax, valued at approximately $170,000.
o Adams County: Rebate of personal property and real estate taxes, approximately $170,000.
o State of Colorado: State Enterprise Zone and Job Incentive Growth Tax Credit.
• UE Compression
o Commerce City: Rebate of city building permit and plan check fees as well as sales and use tax, valued at approximately $143,000.
o Adams County: Rebate of personal property and real estate taxes, approximately $143,000.
o State of Colorado: $130,000 from the Economic Development Commission’s Strategic Fund and State Enterprise Zone.
• Precast Concepts
o Commerce City: Approximately $181,000 of building permit and plan check fees, sales and use tax.
“Colorado’s economic development strategies within the Colorado Blueprint are helping drive job growth and giving Colorado a competitive advantage,” said Ken Lund, executive director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. “Our focus on creating jobs and retaining companies is working, and today’s announcement is a tangible outcome of the Blueprint in action.”
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