Recommendation from John Sayles, CEO at Vermont Foodbank

Recommendation from John Sayles, CEO at Vermont Foodbank

“Michelle was a fabulous contributor to the Vermont Foodbank. She came aboard in a newly-created position of digital media specialist where the tasks and goals were co-created with her team. Michelle was able to quickly learn our mission and culture, and help the Foodbank reflect that in the digital world. She created a vibrant digital presence that interacts with our supporters in a way that is nurturing, mission-oriented and always respectful. She truly brought this organization to a new level in the digital world, and created the base for the organization to continue on a path as a nonprofit innovator in the digital space.

“A short story: I took Michelle with me to a talk by a digital marketing consultant who presented on ways to maximize the value of a website. It was very exciting! The next day Michelle was implementing the tools she learned about and making changes to our website. What resulted was a new way of continual testing and improvement that results in more conversions of website hits to donations. Continuous improvement seems to be in her DNA.

“Michelle is smart, mission-driven, inquisitive and innovative. She is driven and self-motivated. I recommend her highly based on my experience working directly with her, and seeing the results of her work for the Vermont Foodbank.”

John Sayles

CEO

Vermont Foodbank

Learn more about the marketing I do for nonprofits and universities.

Recommendation from John Sayles

Google Places and Maps for Small Businesses and Non-Profits

Google Places and Maps for Small Businesses and Non-Profits

If I asked where your non-profit or small business needs to be, online, what might your answer be? You might say you need a website or a Facebook page, right? That’s what everyone’s telling you – your web-savvy niece, your professional association, the workshops you attend, and more.

But a significant number of small businesses and non-profits already have a website or a Facebook page and they’re not getting found by the right clients or customers. What gives?

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Review: Clearer Thinking Time-Money Calculator

Review: Clearer Thinking Time-Money Calculator

How much do you value your time? Answers may vary. Some may say “very valuable,” while another person may get very specific with “$15/hour.” Another person, if asked to give up time doing something they love, might say they’d need $100/hour, which directly contradicts the $15/hour previously. So how much do you really value your time?

I took a survey from ClearerThinking.org and found that I am full of contradictions when it comes to my time AND money. (Although, as you’ll see below, I’m also fairly consistent.)

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Rough Winds and Moon Pies in Charleston, South Carolina

Rough Winds and Moon Pies in Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina was a trip full of opposites for me: I battled 20 mph headwinds on my bicycle to reward myself with a visit to the Moon Pie General Store. The muffler on my car went kaput, but my walks on the waterfront were luxurious and sunny. There were many other experiences that created a hodge-podge week in Charleston and I’ll describe some of them here.

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Time Blocking: Working to Max Efficiency

Time Blocking: Working to Max Efficiency

Time blocking is one of my favorite life techniques. I won’t say “life hacks,” because it’s not a hack: it’s just an obvious and careful planning tool.

I first shared a video from Fast Company on time blocking in 2011. I had already been using the technique for at least a year, so this brings me up on 6 years I’ve organized my life this way.

What is Time Blocking?

Time blocking is a way to organize your time, whether for work projects, personal projects, goals or even regular household tasks.

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Slow Travel in Asheville, North Carolina

Slow Travel in Asheville, North Carolina

I recently spent 16 days in Asheville, North Carolina. I housesat for a couple and their dogs, which gave me a really affordable way to explore the city slowly and from a location just a few miles from downtown.

I’ve heard great things about Asheville. One coworker just returned from the area and another was heading there. It also popped up on my radar screen a few times as a burgeoning beer and food mecca while I was learning about the hiking opportunities in the area.

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