Category: Business & Money

  • Restore Previous Session?

    Why yes, Firefox, I would like for you to restore my previous session that was unexpectedly closed and thank you!

    I open up things in browser windows that I always have the best of intentions of reading sometime later but my new computer has this nasty habit of automatically rebooting… just because it feels like it (Windows Update, maybe?).

    Once again, Firefox almost always saves the day and all I have to do is click on the nice little fox icon and voila… I’m back in business.

    If you don’t use Firefox, you should.

    Don’t even wait 30 more seconds, go get it now.

  • Sweet Tea Vodka

    You heard it here first folks.

    I’d like to thank my dear e-friend, Antoine, for returning from Charleston to tell me about this wonderful phenomenon that has taken over the bars in the Low Country (who, by the way, I finally got the chance to meet in person for the first time at the Triangle Entertainment Industry Professionals Mixer last week at Deep South).

    Little did I know that the drink that I knew would be a hit here too, had already been smuggled back into NC for an engagement party the following Saturday for the BFF and her husband-to-be for our party’s enjoyment. It bewildered me to no end that you cannot legally buy this in the state of NC… yet. I’ll see what I can do.

    Ok, enough anticipation… here’s what you’ll all be driving to SC to purchase until it’s available in our closed-state liquor stores:

    By itself, cut with a typical bar beverage, or my personal favorite: added to a bit of Simply Lemonade, it is the most amazing thing to grace our southern drinking habits since… well, maybe sweet tea itself.

    I will be venturing south to round up a few (cases) of their newest addition – handles – before the first official football tailgate of the season that is quickly approaching. Hmmm… how much can you buy in SC without needing a permit?

    Let me call in Brandon for a definitive answer on this one…

    Trust me – I will figure out a way to get this into this state so that I can sell a “Little Lisa’s Firefly Sweet Tea” at Buckhead Saloon for $6.00(?) each.

    PS – Check out my 8/22 post on how to special order this at your NC liquor store!

  • Another Reason to Love Capital Bank

    If you read my first post about Capital Bank, here’s another winning reason why you should dump your dud of a bank if they’re not working for you: my debit cards showed up today and clearly noted on the back of all of the envelopes was this message –

    “Biodegradable. Compostable. EarthFirst PLA film made from corn.”

    See Kermit… it actually can be easy to be green. šŸ˜‰

  • I’m in Love…

    …with Capital Bank. Betcha didn’t see that coming did ya?

    After fighting the never ending battle with First Citizens Bank on their awful practices and absurd way of posting some of my most basic transactions (plus, not earning a freakin’ penny of interest), I’ve dumped those losers.

    Since then, I’ve opened a Bank of America account (which is nice because of their Keep the Change program which forces me to save without thinking about it) to make payroll at my company free and easy – and most importantly – the BF and I have moved all of our personal banking to Capital Bank.

    We each have our own Smart Checking accounts (you should really make your money work for you at 5.01%) and then we have a free joint account which we only use to transfer our own funds to for paying things like the mortgage, utilities, etc… you know… all the things we split.

    So why on God’s green earth am I posting about a bank? Because you’d be silly not to have a CB account if you’re in Raleigh right now – and here’s why:

    Capital Bank’s Smart Checking
    5.01% APY* on your balance!

    * A high interest yield on ANY Balance up to $25,000 (upon meeting ā€œreward requirements”)
    * No Minimum Balance
    * Free ATM Usage
    * Free Online Banking and Bill Pay
    * Free QuickCheck Debit Card
    * Free e-Statements
    * No Monthly Account Maintenance Fees

    Earning these rewards is simple… just use the services we’re giving you with the account:

    1. Use your debit card at least ten times per cycle. (Sorry, ATM withdrawals do not count as debit card transactions.)
    2. Establish at least one regular direct deposit of a payroll or government check, or set up an automatic debit.
    3. Receive Electronic Statements, known as e-Statements.

    Even the best online-only banks are not even paying anything close to 5.01%… and I tell you what, if those “requirements” aren’t the habits of Gen Y anyway (ie: electronic statements, use your card 10 times per month, set up a dd/auto-draft)… then I don’t know what else would be.

    So there – go to CB and make your money work for you.

    PS – I’m not getting a referral bonus or anything, I just wanted to make sure everyone knows about this great little bank… where everyone is also SO much friendlier than at FCB. Plus, who wouldn’t want to make 5.01% on their freakin’ FREE checking account? Also, both BoA and CB have mobile banking where I can instantly transfer money between accounts…. FCB doesn’t.

  • Independent Retailers Week

    As always, keep it local… there are SO many great choices… there is really no reason not to!

    If you need suggestions on where to keep it local – for anything – my good friend Mandy @ Swagger (fellow independent retailer, wooh!) is divulging all of her staffs’ favorites this week on her blog in celebration of National Independent Retailers Week – which started this past Sunday and runs through Saturday!

    Check Swagger’s blog out here and add it to your daily reads for not only the local recommendations, but also the special sales that are only for Swagger’s blog readers (which… get excited… is moving to Blogger SO SOON!).

    PS – You’ll even catch me blogging there from time to time, too. So if you enjoy reading my blog now, just imagine it with a monogrammed-spin on it.

  • For You Female Entrepreneurs Out There…

    I know there are quite a few business girls like me who read my blog (thank you!) so I wanted to share… SCORE is one of my favorite small business resources. That and the SBA. Check out your local affiliates!

    From Sue Stock, local business N&O writer & blogger:

    SCORE launches site for women…

    SCORE, the organization that has helped thousands of small businesses get off the ground, has launched a special Web site for female entrepreneurs. The Web site provides tools, mentoring, workshops and articles specifically for women. You can find the new site at http://www.score.org/women.

    Please feel free to share any of your business resources and successes, too!

  • Sleep-In for the Cure and Get Your Beauty Sleep, Too!

    A freebie for Lisa S. – because I really love Fred’s Beds’ commitment to Komen for the Cure.

    Fred’s Beds Continues Partnership with NC Komen for the Cure as First Corporate Sponsor for Sleep-In for the Cure

    Raleigh, NC – In 2007, Fred’s Beds celebrated the grand opening of their 11th store during the months of October and November with a special shopping campaign that benefited the NC Triangle Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. In continuing that partnership, Fred’s Beds Vice President, Lisa Stansbury, has announced that Fred’s Beds has joined the NC Triangle Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure in celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Susan G. Komen Race for the CureĀ® series. Fred’s Beds is the first-ever, and sole sponsor of Sleep-In for the CureĀ® for the Komen NC Triangle Affiliate.

    For race-day participants who aren’t spending the morning catching up on their beauty sleep, the Raleigh-based specialty sleep store, with locations across the state from Kannapolis to Wilmington, will be on-site at the race with a special display of their most popular futons and coordinating covers with a special emphasis on the color pink. Giveaways and special contests are just part of the line-up during the special event. The family-owned business is also looking forward to being able to connect with this very important part of their community in such a personal setting. ā€œThis is such a unique way for us to connect with our customersā€, says Lisa Stansbury. ā€œIt is one thing to raise awareness about breast cancer and the dedication to finding a cure in our storesā€, she says, ā€œbut this is an opportunity for us to stand along side so many other individuals, groups, and businesses who share the same vision of a world without breast cancer.ā€

    Savvy-shoppers may have noticed that pink striped futon covers aren’t the only tool used by Fred’s Beds to highlight their dedication to the search for a cure for breast cancer: the newest locations in Wilmington and Garner, NC both sport pink parking lot lines. These bright parking lots not only create a positive vibe when shopping for specialty sleep products, but also remind consumers who notice the bright color, of the importance of early detection in the fight against breast cancer.

    ā€œWe have been really inspired and humbled by the support that we’ve received from our customers and our peers in this industryā€, Stansbury says, ā€œand we were thrilled to have another opportunity to work with the NC Triangle Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure in a new capacity. From a marketing-perspective, you could not ask for a better fit for Sleep-In for the Cure than Fred’s Beds and the importance of sleep for your health. From a family perspective, I could not ask for a better way to honor my Grandmother and other close friends.ā€

    Sleep-In for the CureĀ® gives interested participants a unique opportunity to support the race while not actually being in attendance. ā€œAs a working-woman, with a busy schedule like so many other people, I encourage those who want to support the Susan G. Komen Race for the CureĀ®, but who may not have the time or the availability on June 14th, to consider Sleep-In for the CureĀ® as an alternativeā€, says Stansbury. Interested participants can register to Sleep-In for the CureĀ® and not only receive an event t-shirt and support the cause, but also get their beauty sleep.

    For more information about Fred’s Beds, contact Vice President, Lisa Stansbury at LisaStansburyFB@BellSouth.net or visit their website at http://www.fredsbedsonline.com/.

    For more information on the NC Triangle Affiliate of Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure, call 919-493-CURE (2873) or visit their website at www.komennctriangle.org/.

    About Fred’s Beds
    Fred’s Beds is a specialty sleep store founded in 1985 at the N.C. State Fairgrounds by owner Frank Stansbury. Since then, the company has grown to become a local, award-winning favorite of customers in search of a knowledgeable bedding retailer with a commitment to unparalleled customer service. Fred’s Beds boasts 16 reader-selected awards from such publications Metro, Encore, Wilmington Star, Independent Weekly, and others. With 9 locations throughout North Carolina (including Raleigh, Wilmington, and Greenville), there is almost always a Fred’s Beds close by where buyers can trust that ā€œnobody knows beds like Fredā€! For locations, hours and additional information, please visit Fred’s Beds online at http://www.fredsbedsonline.com/.

    About Susan G. Komen for the Cure
    Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure, we have invested nearly $1 billion to fulfill our promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world. For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure, breast health or breast cancer, visit www.komen.org or call 1-800 I’M AWARE.

    And once again (like in my other blog), in the interest of full-disclosure: I wrote and distributed this press release for Fred’s – but it’s totally blog worthy!

  • I Promised Myself I Wouldn’t Blog Today…

    …because I have SO much to get done right now, but this was too juicy to only share with Adrianne (my fellow Google-addict).

    Now, brace yourselves, this is not very Southern-girly of me, but like my profile says: I’m at home in the modern world. And I absolutely love the convenience of the Google Toolbar (as a preface to the following…) and how it lets me basically “take everything with me” when I switch from IE to Mozilla or between computers.

    Here’s the email I just sent Adrianne, because I knew she’d literally laugh out loud in her newly upgraded cube (baller-status in less than 6 months? Atta-girl!!) at work:

    So I wanted to add the ā€œadd to google readerā€ button to my google toolbar (assuming there is one, I haven’t gotten past the first page yet).

    Anyways, I digress; I just wanted to point out the #3 most popular button that users are adding to the google toolbar:

    Most Popular Buttons
    YouTube Search – Add
    Gmail – Add
    Better Sex Tip of the Day – Add
    Wikipedia – Add
    WhiteSmoke: Check Your English Grammar and Spelling – Add

    Scandalous!My, my, my! I hope everyone else enjoyed the same little snicker that I’m 99.9% sure Adrianne just had at work. And don’t worry – I won’t check my Google Analytics to see how many people clicked “Add” next to #3 on the list. šŸ˜›

    Update: Naturally, Adrianne blogged on the subject, too!

  • For All You Boaters Out There…

    You’d think I would have been aware of this… but it’s good to news to me nonetheless:

    “Falls Lake may be full, but boaters are still facing high gas prices. The marina is charging $3.80 per gallon.

    Poole recommends that boaters save their gas receipts. Boaters are being charged a highway tax, but since they are not burning the gas on the highway, that money can be recouped during tax time.

    The amount averages between 42 and 50 cents savings per gallon, she said.”

    That’s from the WRAL story on the booming marina business out at Falls Lake this past weekend! Read the full article online.