White-knuckled and gripping onto the lectern, I remember one of my 1^st speech presentation classes in college. Although I had performed as both a musician and an actor, this presentation was a bit different: all I had was a piece of paper, my personality and what little courage I could muster up to maintain the interest of 40-odd freshmen at 9:00 a.m. in the morning. I’d always considered myself fairly well-spoken and confident, but my merciless professor eagerly pointed out every ‘uhh’, ‘umm’ and ‘like’ during my presentation to the point where I was ready to call it a day & high-tail it out of the lecture hall.

Looking back on that moment, I realize that a lot of the success or failure of your presentation-giving abilities has to do with self-confidence, which is often a characteristic you can build only through time and life experiences. When working within a business capacity, whether in a corporate environment or a non-profit setting, speaking in front of a group can often be a daunting task that many adults dread. Nevertheless, it’s a known fact that presentations are indeed a valuable marketing technique, allowing companies to actively promote and pitch their products in an immeasurably effective and dynamic way. What other opportunity do you have to make such a personalized or targeted impression on a potential client or customer?

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Picture this: a pyramid of 1,200 Styrofoam cups sitting atop 600 plastic water bottles, thousands of plastic utensils, stacks upon stacks of printed brochures and a truckload of promotional gizmos such as pens, key chains, mousepads and magnets.

Now multiply that by a million and ship it out to landfills nationwide.

This is just a quick exercise to illuminate a growing problem: the impact of America’s convention & meeting industry, a $107 billion industry that serves 136.5 million people attending 1.2 million business events annually.

Many of us in the corporate world attend annual tradeshows hosting thousands of vendors, clients and potential business associates within our industries. So you can only begin to conceive of the waste such events produce – imagine each event as the building and deconstruction of a small city, consuming a vast array of disposable products within just a matter of days. The country’s 1.2 million business meetings, trade shows and conventions affect the environment in a number of ways - through the greenhouse gases emitted during travel, the electricity and water consumed during events and hotel stays, the exhibit booths built from scratch and then dismantled, and the countless brochures, PowerPoint handouts, promotional giveaways, meals & bottled beverages that are consumed and disposed of. Read the rest of this entry »

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So, you’re thinking about converting your office or small business to an eco-friendly environment, but maybe you’re not sure where to begin. Well, for starters, there are many alternatives to traditional office supplies. Contrary to popular to belief, it’s much easier (and less costly) to switch over to earth-conscious products. While many people think that green items are more expensive, they are typically available at equal price with no less functionality. Simple changes – such as converting your regular light bulbs to the new low-energy fluorescent CFL bulbs – are green alternatives that make sense, both planet and dollar-wise: on average, one compact fluorescent light bulb saves an average of $35 in the energy costs over the life of the bulb, compared to a standard bulb.

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Does the thought of tax season leave you feeling overwhelmed? Although tax season is often a stressful time for many, it doesn’t have to be. If you properly prepare yourself, you’ll find that it doesn’t have to be the nightmarish ordeal that we often associate it with.

Whether you choose to file your own taxes or work with an accountant, one of the most important elements is an organized approach. Make a list of the documents, tax forms, office supplies (calculators, pens, notepads, filing system) and other items you’ll need to get started. If you set up a system that works for you & maintain accurate records in a location that’s easily accessible, it will save you future headaches and make filing in the years ahead even easier! In this article, you’ll find a list of helpful hints and advice to streamline the process and hopefully reduce the level of anxiety that you might be going through, or perhaps you’ll want to pass it onto a friend, family member or colleague who needs some tax-season advice.

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Creating a comfortable and easy-to-use office workspace is always a chief focus when someone is trying to improve his or her organization and create a comfortable workspace that enables productivity. The prime real estate of a desktop can make or break the occupant’s ability to successfully complete projects and accomplish day-to-day tasks.

If you would like to improve your workday effectiveness, start with a good look at your workspace and identify barriers that impede productivity and may even cause undue stress.

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