Queen of Cuisine

Lori Granito, who runs Go-Gourmet and Magnolia, proves that hardships can be overcome but rishs have to be taken. Ten Things to learn:

1. Take care of your staff People are your best asset. I wouldn't be anywhere without them. If you want them to look after your customers, you have to look after them first. Remember that they represent your company to the public at large. I try to hire people with enthusiasm, energy, and maturity, not necessarily people with the most experience.

2. Transform your clients from passive buyers to true believers Focus on going above and beyond all the time, creating an army of customer advocates. I treat every customer's events as though it were my own because I know that passionate customers can transform your business.Loyal customers are created through experiences with you, your product and your company.

3. Be genuine Don't try to force relationships with your clients and don't overwhelm them with too much information or too many offers. Try to find ways to engage them.

4. Don't compete with your competitors Know what your competitor is doing, but don't try to compete with them on price or item by item. Find out what your unique selling position is, focus on executing it to the best of your ability and seek ways to constantly improve on what you do. Your biggest competitor should be yourself.

5. Win the battle you're in While our company has several different revenue streams, we always keep an eye on our core business. Trying to take on too many new challenges can dilute your ability focus on the battle that's right in front of you.

to be continued...

Hong Kong Gifts and Premium Fair

Managing Stress

• Learn to breathe : Take a really deep breath and hold it for a moment before breathing out through your mouth. Exhale slowly as you count 10 or 15. Focus on relaxing your stomach and shoulder muscles as you breathe out.
• Take one-minute vacation: Pick a favourite mental image, such as holiday location or the face of a loved one. Practise brining this image to mind whenever you need to relax. Give yourself a full minute to enjoy the positive feelings associate with the image.
• Relax your muscles: Tense muscles stop your breathing deeply, so stretch regularly to allow your body and mind to loosen up.
• Expend some energy: An overstimulated brain is programmed to fight or flee - it wants activity. Give your body a chance to use this pent-up energy by walking around the office, as a short-term solution, and making regular exercise a part of your routine.
  

志蓮淨苑

Adobe Lightroom

Recently I discovered a new photo editing and management software called Adobe Lightroom. It is designed with Adobe photoshop CS3 technology, yet from a photographer workflow point of view. It is very user friendly, especially if you really went into darkroom before.

Browse Here

Hong Kong Electronic Fair (Spring Edition)

This April is the most busy month for us. While most people are enjoying the weekend, I am actually working during Saturday and Sunday at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center. Although my survey project is s small one compared to other team-mates, it still a demanding month where we work for many consecutive weekends without a rest. While most people may prefer a relax day by staying at office, I actually prefer to work at the trade fairs where I can directly interact with the operation colleagues and facing the customers. It is extremely important to get in touch with customer face to face to hear their comments and feedback!

Google Acquired DoubleClick

Google has purchased DoubleClick at US$3.1 billion to acquire DoublickClick's network of advertisers and web publishers.

You all know Google is good at Text Ad but not display / rich media - video / graphical advertising. This is a very good strategic and synergistic move for Google to expand their product service offerings.

The internet world changes so fast. DoubleClick, owned by private equity firm Hellman & Friedman and JMI Equity and management. Last year DoubleClick sell out it's newsletter engine to Epsilon and quickly acquired by Google this year. It so obvious the core assets of DoubleClick is not newsletter broadcast tool where you can pick up any competitors product around, it is their advertiser networks and products that counts.

"By working together, we're going to be able to offer a variety of tools for advertisers to do better Internet targeting," said Susan Wojcicki, a vice president of product management with Google, speaking on a conference call with reporters. "Advertisers will be able to spend more and be able to make rational decisions about how they are spending their ad dollars."

See Industry Comment

See Google Official Press Release

Best Ways to Manage from the Middle

Middle level manager always sustain higher pressure than others. I've tried to aggregate some management tips from what I've read so far:

• Get away from the desk and talk to employees at all levels
• Understand and train subordinates and help them to understand the bigger picture
• Understand the business, not just my own business or areas of work
  
• Do not forget personal prioritites
• Network with other fellow managers

Sotheby's Spring Auction

Just by chance visited the Sothebe's Spring Auction. My first time visited the Auction in person. It is an interesting and exciting experience to see a painting started with HK$2 million bided up to HK$4 million in 3 minutes. More importantly, there are many famous contemporary Chinese painting, it's worth a visit indeed.

Browse here

Thanks iPod!

This is an interesting story I read from the internet. Kevin Garrad was on a street patrol in Iraq and as he rounded the corner of a building an armed AK47 insurgent came from the other size. The two of them within just a few feed of each other when they opened fire. The insurgent was killed and Kevin was hit in the left chest where his iPod was in his pocket. . It slowed the bullet down enough that it did not completely penetrate his body armor. Fortunately, Kevin suffered no wound.
Kevin could send his iPod back to Apple for repairing. By the way, could solders listen to iPod when they're on duty?

Check out here

Otters Holding Hands

My friends always ask me whether there is interesting video clips in you tube. Here I recommend this - one of the top 10 in the last two weeks that attracted over 1.5 million clicks. It shoot in Vancover where two Otters holding their little hands together. Even though the water drive them apart, they get awake and grasp each other hands again. Otters are used to stick together to prevent sea wave driving them apart Yet, the video is so touching and adorable!

Browse here

Mobile Advertisement

Although it has been early 30 years since the first commercial cellular phone network was launched, advertisers have yet to figure out how to get their messages out to mobile phone users in a big way. There are 2.2 billion cell-phone subscribers worldwide, with 25% annual growth rate each year. yet spending on ads over cellular networks is just $1.5 billion worldwide, a fraction of the $424 billion global ad market.

Technical obstacles like handset technology, network bandwidth, screen sizes make the advertising campaign complicated. Even more, customers are hostile to their personal phones suddenly barraged with pictures and advertisement. Countries like US. Singapore, India and China are now considering regulating these commercials.

Imagine..korean teenagers send on average 66 text messages a day. They have higher emotional attachment to their mobile than to their mothers. Once the consumer are convinced with the benefits, the market is here!

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快樂唔係賜予架，而係自己選擇返黎架。

你明唔明？可能會有好多人唔同意，可能會有好多人用好多好多好多例子去駁我，如果你會駁既，得罪講句，咁你唔明囉。呢個世界有太多可能，咩都可以發生。今日既你幾唔妥幾唔掂幾灰都好，冇所謂，最緊要你選擇相信一切都有可能，一切都會變得好既。