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Refer a friend to Mixed Media, and if they decide to hire us, we'll send you a $25 Powell's Gift Card! Be sure to remind them to tell us that you referred them, and you'll be happily browsing the aisles of Powell's Books before you know it!

Motivate yourself to blog...learn to make a favicon...unleash your inner artist...

July 21, 2010 by Kristin Schuchman

Check out the latest issue of The Medium, our monthly e-newsletter.

In: Mixed Media Newsletters 

Woodstock Parade & Festival

July 19, 2010 by Kristin Schuchman

I spent part of Saturday helping out at the Woodstock Parade & Festival on Saturday. Here's a slideshow of the pictures I took that day.

The March Fourth marching band and Deviant Dance were definite highlights. Amanda Fritze was there to act as Grand Marshall(ette), Sean Daugherty of Papaccino's served as MC, and several live music bands were on hand to keep toes tapping and spirits festive.

I really enjoyed the float for Woodstock icon Otto's Sausage Kitchen, complete with a cow and a farm-themed float.

Next year I'm pushing for a lookalike contest for "Woodstock" performers like Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, etc. Find out more about the Woodstock Community Business Association, which organized the event, at www.woodstockbiz.com. Lori Boisen of Advertise in the Bag deserves the lion's share of the credit for organizing this incredible festival. Well done, Lori!

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Summer Event Calendar

July 1, 2010 by Kristin Schuchman

The June issue of The Medium features an event calendar for summer events, including Portland parks summer concerts, neighborhood festivals, and more!


In: Mixed Media Newsletters 

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A Current List of Farmers Markets...and More!

May 24, 2010 by Kristin Schuchman

Read our latest issue of The Medium, the e-newsletter that will help make your business more successful by waking you up to the easy things you can do to improve the visibility of your business.  Find out how to write a bio, why you should be blogging...even how to get your computer cables under control...

 

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Our Latest E-Newsletter...Learn How to Plan Your Website

April 27, 2010 by Kristin Schuchman

The article about how to start planning your website from the March 2010 issue of The Medium continues...

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Optimizing Your Website - A Checklist

April 6, 2010 by Kristin Schuchman

I thought I was going to be speaking at a business luncheon on Monday, so I jotted down some notes in preparation only to find out that the luncheon isn’t until next Monday. Oh, well. Story of my life these days. In any case, I thought the first part of my presentation was worth sharing here.


In discussing what I do (part of which is website development) I want to make the point that even if a business has a website I can still help them improve their website to help it work harder for their business. Many businesses throw up a site and then let it sit and get stagnant, neglecting to consider the impression it leaves on the people who visit it for the first time. I like to encourage my clients to ask their most “brutally honest friend” tell them the truth about their website. This, of course, works best if said friend effectively represents the client’s target market.


I also plan to provide a checklist for business owners to consider when honestly evaluating their sites. It will go something like this:


-       Does the look of my site truly represent the quality of my offerings? Does it make people want to hire me/visit my store?

-       Does it include recent press mentions?

-       Is the contact info easy to find?

-       Does it include an About Us and/or About Me page?

-       Is there photography? If so, does it do my business justice and truly and effectively represent what I do?

-       Is it collecting email addresses for future e-mail communication (i.e., e-newsletter, e-blast, etc.)

-       Does it include a blog? If so, is it up-to-date?


If businesses answer NO to two or more questions, I will recommend that they hire me or someone like me to update their website.


This checklist represents a bare minimum of what I think a useful website should contain. I’m constantly amazed by how many websites don’t include many of these elements and shudder to think of the business people are losing without these key components. The best question to ask the “brutally hones friend,” I think, upon reviewing a website is “Would you hire me/visit my store if you didn’t know me?”

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The March Issue of Our E-Newsletter

March 6, 2010 by Kristin Schuchman

Find out how to start planning your website and why you should be using an email newsletter service like Constant Contact. Click on the image below to find out more.

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Elizebett Eslinger is Changing the World, Literally

February 18, 2010 by Kristin Schuchman

We took a few minutes this month to chat with East Portland Chamber of Commerce Member of the Month Elizebett Eslinger of SE Works. As the Community Learning Center Coordinator, Elizebett oversees SE Works’ English as a Second Language (ESL) program.  With a lifetime of interacting with English language learners, she intimately understands the challenges of language acquisition and cultural understanding. Additionally, Liz has two bachelor’s degrees in English and political science,  a certification in teaching English as a second language (ESL), and is currently taking courses toward her master’s in public administration.

She currently serves on the chamber board, chairs the event committee, diligently provides the agenda for the weekly Wednesday AMs, and frequently serves as MC for the AMs. Her warm personality, openness and poise have quickly won her the affection of the chamber members and helped her successfully attract significant participation among chamber members in SE Works’ Annual Soup Cook-off and Auction.

1. Your educational background includes a certificate in teaching English as a second language (ESL), which is one of the services that SE Works provides to the people it serves. What drew you to this discipline?

Helping individuals acquire the English language has been a lifelong endeavor for me.  My parents were born on the Azores Islands (off the coast of Portugal) and moved to the U.S. in the 1970s yearning for a life filled with opportunity and freedom.  I was born in the U.S. and learned Portuguese as my first language.  From an early age, I understood the importance of learning English in order to achieve the goals set by myself and my family, and I eagerly shared my growing knowledge of English with my parents.  While I am now fluent in English, I intimately understand the challenges that come with language acquisition, cultural understanding, and community integration. Many individuals come to the United States with the same ambitions as my family, and I feel a personal and professional commitment to help others improve their language skills and achieve self-sufficiency.

2. What attracted you to SE Works? With all that SE Works accomplishes, what are you most proud of?

SE Works’ mission is very compelling:  to strengthen the economic health and well being of our diverse southeast Portland community by facilitating successful connections between job seekers and employers. I am most proud of SE Works’ ability to work with individuals from all backgrounds, accommodate diverse needs, and provide comprehensive services to the many jobseekers coming to SE Works every day.  We provide programs that help people achieve self-sufficiency, and this is imperative to a strong, thriving community.
3. What do you love about what you do? Regarding your work at SE Works, what accomplishments of your own are you most proud of?

I love the people I work with at SE Works.  Every day, I meet gracious ESL students eager to soak in the English language and learn about U.S. culture.  I work with tutors volunteering their time to help students learn English and connect with the Portland community.  I talk with staff who passionately and patiently serve our jobseekers to help them achieve education, career, and life-long goals.  Every day, I witness and experience the extraordinary feat of making a positive difference in another person’s life.

I am most proud of facilitating a learning environment that encourages cultural exchange, provides individualized language instruction, and allows individuals to acquire the skills they need to find and retain employment.

4. What are the challenges?

One challenge is lacking enough resources to meet the needs of our expansive and diverse customer base.

5. In this tougher than usual economic climate, it seems there would be even more strain on the resources of an organization like SE Works. Have you seen a marked increase in the number of people you serve since September 2008, when the stock market took such a big hit?

SE Works has definitely seen an increase in the number of visits to our center.  In the first quarter of 2009, we had 5815 visits to SE Works.  In the last quarter of 2009, we had 7184 visits to our center, a 26% increase.

6. Have things been improving lately? Does unemployment seem to be decreasing or increasing?

Economists say Oregon has just recovered (or will recover soon) from the recession.  And while the job situation hasn’t seen a recovery yet, statistics show that job losses and the unemployment rate are slowing (go to qualityinfo.org for more information).  At SE Works, though, we continue to see large numbers of jobseekers, so it may be awhile before centers like ours see a reduction in the number of customers accessing our resources.

7.  You’re taking courses towards your MPA (Masters in Public Administration) right now. Do you have an area of focus within your program that you’re concentrating on? What are your goals for pursuing this degree?

My concentration is in non-profit management.  I hope through the MPA program, I will develop additional skills and knowledge that will allow me to continue serving the community by addressing issues related to education, literacy, and/or disability awareness and advocacy.

8. Any advice for those of us interested in entering SE Works’ annual Soup Cook-Off and Auction?

Start thinking about and perfecting the soup you’d like to enter now!  Every year, the soup entries are extraordinary, and you’re guaranteed to have some tough competition.  If you are committed to winning the people’s choice award, it doesn’t hurt to invite some loyal friends who will vote for your soup.

About SE Works

Mission
:  To strengthen the economic health and well being of our diverse Southeast Portland community by facilitating successful connections between job seekers and employers.

Programs:  SE Works has a full range of services available to jobseekers and employers designed to strengthen our local and regional economy.  They work with various populations including:  individuals with disabilities, adults transitioning from prison to the community, youth preparing for GED exams and transitioning to college, and adults learning English as a second language.  Their programs provide jobseekers with the skills and support they need to obtain employment, pursue education and career goals, and achieve self-sufficiency.  SE Works is part of Worksource Portland, a collaboration of centers providing employment assistance to jobseekers and employers throughout the Metro area.

Program Highlight:  The English as a Second Language (ESL) program currently serves students from all over the world and who speak 17 different languages.  They provide comprehensive English instruction, tailored to meet the education and employment goals of our students.  Services include one-on-one tutoring (currently provided by a crew of 35 dedicated community volunteers), English practice on the computer, monthly conversation potlucks, and quarterly content-based English workshops (covering topics like job information and financial literacy).

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The Latest Issue of Our E-Newsletter

January 27, 2010 by Kristin Schuchman

Don't think your business needs a website? Think again. Read about this, and find out how to cultivate reviews for your business on Google, and much, much more...

 

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My Latest Examiner Article

January 6, 2010 by Kristin Schuchman

As you may or may not know, I'm the Portland Women's Business Editor for the Examiner.com. I just posted my latest article on How to Write a Bio. Check it out!

Also, if you're a women business owner, let me know if you'd like me to profile me in my Examiner column. Drop me a line at kristin@mixedmediapdx.com or call 503-754-2636.

If you're a male business owner, don't hesitate to check out my column. There are lots of useful tips for you, too!


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