Misty Young, Thrilled to have Squeeze In Involved in the “Sogital Revolution”

“I am a true believer and user of all things Sogital, I think and KNOW this is the phase shift we’ve all been creating, that social media is an important tool in the consciousness changes we’re anticipating, delivering and participating in. It’s awesome because we’re writing history and observing it at the same time; in a way humanity has never known. It’s terribly exciting and fun to be part of the Sogital Age. I dig it.” –Misty Young

Misty Young was born and raised in Southern California; her family lived above their restaurant, The Souper. Misty and her 6 siblings were raised peeling potatoes, washing dishes and mopping floors. Misty never thought in her wildest dreams she would eventually be a restaurant owner. She left CA to attend UNR, where she earned a degree in Social Psychology and Speech Communications. Misty chose a career in politics and public relations. But, something was missing…

The Squeeze In, in Truckee, CA was once owned by Nevada’s former Homeland Security director Jerry Bussell. Bussell passed away in 2010 due to a short battle with kidney cancer. Misty and her husband, Gary Young were very drawn to the atmosphere at The Squeeze.

“It’s a place of love and peace. It was very palpable, and you can just feel the love when you walked through the doors.”

Bussell sold Squeeze to the Young’s in 2003, and before Misty knew it- she returned to her youth and was mopping floors, peeling potatoes, and washing dishes. The first couple years were crazy busy and the Youngs did a tremendous amount themselves, serving, shopping, cleaning up, books, payroll, setting up systems — they needed help! In 2006, Misty and Gary brought their daughter and son-in-law, Shila and Chad Morris, aboard as full business partners. Shila and Chad opened the Northwest location in 2008, and the South location in 2011. Sparks Squeeze In will be open this Summer!

On Facebook, Squeeze has over 4,000 fans. Misty has truly embraced the power of social media marketing and leveraging it to its fullest potential. Misty created the business’s Facebook page in 2008, with little strategic thinking. Soon, many of Squeeze’s customers were on Squeeze’s Facebook talking about them and Misty realized she needed to step up her social media game.

“It was finally clear to me that it was ‘the thing’ to do. Facebook and Twitter are a public means to show people who we are. We are a family business, we have amazing associates, and we love our community. People will pull me aside at the grocery store and ask me how the family is. They aren’t asking cause they know me, they are asking cause they’re a fan on Facebook and they see what we have got! Reno/Tahoe/Sparks, this is our hood.”

In 2009, Misty made it a goal to hit 10,000 Facebook fans, and she is well on her way. She has 2 other ladies helping her keep up with the Facebook and Twitter, beloved daughter Shila and the amazing, talented, diligent, strategic, super cool-Eva Lipson, Communications Manager. It has been a coordinated effort and it has been done in a way that meets diverse needs. Whether you are the type of person who likes to visualize, read, hear, research, or click through links- Squeeze has it covered. Misty has her business on Google+, Flickr, Facebook, Twitter and Youtube. Check this out!

Leveraging Social Media to Display Your Community

A Facebook page for your business should be viewed as a window into your company’s soul. Now-a-days, when people Google your business (or even just YOU… creepy…) they will select your Facebook page over your website. Why? When individuals view Facebook pages, they are viewing actual human interaction, feelings, personality, professionalism, customer service and all! Also, Facebook is much more “now” than compared to a website. Customers want to see fresh content. Think about it: how often do you update your website, a couple times a year? How often do we update our Facebook pages? For some of us it’s hourly! So because Facebook pages are starting to become equally if not more prevalent than websites, I can’t stress enough how important it is to create a community on your page.

Each and every business has it’s own culture, it doesn’t matter if you sell pencils or are the hottest nightclub in town- every company has a culture. Here is a list of things to think about: your personal story, your beliefs, your employees, your product, your service, your mission statement, transparency, your physical business presence, the city and state you operate out of, YOUR CUSTOMERS, their story, their kids, their pets, THEIR testament as to why they love YOUR business. All of these things are factors, which create your business’s culture. In Jason Falls’ and Erick Deckers’ book, No Bullshit Media, they discuss the idea of “creating a kumbaya effect.” You got it. Think of everyone gathered around the campfire, swaying back-and-forth, maybe holding hands, and singing kumbaya. Develop a strategy to show your “kumbaya” culture on your Facebook to create an online community.

How would a business exude their culture online? Here are some ideas:

• PICTURES: Include your staff, YOU, your physical location, your product or service, your logo.

• Videos: Nothing is more powerful than a message delivered via video. YouTube anyone?

• Content: Encourage customers to leave comments, let them tell everyone else how good your business is. Post valuable tips or advice related to your industry. DON’T SELL. Focus 80% of your content on your fans, and 20% on you and your business. Ask questions; open all kinds of doors that will allow your customers to respond.

• Provide and nourish a place for your fans to interact.

• Timeline Photo: This is a new tool, which Facebook recently added. This is the first thing a person will see when person looks at your page. Make sure the picture clearly depicts what your business is all about. See examples below.

Some Reno businesses that are doing a great job displaying their community:

• Campo-Reno
• BoBo’s Mogul Mouse
• Squeeze In

Check out these pages and let me know what you think. Do you feel what their business is all about? Do you sense a community amongst their fans? When you leave these business pages you can have a pretty good understanding of what it would be like to step into their business- and that my friends, is a display of culture well executed.

Haley Wood and Jessie Watnes Create Big Following on Facebook for GourMelt

Facebook, Twitter and grilled cheese sandwiches served from a food truck, what a beautiful combination. The gourmet food truck craze really hit hard in 2009-2010. The idea of selling high-quality food from a truck has appealed to people all across the nation, especially to Haley Wood and Jessie Watnes.

These two wonderful women met 10 years ago, as servers at the local Archie’s. Haley is from Elko, NV and Jessie is from Reno, NV. Each of them were going to school, but they had a knack for the foodservice industry. When school was over and they set out to tackle their careers, but something was missing. The life of desk jobs, clocking in, and repetition was not what these 2 ladies had in mind.

“We loved working in the foodservice industry, it was ingrained in our brains, and we were very good at it. We always have friends and family over and we really enjoy cooking for everyone.”

In 2010, the girls researched the food truck phenomenon as it was all over the Food Network and other media.

“This idea was different. We are not chefs, we don’t have any fancy credentials- but we are artists. A gourmet food truck was a perfect way for us to channel our talents.”

Haley Wood is the voice behind Gourmelt’s Facebook and Twitter. Months prior to GourMelt’s first event, she was tweeting to the community creating awareness and anticipation for Reno’s new food truck. After hours of research and the blood, sweat and tears involved in the reconstruction of their food truck from 1989 (Bessie), GourMelt grilled their first sandwiches on Earth Day, 2011.

Haley and Jessie created a business plan, which involves offering a quick and quality lunch to local businesses. How it works: businesses contact GourMelt and request for them to come and sell lunch to their company. Before GourMelt started on Earth Day, they had 5 weeks of locations booked. These ladies also love the idea of supporting local businesses and enjoy bringing their crowd to various locations. GourMelt’s bread is from Reno’s House of Bread and their eggs are from Reno Egg.

The use of social media is crucial, almost reliant, to Gourmelt’s business plan. To market their business, GourMelt solely relies on Facebook and Twitter. Around 10:30am (timing of her posts is crucial) each day, Haley will tweet to over 4,000 fans the location of the truck. When it comes to social media, these two really focus on creating excitement and anticipation amongst their fans. They also keep it very simple. It’s not about sales or gimmicks, Haley only posts once a day and it is relevant and valuable information. Gourmelt serves any where from 85-140 meals per day, thanks to their tasty menu and the marketing power of Twitter and Facebook.

“When people communicate on our Facebook, they are not talking to a robot- they are talking directly with us and we respond to every question or comment.”

Hats off to Haley Wood and Jessie Watnes for their excellent execution on Facebook, another business that is leading by example. Check out their creative menu and get more info here. Become a fan of their business page and follow on Twitter so you can find out where they will be today!

You Know You’re a Blogger When…

“A blog is a personal diary. A daily pulpit. A collaborative space. A political soapbox. A breaking-news outlet. A collection of links. Your own private thoughts. Memos to the world.”

I am a new-born blogger, and not to be dramatic-but it has changed my life in many ways. I have been given a voice I never knew I had. I wanted to share how my newest hobby has affected me. You know you’re a blogger when:

1. You race home after having an awful experience at a restaurant so you can blog about it.
2. You have a never-ending file of voice notes on your phone, some from 4am.
3. You race home after having a great experience at a restaurant so you can blog about it.
4. There are sticky notes all over your house.
5. “I can’t hang out with you tonight, I have to blog.”
6. Your IPhone goes to bed with you.
7. Any poor soul in your household, they may know more about your blog than they want to.
8. Every experience is a potential blog topic
9. You start a conversation with “I blogged about that.”
10. You can laugh at yourself.
11. “I’m sorry I was late, I was working on this great blog.”
12. Your desktop is filled with potential blog images.
13. You willingly dress up, and meet with strangers so you can blog about them.
14. You’re friends say “You won’t blog about this, will you?”
15. Your mom has to read your blog if she wants to see what you have been up to.

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” – Dr. Seuss

How do YOU know when you are a blogger?

Mark Trujillo and The Hub Coffee Co. Do Coffee and Social Media Right

“It’s always just been about bikes. It’s always just been about coffee.” -Mark Trujillo

I was wandering down Cheney St. in MidTown Reno looking for The Hub. Owner Mark Trujillo saw me aimlessly looking around before pointing me to a small opening, a former 2-car garage, where I found Reno’s beloved coffee shop. Beginning from the small and discrete location, to the old bikes hanging on the wall and roll-up door on the outside, to the raw brick walls, modern art, and tiny service station on the inside; this place is one of Reno’s best kept secrets. A REAL and authentic coffee shop, The Hub offers the best cappuccinos and coffee in town. If you are looking for a quiet place to study, a low-key place to have private conversation, get a meal, or a sugary flavored non-fat-latte-macchi-frapp-a-what? Then do not come to The Hub. This place is busy, has a “Cheers” like atmosphere, it’s small, gimmick-free, and they are serious about coffee.

Reno native and avid cyclist, Mark Trujillo sold Walden’s Coffee House in 2009 to search for something different; a place, which solely focused on providing the best coffee around. In June of 2009, Mark opened The Hub Coffee Co. in Reno’s MidTown District. Businesses (Sup, Crème Café, Sushi Pier 2, Midtown Eats, etc.) in this district, often unknown to all the tourists, are tiny gems nestled right below the big buildings of Downtown. Mark and his son Joey, 22 and Jessica 20 have created an atmosphere, which depicts the personality of their coffee- raw.

“If I am going to provide a product, I want it to be the best and I want it to be as raw as possible. We do not manipulate our coffee.”

You will not find any blue, yellow, white or pink sugar packets in the building. Non-fat milk doesn’t exist. The only additive they offer is a homemade chocolate sauce for their mochas. Best chocolate I have ever had. Mark gets his coffee from small, intimate, culturally-sound farms that have processes which have been handed down from generation to generation. He receives the coffee bean raw, roasts the beans in-house, and serves his drinks with no fuss or over processing.  Watch Mark make yours truly a cup of coffee:

Mark and his son Joey are responsible for creating the buzz around town about their coffee on the expanding world of social media. With their location being so small and discrete, they rely on social media to help spread the word. Did you know that coffee has 300 more properties than wine, and that it’s the 2^nd highest traded product in the world next to petroleum? Facts like these can be found on their Twitter. Want to see a never-ending review list with pictures from all of their fans? Check out their Facebook. Want to know about the various coffee beans produced worldwide? We have bloggers on our hands, people! Check out their blog.

“It’s not about specials or sales. It’s about our customers, coffee, how it’s served, or our process. We use social media to excite our customers and depict what we are all about. We are a hidden, local hot-spot and we leverage that mystery and build it up with our social media marketing. I respond to every single comment or complaint, I am building relationships with my fans.”

Mark and his kids are running a business that profits pennies at a time from their coffee, and it has taken time for him to figure out what works best for him. He never makes the same mistake twice, and that he will not lose to competitors. Mark and Joey Trujillo are leading by example on the social media-marketing front; follow these guys to see what’s going on in that 2-car garage on Cheney St., and at their new location in The Discovery Museum.

Marc Digesti Displays PerformancEDU’s Community on Facebook

Marc Digesti, (I say it loud and proud) is a Reno, Nevada native. Graduating from Reno High School in 1999, Marc played baseball and football. Marc took his baseball career to the next level and represented the Wildcats @ Chico State University. It was during this time that Marc battled several shoulder injuries inhibiting his abilities to perform on the diamond. Marc’s interest and passion for athletic performance and injury prevention was piqued. It wasn’t long before he left Chico with a degree in Exercise Physiology- and headed to the mecca of sports training, Los Angeles.

Marc did an internship with Athletes’ Performance in Carson, CA. Up to this point, Marc’s experience and education had been related to a traditional athlete’s background, heavily involved with strength and conditioning training. All of this went out the door once he was introduced to the culture and methodolgy at Athletes’ Performance.  Marc’s internship dove into how to exploit movement dysfunction and how to implement it back into a training program.  One of the tools he was taught to administer was the FMS (Functional Movement Screen) to diagnose movement dysfunction.

“Most of us have the same types of dysfunctions, but each person requires a different process to increase their  movement quality.”

During his time in So Cal he also trained the US Disabled Ski Team and was mentored by  big names in the industry like: Todd Durkin, Mark Verstegen, Omi Iwasaki, Darcy Norman and Anthony Slater. Marc fell in love with the Ski culture and has created a niche in his training for these types of athletes. In 2010, Marc took his 3 years of experience working with some of the best trainers and athletes in the nation and moved back to his hometown, in an effort to start training in the Reno area.

On October 18th of 2011 Marc and his wife Jenny Digesti opened PerformancEDU.

“This place is me. I have taken my experience and philosophy for performance and I am exuding a culture which people can adapt to, that’s what I want to do here at EDU.”

Have you ever trained barefoot before? Me neither, but I did when I worked out with Marc. It’s unreal how much more you pay attention to your movement when you have no protection on your feet. Ideas like the barefoot training are examples of Marc’s philosophy on the attention he gives to the body’s movement.

How has Marc been getting people through the doors of PerformancEDU? Word of mouth through social media! Marc began his social media marketing journey on Twitter, then Facebook was soon to follow for PEDU. Marc believes that social media is huge for businesses especially for start-ups. Here is Marc’s daily social media strategy:

Marc utilizes Facebook as a hub for live updates, and he loves the idea of being able to virally get his messages and health tips out about his business. PEDU also hosts an informative blog that offers valuable information. Visit PEDU for more information, and like their page! Tweet on Marc!

Lee Brothers Create Facebook Buzz for Beach Hut Deli

In 1994 Scott and Todd Lee moved to Reno, NV from Granite Bay, CA. Scott attended UNR earning a degree in Digital Media and brother Todd worked at Cope & McPheters. Prior to moving to Reno, the 2 brothers thought this place was all lights, casinos, and hotels.  They instantly fell in love with the Biggest Little City. After college Scott soon joined his big brother and helped Cope and McPheters launch their Internet sales; they were soon swimming in success. The brothers’ knack for business combined with technological skills were the perfect formula for success. In 2003, Scott and Todd purchased a home in Northwest Reno. What they didn’t know at the time was that the purchase of this home would be the key to opening their own business 3 years down the road.

Growing up, the boys frequently enjoyed lunches at Beach Hut Deli. They were close friends with Beach Hut founder and franchise owner Troy Feist. Scott explains:

“You know when you go back to your hometown and you have that one place you have to visit every time? For me it was Beach Hut Deli. I remember being 10 years old and running around that place!”

Scott had turned to Feist during one of his Christmas vacations, and mentioned to Feist that he was looking for a change, he wanted to do something more than what he was doing. Feist slid his business card across the table and told Scott that when he was ready- he would be happy to help him. Months later, Scott was ready. Scott and Todd refinanced their house, which provided them with the means to open up Beach Hut Deli, Reno. Scott and Todd rounded up friends and graffiti artists Ernie and Neal; they also hired on a general contractor, “Butch Hut” to assist in the very cool and unforgettable design of their sandwich shop.

Beach Hut Deli opened on February 5, 2006 in Northwest Reno and these 2 brothers instantly hit the ground running. Scott attributes a big part of their success to their prized employees. Scott and Todd are very meticulous in whom they bring on to their team. They look for driven people who understand the importance in teamwork. They also attribute their employees to their Facebook success. Here are the numbers:

Facebook Business Page:

Likes: 4,819

Twitter:

Followers: 269

It was a slow day for business on President’s Day 2009 when former employee Devin Noe suggested that Beach Hut Deli create a Facebook fan page as a means to drive business. Their Facebook presence was created, and from there Devin requested that all of her 700+ friends “like” the cool sandwich shop where she was working, so did Carrie Potter, so did Miranda Montejo and so did Kinslee Scamaldo. Before Scott and Todd knew it, they had a whole slew (1,000+) of followers on Facebook- Scott even compares it to a cult! Here’s his strategy:

“It’s all about timing. You can’t post a picture of a sandwich at 8 am, or announce your happy hour specials at 9 am…we have to strategically plan each of our posts. I do about 11 posts a day which consist of pictures of sandwiches and beer specials. I utilize Facebook and Twitter to set-up our day for the lunch and dinner rushes. When it’s really slow, I will have all my employees go on their Facebook pages and post something about Beach Hut to bring some business in.”

Scott and Todd will feature a couple sandwiches for the day, and sure enough during their lunch rush several will mention that they saw a picture of the Surfin’ Bird on Facebook and it looked so good, they had to have one. I will vouch for Beach Hut Deli- the pictures of the sandwiches are exactly what you can expect when you order. What? A restaurant that serves the food as advertised? Yes! Beach Hut Deli will also give you a free cookie if you “check-in” upon arrival.

I asked Scott if he has had complaints about his service on Facebook and he said yes. He said he will handle complaints utilizing the direct message feature on Facebook and invite them to come back in so he can fix his error. On one specific occasion there was a complaint on Beach Hut’s Facebook page, and their fans immediately responded to the complaint and supported the sandwich shop. The Lee brothers feature events on Beach Hut’s page such as Nerd Friday Nights, Thirsty Thursdays, Happy Hour, Aloha Fridays. Check them out!

Beach Hut Deli will be opening another location in Downtown Reno’s Comm Row mid-April 2012. This location will be smaller and will serve more as an express stop. Stay tuned on their Facebook page for more details!

Trainer Goes Viral: Camie Cragg Fitness meets Facebook

2 weeks ago these words came out of my mouth “Camie Cragg is a Facebook beast.” I mean that in the utmost respectful way possible…really.

Camie is preparing for her Grand Opening of Camie Cragg Fitness on February 25^th. Her business is brand spankin’ new. But what isn’t new is her reputation as a personal trainer throughout the greater Reno community. How you ask? One word= Facebook. Here is her Facebook story:

Personal Facebook Page

Joined: 2008

Friends: 4,814 (192 friend requests pending as of today, she will get to you guys.)

Business Facebook Fan Page

Likes: 2,374

Views per Day: 1,500

In 2005 Camie was utilizing Myspace to reach out to her friends and family, she was also beginning her career as a personal trainer. Camie used Myspace, Big Nickel (newspaper ad), email and Craigslist to gain her whopping 10 clients in Reno. As any entrepreneur understands, building the clientele in the early stages of business development is extremely frustrating. She admits that she didn’t really get it, she didn’t quite understand how to reach out to people and get their attention. She posted constantly under the “Health/Beauty” section on Craigslist and she did get a lot of leads, but it wasn’t enough. It was in 2008 that a close friend of Camie introduced her to Facebook.

When Camie first started her Facebook journey she made it a priority to never “add” people; she would only manage her traffic by accepting or declining friend requests. She never wanted to push what she was doing on others, but if they wanted in- she would accept. In the early stages of her Facebook presence, Camie received a lot of grief from friends and family because of her frequent posts and status updates.

“People would make fun of me, they thought it was just too much. They would ask me if I had a life! A lot of people thought I was being too exploitive with my personal life and of my feelings. They also thought I was providing way too much “free” information in regards to my training and nutritional information. ”

Today Camie claims that word-of-mouth is her #1 source of referrals, #2 is Facebook and Twitter.

“Anything that inspires me, I put it on Facebook. At 4:55 am today I posted an article on low-glycemic carbs! When I am in the car and I hear something I like, I write about it. When one of my clients does something that inspires me, I write about it.”

The strategy: Camie started out by “checking-in” everywhere she went. Going to the grocery store to buy fruits and veggies? Check-in. Dining at a local restaurant to try out their new salad? Check-in. Coffee? Check-in. Going to work-out? You betcha’, check-in! She said it was exhausting, but it has been worth it. This is how the ball really got rolling. Locals were seeing all the places she was visiting, and soon she was creating a small buzz within her community of friends.

People are attracted to optimism, hope, and success. Camie’s Facebook page exudes this.  Camie tells a story of an incident where she wanted to get her son (Bodie) a skateboard. Camie turned to a skateboarding professional and asked him on his Facebook what was the best kind of skateboard to get for a 3-year-old. No response.

“I didn’t like it. I knew that I never wanted to be like that. I have made it a goal to respond to everyone, and to interact with as many people as I can on a daily basis on Facebook.”

Bingo! The attention Camie is giving to her consumers is continuously bringing them back, as well as attracting others. When you add Camie on Facebook, she sends every single one of her new “friends” an invitation to “like” her Camie Cragg Fitness Fan Page, and to visit her main website to check out all of the various products she has for sale. Her Facebook is FILLED with success stories. Before and after pictures of past and current clients, pictures of individuals training, testimonials fill up her wall, and YouTube videos of her boot camps are how Camie is utilizing Facebook to tell a story of what kind of shop she is running.

“I use Facebook and Twitter to show the “now.” I have an instant connection to show my community what I am doing right now, how I feel, or what I think is really cool and inspiring- at my finger tips (she picked up her phone).”

Camie also utilizes Facebook to literally run a part of her business, called Online Challenge. She forms Facebook groups and provides them with workouts, a meal plan, and support all via Facebook. The group members are able to interact with each other through discussion forums so they can turn to each other for support. This is a great option for people who are not in the Reno area or don’t have the financial means or time to completely commit to her boot camps. Recently, Camie leveraged the capacity of Facebook to raise $7,050 in 6 DAYS for local mother, Amada Curtis, 31 who is fighting brain cancer.

There are 2 huge points to be made with how Camie is using social media marketing: 1. Be you, be real. People don’t want to talk to robots; they want to interact with someone who cares about them. You can’t do that with commercials, radio, or emails. 2. Pull these people in and get them to buy into your product or service. Remember that bit about Camie offering free health and fitness tips on her Facebook? This is an example of a tool she is using to convert consumers into clients on Facebook.

Camie made it loud and clear to me, that it is her sheer desire and drive that has motivated her to stay involved with the social networking. It’s a lot of work to constantly stay connected. But she loves what she has created, and loves every single person who is apart of what she has built.

Facebook beast? I think so.