The Dovetail Solutions Bloghttp://www.dovetailsolutions.com/dovetail-blog/thoughts and commentary on business and community from dovetail solutionsen-US2012-02-12T02:26:48ZSquarespace Site Server v5.11.81 (http://www.squarespace.com/)Union Station Alliance is listeninghttp://www.dovetailsolutions.com/dovetail-blog/2012/2/6/union-station-alliance-is-listening.htmlRyann Anderson2012-02-06T15:53:58ZIn December, Union Station Alliance was chosen as the developer to move forward with the boutique hotel, shops and restaurants plan for Union Station, and by mid-January the Alliance got busy “bringing the community back to Union Station” by opening the doors of the station to hold public input meetings. Four public focus groups were held in January to get a sampling of stakeholders’ opinions on what the retail components of the project should be. I attended one of the meetings and thoroughly enjoyed the process. I have been telling everyone that Union Station Alliance is listening and they want your input! If you have any great ideas, please be sure to get in touch with them by sending them via the website or posting them on their Facebook page .

Below is a sampling to whet your appetite of some of the concepts I heard in the focus group I attended. Perhaps you can get some momentum going with any ideas you think are the best and be sure the Alliance knows about any gems that weren’t covered. As a Colorado resident, think about what you want your retail and restaurant experience of Union Station to be, and then consider what hotel guests might like to enjoy as well. (Keep in mind that they’ve moved the hotel lobby to the 2^nd floor.)

Inside:

place to grab tickets to events in surrounding areas (theater, skiing, Rockies games)
streetcar bar
train history museum and/or installment
high-end, locally owned, farm-to-table-style restaurant
oyster bar
local brewery
high-end cocktail bar
grab-n-go gourmet foods
coffee shop
food and wine market
24-hour diner
store selling Colorado-made products
Pharmaca
rotating art exhibits
live music
flower shop
pharmacy with prescription-filling capabilities
basic travel gear
giant vending machine

Outside in public plaza on west side of building:

street musicians
food carts
farmers’ market
kiosks with Colorado goods for sale

Also, if you’d like to present your ideas in person, there’s one more town hall meeting to gather input from the community on the management of Union Station’s plaza and other public spaces on Wednesday, February 8 from 4-5:30p.m. in Union Station’s Great Hall.

If you’d like to keep up on the latest from Union Station Alliance and other public meeting opportunities, check out their blog and/or sign up for their newsletter.

]]>Networking Styleshttp://www.dovetailsolutions.com/dovetail-blog/2012/1/30/networking-styles.htmlMaura O'Neal2012-01-30T18:52:22ZI’m an observer by nature, preferring to get the lay of the land and a feel for the personalities involved, rather than jumping in feet first. I’ve been to a number of events since the holidays, and all of them offered ample people-watching opportunity.

There was the new-member orientation and luncheon for the Business Marketing Association where we bonded quickly over being the “newbies,” and were all excited to figure out how to get involved.

Then there was the Commerce City Cultural Council strategic planning retreat. We welcomed new members, planned our 2012 calendar of events and discussed some big projects to tackle together.

In mid-January I attended my first Legacy Denver meeting—a group of 5 professionals of varying backgrounds that meet once a month with a facilitator to discuss the important, but sometimes morbid, topic of palliative care.

Most recently, I participated in the Five Points Rotary Club’s Ping Pong for Polio Tournament. It’s always fun to unite with people for a common cause, especially if it includes an element of friendly competition.

Over the course of these events, I observed patterns of networking styles, which I’ll call “networker stereotypes.” I thought they would be amusing to share:

•   The take-my-business-card-quick networker: It’s like someone wound her crank, handed her a stack of business cards and set her loose with instructions not to come back until she’d handed out every card. Strategy and meaningful connection are lost on these networkers; quantity rather than quality is the focus.

•   The hummingbird or speed-dating networker: Can be related to the take-my-business-card-quick networker. This person flits from one group to the next, leaving you wondering what you just talked about because you barely got through the second syllable of your last name before he was moving onto the next group.

•   The roving-eyes networker: Not what you think, although there may be one or two of those people in the room, too. This networker may be talking to you, but her eyes are bouncing all around the room looking for where she’ll go for her next conversation.

•   The draw-me-out networker: Once you get past the initial introduction, it’s like pulling teeth to continue a conversation with this networker. Ask open-ended questions with these folks.

For me, networking should be a balance between getting to know people enough to identify ways I can be helpful to them but not monopolizing them in a conversation so that we are both allowed the freedom to visit with other people. And naturally, the only networker stereotype I aspire to is the effective networker.

Do you have any fun networking stories to share?

]]>Generation Y in the Workplacehttp://www.dovetailsolutions.com/dovetail-blog/2012/1/23/generation-y-in-the-workplace.htmlMarissa Hoffman2012-01-23T16:52:29ZThis past week I began my last semester of college, at least as an undergraduate student. While I am very excited to be moving on to a new chapter of my life and leaving behind the term papers and all-nighters, it still feels a bit surreal. As I look around in my senior-level classes, it is strange to think that we are the ones who will be entering, and at some point, leading the workforce.

A lot of research has been gathered about Generation Y, or the Millennials as we are also called. According to author Eric Greenberg, we are hopeful, believing we can change the world and make progress with social and environmental issues. We are responsible, tending to shy away from drugs and other unsafe activities, at least more so than our parents’ generation. We are politically engaged, having made a large impact in the last presidential election as the all-important “youth vote.”

Aside from such personal traits, we also tend to have a distinct impact in the professional sector. An article in Time magazine has named three important workplace traits demonstrated by Generation Y. So if you want to attract the incoming workforce, pay attention:

Friendships play a large role in our professional decisions. Many people of my generation will choose a job based on the type of friendships they have made there. So long as the workplace attitude is friendly and upbeat, we are more likely to commit to a job, even if the job itself may not be our true passion.
We are big on work-life balance. Many of us understand the value of working hard, but we also know the importance of downtime. We are most productive when we get to escape our work life and recharge.
We have a passion for volunteerism. We are not only politically engaged, but socially active as well. We recognize that contributing to the community and helping others is an important way of following our passions. Therefore, we are more likely to stay at a company that supports our volunteer efforts.

When reading these observations about my generation, I was amazed how much I recognized many of these traits within myself and my friends. Even more amazing was how every single workplace trait preferred by Generation Y is also demonstrated here at dovetail. It is such a vibrant place that not only stands on the principle of Strategic Community Investment but, as Emily wrote about last week, also focuses on maintaining a happy work-life balance. These are only a few, but still some very important, reasons I so enjoy being a part of the dovetail team. And as a member of Generation Y, I’d like to give a collective “thank you” to all the similar workplaces out there for not only making room for us in your workforce, but for creating a setting where we can thrive.

]]>A time to celebrate...http://www.dovetailsolutions.com/dovetail-blog/2012/1/16/a-time-to-celebrate.htmlEmily Holleran2012-01-16T17:20:46ZRecently, Ragan’s PR Daily published, “7 things I love/hate about public relations.” The cartoon (below) is probably the best part of this article, coming in at #6: “I love being paid, I hate doing timesheets.”

All of us at dovetail, as I am sure many of you too, can relate to this. Every week, without fail I am consumed by each team member’s timesheet… the numbers, the tasks, the under/over. As much as we all “hate” doing timesheets – it really is these numbers that seem to keep each one of us not only balanced and sane but help tremendously with the firm’s growth and success.

In the time that I have taken over this humongous task, I have grown close to every number and its true meaning. There is so much great data that our time gives us. It is amazing how one hour can make or break a week, a month, a quarter and a year. There is no longer the need to over service or for that matter, under service. And most importantly, there is a better sense of just how hard each person is working and when he or she should stop. It is such a great “balance and happiness” tool – and happy team members means happy clients.

I encourage each of you reading this blog to look at your time tracking and show your team just how much great information is behind each number. It no longer has to be a “Raaaarrr” experience but a “Yaaaah” experience as I am sure you are doing great things with great people. Now is the time to celebrate.

]]>The free ride is overhttp://www.dovetailsolutions.com/dovetail-blog/2012/1/9/the-free-ride-is-over.htmlJeremy Story2012-01-09T15:40:50ZThe free ride is over. At least that’s how The Denver Post’s parent company, MediaNews Group, views it.

MediaNews Group has started building online subscription paywalls at dozens of its newspapers across the country. Typically, the paywalls allow users to view a small amount of content and then require an electronic subscription in order for the reader to continue viewing material. And it is only a matter of time before that paywall philosophy reaches MediaNews Group’s Colorado papers, including The Denver Post and Boulder Daily Camera.

While I sympathize with publishers who are desperately looking for a new business model that will help stabilize their industry, I think paywalls are a shortsighted and doomed proposition. Instead, I’d suggest publishers focus on a standardized micro-payment structure that allows users to pay on a per-article basis.

I visit dozens, if not hundreds, of sites every day. I’m happy to pay my fair share, but there is no way I’m going to subscribe to, say, the Des Moines Register because I want to read a few articles about the latest Republican primary polling numbers. But I would be willing to pay a nominal fee per article if it could be automatically debited from an electronic wallet associated with my browser.

So I’d encourage MediaNews Group and other publishers to stop wasting their time trying to force drive-by readers to become subscribers, and instead focus on an industry-wide, standardized method to collect nominal per-article fees from readers. That is a much more viable idea.

]]>Hopes for the Union Station Hotelhttp://www.dovetailsolutions.com/dovetail-blog/2011/12/23/hopes-for-the-union-station-hotel.htmlRyann Anderson2011-12-23T21:41:54ZI, personally, am really excited about the decision that’s been made to turn the interior of Union Station into a 130-room boutique hotel. I think the Oxford Hotel is so classy and that a beautiful job will be done creating a sister experience in the coveted and very charming historic building.

Here are some of my hopes for the future Union Station hotel:

-I hope the retail and restaurant space incorporates some of the great food and marketplace ideas the Union Station Neighborhood Co. had. Colorado is quickly finding its way onto the culinary map, mostly due to its brilliant execution of the farm-to-table restaurant concept. Frasca is a nationally recognized restaurant, and bringing a related establishment of that caliber into Union Station for both tourists and locals to enjoy seems like a natural fit – it could only help to reaffirm our “foodiestness.” (I am, of course, referring to nearby Boulder having been deemed 2010’s Foodiest Town in America by Bon Appétit.) I also love the idea of selling Colorado-made products in the lobby/Great Hall’s retail spaces. Colorado is home to so many innovative, quality products and having stores that remind tourists of that will certainly help boost Colorado’s brand. Just a few products that could be sold: New Belgium garb, Celestial Seasonings and Bhakti Chai teas, Justin’s Nut Butter, Pangea Organic skin care products, Pappardelle’s pasta, Croc’s, Enstrom toffee, Smart Wool socks and spirits from amazing local distilleries like Leopold Brother’s.

-I hope the hotel figures out how to appeal to the locals so that it becomes a go-to “third place,” or a social environment and gathering place that promotes solidarity in a community. If home is the First Place and the Second Place is the office, then the Third Place is a venue to form meaningful encounters and connections beyond our family life and our careers. The St. Julien in Boulder comes to mind as a hotel that’s done a great job creating this kind of place. Every Friday night the hotel brings in local musicians and practically the entire town comes to dance the night away together. The tourists participate and gain real insight into the town’s culture. Hotels are usually experienced only by the tourists that visit them, but they can be so much more when they become “places to be” for locals– ones that residents frequent and experience together to solidify and/or create new relationships.

-I hope the hotel will figure out how to prevent guests from being unhappy about noise issues that seem inherent and unavoidable in transportation hubs. It’s an historic building, so I doubt the team will be able to do too much to overhaul the building and soundproof it. I really hope this issue has been well thought out in the plan to convert the building into a place where people will sleep. It’s important that the hotel receive great reviews!

I am confident that the interior of Union Station is in good hands, and I can’t wait to experience everything it has to offer in 2014!

]]>How Technology Has Changed the Holidayshttp://www.dovetailsolutions.com/dovetail-blog/2011/12/19/how-technology-has-changed-the-holidays.htmlMarissa Hoffman2011-12-19T15:13:30ZUnless we stop to think back to what the world was like before the Internet, we often don’t realize how technology has really changed how we live. This includes our holiday traditions. So here’s my Top 10 List of how Americans’ holiday season has become digitized.

Tracking Santa

Instead of the kids asking when Santa will come visit their houses, they can now go online or call the NORAD Santa Tracking Team.

Yule Log/Menorah

Rather than burning our own Yule logs or Menorahs, we can simply download an app. Although I don’t think it has quite the same effect…

Greeting Cards

Now our holiday cards are delivered to a different mailbox…no more walking down to the end of your driveway.

Online Shopping

Who ever thought we’d see the day where shoppers no longer have to trek through the snow or fight the crowds? Now the mall is at our fingertips.

Online Volunteering

Volunteering to your favorite charity is easier than ever. Just send a donation online. Although, for those of us who to like to donate our time with those in need, this won’t quite substitute…

Talking Santa app

Instead of going to the mall and waiting in those long lines, kids can talk to Santa right from a smartphone!

Skype

Rather than the annual holiday phone call to family members across the country, we can video chat and see those bright smiles first hand!

Dreidel app

We’ll have to learn a whole new technique to play this new form of the game. Welcome to Dreidel 2.0. Save the cost of a stamp and trip to the post office. Your child’s wish list to Santa is but a click away!

Gifts

According to Esquire, the best-selling gifts themselves have also become digitized. The last decade has been full of tablets, electronic toys, and video games. Want to take a guess at what the number one gift was only 20 years ago? POG discs. Oh, how the times have changed…

]]>The Virtual World @ its Finesthttp://www.dovetailsolutions.com/dovetail-blog/2011/12/12/the-virtual-world-its-finest.htmlEmily Holleran2011-12-12T15:19:23ZThe year is wrapping up and I feel like we need give some love to the thing that really keeps us going… When there is no one to turn to and ask… you’ve always got the web. With that, let’s take a look back at the Number One Website in Six Categories for 2011:

1. Top Visited U.S. Site

FACEBOOK – I am sure this is the one site most could’ve guessed. Facebook is a great way to interact with friends and family and to promote your business in a way that makes sense for your bottom line.

2. Top Visited Real Estate Site

ZILLOW: (a close second -- realtor.com) I have spent countless hours on Zillow. From looking at rentals to potentially buying, this site does it all and is incredibly user friendly. Warning: very addictive!

3. Top Visited Travel Site

GOOGLE MAPS: (more than double the hits of competitor MapQuest) Google Maps is hands down a great tool, except when it tells you to U-turn where you are certain there isn’t a need to U-turn.

4. Top Visited Social Networking Site

FACEBOOK: (more than double the runner up-- YouTube) I must mention MySpace coming in at #8. I am still trying to figure out why I still have an account. Oh, the good ol' days.

5. Most Visited Sports Site

YAHOO! SPORTS NFL: ESPN coming in at a close second, trailing by only .75%

6. Most Visited Software Site

ADOBE Seriously? Adobe? I thought it would be Apple. Apple comes in at #2, trailing by only .35%.

2011 proved to be a great year for the tech world… but looking forward and gearing up for 2012… drum roll please… Here are some websites to be on the lookout for!

CraveOnline.com boasts volumes of the type of content that any male aged 18-35 is sure to enjoy reading online. From chicks, to fast cars, to video games, comics, horror, and more, there is sure to be something.

Flippa.com is an e-commerce site where people can go to buy and sell nothing else but WEBSITES! The future of business has shifted, and will continue to shift, to the web, so Flippa has to make our list.

SBNation.com is the hub site of a network of over 180 sports blogs that offers local coverage of all the teams in major sports. The thirst for local, loyal and fan-led coverage of sports teams is never going to fade and SBNation is providing the perfect service to sports fans as it aggregates all the local sports coverage into a single destination. Also check out RotoWorld.com for the most up to date fantasy sports news.

SheKnows.com is a deep, content-rich site covering everything from parenting, weddings, shopping, food, health, love life and more.

]]>Cause Marketing and the Holidayshttp://www.dovetailsolutions.com/dovetail-blog/2011/11/21/cause-marketing-and-the-holidays.htmlMarissa Hoffman2011-11-21T15:53:23ZWhen I went into Kay’s Jewelers today to get some rings cleaned, I saw a display of teddy bears near the register. After seeing me look at them, the sales associate told me about the store’s holiday program, where 100 percent of the proceeds from the bears goes to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. As I was trying to think of a child I knew whom I could buy the bear for, I noticed that the jewelry store was also collecting the purchased bears, in order for them to be donated back to the children who would be patients at St. Jude’s during the holidays.

The sad thing is, that until I learned a little more about the cause behind the charity and the fact that the purchase could be double donated, I honestly did not plan on contributing to the program. And I know I’m not alone. Especially during the holidays we seem to be so inundated with requests for money and volunteer efforts, that I think many of us tend to tune them out. While it’s not realistic to be able to help every person and program in need, it’s important to also not just pass by without giving such efforts a second thought. The holidays are a time for giving, and I urge you to find one or two great ways to contribute to your community and those in need. It shouldn’t be too difficult. Marketing that targets specific causes only seems to increase during this time of year. All we have to do is keep our eyes and hearts open to the idea. If we all do our part, we can make the holidays a special time for everyone.

]]>See the Cause From Every Anglehttp://www.dovetailsolutions.com/dovetail-blog/2011/11/14/see-the-cause-from-every-angle.htmlRyann Anderson2011-11-14T15:18:58ZOn the afternoon of Thursday, November 10, dovetail solutions had a very special event wherein we gathered together over food and drink to express our appreciation for the teachers that work at the elementary school where our employees volunteer every week to help kids with homework before school.

It reminded me of the importance of being well rounded in your volunteer efforts. I have sat on many committees and boards to further worthy causes and have always seen it do wonders for my career and personal-relationship development. It’s very satisfying to offer my professional skills to an organization that needs those resources, and I certainly see the fruits of my labor.

I feel very differently when I volunteer at the elementary school—like I’m in the trenches. I am interacting directly with the people I am volunteering to help, which makes the experience feel so authentic. To round out the experience even further, I so enjoyed getting to know the teachers that make a difference every day for the kids we see a few hours every week. I was reminded that it’s important to get out of the committee or board chair from which you work to help a cause and actively participate with the cause you are committed to from every angle—only then can you feel truly connected to the experience.

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