How do some companies use social media to reach their goals?

        1) I think that before we look at the best way for a company to use social media we need to know what they hope to gain from social media. Are they trying to boost sales or maintain a positive image? Are they trying to promote interaction and create a dialog among consumers? Is their product something they can get through a local retailer or is it a commodity that we use, but cannot buy through traditional retail channels? Examples of these differences in goals of social media might be Chevron and Target.

        Specifically focusing on Facebook and Twitter, Chevron’s Facebook page shows a presentation about how oil and gas companies should be more socially responsible. It is centered on their PR campaign and exists in case something happens that may be damaging to the company image. It’s not set up for consumers to comment or interact with. They only have around 52,000 “likes”—yet they have many more customers than that. Their Twitter presence is the same. With only 8,770 followers, it reads like news updates on happenings of Chevron throughout the world. For example, they tweet about new acquisitions, new business deals, and new technology. These are things that the average consumer is not interested in. Rather than promoting interaction, they have used social media as a platform for how they would like consumers to view their company. They are still tying to create relationships, but it is more of a “just in case” relationship proposition. They are not actually trying to create customer experiences or gain insight though.  Because let’s face it, how many of us would really have positive feelings about an oil and gas company anyway? They know that consumers will never love Chevron like they love Coca Cola or Starbucks. Therefore, their social media strategy should be different. So, in case we decide one day that instead of feeling indifferent about Chevron, we have negative feelings about them, Chevron has a strategy to tilt the scale back to neutral.

        Target on the other hand has used social media to promote products and discounts at local retail shops. However, they started out by promoting conversations and gaining trust from the Facebook community. According to an AdWeek article, Target started out by keeping the sales pitches and pushing discounts to a minimum in order to draw in more people. They didn’t want to seem like they were all about pushing sales. Then later, after gaining consumer trust and buzz, they moved toward more sales and traffic increasing approaches. Currently, they have over 4.1 million “likes” on Facebook and over 125,000 followers on Twitter. Their Facebook page reads more like a sales pitch now, but at least they sprinkle in a human quality to the dialog. For example, a recent post on Twitter and Facebook reads, “Love spring weather! Feel like going all crazy this weekend and breaking out the red tank and khaki shorts.” In this comment, there is no mention of a product or discount—no sales pitch. But it generated 145 comments. They are simply putting a humanistic voice behind the Target name. Another post about a new product, The Michael Jackson Experience game, only generated 42 comments. And yet another post, “You know it’s spring when you go to Target for a _____________”, generated over 2,100 comments, which created dialog with Target’s Facebook community. This strategy of mixing in sales and conversation generating posts is Target’s strategy. They sound less corporate and can create dialog within their community. Thus, their approach is more about creating customer experiences with their products.  

        

         2.) I consider myself a Spectator, according to the Groundswell chapters. I read blogs about celebrity gossip (Superficial, Socialite Life) and Spanish telenovelas (just finished watching Eva Luna), I read online forums and customer reviews about products before I buy them (this is especially true for electronics), and I visit some websites frequently for information about topics I’m interested in (Mashable, AdAge, etc.) I suppose I am also a little bit of a Creator too since I have posted some YouTube videos, and have a website portfolio in the works.

        Since I consider myself a Spectator at heart, I think I am especially good at research and finding out information. For example, I recently have been fascinated with Charlie Sheen, how he has managed to carry his brand (himself) positively past his show Two and a Half Men, and his success with social media…then his tour completely failed. I wondered what exactly had gone wrong. Maybe he just got popular too fast and no one stopped to think if they should even like this guy, and only realized it when he was right in front of them. It’s like the class clown that no one really gets a chance to know except for the comical one-liners they hear everyday. Maybe we already got to see the best parts of Charlie Sheen, and when it came time for his tour, there was nothing left to give people. Thus, this led me to search for information about what people thought about Charlie Sheen now after his tour. What was the consensus within the tabloid blogosphere? Twitter? The marketing world?

        

        I used zeitgeist and blogsearch tools, but found more success with blogsearch. I used ‘Charlie Sheen’ as the only search word initially, and then added ‘tour’. I found 2.3 million articles about Charlie Sheen, how many cities his tour failed in, that he was booed off stage in some cases, and that most people think he will never act again in Hollywood. Most of the gossip blogs say the same thing, but note his shabby appearance, and rant about how we were all fooled by his witty commentary on Twitter. The most interesting article though, was from Forbes.com titled, Why Charlie Sheen Bombed: 3 Errors Entrepreneurs Should Avoid at All Cost. It was interesting to read that there is actually a good business explanation as to why Charlie Sheen failed in promoting himself as a brand—its not necessarily that the public is so fickle, although we are.

        The problem is that what he relied on to propel his business forward after he was fired from his show was based on “His antisocial excesses with porn stars, cocaine, bottles of expensive liquor…Sheen fails to understand that tabloid writers and talking heads who glorified those escapades gave him infinitely more stature than he deserved.” But with all of this against him, the article goes on to say that Sheen still made some fatal errors, and the major one was that he didn’t truly understand his consumer base. He thought consumers wanted to hear his improv, but really they just wanted more crazy antics, and Charlie Sheen couldn’t deliver. Peter Drucker said, “The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself.” But his disconnect with what the customer wanted was what caused his business venture to be an epic fail.

Article Discussion: "What Wal-Mart Knows About Customers' Habits"

Do you think Wal-Mart has been successful at converting the shopping experience into a competitive advantage?

I think Wal-Mart has been successful at converting a shopping experience to their advantage. They are the largest retailer in the US and they are still privately owned—so they must be doing something right.  Their primary consumer is of a lower SES and seeks value in their products, which is in line with Wal-Mart’s main point of difference—the lowest prices.  However, a distinction that isn’t made in their marketing is that they offer the lowest prices on some items, not all items. So while you are saving money for some items, you are losing on others. If you are not a savvy shopper, or are easily distracted by a good deal, you may not notice the more expensive items that make their way into your basket. On the other hand, you may be a savvy shopper, but shop at Wal-Mart because you don’t have to stop at several places to get all the things you need. Wal-Mart uses this consumer problem to their advantage. This was first brought to my attention many years ago, and frequently comes back into conversation, especially around Christmas. My brother-in-law has two children, ages 8 and 4. So the bulk of their Christmas shopping budget is spent on them. My sister-in-law tells me each year about her strategy for getting the best deals on toys, electronics, and clothing for her kids. She is always telling me how she has to be careful because “these places try to lure you in with a really hot item for Christmas” (last year it was some version of a Vtech Reader for my nephew) and “then you end up coming out with a bunch of other expensive stuff you could have probably bought cheaper elsewhere.” But can you put a price on the convenience of a one-stop shop?

Thus, as stated in the article, Wal-Mart’s tactics on tracking items that sell well during certain events or occasions serves them well in that they are able to adjust their pricing strategy. One item that is the lowest priced among competitors gives consumers some sense of value in shopping at Wal-Mart, but the other items that are often purchased together with the lower priced item yield a higher mark-up.  So their strategy and use of the data they collect, gives them a competitive advantage, but will hurt most consumers that aren’t watchful to compare prices of other items, or don’t have the time to make trips to other retailers.

What do you think about the privacy issues associated with all of that data and the amount of personally identifiable data they are able to capture? Does it bother you? Do you trust them?

In general, it does bother me a little, and no I don’t trust when retailers ask for information and say it’s only to track where their customers are coming from. I think that especially with Wal-Mart there needs to be a better balance. I believe a “give and take” exchange would better serve Wal-Mart in the long run. For example, Wal-Mart doesn’t offer a loyalty program. As consumers become more knowledgeable of technology that uses their information and aware of the potential privacy risks associated with it, they may begin to oppose Wal-Mart’s practices and refuse to offer their information. If they feel they’re getting nothing in return.

First of all, it’s bothersome to be asked what your zip code is, email address, and other information. Personally, unless they need information for the transaction, I politely refuse to give that information away. But, according to the article, much of the information obtained from customers is information that is not verbally requested—but is required in order to obtain the service they desire and complete the transaction. In a way, consumers are forced to give this information and then it is being used to learn more about their shopping habits.  I don’t see how they can legally link your shopping habits to your personal information such as name and address…This seems to me to be a violation of our privacy. An anonymous collection of consumer shopping data is acceptable, but knowing someone’s name, where they live, and how often they buy diapers or frozen food feels like an invasion of privacy. 

What aren’t they doing with technology that they could; that is, are they using all of the technology that is available to them to capture insights and create great experiences for their customers and, if not, what could they do?

According to a 2008 Supermarket News article, Wal-Mart has maximized their shopper penetration to 86% of U.S. consumers, and it’s unlikely that the figure will increase. Therefore, Wal-Mart has been using in-store customer research to examine ways to improve the shopping experience for their current consumers. The idea is instead of trying to obtain new customers, they want to get current customers to shop more often and buy more while they are in the store. Wal-Mart is using research to understand how consumers shop in their stores, what their underlying purchasing dynamics are, and are even using a virtual shopping platform to come up with new store layouts. This research has helped them to segment their shoppers. Though the consistent theme for all their shopper segments is that the typical Wal-Mart customer looks for value. But value isn’t everything—according to the research, the store needs to carry the right products at the right time, and in the right location.

I think Wal-Mart is utilizing all the technology they can to find ways to enhance the customer experience. However, one thing that they seem to be leaving out is customer service. Now I am not a typical Wal-Mart customer (I shop at Target). But, occasionally, I have been forced to shop at Wal-Mart when a Target is not available…so I have had shopping experiences there before. When I walk into the store I notice that it’s not particularly stimulating—the in-store format has dull colors and everything looks plain. But what I especially notice is that when I can’t find something (because I’m not a frequent shopper, I don’t know my way around) is that there is never an employee in sight. Because I don’t like to shop at Wal-Mart, I don’t go in with the intention of browsing. I want to make my trip quick. So finding what I’m looking for fast is important, and I often need someone that knows the store to help me out. When I do find an employee, they are usually unfriendly and uninformed.  I find myself wasting more time asking an employee because they don’t have the answer than figuring it out for myself. Inevitable, I end up feeling frustrated and the whole experience puts me in a bad mood.

Finding innovative ways to learn about your customer is something Wal-Mart is doing well. But I find it hard to believe that through all of this data collection customer service has never come up as a topic of the customer shopping experience. This seems like an important factor that has been ignored or not effectively addressed, and it doesn’t take fancy virtual platforms or high-tech tracking systems to discover that consumers are unhappy with customer service.

Perhaps they could have a better training program, provide incentives to retain employees longer, and motivate employees to take pride in their careers at Wal-Mart. The employee is the face of the brand and the person that the customer interacts with. The mood they project implies the same of the brand. Does Wal-Mart not care that I have no faith in their employees and can’t rely on them for assistance? Maybe Wal-Mart is hoping that I will overlook the customer service aspect of the shopping experience because their lower price offsets this deficiency. If that’s the case, then they are wrong. I don’t want to shop at a place where a company as successful as Wal-Mart feels that they can make tradeoffs with my shopping experience and still retain my loyalty.

I'm the decider. Why men are taking over the shopping cart at a grocery store near you.

I came across a recent article in AdAge called “Time to Rethink Your Message: The Cart Belongs to Daddy” about a study Yahoo conducted on men. It was based on interviews of 2,400 men ages 18-64 and showed that more than half of men view themselves as the primary shopper of their households. Other interesting statistics were that 6 out of 10 Dads identify themselves as the primary shopper/decision maker on packaged goods, health, pet, and clothing purchases. Also, only 22%-24% of men felt that advertising spoke to them in packaged goods, pet supplies or clothing; 52% of men said that packaged goods ads ignore them; 61% of men said that personal care ads ignore them; and 66% of men said that clothing ads ignore them.

The article goes on to discuss possible causes for this gender shift. The Great Recession, which has thrown men who have traditionally been employed, out of work and into domestic roles could be a reason for the change. However, it goes on to say that gender roles were already changing with Gen X and Millennial men, who are more likely to take an active role in parenting and household duties.

Concerns over the results were expressed by the director of research and insights at Yahoo stating that there’s the possibility that men are overestimating their role in shopping. Nevertheless, the fact that men are now seeing themselves as the primary shopper reflects a shift in roles and possibly the reduction of any stigma once attached to men who took on domestic roles in the past.

Another study from Publicis Groupe’s Saatchi & Saatchi X on behavioral research of shoppers showed that in actuality 35% of grocery and mass-merchandise shoppers are men. They say that the number is growing due to the economy and changing gender roles and though it’s not the majority, a third of a brand’s shoppers are difficult to ignore. This would advocate gender-neutral ads and some major brands are already starting to integrate these kinds of ads into their messaging. An example of this can be seen in the P&G and Wal-Mart ad called “Change of Plans” which aired on Fox Jan. 8, 2011. It showed a man, who had just become an adoptive father, shopping for groceries at Wal-Mart.

Regarding shopping behavior, Yahoo found that men are more brand-loyal and less focused on promotions than women shoppers. They tend to do more product research in packaged good categories than women, and because they’re often newer to the categories themselves, them prefer ads with more information.

I found this article relevant for two reasons. First, I plan to work at an agency or for a company in the advertising department. Advertisements have generally been geared towards women regarding household goods, and tend to ignore the male point of view. Yet, if men are now a viable audience, advertisers will need to adjust advertising messages accordingly. Second, my amazing husband (a Millennial) has become the primary shopper of our household in recent years. After much thought however, I was surprised that I couldn’t figure out exactly how that came about. I know that in the beginning I was the primary shopper…hmmm. Thus, I proceeded to interview him (Matt) about this topic, and I found out some interesting things that mirrored much of the research from the above article. 
Note: I did not edit this content and recorded all responses verbatim, except for my interjections from time to time.

Do you think you’re the primary shopper of the household?

Yes, I do.

Why do you believe this?

Because I do all of the grocery shopping and take care of household chores-- so I know what needs to be bought.

How did you become the primary shopper?

My wife has successfully abandoned her position as a caregiver. So being faced with the choice of starving, or eating, I made the choice to survive! No…Initially it was because if we would run out of something I wanted, I would have to wait until you were able to go get it. You would wait until you needed to go to the store for several things though. So, gradually, I started to get tired of having to wait for you if we ran out of something I really wanted, like peanut butter (he loves PB&J sandwiches).

So do you feel you were forced to become the primary shopper?

In a way, due to circumstances. I think you were really busy with school stuff, and it wasn’t a big priority (I was in law school at this time).  But I don’t mind it much now. I get what I need and what I want, when I want it.

You seem to like being the primary shopper now. Why?

Before you would get the brands and things you liked and I would just eat what you bought. I didn’t have any control over what we ate because I would just eat whatever you brought home. But now, I get to have control over what it is that I purchase.  For example, I like certain apples, or a certain brand of cereal…and it’s not that you wouldn’t get it for me, but you would look at what “we” needed. Your focus was on the needs of the household and maybe more your wants than mine.

So it was that I wasn’t buying the things you wanted, right?

No, not exactly. But now I get those Fiber Pop Tarts, and you didn’t know that they made those, did you? Also, you used to always get Chocolate Blue Bell ice cream, which was fine. But I like the Coffee Haagen Dazs, and you never liked it so you would never buy it.  

Describe your shopping behavior?

I usually just go in and get what I know I need. I don’t make lists like you. I base my store choice on proximity. I go to Randall’s because it closer, whereas you go to the HEB that’s further away because it’s huge. I don’t walk up and down aisles. But I do compare produce at different stores, and I always look to see if they have new kinds of apples. I do like to try new stuff, but I usually like to research it first. I’ll try a new jelly or a new product though if it looks good.   

   

Probably the most interesting thing about this interview is where Matt talks about really feeling a lack of control in terms of what grocery items we purchased. He tends to still do the grocery shopping, but we’re trying to do it together now (when we’re in the same city). This is great for us, because we can discuss what we want at the point of purchase. We can agree on what we eat together, which makes us both more satisfied with what we bring home. It also makes us both feel like we have a say in what gets purchased and consumed in our household. Now when we go together, it’s like a big event, and we spend a lot of time going down each aisle—which, I must say, is really fun for me.

A side note on the control issue…when we go to the store together, I notice that my husband prefers to push the cart, as if he wants to direct where we go in the store. I could be misinterpreting this--maybe he things I’m too slow. But I laugh to myself every time because at the beginning I’ll have the cart and then he’ll casually take it away from me while I’m distracted and looking at some product.

As I look around the grocery store now, I see more and more young couples shopping together too, rather than alone. And they seem to both be discussing and deciding purchase choices.

I’d like to research the idea that men believe they’re the primary shopper, see if there are sub-categories and other characteristics of male shoppers, and just learn more about male shopping behavior since I agree it’s a growing audience for advertisers. I’d also like to look into the shopping habits of Millennials and Gen X shoppers to see if and why couples are starting to shop more together.

There are several scholarly articles that discuss changes in gender roles and males shopping behavior and attitudes, but I’m a little concerned that this topic is too broad, and I’m not sure how and if I should narrow my focus.  

What makes a meaningful customer experience?

Thus far my most memorable and meaningful customer experience was when I purchased my wedding dress. I remember everything about the experience, from the first time I saw “the dress” and knew it was “the one”, to when I subsequently tried it on and purchased it. However, I was also emotional about the experience before I even arrived at Julian Gold or knew about Reem Acra bridal gowns.  Therefore, the event (my wedding) connected to that particular customer experience was what enhanced the experience and made it more memorable. And though the retailer, Julian Gold, impressed me with their customer service, I think I expected it and wasn’t really surprised when they offered me champagne or had 2 of their staff assist me throughout the dress fitting process. These enhancements to the experience were great, but if I hadn’t had them, I probably still would have been just as happy. Julian Gold knew that I felt this way about the experience and they were prepared to enhance that already giddy feeling I had. It’s the kind of experience where, at least for me, something really has to go wrong to take away that positive emotion. It’s where you only remember the good things that made the experience special and ignore anything that might threaten that perfect euphoria.

So while I feel like that experience was meaningful, I brought something outside of that experience to the table, which enhanced it for the better, thus making Julian Gold’s job slightly easier. They didn’t have to win me over, or impress me with their ambiance or image. There were no surprises. They had the dress I wanted and by association the store was perfect too, end of story.  

In contrast, and perhaps an experience that was meaningful in a different way, because my initial reaction was surprising, is a customer experience that continues to evolve. This company seems to effortlessly create an experience for their consumer that makes you feel like you’re in a museum, discovering everything for the first time—except that you can touch, taste, smell, and even eat their stuff. This place is Kuhl-Linscomb. It was first a design firm in Houston, Texas established in 1984, that has now grown into 70,000 sq. ft. of design and lifestyle retail space. They have everything a person could want to fill their personal space with—this store truly has everything! Apothecary and fragrance, lighting, wall coverings and fabric, home accessories, books, stationary, jewelry, music, pet accessories, storage, children, bedding and bath, and furniture.

So here’s the breakdown…when looking at this experience from an experiential marketing point of view, Kuhl-Linscomb definitely gets it.  They’ve stated that they “Understand the importance of the overall ambience in our showrooms and we pay special attention to our presentation in every detail such as the architecture, interior design, color, lighting, fixtures, product display, etc.” The company has five buildings, which divides their different products and design centers into smaller departments. This is a good thing, since experiencing all they have to offer all at once would be overwhelming and sensory overload for most.  When you first arrive, you enter the first building, which encompasses all of their bath, fragrance, apothecary, jewelry, books, teas, music, pet, and stationary products (this building alone can keep one fully engaged for hours).  

SENSE- When I first walked in I immediately was engulfed in a slightly overpowering, but pleasant smell of fresh cut roses. Once in the store I heard the sound of music, but this wasn’t just any satellite radio station, it sounded like lounge and world music combined. If you’ve ever heard of Buddha Bar, then that’s what it sounded like. I saw a floor to ceiling wall in front of me that had a small credenza with maps of the different buildings laid out for customers. I grabbed a map and continued through to the open area. The store was not particularly well organized, considering the variety of products, yet it still looked attractive. There were shelves along the wall with various products and then large tables with different items and walkways throughout to move easily between tables.  Everything was out in the open ready to be picked up and examined, except for the jewelry, which from what I understand, is very expensive and mostly one-of-a-kind pieces. It almost looked like a luxury flea market, where you could find little treasures for yourself as products were stacked, grouped, and displayed in a casual and unassuming way. For example, an amber colored transparent polycarbonate Kartell side table displayed these great little sushi magnets (Note: the side table was about $250 and the sushi magnets $6).   

FEEL- When I first entered the store, I instantly felt happy and energized, since the smell of fresh cut roses reminds me of Valentine’s Day and birthdays, which are both happy events for me. I found out later that the smell came from the line of Dayna Decker candles and diffusers that emit the wonderful fragrance aptly called “Rose”. The music, because it wasn’t the typical mainstream pop sounds you hear at most retail locations made me feel like I was in a different country, on a trip somewhere new. It added to the experience because the music complimented the eclectic selection of consumer goods. What was even greater is that they only play music that they sell. So if you hear it and like it, you can buy it! I love that you can shop and sample their music at the same time. Plus, if you want to hear something new, you can go to their music section and sit and listen to any or all of the music compilations.  I’m going to go as far as to say that this store almost gives you a liberating feeling of freedom where everything is in reach and you don’t have to ask, “how much is this?” or, “can you show me that?” I feel like so many upscale stores want you to feel like you need a salesperson to help you, like they’re the experts, which in a way they are in terms of the product. But often times they want you to experience the store through their eyes. They try to convince you that they know what you want more than you do, or that they have more style and taste than you because they work there. But you, the customer, are an expert in what you like and need-- at least that’s what I believe Kuhl-Linscomb assumes. I think it’s a place for people who have a clear and confident taste and don’t need someone to tell them what to buy. When you’re ready though, they seem happy to assist you in designing a living space or answering any questions about any product.

ACT, RELATE- I feel like I have a good grasp of the kinds of things I like and I don’t really flip-flop around too much. But I also think designing a space is always a work in progress, it never seems finished, and our tastes change depending on where we live and where we are in our lives. But, no matter where you stand on personal style or design, Kuhl-Linscomb makes you feel like, “Yeah, this is me. I could definitely live like this.” I’ve taken several people there since my first visit, and they all respond that way. Kuhl-Linscomb is marketing a lifestyle, and if you’ve ever had any inclination to design or create things, you can appreciate all of the elements they bring together. You could actually buy everything you could need to fill an entire home at Kuhl-Linscomb. You wouldn’t need to go anywhere else. I often think when I go there, “I want my house to smell like that,” I want those books on my coffee table,” “I can picture that chair in my living room.” It inspires you to imagine things differently, and makes you feel creative and unconstrained. But being creative takes work, and sometimes the unfamiliar is scary. Yet, now that I’ve taken the plunge into the Kuhl-Linscomb world, I imagine I could stay there forever.  

Let's begin with some stuff about me...my Empathy Map might look something like this...

What do I think and feel? A lot of what I think and feel has to do with my family. I am an only child and my family has a real estate and finance company. So I have been brought up around people who own a strong work ethic and have big ideas. What’s most important to me is that I’m happy, successful in my career, and that I make my family proud. My biggest concern has probably been that I’m taking too long to figure it out. Many people in my family have Master’s or PhD’s, so getting my Master’s wasn’t exactly a big accomplishment, and it was expected that I would someday be successful regardless of my education. However, the fact that I dropped out of law school, to pursue a Master’s in Advertising really bothered people. But, I loathed law school— try being over-caffeinated and sleep deprived ALL the time with no end in sight to the hundreds of pages of reading everyday. Everyday I would ask myself, “Why am I doing this?” I was a little worried for a while that I had made the wrong decision…But after much thought (and laying in bed staring at the ceiling), I soon realized that if I really wanted to become a lawyer it wouldn’t have been that difficult or been such a hardship to endure. Now I get that law school isn’t supposed to be easy. But if I liked it enough, I wouldn’t have been so miserable and it wouldn’t have felt like so much work. 

Although I may have taken the scenic route, I finally found what I truly want to do—customer insights research with the goal of producing meaningful advertising! I guess it takes some people a little longer…but better to know late than never. So what do I worry about now? I worry that I won’t live up to my own expectations. I worry that I’ve wasted time. I worry that I take too many things for granted. But I aspire to become great in my career and eventually be my own boss.

What do I see? I see that the advertising industry is constantly changing and that my role within it will be changing too. I see that the stock market is recovering. I see that it’s becoming more and more important to be bi-lingual (I know some Spanish, but I’m working on becoming fluent). I see that my friends are all getting married and having kids. I see that most people my age already have jobs—some love it and some have just settled for a paycheck. I see that my parents are getting older. I see that with more choices comes a need for better understanding in the differences between products and what suits my wants/needs the best. I see that advertising can be sophisticated and still reach the masses.

What do I say and do? I’ve always wanted to help people less fortunate and work on non-profit projects I feel strongly about. I belong to charitable organizations and give my time to causes like LIVESTRONG, SafePlace, Habitat for Humanity, Boysville, and Light the Night Walk for Leukemia. I just try and be and all around nice person to others. I try to be eco-friendly by recycling and buying organic foods and products. I support farmers markets. I say that I will cook more, work out more, and eat-out less. I say that I will spend more time with my dog, Levi (he’s a white and red spotted miniature Dachshund). I’m a runner, scuba diver, hiker, hunter (rifle and bow hunting), and a traveler (favorite trip was Rome, Italy touring the Forum). I like sci-fi and horror movies best. I don’t really care for romantic comedies. I enjoy a good boxing match or basketball game (if the Spurs are playing). I buy most things online, including furniture. I even purchased my dog online! I don’t buy things on credit, though I have 3 or 4 credit cards. I make the best fireside Smores and home mixed Sangria.

What do I hear? Friends say: I’m their best friend, I’m always so put together, sometimes I can be a little uptight, I’m lucky, and I’ve got it all figured out. Family says: I’m very particular about what I buy (I don’t impulse buy and I hardly ever return things, and though I prefer designer brands, I won’t buy something just for the name--it has to be exactly what I’m looking for, and of good quality), I manage my money well, and I tend to wear a lot of black or neutrals.   

What are my pain points? When I’m asked about starting a family (I’ve been married for 6 years and have not yet made definite baby plans). It bothers me when people ask me how much something costs. I like nice things, but I don’t want those things to appear expensive to others—in other words, I don’t like flashy stuff. When people mistaken my reserved demeanor as being unapproachable.

What do I hope to gain? I want to live comfortably, and be happy in my career. I want to be financially independent and free from the support of family. I think it will be a challenge to progress in my career and also have a family.