You see, she passed away today, February 17, 2010. And already she’s left a void that will never be filled. Her 90-year life was full to the brim, so while the pain is still fresh, and numbness lingers on, I wanted to tap some words down and let the world know what they missed in not knowing her.

She had a way with words, using great little faded phrases like “…for the birds” and “…bright as a dollar.” You missed out on her amazing lemon meringue pie and the scent of lavendar in her linen closet. Her home always smelled like a cross between a bakery and an English garden. My grandma was a wizard in the kitchen and an avid collector/tester of recipes. You would never leave her table hungry and every meal, she prepared with love and creativity.

Grandma loved her sports, especially football and basketball. She’d be enjoying the Winter Olympics at this very moment if she was still here. It was fun to hear her rant about how the Laker’s looked a little sloppy the night before or how shameful it was that the Rams moved away from California. She’d tell you it was better when they played at the Coliseum; it was more like a real football game environment. When she was a teen, she was a bit of a tomboy and even played baseball.

Quite the gardener, she’d show you her prized Chrysler Imperial rose bush or take you to the spot along the garage wall where she’d string twine and plant her Sweet Peas in the winter so they’d bloom heavy in the spring. Under the window in the dining room, she had a hardy gardenia plant that would share an amazing number of flowers, each boasting an intoxicating fragrance. In her backyard, she had some of the most prolific Meyer lemon and tangelo trees.  Watching her smell their rinds, you could only imagine what she’d decide to prepare with them.

No life is complete without some tough times and she witnessed some hardships. She lived through the depression and WW2 and many other conflicts, but not once would you hear her complain or gripe about times ever being hard. She beat cancer nearly 20 years ago. She outlived both her siblings and both of her husbands.

She liked musicals such as Fiddler on the Roof and enjoyed country swooner Marty Robbins. Ever hear of Bobby Goldsboro? A song called Honey would make her a little weepy, but if you asked her about Sweet City Woman, you’d get a chuckle from her. Yes, my Grandma had a great sense of humor and a quick wit.

She did so much.  She comforted, encouraged, supported, loved, laughed, doted, cried, spoiled, kissed, hugged, scolded, reminded, giggled, remembered, and worried. She was a daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, friend, wife, sister-in-law, grandmother, aunt, great-aunt, mother-in-law, and great-grandmother.

She was my Grandma. I’m blessed for having her in my life so long. My world is richer and my heart more full because she was in it. You should have known her. She was quite remarkable.

So what compels people to volunteer? That same data from BLS shows that nearly 47% got involved because they were asked by someone already in the organization, but what was surprising is not much less (about 41%) got involved of their own volition – and to me, that is a very hopeful, encouraging number. “The main reason I volunteer is to give back and to support my community,” shares Eric Boles. “I like being a role model for youth and there is a deep internal satisfaction that comes from being involved.” Mr. Boles volunteers for several organizations, including Imagination Celebration in Colorado Springs. “I know my work helps create more public awareness about the projects I’m involved with and I help remove roadblocks nonprofits sometimes have and this creates even more enthusiasm for what they’re doing.”

Hilary Lane cites similar experiences and says she’s drawn to helping nonprofits because: “I have so many interests and passions close to my heart that I want to be involved in these causes and organizations to learn more.” Ms. Lane gives her time to several nonprofits, including a Border Collie rescue and Assisted Cycling Tours, an outfit that provides bicycle rides to disabled people and their families. “I actually feel self-satisfaction, more self-confident, bolder and more social. Sometimes it’s overwhelming to see the amount of work that needs to be done, but I do believe I have made a difference in organizations to which I give my time.”

It appears that altruism is alive and well, and that it can be propagated. Who better to lead that growth than entrepreneurs and small businesses?

Getting Hooked Is Easy

Humans want to help humans and that form of altruism fires up a couple of reward centers in the brain. Without getting into the very scientific specifics, let’s just say we feel good when we do good. Endorphins are released, we get a little buzz and our hearts feel happy. So what are some ways to increase the likelihood of our own companies doing this ? We know many companies set up efforts to get their employees involved in community efforts, but some are really just publicity stunts or ways to make their businesses appear philanthropic. To create genuine action, and the great feeling that surrounds it, volunteering needs to become part of the fabric of a business, so it becomes both an integral and sustainable part of conducting business. This means involving your entire team in the efforts and adopting a policy that encourages ideas and also recognition for the work put forth by your team. It also means selecting projects that are most suitable to the skills and talents you have.

Maco & Associates in Collegeville, PA takes their volunteer efforts to heart and is part of an IRS program, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program and Tax Counseling for the Elderly. Explains President, Teri Maco, “It was difficult knowing that lower income people worked all their lives, then have to struggle come tax time. We provide free tax help in this program and our emphasis is on recapturing PA Property Tax and Rent Rebates for those who are over 62. This is not part of the normal tax process, but is a benefit that many of the elderly are not aware of. Our goal is to assist them in recapturing some of their real estate taxes.” Maco and her team provide clinics and assistance throughout the year for people who qualify, and her team is certified specially to provide these services. “This is part of our work all year and we feel good about doing it. I wish we could do even more.”

Having the solid reasoning behind efforts is one thing, but setting it all in motion is the other. There are simple guidelines to encouraging such efforts at your small business. They include:

• Asking your team what they want to do; it might be more than one effort, so encourage this, as success depends on people being on board with the project. Take on short-term and long-term projects, but let your team have a say in what those will be.
• Setting goals: Be aware at the onset of what your help will mean, what it will entail and how long it might take.
• Recognizing the efforts of all: people like the feeling of helping, but they also thrive on the act of being appreciated.
• Focusing on your core expertise: By providing services, products or guidance your company already offers, you can help minimize your own expenditure of resources.
• Setting boundaries: You do have a business to run, so don’t let it suffer when you provide your pro bono help. Be clear on who will be doing what and what, if any, expenses are yours to bear.
• Managing your team: It’scritical to remember your employees are under your employ, not the nonprofit, so be clear in the beginning about time frames, responsibilities and expectations.
• Be realistic: Don’t boil the ocean. You can only do so much, so don’t spread yourself too thin, otherwise resentment and missed deadlines can quickly appear. It’s okay to say “no” and even point a nonprofit to someone else that can help.
• Promote the effort: This is not just for a “hey, lookie what we did”, but is an awesome opportunity for more exposure for the nonprofit itself.
• Asking others to get involved: this is really the easiest way to get others helping.
• Calling it Quits: Not every arrangement is the best fit, so recognize this early on and end things appropriately, but professionally.

There are many nonprofits out there in need of your help and expertise, so whether you’re a solopreneur or 172-employee company, try making this part of your core. It’s a great way to get your company involved in the community, plus help a local effort that can really use the lift. And as if you needed another reason, there is a big push toward companies becoming more socially responsible. Some organizations give out awards, while others like tuggl.com actually allow nonprofits to publicly acknowledge the efforts of local companies that are doing good. Whatever your motivation, volunteerism in the workplace can really provide a sense of well-being. Give it a try! If you’re looking for places that might need your help, check out the enormous listing of volunteer opportunities listed on the Energize Inc. website

Have your say! Are you involved helping nonprofits? Share some of your stories and ideas for better success or some of the pitfalls to avoid when lending a hand. Photo Credit: Tulane Sally

But enough about them…and me. Check the piece below to see what they’re doing this week to help non-profits and other businesses in the Denver/Boulder area, and see what you can do to replicate this in your community. And a question for you: Where’s the best place for the economy to get spurred? Right at home. Read on:

Win a $100 dinner at Strings Restaurant & support your community with tuggl.com

There’s a new way to find good local businesses in Colorado while supporting important causes in our community at the same time. tuggl.com, based right in Denver at 30th & Larimer, helps you determine what mechanic, contractor, restaurant, or any other local business you should use based not only on the service they’ve provided our friends and neighbors, but also on what they’re doing to give back to the community.

tuggl has been hard at work for the last year creating a local business search site that helps people find trustworthy local businesses in an instant. For any business on tuggl, you can see how they rate in terms of service, price, and quality compared to others in the same industry, and additionally, how they rate in giving – volunteering, donating, providing pro bono support – to important community organizations, also compared to others in their industry.

Since launching to community organizations back in March of this year, tuggl has brought in over 100 important causes including community foundations, homeless shelters, food banks, and schools, and found more than 1,000 local businesses in every category who are doing something to give back. You can find your favorite local cause to search for businesses they recommend, connect with Facebook to find out who your friends use, or just go with the best business by their “tuggl rating,” tuggl’s index of a business’s service and giving rank compared to their industry.

tuggl.com ultimately hopes to prove that becoming a “tugglr” (Don’t use an “e” there!) will make your life easier and better while helping improve our community at the same time. They’re officially launching the service, and as part of that are running a “tuggl tastr” contest – an opportunity for you to try tuggl and perhaps one of Denver’s best restaurants at the same time! From now through Friday, September 4th at midnight, every tuggl business review that’s tweeted on Twitter including “#tuggl” is an entry for you to win a $100 gift card to Strings Restaurant. Additionally, tuggl and local web design firm HotPress Web have agreed to donate $1 combined for each of the first 500 reviews done to the Rocky Mountain Institute of International Education, Twitter or not. Either way, a great reason to try tuggl!

Josh Clauss, tuggl’s communications & communities guy, invites you to friend him on Facebook to see how tuggl works with your Facebook friends. He’s big on cafes, so look that up to get a good idea of what’s possible!

tuggl invites you to follow them on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook as well.

Since then, I’ve fallen in love with my BlackBerry Storm, and it’s become a better friend to me, too. It keeps track of my day, alerts me to emails and text messages, plus has ample storage capacity for my every musical whim. The onboard camera makes Iphone users flush with envy and the touch screen and nifty buttons make it especially fun to tap out messages. Yes, we’re in love. And here are some free tips and apps to help you fall in love, too.

Stop Draining the Battery: Close Your Apps
One of my initial gripes is the battery life – which seemed non-existent. Until recently, I couldn’t understand why my BBS would lose juice in less than 24 hours. A flaw in the design, I’ll admit: all apps you run STAY running until you close them completely. Four apps will always be running, no matter what: Home Screen, Messages, Browser, and the Phone. In order to not drain your BBS, make sure to completely close each app when you’re done, exiting doesn’t cut it. I imagine at some point someone will have an app that closes all stuff with one click, but for now…

How to know what’s running in the background? Press and hold the BlackBerry button (the one between your “phone” and “back” buttons) for three seconds and all the apps running will appear. Go to each one you’re not using and close it. Do the 3 second trick again untill you have all the unused apps closed. Eventually, this will become routine as you see your BBS keep powered like never before.

Reset the Easy Way – QuickPull
Every so often, you’ll need to reboot the BBS with a soft reset; it is, after all, a little computer. Resets are used for reclaiming memory leaks or even shutting down when you get a website that locks up.  I don’t like pulling the back off my little gem, so found a really nifty way to get the reset without the hassle – it’s free and it’s called QuickPull. This little app acts like a system reset, and it’s painless and quick…sort of like the name implies. Get it here.

Dress it Up – AppleBerry Theme
The BBS screen is pretty, but it could be prettier. Themes are  finally showing up on the scene and one I particularly like is AppleBerry. I know, sounds like I want my BBS to look like an Iphone, right? Wrong. Good, clean, pretty design is not owned by anyone and can be appreciated by everyone. It’s bouncy and engaging. I can’t wait for more cool themes.

Tunes on the Go – Slacker.com
Always the audiophile, I have a lot of music loaded on my BBS. Slacker.com allows BBS users to have all the music they can handle without downloading it. Instead, it’s a personal radio, ala Pandora-style. (To date Pandora doesn’t have the app ready for BB Storm users.) This app is free and it’s gotten some pretty nice writeups. I don’t know how they do it, but the music is CD quality, no static. It’s magic to the ears. One drawback on the free version, some ads come into the stream, maybe one an hour and it’s short. Deal with it.

Tweeting on the Run – Twitterberry
With so many promising apps available for the Twitter addict on the go, I’m sorely disappointed that many don’t perform as expected or promised. I turned my back on Twitterberry a couple of times, tempted by fancier Twitter apps, but the fact is Twitterberry just works. I hope they improve it a bit, but for now, it gets the job done, while other apps just come up short. Until something really steals the scene, grab it here.

So there you have my shortlist of what has helped me fall in love with my BlackBerry Storm. If you have some tips or apps you’d like to share, please include them in the comments below. And when people ask you why you’re using a BBS versus an Iphone, you can say what I say: some people like toys and some people like tools. I’m in the latter group @bizcoachdeb

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So, to the folks at Cloth Moth, thank you for restoring my faith in customer service with your small token in this purchase. If only all companies I ordered from would make similar gestures. Small giveaways are sometimes the simplest and most appreciated things you can offer your customers, in addition to your terrific service and great product. Just think of all the praise that would come your way if you implemented something like this small business did.

I truly hope someone out there with deeper wallets than me spares this cookie legacy from certain peril. Every person I’ve talked to about this has been saddened by the collapse of this cookie icon. Please help them!

My Daugher with Cammi Granato

This past weekend, Cammi Granato was inducted into the USA Hockey Hall of Fame, along with Mike Richter, Brian Leetch and Brett Hull. If you don’t follow hockey, these names might mean little to you, but that’s okay, I’ll cut you a break and get right to the meat of this post. During her whirlwind tour around the Denver Metro this past week, Cammi took part in a hockey event at the Apex, home to the Arvada Girls Hockey program. In attendance were numerous girls from all over the metro, skating, eating, and laughing. One would not really be thinking of marketing in such a setting, but the business person in me could not help but think about it.

Cammi is one of the most marketable, well-known people in women’s hockey. What sets her apart from all others is not just her athletic feats of the past, but this genuine, heartfelt aura she carries with her. I watched 10 year olds pin this 2 time Olympian player up against a wall, while they gazed at her and shared stories of their dogs and events at school. All the while, she smiled and asked them questions, laughing and graciously engaging these kids the entire time. She tirelessly signed autographs and took picture after picture, not once denying a single fan. To me, there is no more fitting an ambassador for the sport of hockey. What is undeniably clear is her love of the sport and because of this, her attitude will inspire girls everywhere to continue or maybe even start to play.

A few years ago, I was outraged when the USA Hockey program decided to replace Cammi with another Captain for their team; at the time, it seemed like they had taken her out at the knees and she deserved far better treatment. What may be the fact now is they did us all a favor and it was probably a blessing in disguise for all female hockey players; she has gone on to build the brand of female hockey in a bigger, better, and more sincere way than could ever been possible. She was no longer bound by any restrictions and her reach is just as significant today as when she was leading the US to gold and silver in the Olympics; in addition, she’s been able to explore all the possibilities for developing  “girls hockey” on another level and she is carving a niche’ that has been overlooked, which could also explain her passion for the Bela Hockey line of hockey products. You GO girl.

(Keep an eye out for my interview with Bela Hockey folks to come in a later blog post.)

Help the Strong Kids Campaign!

The Strong Kids Campaign allows kids of all walks of life to have an opportunity to partake in terrific before and after school programs, plus allows many to play in a sport they might not have otherwise have been able to afford. It’s proven that kids who are involved in programs and activities like these have less chance of dropping out of school or becoming “at risk” as they make it through their teens. All donations that you make go 100% to this program, meaning kids of all ages have opportunities to join others and build relationships, self esteem, and a love for being involved in a sport or activity they can carry on to adulthood. Your kind donation will make sure that if a kid wants to play, they can, none will be turned away.

Hockey Is FUN!

So how can you help? I’m providing two links here, one to a site where you can make a donation and one to an online brochure, if you’d rather set up giving over the course of the year. There are SUPERB state and federal tax deduction options for your donation, so read about those, too.

Please be as generous as you can. A kid out there will not know you did it personally, but in your heart, you’ll know you supported a child in their quest to become a better person, and that makes our community stronger one kid at a time.

Update: This campaign is now over, but you can still give all year long to a YMCA near you! Thanks for your help in this fundraiser!

I’ll report when I experience it myself. By the way, they might have one in your own neighborhood – they are opening stores all over the western states, but particularly here in Colorado. Enjoy!

The lesson here is mistakes can happen, it’s how you correct them that matters. Go above and beyond and really, most customers will understand and be grateful you fixed things right away. And if you’re looking for good Mexican food, visit our friends at El Senor Sol.