Balcom Agency

I’ve had a rule since I joined Facebook that I don’t send ‘friend requests’ to the younger members of my family.  I think it should be their prerogative to invite me into their world.  I don’t want anyone to say, “OMG, my Auntie Lynne sent a Facebook request and I don’t know what to do…. Ick!”

To that end, my son and I have not been connected.  I am friends with several of his buddies (at their request, mind you).  He’s been connected with his dad ever since Tim joined Facebook  (“Mom, I felt sorry for him.  He only had, like, 29 friends and you had over 400.”) But he never sent a request to me and I honored that.

This morning, when I opened my Facebook page, things changed – a shining red button glowed under the friend request tab.  I opened the page, fully anticipating another Chinese hacker.  But it was my son, who is now friend number 571.

Sam is moving out of the house this month, into his own place.  I’ve started struggling with the “are you ready” questions.  I’m not.

But being able to keep up with him, even vicariously through a Facebook wall, will help ease me through the transition (I hope!).   I promise I will not abuse the privilege.  Thanks, Sam!

Last week, I wrote a blog posting about how students could prepare themselves to graduate and move into the job world.  I advised talking to mom’s tennis partner and writing real, pen-and-ink notes to people you meet along the way.

As I drove into work, I got to thinking that this was sound advice for all the professionals I know, as well.  

Several companies that we do business with have had layoffs recently.  People I worked with every week were suddenly unemployed. And I wanted to help…. Because if the shoe were on the other foot, I’d hope someone would help me, as well.

So I started working my network.  I called people, made introductions and know at least a couple of these people are employed once again.  The good feelings are far better than any monetary reward (although a sushi lunch MIGHT be exchanged in one instance!)

Networking doesn’t mean calling everyone you know when you need a new job (although people do that). It doesn’t mean seeing who can collect the most business cards at a chamber function.

Merriam-Webster defines networking as:

the exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or institutions; specifically : the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business

I define it as following the Golden Rule. It’s being friendly. It’s being helpful.  It’s making introductions and sharing advice.  It’s good Karma.  It’s not hard and it’s not scary.

Networking starts long before a job search, and you probably don't even realize you are doing it.  Join a professional organization, volunteer at church, participate in a community fundraiser.  You’ll meet like-minded individuals who can enrich you both personally and professionally.  

And if you are REALLY good at it, perhaps a sushi lunch!

I speak to student groups several times a year about the exciting, glamorous world of advertising.  I usually recommend changing majors immediately.  But if you get the Ad Bug, you can’t imagine doing anything else.  So what can you do now to land that dream job when you graduate?  Be prepared for What’s Next!

Learn to write in complete sentences.  You can’t always communicate in 140 character tweets.  Punctuation is important. Always spell-check.

Mac computers may rule the creative industry, but your clients are using PCs.  Learn to use them both. Learn Excel, PowerPoint and Word along with the graphics programs.

Become a confident public speaker in front of small and large groups.

Learn to deal with difficult people in classroom group projects.  You’ll meet these same characters in the business world. One will likely be your cubicle partner and steal your lunch from the kitchen.

Keep the textbooks for your major classes.  One of my professor’s gave me this advice when I called for help:  “Read the next chapter.”

Don’t waste too much time applying for every job you see online that makes you think, “I could do that.”  So can thousands of others who have seen the ad. Target your job search and find out everything you can about the companies you are interested in.

Experience pays. Get an internship/job in the field.  Volunteer with a non-profit.  Work at the student paper or radio station.  

Network – let everyone you know that you are looking for a job. Don’t be afraid to tell your Mom’s tennis partner that you are looking.  You may be surprised at who she knows!

Get a professional email address.  HotBod123@yahoo.com is NOT professional!  Check the greeting on your cell phone, too. 

Become fluent in Social Media.  Clean up drunken party pix on your FB page before you start the job search. Employers are checking.

Join a club like Dallas Society of Visual Communicators, American Advertising Federation, Public Relations Society of America, American Marketing Association. Then actually PARTICIPATE!

Collect business cards from everyone.  Write notes (with ink and paper) to professionals you meet along the way. Stay in touch, even if you don’t get the job. It took me almost 18 months to land my job at the B.  It was worth the effort!

Cultivate a good attitude.  It’s going to be hard work, long hours and low pay. The grace that you exhibit under pressure will take you far.

My husband, the Boy Scout, has a dream of completing the entire length of the Appalachian Trail, an approximately 2175-mile hiking trail in the eastern United States.  It can be completed, from Georgia to Maine, in about six months, if you don't stop.  As a section hiker, who completes 50 to 75 miles per trip, he thinks he may be done by 2035.

If I want to see him on summer vacations anytime during the next 26 years or so, I figured I better start to love hiking, too.  So I ventured out on a short (27-mile) trek with our family in Georgia.

I was not completely certain about this trip, but how hard can a few day-hikes be?  Besides, there was a Spa Day waiting for me at the end of the trail.  Guess what?  Three day-hikes can kick your ass and make you doubt all of your abilities.  But, in the end, this trip taught me a few things about myself, about life and about the value of extra effort.

1. "Can't see the forest for the trees."  To quote Robert Frost, "the woods are lovely, dark and deep" and you can easily trip and fall over tree roots and rocks if you aren't paying close attention to your footing.  This can prevent you from seeing the overall beauty of the area.  It is okay to stop, catch your breath and catch the breathtaking views.

2.  Strength comes from within.  And sometimes from your quadriceps.  This was as much a mental journey as a physical one.  I never thought of myself as an athlete, but I am one. Mental strength saves the day when muscles are trying to stop you in your tracks.

3.  There are no tears in hiking.  Except when there are.  Wear sunglasses and no one will know.

4.  It is okay to have help.  Hiking poles are your friends.  You will have tighter triceps from using them.

5.  It is impossible to train adequately on flat terrain.  No stair machine allows you to walk downhill on top of rocks.

6.  Refill your water whenever you find a clear stream.  But always use a purifying agent, no matter how clean it looks.

7.  It is not a race; it is a journey.  It is okay to be the last one into camp, as long as you get there. When you have the car keys, they will wait for you.  But when you are hiking with family members who scramble like mountain goats, it is hard to remember.  See #3 about wearing sunglasses.

8.  Things are not always as they seem.  Not every black, fur-bearing animal that charges you on the trail is a bear.  Sometimes it is a Labrador Retriever who wants his ears scratched.

9.  Climbing above your comfort zone will not kill you.  You may wish you were dead; maybe pray you were.  But perseverance pays off.

10.  The Summit is worth the effort.

Does anybody really care?

I've been 'watch-free' for two weeks now.  While we were backpacking, I didn't wear it. And when we got home, I realized the battery had died. I haven't quite gotten around to replacing it yet.

And may not. Between the clocks in my car, on my computer, the cable box, the TV, the stove, the microwave, the coffee maker, the iPod and my iPhone, I haven't really missed it.  Except as a lovely piece of jewelry.  

My mother, on the other hand, had to send her watch out for repairs that will take several months.  She is so ingrained to the culture of time that she immediately bought a replacement watch to wear in the meantime.

Will this be the a new generation gap? Those who carry time on their wrist instead of in their technology? 

Perhaps.  But Mother also has lovely taste in jewelry. Maybe I can borrow hers, when the original is repaired.

The B Team recently completed an all day photo shoot in the Austin area for our client, Justin Bent Rail. We were at an amazing venue, The Nutty Brown Cafe, near Dripping Springs, which featured an outdoor performance stage. It also had full exposure to the sun.

As the Production Director for the shoot, one of my responsibilities was the care and well-being of our crew, talent and clients. I was a card-carrying member of Boy Scouts of America, as well as a mom, so I have some experience with this. We had a great makeup artist, Glenda Facemire, who worked on a ‘survivor-style’ television show and had some great tricks that she shared, as well.

Heat exhaustion is a serious illness, which can cause dizziness, nausea and headaches. Your pulse may weaken and breathing becomes fast and shallow. It can quickly escalate to heat stroke, a far-more serious condition, if left untreated. We had too many shots to catch in one day, so we didn't have time for any team members to get sick. Here is how we kept our crew cool.

• Hydrate! Drink water throughout the day. And we don’t mean soft drinks, coffee or alcohol. Caffeinated drinks can act as a diuretic and pull the water from your body. Even if you aren’t feeling ‘thirsty’, make yourself drink every 15 or 20 minutes.
• Replace salts and nutrients. Vitamin water and sports drinks will help replace electrolytes and salts that your body is sweating out.
• Take breaks from the sun often. Find some shade, maybe go inside for a bit...and keep drinking water! We wet down washrags in a bucket of ice water mixed with Sea Breeze astringent and kept rotating them onto the back of the crew’s necks.
• Sun Protection. Sunscreen is a MUST. So are hats. I even carry a long-sleeved shirt with an SPF of 50 built into the fabric. Long sleeves on a hot day? Much better than a bad sunburn later that night. Mountain Hardware® and Columbia® make technical clothing for backpackers and hikers that are comfortable and provide protection.

What if someone gets heat exhaustion anyway?



• Expose as much of his skin as possible to the cooler environment
• Every ten minutes give him a cup of water into which ¼ teaspoon of salt has been dissolved
• Should the victim become unconscious, seek medical help immediately

Make no mistake, heat exhaustion is serious and can lead to an even worse condition known as heat stroke. When active in hot weather, keep an eye on yourself and your crew so you can react quickly.

At Balcom Agency, we are always prepared to react quickly – but we’d prefer that it not be for medical emergencies!

References: http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/how-to-survive-heat-exhaustion/ http://familydoctor.org/


Interactive started it. They bet that our amazing vendor partners wouldn’t come through with a goodie delivery every day for a week. I had no doubt in the abilities of our vendors – they’ve come through so many times for us. So I went double-or nothing. At stake?  Two bottles of Crown Royal. And the waistlines of all the B's.

Here’s the honor roll of everyone who participated.  You all deserve a Crown (Royal).

• Blakely Warner, Olmsted Kirk Paper
• Don Ray, Ussery Printing
• John Hampton, Xpdex Paper
• Tom Hussey Photography
• Cody Curry and Christie Hayes, Curry Printing
• Mark Croysdale, Nieman Printing
• Lee Reynolds Cockrell, Clampitt Paper
• Toni Shelton, Cockrell Printing
• Sean McGinty Photography
• Craig Turns, Motheral Printing
• Tim Trixler, Buchanan Printing
• Bruce Richardson and Bill Long, Signs Etc.
• Blakely Warner (again!) Olmsted Kirk Paper
• Simon Esparza, Cenveo Printing – Long distance assist, all the way from San Antonio!
• Susie Richardson & Robin Perez, Branch Smith Printing
• Buddy Iles, Southwest Bank---  Yes, even a client asked to join the fun!

Now, some final accounting.  By my count, the Production Team over-delivered on the bet by six additional deliveries. How will you over-deliver on your promises today?

The vendor/partners who work with Balcom Agency are the best I’ve ever known. Our printers, photographers, paper representatives are second-to-none.  They bring solutions to our problems.  They meet our budget requirements with creativity. They meet our deadlines, sometimes with frustration, but they meet them. 

So when I was presented with my latest challenge, I knew just who to turn to.

You see, we have some young bucks in our Interactive division who have recently marveled at how often we seem to have little treats delivered to the office. Breakfast tacos, cookies, even ice cream sandwiches. Bless their hearts, they had the audacity to bet me that I couldn’t have some sort of goodie delivered to the office every day for a whole week. And to sweeten the deal, they included a bottle of Crown Royal as my reward.

In the spirit of over-delivery, I bet them double-or nothing that I could make it happen for two weeks in a row. Ten solid days of calories. Two full bottles of Crown.

Game on, guys!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, according to The Mayo Clinic’s Katherine Zeratsky, RD, LD.

“A healthy breakfast refuels your body and replenishes your blood sugar (glucose), giving you the energy necessary to start a new day. In addition, a growing body of evidence indicates that breakfast is good for both your physical and mental health. Studies show that people who eat breakfast — especially a healthy breakfast — are more likely to:

• Consume more vitamins and minerals and less fat and cholesterol during the day

• Have better concentration and be more productive throughout the morning

• Control their weight

• Have more strength and endurance

• Have lower cholesterol, which reduces the risk of heart disease” 1

While eating breakfast is important for all ages, breakfast is especially important for advertising agency employees. According to the American Dietetic Association, Balcom Production Department, children art directors who eat breakfast are more likely to have better concentration, problem-solving skills and eye-hand coordination. They may also be more alert and creative, and less likely to miss days of school work.

We like Breakfast Tacos. From Taco Cabana.  With the brown and green sauces.

1 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN01119

Such a simple question when posed by a print buyer towards a print seller. Yet I continue to be amused, and appalled, by how often the answer is wrong. 

You see, when you put ink on paper, there are four basic colors:  cyan, magenta, yellow and black.  Mixed in various combinations, these hues can make all the colors of the rainbow (or a reasonable facsimile thereof).  They are the very building blocks for the printing trade.  And so one would reasonably expect a printing salesperson to be able to tell me what each color looks like.  It is a minimum basis of expertise that we demand – especially in today’s very competitive printing arena.

I first asked this of a color separation salesman early in my career, as a way to make conversation. He told me that cyan was a shade of hot pink. He finally admitted that he didn’t know much about color but could sell me the expertise of his firm. He was never allowed in the office again.

Over the years, it’s become a joke question.  Almost.  I still use it as a quick barometer of a company’s commitment to their craft.

What are the quick barometers that YOU use to judge the expertise of the vendor/partners that you work with?  Right or wrong, first impressions count.  So go ahead – ask Balcom Agency the question.  We’re ready to give you the right answer.

And cyan?  It’s a beautiful shade of blue.