The Power of a Flower: Impacting 10,000 Lives

Volunteers, board members, and the staff of Random Acts of Flowers gathered in January at Tennova’s Physician’s Regional Medical Center to celebrate the 10,000th floral delivery to a patient in a health care facility.

Random Acts of Flowers is a Knoxville based 501(c)(3) non-profit charity whose volunteers collect flowers from weddings, memorial services, florists, special events, grocery stores, and churches to recycle and re-purpose them into beautiful bouquets for delivery to patients in area hospitals, nursing homes, and hospice care centers. The charitable service of Random Acts of Flowers supports mental health, spreads joy, and offers comfort through random, thoughtful, botanical deliveries.

Random Acts of Flowers blossomed in 2008 after a near-fatal accident.  Founder and Executive Director, Larsen Jay, felt the ladder he was standing on give way during a roof repair.  His story and a half fall left him hospitalized and wheelchair bound for months. During his recovery friends and family showered Jay with flowers and filled his hospital room. Overwhelmed by their generosity and encouragement, Jay made it his mission to pass on those gifts to other patients in much worse shape on his floor who hadn’t had any visitors.  His personal deliveries served as the inspiration for the charity.  In a little more than three years’ time, Random Acts of Flowers’ volunteers now make bi-weekly deliveries to patients across Knoxville and the surrounding community.  Partners include seven hospitals, over thirty nursing homes/assisted living facilities, and four hospice care centers in the East Tennessee area.

“As people make their New Year’s resolutions, I think it’s important to focus on what we can all do for others,” says Larsen. “I’m constantly amazed how we turn leftover flowers into smiles by recycling them into bouquets for patients in need.  Every week we see first-hand the power of this simple gesture of kindness.  And I know we’ve positively impacted that person’s life, if only for a moment.”

Each floral donation to Random Acts of Flowers gets deconstructed to its core elements. Then, a team of volunteers rearrange each bouquet from scratch in just a few hours, using as many elements as possible. Other parts of the floral arrangements are then recycled through resale outlets or recycling centers. The result is a beautiful new bouquet of flowers ready to be delivered to a patient in area hospitals, nursing homes, and hospice care centers.

“The joy of flowers is reinforced when I see one large centerpiece turn into ten smaller arrangements,” says Ellie Gardner, longtime RAF volunteer. “I know that the time I’m giving today will help brighten a patient’s day tomorrow.”

The 10,000th delivery not only marks a major milestone, but also launches a year of strategic planning to expand Random Acts of Flowers into other cities around the country.

To learn more about Random Acts of Flowers, make a donation, participate in an event or sign up to be a volunteer, visit www.RandomActsofFlowers.org.

What to Give Someone Who Has Everything!

The holidays are right around the corner and what are you going to get mom and dad? They don’t seem to “need” anything… as in items for the house or more clothes… so how about doing something really different this year? Give them more of your quality time!

It’s as simple as getting them a gift certificate for some assistance from Seniors Helping Seniors®. Chores are a bore, and our staff can help with just about anything – cooking, laundry, housekeeping, grocery shopping, meal preparation and transportation to appointments. Let us pitch in to address Christmas cards, decorate the tree and wrap gifts!

Receiving help from Seniors Helping Seniors® frees you and your parents up from many of the tasks it takes to run a household so you can spend more quality time together. If you need to go visit your in-laws during the holidays, SHS can come by for a social visit to keep your parents company until you get back! We can also administer pre-poured medication doses and provide overnight care if needed.

Providing assistance FOR SENIORS by SENIORS… that’s what SHS is all about. Comments owner Lois Engel, “We pay very close attention to matching the personality of our caregiver with our client so they will hit it off from the beginning and have something in common. Plus we offer a two-hour minimum so you can start small and then request more assistance if needed. Sometimes you just need a brief respite and time away to get some other things done.”

A thorough background check is done on all providers, and staff members are licensed, bonded and insured. For a complimentary consultation, please call Lois Engel at Seniors Helping Seniors® at 865.269.4483 or email lois@seniorshelpingseniorstn.com. Seniors Helping Seniors® is a way to give and to receive through CARING, COMPASSION, RESPECT, UNDERSTANDING and ASSISTANCE.

Seniors Helping Seniors®
865.269.4483
www.seniorshelpingseniors.com

Introducing Synergy Auto Wash

There’s no better car wash

By Brian Davis

Maintaining the appearance of my automobiles has always been a priority of mine. It’s an issue not only of personal pride, but also a recognition that my investment is worth protecting. Like most East Tennesseans who are passionate about their cars, I attempt to hand wash my automobile whenever possible, but time is a big obstacle. So, like many of you, I visit the local car wash.

My objection to automated car washes is not their convenience or price, but rather the quality of the wash. Often, when exiting the car wash, I can observe a visible film on the exterior of my windshield and side windows. This is road grime that, if still on my windows, likely is remaining on the other exterior surfaces of my car as well. Also, no matter what car wash package I select, my wheels never seem to come clean.

Perhaps the biggest objection I have is the car wash’s soft cloth equipment that rotates along the front, back and side surfaces of my car, as well as the soft cloths that clean my hood, roof and trunk lid. Here’s my objection. Those same soft cloths that have already cleaned hundreds of cars and dirty pickup truck beds on any given day are the same soft cloths that attempt to clean my automobile. There’s just no way, try as they might, that all of the dirt, grit and grime from those vehicles already washed can be removed from these soft cloths. This is often why you can observe swirl marks on the painted surface of many cars that frequent automated car washes. The same soft cloths that are intended to wash our cars can introduce unintended abrasives that can damage our cars.

As an entrepreneur and small business owner, I’ve often tried to imagine the perfect car wash. Well, I’m pleased to say I have, and it is scheduled to open in early November – just in time for Old Man Winter. Named Synergy Auto Wash, it is conveniently located halfway between Lovell Road and Pellissippi Parkway on Kingston Pike next to Fuji’s. Synergy Auto Wash combines the best features of automated car washes with the best features of hand car washes.

While Synergy Auto Wash may look similar to most other automated car washes, I’ve made some important changes. I’ve eliminated the soft cloths that other car washes use. In fact, no automated equipment ever comes into contact with your vehicle’s exterior surfaces. Once your vehicle enters the wash, cleaning agents and soaps are automatically applied. Your automobile is then carefully “hand scrubbed” before high pressure water blasts the grime from wheels, tires and wheel wells. Your vehicle then continues down the automated conveyor as a wax and drying agent is applied, followed by rinse from a 12-foot rain arch. And finally, your car reaches our state-of-the-art blowers before it is carefully “hand dried.” By eliminating the soft-scrub feature utilized by most automated car washes and replacing it with hand washing and drying systems, not only will your car be cleaner, but its finish will be protected as well.

If you’re as committed as I’m sure you are to maintaining and protecting your automobile’s appearance, I’m certain that you’re going to fall in love with Synergy Auto Wash and our complete menu of services and affordable pricing.

Menu of Services

Exterior Express: $8
• Wheel & Tire Cleaner
• HAND WASH
• Undercarriage Wash
• Polish Wax
• HAND DRY
Unlimited Pass: $29

Exterior Plus: $13
• Wheel & Tire Cleaner
• Triple-Foam
• HAND WASH
• Undercarriage Wash
• Polish Wax
• HAND DRY
• Tire Dressing
Unlimited Pass: $39

Platinum: $19
• Wheel & Tire Cleaner
• Triple-Foam
• HAND WASH
• Undercarriage Wash
• Polish Wax
• HAND DRY
• Door Jambs Cleaned
• Window Cleaner
• Interior Vacuuming

Platinum Plus: $24
• Wheel & Tire Cleaner
• Triple-Foam
• HAND WASH
• Undercarriage Wash
• Polish Wax
• HAND DRY
• Door Jambs Cleaned
• Window Cleaner
• Interior Vacuuming
• Wipe Dash, Door Panels & Console
• Tire Dressing

Presidential Package: $79
• Platinum Plus Car Wash
• Dash/Door Panels/Console Protectant
• Clean & Condition Leather
• Buff Wax
• Carpet Shampoo

Additional Services:
• Floor Mats – $2 Each
• Dash/Door Panels/Console Protectant: $5
• Clean & Condition Leather: $15
• Buff Wax: $24
• Hand Paste Wax: $34
• Carpet Shampoo: $24

Special Offer

And as a special incentive to try Synergy Auto Wash, I am offering you the following special pricing on our complete menu of packages throughout the month of October, just in time for our early November grand opening.

To learn more, or to purchase a package at our lower introductory rates, please visit www.synergyautowash.com or call (865) 304-1100.

Protect your investment. Insist on Synergy Auto Wash.

Synergy Auto Wash
10500 Kingston Pike
Knoxville, TN 37922
865.304.1100

New to Knoxville, but not new to providing the highest quality foods, supplies and supplements for your dogs and cats, Natural Pet Supply founders and owners, and husband and wife team, Don and Valerie Whaley, remain committed to promoting health and longevity for your pets.

Largely in response to the health related issues their pets had experienced, the Whaleys began researching alternative pet foods and supplements not commonly found in most retail stores. What they discovered was a variety of high quality products, which were not readily available, that improved the health of their pets.

Recognizing that other pet owners were likely experiencing similar health problems with their own pets, and because of their love for animals, Don and Valerie opened their first Natural Pet Supply retail store in Johnson City. Not just another pet food store, Natural Pet Supply successfully differentiates itself by providing the highest quality, all-natural dog and cat foods and supplements available with a level of expertise to assist you in your choice of foods, supplements and supplies not commonly available in other retail “big box” pet food stores.

The right high quality foods and supplements, combined with helpful information from the knowledgeable associates you’ll find at Natural Pet Supply, has proven to be a successful formula for countless pet owners and their pets who now enjoy a healthier, happier lifestyle.

With the success of the Johnson City location, the Whaleys recently launched a new Knoxville location, which is managed by fellow pet lover and Valerie’s brother, Eric. Natural Pet Supply’s new store is conveniently located in Bearden in the same retail plaza as Earth Fare.

And to help celebrate their new location, Natural Pet Supply will hold a grand opening celebration Monday through Saturday, September 19-24. There will be refreshments, prizes, unadvertised specials, samples and, as always, expert advice and the highest quality, all-natural foods, supplements and supplies for your dog and cat. Come see them!

Natural Pet Supply is committed to providing better food and better health for your dog and cat.


Natural Pet Supply
120 N. Forest Park Boulevard
Knoxville, TN 37919


865.330.7737 

www.naturalpetsupplyonline.com 

Monday-Saturday 10:00am – 7:00pm

“Discover Luxurious, Yet Affordable Downtown Waterfront Living”

If you are seeking a smart investment with the fringe benefits of excitement and convenience that owning property downtown represents, then it is time for you to enjoy the lifestyle offered by CityView at Riverwalk. There’s no part of our area where housing demand has stayed stronger than downtown Knoxville. CityView residents enjoy waterfront living just minutes from downtown Knoxville’s premier entertainment, dining, sports and educational venues.


At CityView you’ll experience a lifestyle you’ve only dreamed about, but that you may have believed was beyond your grasp. The private upscale condominium homes featured at CityView are nestled along the scenic Tennessee River and feature a long list of amenities that are simply unavailable anywhere else.


Homeowners enjoy a variety of upscale floor plans from one bedroom, one bath condominium homes to three bedroom, three bath residences. Residents enjoy private, secure parking, swimming pool, fitness center, club room, luxurious lobby, and lush landscaped and illuminated courtyard complete with natural gas fireplaces. Private deeded boat docks are also available.


Individual condominium homes feature spacious floor plans, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, hardwood floors in the kitchen and living area, ceramic tile baths, balcony or patio and much more. CityView at Riverwalk also features closed circuit security cameras, secure key fob entry system and on-site property management.

Imagine a moonlight stroll along the lighted Riverwalk, enjoying reflections in the peaceful Tennessee River… or perhaps a restful Sunday afternoon at the pool. Maybe after a hard day at the office you prefer an invigorating workout in CityView’s private fitness center. And you’ll want to take advantage of the new soon-to-be-complete Holston Bridge transportation link, including bike lanes, to downtown to enjoy alfresco dining at many of Knoxville’s most popular restaurants, a Broadway show, or University of Tennessee basketball or football game.

If you’re ready to transition from a lifestyle of home and yard maintenance to a lifestyle that offers you both luxury living and the free time to enjoy it, then discover CityView at Riverwalk. For more information or a private tour, call (865) 577-6950. Discover for yourself just how affordable luxury can be.

CityView at Riverwalk
445 W. Blount Avenue
Knoxville, TN 37920
865.577.6950
www.CityViewTN.com

Knoxville Resident on a Mission to Fight Canine Cancer

By Allison Tonini, Morris Animal Foundation

Laurie Macnair is undoubtedly a dog person. As vice president of Radio Systems Corporation, a privately owned company that develops pet management technology, Macnair works to ensure pet safety. In her Knoxville home, Macnair and her husband, Mal, currently parent four purebred greyhounds, Twix, Molly, Roxy and Evie.

Their dogs have brought them companionship and joy as well as challenges and a touch of sadness. Take six-year-old Evie, for instance. In the middle of her gray facial markings, a small pink scar now sits where an eye used to be.

“She doesn’t even know she’s missing an eye,” jokes Macnair, “so don’t tell her!”

Four years ago this October, then two-year-old Evie was diagnosed with a malignant tumor in the salivary gland behind her left eye. Veterinarians at the University of Tennessee formulated an aggressive combination of surgery and radiation for Evie, based on conclusions that they had reached from a canine cancer study funded by Morris Animal Foundation. Miraculously, the treatment was successful, and Evie now lives cancer free with her greyhound siblings.

Sadly, two of Macnair’s previous greyhounds were not as lucky. In the summer of 2010, Penny and Scooby lost their lives to cancer within four months of each other. The grim reality is that one in four dogs will die of cancer and half will receive a cancer diagnosis at some point.

After watching two of her dogs lose battles to cancer and one benefit from a Foundation-funded study, Macnair wanted to help Morris Animal Foundation cure canine cancer, and she made that commitment on both a professional and a personal level. PetSafe, a division of Radio Systems Corporation, is one of several companies sponsoring Knoxville’s first-ever Morris Animal Foundation K9 Cancer Walk. Macnair will also be volunteering to help at the event with other PetSafe employees. Other sponsors for this year’s walk include Orvis Company, Petplan, Paul Mitchell Schools and John Paul Pet.

Join Laurie Macnair and other dog lovers on Sunday, September 18, at the Cove at Concord Park to walk for a cure. To find out more about the walk, please visit www.K9CancerWalk.org.

Does Building Green Have You Seeing Red?



All the talk and media coverage today about “going green” can be overwhelming. And if you’re considering building or remodeling a new or existing home or commercial building, it can be downright frustrating.

We all want to use resources wisely. And who doesn’t want to reduce today’s skyrocketing energy costs, which threaten to escalate even further in the future, consuming larger and larger amounts of our consumable income.

The challenge for most of us is that the available information on building green comes from multiple and often conflicting sources. Until now that is!

Built Green, Inc. founder and president, Mark Ballard, and his team of experts can provide both home and business owners with affordable, comprehensive and easy to understand plans for significantly reducing energy costs while using renewable resources more wisely.

Whether you’re building a new home or commercial building, remodeling or just looking to reduce skyrocketing energy costs, Built Green can provide you with an affordable, comprehensive and turn-key solution designed to meet your specific objectives and needs. And if costs are uppermost on your mind, Built Green can design a plan that will allow you to pursue your objectives in phases over time.

You’ll also be delighted to know that Built Green can assist you every step of the way. From concept to design, and from construction to service, Built Green will be with you every step of the way.

If the thought of building green has you seeing red, why not let the professionals at Built Green show you how to turn that red into green. Money, that is.

Call Built Green today!

Built Green, Inc.
401 Henley Street
Knoxville, TN 37902
865.607.0664
www.builtgreeninc.com

Embracing Financial Uncertainty

Four steps to success

By Tom Irmen

I spoke to one of our advertisers recently who described a significant turning point in his business which occurred in 2008 that has allowed him to thrive despite this tumultuous economy, while his competitors have struggled, many failing altogether. This turning point, and the turning points for many small businesses in this current environment, underscores the deep commitment on the part of this handful of entrepreneurs who are unwilling to trust their fates to luck. Recognizing that if they don’t successfully differentiate their respective companies, they are destined to become mere commodities whose only competitive weapon is price.

The steps required to differentiate one’s business are simple. In fact, probably so simple that they’re often overlooked or ignored altogether.

Redefine your definition of success.
Is success a signed purchase order or the recognition that real success occurs only when the clients’ objectives are met? For many small businesses, the culture of success results when the order is received. But for the genuinely successful company, success occurs when the clients’ needs are met first.

While this concept may seem counter-intuitive at first, it will produce results that will propel you ahead of your competition. Your client isn’t your adversary, so why place your success ahead of theirs?

Know yourself, know your client.
Did you know that most of us exhibit one of four dominant personality traits that can impact your potential for success? If you have a driver personality, you can easily steamroll over an amiable. There are many great books which discuss personality characteristics. What your dominant traits are, how to identify the traits of others, and how to communicate effectively with those whose personality traits differ from our own.

Most people don’t believe that understanding another person’s unique personality is important in business. But if you can’t communicate effectively with those whose personalities differ from yours, your probability for success will be diminished.

What’s going on in the economy anyway?
Economic mumble-jumble is not always easy to understand, and to be perfectly honest, can be downright boring. But a firm grasp of the basics can help you to understand how your clients view their world. If you’re continuing to do business like you did before the recession, then prepare to go out of business.

A basic understanding of economics will prepare you to refine your marketing strategy and help you to more effectively meet your existing and potential customers’ ever evolving needs. If you don’t understand the basics, how can you hope to communicate with your clients where they’re at now or in the future?

Who needs more customers?
All of us. Perhaps, then, it’s time to begin hiring new Account Executives? Not so fast! Every person your company comes into contact with is a potential sales person or ambassador for your company and its products and services. Satisfied customers generate promising sales leads, and at no cost to your business. Unsatisfied customers are the equivalent of hiring sales people for your competition.

Think about what a new customer would need to know to make an informed decision regarding your company’s products and services, and then make sure to communicate those key points to every person your team comes into contact with. And to be certain that your products, services and team live up to the standards you claim to be committed to.

Four simple steps. Understood by most of us, overlooked by some, and ignored by others. These four simple steps can propel you forward, ahead of your competition. And if ignored, will deny you the success that continues to elude you.

The Five Percenters

By Tom Irmen

Two decades or more ago, the key to a successful sales career was the ability of the salesperson to cultivate a mutually beneficial relationship between the client, the client’s company, the salesperson and the company he or she represented. This relationship often required years of effort, but resulted in a level of belief and trust in each party and their respective companies that represented an enormous competitive advantage for the successful salesperson and an incredible uphill battle for their competition.

A great deal has changed since then. Gone by the wayside are the two martini lunches, fishing trips, dinners with clients and their spouses, pagers, long lines at pay phones, cell phones the size of a shoebox and company cars.


Please understand that I’m not pining for the “good old days.”

Personally, I enjoy the many technological advances that allow me to operate so much more efficiently than in the past. These same advances also help us to respect our clients’ time. And as a small business owner of 26 years and a former accountant, I further appreciate the fact that increased competition has required each of us to do more, with less, which has unfortunately come at a high price. The personal relationship with the client.

This reduction in face time with clients has fostered today’s commodity marketplace environment. Most clients I meet with are confused by the deluge of emails blasts, cell phone calls and, in my industry, media consultants that drop in unannounced, each claiming their product or service is superior to that of their competition.

Overwhelmed, clients often jump at the savings that they believe will result from a lower price, unaware that this low price typically comes at a cost that, more often than not, offsets any perceived savings. Not knowing who they can trust, perspective clients often turn a deaf ear to every salesperson, account executive, etc. that they encounter.


With our continued dependence on technology and growing acceptance of commodity marketplaces, an invisible, technological, “firewall” exists that jeopardizes the very client relationships that once was the hallmark of success for both buyer and seller.

Is there a solution? There always is. But you’ve got to become a “five percenter.” That’s the title I’ve assigned to salespeople who have successfully differentiated themselves, their company and their products and services with their clients. They still embrace technology. They respect their clients and their own time, recognizing that we must all do more with less. And, most importantly, they believe that success in selling occurs not when the sale is consummated, but rather when the client wins first.

Five percenters do not hide behind technology’s firewall permitting their products and services to become mere commodities with price their only weapon. Five percenters not only make more money, but they enjoy a personal level of fulfillment and satisfaction, and the uncommon respect and trust of a large and loyal customer base that’s nearly impenetrable, that eludes the ninety-five percenters.

It’s your call.

Advertising R.O.I.
By Tom Irmen

Although it’s a belief I’ve long held, I’ve shared it with very few small business owners.

Well, here it is.

I genuinely believe that most advertising dollars spent by small businesses are wasted. I’m not suggesting that different advertising platforms where money is spent are ineffective, but rather that they are often used in a manner that fails to optimize their full potential.

Small business owners need to view advertising expenditures as investments and not expenses. Doing so would encourage them to develop a more comprehensive marketing strategy as opposed to the often hit-or-miss method of advertising that the majority of small business owners employ today. Consider this. Would you continue to place money into an investment paying 1% if, everything being equal, an alternative investment paid 10%? That seems simple enough. So why do most small business owners ignore key fundamentals when deciding where to invest their hard earned advertising dollars?

So how should you begin?

First, refine your message. What are four or five characteristics of you and your business that define you and differentiate your business from your competitors? Prioritize them, and then introduce them to your existing and potential customers one at a time, consecutively, over a predetermined period of time. Resist telling your life’s story all at once. That’s what autobiographies are for.

Second, avoid selecting an advertising platform merely because your competitor uses it. How do you know it works for your competitor anyway?

Third, define your demographics. Who are your customers and where do they reside? What is the most efficient and cost-effective method of targeting them? Newspapers can reach large numbers of homes, but their news format dramatically shortens their shelf-life, requiring that you advertise more frequently. Radio can be inexpensive, but may not provide the desired return on your investment dollar if your target listener is not listening at the times your ad runs.

Fourth, don’t assume that your advertising Account Executive (A/E) is a marketing expert. The truth is, most A/E’s have little or no marketing expertise. If your A/E does not show an interest in your small business by asking in-depth questions, and helping you to craft a well thought-out marketing strategy, move on.

Fifth, get it in writing! Many A/E’s and the companies they represent grossly exaggerate, say in the print marketplace, their “real” distribution. The stated quantity printed is not an accurate measure of distribution and should not be relied upon. It does not guarantee that this is the actual quantity printed and further ignores the number of publications remaining in distribution racks at the end of each month which are disposed of.


Require that all print A/E’s verify their print quantity and mailing claims in writing every month. In fact, you should incorporate that requirement into your advertising agreement. Specify that their printer verify the print quantity on the printer’s letterhead and request authenticated postage receipts monthly.

Your small business can achieve very good results and more than a satisfactory return of its advertising investment when you:

• Define your objective
• Differentiate your small business
• Define your target demographics
• Craft a well thought-out marketing strategy
• Select the most efficient and cost-effective advertising platforms available
• Be consistent and persistent

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. But, a well-trained and experienced advertising A/E can help you to achieve your objectives, and can be trusted to inform you when their advertising platform is not your best choice. Make a commitment today to get your marketing and advertising objectives on track for 2011 and discover the return on your advertising dollars that will set your small business apart from the competition in the future.