Why your company should sweat the small stuff November 12, 2009

Everyone always says it’s the little things that count. Holding doors for people, sending Thank You cards, wishing someone a Happy Birthday. It can put a smile on someone’s face, make them feel appreciated, and brighten their day – and who doesn’t love brightening someone’s day? These gestures seem to have escaped companies, especially big brands. They usually get the big stuff – retailers offering sales on end of season merchandise; giving out coupons online; even rewarding customers in certain cases (Rogers is in the middle of their annual customer appreciation event right now). But even those gestures are simply discounting or giving away their product en masse, usually to people who are already loyal customers. Yes, it creates goodwill – but does it make people more loyal, and do they talk about it to their friends? Probably not. And is it a person-to-person interaction from the brand to the consumer? Absolutely not. My friend Saul Colt recently lamented about brands not wishing him a Happy Birthday (we know they have the data!), and loyalty programs giving things away with restrictions – and it made me think about how brands try to connect with customers, but don’t have any sort of individualized approach.

That’s why I was so blown away by a recent interaction with a business in New York City. I first came across the Roger Smith Hotel earlier this year when my boss Sarah Prevette started staying there on her frequent trips to NYC. She told me that the hotel had a unique approach to building community and using social media, and because of it had because “the” place to be for social media-savvy jet-setters. I had the chance to stay at the RSHotel for a week at the end of August, and was immediately welcomed into the community. Their efforts in the space are led by Brian Simpson and Adam Wallace, two of the nicest guys you could ever meet, and people I’m now proud to call friends. Adam and Brian realized a few years ago when social media started to take off that it wasn’t just online businesses that could benefit from the tools – traditional businesses could use them in unique ways too. So much like GaryVee used social media to revolutionize the wine industry, the RSHotel guys are using use social media to revolutionize the hotel industry. They’ve harnessed tools like Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr to create a vibrant community of guests from around the world – and they do it through hosting events, facilitating introductions between like-minded guests, and being a hub for social media activity (video shoots, interviews, conference after-parties). But the reason they’re so successful isn’t just because they “get” Web 2.0 tools. It’s because they genuinely care about their community, and the guests who stay at the hotel. I was in NYC for Audience Conference last

The note from Brian and Adam

week and I stayed at the RSHotel (natch). A few things about my stay were remarkable: first, I received a Tweet from the hotel as soon as I checked in saying they saw me walk by. Now, I ask you – when’s the last time anyone at a hotel remembered you, let alone Tweeted you? Second, while I was checking in I met Julie Anderson and Ezra Butler, both conference attendees and now both friends. It’s not common to attend a conference and make friends before you even hit your hotel room – but that’s the way it is at the Roger Smith. Third, and most importantly – when I arrived at my room I found something extraordinary waiting for me: a bottle of wine and a handwritten note from Brian and Adam. Among other things it said “your support and commitment to the Roger Smith Hotel family is amazing. With all the choices you have in NYC – we truly appreciate your business. Have a wonderful stay – Brian and Adam.” Well, my jaw dropped. Not only did I already feel at home at this hotel, they just went above and beyond any “required” hospitality. The note was a small thing, but it has increased my loyalty (I would never stay anywhere else in NYC), makes me talk about and recommend the hotel to anyone I know who is heading their way, and makes me respect the way they value their community.

Brian Simpson & Adam Wallace talking about the Roger Smith Hotel's community at 140Conf in LA - Photo by C.C. Chapman

The bottom line: if you’re a traveller, I recommend you stay at the Roger Smith Hotel. And if you’re a company, big or small, I recommend you learn a thing or two from Brian, Adam and the rest of the team. Doing things on a big scale for your customers or community is great – but making them feel individually special will go so much further. Make sure you pay attention to the small stuff – it’s what creates a loyal community, gets people talking, and creates valuable, meaningful relationships.

Why your brand needs to think outside the coffee pot November 5, 2009

There are so many ways a company can get you to notice their product – traditional advertising, contests, coupons, press coverage, launch events..the list goes on. Until recently these tactics were just about the only way to reach consumers, and allowed for one-way dialogue – from the company to the consumer, and (the company hoped) from the consumer to other consumers. But if you’re like me you’re getting savvy to traditional brand messages. You fast-forward through the commercials when you watch your favourite shows on PVR. You don’t click through banner ads on websites or pay attention to the ads on Facebook. You rarely open newsletters from companies, unless they have information that’s valuable to you at that moment (the TravelZoo weekly Top 20 is a great example of a newsletter I only open when I’m planning a trip).

And, if you’re also like me, you’ve adopted social media with a fervor, and it has changed the way you interact with brands. Social media has opened up two-way communication between companies and consumers, resulting in a dialogue that can either be an opportunity (for companies that embrace it) or a detriment (for those who choose to ignore it). In my experiences with brands on Twitter I’ve been totally impressed by companies who “get it” – the ones who respond to complaints online (@RogersKeith is a great example of a company responding to feedback, both good and bad); the ones who embrace social media tools and use them as part of their overall strategy (Molson does a great job of having a presence online, but also connecting with social media people offline at community events); and the ones who use social media tools in creative ways. Basically, the ones that garner the attention of consumers. I’ve seen a ton of innovative campaigns – the Burger King Whopper Sacrifice promotion; the Skittles campaign; the Nissan Hypercube initiative – just to name a few. And although these brands caught my attention, and in some cases got me talking about them to my friends and peers, they didn’t influence my purchasing decisions. I haven’t eaten a Whopper in years (I’m a Wendy’s devotee); I still don’t like Skittles (give me salty over sweet anyday); and I don’t own a car, and don’t plan to anytime in the near future. So ultimately, while they may have caught my attention, they failed to do anything with it.

My Tassimo machine

It’s for this reason that I’m so impressed with a campaign by a company I hadn’t even heard of until a few weeks ago – Tassimo Canada. Tassimo makes single-serve coffee-makers – not exactly an attention-grabbing product that gets buzzed about online on a regular basis. So when I received messages on Twitter from friends Erin Blaskie and Scott Stratten saying they were nominating me to receive a free coffee-maker I was surprised – I’d never heard of this brand, and had no idea why they’d want to give me an expensive product for free (Tassimo approached social media influencers and gave them 10 nominations each). But, after e-mailing the appropriate contact, I had an e-mail confirming that I would be receiving a free coffee maker. I must say, the anticipation killed me – I never win contests, and rarely get things for free, so I was excited. Lo and behold I received the coffee maker a few days ago, along with about a year’s supply of coffee (usually sold separately). I set the machine up in about 10 minutes and promptly had a steaming hot delicious chai latte. I also tried the espresso and cappuccino, which is equally as delicious. I admit it – I’m hooked on my Tassimo machine. The only question I have is where I can get more for family members who I know would love them!

The fact that I got something for free isn’t the reason I love this initiative – the main reason is that it’s smart on so many levels. It makes people like Erin and Scott feel great, because they are positioned as influencers and also get to give out presents to their friends. It actually puts the product in people’s hands – unlike the cases I mentioned above, I now have this machine in my kitchen and use it on a daily basis. It’s bound to increase sales – I would recommend this product to anyone who asked, and am even considering purchasing some as gifts (and isn’t that what these companies are worried about – the bottom line? Who says social media can’t result in positive ROI!). It increases conversation, both online and offline – before this campaign who was talking about Tassimo Canada? Now there are blog posts, Tweets and offline conversations taking place about the brand and the campaign. And the best thing about this campaign is that Tassimo didn’t ask for anything in return. They didn’t ask me to write this blog post, they didn’t tell people there were strings attached with the unit – they simply asked us to share our experiences. That could have been a disaster for Tassimo – what if everyone had bad experiences, and shared those? But they knew they had a quality product/service – something I maintain every company should have these days if they want to be successful online.

The bottom line: I’m still going to drink my XL Timmy’s every morning, but I’ll be drinking Tassimo beverages when I’m at home. And I’m now a brand evangelist for Tassimo – which is a huge win. Brand advocates will spread the word faster than any TV commercial or online ad – because people trust what people in their network have to say about products and service. I encourage other companies out there to get creative, and find a way to connect with not only your current audience, but the people who will become your evangelists in the future.

Did you get a Tassimo machine? What are your comments and criticisms of this campaign?

6 reasons you should be working at a startup right now September 18, 2009

Image via brajeshwar.com

As somebody who has gone from working at a company of 100+ people to working at a company of four, I can honestly say I much prefer working at a startup, and doubt I’ll ever work at a company that big again. There are just certain advantages to working in a small environment that a bigger company can’t provide – so see below for the top six reasons to work at a startup, if you aren’t already:

1. It’s more flexible. Want to come in at 9:30 instead of 9? No big deal. Need to work at home because you’re waiting for the cable guy? No problem, just ask. Startups are much more flexible on hours and schedule – now this doesn’t mean you don’t work hard, because you do. And yes, your hours are usually longer than they would be at a 9-5 job. But what other environment allows you the schedule flexibility? Not many.
2. You have more responsibility. When there are only a small amount of people working at a startup it means that everyone has a hefty role in ensuring the company’s success. But with great power comes great responsibility. You’ll likely be in charge of projects, people and large aspects of the business – but this means you have to deliver. If one of you isn’t pulling your weight it’s immediately obvious.
3. You have more creative license. When you’re working in a large company you’re often not in charge of projects, you’re just working on an aspect of them. So if you have an idea on how that project should be executed, the chance of getting that idea realized is often slim to none. In a startup, ideas are not just welcomed, they’re encouraged. It’s this creativity and resourcefulness that makes startups unique – they can make an idea a reality much more quickly since there aren’t five approval levels to get through. One caveat: the ideas have to be worthwhile and relevant to the business.
4. You learn much, much more. When you’re in a corporate environment there are often several levels above you before you reach the CEO or founder of the company. And even if you do interact with the CEO, it’s not typical that you work with them on a daily basis, let alone get to pick their brain. Startups are the opposite – you’re often reporting straight to the founder or CEO, and working with them day in and day out to make sure that you’re collaborating on projects and the business is growing. In the case of Sprouter, CEO Sarah Prevette is a wealth of knowledge on startups and entrepreneurship, and I’ve learned a ton from her.
5. You’re more invested in the company’s success. My friend Eric Houstoun reminded me of this at lunch the other day – when you’re working for a larger company you don’t have much invested in the company’s success, especially if you’re not very high up the ladder. You may hear about revenues on an annual basis, and you can judge the success of a company by client wins and hiring patterns, but you don’t feel like you directly contribute to it. At a startup you know you have a direct impact on whether the company makes or breaks it, and there’s also a bigger sense of urgency – startups only have so much time to succeed. You actually care about whether the company is doing well, and not just because you want to have a job in six months – because you absolutely believe in the company and want to see it go big places.
6. Your job is cool. I’ll preface this one by saying that I absolutely love what I do, and am extremely passionate about it. I think if you’re working at a startup you have to be, otherwise you won’t be willing to put in the work it requires. That being said, I have a cool job. I get to meet tons of great entrepreneurs, I get to travel to conferences in different cities, and I get to work in a fun environment. It makes it easy to get excited about what I do, and that’s something not a lot of people can say.

The typical scene at our office

Startups aren’t for everyone, but they’re definitely for me – and if you thrive on responsibility, excitement, constant evolution, and being busy then they’re likely for you too. So what are you waiting for? Research startups in your city and figure out which one excites you – chances are if you’re hard-working, creative and open to change they’d love to have you.

iPhone, I love you – and your apps. July 20, 2009

This is how much I loved my BlackBerry

So as most people who know me can tell you I loved my BlackBerry. Well, at least I loved aspects of it. That full QWERTY keyboard, that lovely trackball, my beloved BBM…and of course BrickBreaker (although I’m embarrassed at how terrible I am at it to this day). I loved it so much that I was on CBC’s The National…with my face stuck in my BlackBerry. Sigh.

Anyway when my boss, the lovely Sarah Prevette, asked me if I wanted an iPhone I was torn. Sure, the iPhone was cool. It was sleek. It was of-the-moment. But after years of owning an iPod Touch I really didn’t see what all the fuss was about. And of course I was hesitant to turn my back on my BlackBerry. But since most of what I do involves being on social media sites & accessing articles/content on the web, I thought it would be better to have an iPhone. Then when my BlackBerry decided to randomly start shutting off, and when the trackball started to only move right, I knew I had to do something. So I took the plunge, and got an iPhone last Thursday. What’s my reaction so far, you ask?

I. Heart. The iPhone. I told Sarah she’ll have to take it back over my dead body…I’m hoping it doesn’t come to that, but you never know. It is amazing. Not only do I love the touch screen (which I already knew from using the Touch – I’m glad I already knew how the interface worked), I love the fact that you websites look like websites, and not a jumbled up mess of font. I love the superior Google Maps. I love the camera (my BB world edition didn’t have one…single tear). I love the fact that my shrill BB ring tone is gone, replaced by a delightful one called “xylophone.” I love how text messages turn into little bubbles of conversation (which almost makes up for the lack of BBM). And I seriously <3 having iTunes on my phone – I can now carry around one device, instead of my ancient digital camera, iPod, & BB. But most of all, I love the apps. The BlackBerry app store is seriously lacking, and the apps are mediocre at best (ever tried TwitterBerry? Then you know what I mean). There are tons of free apps in the App store, from the quirky Flashlight (your iPhone screen turns into a light…Jeremy Wright thought it would be hilarious to download it for me and watch me waiting for the app to load, when in fact the blank screen IS the app); to the useful Trapster (which detects speed traps); to tons of games (which I will admittedly never use, but whatever). See below for my fave apps so far – thanks to everyone who suggested them through my Twitter request, and especially to Dave Coleman for this awesome blog post outlining his faves (when Dave says something about mobile, you listen!):

• The Globe and Mail – Spreed’s Dave Coleman helped develop this app – I used to check this app on my BlackBerry every morning, and now I do the same on my iPhone. The app is awesome, and breaks down articles by category, popular stories, and breaking news. It also lets you send an article via e-mail, Twitter, or Facebook – perfect for people who like to share their news (journalism grads unite!)
• UrbanSpoon – This app is awesome. Pick your neighbourhood, the type of food you want to eat (Italian, Caribbean, etc) and your price range (cheap is $, expensive is $$$$), lock in your choices, and shake your iPhone. Literally, shake it. You’ll get a great restaurant suggestion, and you can also see reviews, contact info, and even menus. Loved the choice? Go in after you’ve visited an enter your own review. Not sure where you want to eat and want a random suggestion? Shake for a random suggestion around the city. I can’t wait to try it out when I travel to Boston in a couple weeks – can you imagine how handy it is when you’re traveling?
• Shazam – Pretty much the coolest thing EVER. Seriously – try and not be impressed. Hear a song you don’t know on the radio? Hold your iPhone up to the speaker, let it ‘listen’ for about 10 seconds, and it’ll bring back the title and artist. Not impressed yet? You can link to YouTube to see the music video, see a biography of the artist, and even buy the song from iTunes. I did this on the way to Belleville this past weekend – liked a song, found out it was Franz Ferdinand’s “No you girls,” downloaded it on iTunes and was listening to it through iTunes in about 30 seconds. Awesome. BONUS: Show your parents and it will blow their mind (“the files are in the computer?”).
• Lose it! – This app is great for people who, like me, try to watch what they eat and exercise regularly (yes, I know I’m a junk food addict. I’m working on it – hence, this app). It allows you to put in your goal weight and your target date – then provides you with a daily calorie budget. Then you can add food and exercise to your log and keep track of your progress on a chart – awesome. I can’t say I’ve been religious about entering my data so far, but it’s an awesome app nonetheless.
• Flixster – If you know me, you know I love going to the movies. I also love renting movies. So I guess I just love movies in general. I’m constantly on my computer checking the Cineplex and Blockbuster sites to find out what’s coming out, and I NEVER watch a movie without checking the rating on Rotten Tomatoes first (below 40%? I won’t watch it). So Flixster is pretty much the best thing I’ve come across in a while – it not only tells you what new releases are in the theatre and on DVD, it gives you showtimes at the theatres in your area (or you can favourite theatres you go to often) and links to IMDB for more info. You can also see reviews from critics, watch the trailer, and see details like the cast, plot, rating, and length. Awesome. Let’s just say this app saved me from watching The Pink Panther 2 last night (13% on Rotten Tomatoes).
• TD Finder – Have a TD account? Want to know where the closest TD ATM is to you at any given time? ‘Nuff said.
• TimmyMe – Find the closest Tim Hortons to you at all times (I have one in my building so maybe not so necessary when I’m at home, but great for traveling). Similarly you can use Coffee Finder if you’re a Starbucks fan (booooo).
• TwitterFon – I know what people are going to say – Tweetie’s better. I get it – I just haven’t had a chance to buy it. But compared to TwitterBerry this app is 10X better – at least you can add Twitpics, it tells you when you have new @ replies/DMs, and you can actually read more than 3 Tweets at a time. Love it.
• Facebook – The Facebook app on the iPhone is miles and miles better than on BB. I can actually post on people’s walls extremely easily, upload photos easily, see comments and messages easily…see a trend here? The BB app was so limited in functionality, and even when you could do something you’d be lucky if it didn’t freeze.

One of my first photos from my iPhone - West Lake, near my dad's trailer

These are just the ones I’ve had the chance to try and have found amazingly useful. I’ve also downloaded apps like Where (like UrbanSpoon for services), Remote (turns your iPhone into a remote for your iTunes on your computer), Tip-U-Late (calculates tips at restaurants, especially helpful when splitting bills), WeatherEye (I’ve been told this app is better than the weather feature that comes on the iPhone), ScoreMobile (for sports updates), NYTimes & HuffPost for more news…the list goes on. I’m sure I’ll be adding to this list in the next few months, but needless to say I don’t regret leaving my BlackBerry in the dust – and no, it’s REALLY not that difficult to type on an iPhone. I got used to it after about 8 hours, and you will too.

Have a recommendation for an app? A tip for other things to do on the iPhone? Leave it as a comment!

It’s not just a song…it’s a memory. June 26, 2009

Unless you live under a rock or don’t have TV, Internet or friends, you know that legendary pop icon Michael Jackson passed away last night at the young age of 50. Much like the death of Princess Diana, or the morning of 9/11, I think everyone will remember where they were when they learned of the news. I was at The Spoke Club in Toronto for an event called Fuze Toronto, and found out through a stream of Tweets (no one can say that for Princess Di). I was saddened, but I can’t say I was surprised – MJ has seemed to be a little “off” for the last few years…okay a lot off. But whatever trials and tribulations he went through in his personal life, no one can dispute that he was an amazing musician, and one of the biggest stars our world has ever seen. I for one remember singing along to the Dangerous cassette when I was young (I’m too young for Thriller) while playing Barbies with my best friend. 

This led me to think about music and the effect it has on people. It’s so common for a song to come on the radio or an iPod and for someone to say “Oh I love this song! It reminds me of <insert high school memory here>.” Songs are equated with events, people, and emotions – they can conjure up a feeling, and bring you back to a moment in time or a phase in your life (whether that’s a good or bad thing). I started thinking about some of the songs that remind me of the milestones in my life, and the songs that transport me back to a different place and time. So below is the soundtrack of my life (in no particular chronological order) – it’s at times embarrassing, and at times indicative of the ’90’s pop obsession I had growing up – but that’s the thing about songs: you don’t choose them, they choose you – like it or not.

1. Phil Collins, Another Day in Paradise – After my parents divorced my mom & I used to cruise around in her white station wagon (so cool) belting this out at the top of our lungs – it wasn’t long before she married my stepdad, but that song will always remind me of the time that it was just the two of us.

2. Bryan Adams, Summer of ‘69 – My dad graduated high school in the summer of ‘69 and he always blasted this song and told me to cherish every moment as it passes – I made sure I listened, and lived every moment to the fullest in high school – it was four of the best years of my life.

3. Spin Doctors, Two Princes – This is another song that reminds me of my dad. We used to go on road trips to Montreal to visit my grandparents when I was younger, and we used to blare this song over and over. I’ve always loved the line “Oh, your majesty – come on forget the king and marry me” – it was always the epitome of romance in my eyes.

4. Train, Drops of Jupiter – I adored this song when it came out in Grade 10 & I listened to it constantly. And this is going to sound weird, but I feel like every time I was going through a tough time, or was worried about something, this song would come on the radio – call it coincidence, or call it fate, or call it overplaying a song. Whatever the reason, it was always a source of comfort and I love it to this day.

5. Dave Matthews Band, Crash into me – I attended camp as a child for years and years. Every night around the campfire the counsellors would play the guitar and sing classics and songs of the time. This included Barenaked Ladies, Ben Harper – but mostly this song. Every time I hear it it brings me back to the woods outside of Kingston, sitting with great friends with dirt in my hair, enjoying nature.

6. Counting Crows, Mr. Jones – I’ve had the same best friends for 10 years, some longer, and they’re an amazing group of girls. My best friend (and now co-worker) Naira & I have always loved the Counting Crows, and no song more than Mr. Jones. You know how every couple has “their song?” Well this is our song – and trust me, our relationship is stronger than any romance. I love this girl, and I’ll forever think of her when I hear this song.

7. Blink 182, Dammit – When I started high school I met a ton of new people from other middle schools. I knew I wanted to make friends with them – and that’s exactly what happened. Our group of friends became a huge group of fun-loving, smart people – most of whom I’m still friends with to this day. We were the double-cohort year, and I remember having afternoons off and heading to my friend Marcus’ basement to play N64 and listen to this song – a reminder of the great friends I made that year.

8. The Format, The First Single & Give It Up – My Carleton days were a blast – I dated a guy from my high school the whole time, who’s an awesome, fun person, and we had an amazing group, many of whom have become some of my best friends. My boyfriend at the time and his friends all lived in a rickety old house and would throw huge house parties (you know the kind) that inevitably ended with a killer cleanup the next day. Well it was on one of those Sunday cleanups that James started playing The Format 

9. Backstreet Boys, As long as you love me – Okay, I’ll admit it – I had a boy-band obsession when I was younger. I used to watch Britney and NSync videos on slow motion to learn the dance moves, and I’ve seen the Backstreet Boys in concert numerous times. And I was obsessed with Nick Carter – to the point that once a boyfriend drew a mustache on my poster of him and I was livid for days. I love their whole repertoire of songs, but this one the most – I love the video (who doesn’t love chair-dancing routines?) and the fact that Nick looked so dreamy. But mostly I love how their songs remind me of being a geeky middle schooler with glasses and braces – I may not have looked cool but MAN could I belt out these songs.

10. U2, With or without you – Another camp song. No explanation really – it just brings back the strongest feeling of being in rural Ontario, being with friends and loving life.

11. The Tragically Hip, Bobcaygeon – I come from a small town, so it’s inevitable that all the guys liked beer, hockey, and The Hip. And while I hate beer, I share their affinity for the Leafs and one of my favourite bands, led by the infamous Gord Downie. I’ve been to nine Hip concerts, and each one of them conjures a different memory – my first concert in Grade 10, the Canada Day concert when we were 8th row, the one where I almost got trampled at Fort York. But regardless of the time or place, one thing was always the same – when Gord sang the line “That night in Toronto, with its checkerboard floors” the crowd always went wild – and now when I hear that line I think of Gord and his crazy dance moves, but mostly of my best friends.

12. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Ferrell, Ain’t No Mountain High – My girlfriends & I were extremely close in high school. We also always used to listen to this song on full blast at parties and do a sort of “dance” we made up – which mostly involved jumping around like fools. We wanted everyone to know how close we all were after we graduated – so in our Grade 12 yearbook comments under “remembers” we all wrote “Ain’t no mountain high enough” – so to this day you can see who was a part of our posse. *Note – we still do the “dance” to this day when this song comes on

I’m sure there are tons more (pretty much anything by the Spice Girls, tons of songs that remind me old boyfriends) but I think these sum it up best. I guess my point is it’s no wonder we feel a sense of loss when a cherished singer passes away – because it’s like that part of our childhood or life is gone too. But that’s the great thing about music – it lives forever, and so do the songs we each hold dear. What songs mean the most to you? Which songs would be on the soundtrack to your life?

And the winner is… June 24, 2009

The winner of the #FitIn15 giveaway, Mr. Dave Coleman!

Well thanks everyone for sending in your embarrassing fitness stories! I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed reading them…maybe a little too much. I left it up to my trusty RedWire co-workers to decide who gets the giveaway (4G iPod Shuffle & a $20 iTunes gift card) and they decided on….drumroll please…Mr. Dave Coleman (for all of you who might say Dave tried to “butter up” the judges, I gave them the stories without names)! For your reading enjoyment here is Dave’s embarrassing fitness story in all it’s glory:

“So I have this sleep walking problem. It has been going on my whole life but led to some rather embarrassing situations while living with my parents during High School and friends during University. One time I walked into my parents room … completely naked and began using their exercise bike. So there I was going full throttle on this bike, 100% buck naked. My father obviously wakes up and says something to the effect of “Shirley, I think someone is exercising.” Needless to say I was more than embarrassed when they woke me up. And THAT is my most embarrassing workout story!”

And here are some of the other stories – and if you have your own feel free to add it at the bottom. Let’s all commiserate together!

“I signed up at a new gym and got a ‘free’ fitness assessment, which involved a whole bunch of different excercise and endurance tests. I obviously was in terrible shape, because as I was doing the ‘fit test’ on the stationary bike, I actually passed out mid-way and FELL OFF the bike!”

“Well, being a guy the most embarrassing moment has to be in front of women. So, i decided to do the 45 minute BodyFit class at GoodLife. I can keep up but the worst part was that, for the life of me, I ALWAYS fail at the lunge. My legs BURN and my neck starts to kill!!!! Yeah my neck! On the freakin’ lunge!! Anyway, I don’t complain because the room is filled with women and I just have a macho image (not anymore) to uphold! So I stop exercising. And I look around. Everyone else (did i mention that the room is filled with women? Oh, and THEY are FIT – unlike me.) continues to exercise. But that’s not embarrassing. Everyone has been using MORE weights than me. No, i didn’t drop a weight or run into a pole. But admitting failure in front of a room filled with women is embarrassing enough….Now I work out at home so only my wife and son can laugh at me…and my pathetic lunges….”

“Last year I was in a car accident and had to go to physio therapy.  Along with neck adjustments, massages and ultrasound therapy, I was teamed up with an incredibly beautiful and funny physio therapist who was hell bent on killing me.  You see…I don’t stretch. I’ve never stretched.  I never will stretch.  I remember being in grade 6 and our gym teacher making us touch our toes and me wanting to vomit because it hurt.  That was the end of my stretching career.  I mean really….I wouldn’t stab myself with a pair of scissors twice now would I? Well it was just that one time and it was an accident. Anyway, my very nice physio therapist told me I needed to stretch.  At this point I knew I better come clean as I felt things like walking and being able to turn my neck would be helpful in my life, so I confessed my inability to stretch. That’s okay! she happily replied.  I do this all the time.  It’ll be no problem. So I lay down on the floor and she grabbed one of my legs and lifted.  We didn’t even get my leg to a 90 degree angle when it started to shake and protest at this evil woman who was bringing my legs to where they had never been before.  Hello?  Housewife here – not a porn star. Hmmm….she said.  You have very angry hamstrings. Which is how it became that I was referred to by every member of my physio team as Sharon – the one with the angry hamstrings – for every appointment there after.”

“So this story happened quite a few years ago. It was a nice summer. I wanted to start bike riding to keep in shape but it’s no fun when you bike ride by yourself. So I enlisted my brother to join me! This was fantastic! I got to bond with my little brother while biking through paths we’d never seen or been to before. Not too long after, my brother wanted to change things up. The biking was great but it he wanted to do something else. Rollerblading. Cool — but I was still enjoying the riding. How were we going to do this together? I could bike slow and stay side by side or he could just try and skate faster. We decided to try it out and just see how it would go. It was ok to start. I mean, I wasn’t hitting that nice speed that I liked, but it was a constant peddle and I was still exercising. My brother seemed to enjoy it. We reached a hill and I was able to change to a lower gear and get up with ease. My brother – meh, not so much. He kinda struggled and eventually got up there. So here we are. At the top of this hill. So, it’s a pretty steep hill and the smart thing to do would be to walk it down. But I had done this hill before on my bike and am all about the speed. I wanted to go down. I convinced my brother to come down with me — on the blades. “Don’t worry, it’s fine!”, I said. “It’s just like rollerblading really fast — just hang on.” He grabbed the back of my seat. I didn’t ever peddle down this hill, I just let gravity take it’s course. Down we went. It was kind of slow motion from here. Very Matrix-y. The wind going through my hair enjoying these first 3 seconds when all of a sudden – <<insert sound of a little brother skidding knees and shins first down a hill>>.

 Ouch! It’s a good thing we had proper — oh, wait. We didn’t. No helmets, no knee pads, no shin guards. He wasn’t wearing jeans. Summer shorts. Skin on asphalt. I freak out and just see my brother agonizing in pain. He wasn’t even crying, just kind of like he was in shock. It was nothing deep. Just surface wounds. Very bloody with a dirt and rock mixture.  He gets on his feet and hauls ass home. Gets into the tub. We turn on the water to clean it all out. There’s still little rocks in there he must pick out…at least a hundred. My dad comes in and see this. Of course, I get in trouble as it was all my idea. My dad pulls out the peroxide. He fails to mention that it would sting a little as he pours the bottle down his shins. My brother lets out a shriek. His peroxide on his knees and shins is now bubbling as it goes to work. What a mess. Traumatizing. I got to spend the next week in my room, grounded. No exercise.”

Thanks to everyone who sent their stories in, and congrats again to Dave!

The final 3 days of #FitIn15 – The end…or is it just the beginning? June 24, 2009

Me biking in Venice Beach last year - exercise FTW!

So as I told you on Monday I had an okay health weekend, but was determined to do better this week in preparation for my best friend Naira’s pool party this Saturday. Plus, it was the last three days of my #FitIn15 challenge, and I really needed to pull out all the stops! It has been an awesome few days, and has really solidified my commitment to some form of exercise every day (my new goal for, well, the rest of my life!). Monday I didn’t end up getting my running shoes back so I had work out on the StairMaster in flip flops again (what a fail – I kept getting weird looks from the other gym-goers. Kids, don’t try that at home!). But it was a good workout regardless. And when I got back to my condo, instead of sitting around watching TV, I watched TV while doing an ab workout. This is a great idea for anyone who likes exercise but also can’t miss their shows (I sweat it was educational TV, not The Bachelorette…okay fine, you caught me) – I just lay down a blanket (since I don’t do yoga and therefore don’t have a mat) and go to town. If you’re new to ab workouts, I usually do the following during every workout (please don’t hurt yourself using my unprofessional descriptions):

• Crunches – regular crunches, and then my special “feel the burn” crunches – do a set where you spend double the time getting up (so a 1, 2 count on the way up and a 1 count on the way down) and then vice versa (one count up, two counts down) – they really work your abs as you have to hold the position longer
• Plank – I either do it on my knees or on my feet – lean on your elbows and hold your body in a straight position – it’s really difficult, so if you can do it for a full minute you’re a rock star. Work up to a goal time
• Oblique crunches – on your side, lay on your elbow with your body forming a triangle with the ground. Lift your upper body away from the ground until your feel it in your obliques, repeat on the other side (and do a few sets)
• Weighted twist – at the gym I use a medicine ball for this, at home I use a 2L bottle of pop. Sit back so your body is in a V with the floor. Hold the weight out in front of you and twists side to side – you should really be able to feel it in your abs
• Weights crunches – sit in the same V position holding the weight in front of you. Lower your back towards the ground, hold, twist side to side, and then life back up to starting position
• The hundred – this is a pilates move that works wonders. Sit in a wide V position on the floor, legs in the air – the deeper the V, the more this will hurt. Hold your arms straight out in front of you and raise them up and down in small movements – it’s called the hundred because you need to do it 100 times!

That’s just a selection of what I do – there are also bicycle crunches, leg lifts, and more – check out this article which outlines the top 10 most effective ab exercises.

Yesterday was another successful exercise day – it was a BEAUTIFUL day so I was determined to fit in some walking in the sun. Luckily I had a meeting at Bloor and Jarvis and then an event at Dundas Square – so I walked all the way down Church (my route to work at my previous job) through the Village, and it was lovely and sunny. And surprisingly my new Michael Kors sandals held up quite well! Then later on in the night I went to the gym and used the elliptical for a half-hour. Now a little note on the elliptical – I find them pretty useless. They are my go-to machine when I’m sick of the stairmaster, all the other machines are busy, or when my foot is acting up and I can’t run, which was the case last night (I have arthritis in my right foot. My doctor’s solution? “Stop wearing high heels.” Needless to say I wear heels like it’s my job, so that leads to some foot pain, especially when I exercise consistently). So it wasn’t the most intense workout, but it was certainly better than nothing, and paired with the midday walk I felt pretty good. On today’s agenda: a lovely afternoon on the Remy’s patio to celebrate Grant’s birthday, and then a trip to the gym before a BBQ tonight on my condo’s rooftop. Hoping to fit in some more weights if I have the time!

So in conclusion….

Image from Art.com

Since this is the last day of my #FitIn15 challenge, I thought I would sum up my experience. The goal of the program isn’t to get Canadians to exercise for a long time, but to start small and exercise consistently. And that is my goal as well – who cares if you run 10km once a week if the rest of the days you sit on the couch eating Cheetos. Whether I only have 15 minutes for a short walk, or I have time for long class or jog on the water, I’m going to make sure I incorporate fitness back into my life. I forgot how great it feels to leave the gym refreshed and energized, and how it motivates you to eat healthier. My personal goal isn’t to lose weight, but to tone and improve my endurance – I’ll be working on that through the summer. I hate to quote a random celebrity, but I once read that Matthew McConaughey lives by the mantra “break a sweat at least once a day.” Now I may not agree with his constant shirtless jogs (we get it, you have pecs!), his increasingly dumb rom-coms, or his penchant for wearing bandannas – but I do agree with his philosophy. So thanks to #FitIn15 for helping me rediscover my love for exercising – it’s one I don’t plan to forget about anytime soon. Here are my tips for getting started (and sticking with) your own exercise plan – and when you’re ready to step up your game, check out these tips.

• You have to start somewhere. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never picked up a weight or been inside the gym – find someone who can show you around, and don’t be intimidated.
• Exercise doesn’t have to be in a gym. Do weights at your house, go outside and run, or join a team sport. There are tons of ways to break a sweat!
• Your diet matters. Just because you’re working out it doesn’t mean you can eat a Big Mac every day – try to incorporate healthier foods into your diet, especially if you’re trying to lose weight.
• Keep a diary. This blog has been my workout diary for the last week, and it keeps you accountable – I didn’t want to report back and say I’d done nothing but sit around all day. Same goes for food – write down what you’re eating – I bet you’d be shocked to find out how much it is.
• Don’t berate yourself if you make a misstep. I ate onion rings and spinach dip on the weekend – instead of sit around sulking about it I went to the gym. 
• Have fun! You won’t exercise if it feels like a chore, so make sure you either work out with someone fun, or do something that you enjoy.

Just a note: Fit In 15 is a program started by the Canadian Chiropractic Association (CCA). I had a great time with the challenge and thanks for including me!

Days 4 & 5 of #FitIn15: On the road again… June 22, 2009

Me mid-flip with one of my hosts (Mike) on Friday night

The Toronto/Ottawa crews get together for a night

So as I mentioned in Friday’s post I’ve always found road trips to be a challenging time to stay healthy. Service stations + copious amounts of partying = a disastrous situation for your health. Add a wedding into the mix (can you say midnight buffet?) and you have yet another obstacle. But all things considered, I think I had a pretty good weekend – maybe not as healthy as I’d hoped, but certainly not as bad as some of the cottage weekends (read: binge weekends) I’ve attended in the past. I started Friday off on the right foot by going to the gym, and had a great eating day – it was really just the drinks that made the day unhealthy. My Ottawa friends and I are only reunited every so often, so when we are it’s a big mix of Beirut (beer pong), flip cup, and dance parties. Not that I’m complaining – we had an amazing time, and it was so good to catch up with them. But I woke up on Saturday in no shape for the job I had planned (whoops).

We were attending a wedding in the small town of Glengarry on Saturday – the bride and groom were two close friends from school who had been dating since grade 10 (10 years!). They’re both fun, awesome, nice people so I was so happy to attend as my friend Gordo’s date (he was the best date ever, for the record). The wedding itself was beautiful – the ceremony was held outside at Brian’s parent’s house, and the reception was in a renovated barn (way classier than it sounds). Now Saturday the problem wasn’t the drinking (wasn’t feeling too hot from Friday…), it was the eating. A meal of delicious roast beef, potatoes, homemade bread, and pie, followed up with a midnight buffet of mini sandwiches, cheese (my favourite food) and cake. Delicious vanilla cake. But I did get my 15 minutes of activity in – on the dance floor! *Disclaimer – I am NOT a good dancer, but I always have fun* There was a great cover band playing hits from Tom Petty, the Hip…but unfortunately no “I’m on a boat” (our crew’s favourite ditty). As I’ve learned from watching So You Think You Can Dance, dancing is GREAT exercise – even in heels. Check out some more health benefits of dancing here.

My wedding date Gordo & I

Mandy, Brian & the wedding party during the ceremony

Sunday consisted of a greasy breakfast with the guys, five hours in a car, and dinner out at Kelsey’s for Father’s Day – and sure, I could have gotten a salad but my dad REALLY wanted spinach dip and onion rings. BUT instead of getting home, vegging and going to bed, I dragged myself up to the gym for a half-hour on the Stairmaster, fulfilling yet another day of #FitIn15. And I have to say it felt really good! Except for the fact that I left my gym bag in Ottawa, so I had to work out in flip flops (which I wouldn’t recommend). I’m getting alternate running shoes from my mom today, so I’ll be back in action in time for my gym session tonight. On the agenda: weights and that jog I’ve been meaning to take since Saturday. Since it’s so beautiful out I may venture outside – though I hate running on busy city streets. 

Speaking of the weather – it’s summer! Today is officially the first day of summer, and I couldn’t be happier. I love EVERYTHING about summer – the heat (bring on the high temps), reading in the sun, cottages, patio lunches, patios in general, sangria, a cold drink on a hot day, sitting around a bonfire, summer dresses, road trips, pool parties, and outdoor concerts (among many, many other things. But I also love exercising outdoors! Tennis, jogging, rollerblading…it’s all great exercise, and it’s a great way to enjoy the nice weather while you can. Check out this article for 6 great ways to get fit outdoors – any of them could help you fulfill your 15 minutes/day quota.

By the way did you hear about the giveaway I’m doing on behalf of the good folks at Fit In 15? Check out this post for more details, and make sure to send me your embarrassing exercise story by tomorrow at midnight.

Share your embarrassing exercise story to win big from Fit in 15! June 22, 2009

So as part of my participation in the Fit In 15 challenge one of my lucky readers will receive a 4GB iPod Shuffle & a $20 iTunes gift card. It was up to me to decide who would receive the giveaway – and I’ve thought of a great way. Everyone has their embarrassing exercise story, and I want to hear them! Did you get distracted jogging and run into a tree? Did you accidentally bike into a parked car? Did you drop a weight on your toe at the gym? Send your embarrassing exercise story to erin_bury@hotmail.com, or leave your story as a comment on this post by midnight tomorrow (Tuesday, June 23rd) for your chance to win. How will I pick the winner? Well I won’t – I don’t want anyone to think I’m biased. So I’m leaving it up to my RedWire colleagues Grant, Naira & Sarah. They’ll work together to narrow it down to the funniest story, who will then win the prize. Oh and just a word of warning – if you send me your story, be prepared that I may publish it on my blog in a roundup of the best stories. And if you’re the winner, I definitely will!

“But Erin, what’s your most embarrassing exercise story?” Oh right. I should probably get the ball rolling – and trust me there are lots.  There was the time my friend Nat said I should “never, ever rollerblade again” after he drove by me in his car. Or the time I rode my bike by the cutest guy in high school wearing the most embarrassing pink helmet (I don’t think I’ve ridden a bike since). Or the time I was skiing and couldn’t stop at the bottom of the hill and slid head first into the lineup dividers (you know, the ones with the black rubber on them?) – I had a bruise on my eyelid for weeks! And of course my most famous exercise/recreational embarrassment – I broke BOTH my legs at the same time while doing the “Superman” on the tire swing when I was in grade 4 (you hang on to the tire and swing your whole body around – my legs hit the pole right across both shins). My friends especially like that one and never cease to tell people when I first meet them.

Now, what’s yours?

Days 2 & 3 of #FitIn15: The curse of the summer road trip June 19, 2009

My favourite cottage road trip photo from last year - thanks Dan

So it’s currently Friday afternoon, and I’m sitting in my condo in my workout gear after just getting back from the gym. This is odd for two reasons – 1, I rarely work out during the day (always in the evening), and 2 because I should be at work, not sitting around blogging and working out. Alas, today’s my lucky day – I have the day off as I have a friend’s wedding to attend in Ottawa so we wanted to get an early start on the road (since I went to Carleton I know the trek well – it’s a long one and even longer in rush hour). Now I LOVE road trips – cottages, concerts, weekends to visit friends…during the summer I’m rarely at home. And I love the trips themselves – laughing in the car with friends, singing along to cheesy ’90’s songs…and stopping to get food at service stations. And when I say “food” I mean “Wendy’s spicy chicken meal.” This is my biggest challenge during the summer – avoiding the junk food trap during road trips, and especially at the destination (have you ever spent a girls weekend at a cottage? There’s more candy and chips than a Bulk Barn). I decided that this weekend in Ottawa is going to be my test. So instead of leisurely sleeping in and watching my PVR’d episodes of Oprah over breakfast, I decided to head up to the gym for a half-hour on the Stairmaster (my favourite cardio machine. What’s that? No one has used a Stairmaster since 1988? I dare you to do a half-hour an level 13). And it was tough to get through! Doing that at 10pm…no problem. I have the fuel from a day’s food to get me through. But doing intense cardio when you’re groggy and have an empty stomach? Let’s just say I’m glad it’s over – but I’m also glad I did it. Now I have my 15+ minutes in for the day – the next challenge is eating. Like I said, this weekend is a test, not only of exercise (who wants to exercise on a road trip? But I will be out jogging tomorrow morning rain or shine, and I’ll take the pics to prove it) but of avoiding the curse of the summer road trip. I’m packing healthy snacks, and bringing food to make where we’re staying (my best friends Mike and James have volunteered to have us for the weekend). Will I cave and have a Wendy’s meal? Stay tuned for my road trip wrap-up on Sunday…

One restaurant in Yorkville (photo from RestaurantsToronto.com)

Jen's birthday dessert

A quick note about yesterday – I ate really well (toast with peanut butter and a nectarine for breakfast, BBQ’d lean turkey burgers and salad for lunch)…for the most part. It’s my good friend Jen’s birthday today, and I can’t make her party tonight due to my journey to Ottawa. So I decided to take her and Kev out for dinner last night – we were going to sit on the Panorama patio, but it was closed for a private function – and two of our other top choices, Sotto Sotto and Spuntini, were fully booked. So we decided to go to One in the Hazelton Hotel. If you’ve never been there One is a pricy, upscale restaurant similar to Mortons where you order a main dish, and the sides separately. Why did we choose to go to a place like this? Well it was a birthday celebration, and you only live once. We had a fabulous meal of tempura onion rings, pasta (mine was ricotta gnudi), and sticky toffee pudding (I sneakily pre-ordered the dessert with “Happy Birthday Jen” written in chocolate). Sounds like a lot, but I made sure to only have a couple bites of the appetizer/dessert and ordered the lightest pasta. Oh, and no cocktails, which often adds the majority of calories. I highly, highly recommend the restaurant for a special occasion – but I DON’T recommend an intense workout after a rich meal like that – which is why Kev and I decided to walk home (from Yorkville to Queen West) for my FitIn15 exercise of the day. It was a lovely night out, and I love seeing the city at night – so it was a perfect way to finish the day. Here are some photos of the walk…

Me walking home...I know, it's cheesy.

 

The Toronto skyline on the walk home

 

Also, if you’re having trouble getting started on your own Fit In 15 challenge consider some of these tips from the Fit In 15 website:

• Have a distraction – I always listen to music – always. Especially when running
• Grab a buddy – I prefer to work out in the gym alone, but I like jogging with a buddy
• Pick a specific time of day – unless there are extenuating circumstances like today and tomorrow I always work out at night
• Try not to miss a day – if you make it a habit in your life it will become as routine as brushing your teeth (this is what I’m hoping to do)
• Change up your program – I like to do a mix of weight machines, free weights, spinning, jogging, cardio machines, Pilates, etc – but you can always try new, fun sports like squash, tennis, rollerblading, etc. How do you mix up your program?

So until Sunday…oh and Happy Birthday Jen!