She plays, we win
Posted: March 13, 2016 Filed under: Exhort, Inspire | Tags: children, dreams, Excellent, goals 1 Comment
This is the title of a photography project by Christin Rose. In it she photographs, beautifully, teenage and pre-teen girls who are competitive sports players.
In a set of 10 photos shown on the ESPN site, the average age is not quite 13 years. But the words these girls have spoken about how their sport makes them feel, come from a confidence that is much more mature. Read the rest of this entry »
What can I learn from this?
Posted: February 7, 2016 Filed under: Exhort | Tags: aspirations, children, dreams, goals, learning Leave a comment
Matt Nippert, writing for the NZ Herald about Kiwi business prodigy, Jamie Beaton, quotes Jamie’s mum, Paula: “Sometimes I wonder if I actually gave birth to him; there’s times I see him as a mother, and other times I’m just in disbelief.”
Jamie Beaton is currently studying at Harvard University, and is head of his own education-related company, now valued on paper at US$60 million. He also moonlights for Tiger Management. He is only 20 years old. Read the rest of this entry »
We can all inspire
Posted: January 30, 2016 Filed under: Exhort | Tags: Praiseworthy Leave a comment
A Christchurch schoolboy whose gritty determination to defeat cancer inspired many, has just named those who impacted him most during his successful treatment.
There are the normal people you would expect in such a list: family, friends, his school, medical staff, blood donors, strangers who wrote encouraging messages after hearing his story.
He also mentions a nurse who encouraged him to get out of his sick bed and deliver his head boy’s speech at the school’s prizegiving. But there is one on Jake Bailey’s list less likely to be mentioned by most. Read the rest of this entry »
The bus inspector who put the ‘merry’ in Christmas
Posted: February 9, 2015 Filed under: Inspire | Tags: children, inspire Leave a comment
The Eastern Courier of 6 February 2015 tells the story of a boy who woke on Christmas Day to find that a piece of his new and treasured Lego set was missing. His mum rang the bus company the family had travelled with the previous day. She doubted the small piece would be found, but her son was so distraught she thought it was worth a try. As it turns out, it was. Read the rest of this entry »
Don’t miss repeat business
Posted: April 8, 2014 Filed under: Persuade | Tags: Commendable Leave a commentA simple step to keep customers coming back
I found out in the weekend that my car’s warrant of fitness (WOF) had expired. I never remember to check, and it was my husband who pointed it out.
The amusing thing is, is that he works for the company that does my WOF checks. While he remembered my car needed to be brought in again, the company had failed to remind me. Bad move. Read the rest of this entry »
The demise of kindness
Posted: February 24, 2014 Filed under: Persuade | Tags: Commendable Leave a commentIs doing good bad?
Two young Canadian men recently started a social media challenge, daring their friends to acts of kindness. All well and good. But the comment of one of them brought me up short.
Russell Citron, who has a non-profit organisation called Kindness Counts is reported as saying this:
“I think that society views kindness as a very passive concept. There’s some attitude toward being kind now that it’s not the cool thing to do. It’s not fun. But in order to really make an impact and get people talking at their dinner tables, you have to be creative and unconventional in the way you address kindness.”
Well, I don’t disagree with the concept of the second part of his statement – creativity certainly helps when promoting discussion and action around social issues. However, when did kindness become uncool? And if it is off-trend, then why?
What do you think?
Quilts for Kids
Posted: February 19, 2014 Filed under: Inspire | Tags: Commendable, Praiseworthy 2 Comments
When she couldn’t bear the thought of a pile of fabric scraps going to the tip, Linda Arye wondered “What if…”
What if she could find some willing volunteers to turn the piles of material into quilts for children who needed some comfort? Her nearest and dearest thought she was dreaming. Who would spend hours creating a work of art just to give it away to someone they didn’t even know?
Linda’s detractors didn’t realise who they were dealing with. Quilters seem to have a reputation for being serial gifters. One person has called them the ‘best slices of society’ for precisely that reason – typically they will give away three out of every four quilting projects on which they work.
It was just that generous-hearted attitude that has transformed Linda’s brilliant idea for recycling into an international charity called Quilts for Kids. About 13 years old now, it has 96 chapters in the USA, Canada and the Bahamas. Volunteers sew the quilts, which are given away to sick and abused children in those countries and also further afield.
It just goes to show what can happen when you ask “What if…” rather than “So what…?”
It’s not easy being blue…
Posted: February 18, 2014 Filed under: Inspire | Tags: Commendable, Lovely, Noble, Praiseworthy Leave a comment…but I like it!
Well done to Marilyn Paston, a boss who is prepared to give people a go. When looking for someone to work alongside people with disabilities, Paston was impressed with a young woman candidate. The 19-year-old job-seeker exuded self-confidence and cheerfulness, qualities you’d think would be useful in any work environment. But Paston seems to have been the only one in a long line of prospective employers who saw the young woman’s potential. Read the rest of this entry »
Angela’s Aprons
Posted: November 11, 2013 Filed under: Inspire | Tags: Commendable Leave a commentNot all women go into business out of choice. For some it is a matter of survival.
Angela Archer
When her husband’s new consultancy business took a dive during the 2008 economic downturn, Angela Archer looked for a way to supplement family finances. As a full-time homemaker since leaving school, she had no formal qualifications. A back problem ruled out standing for hours in a retail situation. That’s when her idea of a home-based business sewing and selling aprons was born. Read the rest of this entry »
The reasoning for the seasoning
Posted: November 6, 2013 Filed under: Persuade | Tags: Excellent Leave a commentWhy salt is good for the heart
I went to a funeral in the weekend, a very sad one. My cousin’s daughter, in her mid 30s and mum to three young boys, had lost her long battle with cancer. The service, held outdoors in the strong Spring sunshine and within earshot of the lapping tide, was part farewell and part celebration. The celebration of a life lived with salt. Read the rest of this entry »
Exhort Communication 