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Fed-up with stories

Share the goods.

Multiple coworkers pose for a selfie at work.

That is it, it’s decided. Innovation is dead. We are now living in a world where everyone copies everyone else and then launches it as a new, never been done before feature. Hell, they’re so lazy they don’t even bother calling it anything different.
We’re talking about Instagram Stories, Snapchat Stories and now Facebook Stories. We don’t know how many stories your brand has to tell, but repurposing them for all these networks is a full-time job. No one has time for that.
Social Media Examiner says this about the newest in the stories replica, Facebook Stories. “Facebook Stories brings a new video format to Facebook that closely resembles Instagram Stories.”
Closely resembles? They are exactly the same!
Let’s compare, shall we?

  1. Filters, filters, filters. All of them have filters that can turn you into a duck, superhero, princess, frog…you name it. Seems relevant for companies.
  2. Wait, where did it go? They all disappear after a certain amount of time. Great, I didn’t want to remember that anyways.
  3. Videos or photos. Whatever you feel like sharing. A photo of yourself, covered in emojis? No problem – we got that.
  4. Swipe it. Just keep swiping to see all the super awesome photos and videos others have posted. It never gets boring!

Now, don’t get us wrong. Depending on your company’s target audience demographic, Stories could be a legit marketing tool. As with all marketing, it has to make sense for your company and the return has to be there.
As for you Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat (not so much you, I mean you invented it and everyone copied), start producing features that are great tools instead of just ripping off someone else’s great idea.
Looking for an idea? How about podcasting – make it easy for companies to integrate podcasts into their pages or to launch them through Facebook. Go ahead – you can steal the idea from us.

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FUN FACT FRIDAY: It’s only fitting for us to own a building where a trailblazing female operated her businesses in 1906. The Phillips family represented one of the longest-running retail tenures in Grand Rapids history; L.E. Phillips Jewelry in the 1365 Plainfield Ave. building from 1906 until 1973. 
Dr. Eva Phillips, a certified and licensed optometrist ran her practice out of the jewelry store’s secondary parlor and was an equal partner in the jewelry store. 

Together, they offered a unique one-stop shot which expanded to include appliances, record players, and more. The couple operated the shop through two World Wars and the Great Depression, acting as the neighborhood matriarch and patriarch. 

@crestongr @crestoncorridor @crestongrandrapids @citygrandrapids @grandrapidspubliclibrary
Have you tuned into The Happy Hour Hustle Podcast yet?
If not, a) you’re missing out and b) you need to follow immediately. Hosted by @bodespeaks, episodes drop every other week, and feature some pretty bada$$ guests if we do say so ourselves.

This week, Kim sits down with @kelsey_orchard , VP of Marketing and Communications at @fifthwheelfreight to chat building a personal brand, Gen Z entering the workforce, misconceptions about logistics, spotting fake LinkedIn profiles – oh and why your GPA doesn’t matter anymore.

Grab a watermelon margarita, sit back and enjoy for lots of laughs and real talk.

Listen now at the link in bio.
National Perimenopause Month starts today. We have a LOT to say, and we’re not going to be quiet about it, especially this month, so buckle up.

We were not prepared for perimenopause, much like our periods, sex, or anything else to do with our bodies. God forbid we talk about it openly.

We were taught to be ashamed, keep quiet, and to accept that it is just part of being a woman. We reject that narrative. In fact, like @bodespeaks, we want to bring it up in every conversation. 

When we normalize perimenopause and the conversation around it, we stop isolating, and we’re all more prepared.
Join us for Uncomfortable Conversations: The Pause on September 24th — a powerful conversation hosted alongside the @smallbusinessassocofmichigan 
Women’s Business Council, featuring some kicka$$ experts who will give you the real talk on perimenopause (more to come on them later).

Register at the link in bio.
You asked, we delivered.

Introducing the Women's Owners Network - a new program built for what comes first, joining our proven Fellowship model to support Michigan women at every stage of business ownership.

Whether you've got a team of 10 or it's just you and your laptop, you deserve a room full of women who get it.

Six months of leadership, finance, operations, capital access, paired with real support for the isolation, emotional volatility, and decision fatigue that come with owning your own business.

You'll have your own board of directors in your corner, including @bodespeaks plus a group of mentors, instructors, and coaches who've been exactly where you are.

Applications due October 1. Apply now at the link in bio.
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