BLOG

My first job was working at a hair salon for blue-haired old ladies when I was 14 years old.  My job included washing and folding towels, helping customers in from their cars, and carefully covering their ears and hairline with a protective layer of cotton before placing them under a dryer to roast.  Most people would think that spending the summer surrounded by women older than my grandmother while my friends were spending endless days lounging by the pool talking about boys would be sheer torture, but not me.  I found these women fascinating!  After all, they had lived! Tales of the Great Depression, Kennedy’s assassination, and the Civil Rights movement were spinning in my head every day. But it was more than that. I read about all of these landmark events in history class.  The real stories were about how these monumental events shaped their everyday lives.  I learned of victory gardens and the personal decisions to treat people with dignity in the face of danger and alienation.  I saw how someone who did without as a child appreciates all that she has some 50+ years later and is quick to share with others as others had done with her.  I saw in the eyes of these women that a dream doesn’t die with an individual person but lives within all of us.  I saw passion, resilience, conviction, and a quiet strength.  I saw teachers who were willing to accept me as their pupil and I consider myself fortunate to have had one short summer to learn from these masters. When 2 Places At 1 Time, Inc. wass celebrating its 20-year anniversary, I  paid homage to the lessons learned from the past.  To do so, I propose that

When Americans’ work-life balance is disrupted, families bear the brunt, according to the StrategyOne 2010 survey of 1,043 Americans; however, most report that family is of greatest importance to us.  Think about your day to day life.  What responsibilities do you put off when you are short on time?  Do you find yourself having to decide whether to take your car for that much needed oil change or eat lunch?  How about the common American dinner time dilemma of opting for take-out as the only means of fitting in both a meal and time to help the children with homework?  How often do you find yourself short on time….weekly or daily?  It happens to all of us.  Although there isn’t a cure, there are several small things that you can do to lessen the frequency of these time-crunched frenzies. The first thing is to be realistic about what is really reasonable to accomplish in a given day.  Stop saying to yourself, “If only I could get my work done quicker, if I didn’t get stuck in traffic or in a line at the grocery store...”  These obstacles are out of our control and ever present in our lives.  Second, plan for the busy week ahead.  This is the very reason Rachel Ray’s new show “Cook 1 Day, Eat for 5” even exists!  If you can find a block of time, it is more efficient to shop for the entire week at once and spend 2 hours prepping the week’s ingredients.  During my 2 year olds Saturday nap, you can usually find me in the kitchen creating homemade marinades, prepping meat and chopping vegetables to be thrown into steamers or salads throughout the week.  However, the

WASHINGTON D.C., December 15, 2010 -- Andrea Arena has been selected for the 2010 Outstanding Leadership Recognition Award by the U.S. Leaders and Entrepreneur’s Association (USLEA). The USLEA Award Program recognizes highly regarded individuals and companies throughout the country that we believe have demonstrated leadership and admirable drive in 2009. Each year, the USLEA identifies companies and individuals that have confirmed autonomy and leadership skills such as courage, determination, a will to succeed, and have earned respect through aptitude, competence, and fair and honest dealings with coworkers, customers and business relationships. Recipients of these awards lead by example, and enhance the positive image of entrepreneurs, self‐reliant individuals, and small businesses which will once again prove to be the moving engine that will allow recovery from these tough economic times. The USLEA locates outstanding leaders in various fields, with help from third‐parties and through its own extensive research, and recognizes them with these distinctive awards. The USLEA understands what leaders and entrepreneurs signify for the country, and it is their determination and drive that we are most in need of. About U.S. Leaders and Entrepreneur’s Association (USLEA) U.S. Leaders and Entrepreneur’s Association (USLEA) is a New York, N.Y. based organization funded by individuals across America who wish to share a voice for small businesses and thriving individuals that are taking risks and making individual efforts to find success through hard work and honest dealings. The purpose of USLEA is to promote small business, to provide tools, share a voice for legislation towards small business in the country, and encourage thriving individuals who deserve recognition to continue their efforts to be successful. Our mission is to support leaders and entrepreneurs across America. SOURCE: U.S. Leaders and Entrepreneur’s