It’s that time of year again…

Libretto Communications is gearing up for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s annual Light The Night Walk.  For the Kansas City contingent, the walk will be held on Friday evening, September 24 at Corporate Woods in Overland Park, Kansas.  This marks Libretto’s second year as a corporate sponsor of the event and we’ve set $2,000 as our team fundraising goal.

This event, and overall organization, has personal meaning for our family since Donna is an ALL survivor. At 2 1/2 years old, Donna was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) and was aggressively treated for several years with chemotherapy. The outcome was superb and she has been in remission for more than 25 years.

So, as a family and a small business owner, we continue to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Light the Night. This marks our second year as a corporate sponsor of the Kansas City-based event and we are encouraging our families, colleagues and clients to show their support for such a worthy cause. Please donate to Team Libretto and make a difference for those battling cancer and their families that fight along side them.

If it seems we are a bit early this year in our efforts, it’s only because we have a great incentive for our donors.  From now until May 31, if Team Libretto raises more than $100, the highest donor will receive a free movie pass.

Donations can be made online on our team fundraising site: Team Libretto or mailed to Team Libretto’s Headquarters. We will be keeping you all updated on our progress as our fundraising shifts into high gear and the walk date gets closer.

Thank you for your support!

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No Comments by Donna on May 18, 2010
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And the winner is…

Members of Team Libretto were on hand to receive a Bronze Quill Award of Merit on Friday, May 7 at the Clubhouse on Baltimore in downtown Kansas City.

Lots of big companies were also highlighted: Cerner, Hallmark, Black & Veatch, J.P. Morgan, Fleishman Hillard, just to name a few. But very few small businesses and women-owned PR firms were on hand to receive a Bronze Quill.  In the crowd of more than 100 attendees, there were probably just a hand full of small business owners, Libretto Communications being one.  So, we’re marking this achievement as the first of many for Libretto Communications with the hopes that one day, we will be the “Big Dogs” that clean up at these award shindigs.

Thank you to all of our supporters!

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No Comments by Donna on May 11, 2010
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Award Winning

Well, it’s official, Libretto Communications is now award winning and proud of it.  Libretto is a recipient of a KC/IABC 2010 Bronze Quill Award for our work with the Town of Babylon, NY.  This is a big kudos to all small businesses out there that YES we can compete with the larger corporations that have lots of staff and bigger budgets. And YES we can do it on time and within budget. And YES we can still make a difference in the lives of our clients.

We are going to be at the Awards Ceremony with bells on and big smiles as we accept our first award since opening up shop in 2006.  If you’d like to join us, send me an email at donna@librettocommunications.com or visit the KC/IABC website for reservation information.

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No Comments by Donna on April 13, 2010
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The “Mommy Mafia”

I just ran across this article on CNN.com and have to share it.  It seems so timely as I experienced a “mommy mafia” moment yesterday at the park…and I was the guilty one. Author Jen Klein defines Mommy Mafia as the “enforcers of local social structures and norms and judgers of all who dare to do things differently…and it can be brutal”.  The full article is online: Mommy Mafia

I am constantly on edge that I am being judged by “the mafia” as I look down at my oatmeal-clad shirt, too-pale legs and redo my Mommy ponytail for the 100th time.  Not only am I wary of others’ judging eyes, I question my own actions as I quickly glance at my iPhone to check an email or Ping while my kids are playing on the playground. This clearly is NOT being in the moment…bad mommy.  It seems that I am my own “mommy mafia”.

Jen hit a homer when she wrote that the mommy mafia is just a perception and it’s the enforcers (Moms) that are real…real with every flaw and spec of food on our clothes.  The basis on which Moms enforce is the myth: “the myth of the perfect mom, something none of us will attain”.

So, we all parent differently and that’s ok…we have different kids with different personalities.  Different Strokes for Different Folks, right? Imagine if we all stopped judging each other and ourselves how much more time we would have…and less baggage to carry.

Jen also has a book out about us Moms and I am running out to get it: The Mommy Files: Secrets Every New Mom Should Know

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No Comments by Donna on April 13, 2010
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The “Mom” Spring Break

I’ve been a slacker in my writing lately because I’ve been on SPRING BREAK. Wahoo!  Soaking up the sun, sipping my umbrella-strewn fruity drinks, not a care in the world…and then, I woke up to the reality of spring break with little kids.

Being a “Mompreneur” gives me a somewhat flexible schedule as far as balancing my home and work life. The translation of that for spring break means work gets done during nap time and after bath and bedtime.

My oldest son has been on spring break so we decided to take that opportunity to do fun things around KC. I also decided that the youngest Mandelbaum could still go to his school for a few days while I spend some quality time with my almost 5-year old who’s about to enter Kindergarten.  Yikes.

The weather has been phenomenal and we’ve been around, let me tell you. It all started at Wonderscope, KC’s Children’s Museum, which quickly led to at least five trips to various playgrounds and parks (and still counting), a dental cleaning (the oldest Mandelbaum boy LOVES the dentist), a lunch date, painting/finger painting projects, hours of basketball games on the driveway, numerous trips to the grocery store (kids love those lil shopping carts), walks, bird feeder projects…and we still have two more days to go.  Today consists of Easter Egg Hunt #1 (there will be three this year), and probably another trip to the playground.  All of this while trying to complete my recertification process for WBE/DBE status (arduous task) and create some party invitations that should not have stressed me out as much as they did.

Keeping up with these boys is exhausting, but I am trying to relish every moment.  I really tried to live in the moment(s) on Tuesday and soak up all my son’s goodness and exhilaration.  He is an amazing person, and not just because he’s mine, and I love to watch him learn EVERYTHING.  April is a big month for us: The oldest Mandelbaum boy turns 5 (yikes) and he attends Kindergarten Roundup, which means he’s going to Kindergarten this year…a fact that is truly hard for me to imagine as he was just born…5 years ago.

As I watched him sleep last night, one glance showed me his face as it was as a baby…then he snored, smacked his lips and tossed around and that baby face turned into a little boy’s face.  He’s starting to read, he can count way beyond 100, he can dunk and he starts his third season of soccer this month…and I am in awe of him.  Though life is a busy whirlwind and I would love to take a spring break trip to a white, sandy beach somewhere, I am still very grateful for my “Mom” Spring Break that allows me a  ”time out” to breathe in their lives and take those everyday moments with my boys.

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No Comments by Donna on April 1, 2010
filed in Family Life

The Juggling Act

Today was a busy, busy work day with many balls in the air so I thought I’d take time out of my busy day to blog about my busy day. Of course.

As a “Mompreneur”, I am both CEO of Libretto Communications and of this household.  And since the corporate HQ is located in my house, I multi-task like a banshee.  Part of this blog is to render readers awestruck by my many talents of juggling, multi-tasking and balance.  I am not claiming to be inspirational in any way, I just want to be thought of as “awesome” and produce a wow-factor every now and then.  I’m not asking for much. Really.

So, on to my designated “work day.”  Luckily, today was a day of no “outside” meetings but full of conference calls/meetings with out-of-town clients.  After dropping off both Mandelbaum boys at their designated institutions of knowledge, I race back to HQ to prep for a conference call with a client.  It should be noted here that my schedule is available for my “secretary” to read at all hours of the day YET my “secretary” still plans a delivery to the house to occur during prime conference call hours. Fine, whatever, I’ll figure it out.  Me and my iPhone will work it out somehow.

So, conference call #1. Conversation is flowing, action items are being discussed…then the house phone rings, the answering machine picks up and the door bell rings. Mattress calling/arriving and the CEO running down the stairs. Hurry, where is that mute button…

“Yes, yes…I can do that. Sure, no problem…review the information to see where it best fits…sure”

Mute.

“Hello. Hi. Yes, please bring that mattress upstairs. Yes, box spring upstairs too.”

Unmute.

“Uh-huh.  Sure. That will work.”

Mute.

“Oh, sign here.  Oh, fill out this survey.  Oh, I get mints too? Gee, thanks. Ok, thank you.  Have a nice day.  Oh, I forgot to sign on the back? Ok. Here. Thanks”

Unmute.

“Ok, so you’ll review what we have thus far and see which departments require more data? Ok, sounds good.”

Door closes and the commute back to HQ commences…and no one was the wiser, I think.

The rest of the day consisted of two more conference calls, a delivery of a bed for boy #2, reheated lunch at the desk, work (let’s not forget those gigs that pay the bills), web updates and some much-needed venting. And all before Mom’s Taxi gets back on the road to pick up kids, groceries and head back to HQ to make dinner and assemble a new bed. Luckily my  ”secretary” knows his way around a tool belt and will be moonlighting as Schneider building that new bed after his long day at the office/work site.

And tomorrow it starts all over again…

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No Comments by Donna on March 24, 2010
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Foursquare: Another Player in the Social Media Circus

So I recently read several blogs/articles about another player in the social media realm: Foursquare.  Foursquare is a social city-guide combined with a game, housed on your cell phone/mobile device, that allows users to keep up with the places they and their friends visit.  It also encourages users to discover new places, groups, businesses, communities, etc., by setting it in a fun and competitive-type of atmosphere, i.e. “game like”. Check them out online Foursquare.com.

In addition to regular users and businesses, a lot of advocacy groups are using foursquare  for campaigns, issues, and to elicit more supporters.  It seems to be a quick way to mobilize groups of people around a cause or event as well.

This is one example of how campaigns have been rallying supporters using foursquare: More Foursquare for Advocacy

Libretto has not used this technology yet for its public involvement activities or campaigns but it is something to keep an eye on. We are interested in hearing from anyone who has used foursquare and if it has longevity in the social media circus.

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No Comments by Donna on March 24, 2010
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Bring Google to KC

Hello, Kansas City! What a great, sunshiny day.

I recently attended the KCMO Committee meeting over at the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and learned more about the regional efforts to bring Google’s new “ultra-high speed” fiber network to the Kansas City metro area.  Google is planning to launch an experiment that will make Internet access better and faster for everyone. They will test ultra-high speed broadband networks in one or more trial locations across the country. Networks will deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today, over 1 gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections.

There are a lot of big supporters of this effort, including, but not limited to:

  • The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
  • The City of Kansas City, MO (Administration and Elected Officials)
  • The Kansas City, Missouri School Board
  • UMKC
  • The Economic Development Corporation
  • The Kansas City Area Development Council
  • Congressman Emanuel Cleaver

Social media is leading the way in spreading the word about the contest, which makes sense.  The deadline for communities to apply to be a trial site for Google’s ultra-high speed broadband is THIS FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2010.

So, what can you do to lend your support?

  • Nominate KC at Google’s Site: Google Kansas City.
  • Sign KC’s petition and see who’s supporting the cause, which is found online at Google Kansas City
  • Join the Facebook Fan Page – and invite your friends to join the fan page.
  • Follow updates on Twitter – Google KC – and retweet the tweets.
  • Post a YouTube video telling Google how you would use a one gigabit per second internet connection.
  • Include these links in your blog.
  • Tell Google Kansas City how this ultra-speed broadband would benefit you, your family, your school, your small business…whatever the case.

Let’s get some positive news going for Kansas City and stop headlining nation-wide with stories about our broken school district and dysfunctional Mayor.

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1 Comment by Donna on March 23, 2010
filed in News, Work Life

Media lists for the small biz

Thank you, social media.  This is a great post about how anyone can build a customized media list with out the big bucks. Just a little elbow grease on the keyboard and Father Time on your hands, and any Mompreneur can do it.

Thank you, Journalistics, for the great tips.

How to Build a Media List for Free

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No Comments by Donna on March 22, 2010
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Mompreneur

As I was tooling around town today dropping off, picking up, running circles and brainstorming on work, the term “Mompreneur” slowly formed in my consciousness.  That’s what I am and I know there are tons of Mompreneurs out there breaking ground and making dinner at the same time.  I then googled that term and found this great online column “Mompreneur” by Entrepreneur Magazine.  It’s a great read with helpful advice.

Moms Are Great Businesswomen – Entrepreneur.com

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No Comments by Donna on March 18, 2010
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Creating the words and stage directions for effective community engagement.