Happy New Year – What This Is Not

by admin on December 30, 2009

in Featured Article

Please be advised that THIS IS NOT a year-end appeal for a donation; a huge, last chance discount on one of our products; a veiled attempt to get you to call us; or a cutesy, tongue-in-cheek special for any of our services.  

This is our outright, blatant, in-your- face statement of thanks! 

Wow!  What year!!!!  2009 held some serious challenges for growing business yet presented a huge opportunity for change!  We are proud to still be a part of the global business community.  We’ve been studying the Law of Attraction and are beginning to feel a shift in the way we think and respond to things in life and in business.  As a result of our studies and continued desire for knowledge, we’re noticing a significant amount of accomplishment and growth this year AND we’re grateful!  We believe that 2010 promises to be even better! 

Whether you utilized us as a service provider, referred business to us because you view us as an ethical organization, or acted as a supportive sounding board for new ideas; your interaction with us is recognized, noted and very much appreciated. 

2009 in Review: Accomplishment & Success Highlights


At the beginning of the year DAMIEN LAMAR (aka Damien Robinson, Managing Partner) released his second album entitled “:/waiting_” through Motipure Music & Media, a division of  CIME4enterprises. The album is available through major on-line digital distributors like iTunes, Rhapsody and Amazon.com.

Early in the year we also created an alliance with the Small Business Development Center and identified areas of need within the community.  Social Media and Social Networking were the “buzz phrases” happening all over town without much clarity.  Newmediajax; a new division of our company was launched to help businesses and entrepreneurs become educated and avail themselves of the benefits that social media may provide.

In June we launched “Jack & the Social Media Beanstalk: 10 Magic Beans to Enhance Your Business”.  Over 50 business owners and entrepreneurs attended the breakfast workshop to gain insight on how to successfully use social media for their organizations.  As of result of that first seminar, we contacted Bryan Person, Founder of Social Media Breakfast and expressed the desire to bring his successful growing model to Jacksonville, Florida.  At the time, there were already over 36 cities around the nation and one in Singapore, that organized and held monthly or quarterly breakfast meetings which bring education and social media awareness to their local communities. The next offering will be on January 8, 2010 at HQ Connect and we  invite all interested parties to attend.

In the coming year, we plan on creating several inter-disciplinary partnerships and collaborations in Jacksonville in an effort to cast a wider net.   There has been an exponential amount of social media awareness globally in the past year, and as one of the premiere providers of social media services in Florida, we wanted to be an agent of change by bringing that same global awareness to our own backyard.

As always, we sought to assist our clients with what THEY saw as their needs.    We have some highlights of which we are quite proud AND our clients are VERY HAPPY!

We created a new business identity with a website re-design for an established Jacksonville-based Healing Arts Center who desired to update their image.  Additionally, they sought a solution for on-line appointment setting and personnel management.  We found a software solution that met their needs and accomplished so much more! And we saved them $$$.

We consulted with No Frills Dance and created a social media campaign to maximize their exposure to potential clients seeking personalized alternatives to a wide spectrum of dance instruction.

We assisted Project Chance, a not-for-profit agency dedicated to raising and placing assistance dogs with children with Autism, in achieving their goal of being able to accept donations on-line via their website.  Also, in an effort to create greater public awareness, they engaged in a social media campaign which reached an entirely new audience and garnered national recognition.

In addition, as Ambassadors of the University Club of Jacksonville, we were able to sponsor this deserving agency at a Cocktails For A Cause fund-raising evening where $1,700 in “tip-jar” money was raised!

Goals and Plans for 2010

We plan on creating more great websites and plan on helping more clients launch successful social media and email campaigns throughout the year.

We are in the process of expanding our Green4wellness division in Southwest, Florida, which concentrates on providing a “green” renewal income stream for businesses and entrepreneurs and intend on broadening our reach nationwide in the coming months.

We intend to become more involved in the Not-For-Profit sector by helping grass-roots organizations create awareness and change within this city and throughout the nation by mounting consciousness raising fund-raising programs, effective event planning and targeted  literacy programs.

We plan to: expand the video/media aspect of our business to include PAC endeavors and entertainment; triple our company sales efforts from last year; launch a directory endeavor; cultivate new client relationships to ensure their success in the marketplace; and develop more in-house websites and blogs.

We already have scheduled the sponsorship of two Not-for-Profit agencies for Cocktails for a Cause in 2010 and know that those efforts will be appreciated.

We’re optimistic about what the year ahead will bring and we’re geared up for the challenge!!

2010 looks quite positive from where we sit!  We know there will be lots of work involved, new found partnerships and friendships, strengthened relationships and as always . . . many surprises.  We are excited at the prospect of new beginnings and we hope you are too!

May you have a safe and joyous New Year!

All the best,
Sheryl & Damien

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New Year’s Office Hours and 2010 Holidays

by admin on December 29, 2009

in Featured Article

Just a reminder, our offices will be closed Thursday and Friday (December 31st and January 1st) for New Year’s.  Stay tuned for our end of the year newsletter. May you and yours have a wondrous and prosperous New Year.

2010 is destined to be great for us all!

CIME4enteprises will be observing the following Holidays in 2010.

New Years Day – Friday January 1
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – Monday January 18
Memorial Day – Monday May 31
Independence Day – Monday July 5
Labor Day – Monday September 6
Veterans Day – Thursday November 11
Thanksgiving Day – Thursday and Friday November 25 and 26
Christmas Holiday – (Christmas Eve) Friday December 24
New Year’s Eve – Friday December 30

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Happy Chrismahanaquanzayule!

by admin on December 23, 2009

in Featured Article

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No Surprises!

by sr on December 8, 2009

in Featured Article

President Harry Truman use to have a sign on his desk that read: “The Buck Stops Here”.  No one questioned what it meant.  The implications were clear for all to see.  He was the decision maker for the nation and regardless of what decision he needed to make on any given subject, it was his charge to be aware of all aspects of a question and take responsibility.  That concept came with huge tasks and burdens, however, it also provided accolades for a job well done and the gratitude of an entire nation when matters turned out well.

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The saying “the buck stops here” derives from the slang expression “pass the buck” which means passing the responsibility on to someone else. The latter expression is said to have originated with the game of poker, in which a marker or counter, frequently in frontier days a knife with a buckhorn handle, was used to indicate the person whose turn it was to deal. If the player did not wish to deal he could pass the responsibility by passing the “buck,” as the counter came to be called, to the next player.

Mitford M. Mathews, ed., A Dictionary of Americanisms on Historical Principles (Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1951), I, pages 198-199.

Given the way in which our society is currently spinning, some of those slower, more simple truths seem to elude us. Taking responsibility for both the good and the bad seems to have been left back in another time. That ideal spoke to a consciousness that when people gave you their word, whether personally or in business, it was binding. It meant something of value. It meant that their business was being judged on, not only what they did, but also by who they were as people. Businesses gave credit to people and other businesses and bills got paid. How you conducted yourself in business was a reflection of how you conducted yourself in the community. And it mattered. You knew where the buck stopped.

It appears that education lies at the root of understanding this concept. Whether that education is merely passing information succinctly from one person to another, or it requires a formal structure for the dissemination of a paradigm shift . . . education is key.

Delegation of job tasks has historically been the sign of a company being progressive, solid and understanding the value of its team players. By empowering individuals within an organization with autonomous decisions, they are being vested in charting the course of the company. While this is an extremely positive aspect of business building, there may be a downside. Delegation of authority without appropriate education to higher ups may exacerbate difficult situations when not fully realized. It becomes the responsibility of the delegated individual to provide astute snapshot views; while the CEO or business owner must ultimately be responsible for acquiring sufficient knowledge to understand any situation that presents itself. Support to the delegated person must be bestowed in an effort of good faith and team building.

In today’s marketplace and current economic climate you can not “pass the buck” without extensive ramifications. The fact of the matter remains, that even subtle changes may alter the perception of the business by the public or be perceived differently by the internal personnel. At the eleventh hour of any situation, it becomes inappropriate for any leader to feign ignorance.

All too often in business today, the velocity of execution for a project or product sometimes does not allow for a sufficient internal learning curve. Nor does it constitute a complete understanding of the work that actually happens in order to accomplish the objectives. The responsibility of some of the decision-making may be assigned to specific personnel who are more knowledgeable in unique areas of expertise than the business manager, senior staff or even the CEO. This is best illustrated within the arena of internet solutions, marketing systems and social media; where companies are scrambling at breakneck speed to keep pace with their competition. They may even be utilizing outside sources to accomplish their goals. Unfortunately, by implementing a course of action quickly, an information saturation point may be lost. There is no room available for grasping the comprehensive value of what was actually executed and delivered.

As businesses grow and try new ideas, they must also remember to retain some time honored practices that bespeak good business. Know your audience. Conduct a feasibility study in advance of launching any new endeavor. Social networking is the new “party-line” of today’s technology. Use it and learn from it. It is taking us back to reconnecting with each other on a personal level and it works. It brings a sense of personal involvement back to business.

When all is said and done, regardless of whether a project, product or situation is a stellar success or needs to be revamped and examined as simply a learning exercise; it is incumbent upon the decision-maker to be aware of all aspects of the process, be prepared to honor the company’s commitments and make sure there are no surprises!

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Field Of Dreams

by sr on October 25, 2009

in Featured Article

Field of Dreams

Education is the key.  It is key to accepting new ideas, trusting in the people you hire to do work for you and it is pivotal to understanding how to move your business forward in previously unknown areas. Without education or the commitment to devote appropriate time for a willingness to learn;  you have ignorance, distrust and a perpetual state of  misunderstanding that creates chaos.

Education allows you to have realistic expectations for your end goals.  It also perpetuates open  lines of communication with service or product providers.  When you have a basic comprehension of the standard operating procedures for the products and services your vendors provide, which may have otherwise been foreign to you; then their processes, language and timelines are no longer issues.

When businesses fail to be coachable in specific areas that are unfamiliar to them, false levels of perceived success or achievement may be defined.  You are then left with a vision that is as permanent as an oasis in the desert. It is is seemingly concrete and there in front of you one minute and gone the next.  It sustains itself with miscommunication and unrealistic expectations.  And finally, it results in something that simply isn’t there and confrontation may arise.

This malady has never been as evident as it is currently in the small business  world, especially as it pertains to the web, social media and SEO development.  Somehow misguided companies are imagining that they are vying for the same type of  results, regardless of whether they have an understanding of the rules of the game or they are just stepping onto the field for the first time.   They have been lulled into a state of false euphoria by the media and the slick marketeers; believing that if  they show up to play, they are in the same ball field as the “Major League” players.  It simply isn’t true.  Saturation ability, budgets and diversity of placement all play a demonstrative role.

Can a small business make a huge impact on the web and their see an increase in overall business?  With over 6.7 billion internet users worldwide, according to Nielsen NetRatings, they absolutely can!  But with 156 million websites currently residing on the web and with thousands being launched daily;  how could anyone really believe that if you simply build a site, or show up to play the game . . .they will come.  They . . .being the customers.  It takes a greater understanding of the process and strategic planning and collateral marketing to make the process congeal.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a must in today’s Internet environment and the awareness it brings to any given site, is made up of multiple factors. Without it, the most comprehensive website is merely a pretty picture on the web.   How long you have had your domain name; how often you change your content information, images and key words; how readily accessible you are to common language; and who your competition is; are all merely a few of the factors that make up a part of a very complex equation.

It takes a maturation process to achieve results in any business.  And on the Internet it is no different.  In the South, they call it “weathering”.   Your website must “weather” the storms of people wondering: (1) where have you come from, (2) whether you’ll be in business next year, (3) who has worked with you, (4) who do you know and (5) WHO KNOWS YOU!  You may even have to educate the public on where are you going and what you seek to achieve.  You may even have to prove whether your website is a credible commodity!  Scams and urban Legends just by the existence, have tainted the process that businesses have to go through to ensure the public that they are good and honest  businesses.

These are not new facts.  With the advent of the Internet, your product or message may be delivered in new ways and are facilitated at lightening speed but success is still realized through solid, concrete elements of what constitutes good business and superior marketing .  Results do not happen overnight.  And in the case of SEO and website development, they usually take a good 12 to 18  weeks to even germinate an existence.

If you are in business and you do not yet know these factors, it is incumbent upon you to educate yourself and find out. No longer are we sitting in a world where knowledge is portioned out to a select few.  Common sense must prevail over wishes and dreams.  And residing in a state of denial is no longer an excuse.

There is nothing wrong with believing that by putting yourself on the web, you will realize your business dreams; but there is something flawed with the idea that if you build it . . . they will come.  Doing business on the web takes the same diligence and educated approach as any other type of medium.  You need to be educated on its strengths, its weaknesses and its pitfalls.  Once you elevate your level of understanding, then and only then, can you play with the Major Leaguers and step onto your Field of Dreams.

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