Confessions of a European Event Manager

 

Introduction

When a company or organisation wants to put on a conference or large event, it is unlikely they would consider doing it themselves. Most companies do not have all the necessary in-house expertise, and releasing personnel from their usual work could be less cost efficient than bringing in the experts. There is also a great deal more to organising a conference than most people would realise in that it is a very stressful and technical activity. The client therefore would usually call in another company that specialises entirely in conference and event management.

There are a great many companies offering Corporate Event Management Services so competition is keen. Even if you are the best you still have to compete with others who offer lower prices and might appear to be less expensive. One of the ways of countering the cut throat business in the UK is to look at offering Conference Production Services in Europe. European managers then have the option of using a UK or EU company to provide for their Conference or Event. UK conference services are more than able to offer competitive prices. In the current economic climate with the pound at its lowest value for many years, UK companies have a distinct advantage in the EU market. The following example will serve as a useful illustration of the many benefits of taking your event expertise outside of the domestic environment.

I plan to take you through a step by step account of the stages of managing an event in Europe using examples from a recent contract in Rome.

Step 1

As a company offering conference and event management services it is vital that the quality of service provided is professional and value for money. To this end attention to detail is paramount. The project manager will know his team and the quality and reliability of the technical staff, the quality of the electronic equipment and the soundness of the sets that are used. Once these items are in place and proven on previous jobs then the pitch to the client can be confident and knowledgeable so that the client can be reassured things will run smoothly.

Step 2

The Brief

The brief we were given was a three and a half day conference event in Rome in early February for approximately 150 international delegates attending, the majority of whom would be travelling from the USA.

Technical Specification

The technical requirement was to combine a rear projection set and a four speaker PA system with radio microphones. Also data and video switching, wireless table microphones for delegate interaction with presenters in question and answer sessions. They wanted two show laptop PC’s loaded with PowerPoint and various video software to assist with conversion of any extra footage required to a suitable format for projection.

Step 3

A quotation was provided for all the physical hardware and the technical requirements and the services of the project manager and his team. No subcontracting was needed. Details were agreed and the quote was accepted by the client and a contract issued. It is important to make sure you have a contract and in it, a clause for cancellation charges.

For peace of mind the event company of your choice has to be someone you know and trust to deliver on time.

Step 4

When organising any event abroad we find it more dependable and economical to use our own technical equipment and workforce who we know and trust. There are no problems with language and the team understand the technical issues that are likely to be encountered. They are used to working together, each having their strengths to contribute to the whole, and they can be trusted to do the best possible job with the minimum of fuss. However planning is a key activity particularly when organising meetings and conference events abroad. If you have forgotten something it’s too late to go back when you have driven 600 miles. So having decided to transport the full conference set, staging and equipment by van to Rome we then worked out the details of how best to achieve it.There will always be last minute and additional requirements from presenters and our team can be relied upon to deal with last minute glitches, that need immediate and effective technical support, as a matter of course.

Step 5

Transportation

The size of the event is critical to the choice of haulage. In our Rome example it was possible to convey all the required equipment in a hire van which could be driven using a standard UK driving licence. If the scale of a conference or exhibition event is much larger it would be recommended to use a dedicated freighting company to collect, deliver and return staging and technical elements to the destination. Using a dedicated freighting company also has the benefit of delivering the key personnel to the event without them being tired out after driving across Europe. In other words the team can be flown out to the event so that they are fresher on arrival. With cheap flights to Europe it can also work out more cost effective than overnight stays for eight or ten people driving en-route.

However, in this case it was decided that the event technicians would drive the van to Rome which would still be well within budget for all staging and technical elements. When hiring a vehicle it is essential to pay attention to maximum load capacity of the vehicle. The weight of the technical equipment and set must be less than the maximum load and once the main systems are onboard, care must be taken not to fill it to the brim with extra bits and pieces.

It is so easy, when being helpful, to add the client event material, such as delegate registration systems and materials, brochures, display and graphic panels. The result can easily mean that the maximum safe load allowance for the vehicle is compromised. As the load capacity is a legal necessity it is never a good idea to agree to extra items on behalf of the client without being aware of the likely impact on overall weight.

Step 6

The Journey

As the distance was twelve hundred miles there and back it was decided that with an allotted journey time of two and a half days each way to Rome would be enough. Although it would have been possible to travel to Rome in two days we have learned from experience to allow a margin for any delays en route. It also allows for the technicians themselves to be fresh enough after the road trip to be able to work effectively.

When travelling long distance across Europe and at a time of year when the weather might be inclement, it is essential that the safety of personnel and other road users is paramount. By dividing the travel time between two drivers and rotating them every two hours, we have found that neither is unduly fatigued. This system allows large distances of up to 600 miles a day to be covered with safety. Regular breaks help to maintain concentration and awareness, with total travel times of no more than ten hours in any day and preferably no more than eight hours a day.

Delegates on conferences rarely need to think about the conference management that has made it possible for them to enjoy the event.

Having decided on the route to be taken from the UK to Rome we left the UK via a ferry from Dover to Calais and then journeyed to an area just North of Dijon on day one. From Dijon on day two, the journey continued as far as Bologna via the Mont Blanc tunnel. We decided on day three, to make an early start for the half day drive from Bologna to Rome and deliver the equipment to the venue, then rest up for the remainder of the day so the crew would be fresh to start work the next morning.

Navigation across Europe is now much more straight forward with Satellite, but we would also recommend printed route plans and local maps of any places where a stop-over is planned. It has sometimes been the case that even with the latest updated information the Sat Nav cannot always find the precise location of the road you want, due to the ongoing construction of many new motorway networks. You may find yourself suddenly stuck on a road it doesn’t know and this is when the co-driver can be a great help to navigate you through the confusion.

Step 7

Accommodation for Overnight Stops

Choosing accommodation for suitable overnight stops is worth some research. There is a plentiful choice of motel stops near to all major roads in France and Italy all of which are reasonably priced. However, there are wonderful guest houses away from the main cities and major roads which offer a much more relaxing experience for a tired traveller and are usually cheaper than the chain motels. Often these places have secure parking enhancing vehicle security from theft and damage. After all, when freighting audio-visual systems with a value stretching to tens of thousands of pounds, peace of mind is useful to say the least.It is advisable to spend time during pre-event production locating places to overnight. There is little benefit from having to find a room late in the day at an unknown cost which may impact on the profitability of the job.

Step 8

On Site Conference Production

On arrival in Rome we drove the van to the conference venue so that the audio-visual equipment and staging could be unloaded directly into the conference room. This was to secure the items and have everything ready for fitting the following day. Getting an early start to set up the equipment allowed for the client to begin presentation rehearsals on the afternoon of the rig day. Later on the same day there was to be an evening reception and brief welcome presentation to all attending delegates. The setting up procedures are tried and tested and the team worked like a well oiled machine so that all the audio-visual elements were complete and in place on schedule and all the technical systems were working correctly by the time the client presenters arrived from the USA.

Step 9

Audio Visual and Production Content

An example of the kind of last minute technical hitches that has to be resolved is when a conference presenter is unable to submit his presentation during the pre-production period and will arrive on site with it in his briefcase (Probably having worked on it during his flight over). The production team will not know until late in the process what presentation format is required. However the presenter will still expect his material to be incorporated seamlessly into a master slide deck. If a conference set uses a wide screen projection format the content will need to be generated in a sixteen by nine aspect ratio. Unknown to the presenter however, the offered material may have been built around a slide template that used a four by three aspect ratio instead. Depending on content, this may have minimal effect on the look of the presentation but if there are images of people, or pie chart graphs, these will then appear as stretched and elliptical shapes which would be unsatisfactory. Fonts and text boxes may move out of alignment and embedded applications such as XL may well be impossible to read.

It is worth shopping around for corporate audio visual hire because it is a very competitive market and there may be some bargains to be found.

During the rehearsals for the first day of the conference one of the American presenters had travelled to site with a power point presentation containing video footage. Unfortunately the video content had not been embedded into his presentation so it did not appear as he expected. The video content was hyper-linked to files that were inaccessible from the PowerPoint presentation – supplied to us on a memory stick. Fortunately with our technical proficiency we were able to download the video from source and convert the video footage into a high resolution format that would be compatible with our audio visual systems. This is when event support specialists, who speak English as a first language and are familiar with the requirements of such last-minute complications, come into their own.

In an ideal scenario, all presentation content will have been tendered during the pre-production phase to minimise such last minute glitches, but more often than not on-site changes are required to re-format a presentation. Whilst it is by no means out of the question that a local AV company might well have been able to do the same, feedback from client events in Europe suggests that when they have used a local supplier they have often failed to be sufficiently expert to support such needs.

Step 10

During the Conference

Over the period of the two and a half day event we were able to further increase our reputation with the client and delegates. Something that they had overlooked until the last minute was to provide appropriate themed music for role-play exercises. Although it had not been part of the original conference production brief, we were able to provide apt and timely presentation support at very short notice from our on-site database of over thirty thousand music tracks.Again, this was something which many of our European competitors may not have been able to achieve within the time frame and it would probably have added an extra cost.

Whilst seeming relatively minor points in themselves the above types of scenarios can be very stressful for conference and event organisers, who already have responsibilities that go beyond the presentation content. The corporate conference event being organised by the client is a huge task of delegate management and event logistics, so that any projects that can be left to an experienced dedicated event management team such as ourselves, frees them up to focus on their own tasks of delivering a successful delegate experience.

Step 11

Language Issues in European Conferencing.

When working in Europe either as an event manager, conference producer, or production company, it is always helpful if you are able to communicate directly with the people you meet at the venue and along the way. Whilst all major event management destinations and hotels across Europe have staff who will speak English, there are occasions when they will not be available. We are fortunate to have colleagues with rudimentary skills in French, Spanish and German who are all keen to improve their language skills. They are prepared to have a go whenever possible to try out what they have learned and this has sometimes proved to be invaluable. It may seem obvious to say, but we recommend that at least one on your production team should have a working knowledge of the local language and should be encouraged to use their language skills as often as possible. It is often surprising how a little effort can generate a much better response from those who you are working alongside.

Conclusion

If you haven’t given much consideration to the idea of working in Europe then we really recommend it. Conference events in Europe can be undertaken by a UK event production company at comparable cost to our European colleagues in the audio-visual supply sector. Favourable exchange rates add a further competitive edge to the costs of bringing your audio-visual and staging from the UK. Researching and planning the route and method by which conferencing systems are freighted and delivered will provide surprisingly low cost delivery solutions.

Taking your preferred conference production team with you to Europe will give increased peace of mind with regard to the quality of your technical support. Our client in Rome was very happy with the service and level of attention to detail we brought to their conference and repeat European corporate events are now routinely part of our conferencing diary. Fortunately our team really enjoy the experience of travelling abroad and having the opportunity during ‘down time’ to experience life in another culture and country. Particularly at the last night celebration which, rather like a topping out ceremony, tradition dictates must take place at the end of each show!

 

Discovering Great Hotel Deals in Europe

Europe has always been a prime travel destination, with millions of international vacationers visiting every year. As such, it pays to be a wise traveller by attempting to get ahead of the stiff competition for European lodgings.

Sites like Kurzreisen Deutschland are great on Finding nice resort offers in Europe, remember, finding a good deal may be challenging, however with some suggestions and advice from travel specialists, you can improve your probabilities of spotting a lodging deal and enjoy great travel savings.

Planning is at all times crucial.

All travel experts agree that planning your journey itinerary, locations, and lodging prospects is all the time essential in making your trip successful. A nicely-planned and exciting trip would not always involve securing reservations in the costliest resorts, however relatively, discovering the best choices for you and your companions, wherever your vacation spot is. One good strategy when planning for lodging is to look for traveller inns close to the points of interest you wish to go to, or opt for smaller lodgings like hostels, pensions or agritourismos that may match or even stretch your budget.

Search for reductions in smaller European lodge booking websites like Kurzreisen österreich

When eyeing a serious lodge that gives full companies, reap the benefits of the charges, packages, and special gives posted in resort reserving websites. They are fairly simple to identify, since there are actually many of those web sites, corresponding to Travelocity, HotelRooms.com, and Orbitz. Nonetheless, additionally consider taking a look at smaller booking company websites, especially those that specialize in European lodges, reminiscent of Lodging and Holiday.com, Venere, Eurhotel, and Eurocheapo. Last Minute Kurzreisen is always an option In the event you favor reading evaluations aside from discovering great lodge deals in Europe, Eurocheapo also has some hotel critiques from its editors.

However what in case you’re on the lookout for smaller lodges with extra customized companies? Travel experts say it’s nonetheless potential to find some on booking websites. Nonetheless, in addition they say that your greatest guess could be to go straight to the web sites of these lodges and make direct inquiries. Some of these small motels do not get themselves listed in reserving web sites to avoid wasting on working costs, and by making direct inquiries, you may be given the chance to barter for a lodging deal.

Consider non-resort lodging options.

While doing your research on finding great resort offers in Europe, you will most certainly come throughout a number of options for funds lodgings. Many worldwide tourists have an impression that travelling to Europe is very costly, primarily because of pricey lodges and bigger inns. However, some frequent travellers to Europe counsel going beyond these standard and expensive choices not solely to save on lodgings, but also so as to add a bit of authenticity and uniqueness to your European journey experience. These include small inns, European pension homes, and even small vacation houses or apartments. Apartments and vacation homes are getting more popular for a longer stay, for they permit vacationers to avoid wasting on meals by giving them the option to prepare dinner for themselves as a substitute of dining out all the time.

Limu Plus and Athritis

 

Does Limu plus help Arthritis?

Often thought of as an disorder that applies to just older men and women, yet, arthritis strikes all ages, impacting on millions of people throughout the world. Rheumatoid arthritis is certainly not a condition just associated with getting old, for the most critical and normal forms are usually found in young adults. It is 3 times more common in ladies than in men.

Various Facts for you:
- Around A hundred and fifty million people today suffer from Arthritis in the Usa and Europe.
- 68% of people with arthritis or persistent joint signs are younger than Sixty five. 8% are children beneath the age of Seventeen
- One in Three Grown persons now have arthritis: 65% have got it diagnosed, 35% are living with it undiagnosed.

Arthritis and the outcomes of swelling is one particular of the many widespread chronic wellbeing challenges and the leading cause of disability of people over the age of Sixteen.

 
What is arthritis?

Arthritis literally means joint inflammation and has come to be used as a umbrella term for over 100 rheumatic conditions affecting a persons joints and tissue.

The most typical form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, followed by gout, fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. Some of the arthritic conditions includelupus, anklosing spondylitis, scleroderma and juvenile arthritis.

Generally, arthritis causes agony, stiffness and inflammation that makes it difficult to perform daily tasks such as taking walks, grasping things, or even moving. However, serious circumstances of arthritis or lupus, are systematic and have an effect on more than joints and bones leading to heart, lung, kidney, blood vessel and skin situations.
 

How Can Limu Juice help?

Three are many things you can do to help prevent arthritis.

1) Stay Active – Analysis proves that activity of a physical nature increases fuction and decreases pain.
2) Reduce Stress – Stress aggravates many health and wellbeing conditions including arthritis, so you need to learn to control stress
3) Consume a Nutrient-Full diet – It is critical to hold your weight controlled as well as maintaining your immune system and endocrine system performing smoothly.

Science advises that Limu Plus can help many difficulties associated with arthritic conditions.
Limu Plus is a brown seaweed that contains the polysaccharide fucoidan, which is proven to be effective against many of the ailments of this day and age. Limu plus also contains powerful nutrients that can help increase your immunity and offer an infusion of amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Limu Plus can be an important part of your diet.

 

Limu’s Tremendous Nutrient – Fucoidan

This specific anti-oxidant loaded, complex carbohydrate polysaccharide brings down the chance or osteoporosis and other inflammatory well known problems by operating as and ant-inflammatory agent, making sure the immune system, and supporting to contend with stress.

Fucoidan Features – Arthritis

-Functions as an anti-inflammatory factor (Studies from Sweden, Australia & Japan).

- Reduces agony far better (More than several of the common osteo-arthritis pain medicines. Cardiology Research Centre, Moscow, Russia).

- Aids and bolsters the actual immune system (analysis from Japan and Washington State).

- Can help the body copes with stress (With a Natural infusion of vitamins B1, B2 & B12.

- Allows in preserving the endocrine system’s cortisol levels, which are triggered by stress, under control.

- Gets rid of food desires (Due to its well-balanced nutrient content. Plus its mucilage content facilitates you feel full far sooner, so you can eat less).

- Facilitates you loose bodyweight (With its Organic lecithin content, that will help break down fatty deposits underneath the pores and skin)

- Helps in Tissue restoration (That is especially important for Arthritis sufferers. Studies have shown that fucoidan induces the manufacturing of hepatocyte growth factor, HGF, an essential element in healingand tissue regeneration

 

So why use Limu Drink ?

 

For over 3000 years the indiginous persons of the south pacific isle of tonga have recognized about the amazing added benefits of Limu Moui – a brown seaweed that grows up under the crystal clear rich waters encircling the islands. In these types of untainted, spotless waters, limu plus is able to take up trace nutrients and vital nutrients identified there in a readily-accessible form.

researchers needing to uncover the mysteries of Limu’s wellness benefits have carried out more than 700 scientific scientific studies centering on fucoidan, it most important factor. These studies have proven the unequalled nutrient power of Limu Plus.

 

Live better with Limu PlusPlus

Limu Plus is a Limu Plus moui tonic which has helped many people with health and wellbeing conditions and stress related illness. View some testimonials of real people receiving real wellbeing benefits.
Limu Tonic has helps not just with Arthritis and joint Inflammation its well-being benefits can also be seen with Cancer, Diabetes, Heart Disease and general wellness.

Its suitable for men, Ladies , Children and even pets who wish to enjoy a better life.

 
Visit the Limu Plus Drink mini website for more information and to order your Limu Plus

Please note: This details is not intended to be used to make diagnoses, administer healing, prescribe medications, or order tests. The information contained is provided as an educational service, which can assist you in your personal research or checking of a unique disease.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.abunchofinfo.info/

Introduce A Bit Of Diversity to Your Summer Travel

I’d like to make a suggestion for a summer vacation travel destination where you can find a great deal of variety in the type of local attractions offered. Summer vacation travel means different things to different people, that’s for sure. Some of us want to visit Disneyland and some just want to relax on the beach. Others love to see historical sites and still others love to play golf.

One of the first places one thinks of in terms of Southern California vacation destinations is the Resort devoted to Disneyland, California Adventure and Downtown Disney, where you will find some of the most interesting Orange County restaurants.

Anyone who has not visited Anaheim in awhile will be surprised at its evolution over time. The addition of Disney’s California Adventure alone has changed the whole atmosphere of the Resort, and with the billion-dollar upgrade now underway this will only continue into the future. If you do any people watching, you will notice a very international mix of visitors at the Resort. In fact, people watching at Disneyland can be a fascinating activity, with a rich mix of cultures all in one place.

You will likely find this melting pot of international ethnicities to be common throughout much of SoCal. There is a particularly strong presence from Pacific Rim countries, but Europe, Asia and Africa are likewise well represented (not so many folks from Antarctica).

Along with visits to theme parks and the beach, it may be worthwhile to visit some of the permanent ethnic communities spread around Orange and Los Angeles counties in particular. These include Chinatown, Little Tokyo and Koreatown in Los Angeles County. Orange County is home to Little Saigon and Fourth Street in downtown Santa Ana.

Algarve Apartments Galore

 

The country of Portugal has a rich history and stretches in length almost all the way down the west side of Spain. Not directly classified as being on the Mediteranean the Southern end of Portugal known as The Algarve does enjoy the warm sunshine renowned for the southern parts of Europe and the Mediteranean. For some time now Portugal has been the understated chique of Vacation Holiday Accommodation in the Algarve ! and although many holiday visitors have heard of the airport Faro, its not that well known of where the airport actually is located !

As such, the whole area is one vast devlopment of luxury Algarve apartment complexes, gated villa resorts and lovely townhouses that many Europeans have been quietly buying as holiday homes for the past 20 years. Compared to the Spannish Mediteranean resorts, Portugal remains to its routes in style and countryside besides some notorious developments such as Villamoura which cater to the jet set lifestyle of the rich and famous.

The private pools usually found within the holiday resorts and private villa locations tend to be on the larger side as compared to Spain, and the number of top quality Golf Courses squeezed along the Algarve certainly gives Spain a run for its money too ! With the ocean providing a better atmospheric condition throughout the year than Spain, the golfing tends to be enjoyed around the year to its full as the Algarve tends to have less rainfall during the year compared to places like an apartment Marbella in Spain.

If you plan on taking a sailing course in Portugal . . then you will need to be able to speak Portugese as well as write it, as the ecxamination papers are in Portugese and the examiners refuse to speak any other language. If its sailing that you are after… beware, firstly the coastal waters are not calm like the Mediteranean. . . as such, navigating the ocean is a totally different excercise and therefor carries a different set of requirements for renting sail boats or charters !

Without a Portugese Sailing Licence nobody will let you charter / hire a boat either ! so my advice is for all those sailors looking to try out the great sailing off the coast of the Algarve – better to go find beautiful Tenerife apartments or go USA and enjoy the oceans over there instead !

London based management consultancy & small business magazine

When it comes to Bristol search engine marketing Stephen C Campbell is at the very best of the available consultants when we happen to be focussing on making a decision for the business who to work with. All smaller businesses out there necessitate help at some point in time when that occasion arrives, the correct choice should be formed. Using someone like Stephen C Campbell who has conducted enterprise throughout Europe, the Far East and the United States can actually be one of the very best decisions that you ever come to make in your business. When it comes to developing on going trade internet marketing techniques there are just numerous things to have to deal. This is why making use of a seasoned and highly educated business executive such as Stephen C Campbell may well be the best company resolution that you ever make.

One of the elements of developing ones business will be that of making use of business testimonials. As well as this, focusing on key parts of a business strategy of marketing segmentation, category selling in addition to channel advertising will assist take your business onward. This, in addition to working on the ideal client profile of the organisation are the main issues that all forward thinking businesses choose to focus on.

With that said, it is important to note that revenue as well as niche marketing websites has risen in the not too distant past as being amongst the most critical issue to pay attention to in ones company. All in all, making use of business testimonials as related to revenue in addition to marketing techniques along with london management consulting will function as a strong basis to ones business power. It is unfortunate that there are numerous SMEs out there that really fail, after inspection many people realize that if attention has been paid to sales and marketing methods and london management consulting – the business can be seen to have been able to survive. Stephen C Campbell is one very capable Small business Strategist that excels when it comes to sales as well as advertising techniques as well as london management consulting.

Can You Grow Your Wealth with Home Based Businesses?

The answer to this question is a definite YES! I have lots of business associates in the USA, Europe, Australasia and New Zealand who are working in a home based business and making good money each week. In fact the lady who introduced me to my new business is only 25 years of age and she made over $500,000 in her first 12 months of her business.

I am now replicating her results, but please read on and you will learn about what I have achieved and experienced in 3 very different situations and how in the end I succeeded in taking control of my future.

My Traditional Business Experience

I used to own and manage a very profitable and high-profile restaurant and bar in Brisbane, Queensland for a period of over 12 years. I started it from scratch and like most traditional businesses it was really expensive to set up and the running costs were huge.

Although I earned a lot of money with this venture, I finally decided to offload it when I came to realise that the long hours and constant stress of managing over 30 employees, dealing with various government requirements, endless paper work and hundreds of customers per week was absolutely destroying my life.

You can become rich with a standard business but you will need to be extremely committed as you won’t be able to walk out and close the door anytime you want.

There will be lots of work to do and deadlines to meet, customers to please and more than likely, staff to hire and mentor unless you want to do all the work yourself. The hours are generally very long and in most cases the business can end up taking over your life. Another point to consider is that you’ll be on your own to work things out and solve any problems as they arise.

My Job Experience

After selling the business, I decided that a job would be a better alternative to owning a business so I set about finding one and little did I know what I was in for!

I spent 8 hours a day scouring the employment classifieds, networking, perfecting my resume and attending interviews for jobs I didn’t even want. I felt undervalued and demoralised and almost gave up hope before I finally won a job with a company as an Events Manager.

All good you might well think, but unfortunately this was not the case as now I was into something that would cost me 12 hours of my time, 5 days a week as I got dressed up for work, traveled to and from work and actually did the work. I was working under considerable pressure and was totally stressed out by having to answer to a boss and co-ordinate every single element of each event from travel and accommodation arrangements, key note speakers, entertainment and right down to sorting out what type of lettuce should go on the dinner plates of the attendees. What a nightmare! But the thing that annoyed me the most was that I was doing all of this to make my boss richer while I had to settle for a small pay packet at the end of each week. JOB = Just over broke.

My Home Business Experience

As you might have guessed, I didn’t stay in my job as an Event Manager for long. I had spent 7 months of my life trying to find the right career and after only 1 month I resigned.

I had no idea what to try next but I was determined to find something that would tick ALL the boxes for me and knew that I first needed to get very clear about what I really wanted.

I did not want to:

Own and manage a stressful, traditional type of business

Outlay a lot of money to get started in a new business

Answer to a boss and have to beg for time off work

I did want to

Earn a lot of money

Work from home

Take control of my future

With the above in mind, I spent the next couple of months researching my options until I was eventually attracted to an advertisement (placed by a 25 year old lady) about a home based business opportunity. I must admit that I was pretty hesitant to begin with but I decided I had nothing to lose by finding out more so I answered the ad and within 1 week I was up and running with my very own home based business.

On my best day so far, I earned five thousand dollars but what I really love about my home business most is that I actually took back control of my own life. I now work the hours I choose, from the comfort of home or anywhere I like really with my laptop and phone. I don’t have to juggle and manage staff anymore and gone is all the stress. I fit my work around my life, generally about 25 hours per week and I absolutely love what I do.

It’s not for everyone however and if you are considering getting started in a home business you should ask yourself the following important questions:

1. Is the business aligned with your income and lifestyle goals?

2. Do you have some money and time to invest into the business?

3. Can you work diligently as your own boss and without supervision?

4. Will there be anyone to help or guide you if you get stuck along the way?

Yes! You can make money with home based businesses. Lots of money!

Christine Hamilton is currently making money in with home based businesses. For more information about what she is actually doing, click work at home BSCH110509 Supported by sales training Australia.

A Complete Guide To Bathroom Mirrors

Introduction

Central to the mythology of mirrors is Narcissus a Boeotian hero, who disliked those who loved him for his own natural beauty. He famously gazed into a pool of water and was so fascinated with the reflection, that he was unable to bring himself to leave the image. Not realising that the image he could see was of his own natural beauty, he couldn’t bring himself to leave the image, and he perished.

The concept of how the mirror works is quite simple. It stems simply from the reflective surface of still water and therefore nature plays its part. When you look down into a puddle or a dark pool of water, the smooth water reflects the light straight back into your eyes.

Mirrors work in a similar way, in that a mirror is made up of a coated glass surface which when a polished metal surface or metal film is applied behind the glass, light cannot shine through and so reflects the image back. Young children especially, are always fascinated when they look into a mirror for the first time and see their own reflection staring back at them. Anyone who has young children will remember the vision of their young son kissing their image on a mirror.My eight year old daughter loves sitting in front of her mirror doing her hair nearly as much as my fifteen year old daughter!

Where would we be today without mirrors? Mirrors are generally used for personal grooming or interior decoration and have developed from a luxury item into a necessity. There is an enormous variety of mirror shapes and sizes and over the years, mirrors have gradually developed to meet many different requirements. Today there is a large selection of mirrors to suit every requirement, ranging from small mirrors to large mirrors, framed, unframed and includes bathroom mirrors, decorative mirrors, illuminated mirrors, LED mirrors, shaving mirrors, compact mirrors and demister mirrors.

Away from personal use, mirrors are also used in industry as part of scientific apparatus such as cameras, lasers, telescopes and periscopes, to reflect light and used as tools in dentistry and medical care.Not to mention the beauty and hair salon industries.

History of Mirrors

The history of mirrors as far as we can see dates back over 8,000 years. The earliest known mirrors were made from pieces of polished stone such as obsidian, a naturally occurring glass from cooled volcanic lava flows. In Anatolia in Turkey, examples of obsidian mirrors dated at around 6000 BC have been found. In south and central America, polished stone mirrors from around 2000 BC on wards have also been found. From around 3000 BC mirrors of polished copper are known to have been crafted in ancient Egypt. In China bronze mirrors were manufactured from around 2000 BC.

The first metal coated glass mirrors are thought to have been made in the first century AD, in Sidon, known today as Lebanon. The Roman author Pliny makes reference to glass mirrors backed with gold leaf in his Naturalis Historia, one of the largest reference books to have survived from the Roman Empire, which focused on natural and man-made objects and was written in around 77 AD. The Romans also created a technique for making crude mirrors by using molten lead to coat blown glass.

In the 10th Century Arabian Physicists, considered different types of mirrors, reflecting mirrors and parabolic mirrors and another discussed concave and convex mirrors in both cylindrical and spherical geometries. In undertaking various experiments with mirrors, finding the point on a convex mirror at which a ray of light coming from one point is reflected to another point was solved.

During the period of the 14th to 17th Centuries, across Europe a method of coating glass with a tin-mercury amalgam was perfected by manufacturers. Venice was recognised for its glass making expertise and soon became a centre of mirror production using this new technique. Glass mirrors from this period were extremely expensive luxuries. Manufacturers also evolved in London, France and Germany.

The particular process of silvering to produce the first silvered-glass mirror is credited to German chemist Justus von Liebig in 1835. He developed a process to apply a thin layer of metallic silver onto glass through the chemical reduction of silver nitrate. The process was adapted for mass production and led to the greater availability of affordable mirrors.

The evolution of the mirror over the years is quite interesting, if like me you love mirrors! It has developed from a luxury item to an item which is now taken for granted in daily use. Today, walk into any shop to look at mirrors and the selection is vast, with many technology features now finding there way into mirrors, to give added simplicity, luxury and decoration. 

New features such as Illumination, LED lighting and demisters now provide a huge bathroom mirrors range to choose from.

How are Mirrors Made?

The manufacture of mirrors includes the application to a suitable material of a reflective coating. Glass is the most commonly used material, due to its ability to take a smooth finish and its rigidity. Glass is also more scratch resistant than many other materials. 

Early mirrors were made of solid metal, bronze or silver and they were far too expensive for many. Metal is also prone to corrosion and because of polished metal’s low emissivity, antique mirrors were less suitable for indoor use. With indoor lighting at the time supplied by candles or lanterns, the metal mirrors reflected a much darker picturecompared to modern glass mirrors. 

In modern times ‘float glass’ is used in the manufacture of mirrors, which is a flat ribbon of glass which is run out of a furnace and along the surface of a bath of molten tin. The temperature of both the glass and molten tin is controlled to enable both surfaces to be made perfectly flat. There are now three common types of mirrors: plain – which has a flat surface, and the two spherical types of mirrors: the convex and the concave. The concave and convex mirrors can be used in an entertaining way, when used at fairgrounds or amusement parks to distort peoples figures reflected in them through bloating, stretching and shrinking, the person or object in front of them. I challenge even the most dour faced individual to stand in front of a mirror in a hall of mirrors without laughing at their reflection!

In some applications, a mirror isn’t a mirror at all. For example, when used in public conveniences, especially in public or factory toilets, where for reasons of cost and the need for greater durability, a single polished metal sheet is often installed as a form of mirror.

Different Types of Mirror

Throughout the ages, mirrors have been employed as symbols of truth, deception and vanity. Mention a mirror and you instantly know that if you look into one, you will see your own reflection staring back at you. The image you see will resemble your own appearance. In optical principles, the reflections in mirrors do not totally match the objects in front of them. When looking into the mirror, trace the contour of the reflection of your head in a mirror. The reflection may correspond in proportion, but will generally be half in actual size.
With such a variety and huge range of mirrors now available, much has been made of the amount of money spent in purchasing mirrors especially by women, although in this day and age with an increase in men purchasing cosmetics, some men will also be vain enough to carry a mirror.

The vain Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs famously asked her special mirror, “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” Mirrors are synonymous with truth.
Mirrors are frequently used in interior decoration to create an illusion of space, and to decorate and amplify the apparent size of a room. They will be used around the home, the office, a pub, club or restaurant to good effect. They work particularly well in night clubs, reflecting the many images of light in the club or room to create a feeling of a much bigger space.

Infinity Mirrors provide an effect of never reaching an end, known as ‘infinity breaking’ and are particularly effective when used in a dark environment. I remember experiencing this phenomenon for the first time as a child in a large department store lift, where mirrors where on all sides of the elevator car. For those who are not good in lifts I should think this effect probably does nothing to calm them, perhaps that’s why you don’t see lifts like this anymore Or is it just because I’m getting old and that was a particular style popular in the 70’s!

My next favourite kind of mirror after the infinity mirror is the heated mirror, these mirrors have a heating element or what is called a demister pad mounted on the back. The reason a mirror steams up when you have a shower is because the surface temperature of the mirror is colder than the air temperature and causes the water vapour in the air to condense on the mirror. Some bright spark realised long ago that it if you heated the mirror this would avoid it steaming up, brilliant!

For many years heated mirrors have only featured in very expensive bathrooms usually costing thousands, and quality hotels have used heated mirrors as a neat differentiator from the increasingly popular budget hotels and motels. Of course it is not until you step out of the hotel shower and see yourself in the mirror that you realise it is there! Whilst at the back of your mind you realise this is one of the reasons why this room is more expensive than the other hotel across the street.

Last week I heard the BBC Radio 2 DJ Ken Bruce state that the best shave you ever had will have been in a hotel, to which he attributed the benefit of the heated bathroom mirror as the main reason. I have to agree, and every time I stay in (nice) hotel I always have a really good look at the bathroom with a view to reproducing the best of its features in my own home.

Today instead of buying one of the many demister mirrors on the market you can actually just purchase a demister pad and fit it to your existing mirror.

In 1980, ska group The Beat had a UK top ten hit with ‘Mirror in the Bathroom’ and the bathroom is probably the location where we are most intimate with our mirrors. Many will say that it is not wise to look at yourself in the mirror first thing in the morning, but the bathroom is often the first port of call in the morning. Many bathrooms feature a main bathroom mirror positioned on a wall and a bathroom cabinet with mirror doors. Other than the “oh my god” do I really look like that expression, the uses of a mirror or mirrors in a bathroom will generally be to aid the application of make up, hair styling or shaving.

One of the major problems with bathroom mirrors is that after showering or bathing, the mirror is steamed up. A recent addition in the manufacture of heated mirrors is the inclusion of a demister pad which clears the mirror for use in mere seconds. Imagine never having to again wait for the steam of the bathroom to disappear from the mirror, or having to open the window, before using the mirror to shave or apply make up. The bathroom mirror demister or steam free bathroom mirror is a great invention. Some manufacturers refer to these products as fog free bathroom mirrors and there is now a huge range available, again some with back lights, LED lighting and built in shaver points.

Demister mirrors and steam free bathroom mirrors are not the only recent developments on mirrors. As suggested above another reasonably new product is the back lit bathroom mirror. Illuminated mirrors maintain the features of a simple mirror, but will enhance any environment in which they are used with the addition of lighting. As with all mirrors, the range of illuminated mirrors is extensive, with a variety of sizes and shapes available. An Illuminated mirror with shaver point can also be purchased. Illuminated bathroom cabinets with or without shaver sockets are also available.

Mirrors with back lit LED lights will enhance any bathroom or environment in which they are installed. Being of low energy consumption LED, or light emitting diode, are more environmentally friendly than traditional bulbs. They are designed to withstand the wetness of the bathroom environment. So steam mist will not cause a problem. As a real luxury mirror, illuminated bathroom mirrors and bathroom mirrors with LED lighting can also include a demister pad, to demist the mirror in just a few seconds and an on/off sensor to activate the lights as soon as motion is detected in front of the mirror. Now bathroom cabinets are also available with inbuilt back lights, and LED lighting for that special something different in your bathroom.

As a bathroom accessory the mirror should come high on the list, in fact can you really have a finished bathroom without a mirror? The enormous selection of styles, types, shapes and sizes means that there must be a mirror to match anyone’s budget. Although some of the latest technological versions such as illuminated, back lit and LED mirrors could be considered to be luxury items, some are not as expensive as you may think.

There are some terrific new features which you can find on an LED mirror such as the hand sensor on/off switch to automatically activate and deactivate the mirror light without having to touch it.

Mirrors, Superstition and Auspicious Energy Flow

I have always loved mirrors, probably why I have ended up in the mirrors business! When I was at school I did a project on them, this was before the internet was invented mind so I trawled through piles and piles of reference books in both the school and local library for months. These days of course it would only take an hour on Google, kids these days don’t know how easy they’ve got it!

Once you get immersed in mirrors as I did all those years ago, or ‘mirros’ as I frequently misspelled it, and start researching them, you find that they play a major part in all aspects of life. Mirrors also feature in superstitions. One of the most commonly known superstitions is that someone who breaks a mirror will receive seven years bad luck. A popular belief for this superstition is that mirrors are a reflection of the soul and if a mirror is broken, then part of the soul is broken. Added to this, some believe that the soul regenerates every seven years in an unbroken condition, hence the seven years of bad luck. I bet you’ve always wondered why that was so I’m glad to share that with you!

It is also said that the mirror does not lie. A mirror can show only the truth. It is a very bad omen indeed to see something in a mirror which should not be there, a technique regularly used in scary movies! Some cultures also have a custom that a newborn child should not look into a mirror until its first birthday because its soul is still developing.

In the southern United States, it used to be customary to cover the mirrors in a house where the wake of a deceased person was being held. If a mirror was left uncovered or exposed, people believed that the deceased person’s soul would become trapped in any uncovered mirror. It was also thought that mirrors unexpectedly falling or mysteriously cracking were believed to be haunted.

In the ancient art of Feng Shui mirror placement is considered very important. There is a lot of information available about this, and it is a subject that can’t be covered in a mere paragraph or two here. But Chi energy flow can be influenced by mirrors so where the energy needs to be reflected, mirrors can be used for this to great effect. Personally I don’t really follow these rules, although my mum has mirrors strategically placed all over her house to redirect in-auspicious energy! One of the principles I do follow though is to make sure I don’t have any mirrors pointing at my bed, or the kids beds, as this is said to reflect your dreams back onto you whilst you are sleeping, which is not a good thing if it’s a nightmare!

Conclusion

A mirror is defined as a coated glass surface for reflecting images. There is a huge range of mirrors for scientific use, and available in many shapes and sizes. The most commonly seen uses of mirrors are for personal grooming and interior decoration. As a race we are thoroughly addicted to mirrors. Who can honestly say that they can walk past a mirror without taking a look at themselves?

Over time, mirrors have evolved from a luxury item to an item of necessity and many particularly women will always carry a mirror in their hand bags. However, today with technological advancements, some mirrors will be seen as a luxury, particularly those which include illumination, LED or demisting devices. As individuals we spend many hours of our life in a bathroom, so why not treat yourself to one of life’s little luxuries and indulge in a stylish bathroom mirror? After all, let’s be honest, who can really live without a mirror?

 

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Europe’s Leading Clinical Research Organisation

Phase 1 Clinical Trials

On the 12th February 2009 Richmond Pharmacology became the first CRO in Europe to gain ethics approval to conduct a Phase I healthy volunteer trial in healthy young females aged 14-17.

Richmond Pharmacology also provides Clinical Data Management Services for clinical trials

Great Ormond Street Ethics Committee made the decision to permit this clinical trial and since then has allowed further studies of this nature to take place

The first subjects were dosed into this study on the 28th February 2009, just 16 days after gaining ethics approval, an achievement in itself.

The study being conducted by Richmond Pharmacology aims to determine the effect a study drug, (a new oral contraceptive pill), has on the body and if there is a difference in what happens to the drug in females aged 18-50 compared to females aged 14-17.

The study itself is typical of many Phase 1 clinical trials of these compounds, however it is the population being included that makes this a pivotal study.

For many years the United Kingdom has been known for the conduct of good quality clinical studies across all phases.   Recently some of these trials have been conducted outside of the UK However the approval of this study marks a substantial shift in thinking and attitude towards clinical trial conduct in the UK and Richmond Pharmacology are proud to be at the centre of this pioneering move to once again make the UK THE place to conduct more specialised clinical trials

This study coupled with our recent success in a complex Multiple Sclerosis, (MS), study, involving the recruitment and dosing of 71 MS patients in one centre, (once again the first of its kind), is just another example of why more and more sponsors are turning to Richmond Pharmacology. Trials such as these establish Richmond Pharmacology as the only choice when sponsors look for a CRO that goes the extra mile.

Richmond Pharmacology’s founding Directors are still at the heart of the company. Their hands on approach coupled with a dedicated and highly skilled staff ensure we are able to meet the challenges set by sponsors.

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