We've had some pretty extreme weather here in Minnesota since the beginning of 2019. We had 4 days of absolute freezing temperatures with the Polar Vortex and now we have an influx of snow. It's not surprising, it's winter in Minnesota, but it does make me reflect on how lucky I am to have a warm place to work and to call home.  It also made me think about the people who aren't so lucky and could use a little extra help this winter. 

For the month of February, Spotlight Business Solutions will be taking donations for the Union Gospel Mission, a local Homeless Shelter in Saint Paul.  You can contact us directly if you'd like to donate an item or money. We will also be taking donations on Saturday's by meeting at the Commemorative Air Force Minnesota Wing in South Saint Paul. Not only can you drop off some much needed items for those in need, but you can also take a tour of the museum.

Here's what Union Gospel Mission is looking for:

Items We Usually Need:

• New or gently used men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing for all seasons (Sizes 2X and 3X in particular)
• New or gently used outerwear, such as coats, hats, gloves, and scarves
• New or gently used men’s, women’s, and children’s footwear
• Personal care items, such as travel-sized shampoo, soap, razors, or shaving cream
• New and used twin linens
• New blankets (not used please)

Items We Can’t Use:

• Housewares, such as kitchen items, lamps, or furniture
• Babyseats or strollers
• Televisions
• Computers
• Appliances
• Used toys
• Used blankets

Again, please contact us by email or phone to donate. You can also visit our Facebook page and send us a message. 

I can't wait to share how much we can raise for those in need. 

If you aren't using Google My Business for your business, you could be missing out on a ton of local traffic. We all know it's so important in the age of social media to make sure your business is seen and heard online, but many businesses aren't taking advantage of Google's free business listing, Google My Business.  Just like Facebook and Twitter, Google offers the platform for free. 

Google My Business allows your business to show in a local area, share information about your business (including specials, products, and events you may be hosting), and leave reviews.  It's really worth looking in to and will help drive your online presence forward, especially when you encourage your clients to leave you a review. Side bar- we will talk about the importance of getting reviews in another post! :) 

Taking control of your social media platforms and posting regularly can seem overwhelming. Knowing what you should post and when can be daunting, especially when you have a business to run. You may feel like you don't have a handle on your other social media platforms, but that's what we are here for. 

If you would like more information about Google My Business or want to take full advantage of your Google My Business listing, we are here to help!

For my first post of 2019 and first post in a long time, we thought we would take a moment to talk about how great 2018 was for Spotlight Business Solutions!
Not only do we get to serve so many wonderful local businesses in the Twin Cities, but we also took part in a historic documentary for the Commemorative Air Force called Rise Above: WASP produced by Hemlock Films.

Why is the project such a big deal? CAF RISE ABOVE: WASP honors the trailblazing Women Airforce Service Pilots, an often overlooked group that were once missing from history books, to bring their story to life and give a new generation a unique lens in which to see themselves.

To see more amazing pictures from the CAF Rise Above WASP project, click here.  

As we find ourselves in 2019 already, Spotlight Business Solutions is ready for what may come next and we look forward to sharing your stories as well! 

It's been a few years since I've been to the Minnesota State Fair. I developed some food allergies and intolerance over the years and it was always a struggle to find something to eat.  

This year my friend invited me to go with her and how could I refuse. The fair now has a ton of options for those who are gluten free and dairy free. Plus, I forgot how much fun it is to go see all of the farm animals and people watch. 

My friend and I took the whole day to enjoy the sites and many flavors the fair has to offer.  We started with the furry farm animals.  I was very excited when we were able to actually pet a few of the cows, including the Highland Cattle. I'm easily entertained and I happen to love cows. 

After we covered all of the farm animals, it was time for lunch. Normally, this would be a point where I would reach into my bag and pull out a snack, but I was able to find a few things to eat. ​ 

I started with a  batch of Fresh French fries (which were delicious and I may have gotten a large bucket) and turkey leg. The turkey leg may have been a poor decision having just come from the farm animal buildings, but I tried to enjoy it all the same. 

Wondering aimlessly is a great way to see a lot of the fair. We happened across Minnesota Wine Country which had wine flights, wine by the glass, and wine smoothies.  The sparkling rose wine was my favorite! 

I'm a big fan of the French Meadow Bakery and love that they have a place at the fair. I enjoyed one (OK, maybe two) of their gluten free, dairy free brownies and even got one for the road. 

For all of the fermented tea lovers out there, the Minnesota State Fair now has a booth that serves Kombucha.  The Produce Exchange has two different flavors of Kombucha and it comes in handy after filling up on all the deep fried food on a stick!

With a decent amount of food under our belts, we decided to check out the Coliseum and International Bizaar.

We even made friends with the owners of Tennessee Moon Shine Cakes (located in the Coliseum). While I couldn't try their cakes, my friend said they were amazing.  I tried the honey and jams, which were also really tasty. I brought a few of them home to try and can't wait.  The owners were really sweet and posed for a picture with me. I hope the enjoyed their first time at the Minnesota State Fair. 

While I've listed a few things here that people with food sensitives can eat, there is so much more now than ever before.  They even have a page for it on the website - http://www.mnstatefair.org/general_info/visitor_guide/Food-Allergies.html

Here are a few more pictures from our journey that day! If you get out to the fair this year, snap a picture and tell us what your favorite part was! 

A new book just came to the wonderful world of Amazon called Keeping the Doors Open: An entrepreneur’s guide to survival.  The book was written by one of my clients, Steven Bell and I'm very excited to be a part of it. 

There are many books out there offering business advice, but this book offers some real insight for those tough days when you just want to throw in the towel and call it quits. 

According to a published report in Inc. Magazine, 96 percent of all new businesses fail in the first ten years, but not every business has to fail! There are ways to keep going and fight the uphill battle, even when you like you can't do it anymore. 

​My favorite part of the book is that you are encouraged to keep going, keep the doors open and never give up. 
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Don't just take my word for it, check out Amazon for a few snippets of the book. It's moderately priced and worth you the read.