From 200 South Michigan Avenue Chicago to 200 North Michigan Street Plymouth

My first job out of college was in the city. Location: 200 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago.

I put up with a lot of abusive situations, worked way too many hours each week and in the end, they "let me go" laying off the entire in house graphic design group, just before Christmas with no warning and no time to print portfolio pieces.

From that moment, I decided that working for a company had little to nothing to do with loyalty and decided to freelance. I landed freelance gigs at many of the award winning agencies, some not-so award winning. In those earlier career years, the best freelance opportunities were the ones where I was "subbing" in while someone was on maternity leave. Those were the jobs that had some staying power to last the remainder of my lease to my apartment on the north side of the city.

The morning walks to the el train of four city blocks combined with the crammed train ride would then follow by a possible transfer to another train, several more city blocks of briskly walking to the building I was for hire for the day. After meeting and/or working in more than 30 agencies through the course of my Chicago career, I slowly realized the value of a quick elevator. Some elevators, for example the ones at the Prudential Building would add another 10 minutes to the morning commute. Yes, 10 minutes to go 40 stories. This is terribly slow when you consider the Sears Tower, where I worked on the 74th floor for a few years had an elevator shaft that lifted us in a jiffy, without putting a dint into the commuting time.

From the trot before the el, the waiting on the train, then the ride on the train, to the walk in the loop, plus the elevator trip totaled to an hour, plus or minus some change. In fact, anywhere you lived and worked in the city, it was about an hour commute. For those who lived in the burbs, add 15 minutes to the commute with every $50K saved in home mortgages. The longer the commute, the more affordable the homes were. Best case scenario is an hour morning commute, with another hour on the commute home.

That is two hours of a rat race. Nothing like my commute today. Since relocating my company to rural Indiana, I now can boast of handfuls of improvements in my quality of life for my family and me. For starters, I have my own stunning office space that I couldn't have dreamed working out of, let alone owning in Chicago or nearby. It is hard to believe that my first job was at 200 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago and now, I am the owner of a creative agency and online media publishing business at 200 North Michigan Street in Plymouth, Indiana.

I have more to share on this topic in blog posts to follow.

In the mean time, I must share a post from Small Business Trends that inspired me to finally get this blog topic down and out...
It is about rural-sourcing and it is a topic that has been on my mind a lot. To read it come from someone else other than just my own vision and rants is very inspiring to me. I would love to hear more from others on your thoughts on this topic!

Photo credits: Amanda Nicolé Doty

Birthing Story of Go Green Media and iHEARTplymouth

When The Midas Center relocated and opened its doors last fall in Plymouth, we hoped to reach out to help local businesses and organizations succeed. Previously, we specialized in legal marketing and clearly knew how to help law firms and attorneys build a brand and get the message out using the business media outlets and channels online and in print.

We quickly learned that to help get the word out in a small town, however, was not as simple as sending out a press release to a news wire or calling reporters who covered a specific beat. Being creative solution seekers and doers, we launched a new media business called Go Green Media. Go Green Media helps businesses and organizations get the word out organically, at a grass roots level. It spreads the message that builds the brand without using harmful toxic inks and wasteful paper. It is also powered 100% by wind energy. One of the products that Go Green Media has proudly launched this summer is called iheartplymouth.com.

iheartplymouth.com is a social media resource created specifically for the Plymouth, Indiana community. Much like an online magazine, it includes photos, articles and events that relate to "everything you love about Plymouth." It is community-based, like a local Facebook with full interaction. It also links with Facebook and Twitter automatically, enlarging the readership. Any one can access the content at any time and there is no cost to read, write or share the copy. The tag is Extra Extra! Read it. Write it. Share it. Live it. Love it.

iheartplymouth.com was launched summer 2010 and in the past 10 weeks has received over 30,000 pageviews. It is financially supported by private investors, advertisers and business membership sponsors. It has been designed to promote businesses and organizations and all the great activities that the community has to offer leading to an improved quality of life for its residents, businesses and visitors. As social media becomes more mainstream, iheartplymouth.com provides the necessary components for strong economic development.

Founder, social activist and editor Andrea Cook shares, "Preserving the unique characteristics of a small town is as important to me as building community. It is a pleasure giving individuals, businesses and places a voice and online brand."

Cook hopes to continue to grow iheartplymouth.com for the local town of Plymouth, Indiana as well as offer the social media service to other communities, upon request. If your community would be interested in the benefits that an online community product offers its residents, businesses and visitors, feel free to contact The Midas Center to learn more.

iHEARTplymouth.com Free Music Giveaway

We are pleased to support the efforts of iHEARTplymouth.com in its upcoming launch this summer. iHEARTplymouth.com is a free resource for everything you love about Plymouth, Indiana. It is designed for community growth by offering an opportunity for local businesses and organizations to "get the word out" to the public on: local events, activities, fundraising opportunities and more! Show your support for your favorite pizza joint, best ice cream or announce your neighborhood garage sale. Find information on locally posted items for sale from Craigslist, job opportunities, free giveaways and sales. This source is for the community and content is shared by the community.

From now until July 4th, The Midas Center will be running a contest called iHEARTplymouth.com Free Music Giveaway. Here are the details on how you can participate to win:

1. Sign up and become a member to iHEARTplymouth.com. It is free and there are many benefits including one-click posting from here to your Facebook and Twitter accounts.

2. Customize your member page with a photo of yourself or the organization or business you are representing. Join at least one of the eleven groups (such as Arts and Culture, Let's Go Shopping, Resale Shopping, Good Eats, Sports and Fitness, Parks and Recreation, Beyond Plymouth, Learning Center, Business to Business, For Your Health and Community Groups).

3. Invite friends. Share the love iHEARTplymouth.com has to offer to your friends and family members who have a connection to Plymouth, Indiana. Not only are you helping to build a community for us to enjoy, you are also providing an opportunity for your friends to enter in the contest too!

4. Complete the steps above by July 4, 2010 and you will be entered to win an iTunes gift card. Many will enter, only the luckiest one will win free music; all will win a bigger love for Plymouth!

Good luck!

Plymouth Small Business Owner, Green Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist

The Midas Center owner, Andrea Cook has been selected as a finalist in the Indiana Green Business Awards for the Green Entrepreneur of the Year. It is an honor to be chosen as a finalist for this category as a small business owner in Plymouth who uses business savvy and skill to help build the brands that make our world a better place.

With a passion for eco-friendly living both in the home and at the office, her company's strong portfolio of green clients along with the office décor of repurposed creative furnishings shows she's moving in the right direction with her dedication to taking "green mainstream."

Join us in the next several posts as The Midas Center uncovers some unique actions that support this nomination including:
- why they recommend the hosting service that supports The Midas Center's web site,
- what makes the paint on her office walls so special,
- when she first realized that green endeavors were important to her and
- who has inspired her and encourages her to make the green decisions every day.

Also, read more about the green clients, including earthworks, Recycle Depot, Culver United Methodist Church's Thrift Store, Lake Maxinkuckee Environmental Council and Sorian. It is a priviledge to work with these clients and to collectively work towards building awareness for earth-friendly living and improve the use of our resources. Learn more about their services and the ways they are making a difference in our community too!

Kudos to Small Businesses!

An article published in Tribune Business Weekly salutes small businesses and their investments in the community that help not only fuel the economy, but also stabilize it in economic downturns. The entire article makes bold remarks in support of the small business. Some of the stated statistics made us feel proud as a small business owner, and we'd like to pass it along to you in hopes that you may also find them interesting and encouraging.

- "The backbone of the U.S. economy is not made up of stocks and bonds and large employers. The vital component that supports our economic health is small business."

- "According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, small businesses have accounted for 64 percent of new employment since the mid-1990s. They employ more than half of all private sector employees and pay 44 percent of total U.S. private payroll."

- Small businesses are "innovators, producing 13 times more patents per employee than large employers do."

- Phil D'Amico, director of business growth for St. Joseph County Chamber of Commerce claims, “Small business really is, especially in our region's case, the driving force of our economy.”

- D'Amico also states, "not only do small businesses strengthen the local economy, they also contribute significantly to the strength of the community as a whole."

- Small businesses create 80% of the jobs in St. Joseph County, with the exception of government and schools.

Congratulations to you small business owners!

For the complete article, you may visit >>