The Tiny Professional

I am Moving...

2014-04-21T11:37:00.000-07:00

My new site address is: thetinyprofessional.com

I have been talking about it for weeks; on my blog, on my Facebook and on my twitter. I have FINALLY made the move and switched my blog over to the WordPress platform. I wanted to be able to have more control over the layout, design and “look” of my blog, and also incorporate a few other pages into it, to make it feel more like a blog and website combined. Originally I made a separate website, but after only a month I realized that I did not like have to manage two separate sites; I wanted to merge everything into one. So I finally feel that I have managed to do that.

Clearly I still have a lot of work to do. My other pages do not have much information on them yet, but within the next few weeks I will continue to add new content and integrate them more and more. I am truly excited to start branding The Tiny Professional the way I have always imaged it! I hope this change in content and design will appeal to my followers more than my previous set up. In any case, feedback would be much appreciated.

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

Gratitude Journal // Beautiful

2014-04-17T14:18:00.002-07:00

Hello everyone:

Monday evening I finally made a trip out to Target. I trip I have been telling myself I am going to make for a long time but just have not had the motivation to do because of the drive. A friend of mine, Emma kept telling me that I needed to go there to check out their office supplies since Matt and I are in the process of redoing our office space. Even though we just renovation the house, the way we rearranged the furniture in the office just is not working for the both of us. It needs to be more “workable” for the both of us.

In any case, the trip to Target was great. I was able to find a lot of great decorations and office pieces that I was looking for to organize all our papers and clutter. What I did not intend to find, was a gratitude journal. I had to stop and think about it for a moment. Did I really need a journal that was $15?? Then I read the back of the book; Gratitude: A Journal by Catherine Price. Things have not been going exactly as planned in my life at the moment, so I thought this would be the perfect way to try and stay positive through writing.

The first prompt in this journal was very similar to a couple other posts I have recently read by other bloggers. Emma Bauso just wrote a tasteful post about how she perceives beauty in response to a journal prompt written by Danielle at Sometimes Sweet. I found this very ironic because I have been thinking about this prompt all week. Should I write my response on my blog? Shouldn’t I? Did I want to add a Gratitude Journal category to my new layout to add a more person touch to my blog? Would that make it less professional? I honestly wasn’t sure.

Then I read Emma’s post and saw how raw and real her response was to Danielle’s journal prompt. When I first started my blog I really did not have a direction. It was a great way for me to share Matt and my renovation with our family, friends and other readers, along with other posts I wrote, and of course my brief pageant journey as Miss Auburn. Eventually those projects were completed and I started to run out of ideas to post about, hence my need for a new direction. I do not ever want to run out of ideas again because I have set my blog up with specific categories that I feel I have to stick to.

Anyways, I am getting off subject, my first gratitude journal prompt was:

Pick out three things in your day that are beautiful. Take time to notice and appreciate them in the moment; then, when you get home, jot them down in your journal.

I took a full day to think about what my answer would be, and this is what I wrote:

1. Friends. As I have graduated high school, I have found that good friends are hard to come by. Finding one good friend is a beautiful thing. I never had a chance to realize this until I noticed that all of my close friends had drifted away due to new jobs, continuing their education to a graduate level or because life took them down a different path.

2. Time. Since I have completed my master's degree, I have noticed that extra time is a beautiful gift that I am taking full advantage of to accomplish all the tasks I have been procrastinating. The busier my schedule gets, the less I take time for granted. Life already feels like it is flying by, I do not want it to go by any faster.

3. Selfless Individuals. I witnessed a person put himself in an uncomfortable position, completely out of his element earlier this week, just to show his support for a great organization and its success of 10 years. Now that was truly beautiful.

I realize my response was not very long, but I felt like it answered the question perfectly. Sometimes it is better to just be short and to the point, plus this particular journal does not provide you with much room to physically write your responses. Either way, I hope you enjoy reading my gratitude posts from this point forward. I genuinely enjoy writing them!

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

How to Start a Non-Profit // Post 1

2014-04-16T10:01:00.002-07:00

About seven months ago I started this blog; The Tiny Professional. In December of 2013, I decided that I wanted to give back to my community in more ways than just volunteering for multiple boards of directors, so on January 29, 2014, I incorporated The Tiny Professional, Inc. in the State of New York and started a program called The Tiny Professional’s Career Closet. The mission of the program was to provide interview-quality, professional business clothing at no charge to economically disadvantaged men and women in the Finger Lakes region. At the same it seemed to be the perfect way for individuals to clear out their cluttered closets while also helping men and women get outfitted with the professional clothing required to enter or re-enter the work force.

After numerous hours of research, multiple meetings with respected professionals in my community and some budget crunching, I realized that it would be very difficult to open an actual shop to house all the clothes and make rent, utilities and other expenses, on top of trying to work my regular 40 hour-a-week job. The thought of trying to manage the closet seemed impossible, even though the need was there. Eventually I decided that I was going to take a break and possible discover a new mission statement for the organization before I got in over my head. Fortunately, I have, and it does not involve renting space or have set hours that could potentially affect job (that pays that bills).

While it may seem like a very genuine notion to make (starting a not-for-profit and attempting to give back to the community) there is a lot of work that goes into starting up a not-for-profit. There are difficult decisions to be made and many steps to be taken, in order to be successful. The steps and decisions I will be conversing further, within these series of posts are:

Filing the Certificate of Incorporation
Selecting the individuals to serve on the board of directors
Developing a vision and mission statement
Establishing bylaws and board policies
Obtaining an employer identification number (EIN)
Opening a bank account and establishing check signing procedures
Filing for tax exemption
Finding an office space and obtaining office equipment, and finally
Developing an overall fundraising plan

I want to share the experience and knowledge I have gained thus far in my career and through my education, with other young professionals out there who are looking to possibly start up their own businesses or non-profits. I am writing this series with the hopes that my readers will take away something useful and positive from it.

Sooner or later,

The Tiny Professional

FINISHED

2014-04-14T08:17:00.001-07:00

Well I did it everyone.

I completed my masters in human resource management through an online degree program at Stony Brook University and was able to obtain a 3.7 GPA. Not too bad for working full time and trying to juggle the pageant stuff and renovation towards the beginning of the semester and then all my board service on top of that. In the end, I am glad to be finished and happy with how I did. I would have loved to have gotten a 4.0 but I have learned to accept that I am not perfect and cannot do everything.

I am excited to say that I am working on the new branding and logo for the tiny professional still. I will soon have a new email address with my new domain name. I have purchased the adobe creative cloud suite to help make my layout and images more “me”. I guess it will be trial and error for a few months. I am going to try the Wordpress.org platform where I find a host for my blog and sort of maintain everything myself. It is definitely going to be a learning curve, but since I have some more time on my hands, I am excited to see how everything turns out. I realize my readership has gone way down, since my lack of posting, but I promise to start posting much more, once I change my domain name over! I hope you all love it!

Stay tuned….

Wish List

2014-04-06T08:53:00.001-07:00

On my wish list:

1. Two new white desks for the office

2. New HP dual monitor computer to download all the creative cloud applications on

3. Kindle or Nook to read my favorite books (now that grad school is over!!!) but I haven't decided which. Preference anyone??? I only want to read on it, I'm not looking for it to replace my iPad.

4. More plants to make the house feel more "homey" (and to prove that I can keep things alive). We just bought a yucca cane and I love it!!

5. New logo and domain name up and running with a new layout within the next month to feature and discuss the new ideas I have for the direction I am going to be talking my blog (super excited).

That's all for now, and hopefully I get everything on my list soon!!

Want what's on my list? You can Shop my Post:

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

Branding Yourself

2014-03-27T06:37:00.002-07:00

Hello Everyone:

So once again, I feel like I haven’t posted in forever! My apologies but grad school has consumed me. Only 10 more days to go though, and I could not be more excited… no seriously!! Anyways, thinking towards the future, as I always tend to do, I have been brainstorming potential ideas for my doctoral study. Yes, I do want to continue on and obtain my Doctorate of Business Administration in Management with a concentration in Leadership. I tossed and turned with the ideating of getting a Ph.D., but that degree is more research and theory based while the DBA is more focused on applied management. I actually want to be a CEO not theorize about management trends.

Yesterday was the start of the official logo and branding for The Tiny Professional (TTP). I have my blog, my closet and am still in the works of the non-profit, although the vision and mission will be changing a bit. My goal for my doctoral study is to develop a curriculum that focuses on helping children and young professionals become "tiny professionals", by building leadership skills, completing mini workplace activities and explaining (with PowerPoint assistance) the importance of getting a good education, so that these students are not held back from moving up in the company they work for one day. I feel that there are many professional skills that are not taught to children at an early age that should be. It is never too early to learn about how to prepare yourself for “real life”. It does not mean that you cannot still be imaginative and dream big, because trust me, I still do, it just means that children should be taught basic skills, as early as second grade, that could potentially help them have a better chance at getting a job than their peers when they are out of high school or college.

One of my favorite bloggers, Emma Bauso, has been a HUGE help in my logo design journey. She has been able to see my vision, even clearer than I could and help construct some great designs! I cannot wait until everything is completed and I can start using the new logo and header on my blog, website, letterhead, and even for new business cards. So, look forward to a lot of new updates and posts about our progress together! Developing a new brand is always an exciting process. Also, the content of my posts and blog structure are going to be changing a bit in the future. I am going to be posting more about leadership, education, professionalism and myself more than I have in the past. Since the renovation is done, I have run out of updates to post for the time being. When Matt and I start our next project, I will be sure to keep everyone posted!

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

Inspiration

2014-03-20T05:59:00.003-07:00

Hi Everyone:

I apologize for my lack of posting this week. Graduate school is kicking my butt. Only two weeks left!!! I am in the home stretch and have been spending a lot of time focusing on my master thesis. Alleluia!! This morning at my Auburn Education Foundation board meeting, I was inspired by an alumni I remember from high school. She graduated a year before me, but seems to be very successful and happy in her career and life. She is currently working jointly with the elementary schools in our hometown to share stories that she writes on her blog about her experiences in Tanzania, Africa. Since then, she has started up a scholarship fund to help other children in Tanzania continue on in school so that they can receive a high school education. She also briefly talked about how different the cultures are here in America versus Tanzania. In America we are expected to go to high school and college, where in Tanzania, children are sometimes punished for wanting to learn, rather than coming to work on the family farm. Her story really put life into perspective and I was truly inspired by her journey, and the short parts I was able to hear about it. I look forward to making a contribution to her scholarship fund. It only costs $50 to send one Tanzanian to school for a year! It seems crazy to think about how far an American dollar can go in another nation.

[Meet Marisa - Follow her story]

If you would like to donate to this amazing fund, you can do so by going here. Even just $5 can make a difference in a child's education.

I promise to start posting more soon, after grad school is finished!! Almost there… I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

Interior Renovation Completed [For Now]

2014-03-11T11:28:00.002-07:00

Hello Everyone:

The interior renovation is basically complete. If spring would get here already, Matt and I could start working on projects outside our new home, but it looks like that is never going to happen with the weather we keep getting here in Central New York! This weekend Matt and I went to Marshal’s to buy some nick-knacks for the above the kitchen cabinets. Our goal was to try and tie in some of the green and blue colors from the other living rooms, into the kitchen space as well… I think we succeeded. I love the small pops of color and the variation in height that each of the pieces gives the space. All the different accent pieces just keep making our home feel more like a home. In a way, it still feels surreal.

We also found the coolest glasses for the new house. We already have a few sets (that don’t match), but we wanted to get more for guests, especially since we are having our first house warming party this weekend. They are jars with handles! Just something different with a unique twist; and we found them in small and large sizes! I was surprised that even Matt liked them.

I have to say that being a home owner of a newly renovated house, is definitely rewarding. We love our space and cannot wait to start tackling more projects this summer. Our "to do" list includes:

Ripping out and completing redoing all the landscaping
Expanding the current driveway
Putting on a new roof
Ripping off and putting on new shutters
Stoning the wall of the house (porch area)
Adding on the back deck
Tearing down the shed, ripping up the concrete slab, re-pouring a new slab with stamp-create and adding a gazebo over it (with a hot tub <-- in the future)
Completing gutting and remodeling the bathroom
Finishing the basement (HUGE PROJECT)
Adding a master suite to the back of the house

Okay, so our list is not realistically going to be finished this summer. Our goal is to finish #’s 1 -4 and then work on the rest over the next five years; before we have a baby. I think we can do it, but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see!!

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

Accommodation & Enhancement Benefits

2014-03-10T12:43:00.002-07:00

How might accommodation and enhancement benefits be appealing or unappealing for any organization?

Accommodation and enhancement benefits such as promoting educational opportunities to their employees might be appealing to an organization for a number of reasons. For example, if an organization offers an enhancement benefit such as scholarships or tuition reimbursement, an employee is more likely to either finish or further their education. Going back to college or obtaining a higher-level degree has become very expensive. This type of benefit is a great way for an employee to obtain additional knowledge, skills and eventually a certificate or degree and the company benefits as well because it’s employees know have a wider range and depth of knowledge and skills. As technology is ever changing, it is possibly for many employees to continue working their normal work schedule and night their additional courses online or at night, not disrupting the organizations day-to-day workflow. Personally I am hoping to find a job with a company that will help pay for my decorate degree in management. Another advantage is that in some cases employers receive tax benefits for offering these types of accommodations and enhancement benefits by deducting the costs as normal business expenses. Not only are educational opportunities beneficial to both the employee and employer, but enhancement benefit like this lead to an overall increase in moral and an improved, more motivated and safer work environment.

If you had to recommend a new accommodation or enhancement benefit to HR upper management, what would it be?

Depending on the overall physical and mental health of the employees within the organization, I would recommend an enhancement benefit such as a wellness program that could benefit employees in multiple ways as individuals. In other companies I volunteer for as a board member, they have offered a free gym membership through their wellness program, which helps with cardio improvement, weight gain, muscle tone and overall physical health. The overall benefits for employers are obvious, but they also provide the company with strategic advantages by investing money in the program that will hopefully bring them lowered expenses in return, often in the form of better performing workers, and less absences and health care costs. Employees are the most valuable assets to any company. By providing workers with these services, companies are improving well-being and job satisfaction, as well as raising retention rates. The welfare of employees has a direct impact on the success of the company. If I were to pitch this idea to upper level management, I would ask them: So why should you, as an employee, take advantage of a workplace wellness program? Everyone has some sort of health risk to varying degrees, whether it is unhealthy eating, lack of exercise or sleep, drinking, smoking, or even something genetic. Using a program just as this can make positive change happen. Not only will you be more able to complete your job responsibilities, but you will also have more energy and liveliness to give to your family and friends when you get home.

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

Shop The Post: 50 Shades of Easter

2014-03-07T08:04:00.003-08:00

Hi Everyone:

I honestly don't know why this look reminded my of Easter colors, but I love the pastel look of the lime green tweed blazer and bright coral pink pencil skirt paired together. If these pieces were neutral colors, this outfit would just be a boring suit, but the colors make all the difference. I am going to start incorporating something called "Shop The Post" into my fashion, any beauty/pageant and home decor posts, so the my readers can buy any pieces that they like my simple clicking on them below. The links take you directly to the sites checkouts, rather than giving you a general website and making you search for the product yourself. Basically, I have done all the work for you. Your welcome! For this look I have tried to keep a variety of budgets in mind. For the main pieces I picked two or three pieces that would work in varying budgets. That way you can choose which ever piece is closest to you budget!

I have also changed my Instagram widget so that you can click any of the pictures you see and shop the looks directly from there as well!! It's a really neat tool, so be sure to take advantage of it! I will definitely be posting photos to my Instagram a lot more now!

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

20 Closet Must Haves

2014-03-06T05:19:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone:

There are definitely some essentials that a girl MUST have in her closet. Here is a list I compiled of what I feel is essential and that I have in my closet. If you cannot tell by the end of the list, I really like white and neutral tones. They are easy to mix and match with any outfit and are essential basic pieces to have. Don’t get me wrong, a girl definitely wants to have lots of accessories and personality in her wardrobe, but these pieces are the MUST haves.

#1. White T-Shirt (this is a must in every girls closet)
#2. 3/4 Sleeve White Shirt
#3. Nude Flats
#4. Nude Heels (they go with anything)
#5. White Casual Dress
#6. White Party Dress (just be careful of spills!)
#7. White or Neutral Handbag
#8. Grey or Neutral Chinos
#9. Light Pair of Denim
#10. 'Boyfriend' fit Sweatshirt

#11. At least one nice Sweater
#12. Simple Statement Necklace (I love the color teal)
#13. Statement Necklace with a pop of color
#14. Cocktail Ring
#15. Silver Sparkly Earrings
#16. Simple Elegant Bangle(s)
#17. Travel Makeup Kit (yes in your closet!!)
#18. Blazer (any color is fine)
#19. Neon color Clutch
#20. One Pair of Fun Shoes/Heels

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

The Faucet Is In

2014-03-05T08:18:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone:

Although the kitchen renovation has been completed for a little over two weeks now, we unfortunately have not had any running water! Yesterday the faucet we ordered finally arrived. I have to say I will never be ordering anything through that company again. It would have been quicker to buy a faucet on eBay. Honestly!

Yesterday after work, I had my dad pick me up and drive to Lowe's to pick up the new parts we would need to plumb the sink. I can’t say that I know anything about any of the items we purchased. Basically, lots of plastic tubing. At least that’s what it looks like to me. When we got home, I helped him install the faucet and then left him alone to replace the old plumbing with the new white plastic stuff, while I cooked dinner. It took about an hour or so because he also had to hook up the plumbing to the dishwasher. There were a few missing parts that we ended up needing, so he is coming back tomorrow to add those in. After going three weeks without a kitchen sink, another day or two wasn't going to hurt us.

I love the modern, sleek look of our new faucet. Originally we thought that we only wanted a built in soap dispenser, but this style MOEN faucet did not come with one. In the end, now looking at the sink, I am glad that we didn't purchase one. Sometimes less is more. I also love that the nose is detachable and comes out to spray the dishes clean. It reaches the whole perimeter of the sink!

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

Ten Favorite Home Décor Picks

2014-03-03T12:22:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone:

Since the renovation is nearly completed (for now; inside) Matt and I have been able to sit back, relax and enjoy our home a bit. I look forward to posting about the steps we took to renovate some of the spaces and tips on how to decorate a house that is open concept (like ours is). Today I posted ten different home décor pieces that all stood out to be individually. Maybe there’s a piece you like as well!

Three Years

2014-03-01T17:09:00.002-08:00

Today is Matt and my three-year anniversary, and so I wanted to tell everyone about how we actually met and started dating. It’s not the typical story.

Matt and I actually met through our volunteer fire department. Even though we went to the same high school, we never actually knew each other during that time. It was a little ironic how we started dating because we sort of went backwards. I had a really tough time getting over my high school sweetheart, and so one random day, when I was sitting in the bay of the firehouse, I shouted out to all the guys “will someone marry me?” Now of course this was a joke, I just wanted to change my Facebook status from ‘single’ to ‘married’ to get a few laughs but sure enough, Matt volunteered.

After that day, Matt and I actually started to become good friends. We hung out a lot more; he would pick me up and drop me at parties with my friends; but ever actually go to them with me. He was talking with another girl and I was talking with another guy, so I never thought for a second that I was developing any feelings for him, because he was still considered a “brother”. Somehow how, over a period of six months, we went from complete strangers to best friends to falling in love. The most pathetic part was I told him I had feelings for him via a tweet message!?!? Fortunately he felt the same way.

Our next challenge? Telling the rest of the fire department. Since our relationship started out as a joke (and it honestly was) we had to explain to the firehouse that we actually had feeling for each other and were going to start dating. At first, it was as if a bomb went off. We both even contemplated resigning. But as soon as the department could see that we truly cared about each other, and weren’t just fooling around, they turned around and became very supportive. Even to this day, I don’t know where I would be without all my other ‘brothers’. They are very supportive and protective of me, even though in the beginning they never thought our relationship would last.

When I said that we sort of went backwards, what I meant was that Matt and I went from being "married" (haha) to being "in a relationship" via Facebook status. It's sort of our thing. I don't always do so well with labels, so I honestly think that Matt and I being "married" was a way for be to be more relaxed and actually get to know him, because it was all just a joke (or supposed to be).

To this day, I love that Matt and I have proved everyone wrong. We have beaten all odds and faced many tough obstacles and battles together. In the end, we always come out stronger. At only 22 years old, we both have new vehicles, good jobs, a beautiful first home and, most importantly, each other. We continue to work hard every day, so that one day we will be financially stable, get married and raise a family.

“I love you until the last star falls from the sky”

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

Professional & Polished

2014-02-27T12:15:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone:

I truly enjoy finding outfits in magazines and on billboards and piecing those outfits together with similar clothing that I find online. Anyone that follows my Polyvore knows this! So to make shopping a littler easier for my readers, you can now SHOP the outfits I recreate, right on my blog! I figure that this is a much more convenient way to shop the pieces that you might like from a particular outfit I post, rather than having to click the link to the general store's url and then still actually search the item you are looking for. So what does everyone think? I hope some of my readers will find this useful. It is definitely going to be a much more expedient way to shop the looks you love!

This week’s look is a polished but professional black two piece skirt suit. Anytime you throw on a pair of red high heels, you’re bound to stand out!

RED PUMPS by: WALTER STEIGER │ MARC BY MARC JACOBS Mini Amy Gold Watch, 26mm │ Gathered jersey skirt by: Giambattista Valli │ Banana Republic Sleek Suit Blazer

Relic Embroidery-Wrapped Skinny Belt Set by: Relic

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

Six Much Loved Blogs

2014-02-26T13:27:00.003-08:00

Hey everyone:

One of the questions I am always be asked lastly is:

What are your favorite blogs??

So here are a few that I read and check on a regular basis (in no particular order):

1. My Lady Boudoir

2. A Bowl Full of Lemons

3. Brown Eyed Girl

4. Emmaloo

5. DIY Diva

6. The Skinny Confidential

All of these blogs are a fantastic read and very engaging. There are so many blogs that I come across that might have a unique design or have a few interesting posts, but that I never actually come back to read for some reason or another. They just aren't memorable.

So why are these six blogs my favorite? Maybe it is because these blogs encompass and share a lot of similar interests as I do, even if I don't personally blog about them. I currently am going through a full house renovation, so I LOVE reading the DIY Diva's posts about home decor and small DIY projects, since we share a very similar style. My interior design in a mix of modern and rustic, so posts like this one, are great because they are projects that I can do and use in my newly renovated home.

I am only am a tiny bit OCD (organization freak). While Matt is the clean freak, I like everything to be organized and have a place. Posts like this one, by the "A Bowl Full of Lemons" blog, are right up my ally. I can relate to these posts and I actually use the information and tips provided. Isn't that what blogging is all about? Don't you want your readers to actually READ your posts and take in your advice or actually try your DIY project? Well I know I do. Currently most of my posts are updates of our current renovation, but once things slow down, I plan to do some "how to" posts, and write more about the actual process and what it was like to go through such a long renovation.

I also have a wide variety of other interests such as fashion, beauty, professionalism, weddings (even though I probably won't be getting married for a few more years; it's just fun to dream), fitness and photography. This is likely why I also love reading My Lady Boudoir, Brown Eyed Girl and The Skinny Confidential. These blogs all share posts of a mix of my other interests.

Emma Bauso is actually a girl I went to the same high school with and her blog is Emmaloo. I actually never knew her in high school, but since that time I have started to follow and read her blog. It is amazing how much you can learn about a person by what they post on their blog. Emma and I are now good friends and I literally check her blog every day. Whether or not we have the chance to talk in person, I feel like I can connect with her through her blog, because she isn't afraid to open up and write about her feelings and the situations she is going through; good or bad. It is refreshing to read such raw material. It has also been a blessing meeting her because we have had the opportunity to team up in more then one way. She has helped me design my currently blog layout, personal photo edits and fonts. You can check out her portfolio here.

So, I hope you will take the time to check out all these fantastic blogs and read a few posts. If I get you hooked on at least one new blog, then my mission today is accomplished. FYI: None of these bloggers asked me to promote them. This is just my sincere opinion about a six of my favorite bloggers. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

Disclaimer: All photos were taken directly from individual blog sites. These photos belong to the individual blog owners and are displayed for the purposes of this blog post only.

Kitchen: Before & After

2014-02-24T09:02:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone:

One of the largest and most expensive project’s Matt and I had to tackle during the renovation of our new house was the kitchen. Initially, including appliances, we budgeted about $8,000 to update the kitchen. Although we did end up going over budget, we felt that it was worth the upgrades we decided to add.

The original kitchen layout was in the shape of peninsula. I felt that the shape didn’t do our open concept home much justice and wanted to break the kitchen apart (as much as possible) from the rest of the house. I saw a picture on my Houzz application of a kitchen with an “L” shaped island and immediately fell in love. I asked my dad (who basically did all the contract work) if it was an option for us, and he said it was. SCORE! We were able to salvage the existing cabinets by taking them each apart, cleaning them up and painting them with a high-end glossy white paint. The end result was actually a lot nicer than I had anticipated. Once the cabinets were painted we laid them out into the new layout that we wanted. We were three (12 inch) base cabinets too short, so we had to do our best to find three new cabinets that matched. We also had to buy two new wall cabinets as well. Even though the new cabinets are a slightly different style, you honestly barely notice them since they are all bright white and have the same fixtures.

My dad thought it would be best to have 48 inches of walking space between both sides of the island, so we pushed the island out a little bit further than we had originally designed for. It actually worked out great because of where our refrigerator is located. With the pull out drawers there is plenty of space to pull out the vegetable drawer or freezer drawer and not be pushed up against the end of the island. This also allows for plenty of space to move around and cook in the kitchen. The originally kitchen did not have a hood above the stove, so we added a new European style stainless steel hood above our electric double oven range. I love the look of a hood rather than a microwave or added cabinetry. As you can see we shifted the stove down to the right by about a foot and fixed the awkward space between the wall cabinets.

We also moved the placement of the refrigerator from the right wall over to the left wall and added a (much needed) dishwasher. Since there was no more peninsula I thought the fridge was better suited on the left of the sink. So far we love the placement of all the appliances. I did a lot of research and tried to understand the whole “triangle” concept, but overall I think all of our appliances are easily accessible and functional.

Originally we thought we were going to have to buy laminate countertop, but since my dad was able to save us so much money in labor (he did all the work for free) we were able to upgrade at go with a medium grade granite. The lower end grade only came in light colors, which I thought would be too much white, so I am glad we upped our budget a little and went with a darker grey. We also decided to go with a 4 ½ inch granite backsplash. It really gives the kitchen a more “high-end” feel in my opinion and covers up a lot of the marks and imperfections that were left behind from the other countertop being removed.

In the end even we were impressed with the way our kitchen turned out. We have ample storage space and it’s perfect for entertaining. There is space to fit 6 stools around the island (comfortably) and we still have the open eat-in dining room. The counter space is enormous; over 75 square feet!! I guess this means it’s time for me to start learning how to cook!!

I’d love to see or hear about anyone else’s kitchen renovations, or what they wish they did differently. I know in the future we might choose to upgrade to custom cabinetry (when we have the budget), but for now the old restored cabinets are perfect.

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

Range Hood (part 2)

2014-02-20T09:40:00.003-08:00

Hello Everyone:

The range hood is officially installed and working! The electrical was finished by my dad Monday night (sorry for the delayed posting). I love the European look!! It is definitely different than what most kitchen’s in our geographical area look like. Although it might be a little more modern that what most people are used to, I like being diverse (in a good way). I like the hood is a solid focal point in the kitchen. I honestly cannot stand kitchens that have microwaves above their stoves. They just are not visually appealing. I mean I wish we had the budget to have a built in microwave in our island, but if we ever decide (or have the budget) to upgrade our cabinetry, we can always put in an under-the-counter microwave. That way we can free up some additional counter space.

Monday my dad was also able to finally finish the molding around the door inside the house that leads out to the garage. The reason why we did not complete the molding around this door when we had finished the molding in the rest of the house, was because the door was not flush with the wall. We had to find a ½ inch filler to make the door flush with the actual inside walls of the house. My dad was actually able to use some of the left over molding we had, to fill that gap. The end results? Fabulous!

We are definitely in the home stretch now. The only thing left to finish in the kitchen now is the plumbing. We are still waiting on the faucet. The company we ordered it through told us it would be in stock within two to three weeks. We are now nearing three weeks, so hopefully by next week, they will call us. We are keeping our fingers crossed. My dad is waiting to hook up the plumbing part of the dishwasher as well. He figured he would just do it all at the same time. Tonight the new doorbell and thermostat are going in (just minor upgrades), but we are continuing to make progress. Thanks for all the great comments and support! Matt and I love to read through them all!

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

B&W

2014-02-19T05:33:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone:

Another day of simple fashion. I love mornings where a simple pair of black leggings and a white cardigan over a black tank top are enough to get me through the day. Simple but still street chic. The large bag is perfect for all my nonsense (that I truly don’t need to lug around every day; but do anyways) and the sandals are perfect for the warmer weather. For anyone who lives in New York, like myself, warm weather just doesn’t seem to exist this year. Definitely looking forward to Spring.

Sweater: ICHI Cardigan Olanda Off White welikafashion.com $48 • Top: iheart Black Top Sarina veryeickhoff.com $55 • Bottoms: Oasis Black Leggings; Black johnlewis.com $23 • Shoes: Steve Madden Haywire Espadrille Wedge Sandals lordandtaylor.com $39 • Purse: Ladies’ Stud Tote Black Target Australia target.com.au $36 • Ring: Monki Nina Ring monki.com $9 • Sunglasses: Ray Ban Icons Wayfarer Leather Edition Sunglasses vanmildert.com $420

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

Trainee Errors Can Lead to Experience

2014-02-18T07:56:00.000-08:00

Can trainee errors during training provide a learning experience?

Absolutely! Any errors or mistakes a trainee makes most definitely provide a learning experience. When I first started working within the area of real estate, I had no previous experience or background. I would take notes and every time I made a mistake, I would make a little “cheat sheet” that helped me from preventing that same error the next time around. There are so many different laws and regulations and no two closings are the same, there was no way I was going to be able to learn everything there was to known about real estate from a legal stand point in just one week of training. Most jobs are the same. As a trainee, you work hard, observe and take effective notes. If you make a mistake, you learn from that mistake so that you can prevent yourself from allowing it happen again.

How might you motivate managers to play a more active role in ensuring transfer of training?

In my personal opinion, a good way to motive managers to play a more active role with regards to training would be to set up some type of incentive. It might be useful for a company to develop or establish a program where manager whose trainees that are recognized for outstanding customer service, sales performance or whatever the field or niche may be, get an incentive bonus annually. This would give managers the motivation to go above and beyond their normal expectations because they now know that if they trainees they produce excel, so will their paycheck. The company can focus on the quality of the trainees by the limiting or restricting the performance criteria or “marks” that each trainee must hit in order for the manager to receive the incentive bonus.

So what are your thoughts and opinions? What other ways could you motivate a manager to play a more active role in the training implementation process?

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

Range Hood (part 1)

2014-02-17T05:28:00.002-08:00

Hello Everyone:

This weekend we started the process of putting in the range hood. It was quite a process since I decided to purchase a european style hood and didn't think twice that the directions and all the measurements would be in metrics. Thankfully I was able to google a conversion caluclator and we were able to convert all the number from millimeters over to inches so that they made sense to us. We were able to get the actual hood up on the wall, but didn't end up finishing becuase we still need to run wires through the wall and add an electrical outlet. Therefore, there was not put in making the hood look pretty, just to tear it all back down the next day. Tonight, my dad plans to finish up the electrical work so that we can plug in the hood (without any cords being seen) and then the hood will be another item checked off our list in the kitchen. We also finished putting up the blinds and curtins in the dining room, but I completely forgot to take pictures. Whoops!

Here are a few sneak peeks of the countertops during the installation process last week. They have since been completey installed, finished and buffed and look amazing!!! I want to wait until everything is entirly finished before I publish the "before and after" post.

So what do you think? I love the darker color! Just wait until you get to see the final photos!!

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

Happy Smooch Day

2014-02-14T08:33:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone:

I just wanted to give a small shout to all of my followers and say Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope everyone is able to spend today with their friends, family, children or a loved one. But whether or not you spend today alone, with a significant other or a spouse, remember that you can only love another as much as you love yourself. If there is anything that I have learned these past three years, it is to accept yourself for whoever you are and in doing so, I have learned to share that love with others.

On March 1^st, Matt and I will have been together for three years. I can honestly say they have been the happiest and most rewarding years of my life. I have grown and matured as a young adult but more importantly I have learned to put another’s needs and wants before my own. It is not always easy but I have definitely learned that relationships are about give and take. Matt is a little more willing to give than I am, but I have a tendency to be stubborn and it is something I am working on. During our renovation process he has let me take full rein of the home décor choices, although I am still very conscious to keep in him the decision making process. I appreciate that he trusts my design choices and our level of trust is one of the reasons why we work so well together. Well, sorry for my babbling, I hope everyone enjoys their smooch day!

[moisturizer balm & card from coworker]

[valentine card from fellow blogger Emmaloo]

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

Accent Pieces

2014-02-12T07:24:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone:

Yesterday afternoon I received a call from Pier 1 Imports that our love seat was in stock and ready to be picked up. So after my board meeting, Matt and I made the 55 minute drive to Syracuse to pick up the new piece! Thankfully it came packaged up in a box because we literally tossed it in the back up his pickup truck. On our way home we also stopped at Marshals in Auburn to grab the accent chair for the office that I have had my eye on. I wanted to look around for a bit to make sure it was “the one”, but after a long search throughout many different home décor stores, I still felt this one was the best fit for the space. My mind was made up.

The only thing left? Accent pillows!! Unfortunately I didn’t see any pillows I liked yesterday, so I will have to keep my eyes open for some bright print pillows that will look nice on the grey chair. I am so excited that the furniture and décor is coming together nicely and that the countertops will be installed on Thursday!! It’s going to be so nice to have a kitchen sink... you have no idea!! Right now we are eating cereal and washing the dishes in the bathroom. It’s a little weird. Soon I am going to be posting where I bought all my décor pieces so that you can buy them yourself, since so many people have commenting that they like my taste in home décor. I will also try and add links to websites will similar items for sale so that you can get the same design at a reasonable price!

I also almost forget to mention that my dad was able to finish putting on all the stainless steel handles on the cabinetry. I love the look of the final design. I can’t wait to see how everything looks. I am still keeping my eyes out for stools to put around the island overhang. I am going to need at least six matching stools, so if anyone has any recommendations, PLEASE let me know! I am looking for something simple and modern that fits the design of the space. The island overhang is 12 inches all the way around the back of the “L”.

[P.S. I just HAD to post a picture of the new range hood in the box since I am going to wait and surprise everyone until the kitchen is finished this week]

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

Social Media & Blogging 101

2014-02-11T05:28:00.001-08:00

Here are some social media applications that I use on a daily basis and the advice I have for expanding your blog and brand by using them:

Facebook
- Find and like five new pages
- Comment on two pages per day
- Post twice on your own pace related to your brand
- Always include a call to action (ex. Comment, like, share)
- Add hashtags to your post (when relevant) so your posts appear on trending topics
- Don’t forget to tag people and pages in your posts

Twitter

- Post three new tweets per day. Try to simplify and focus your follower’s communities

- Add hashtags to your post (when relevant) so your posts appear on trending topics

- Make sure to retweet at least four other tweets that appeal to you per day

- Follow ten new people or businesses per day

- Add comments with retweets (ex. Great Job!! @thetinybl0gger just completed a new project on the house)

- Create a new Pin board relevant to your brand every other week and tweet about it

- Allocate 15-20 minutes a day to add new pins to your existing boards

- Encourage followers to pin your boards

- Follower 5 new Pinners each week

- Always use appropriate keywords and hashtags in your pin boards and descriptions

Instagram

- Post 1 photo per day (I personally need to get better at this)

- Use appropriate hashtags in your descriptions

- Follows ten new IGer’s every day

- Commend on 5 IGer’s photos per day

- Like 25-30 of your followers photos per day

- Tag the location of your photo when appropriate

- Try to use your IG images in all different platforms and tie them back to your community whenever possible.

Bloglovin
- Follow five new blogs per day
- Follow five new user per day (these are different than blogs)
- Like one post every day
- Share your bloglovin account information on your twitter or Facebook page whenever you post something new
- Make sure you market that you want people to follow your blog and not just your user account

Polyvore

- Post one new outfit each week (this is only relevant for fashion bloggers)

- Think of creative titles for your outfits

- Keep in mind that prices per clothing item do matter

- Share your outfits with your twitter and Facebook page

Google +

- Add 25 new people to your circle each week

- Share new and relatable content to your business twice a day

- Offer and host a Google + hangout session for an industry related topic (once you are familiar with the platform)

- Make sure your posts are set to public, use hashtags and categorize followers if possible

- Joining and posting to relevant communities is also a great way to get more feedback from your posts

- Create a subreddit group for your community

- Create one new thread per day

- Monitor new thread with automated email alerts

- Participate in one or two reddit threads per day that are realted to your brand

- Try to engage your brand not promote yourself

StumbleUpon

- Add two new pages per day

- Stumble upon 25 new pages per day

- Create one new list every two weeks

- Follow one new list every week

- Follow three new stumblers every day

- Update your interests every month (make sure they are parallel with your brand)

- Don’t like too many of your own pages (10:1 ratio – for every 10 pages that you add like one of them)

- Connect with five new people per week

- Follow three new companies per week

- Request at least one or two recommendations per week

- Repost all your blog posts onto the news feed

Since the start up of my blog, The Tiny Professional, only six months ago, I have managed to receive over 15,600 views to date. I have to say that a lot of that success is because I work very hard a marketing my brand. I really want my blog to grow and so I use a variety of social networks to promote it.

A few other tips I have learned, are to use:

1) Facebook Groups. These are a great way to gain a lot of blog support. I joined about 20 when I first started and quickly realized that it’s all about the quality of a few groups and not just the total quantity of the groups you are in. Facebook Groups have allows be to connect with other bloggers who are going through similar blog start up obstacles, similar to myself.

2) Blog Forums. I have joined about three or four good blogger forum and can see from my google analytics that I do gain a lot of traffic from this sites. Other bloggers might have similar questions that you have so why not share them in the same place? Or share similar interests in the same place? That’s basically what blog forums are for.

3) When in doubt – Google the answer. When I don’t know how to add a code to my layout or want some ideas for new blogs to follow, I just google away. I have come across so many great sites that have helped me network with other bloggers and start to grow my brand. I still am nowhere near where I would like to be, but at least people in my community know who I am “The Tiny Professional”. I’m only going to keep growing from here.

So, what is my advice to any beginner blogger? Be willing to invest a lot of time, energy and don’t give up. It will be worth in in the end.

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional

Curtains & Wall Art

2014-02-10T05:27:00.002-08:00

Hello Everyone:

Sorry for my lack in blog posts. It has been another crazy busy weekend. Friday and Saturday, Matt and I focused moving more of our personal belongings and miscellaneous things into the new house. I cannot stand clutter, but at this point it seems unavoidable. Sunday my dad came over and worked on a bunch of "mini" projects. First he rewired the outlet behind the stove so that we could slide it in closer to the wall. It took some time be because the way the power cord had to go into the outlet was tricky, but since my dad is an electrician by trade, he knew what he was doing. Now the stove is up and running and I can officially start cooking meals with it!

We got all the curtains hung up in the livings rooms, master bedroom and office. I love the longer length (84in) with the stainless stain curtain rods. He also helped hang up some shelving I had picked out, along with some random pieces of wall art (some old and some new). Putting decor on the walls is really starting to tie all the furniture pieces and color combinations all together.

Lastly, my dad put up some extra fire detectors. Now we have one in the bedroom, office and main hallway. He just wants to make sure his little girl is safe in case of a fire, and it puts Matt and I and peace as well.

Tonight he is coming back to finish hooking up the dishwasher and finishing up all the handles on the kitchen cabinets and then we should be ready for the granite countertops this week. We are reaching the end of our renovation journey. It's feeling a little bitter sweet!

Sooner than later,

The Tiny Professional