Baker Mills, a family-owned company based in Salt Lake City, makes all-natural food products under the Kodiak Cakes brand name. The company prides itself on using high-quality, wholesome ingredients, ensuring its products taste better than those made with unhealthy, refined ingredients. Kodiak Cakes Frontier Flapjack and Waffle Mix, Baker Mills’ first product, is now sold in more than 3,500 stores nationwide, including King Soopers, Safeway, Super Target and Whole Foods stores across the Denver metro area.

Kodiak Cakes Frontier Flapjack and Waffle Mix was named among the “10 Foods that Rocked Our Tastebuds” by WeightWatchers.com and was featured in Bon Appetit and Healthy Cooking magazines. The Kodiak Cakes brand also includes all-natural Big Bear Brownies mix, Bear Country Cookies mix and Kodiak Berry syrups. For more information, visit Kodiak Cakes at www.kodiakcakes.com.

About Xstatic Public Relations

Xstatic Public Relations is a PR consultancy that thrives on creativity, innovation and extraordinary thinking. Based in Denver, Xstatic is led by Principal Stacey Sepp and represents organizations ranging from regional nonprofits to national corporations. The firm is recognized industry-wide for its award-winning campaigns by organizations including the Public Relations Society of America and the National Federation of Press Women. To learn more about Xstatic Public Relations, visit www.xstaticpr.com or join us at www.facebook.com/xstaticpr, or www.twitter.com/xstaticpr.

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The mission isn’t just something the founder wrote on a business plan years ago and tucked away. It is truly at the heart of the business, and fuels the work The Breakaway Group does on a daily basis. The mission is so important that The Breakaway Group honors a handful of employees who have demonstrated a commitment to “leaving more than they take” each year with their highly coveted Promise Award.

As a PR professional, I am pleased to see one of my clients so clearly outline, communicate and carry out its mission. Having a mission is one thing. But, communicating that mission effectively and actually living it is quite another.

This got me thinking about my mission. Years ago, I defined my mission to provide the finest public relations counsel available with extraordinary client service. I strive to deliver on my mission every day. On some days and with some projects I succeed. On others, inevitably, I fail. But, it’s my goal, my driver and motivation.

Having a mission is imperative. It’s still January – the perfect time for re-evaluation and goal setting. So, if you don’t have one established already, set aside some time to define your mission. Whether you’re defining a mission for your company, for yourself as a professional, or one for how you want to live your life – make your mission about what you want to achieve and how.

Once that’s in place, figure out two or three things you’ll do this year to communicate and deliver on that mission. Make it public and work to integrate it into everything you do. This is an excellent way to better define your business, your differentiators and why you do what you do.

So, what’s your mission?

-Stacey Sepp

So, unless you write for a living and apply these principles every week or every day, there are a few grammatical rules that can trip up even the best of us. This week, we are tackling who vs. that and I vs. me.

• Who vs. That

Who refers to people. That refers to objects. For example:

She is the girl who won first place.

He works for the company that makes ski and snowboard equipment. 

• I vs. Me

Both I and me are personal pronouns, which means they are used in place of nouns referring to specific people (i.e. I, me, you, yours, his, hers, them). Use the pronoun I when the pronoun is the subject of a verb. For example:

I went to the National Western Stock Show for the first time on Monday.

My husband and I took our son, also.

Use the pronoun me when it is the object of a verb or preposition. For example:

The outcome of the football game completely floored me.

The joke was on Ben and me.

When dealing with compound subjects (i.e. My husband and I OR Ben and me), a simple rule to determine whether to use I or me is to drop the other noun and see if the sentence still makes sense. Using the examples above:

I took our son, also. (You wouldn’t say Me took our son, also.)

The joke was on me. (The joke was on I is clearly incorrect.)

For some more reminders on other common grammatical errors including its vs. it’s, your vs. you’re, than vs. then and others, check out this previous Grammar Police blog. Are there any other grammar mishaps that trip you up? Let me know and I’ll devote an upcoming post to those. Until next time, live long and prosper…and use proper grammar!

-Stacey Sepp

Conquering grave challenges to become a successful entrepreneur, Chris Gardner is a powerful motivational and inspirational speaker, addressing the keys to overcoming obstacles and breaking cycles. JFS Executive Luncheon co-chairs Adam Agron, David Asarch, and Michele Right are excited about how closely Gardner’s story and successes tie in with the work JFS does to help thousands of struggling people each year achieve self-sufficiency.

The amazing story of Gardner’s life was published as an autobiography, The Pursuit of Happyness, in 2006, and became a national bestseller. In paperback, the book spent over 20 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list and has been translated into more than 30 languages. The book was the inspiration for the blockbuster movie, The Pursuit of Happyness, which was released December 2006. Will Smith starred as Gardner and received Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild nominations for his performance. Gardner was an associate producer on the film.

Gardner’s childhood was marked by poverty, domestic violence, alcoholism, sex abuse, and family illiteracy. Gardner published his autobiography out of a desire to shed light on these universal issues and show they do not have to define you. Gardner never knew his father, and lived with his beloved mother, Bettye Jean Triplett, when not in foster homes. He is indebted to her for his success as she provided him with strong “spiritual genetics” and taught him that in spite of where he came from, he could achieve whatever goals he set for himself.

In 1981, as a new father, he was determined to find a career that would be both lucrative and fulfilling. Fascinated by finance, but without connections or even a college degree, Gardner applied for a training program with a brokerage firm, willing to live on next to nothing while he learned a new trade. When his wife left him, Gardner fought to keep his son because, as he says, “I made up my mind as a young kid that when I had children they were going to know who their father is.”

Gardner earned a spot in the Dean Witter Reynolds training program but became homeless when he could not make ends meet on his meager trainee salary. In 1987 he founded the brokerage firm Gardner Rich in Chicago from his home with just $10,000. Today, Gardner is involved with homelessness initiatives assisting families to stay intact, and assisting homeless men and women who are employed but still cannot get by.

In his second New York Times best-selling book, Start Where You Are: Life Lessons in Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be, published in 2009, Gardner shared his philosophies on creating a fulfilling, successful life. The book provides a much-needed blueprint for navigating tumultuous times with positivity, courage, tenacity, discipline, and common sense.

Chris Gardner’s aim, through his speaking engagements and media projects, is to help others achieve their full potential. His practical guidance and inspirational story have made him a frequent guest on CNN, CNBC and the Fox News Channel. He has been featured on The CBS Evening News, 20/20, Oprah, Today Show, The View, Entertainment Tonight, as well as in People, USA Today, Associated Press, New York Times, Fortune, Entrepreneur, Jet, Reader’s Digest, Trader Monthly, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, and The New York Post.

About Jewish Family Service of Colorado
Founded in 1872, Jewish Family Service of Colorado is a nonsectarian, nonprofit human services agency serving metro Denver and Boulder, helping seniors age in place, providing mental-health counseling to individuals and families in distress, offering training and placement services to those with barriers to employment, and providing crisis intervention and food to people in need. Every year, JFS benefits more than 21,000 people of all ages, faiths and incomes. For more information, call 303.597.5000 or visit www.jewishfamilyservice.org. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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Effective communication with target audiences is essential in changing attitudes and behaviors. And, in business, changing consumer behavior is generally the driving goal. We’re driving people to purchase a new product, cast a vote, make a call, visit a website, donate time or money, or simply remember a particular brand on the next shopping trip.

Whether you work with a consultant like me or your organization keeps its PR function in-house, there are some simple things you can do to boost the effectiveness of your PR program in 2012:

1. 1.     Evaluate Your PR Strategies – Start the year by evaluating your PR strategies. What are you already doing to communicate with your target audiences? What’s working and what’s not? Are you communicating with all of your target audiences or missing a critical group (perhaps your own employees)? Ask yourself these questions and evaluate your program honestly. Weed out the strategies that are ineffective or tired, and brainstorm new, creative ways to reach your key audiences.

1. 2.     Stay On Message – How do you communicate what your business does or what you sell? Now, ask a colleague that same question. Most likely, you’ll get two different answers. To strengthen your brand, it is critical to develop a set of key messages for your business. Key messages are clear, concise message points that explain what your organization does, why it’s beneficial and who you help. Messages must be brief and memorable, integrated into every communication vehicle you use, and used by everyone who speaks on behalf of the company.

1. 3.     Make the Headlines – An excellent way to establish credibility and reach target audiences is through media coverage. Determine what your business is doing that could be newsworthy. Are you helping a large number of people in a unique way? Do you offer a solution to a common or timely problem? Are you doing something that ties into a current news trend, holiday or time of year? If so, consider working media relations into your 2012 PR program.

1. 4.     Be Social – Social media tools like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are no longer a trend for hip, cutting-edge businesses. They are essential communication tools for ANY business that wants to compete. Social media tools are free, proven vehicles for communicating directly with target audiences. They are extremely effective for breaking news, gaining feedback from customers, promoting events, conducting informal research and much more. Also, they allow companies to be more transparent and have become the go-to source for breaking news (Osama bin Laden’s death, the Hudson River plane crash and the royal engagement were all broken via Twitter).

1. 5.     Define Your Theme – A creative, memorable theme (think the American Cancer Society’s “Official Sponsor of Birthdays” or Allstate’s “Mayhem” concepts) can reinvigorate your brand and solidify your business in the consumer’s mind year-round. Use the theme in all communication vehicles from website to direct mail, and get creative in how you bring it to life!

–Stacey Sepp

The Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) is the profession’s only voluntary post-graduate certification program. According to PRSA, “It measures a public relations practitioner’s fundamental knowledge of communications theory and its application; establishes advanced capabilities in research, strategic planning, implementation and evaluation; and demonstrates a commitment to professional excellence and ethical conduct.” There are currently only 5,000 PR professionals worldwide who have earned the designation.

I began pursuing my APR a year into owning my own PR practice. At 28, I found myself competing for business with senior-level professionals, many of whom had more than 20 years of experience. I felt that obtaining my APR would provide the additional credibility I needed to compete, and help demonstrate my commitment not only to the profession, but to practicing PR according to the highest ethical standards.

Numerous other Accredited professionals weighed in via Facebook and Twitter on why they pursued the designation:

I did it to affirm my PR knowledge, but also to get a refresher on PR history. I also thought it would be a great way to connect with other PR professionals, which was absolutely correct! I met great people throughout the testing process and afterward.  – Carissa McCabe, APR, GroundFloor Media

I pursued my APR for my own professional development and satisfaction, and because I wanted to demonstrate my commitment to my profession by earning the APR distinction.  – Kim Sporrer, APR, Humane Society of Boulder Valley

I pursued my APR for two primary reasons – 1. Legitimacy of the industry 2. Validation of my knowledge.  – Christie Denniston, APR, Catapult Public and Investor Relations

I pursued (my APR) to ensure I did not become too comfortable with my current skill set, but learned PR best practices.  – Joe Kovacs, APR, Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman, CPAs

A Win-Win?

There are numerous benefits to gaining Accreditation, including:

• Credibility – Accreditation is essentially an endorsement of a PR professional’s knowledge of the practice and skills in researching, planning, implementing and evaluating PR campaigns. In addition to the credibility it lends, pursuing and maintaining an APR demonstrates that the professional is committed to the ever-changing industry.

• Latest and Greatest – Pursuing Accreditation – preparing for the in-person Readiness Review and studying for the written test – requires a significant time commitment. But, even after obtaining the designation, professionals must participate in ongoing development activities to maintain Accreditation, including workshops, seminars, speaking engagements, teaching, coaching, publishing and so on for as long as they wish to maintain their APR. This is an excellent way to ensure that APR professionals are not only up-to-date on the latest industry practices, but also leading and coaching younger professionals as well.

• Competitive Edge – While no one has ever told me they hired me specifically because of my APR, I have no doubt that it has given me a competitive edge. Beyond credibility, gaining my APR has given me more confidence in my ability to deliver best practices to my clients. Going through the process helped reinforce the knowledge I gained in college and early in my career, and gave me a new, higher standard of practice to strive for with every client and campaign.

• Elevating the Profession – My skin crawls every time someone calls me a publicist or asks me to “spin” a story for their company. There is so much misunderstanding out there about public relations and what we do as professionals. Accredited professionals, and anyone out there who is delivering strategic, ethical, best practices PR, contribute to a better understanding and appreciation of the PR profession. The more that people experience the value of a true PR professional, the less we are mistaken for flaks, spin doctors or party planners.

Yes, there are numerous benefits to the professional who obtains an APR, but there are also many benefits to an employer or client hiring an APR. They can be certain they are bringing in a professional who is exceptionally driven, dedicated to ethical practices, committed to the profession and ongoing learning, and a proven success at campaign strategy and execution.

Obtaining my Accreditation in Public Relations was an important and valuable achievement in my career. I look forward to maintaining it for a long time to come. What about you? What value have you seen from Accreditation? Conversely, has anyone obtained it and not seen the rewards?

To learn more about Accreditation in Public Relations, visit PRSA Colorado.

–Stacey Sepp, APR

WASHINGTON, D.C. – 31 October 2011 – Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB), the global professional standards-setting body for financial planners and owner of the CFP, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and CFP logo trademarks outside the United States, today launched Financial Planet (www.financialplanet.org), a blogging site devoted to gaining recognition for financial planning as a distinct, global profession. The site, featuring an editorial team made up of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professionals from around the world, is an online gathering place where CFP professionals, regulators, educators, employers and consumer advocates can share their views on the financial planning profession and its future.

“The concept for Financial Planet originated at FPSB’s World Financial Planning Summit last year in Chinese Taipei, where leaders from the global financial community set out to define the steps needed to establish financial planning as a distinct profession worldwide,” said Noel Maye, FPSB Chief Executive Officer. “Through Financial Planet, our community can continue the conversation on an even larger scale with input and expertise from professionals and other key stakeholders around the world.”

Financial Planet explores issues that speak to the heart of financial planning professionalism with international perspectives on ethics, regulation, rebuilding consumer trust, education, compensation issues and more. The blog launches its content lineup this month with perspective from CFP professionals on “The State of the Financial Planning Profession.” Readers and subscribers also have the opportunity to add to the discussion through monthly opinion polls, comments and discussion threads on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

“Financial Planet is the first blog to focus exclusively on the current state and future needs of the financial planning profession,” said Maye. “Our goal is for the site to spur high-level discussion among various stakeholder about key issues and trends affecting the financial planning professional globally.”

FPSB is the creator of Financial Planet, but the site is designed to represent the independent views of the contributing bloggers and not necessarily the views of FPSB.

About FPSB
FPSB manages, develops and operates certification, education and related programs for financial planning organizations to benefit the global community by establishing, upholding and promoting worldwide professional standards in financial planning. FPSB demonstrates its commitment to excellence with the marks of professional distinction – CFP, Certified Financial Planner and CFP Logo Mark. FPSB has a nonprofit member organization in the following 24 territories: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States. By year-end 2011, FPSB expects approximately 140,000 individuals to hold the CFP certification worldwide. For more, visit fpsb.org. Follow FPSB at twitter.com/fpsb or facebook.com/fpsb1.

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CFP Certification Global excellence in financial planning^TM

Wal-Mart has received an endless amount of bad press over the last few decades for squashing out small- and family-owned businesses all over the country and its poor treatment of employees. These things, while incredibly serious and disconcerting, are not why I’m writing this post. What I take most issue with is how the company treats its customers.

Take, for example, the infamous “receipt check.” Wal-Mart, and other stores like Costco, request to see customer receipts on the way out of the store. It’s a practice that has been going on for years, and something for which Wal-Mart has taken a lot of heat.

Wal-Mart’s explanation is that they want to ensure customers make it out of the store with everything they purchased. Come on now, I’m not buying it. According to the National Retail Foundation, stores are primarily using receipt checks to combat the $12.5 billion in shoplifting costs they lose each year.

From a communications perspective, Wal-Mart is sending a woeful message to its customers. With their receipt-check policy, they imply that all of their customers – paying customers – are guilty until proven innocent of shoplifting. Why would I spend my hard-earned money at a place that treats its customers like this? Aren’t there other ways of preventing shoplifting other than stink-eyeing every single customer?

Many smart retailers know the secret to repeat business and longevity in a weak economy is a positive customer experience at every touchpoint. Companies like Nordstrom, Amazon.com, Apple and Chick-fil-A know that every communication with customers – from the website to the greeter or even the drive-thru attendant – impacts the customer’s overall perception of the company and whether or not they will return. The simple “My pleasure” response that Chick-fil-A employees give to your every request keeps me coming back time and again.

The customer experience is as much a part of a company’s communications strategy as the branding and key messaging. The fact that I’m viewed as a shoplifter every time I visit a Wal-Mart is enough to keep me from shopping there EVER. What experiences have you had that have made or broken your perception of a company forever?

–Stacey Sepp

As we recently announced, my business partner J.D. McCartney left Xstatic PR for an amazing career opportunity, which he began this week, with the CFA Institute in New York City. J.D. and I founded Xstatic PR together seven years ago and have worked closely for nearly our entire careers. I have loved working alongside J.D. and will certainly miss him as my trusted partner. But, I am thoroughly excited for the new adventure that awaits him.

As for me, I am delighted to start a new chapter with Xstatic PR as the sole owner and principal. I’m moving forward with the business as a sole practitioner, continuing with a specialization in health/wellness, lifestyle and nonprofit clients, our industries of expertise over the last seven years. I’ll continue working with our current clients and taking on new clients in these arenas, and I also look forward to partnering with other PR agencies and practitioners whenever possible.

Over the last seven years, I have managed Xstatic PR’s clients, creating public relations strategies, leading campaigns, and developing communications programs for our clients ranging from local nonprofit organizations to national corporations. My passion is building relationships with clients and becoming their trusted public relations partner. The relationships are what I love most about the work I do and this won’t change.

In addition to strong relationships, I have always been committed to providing Xstatic’s clients with outstanding quality and stellar results. In a time when PR and marketing are at the top of the list of “expendable” items, there really is no other way to do business. The mission I helped create seven years ago remains the same: to provide the finest public relations counsel available with extraordinary client service.

Change in life and business is inevitable, and I look forward to making the most of this new season! As always, feel free to contact me at any time with questions, concerns, referrals or just to say hi. Also, I hope you’ll connect with me on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Thank you for all of your support and I wish you a fabulous fall season!

“When you’re through changing, you’re through.” – Bruce Barton

–Stacey Sepp

Professionally, I’m surrounded by people who also are in communications, so solid writing and grammar skills are customary. But, social media has changed everything. In reading status updates and comments, I have realized that our society is incredibly challenged by spelling and grammar. Frankly, it’s driving me crazy! Did we not pay attention in seventh grade English?

Now, obviously, I’m not perfect. I make my fair share of grammar, spelling and punctuation errors all the time. There are probably several in this post! And, if you ask me anything about history, science, economics and so on, you probably won’t be impressed by my answers. But, I paid attention to my middle school English teachers (thank you Mrs. Lewis and Mrs. Norton), and think we could all benefit from a little review session on some very common grammar errors.

Here are a few that seem to come up time and time again:

• It’s vs. Its

It’s (with an apostrophe) is a contraction for it is or it has. Its (no apostrophe) is a possessive pronoun signaling that something belongs to it. A great test for proper usage is if you can replace it’s with the words it is, then use it’s. If not, use its. For example:

It’s a gorgeous fall day in Colorado.

The tree is already losing its leaves.

• You’re vs. Your

This one is high on the list of pet peeves. You’re is a contraction for you are. Your is a possessive adjective describing a noun. It is saying that something belongs to you. For example:

You’re a fantastic rapper.

Your rap skills are legendary.

You’re the best rapper on your block.

Again, if you can replace you’re with the words you are, then you’re using it correctly.

• They’re, Their and There

I think this one keeps coming up because people are simply moving too fast on social media. Slow down – the differences are simple. They’re is a contraction for they are. If you can replace they’re with they are, then you’re using it properly.

They’re studying journalism at CSU.

Their is another possessive adjective describing a noun, saying that something belongs to them. Their is almost always followed by a noun.

Their team colors are green and gold.

There describes a physical or figurative place.

It has been years since I went to school there.

• Than vs. Then

Simply put – than is used in comparative statements and then is used as a point in time or in a sequence of events. For example:

My dog is cuter than your cat.

I remember things being a lot simpler back then.

I watched the game, then I finished this blog.

A fantastic quick-reference resource for common grammar errors is Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing. What are some other common errors that drive you crazy or always seem to stump you? Let me know and I’ll address more of these in the weeks ahead.

-Stacey Sepp