Friday, December 28, 2012

A New Year's Message from Inspherio

The Inspherio Team would like to wish each member of the Inspherio family a Happy New Year!  2012 has been a great year for Inspherio!  We would like to wish you and your loved ones a Happy New Year full of good health, happiness, and prosperity!
  

"For last year's words belong to last year's language and next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning."
-T.S. Eliot
The SpanPlan Team will be on a limited support schedule for the holiday:
New Year's Eve  -  9am-4pm EST
New Year's Day - Email Support Only
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Wednesday, December 26, 2012

A Christmas Donation

This year, instead of a Secret Santa program or exchanging gifts, the Inspherio Team decided to take up donations for a local charity.  This made much more sense than giving each other things we don't really need, and it gave us an opportunity to reach out to our local charities. 






The local organization we decided to work with this Christmas was the Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen.  This Soup Kitchen has been faithfully serving their community for 24 years, providing daily hot meals for anyone in need.  During Thanksgiving & Christmas, their volunteers provide a large banquet and also deliver to the sick & shut-ins of the community. 

It was truly a blessing to see such goodwill in action.  After seeing this work being done here in our city, we have been inspired to do more with the Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen in the future.  Especially since these organizations need help and assistance not only at Christmas, but throughout the year as well.   


Agie & Amanda meeting with Beverly Carroll of the Soup Kitchen
If you have been working with a local charity this year, send us a picture & we will share the story!

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Saturday, December 22, 2012

Christmas Support Schedule

From all of the Support Team at Inspherio, we would like to wish each of our users a very Merry Christmas!  We hope that your holiday season is merry and bright, and that you are able to spend some quality time with your loved ones during this special time of year!

Our Team will also be celebrating the season with family and friends; we will not be offering live support on Monday, Dec. 24 & Tuesday, Dec. 25.  We will still provide email support for any emergency situations.    Our normal business hours will resume on Wednesday, Dec. 26th.


Merry Christmas!

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Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Micromanagement is Not Always a Dirty Word

Photo Credit: Luke Ma
The Following Article was written by David Goldsmith with Lorrie Goldsmith for FastCompany.com


To become a more effective manager, it helps to rethink what you thought you knew--for example, that micromanagement is a sin, and that employees are the most important part of your organization.


Even the best leaders can benefit from adopting a new perspective or expanding an old one. Let’s explore and challenge a few concepts that you may have accepted as conventional wisdom but that aren’t necessarily working in your favor.

Over the years, I’ve heard many decision makers say that people are the most important part of their organization. While I agree that good organizations are made up of great people doing great work and that employees play an extremely important role in the success of any organization, the idea that people are the most important part of an organization is a wrong assumption that can actually hinder the people it intends to credit. We’ve all seen firsthand how even the most talented people turn in substandard performance if they don’t have the systems and structures they need to excel in their work. Therefore, if you make this assumption and are willing to rethink it, you can more readily capture opportunities to empower your people to achieve more successes within your organization.

In order to gain the successes that come from talent and skill, your systems and structures must be in place. The systems and structures include everything from computers, tools, and equipment to the rules, regulations, laws, procedures, and policies that govern how your staff works within your organization. These systems don’t always have to be elaborate; they just have to be appropriate. For example, in 2011, Boeing relocated passengers’ flight attendant call buttons in their new 737 aircrafts away from reading-light buttons. The seemingly small change is anticipated to reduce the number of unnecessary trips that flight attendants will have to make down the aisles of planes in response to typically apologetic customers who mistakenly press their call buttons rather than their reading-light buttons.

Having the appropriate systems and structures in place is one of the most effective ways of bringing out the best talents and highest productivity of your people. Yet it’s one of the most ignored factors in organizations today. When leaders see dipping productivity levels and low morale, they often want to address personnel and personality issues, an attempted solution known as “hugging and kissing” your people. The hugging-and-kissing approach typically yields only temporary relief, if it solves anything at all. Then conditions return to the same or get worse. Instead of fixing the real challenges, these leaders have missed the mark altogether (and they’ve wasted time, money, and resources in the process). If, after the systems and structures are remedied, leaders still have issues, then leadership would be wise to address morale, but not before.

Systems really can make the difference. In fact, the presence of a supportive system is one reason why decision makers who leave major corporations don’t always succeed when they start their own businesses. Many have been so accustomed to a support system that gave them what they needed to be successful that they either flounder or must invent new systems and structures to maximize their skills once again.

Meanwhile, micromanagement has gotten a bad rap over the years, because it conjures up images of the big boss breathing down the necks of hard-working subordinates. But in reality, that’s only one side of micromanagement and is only the case when it isn’t executed properly. It’s time to rethink the opinion that all micromanagement is this in-your-face type of suffocation that smothers people and decreases their abilities to perform optimally.

In reality, micromanagement can be one of the most effective ways to increase performance. In addition, there are some environments where micromanagement through systems and structures are necessary to ensure specific outcomes and safety.

In the stereotypical, negative view, the word “micromanagement” makes us think of leaders who are so engrossed in the daily doings of their subordinates that they get in everyone’s way and don’t get their own work done. By filling their days with tasks that belong in someone else’s daily planner, these micromanagers fail to give ample time to their own responsibilities like thinking, strategizing, and moving their organizations forward. In this scenario, micromanaging efforts ultimately hurt the organization on multiple levels, not the least of which may be employees, volunteers, or other group members reacting negatively to feelings of frustration and needless pressure resulting from the constant monitoring. This means that neither the micromanaging boss nor the subordinates are performing as optimally as they could.

By contrast, when leaders have the right mental tools to be effective micromanagers, they are able to direct their organization’s people and resources in the direction of shared goals. 

Effective micromanagement through setting structure, developing strategy and plans, creating reliable systems for others, and teaching people how to be independent thinkers can actually empower others to do their jobs with little involvement from you at all. Yet truthfully, they are being micromanaged; they just don’t feel it, because you’re not in their faces.

Micromanagement isn’t always a choice. You may be entrenched in an industry or sector that requires a certain degree of micromanagement, so the question isn’t whether or not you micromanage; it is how to do it correctly. Leadership in toxic waste or medical waste-management facilities, for instance, must follow strict procedures to ensure the safety of their staffers, customers, and the general public.

For decision makers, striking the right balance between being involved and letting others work independently can be a challenge. Build an environment of systems, structures, tools, equipment, etc. to support the talents and skills of your people, and you will earn their trust, gain their cooperation, and increase their productivity levels. When micromanagement is done right, you are able to achieve the results your organization needs to grow and survive.

Here’s an example of micromanagement done right. Think about when you drive on the highway. Do you feel micromanaged? Most likely you feel pretty independent. You select your destination and the vehicle you’ll use to get there. You also determine the vehicle’s air temperature, whether you’ll listen to music, who your passengers are, and what type of car you’ll drive. But if you look closer, you are actually very micromanaged. You must drive on predetermined roads, streets, and ramps. You must maintain certain speeds. You must pass only in predesignated passing zones. In some areas, you must pay a toll for using the road. 

However, you don’t resent being micromanaged, and you don’t feel that you’re constantly running into roadblocks due to the micromanagement, because the road system enables you to reach your targeted destinations, much like systems help your staffers to reach their targeted goals.

Systems and structures also direct your organization toward innovative solutions both internally, as organizational improvements, and externally, as product and service improvements. Consider how a restaurateur might opt to “micromanage” his establishment’s reservation process by using a proven software system--one that employees manage internally or one that patrons can access externally through the Internet--to achieve reliable outcomes. Micromanaging systemically removes the crises that erupt from inefficiencies and replaces problems with opportunities. Additionally, micromanagement done right prevents waste, so your organization has more resources to dedicate to these improvements.
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Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving from Inspherio

Photo Credit: Martha_chapa95
We hope you are having wonderful day full of fun, family, friends, and of course, lots of food! The Heroes at UnitWise have so much to be grateful for & would love to take part in all of the celebrations of those within the UnitWise Family, but we just can’t eat that much, so we hope a blog will suffice! 

Our Holiday Schedule:
November 22 & 23, Closed for Thanksgiving
December 24 & 25, Closed for Christmas
December 31, Closed for New Year’s Eve
We will still offer email support on an emergency basis on these dates
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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

All About Inspherio

It’s time to get your Event Business organized with Inspherio - the most advanced business management program for Event Industry Professionals.  Inspherio provides solutions for businesses of any size, no matter if you are a one person operation or a full crew with many employees.  No other tool allows you to manage your entire business from one place - even employees and payroll!  

The exclusive Enterprise Version of Inspherio is leaps and bounds beyond any other program on the market today!

No other program offers a Truly All-In-One Solution, allowing you to:

  • Schedule Your Employees & Assign Them to Events
  • No more wasting time on an antiquated scheduling process
  • Give Your Employees Account Access with Individual Login Information
  • All your company information in one central place
  • Automate Your Payroll Process & Track Expenses Intuitively 
  • Eliminate that shoe box full of receipts & tax info
  • Gather All Event Info From your Clients Automatically Add it to Contracts in Real Time
  • Inspherio eliminates redundancies wherever possible
  • Create Contracts in the Cloud & E-Sign Them From Anywhere
  • Always Be Closing, no matter where in the world you are
  • Generate Comprehensive Reports at Tax Time & Throughout the Year
  • “Planning Your Success” is our motto, but can also Measure Your Success

With Inspherio, you are not alone.  Our customer support team is always available to offer heroic help whenever you need it through phone, email, & chat support.  Just give us a call at 704.234.6000 or email us at support@Inspherio.com with any questions you may have.

These are just a few examples of what Inspherio can do for your business. Join Inspherio Now to checkout the above features and more!!! Get started for Free!  NO Credit Card required to check it out!
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Sunday, November 11, 2012

Happy Veterans Day!

The Inspherio Team would like to wish a Happy Veterans Day to all those great men and women who have served this country and those who are still serving today!  


"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."  
- John F. Kennedy

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Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Don't Forget to Vote!

It's Election Day in America! Don't forget to cast your vote today!
  
Be sure to take part in this democracy that our forefathers provided us, and so many brave men and women in our military have fought to preserve.
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Friday, October 26, 2012

Getting Organized With Inspherio!

It’s time to get your business organized with Inspherio - the most advanced business management program for Event Industry Professionals.  Inspherio provides solutions for businesses of any size, no matter if you are a one person operation or a full crew with many employees.  No other tool allows you to manage your entire business from one place - even employees and payroll! 

The exclusive Enterprise Version of Inspherio is leaps and bounds beyond any other program on the market today!

No other program offers a Truly All-In-One Solution, allowing you to:

  • Schedule Your Employees & Assign Them to Events
    No more wasting time on an antiquated scheduling process
  • Give Your Employees Account Access with Individual Login Information
    All your company information in one central place
  • Automate Your Payroll Process & Track Expenses Intuitively 
    Eliminate that shoe box full of receipts & tax info
  • Gather All Event Info From your Clients Automatically Add it to Contracts in Real Time
    Inspherio eliminates redundancies wherever possible
  • Create Contracts in the Cloud & E-Sign Them From Anywhere
    Always Be Closing, no matter where in the world you are
  • Generate Comprehensive Reports at Tax Time & Throughout the Year
    “Planning Your Success” is our motto, but can also Measure Your Success

With Inspherio, you are not alone.  Our customer support team is always available to offer heroic help whenever you need it through phone, email, & chat support.  Just give us a call at 704.234.6000 or email us at support@Inspherio.com with any questions you may have.

These are just a few examples of what Inspherio can do for your business. Join Inspherio Now to checkout the above features and more!!! Get started for Free!  NO Credit Card required to check it out!

Read More »

Friday, October 19, 2012

10 Things to Stop Doing Now

Photo Credit: J E Theriot
The following article was written by Jeff Haden & originally appeared in Inc. 


Happiness--in your business life and your personal life--is often a matter of subtraction, not addition.  Consider, for example, what happens when you stop doing the following 10 things:


1. Blaming.

People make mistakes.  Employees don't meet your expectations. Vendors don't deliver on time.
So you blame them for your problems.
But you're also to blame. Maybe you didn't provide enough training. Maybe you didn't build in enough of a buffer. Maybe you asked too much, too soon.
Taking responsibility when things go wrong instead of blaming others isn't masochistic, it's empowering--because then you focus on doing things better or smarter next time.
And when you get better or smarter, you also get happier.

2. Impressing.

No one likes you for your clothes, your car, your possessions, your title, or your accomplishments. Those are all "things." People may like your things--but that doesn't mean they like you.
Sure, superficially they might seem to, but superficial is also insubstantial, and a relationship that is not based on substance is not a real relationship.
Genuine relationships make you happier, and you'll only form genuine relationships when you stop trying to impress and start trying to just be yourself.

3. Clinging.

When you're afraid or insecure, you hold on tightly to what you know, even if what you know isn't particularly good for you.
An absence of fear or insecurity isn't happiness: It's just an absence of fear or insecurity.
Holding on to what you think you need won't make you happier; letting go so you can reach for and try to earn what you want will.
Even if you don't succeed in earning what you want, the act of trying alone will make you feel better about yourself.

4. Interrupting.

Interrupting isn't just rude. When you interrupt someone, what you're really saying is, "I'm not listening to you so I can understand what you're saying; I'm listening to you so I can decide what I want to say."
Want people to like you? Listen to what they say. Focus on what they say. Ask questions to make sure you understand what they say.
They'll love you for it--and you'll love how that makes you feel.

5. Whining.

Your words have power, especially over you. Whining about your problems makes you feel worse, not better.
If something is wrong, don't waste time complaining. Put that effort into making the situation better. Unless you want to whine about it forever, eventually you'll have to do that. So why waste time? Fix it now.
Don't talk about what's wrong. Talk about how you'll make things better, even if that conversation is only with yourself.
And do the same with your friends or colleagues. Don't just be the shoulder they cry on.
Friends don't let friends whine--friends help friends make their lives better.

6. Controlling.

Yeah, you're the boss. Yeah, you're the titan of industry. Yeah, you're the small tail that wags a huge dog.
Still, the only thing you really control is you. If you find yourself trying hard to control other people, you've decided that you, your goals, your dreams, or even just your opinions are more important than theirs.
Plus, control is short term at best, because it often requires force, or fear, or authority, or some form of pressure--none of those let you feel good about yourself.
Find people who want to go where you're going. They'll work harder, have more fun, and create better business and personal relationships.
And all of you will be happier.

7. Criticizing.

Yeah, you're more educated. Yeah, you're more experienced. Yeah, you've been around more blocks and climbed more mountains and slayed more dragons.
That doesn't make you smarter, or better, or more insightful.
That just makes you you: unique, matchless, one of a kind, but in the end, just you.
Just like everyone else--including your employees.
Everyone is different: not better, not worse, just different. Appreciate the differences instead of the shortcomings and you'll see people--and yourself--in a better light.

8. Preaching.

Criticizing has a brother. His name is Preaching. They share the same father: Judging.
The higher you rise and the more you accomplish, the more likely you are to think you know everything--and to tell people everything you think you know.
When you speak with more finality than foundation, people may hear you but they don't listen. Few things are sadder and leave you feeling less happy.

9. Dwelling.

The past is valuable. Learn from your mistakes. Learn from the mistakes of others.
Then let it go.
Easier said than done? It depends on your focus. When something bad happens to you, see that as a chance to learn something you didn't know. When another person makes a mistake, see that as an opportunity to be kind, forgiving, and understanding.
The past is just training; it doesn't define you. Think about what went wrong, but only in terms of how you will make sure that, next time, you and the people around you will know how to make sure it goes right.

10. Fearing.

We're all afraid: of what might or might not happen, of what we can't change, or what we won't be able to do, or how other people might perceive us.
So it's easier to hesitate, to wait for the right moment, to decide we need to think a little longer or do some more research or explore a few more alternatives.
Meanwhile days, weeks, months, and even years pass us by.
And so do our dreams.
Don't let your fears hold you back. Whatever you've been planning, whatever you've imagined, whatever you've dreamed of, get started on it today.
If you want to start a business, take the first step. If you want to change careers, take the first step. If you want to expand or enter a new market or offer new products or services, take the first step.
Put your fears aside and get started. Do something. Do anything.
Otherwise, today is gone. Once tomorrow comes, today is lost forever.
Today is the most precious asset you own--and is the one thing you should truly fear wasting.

_______________________________________________________________________

As Jeff explains in this article: the most important part of beginning something new is taking the first step.  
Inspherio is here to help you take that first step to improve your business.  You will be able to manage your business with just one tool, which will reduce your stress and work load, so that you can focus on the things you love.  Inspherio helps you eliminate excessive paperwork & gives you more time to actually Achieve your goals for your business!  

Check Out our Free Trial to Learn More!

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Thursday, October 18, 2012

Getting Appy Doesn't Make You Happy

Photo Credit: JHaymesisvip

The amount of information that we have at our fingertips can be startling.  Thanks to our trusty smartphones, We can now find the answer to anything in just minutes, Instead of a brain we just use Google, and we've got pages of apps for everything to keep us informed & entertained.  


This progression of technology is a great thing and a lot of this new tech has the potential to transform your business for the better, however it could also leave you dazed and confused if it is not used correctly.  

Apps are a great example of this.  Many small business owners are made to think they are tech savvy because they have downloaded  pages of business related apps.  While many of these tools are useful, they can actually be a hindrance on your business by keeping your business compartmentalized into multiple programs on your smartphone.  Eventually, your business records will become quite a mess because your business data is divided into all these apps.  


Due to this App Overload, many business owners are using a different app for each business function: 

- One for Receiving Payments
- One for Invoicing  
- One for Expenses
- One for Income
- One for Trip logs
- One to Sign Forms
- One to Schedule Appointments
- One for Scanning Docs
- And The List goes On.....

By choosing to use a different app for each business function, your business will most likely experience a serious slow down due to the amount of time you spend disengaged & glued to your phone.  Not to mention the fact that your business image is now shifting from a confident professional to a texting teenager.  


What Is The Solution?


Many of the apps in the marketplace are good tools, but it would be better if all of these functions could work together in one place.  That's what Inspherio is for!  Instead of using dozens of apps and other programs to manage your business, you can just use one All-In-One program.  Inspherio offers the ability to manage your business from start to finish.  From adding a lead, to generating year-end tax reports Inspherio can do it all.  

To see for yourself, you can start your Free Trial today!


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Thursday, October 11, 2012

What Successful People Do With the First Hour of their Work Day


Photo Credit: Thomas Hawk
The following article was written by Kevin Purdy and first appeared in Fast Company

Remember when you used to have a period at the beginning of every day to think about your schedule, catch up with friends, maybe knock out a few tasks? It was called home room, and it went away after high school. But many successful people schedule themselves a kind of grown-up home room every day. You should too.

The first hour of the workday goes a bit differently for Craig Newmark of Craigslist, David Karp of Tumblr, motivational speaker Tony Robbins, career writer (and Fast Company blogger) Brian Tracy, and others, and they’ll tell you it makes a big difference. Here are the first items on their daily to-do list.


Don’t Check Your Email for the First Hour. Seriously. Stop That.

Tumblr founder David Karp will “try hard” not to check his email until 9:30 or 10 a.m., according to an Inc. profile of him. “Reading e-mails at home never feels good or productive,” Karp said. “If something urgently needs my attention, someone will call or text me.”

Not all of us can roll into the office whenever our Vespa happens to get us there, but most of us with jobs that don’t require constant on-call awareness can trade e-mail for organization and single-focus work. It’s an idea that serves as the title of Julie Morgenstern’s work management book Never Check Email In The Morning, and it’s a fine strategy for leaving the office with the feeling that, even on the most over-booked days, you got at least one real thing done.

If you need to make sure the most important messages from select people come through instantly, AwayFind can monitor your inbox and get your attention when something notable arrives. Otherwise, it’s a gradual but rewarding process of training interruptors and coworkers not to expect instantaneous morning response to anything they send in your off-hours.


Gain Awareness, Be Grateful

One smart, simple question on curated Q & A site Quora asked “How do the most successful people start their day?”. The most popular response came from a devotee of Tony Robbins, the self-help guru who pitched the power of mindful first-hour rituals long before we all had little computers next to our beds.

Robbins suggests setting up an “Hour of Power,” “30 Minutes to Thrive,” or at least “Fifteen Minutes to Fulfillment.” Part of it involves light exercise, part of it involves motivational incantations, but the most accessible piece involves 10 minutes of thinking of everything you’re grateful for: in yourself, among your family and friends, in your career, and the like. After that, visualize “everything you want in your life as if you had it today.”

Robbins offers the “Hour of Power” segment of his Ultimate Edge series as a free audio stream (here’s the direct MP3 download). Blogger Mike McGrath also wrote a concise summary of the Hour of Power). You can be sure that at least some of the more driven people you’ve met in your career are working on Robbins’ plan.


Do the Big, Shoulder-Sagging Stuff First

Brian Tracy’s classic time-management book Eat That Frog gets its title from a Mark Twain saying that, if you eat a live frog first thing in the morning, you’ve got it behind you for the rest of the day, and nothing else looks so bad. Gina Trapani explained it well in a video for her Work Smart series). Combine that with the concept of getting one thing done before you wade into email, and you’ve got a day-to-day system in place. Here’s how to force yourself to stick to it:


Choose Your Frog

"Choose your frog, and write it down on a piece of paper that you'll see when you arrive back at your desk in the morning, Tripani advises."If you can, gather together the material you'll need to get it done and have that out, too."

One benefit to tackling that terrible, weighty thing you don’t want to do first thing in the morning is that you get some space from the other people involved in that thing--the people who often make the thing more complicated and frustrating. Without their literal or figurative eyes over your shoulder, the terrible thing often feels less complex, and you can get more done.


Ask Yourself If You’re Doing What You Want to Do

Feeling unfulfilled at work shouldn’t be something you realize months too late, or even years. Consider making an earnest attempt every morning at what the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs told a graduating class at Stanford to do:

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.


“Customer Service” (or Your Own Equivalent)

Craigslist founder Craig Newmark answered the first hour question succinctly: “Customer service.” He went on to explain (or expand) that he also worked on current projects, services for military families and veterans, and protecting voting rights. But customer service is what Newmark does every single day at Craigslist, responding to user complaints and smiting scammers and spammers. He almost certainly has bigger fish he could pitch in on every day, but Newmark says customers service “anchors me to reality.”

Your own version of customer service might be keeping in touch with contacts from year-ago projects, checking in with coworkers you don’t regularly interact with, asking questions of mentors, and just generally handling the human side of work that quickly gets lost between task list items. But do your customer service on the regular, and you’ll have a more reliable roster of helpers when the time comes.
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Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Apple Maps for Your Business

Photo Credit: deerkoski
It has been a wild ride for iPhone users over the past week.  Apple released the highly anticipated iPhone5 along with the newest Apple mobile software: iOS6. 
Much to Apple's chagrin, the most talked about iPhone feature is one that is no longer there.  Apple made the decision to replace the iconic Google Maps tool, with their own Apple Maps. 
With misplaced landmarks, This new tool was immediately met with frustration and has been fodder for many late night talk shows over this past week.  "I've got an iPhone5, and Apple Maps says I'm in Norway" shouted Stephen Colbert in his opening bit this week. 
The frustration has been so prolific over the past week, that Apple CEO, Tim Cook issued an apology on September 28th, stating "We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better."
Google is rumored to be developing a Google Maps app for iOS devices, but it will not be ready for some months to come.  In the meantime, millions of iPhone users have been recommended to use other mapping apps such as Bing, MapQuest and Waze
What Does this mean for your business? 
This means that about half of your potential customers are now going to be using Apple Maps or another mapping app.  If you rely on your customers finding you at a physical location, you will need to ensure that your business location is mapped correctly in these applications. 
The new Apple Maps relies heavily on Yelp for business information, and it even links directly to your yelp page from Apple maps.  This means that if you haven't really used Yelp, or if you have some very poor reviews published there, you will want to balance that with more relevant information, photos, reviews, etc. 
Apple Maps also uses Localeze and Axiom to provide the basic name, address, and phone number of your business listing.  Use these sites to verify your accurate business information.



To manage your entire business with ease, you can use Inspherio.  From your incoming leads to Year-End Tax reports, you can manage everything in one place!  Get the First 30 Days Free to try it out!  No Credit Card Required.
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Friday, September 28, 2012

Using Inspherio for your Family Entertainment Center (FEC)

Photo Credit: KissHeartofFL, Aloha75,
Joo0ey, AnnieWong
When running a business as complex as a Family Entertainment Center, you have many different responsibilities and many tools to use for running your business.


Most Family Entertainment Centers are using a Point of Sale (POS) or swipe card system for most business activities. However, when it comes to organizing special events like birthday parties, skating parties, bowling leagues, paintball, and laser tag events to name a few; a POS system may require you to purchase an add-on "Event Scheduler" software that can cost thousands of dollars.


Wouldn't it be great if there was a better way?


Well there is, and it's
Inspherio . With Inspherio you can manage all of your special events with one web-based program. You can even assign certain employees to certain events.

Inspherio is the perfect addition to your existing POS system. With Inspherio, you have the ability to manage your business more efficiently with all of the following features:




  • E-Sign Contracts From Anywhere
  • Organize Special Events With Our Intuitive Calendar
  • Organize Your Employee Duties & Payroll
  • Create Your Own Party Packages
  • Collect Vital Data with our Exclusive "Know Your Event" Form
  • And Much More...
Try Inspherio for Your Business Free for the first 30 Days!  There is No Credit Card required to try it out!

Click Here to Get Started!
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Thursday, September 27, 2012

The Span Enterprises Family of Business Management Products

As you may already know, Inspherio was created by Span Enterprises: a software company based in Rock Hill, SC.  Inspherio is just one of their business management products.  Other web-based business management products offered by Span are UnitWise & UnitHub.  While these products have some similarities, they are meant for different audiences.
UnitWise is for Mary Kay* Consultants, Directors, and NSD's to Manage Their Entire Business Online. 

UnitWise can be used for every aspect of an independent beauty conultant's business.  From tracking inventory & creating sales receipts to sending email marketing campaigns & creating a custom website.


* - UnitWise is not affiliated with Mary Kay
(Learn More about UnitWise)


UnitHub
is an easy to use, web-based program to help Direct Sellers flourish. It's a convenient, safe and secure way to
manage all of your contacts, send Emails, & Build your online presence! UnitHub is for Anyone in a Direct Selling Business like Mary Kay*, Avon*, Pampered Chef*, Scentsy*, BeautiControl*, Stella & Dot*, Tastefully Simple*, Beachbody*, Thirty-One Gifts*, Lia Sophia*, etc.
* - UnitHub is not affiliated with any of the companies above
(Learn More about UnitHub)

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Tuesday, September 18, 2012

UnitHub Has Launched


The Inspherio Team is very excited to officially introduce UnitHub - Launching Today, Sept 18th.

This New product from
SPAN Enterprises, our parent company, has been in development throughout the year, and is now ready to be used worldwide. UnitHub serves as an international website, marketing, and contact management tool for anyone in a direct selling business, anywhere in the world.

UnitHub includes the following features:
- A Fully Customizable Website
- SEO Tools
- Email Marketing
- Contact Management
- Facebook & Twitter Integration
- An Interactive Calendar
- Online Training Center
- Inventory & Accounting modules will be part of the second version.

With packages starting at just $14.95, and a free 30 day trial to check it out - There is no risk to try it out.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more, you can contact our heroic support team through online chat at www.UnitHub.com, give us a call at 704.234.6946 or send an email to heroes@UnitHub.com


UnitWise | UnitHub | Inspherio
The family of successful business management products from
SPAN Enterprises
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Wednesday, September 12, 2012

4 Signs of a True Entrepreneur

This article was originally posted on Inc.com by Mayra Jiminez

People often wonder how the kid who rarely talked or wasn't particularly popular in class went on to become a start-up genius. What was it about that person that helped him or her blossom into an icon of entrepreneurship? And how can you make sure you have what it takes?

It's a combination of factors. Start with these:

Passion
Passion is the fuel that drives the creation of dreams. This is a no-brainer. You have to wake up every day wanting your success. You have to become obsessed with the idea of achieving your goals, with attaining the grand objective that will yield meaning of great personal significance. The trick, of course, is to channel that passion into action. Sometimes the idea is so exciting that it becomes scary to try. And it's scary to fail. Successful entrepreneurs know that failure is part of the journey, and that without failure, there is no success.

Conviction
Passion without conviction is like a shooting star that fizzles before you even fully realize it's there. What keeps your passion alive? Conviction streamlines your passion into a steady flow. After all, most people have innovative ideas at some point in their lives. It's conviction that determines what you do with those ideas. Do you let it die? Or do you go for it?

Lunacy
Let's face it: You have to be a little bit crazy to achieve extreme success. It takes a particular type of lunacy to never want to quit, to believe in something so much that it defines you. It's this lunacy that takes you to a state of euphoria in which you think you can tackle some unachievable goal that others have never attempted to tackle. If you're not defined by what you want to accomplish, you'll impose limits on your efforts. People who change the world would never do such a thing.

Need for approval

Before the "how they did it" question comes the "why". Many experts believe that most entrepreneurs who have made history have been driven by a need for approval. Instead of creating a lack of confidence, this "I'll show 'em" attitude can foster an entrepreneur's conviction. It is the force that makes him or her fight harder. At the end of the day, everyone who told you no deserves some credit: He or she helped you become who you are.

If the list above describes you, congratulations. You're ready to be an entrepreneur. You are equipped with a set of virtues that are built to yield big things. You were born to make a difference. Get on with your idea if you believe you have something special. Challenge the paradigms that bind you, and go change the world.
________________________________________________________________________________
Mayra Jimenez and her husband founded The Orchid Boutique, which specializes in designer swimwear made in their native Colombia. Today Orchid Boutique is a multi-million dollar business with both online and brick-and-mortar stores.
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Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Create Online Forms

Photo Credit:  Johan Larsson
One of the most versatile features of your Inspherio website is the ability to create online forms.  These Forms can be used to collect information from the people who visit your site.  This can be basic contact information, polls, vouchers, or anything else you can come up with.

You can even make certain fields mandatory!  

Text Guide:
-  First you will need to edit one of your website pages in Inspherio under Website >> Public Site Content


-  To begin creating a Form, click on the icon that looks like a dotted rectangle and says “Form.”  Then, you only need to enter the name of the Form and click OK

-  These Forms can consist of Open-Ended Questions, Multiple Choice Questions, lists, and more
-  Lets Start with creating a Text Field.  This is useful if you would like to collect info such as names, phone numbers, etc.
-  Start by entering what information you are collecting.  Such as a Name.  Then Click the Text Field icon.
-  Then enter the name of this text field, then enter character width of 20-30 this determines how long the box is.  Then Enter the Maximum Characters that someone can put into this field. Then click “OK”
-  If there are things you would like to change about this form, you can double-click the box and make some changes.
-  You can keep adding fields like this one, or you can do something a little different.
-  If you would like to give the User some options, add Radio Buttons by clicking the dot icon that says radio button
-  Name the button, then type in what it represents
-  You can also use checkboxes in this manner if you want the users to check all that apply
-  Now lets add a Drop Down Menu
-  Go to the Icon that says Selection Field
-  Give it a name and then select the number of lines.  You will likely want to limit it to one line.  Then select the same text for text and value and click add.  Click OK when you are satisfied with the drop down options
-  In the End, you will need to add a Submit Button so that this information will be sent to you
-  To do this, select the icon that is titled “Button”
-  Then type in Submit for Type and Value.  Be sure the Type is Button.  Then Click OK
-  If you would like to have this information sent to someone else, like say, your virtual assistant.  Then you can do that also.
-  To do this click in the area right before the Submit button
-  Then go to add a Hidden Field.  
-  For the name of this form type “form notify email” as one word.  formnotifyemail.  And for the value, type in the email address that the email notification should go to.  Then Click OK
If you would like to make certain fields mandatory, you can do that through the source code by clicking “Source”
-  To make a text box or a text area mandatory, first find the field in the html code
-  In the line of code for the text box, you will need to add class="required"  and title="This information is required"
-  This way, the user will not be allowed to submit the form until the required field is completed.  If the user clicks the submit button without entering any value in that particular field, the text we entered for the "title"  will show up in red.
-  When the Form is completed, it will then be sent to you in an email.  
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Saturday, September 1, 2012

Happy Labor Day


Photo Credit:  Kevin Dooley
The Inspherio Team would like to wish everyone a very enjoyable Labor Day Weekend!  We know that you have been working very hard, and deserve some extra time with your  family and loved ones!

Because of the holiday, our Customer Support Team will not be available for phone or chat support on Monday.  We will only be offering email support on an emergency basis.  
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Monday, August 27, 2012

Go Paperless

Photo taken from Flickr
Originally by Munir Hamdan
In this day and age, it pays to go paperless.  You can get things done faster, it's easier to stay organized, and it's better for the environment.  Of course there are certain things that you may still need to print depending on your particular business needs.  However, if your business has not seriously reduced its use of paper over the last few years, you should seriously consider running your business with a more efficient program.  

With Inspherio, you can increase your efficiency and sustainability by organizing nearly all of your business information in one place.  You can keep all of your customer data online, create invoices and electronic contracts that can all be completed online.  In the past few years, nearly everything has moved to Cloud-Based services, and there is plenty of room for your business in the cloud as well.  With Inspherio, all your business information is kept on our secure servers and can be accessed from anywhere there is an internet connection.  This provides your business the ultimate solution for mobility.  There is nothing to download or update, just login from any computer, tablet, or mobile device.

With Inspherio, you can maximize the efficiency of your business so that you can spend as little time as possible on meticulous paperwork or general office duties.  Instead of focusing so much of your attention on running your business, Inspheriocan help free up your time, so that you can instead focus on growing your business.
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