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So far Jessica Bertsch has created 436 blog entries.

Spotlight on Powerhouse’s Crystal Toy

Since the beginning of any year is a time to start fresh, explore all the possibilities open to you, and focus on new ventures, we thought it only fitting that our first team spotlight should fall on Powerhouse Planning’s newest employee. Crystal Toy has been with us for just two short months, but she’s already made a vibrant impact on all of us. As one of our dynamic social media specialists, Crystal has come onboard running, ready to absorb everything she can and turn it into amazing content for our clients.

As a Coast Guard veteran, Crystal goes “all in” with anything she does. Her commitment to serve our nation as a member of the Coast Guard lasted 15 years and is something she’d still be doing if she hadn’t put her family’s needs first. With her husband also being active-duty Coast Guard (with 16 years and counting), and two young children to consider (who have already moved five times in their 8 and 7 years, respectively), Crystal decided it was time to find a new way to serve.

Which is why she’s glad she found Powerhouse. “I am happy to be working with a company that has a demonstrated desire to support the military community by contracting diverse teams of (mostly) military spouses and veterans,” she says. Diversity and the opportunity to learn and broaden one’s horizons attracted Crystal to military service in the first place, so to find a company that continues these opportunities while still helping her feel connected to the wider military community she loves was a definite bonus in her opinion. “Plus,” she adds, “I also love the consistently warm, uplifting, and professional culture that Powerhouse upholds.” Finding all those elements in one company that also allows her to work remotely and achieve the work/life balance she and her family needs equals a perfect fit.

Crystal describes herself as “creative, enthusiastic, and outgoing,” which are all characteristics we’ve immediately noticed about her in the short time she’s worked with Powerhouse. She’s quick to share any opportunities for professional growth she comes across; always works to find the new, best approach to our clients’ needs; and enthusiastically supports those she works with, whether she works with them closely or not. It’s just who she is, she says. “Having operated in countless volatile, complex environments during my time in the military, I have developed a keen ability to think outside the box while maintaining a positive, forward-moving mindset.” She’s also learned the intangible benefits that come from encouraging and uplifting those you work with. When you build a team you can trust, one that’s built on positive energy, the possibilities are endless.

Having made the shift from military to remote work, Crystal has had to figure out how to maintain a positive work/life balance. “I relentlessly prioritize and schedule self-care,” she said. “I live by the mantra that you can’t pour from an empty cup!” She suggests that you take ten minutes and make a list of all the things that bring you joy. Then add those to your calendar and make a pact with yourself that these items are non-negotiable. “Tell everyone that you are not free during these times. This includes family and friends,” she stresses. “Prioritizing your needs will give you more energy to give back to others. Your family will thank you.”

When she’s not working, Crystal prioritizes her family and self-care time by doing as much outdoors as she can. “Playing sports, hiking, snowboarding, it’s all in there,” she says. Travel is important to the family as well. “We love to travel. We love to cruise. And we love Disney World. Being stationed in Cape Canaveral, Florida was fantastic because we were so close!” she says. Her new position with Powerhouse means she can capitalize on family time and self-care, even if she isn’t currently anywhere near Disney World.

Crystal is excited for the future of Powerhouse, feeling that we’ll grow our nonprofit support services in the next five years. It’s something she’s looking forward to because supporting those who are supporting others is what she’s all about. Being so new, she hasn’t figured out if there’s one service Powerhouse offers that she likes more than others, but what she loves most is “Powerhouse’s ability to provide a vastly diverse package of services suited to any client’s needs. There are so many robustly talented freelancers at Powerhouse,” she adds. “I really don’t know that we have a limit on what we can do!” She is, in true Crystal fashion, exuberantly excited for what 2022 holds in store for Powerhouse. “This is going to be a great year!” she says, and we’re inclined to agree.

As always, we asked Crystal to share something about herself we might not be aware of, and she laughed a little, since she has only been here one month. Still, she didn’t disappoint. She shared that she spent over a decade playing competitive travel ice hockey, even playing in a few Coast Guard national tournaments. More surprising than that? At only 5’ 2” tall, she played defense, which is not common for such a short individual, she assures us. We’re not surprised. We might not have known Crystal long, but there’s certainly one thing we already know: She’s passionate about the things she loves and she’s always all in, no matter what. That kind of passion is exactly what Powerhouse is all about, and we’re excited to see how Crystal channels hers for our clients.

2024-01-26T13:39:52-05:00March 11th, 2022|Spotlights|

New Powerhouse Team Member

Julia Maier is a lifelong Maryland resident living just outside Washington, D.C. She attended Mount St. Mary’s University where she studied communications with a concentration in public relations and event planning. Throughout college, she spent three years planning and executing campus events as well as coordinating conferences hosted by the university. After graduating in 2014, she has worked for an industrial insurance company, wearing many hats ranging from office admin to executive assistant and, most recently, business analyst. Julia is excited to join the Powerhouse team as a freelance writer and social media strategist. In her free time, Julia loves spending time with her family on the Eastern Shore, cooking, and attending concerts.

2024-01-26T13:36:18-05:00March 4th, 2022|Powerhouse News|

New Powerhouse Team Member

Jessica Yost is thrilled to rejoin the Powerhouse Planning team as a project manager. After working with Powerhouse in 2016, Jessica continued her freelance career in social media strategy, copywriting, and digital content creation along with starting a small business, Electra Lane, where she teaches makeup lessons.

With a B.S. in psychology from Towson University and a master’s in strategic public relations from The George Washington University, Jessica is passionate about streamlining processes and creating clear communication channels no matter the task.

Jessica enjoys running and baking, and she is learning how to play golf. She lives with her active-duty Navy husband and two beagles, Clark and Kent, in Alexandria, Virginia.

2024-01-26T13:36:18-05:00February 27th, 2022|Powerhouse News|

New Powerhouse Team Member

Maria is a lifelong Maryland resident now living in West Virginia where her husband is a firefighter at the Air National Guard base. Much like she learned to adapt to military spouse life, Maria adapts to new work situations quickly and is excited to be part of the Powerhouse Planning team.

With more than a decade of marketing experience and an undergraduate degree in marketing, she is looking forward to completing her Master of Science in integrated marketing communications at West Virginia University later this year. In addition to strategic marketing skills, she added the HubSpot SEO certification to her arsenal in 2022 and is anxious to put her experience to good use.

2024-01-26T13:36:18-05:00February 15th, 2022|Powerhouse News|

CEO SPOTLIGHT

Thinking Bigger Allowed One Small Business Owner to Achieve Her Dream

By: Meredith Flory

Part of healthy leadership is being healthy in other areas of your life. Setting boundaries and reasonable expectations, creating a healthy work environment, and fostering other important aspects of leadership are easier to model when you are taking care of your own well-being outside of work.

Christy Miu is the owner of Healing Hippies at Creekside in McMinn County, Tennessee, where she not only practices healthy leadership as the head of a small business but also helps her customers find their best wellness practices. Miu is a licensed massage therapist, Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT) 500 and meditation teacher, Reiki master and teacher, Warrior Goddess Facilitator, and personal wellness coach. She is also a mother, grandmother, and member of the community where her business is based. After she had started her own yoga journey to help herself, she shares, “I saw the need in the community for what I had to offer.”

She explains that while there are many places to do yoga as an exercise, “There is more than stretching our muscles. We need to learn to breathe correctly and how to come out of our toxic headspace.” As she looked to start her business, she was not sure a yoga studio would survive on its own in her location, so she started brainstorming what other services she could offer that paired well with yoga. She says, “I had wanted to be a massage therapist when I was younger, and I thought they would work well together.”

(more…)

2022-01-04T15:39:44-05:00December 28th, 2021|CEO Highlight, PowerTips e-newsletter|

MARKETING BUZZ

3 Tips to Cultivate Healthy Business Partnerships

By: Julie Kirchner

“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.”
– Mother Theresa

In your journey of leading a team or a small business, have you ever entertained the thought that you could accelerate growth by embracing a business partnership? We hear you—it sounds challenging. But paving a path into new partnership territory can also come with substantial rewards like diversified skill sets, access to new networks, and newly discovered bandwidth (brain gold) for strategic planning. You likely have a dream partnership already in mind. So, how do you set the stage for a healthy partnership so you can stress less and grow more?

  1. Make a contract. Ground rules set everyone at ease. Establishing even a simple contract demonstrates that you take the partnership seriously and sets a standard for professionalism. Formstack and HelloSign are two resources that offer free trials and monthly plans starting at $15-16/month while giving you access to contract templates and mobile document e-signing capabilities.
  2. Model healthy communication practices, and others might just follow your lead. In the early stages of a partnership, devote ample time to onboarding. Use this time to clarify expectations and preferences, identify and model important boundaries, and ensure you are on the same page at each step. This time investment can help reduce stress later by preventing miscommunication, averting unrealistic timelines, and avoiding unmet expectations. Provide an approachable framework for your accessibility and set a positive and responsive tone.

(more…)

2021-12-30T12:36:08-05:00December 28th, 2021|Marketing Buzz, PowerTips e-newsletter|

BUSINESS ETIQUETTE

Healthy Partnerships and the Business of Meetings

By: Nicole Keeny

“Here’s the long and the short of it. I hate hockey, and I don’t like kids.” So says new coach Gordon Bombay in the cult classic movie The Mighty Ducks. A similar sentiment seems to sum up how most people feel about work meetings: I hate meetings, and I’m often not fond of the people in them.

Business leaders agree, however, that face-to-face meetings continue to be one of the best ways to motivate and lead. Meetings are inevitable, and often partnerships are fostered or damaged as a result. Whether you are the leader of the meeting or simply an attendee, you play a role in the partnership. How can you contribute to its health?

  1. Arrive promptly. The meeting is set to begin at 10:00 a.m. Sure, swinging in at 9:59 is technically arriving on time, but you are then left with no opportunity to connect with the other meeting participants prior to getting down to business. Building healthy partnerships starts in the moments before the meeting begins, where you can chat about your families, show an interest in one another’s lives, and generally be human. Yes, that will require talking rather than checking your email in the minutes before the meeting. Yes, you may need to break the silence of the room to start an actual conversation. Yes, if you are leading the meeting, you will need to be prepared early so you are free to focus on attendees as they arrive. We believe in you.

(more…)

2022-03-01T10:08:54-05:00December 28th, 2021|Business Etiquette, PowerTips e-newsletter|

CLIENT PROFILE

Services Provided: Business Growth and Content Creation

“I have been working with Powerhouse for the last several months on numerous projects. It has been amazing to find such versatility and knowledge within one company. It has truly been invaluable to have so many experts in various fields all in one place who come together to develop our vision. The professionalism, attention to detail, quick turnaround time, and understanding of all facets of nonprofit requirements as well as business development have made Powerhouse such an instrumental part of our success making a difference in our community.”

– Amanda Thurn, Program Director, Space Coast Basket Brigade

2021-12-28T16:29:01-05:00December 28th, 2021|Client Profile, PowerTips e-newsletter|

BUSINESS RESOURCES

There’s an old saying that leaders are born, not made, but that’s not strictly accurate. Leadership skills can be developed over time, and part of being a good leader is helping to foster and develop those skills in your employees. For a list of ways in which you can encourage leadership development in your company, check out this Forbes Human Resources Council article on supporting leadership development at every level.

Want to overhaul your own leadership skills to develop healthier strategies? The Business Journals Leadership Trust has curated a list of resources specifically designed with you in mind. Learn how to identify what you’re doing right, what you can improve, and what not to do by checking out their suggestions.

Interested in bringing healthier partnerships to your business? It all starts with trust and finding partners who share your values. The CPA Leadership Institute reports seven characteristics you should consider when deciding with whom to partner.

Or maybe you’re just getting to the point in your small business journey where you’re contemplating building some partnerships. Not sure how to go about finding the right partners? Or want suggestions on the steps you should take? BoostBlog has an article you should check out.

As always, Powerhouse Planning has resources and services to help. We can assist with strategic planning, professional and process development, leadership mentoring, and much, much more. Contact us today to see how we can help you create the healthy leadership skills and partnerships you need.

Have you . . .

Checked out Powerhouse online recently? Our website has undergone a face-lift! (And it’s more than “skin deep.”) New, FREE resources, case studies, and more can help you determine how Powerhouse can best help you. Not only are we constantly updating our website, but we’re also ever-present on social media. Check us out on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. You never know what we have going on there. Who knows, you may even get a chance to interact with our president! She’s currently scheduling one-on-one, 30-minute sessions where she will speak directly to you and offer advice and mentoring on any of those thorny business issues you might be facing.

2021-12-28T16:26:19-05:00December 28th, 2021|Business Resources, PowerTips e-newsletter|
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