La La Takes Over the International Beauty Show

As the premiere trade show for the beauty industry, the International Beauty Show showcases the biggest, best, and most influential brands available to fashionistas and beauty queens world wide. No surprise at all that our very own Motives Cosmetics and La La Anthony stole the show at this year’s event April 14-16!

Make up masters flooded the booth throughout the entire show, drawing a packed crowd eager to see La La and try Motives Cosmetics for themselves. La La stole the show as she spun fans in and out of the booth, leaving each with pieces of  business information and beauty tips.

The quality of this exposure is groundbreaking in terms of adding momentum to your business. Share this news with your team and customers to generate excitement and credibility to your brand!

Check out the coverage below!

You can read and share press coverage of La La & Motives at IBS 2013 from any of these links, as well!

• Telemundo
• Beauty to Glam
• My Fashion Cents
• AMNY
• Concrete Loop
• Lipstick Alley
• Lacey Cosmetics
• Beauty Within TV
• Global Grind
• Red Carpet Fashion Awards
• Sandra Rose
• OK! Magazine
• Global Grind (again!)

Five Apps for Students

Few things do we appreciate more than when people chase their dreams and accomplish their goals. For some of you, that may mean getting a degree in a specific area or continuing your education. Education is both rewarding and challenging, but the challenging aspect should mold you into a better person, not hinder your progress. Whether you just registered for next semester, are preparing for summer courses, or your children just received their acceptance letters, here are our best recommended apps for students to make life easier!

MyHomework: MyHomework is an virtual bulletin board that allows students to split up their classes and post their tasks and schedule. Accessible from the web, smartphones, and tablets, MyHomework acts as a school-specific agenda. With tabs for classes, teachers, assignments, and due dates, it is a pocket-sized, fully mobile stop for everything they need to know as they move throughout the days in the semester.
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Dictionary.com: This is a standard must-have for any student. Whatever they are studying, they will read, come across words they do not know, write, and need to use words they are not familiar with. In the age where nearly every essential fits in our back pocket or clutch purse, no one has space to carry a dictionary. Dictionary.com is a free mobile app providing full access to a dictionary and thesaurus. With quick and easy access, this app is a paper saver! (Literally!) This app is available for free in both the Apple and Play Stores.

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Bamboo Paper: Perfect for tablets, but available on smartphones as well, Bamboo Paper creates virtual notebooks. From sketch books to college ruled, Bamboo Paper cuts the bulk notebooks, cost of paper, and risk of illegible handwriting by consolidating everything into an organizational virtual destination. The student can create a notebook for each subject and access it in class or on the go.

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DropBox: Ask any student who pressed the wrong key on page 27 of their 28 page paper, or any student who turned in their paper late because their hard drive crashed. Student Survival Rule #1: BACK UP! DropBox allows you to save and store all of your documents, photos, and media, as well as share them with others. Perfect for instructors, group projects, and remote access, everything saved in DropBox is safe as long as you need it! This app is available for free in both the Apple and Play store.

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iFormulas: Whether you’re number savvy or mathematically challenged, iFormulas needs a spot on your iPhone. iFormulas provides a database of every math formula a student may need to help them with their homework. We doubt that professors will allow its use during exams, but it provides a neatly organized database with easy access while you learn! This app is available for free for iPhones.

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Do you have a go-to app you would add to the list? Tell us in the comments below!

Who Uses Social Media?

Here’s a tricky question: do you know who uses social media? If you answered, “I do!” you’re at least on the right track! But what I’m talking about is the demographic breakdown of who uses social media and which social media network they use the most.

Whether you’re an avid social media user or think that it’s a “waste of time because no one I know is on it,” this social media infographic created by the Pew Research Center and Docstoc is a worth a look:

A little overwhelming, isn’t it? Let’s break it down:

GenderYep, you guessed it: women are more likely to use social media than men. But that doesn’t mean that men aren’t using social media! In fact, 62% of men surveyed reported they are active social media users.

AgeWhile it’s true that the majority of 18-29 year-olds use social media the most, people in the 20-49 and 50-64 age brackets follow at a close second and third, respectively. Next time you find yourself saying “I don’t use social media because none of my friends or customers are on it!” think about these stats.

Education levelEven though Facebook was only available to college students at first, this infographic shows us that education level is not a determinant factor when it comes to social media use. Woo hoo!

Population densityWhile 70% of urban-dwellers are on social media, only 61% of people living in rural areas are using social media. The publishers of this infographic attributed this to the fact that individuals living in urban areas are more accustom to connectivity of large-city life and thus gravitate to social networks.

RaceSocial media doesn’t discriminate! This infographic shows us that Hispanics are more likely to use social media, but African-Americans and Caucasians are a close second and third, respectively.

Household incomeWhile 72% of lower-income households reported that they are active on social media, high-income households are only 6 percentage points behind them.

And the most popular social media network is…Facebook!A whopping 67% of adults are actively posting, sharing, and commenting on Facebook, and we hope you are, too! LinkedIn and Twitter follow in second and third place, but are growing in leaps and bounds every day. If you’re not on these top three social networks, what are you waiting for? Hop on the social media train before you get left in the dust!

Were you surprised by any of these social media stats? Tell us in the comments below!

Spruce up your Home Office with SHOP.COM Direct

We announced SHOP.COM’s own office supply store:SHOP.COM Direct. Have you checked it out yet? Today I’ll be sharing with you some of the ways you can spruce up your home office, build your shopping annuity, and familiarize yourself more with SHOP.COM Direct:

As an entrepreneur, your home office is your hub for activities that align with your business. Instead of reporting to headquarters each morning, sitting in a worn out chair for 8 hours, and baking under fluorescent lights, you have the leisure of working in your own space. SHOP.COM Direct can help you to furnish that space and maximize it for your specific work tendencies.

The key to any good workspace is a good deskwhere you are comfortable working and organizing your business. Keep in mind, all SHOP.COM Direct items give you 5% Cashback so if a desk is an investment for you, consider the amount of Cashback you’ll receive! Follow up that desk purchase with a chair and you’re off to a great start!

Though pens, pencils, and paper are what might come to mind first when you hear “office supplies,” SHOP.COM Direct also offers supplies for lesser-known areas of your office. You don’t have to go to Best Buy to pick up an updated printer for your home. We have them available on SHOP.COM Direct! In our social media office we have a rug to make it feel more ‘homey.’ If you’re interested in a rug to brighten up your own space, view what’s available here.

Even outsides of printers, phones, and other larger-item office essentials, SHOP.COM Direct also has you covered for unanticipated needs like first aid kits and other household items like toilet paper, soap, and paper towels. You’ve probably already completed your Home Assessment, so take a few additional minutes to see what items you can find through SHOP.COM Direct. Remember, on top of 5% Cashback you’ll also be receiving 20% IBV!

Purchasing items through SHOP.COM is the quickest way to build your shopping annuity and encourage customers to make smart buying choices. WithSHOP.COM Direct, over 48,000 office supplies are readily available for you to to bring into your home office to create the most comfortable space possible.

What have you ordered through SHOP.COM Direct in the few weeks that it’s been open? Let us know if you have any questions or suggestions for getting the best out of this new feature!

Four Things to Love About Fixx™!

Spring is in the air! Can you feel it? We can, and we can see it, too! The warmer temps are drying out our skin and frizzing up our hair. We can’t remember if we love or loath this season. We have a sneaky feeling you may know a few friends with similar plights, which makes spring time the perfect time to try your Fixx™ !

Fixx Solutions is a revolutionary system that incorporates the most advanced cosmetic technology and ingredients that ‘fixx’ common beauty problems you face. Here are our four favorite things about the Fixx line!

It’s made for both men & women! Cosmetic advertising often fails to mention that men suffer from many of the same issues as women, and Fixx bridges the gap. The enhanced natural ingredients in Fixx target major issues across the board, making it available for anyone looking for a ‘fixx.’ Be the first of your peers to have your hands on a revolutionary product that works for both men and women!

It’s stylish and sizable. The compact, chic black tubes fit perfectly in your purse or briefcase. If you haven’t picked up on the pun yet, Fixx is meant to be a fix to cosmetic emergencies. Emergencies happen when you’re on the go, not at home, so transportation is key!

Argan Oil! Certain products in the Fixx line include argan oil. Argan Oil is hot on the beauty market right now, and for good reason! Argan Oil is made of nutrients and natural ingredients that give your hair a rich, smooth shine to outlast the most brutal spring humidity. If your spring includes hair that loses control the moment it sees the light of day, you’ll find that argan oil is your new best friend.

Fixx fixes everything! Okay, well, maybe not EVERYTHING, but for the check up from the neck up, Fixx has you covered. The full Fixx line includes skin care, cosmetic enhancers, and hairstyle solutions. With such well-rounded solutions, Fixx earns its reputation as a trusted brand, attending to the details and providing real results.

Do you love Fixx? What are you favorite things about Fixx? Tell us in the comments below!

Congratulations to Carmelo Anthony on Winning his first NBA Scoring Title

With one game left in the regular season for Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks, it’s clear that Melo is poised to win this season’s NBA Scoring Title! We couldn’t be more proud of our friend and Market America family member on his great accomplishments on the court.

Carmelo has long been friends with JR and Loren and we welcomed him to our company last year with the launch of Isotonix® Champion Blend Plus. This came only months after his wife, La La launched her extension of the Motives® brand at World Conference.

We’re so grateful to have the opportunity to work with talented entrepreneurs like Carmelo and La La and are honored to stand behind Melo as he receives this honor. For more information on Carmelo and Isotonix Champion Blend Plus, watch these videos:

Product Demo

Product Launch

Understanding Your Digital Shadow

Your reputation online precedes you. When you make a new connection, it’s all too easy to search for them on social media sites: to learn about their interests, likes and dislikes, see photos of their family, discover what groups they’re part of, etc. You can bet that if you’re curious about them, they are just as curious about you.

We each have a ‘digital shadow,’ a reputation that precedes us online. With the popularity of social media sites constantly on the rise, some children even have a digital shadow before birth! Here’s what you need to know about your digital shadow and how to keep yourself safe online:

A digital shadow (some call it a digital footprint) is created the moment you post information about yourself on the Internet. Some argue that it happens before that- when others post about you. Just as your name and number appear in phone directories, they also show up in directors on the web without your consent or knowledge. Though you may be using the Internet to spread the word about your business, it’s time to consider the amount of information available about you.

Be clear with yourself. Take a moment to think about what you really want to get out of your online experience. Are you comfortable being open with anyone who chooses to type your name into a search engine? Do you prefer privacy? Determining what you want to share online is the first step in understanding your digital shadow.

If you prefer privacy, it’s time to assess what personal information of yours is already available on the web. Have you checked your privacy settings on Facebook recently? Facebook is famous for updating privacy settings, so make sure that yours are set to your liking. View your settings and change them HERE. Once you’ve updated the sites you currently use, think back to ones that aren’t current. When possible, make sure that you deactivate accounts that you no longer use.

If you’re an open book, that’s great too! Make sure, of course, that you’re not revealing too much identifying information online. Social applications like Foursquare allow you to “check in” at various locations. Checking in at the coliseum for MAIC 2013 is a great way to connect with others, but checking in at your home address or checking in at every place you visit in a given day means that someone online can locate you easily in real life. That’s not always a good move.

Always keep in mind, whether you prefer privacy or transparency online, that the things you share on the Internet stay there. Your shadow grows larger with time as more information is shared with your name attached to it! Just because you choose to delete a tweet or blog post doesn’t mean that it’s not still living out there in cyberspace somewhere.

In general, simply be mindful of what you’re allowing to be said about you online. It’s nearly impossible to completely erase a digital shadow, so work to become aware of the footprint you’re leaving behind.

Do you have tips for staying protected online? Leave ‘em below!

Five Ways to be an Effective Communicator

Communication is key when you’re an entrepreneur! When you’re starting your own business or even maintaining one, you must be able to effectively communicate with newcomers who are interested in what you have to say. Could you use a few tips on beefing up your communication skills? We’re here to help:

Be Precise
When you’re communicating (especially via email) with potential customers or business partners, make sure you’re being very clear and getting to the point without wasting a lot of words. Be precise, and always offer the opportunity for elaboration, should they have more questions.

Listen Up
When communicating, we often think about what we say but not about how we listen. Listening is an important part of communication that we often forget. Listen to others and take note of their specific interest and needs. It will help you down the line as you continue building relationships with individuals.

Common Courtesy
Make sure that you’re paying attention to common courtesy when you’re communicating with others. An email on holidays, a phone call on a birthday, pleases and thank yous will go a long way in earning the trust and respect of others.

Be Transparent
Take this tip with a grain of salt. When you’re communicating effectively, you’re open and honest about yourself, your goals, and (in the entrepreneurial setting) your business. You don’t have to reveal everything about your personal life, but find ways to be relatable to others by sharing your own stories.

Follow Through
Keep in mind that communication rarely ends after one conversation! Make sure that you’re following through and providing others with answers to questions and keeping in touch. Don’t create missed opportunities by chatting with someone at an event and then not contacting them later.

What has helped you to become an effective communicator? Tell us in the comments section below!

10 Things You Need to Stop Doing on Twitter. Right. Now.

Last week we talked about common Facebook offenses in our post “10 Things You Need To Stop Doing on Facebook”, so this week we’re talking about Twitter! And while we don’t want to point fingers… we’ve noticed people committing some pretty bad Twitter offenses lately. So let’s get straight to the point and get real about the 10 things YOU need to stop doing on Twitter…right now!

No profile photo? No bio? No thanks!If you haven’t uploaded a photo or completed your Twitter bio, you come off as a) untrustworthy b) a mystery c) a Twidiot, or d) all of the above? If you chose d) all of the above, you’re correct! There is simply no excuse for not completing your profile or failing to upload a photo. People are a lot less likely to care about what you have to say or follow you if you have an incomplete Twitter profile.

Need some tips to get you started? This is your Twitter account, so your photo should be of you- that’s it. Also, when filling out your biographical info, make sure to include keywords (i.e. “Shop Consultant” “health and fitness” or entrepreneur”). This makes it easier to find you in searches (a good thing if you’re using Twitter to network).

Posting links and nothing elseAre you in the habit of only tweeting links to your portal? Then stop right now! When someone goes to view your profile to see if you’re worth following and all they see are a bunch of “sketchy looking” links, do you think they’re going to follow you – much less click on any of those links? No, they’re not. Instead, retweet people you follow, share your thoughts on the day’s events, and take part in the conversation that is going on all around you. Links are ok once in a while, like if someone tweets you asking about your favorite supplements or the lip gloss you wore to an event the weekend before. Other than that, focus on adding value to the discussion and interacting with others.

Not using hashtagsIf you’re not including hashtags in your tweets, you’re doing it wrong! Hashtags are important because they make it possible for people other than your followers to search for your tweets. For example: if you’re tweeting about a great networking event you just attended, use one or two appropriate hashtags in your tweet, like#Entrepreneur or #Networking.

Direct messaging new followers with a link to your portalIf you want to send a personalized direct message to everyone who follows you, go ahead. But if you want to send a generic direct message with a link to your portal to your new followers, DON’T DO IT! This makes you look like a sleazy salesperson, and no one likes to be sold to on social media (unless they ask first).

Not retweeting anyoneIf you think that you’re “doing enough” by tweeting a few times a day and not interacting with others and retweeting them, you’re wrong! If you want people to follow you and care about what you have to say, you MUST retweet! A few tips: when you see a tweet that really stands out to you, retweet it and then follow it up with a direct reply to the user you retweeted. Try saying something like “couldn’t agree more!” or “thanks for sharing that article, it was really thought provoking!” This will show that you are not a Twitter robot and that you’re interested in themand what they have to say.

Tweeting the same thing…over…and over…and…If you tweet the same tweets over and over and over,  cut it out already! It doesn’t matter if you’re tweeting about what you ate for breakfast or links to your portal; you’re making a fool of yourself and look like a spammer. Not to mention that you’re making it really easy for the few people who do follow to unfollow you.

Posting your tweets directly to FacebookHave you set up your Twitter account to post all your Tweets to Facebook? Then please go disable that function. Here’s why you shouldn’t post your tweets to Facebook:  a) people who follow you on both social networks don’t want to see the same post twice b) hashtags, retweets, and mentions are totally useless symbols on Facebook and look more like gibberish than anything else, and c) it gives your friends the impression that you never log on to Facebook to check out what they are posting. You don’t want people to start defriending you because they think your Facebook friendship is one-sided, do you?

Not following backEven though it’s not necessary to follow everyone who follows you, it is important to follow back users you find interesting. If you don’t follow anyone back, you’re basically saying “my tweets are more interesting than yours, so you should want to follow me regardless of whether I follow you or not.”

Following everyone and their grandmaJust because we said that not following anyone back makes you look bad, that doesn’t mean you should follow as many people as you can. Why? Because you will end up following a bunch of people who are not part of your target audience or industry. Do your best to follow people you have something in common with.

Protecting your tweetsUnless you use Twitter solely to connect with close friends and family, there’s no point whatsoever in “protecting” your tweets. “But why wouldn’t I want my tweets to be protected? It sounds like a good thing.” By choosing to protect your tweets, the only people who can see them are you and your followers. Not to mention that people must submit a request to you to be one of your followers. If that doesn’t discourage people from following you, I don’t know what does!

These are our top 10 things you need to stop doing on Twitter, but we want to hear yours! Post your top Twitter offenses in the comment section below!

Perfect Spring Look with Motives® Products

Spring and summer bring several reasons to celebrate: cookouts, spring formals, proms, graduation parties, and often many weddings.

Pay attention to the beauty plights that warm weather brings, from skin care issues to lasting makeup, and here we offer alternatives! Assemble your own customizable kit of beauty products to wear and show off to your envious peers! Here are a few of our favorites to get you started.

Eyes: Situation: “I don’t have any spring makeup or colors that match my skin tone anymore!” Whip out the Fantasy Palette from your purse and show your admirer how you achieved perfect soft, spring hues with one product. You shaped your bold, definite eyebrows with the Motives for La La Waterproof Eyebrow Pencil and credit Motives for La La Volumizing & Lengthening Mascara for your long, full lashes.

Lips: Situation: “My lipstick never stays on in this humidity!” Pull out your favorite shade of the Rich Formula Lipstick and the Motives Lip Lock. Show them how you apply the lip lock before the lipstick, achieving clean, lip look that lasts!

Cheeks: Situation: “I’m so busy and my makeup always comes off half way through the day.” Show them your Motives Boxed Beauty palette, with the perfect combination of natural hues that compliment any look. The Boxed Beauty is perfect for makeup on the go.

Face: Situation: “My foundation never matches my summer skin tone and it always fades so fast!” Tell them about the Motives Perfecting Face Primer that locks your foundation in place throughout the day. Then show them your Color Perfection Quad, an all-in-one four part foundation that’s perfect for concealer, matching your skin tone, contour, and providing full coverage!

Tan: Situation: “I would do anything for a tan but I always burn!” or “I would love to get some sun but I’m inside at my desk all day.” It’s time to test out the new Motives Bronzing Lotion! It provides full, natural looking coverage that gives a glow rather than a painted look.

Nails: Situation: “I need a good spring color now that it’s time to show my toes!”You’re wearing the Motives Nail Lacquer in Daydream, a color available for a limited time only as part of one of the leading nail color lines on the market. Chip resistant with a smooth application, your nails will stand out and outlast your friends. They’ll be dying to know your secret!

Seasonal changes always bring new fashion trends and looks, so this is the perfect time to use the beauty products to show off. What’s your go-to Motives® product for spring/summer 2013?

Five Apps… From the Social Media Team!

We brought you our most recommended apps for all occasions: traveling with kids, fitness, photo editing, etc. We even brought you the king of mobile, Steve Ashley’s favorite apps. As professionals whose lives depends on efficiency and knowing the next big thing in technology, wouldn’t you like to know what the Social Media team’s favorite apps are?

I interviewed each Social Media team member on what apps they rely on every day. Maybe you can pick up some tips or find that you have much in common with us!

Andrew: “Google Maps all day. It helps me find places on Planet Earth. And I like the lady’s voice. She never yells at me when I make a wrong turn.”

Google Maps is powered by Google navigation system which maps your area and provides you with the most efficient directions and navigation to your destination. Google Maps is available for free in the app stores.

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Courtney: “Pixlr Express. This is a great FREE photo-editing app that I use to add all sorts of fun effects to my photos before posting them on social media. The editing features range from basic cropping and red eye reduction, to fun frames and photo overlays. There’s even a feature that allows you to whiten your teeth!”

Pixlr could have made our favorite photo editing apps, with it’s savvy technology and fun effects. Pixlr is great for creating the gorgeous, artsy photos that pack up your Instagram feed. Pixlr is available for free in the apps stores.

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Hannah: “TripAdvisor. I feel that all apps relating to social media are a given for me, so I’m going to pick one that isn’t related to my job! I really love the TripAdvisor app and use it when I travel to recommend fun, local restaurants and things to do.”

TripAdvisor is perfect for when you are looking for new things to do or are in a new area. TripAdvisor checks our your location for restaurants, hotels, and flights so that you enjoy the optimal vacation experience! TripAdvisor is available for free in the app stores.

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Darrell: “GasBuddy – I know it’s an old app but driving a gas guzzling Chevy Avalanche, it pays to know where the cheap gas is.”

Gas Buddy is your… gas buddy. Gas Buddy looks up your location and finds the cheapest gas stations near you. In some areas and with some vehicles, Gas Buddy is less like a buddy and more like a life saver! GasBuddy is available for free in the app stores.

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Laura: “IMDB. I am a film junkie and it’s perfect for solving random TV/Film trivia. It has show times, trailers, box office ratings, and critic reviews. Plus, every film, actor, director, etc. has its own page with history and information. It’s my go-to for all things film!”

IMDB is short for International Movie Database. The website has just about everything you need to know about any film, actor, or anyone that has worked in film. With trivia, quotes, photos, and trivia, IMDB is the film buff’s encyclopedia in their pocket. IMDB is available for free in the app stores.

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Do you use any of these apps? What apps would you recommend US? Tell us in the comments below!