Ah, Valentine’s Day. The holiday that celebrates all things love…by producing copious amounts of insecurity, stress, and anxiety. Many of us are less worried about what he will get us than we are about what to get HIM.

The commercials are filled with images of jewelry, chocolates, and flowers. Unless your man is one of the Sopranos, jewelry may not be first on his list of desires. Chocolates? Probably not. Flowers? Definitely not. So, what you get for the man in your life?

Relax and get ready to hit “save.”

The Gents Place

The Gents Place is an ultra-premium and membership-based men's grooming and lifestyle club. The combination barbershop, spa, and salon offers services including haircuts, coloring, shaves, hand and foot repairs, and shoe shine services. The franchise offers more than grooming services. All services at The Gents Place are designed to instill confidence, relaxation, and polish to your man.

This gift accomplishes a couple of objectives. First, it provides your man with the haircut or grooming service he needs. For many businessmen, haircuts and other grooming are simply tasks on the to-do list that take up time that could be better spent on other things. The Gents Place turns that chore into a luxury experience that he will genuinely enjoy.

Second, services at The Gents Place are designed to refuel and rejuvenate clients by empowering them to succeed. If your recipient has been feeling burned out, discouraged, or bored with his career, a visit to The Gents Place may be just what the doctor ordered to renew his ambition and motivation. By delivering premium grooming services in a supportive atmosphere with complimentary top-shelf beverages and curated advice, The Gents Place experience will help your man feel his best again. And you’ll love the way he looks!

Bespoke Post

Subscription boxes have risen in popularity due to less to the products that come in their boxes and more from a quality you can’t box: surprise. While any gift can be a surprise, it takes a fair amount of time to collect multiple items that will surprise and delight your recipient. Subscription boxes solve that problem, and Bespoke Post is one of the best.

Nicknamed “The Box of Awesome” and designed for people of discerning tastes and an appreciation for luxury, a Bespoke Post subscription is sure to be a hit. Each month, subscribers choose a themed box filled with unique items for their lifestyle, hobbies, interests, and more. It’s an exciting way to check out new products and the subscription is flexible, allowing subscribers to skip a month if they choose. Bespoke Post boxes are designed to improve the way you live your life and their selections assemble theme-oriented boxes of fun.  The average value of boxes is more than $70, but  Bespoke Post members pay $45 per box (shipping and handling included). Non-members pay $55, but it’s free to sign up, so why pass on the discount?

Spirited Gifts

Many of us enjoy refreshment of the adult beverage variety. If your man enjoys a cocktail, then Spirited Gifts offer a fun option for Valentine’s Day. Their curated choices range from champagne gift sets, engraved bottles, whiskey gift sets, bourbon and cigar pairings, and more! Presented beautifully packaged, your man will appreciate the thought and care that went into selecting his items.

For a really romantic touch, consider personalizing a bottle. Choose a Stemmari Cabernet Sauvignon, Franciscan Cabernet Sauvignon, or a Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon to send to your love, then submit a photo you as a couple along with your names. The Spirited Gifts team will use these to customize your gift. Not a wine aficionado? Choose a Moscow Mule gift set or a Bourbon and Cigars gift set, just to name two! The combinations available on the Spirited Gifts website are nearly endless, so you’re sure to find an option that will suit your recipient perfectly!

ToMo

Otherwise known as Touch of Modern, the ToMo app is the leading e-commerce app for men to discover unique and cutting edge products, but you don’t have to be a man to use it! The app presents high-quality products, hand-picked from all over the world, at up to 70% off. The company boasts over 14 million users due to its philosophy that everyone should be able to enjoy modern, advanced design.

A quick glance at today’s featured items included, among many others: Levitating NFL Helmets, a Kobe Bryant Framed Photo, a UV Toothbrush Sterilizer, Wireless Sleep Headphones, and a Motion-Activated Toilet Night Light that your man can set to a single color or to rotate through a rainbow of shades. Choosing something exceptional to elevate your man’s lifestyle will be as simple as scrolling down the beautifully presented options. Can’t pick from among all of the choices? Touch of Modern also offers gift cards.

Cabelas

Is your guy an outdoorsman of any kind? In 1961, Dick Cabela decided to sell fishing flies he purchased while at a furniture show in Chicago. Today, Cabela's is the world's foremost outfitter of hunting, fishing, and outdoor gear. 

Cabela's is often associated primarily with hunting gear, but the store offers you a wide variety of great gift options for his Valentine's Day gift. For the shooter, gear like protective earmuffs, gun-cleaning kits, gun cases, and holsters, or reloading equipment such as rotary tumblers, powder dispensers and more will be a welcome present. Rods, reels, lures, flies, and bait present nearly unlimited options for the man who loves to fish. Camping equipment galore is available to make a comfortable temporary home in the outdoors. If your recipient is "king of the grill" or you would like him to be, there is a great selection of grills, food dehydrators, meat grinders, vacuum sealers and other high-quality kitchen gadgets to consider. 

He's not a big outdoorsman, but likes the "hunting-lodge-esque" style? You can give his "man cave" a look and feel he will enjoy with classy and comfortable home decor that you'll also love. Delicious fudge and candied pecans are often sold in the gourmet foods shop next to the home decor department, so you can pick up a treat for him - and for yourself. Can't decide? Gift cards are available in the stores, online, and at various retailers everywhere.  

While many men’s Valentine’s Day gifts focus on practicality, you may want to mix things up and try something besides another tie, charging station, or beard grooming kit. You man will likely be happy with anything you get him, but to really delight him, finding something unexpected shows him that you put some thought and time into making him feel special. Which is what Valentine’s Day is all about.

Jamie Spence | Content Manager

Seota Digital Marketing 972.737.2830

Going green in 2020? Many of us are. The trend towards environmental responsibility continues to grow, and many hope it becomes the standard way of life in this country. Until that day, you can exercise environmental responsibility by making small changes in your personal life and business. With new improvements in technology constantly emerging and research on environmental issues regularly revealing new data, those changes are getting easier to make without sacrificing your lifestyle.

Beyond recycling, how can you transition towards a green way of life?

Going Green at Home

• Install faucet aerators. Inexpensive and easy to install, faucet aerators reduce the flow of water out of your sink faucet, resulting in savings on your water bill.
• Install low-flow shower heads. A low-flow showerhead will significantly reduce the amount of water dispersed from your shower head without reducing water pressure.
• Install a low-flow, dual flush toilet or put a brick in your toilet tank. You can turn your old toilet into a low-flow version by putting a brick (wrapped in a waterproof plastic bag) into your tank. This will displace and reduce the amount of water wasted on every flush.
• Wait till you have a full load of laundry to wash and wash in cold water. This saves both water and energy on washing your clothes. Clothes get just as clean and you save the energy that would be spent on unnecessary washing or heating the water.
• Line dry your clothes or rack dry your clothes. This saves energy and reduces air and water pollution from power plants.
• Install a programmable thermostat for savings on your utility bills while also saving energy and reducing pollution.
• Replace your light bulbs with LED lights. (Tip for the budget: purchase on sale and change out bulbs over time.) Although a small investment initially, this change can save you a great deal of money and energy over the lifespan of the LED bulbs.
• Replace the weatherstripping on your doors and windows to prevent cold air from escaping during the summer and heat from leaking out during the winter.
• Insulate your hot water heater and your water pipes. Your water heater won’t have to work as hard if you have pipe insulation and water heater blankets, resulting in savings on electricity.
• Run your dishwasher only when it is full to reduce unnecessary use of water and energy needed to clean your dishes.
• Use washable rags instead of paper towels. By using rags to clean around the house, you’ll save money as well as trees.
• Don’t buy bottled water! Bottled water contains plastic toxins and has a hugely detrimental impact on the entire planet. Purchase a faucet water filter and a reusable water bottle to save money and help the environment.
• Put a stop to junk mail coming to your mailbox. Junk mail is not just annoying. Producing it destroys trees and its delivery requires gasoline. Approximately 44% of junk mail goes to landfills unopened, where it produces methane, a greenhouse gas 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide. State and local governments spend hundreds of millions of dollars per year to collect and dispose of all the bulk mail that does not get recycled.

OptOutPrescreen.com – opt out of preapproved credit card and insurance offers online or by phone: 1-888-5-OPTOUT.

DirectMail.com – free, quick way to get your name off commercial mailing lists.

YellowPagesGoesGreen – remove your name and address from phonebook mailing lists.

YellowPagesOptOut – remove yourself from phonebook deliveries.

PaperKarma – this amazing smartphone app lets you take photos of unwanted mail and submit them. The service then contacts the mailer to request they remove you from their distribution list.

Catalog Choice – This free service stops unwanted store catalogs from being delivered to your mailbox.

• Recycle unneeded and outdated records, files, and paperwork. How can you do this and keep confidential information secure? Sierra Shred can responsibly destroy and recycle your sensitive documents. Did you know?  Each ton of shredded and recycled paper saves:

17 trees

7000 gallons of water

3.3 cubic yards of landfill space

380 gallons-of-oil

4000 kilowatts of energy

60 pounds of air pollutants

Going Green in the Yard

• Install a rain barrel. Rain barrels collect rainwater from your downspouts and the water saved can then be used to water all your outdoor plants.
• Compost your food scraps. Composting save waste from going to the landfill and can be done even in an apartment.
• Use native plants for your landscaping, especially trees. Trees not only help keep your home cooler by providing shade, but also help to absorb CO2 in the air. They also look beautiful and add to your property value.
• Install outdoor solar lights. Instead of lighting the exterior of your home using electricity at night, install some solar path lights that charge during the day. You can even get a solar-powered motion detecting light for increased security in the evenings!

Going Green in the Car

• Reduce your commute. If it is available, use public transportation to get to work or carpool with others.
• Consolidate your errands to reduce the number of individual car trips and save gas as well as wear and tear on your car. It also helps improve air quality in your area.
• Avoid idling your car. It contributes to the area’s smog and unless you are sitting in traffic, it uses more gas to idle your vehicle for 30 seconds than it does to turn it off and restart it.
• Rotate your car tires and keep them filled. Keeping your tires inflated to the right PSI and rotated regularly saves fuel.
• If possible, use a bicycle to get to school, work, or to run errands instead of driving.

Going Green at Work

• Use reusable water bottles and mugs at work. Our landfills and oceans are filling up with disposable plastic water bottles. With reusable water bottles, you save money and won’t ingest the plastic residue contained in disposable plastic bottles. Drink coffee from your own mug instead of disposable cups that end up in landfills, too.
• Use reusable dishes and silverware in the office kitchen or break room. Replacing disposable utensils with reusable products that simply require washing is a very effective way to reduce the amount of disposable products that have to be discarded.
• Use non-toxic cleaning products to tidy up. Switch to cleaning products created from natural substances instead of hazardous chemicals that are dangerous to the environment.
• Send files and documents electronically whenever possible and be conscious of your printing habits. It’s best to print using the double-sided printing option that comes with many of today’s printers. If that’s not an option, then print what you must and reuse the sheet of paper by writing on the blank side if you can.
• Buy re-manufactured ink. Re-manufactured ink is affordable and producers of manufactured ink help to keep excess metals and disposables out of the environment.
• Designate an area for the office’s recyclables and make sure they are put out for collection regularly.
• To dispose of old records and paperwork in an environmentally-responsible way, use a professional shredding service. All material is securely shredded and then recycled.
• Use LED lights. LED lights conserve energy and last much longer than standard light bulbs while brightly illuminating your workspace.
• Buy eco-friendly office supplies. When you buy recycled products, you are supporting initiatives that preserve trees and natural resources.
• Use refillable pens. Reusable pens simply require cartridge changes and can be used for a long period of time.
• Telecommute whenever possible. Many companies are seeing the benefit in allowing staff to work remotely when possible. Telecommuting increased by 159% from 2005 to 2017.  Working remotely increases productivity by allowing the time traditionally used for a commute to be used on actual work endeavors and is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint.
• Recycle old office furniture and equipment. Although it’s common practice to throw away the old items, many may be recyclable or composed of parts that can be recycled instead of going to the landfill.

Sustainability starts at home, in your household, and in your place of business. Going green doesn’t have to be overwhelming; you can transition to environmentally-responsible habits gradually. Getting started is the hardest part. You can help save the environment and save yourself some money by adopting these practices in 2020.

Jamie Spence | Content Manager

Seota Digital Marketing 972.737.2830

Arizona’s tech industry is a “rising star,” Todd Sanders, the CEO of the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, wrote this fall. The Phoenix Business Journal published a similar observation in December’s “Arizona tech industry hitting the fast lane,” essay by guest contributor Steve Zylstra, and there are many others. With the rise of our tech industry comes the challenge of staffing these companies with the best talent.

All companies do their best to hire technical staff who are capable in the technology they need.  Many attempt to locate qualified candidates through their human resources department initially. However, the typical HR department has many other responsibilities and not necessarily a solid understanding of the specifics required when dealing with technology hires.  Human Resource departments focus on the corporate culture, dealing with conflicts in employee relationships, payroll, employee benefits, and training in addition to managing hiring and retention.  When a hiring manager sends in a job request for a network engineer, does the department have a thorough understanding of what knowledge that position requires? What about a software engineer dealing with a specific stack of technology?

When dealing with technology positions and corporate culture, it becomes a little more difficult to find the right person for the job.  What are the baseline skills needed to perform the job?  Is it a mature environment with more maintenance than support and troubleshooting?  Is the business growing rapidly and does the person need to be able to think on their feet or are they dealing with general day-to-day support working with business users, physical devices, and applications?  Will the developers be adding functionality to the existing application landscape or will they be handling a new application build?

Why AI Isn’t Very Effective in Locating Great Candidates

When looking at resumes, companies are using artificial intelligence (AI) more and scanning resumes for keywords.  One job posting may have hundreds to thousands of applicants depending on the market, location, and posting.  Glassdoor conducted a survey and from 250 resumes, four to six candidates will be interviewed and one will be hired.

While AI will be able to search for specific keywords in a resume, can they truly help with getting the best candidates?  "AI speeds up the process but lacks the human contact needed to flush out actual understanding of the skill sets of the candidate," according to Timothy Derrickson, Director of Operations at Derrico Computers. AI may miss a qualified candidate because some technical candidates may not have the corresponding keywords in their resume, in spite of doing that job day-in and day-out.  For example, when looking for a network engineer, you may need someone experienced in working with a specific vendor’s device. If you look for candidates only with “Juniper” experience, you may miss all the candidates experienced with similar devices. Companies may be overlooking candidates that could perform well in their corporate culture, though they may need a small amount of time to get up to speed supporting the environment.

Why Technical Screening is Better

It’s important to speak with candidates in detail regarding specific technologies in order to help the hiring manager understand their true skill set. This is the reason technical screeners employed by Derrico Computers are all technology specialists working in the IT field. Only by examining the technical expertise of an applicant can you really get a comprehensive assessment of the overall knowledge of the candidate.  Without a thorough assessment, a human resources manager may hire a candidate who ticks all the boxes in the initial interview, but once in the job can’t learn fast enough or handle the specifics of the job. It can save your company time and money to use a technical screener to help find a qualified candidate who is able to ramp up quickly and provide the support your company needs.

Picking out a gift for any man in your life could be considered “extreme shopping.” Like extreme sports, shopping for men involves a high degree of risk. You can play it safe by getting your husband, boyfriend, father, brother, or friend another shirt or cologne set, but finding a gift they will truly love? It’s not unlike rock or mountain climbing. Or possibly searching for the Holy Grail.

Men tend to approach purchasing anything in a very goal-oriented way:

“I’m cold.”

[walks into store, buys jacket]

“I’m not cold anymore.”

Because of this direct way of thinking, finding a desired item that your guy hasn’t already purchased for himself can be a challenge. Walking through store after store, or spending hours clicking and scrolling online, looking at the endless gadgets, tools, and hobby equipment available, can leave you with a sense of overwhelming futility. How many times have you just purchased something in desperation and hoped for the best, knowing he could return it?

We can help! Here are three unique gift ideas that your man likely won’t have thought of for himself and are definitely a cut above another gift set of slippers!

The Gents Place

The Gents Place is an ultra-premium and membership-based men's grooming and lifestyle club founded out of Frisco, Texas, in 2008. The combination barbershop, spa, and salon offers services including haircuts, coloring, shaves, hand and foot repairs (a.k.a. men’s manicures and pedicures), and shoe shine services. The franchise now operates thirteen locations in Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Nevada, and Texas.

“So?” you may be thinking. “There are tons of barbershops that offer similar services. What’s so special about The Gents Place?” We’ll tell you: it’s the company’s vision and level of service. The Gents Place brand vision is to empower gentlemen with the confidence needed to achieve their goals. With a culture of servant leadership and dedication to delivering world-class service to their guests, The Gents Place team helps men look and feel their best, empowering them to perform at their best.

The man for whom you’re buying may not seem like the “fancy haircut” type. And that’s just as well, because this company is not simply offering grooming services. The Gents Place is providing a first-class experience. By delivering premium grooming services in an atmosphere of like-minded men, complimentary top-shelf beverages, and curated advice, The Gents Place experience is unlike any other. In essence, your gift is an exceptional experience designed to imbue confidence, polish, and relaxation.

How many gifts can you say that about?

Visit The Gents Place at 1201 E. State Hwy 114, Suite 130, Southlake, Texas 76092.

Malouf’s Fine Apparel

John Malouf opened Malouf’s Fine Apparel in August of 1949, following his graduation from Texas Tech University. After working part-time at Durham-Burdine, a men’s shop in Lubbock, during his college years, he’d developed a love of the retail business and saw a market for luxury clothing for businessmen. The product line has expanded to offer fine apparel for both men and women, ranging in styles suitable for the boardroom to casual sportswear.

From the store’s opening, Malouf functioned as the manager, buyer, and merchandiser at the original location in Lubbock, Texas. Malouf’s Southlake Town Square location opened in 2009. The company principles of quality, value, service, innovation and trust are the standards on which the business was founded. Offering one-on-one consultations at your home, office or in the store, Malouf stylists will provide your gift’s recipient with expert advice and make the shopping experience effortless. Expert on-site tailoring will ensure that his selections are specifically fitted for his build and style preference. The result is fine clothing items that will last.

A lot of men are interested in dressing more stylishly, but don’t have the time needed to improve their wardrobe. If the man you’re buying for is interested in dressing well, or simply needs high-quality staples that will last for years, Malouf’s is a first-class option. Although John Malouf passed away in 2015, the Malouf family retains management of the company and its commitment to exceptional quality and service. Malouf’s Fine Apparel’s Southlake location can be found at 190 State St, Southlake, TX 76092.

Orvis of Southlake

Is your man an outdoor sports enthusiast? Charles F. Orvis founded the Orvis Company in Manchester, Vermont in 1856. Offering superior fly-fishing equipment, Orvis also offers a wide assortment of men’s and women’s sportswear, fine gifts, and home furnishings, luggage, and travel accessories. In addition, fine shotguns, gear, and technical apparel for wingshooting and sporting clays are offered. Orvis sporting services include fishing and shooting schools, an international sporting and eco-travel agency, and the Orvis-endorsed network of lodges, outfitters, and guides. Each Orvis product and the services presented is rooted in the company’s heritage, inspired by love of the wild, and backed by superior customer service and a 100% guarantee of satisfaction.

Is the man you’re buying for a dog lover? As if all of the above weren’t enough, Orvis is also an industry leader in dog beds and innovative dog products. The company’s culture of “We Love Dogs” has led the retailer to be a central source of education and information for all dog lovers. If your recipient is in need of a new hunting companion, Orvis can help. Orvis-endorsed hunting dog trainers and breeders must meet their high standards for the best bird dog breeders. Whether your new dog is strictly for hunting or to be a good companion at home, you can find an excellent fit among the Orvis-endorsed dog breeders.

Everything at Orvis is about inspiring and empowering adventure and wonder in nature. The company’s goals to design and develop products and experiences, and provide the knowledge and expertise to enable more adventurous moments and connections in the outdoors. If your man is in need of some quality outdoor time, Orvis is the ideal place to start. Orvis is located at 1101 E Southlake Blvd, Southlake, TX 76092.

In North Texas, we’re no strangers to severe weather. Strong thunderstorms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes make fairly regular appearances here, and these storms can be scary. What can be even scarier? Trying to deal with your insurance company to get a claim for a new roof paid.

After a big storm in our area, insurance companies are bombarded with claims. Not all of these claims are legitimately needed and your claim may get inadvertently lumped in with questionable ones, making the process of getting approval take longer and be more complicated. How do you get your insurance company to pay for a roof replacement? Is there anything you can do to make the approval process go more smoothly? Yes, there is, but you’ll need to be armed with the right information and take specific steps.

What Information Do I Need?

You need to review your insurance policy carefully and understand what kind of coverage you have: repair coverage or replacement coverage.

 Replacement policies are common, but more expensive than repair coverage policies. Replacement coverage provides for returning the roof to new condition when an event that is covered by the insurance policy occurs.

• Repair coverage generally factors in any depreciation of the roof and your settlement will be a percentage of the replacement cost based on what kind of roof you have and its age. If your roof is nearing the end of its expected lifespan, it could be as low as 15%.

Don’t have a copy of your policy handy? Request an emailed copy from your insurance agent. If you find the language of the policy confusing, talk to your agent. It’s their job to help you understand the coverage of your policy.

How Do I Prepare to File a Claim?

Do your homework and find an experienced, reputable roofing contractor.  Check online reviews and ask for references. You’re looking for a licensed contractor with a strong reputation and experience in dealing with insurance claims. Your roofer will be your partner in getting your roof repaired or replaced. They’ll also guide you in preventing further damage to your roof in the meantime. Severe storms can damage thousands of homes in an affected area, and it may take some time before your claim is processed and your repairs are made. Experienced roofing contractors will help you prevent further storm damage to your roof because they are aware that claims for secondary damage can often be denied if appropriate measures to protect the roof have not been taken.

The Claim Process

Most states require a homeowner to make a claim within 30-60 days. Failure to make a timely claim is justification for claim denial. Other reasons for claim denial can include:

• The roof wasn’t installed properly by the roofer

• The roofing material is faulty

• The roof wasn’t maintained by the homeowner

• The attic isn’t properly vented by the builder, so the shingles were cupped and susceptible to wind damage

• The damage is only cosmetic and the roof is still functional

• The roof is simply old

Your insurance company will send out its own adjuster. If the storm damage is widespread, “independent inspectors” are brought in to help process the large number of claims. Because these adjusters are employed by the insurance company, their objective is to find justification for claim denial.

This is where your partnership with a reputable, licensed roofer comes into play. Your roofer can provide documentation for that roofing materials on the undamaged part of the roof are correctly installed and not defective. Therefore, there are no problems with installation or the materials used. They can also often provide documentation that the roof was maintained appropriately, the attic is properly vented, that the damage is more than cosmetic, and that the roof was within its expected lifespan. If it you have to fight with your insurance company, or if you end up in litigation, the report of the inspector working for the insurance company will be compared with the documentation provided by your roofer contractor. 

Acceptance or Denial of Your Claim

When an insurer accepts a claim, it offers the homeowner a sum of money. Some insurance companies will offer a settlement that will not cover the full cost of professional installation of a new roof with materials of the same quality as your original roof.

Again, this is why it’s important to select a roofing contractor who will be your ally in this process. If the insurance company’s settlement won’t pay for a replacement roof of the same quality, a reputable roofer will contact your insurer and explain why a larger amount is needed to properly and fully replace your roof. While this response is not always successful, it often is, and you’ll be glad to have contracted with a roofer who would fight for you.