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In todays fast-pace world we are all guilty of being on the run all of the time, or occupying our mind with things we need to do - deadlines, planning for a project, meeting with people, etc., that we forget to THINK... What a simply concept that we all forget about. Forbes.com comes through again with a great article on 11-ways to create more time to think by  Paul B. Brown.  The one I am guilty of most is # 2, First Things First. I tend to wake up at 4:30am and go right to the computer to check my emails. The problem is if an email is bad news from a client I will have that in my head as a distraction for the rest of the day. From now on I am going to try and do a little thinking on a clear mind. When we check our emails first thing in the morning we occupy the space in our brains that we could potentially use for that next great idea! Read the full article here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/actiontrumpseverything/2014/02/09/11-ways-to-create-more-time-to-think/ Thanks for reading! Bryan Bryan Marino, President Marino Graphics + Design

Being active in the construction industry, in particular the heating and cooling (HVAC) segment, I am extremely familiar with this product and how homes today are becoming more and more energy efficient. With that, we as consumers are becoming smarter and more tech-advanced which is why this product did so good out of the gates. However, Nest experienced some problems with there software and product line which I believe kept them from really exploding as a company. Now that Google bought them out for an unbelievable $ 3.2 billion it will be really interesting how quickly this product expands. Read the full article here: http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57617153-76/google-to-buy-nest-for-$3.2b-in-quest-for-the-conscious-home/ Bryan Marino Graphics

What a great article by Kathy Caprino of Forbes.com. I am not a parent and have not the slightest clue on how to raise children yet. However, I believe this article is true and consistent with today's society. When we are brought up knowing right from wrong, but also allowed to fail and understand what it is like to work hard and overcome obstacles, we are more likely to be great leaders rather than followers in our career paths. Children cannot remain sheltered and protected by parents all of their lives, instead if we teach them what it is like to take risks and overcome failure they will be more likely to overcome challenges in the future and not become defeated so easily. Click here to read full article Thank you and have a great day! Bryan Bryan Marino, President Marino Graphics

Today it seems as though many people are having a challenging time moving ahead in life. Whether it be financially, career, relationships, and so on... The cost of living continues to rise, finding good companies to work for is harder than ever and stress is extremely high making all facets of life difficult. Well, if we all just take a step back and realize we pave our own futures, and that we can make changes at any time, any age and any  environment, we can bring ourselves back up out of the holes we might have been in. Utilizing Your Resources - what a concept, huh? What does it even mean? We all have run into people in our lives who have made an impact one way or another. People who might have been extremely successful in their lives, might have been through what you have been through, or they may have overcame a tough situation and came out on top. We have all met them, and who knows you may be one of those people yourself. Resources do not always have to be installation manuals, technical support departments or some type of material. They can simply be people - who have valuable information from personal experience. USE THEM - THEY WANT TO HELP!  My resource this week is a good friend who I have gotten to know over the past few years who happens to have a tremendous amount of valuable information and experience in many facets of life - business, personal, family... Sometimes it is great to just listen and build that spark back up in your life to be a better person. LISTEN...LISTEN...LISTEN - you might just hear something that could change [...]

Another great article from Forbes.com regarding common traits in successful people. How many of them do you have? 1. They know when to stay and when to leave. Successful people know exactly when they should change employers, start a company or fold their company. They have good intuition and aren’t afraid to make hard choices, despite opposing forces. 2. They do more than what’s asked of them. They view their job descriptions as just the beginning of what they can do with their job. After they’ve completed their mandatory tasks, they will always ask to take on more projects that challenge them. They are even willing to take on the tedious work that no one else wants to do in order to be a team player. 3. They are willing to fail in order to eventually succeed. All successful people know that it doesn’t come easy and they are bound to fail more than they will succeed at anything. They are willing to learn from each failure, as it will help them make better decisions that lead to success later. While many people give up after failing at something, a successful person will persevere. 4. They know that they make their own luck. Luck is derived from hard work over time and positioning yourself for success. You won’t randomly get lucky and successful people know that. They will do at least one thing every single day to put themselves in a better position to get lucky and then use that luck to grow. 5. They set real goals that they can accomplish. Successful people wake up and they’ve already planned their day, while unsuccessful people are scrambling to figure out what they need to do next. Their goals are very focused, big [...]

Good morning, all! Well, 2014 is just around the corner and many of you will be making your New Years Resolutions. Maybe it will be starting up again at the gym, quitting smoking or paying off your credit card debt... Or maybe, it will be building your business if you are an entrepreneur. eCommerce has rose $ 33 billon from 2011 to 2012 (Forbes link to article) which tells us people are using the internet more and more to purchase goods and services. Without a properly designed website not only may you not be considered for your product or service, but you can also negatively impact your brand by having an unprofessional look and feel. Trends have changed drastically from just a few years ago with how sites are designed and optimized. Content type and sizing can drastically change a user experience. Here are some things to consider when you review your current site or are planning to design a new one: Who is your site for: clearly identify who your audience will be and make sure your Home Page (or landing page) draws them in and keeps them engaged. Invest in the right places: a GREAT website needs a graphic designer and a web design company that can manage the project and drive it from concept to completion in a timely manor. Keep in simple: sites today need to have a clean and clear message as your potential audience will not make it past the Home Page if they cannot easily find what your product or service is - and of course if it is relative to their needs. Keep it FAST: large photos and graphics are great to look at but can slow your website [...]

Another great article on Entrepreneurs Success by best-selling author Paul B. Brown discussing what he believes are 12 words to sum up what most successful entrepreneurs have in common: Read the full article here about commonalities successful entrepreneurs share Article written by Paul B. Brown  originating from: www.forbes.com Check out some of Paul B. Brown's books: http://www.amazon.com/Paul-B.-Brown/e/B000APLN56 As always, thanks for listening! Bryan Marino, President Marino Graphics

The holiday season is upon us and what better time to offer your clients, or potential new ones, a discounted service or special. It can be a challenging time around the holidays to get people to buy services from contractors and offering a special rate can not only attract new business at a slower time but can also keep your employees working through the season. We can provide support with a holiday marketing campaign and website offers that will help those "on-the-fence" clients make a decision to get the work done now. Talk to us about your current promotions and how we can get those phones ringing! -The Marino Graphics Team

Check out this great article by Forbes.com on building a world-class brand: http://www.forbes.com/sites/natalierobehmed/2013/11/13/5-must-read-tips-for-building-a-bran/ -Marino Graphics