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Tag: influencers

Mardi Gras Season At Search Influence

Here in New Orleans, we celebrate a few extra holidays. Mardi Gras, otherwise known as Carnival Season, began on January 6th this year with the Phunny Phorty Phellows parade. The season culminates tomorrow, with Mardi Gras Day itself, otherwise known as Fat Tuesday.

Tradition

In addition to the parades, drinking, parties, and mass amounts of tourists that make Mardi Gras special, we also eat a LOT of king cake. This cake, baked in honor of the three kings, is an oval shaped cinnamon cake decorated in the traditional Mardi Gras colors: purple, green, and gold. Each cake has a small plastic baby hidden inside, and tradition states that the person who finds the baby in their piece of king cake will have good luck (and they’ll have to supply the next king cake).

King Cakes

Obviously, we don’t want to mess with tradition at Search Influence, so king cakes have taken over the office for the past few weeks. Not only have we eaten traditional king cakes, Influencers have also gone above and beyond to provide the most decadent, most beautiful, most delicious variety of king cakes around! Almost every day of the week our team enjoys king cakes from any one of the following places:

Rouses
Haydel’s
Meche’s
Manny Randazzo
Domenica
Maple Street Patissierie
Whole Foods
Nonna Randazzo’s
Tastee McKenzie’s
Breads on Oak
JCB Creations
Gambino’s
Hi-Do
La Boulangerie
Ye Olde College Bakery
And More!

As team building is an important part of the Search Influence community, bringing employees together with a new and exciting king cake every day has been a great part of Mardi Gras. Hopefully, as our team continues to grow, the number of king cakes we eat will too!

Do you have a favorite king cake? Let us know in the comments!

March 3, 2014
Part Time Influencer on Balancing Work and School

It’s no secret that college students are busy. There is an old diagram that portrays this pretty well. Students want good grades, a social life and a good night’s sleep, but only have the time to choose two of those.

These days, the pressure on students is higher than ever before. We have more than just grades and a social life to worry about. There are also jobs, extracurricular activities, housework, exercise, cooking, volunteer work, dating, hobbies, keeping in touch with family, and so much more that college students must handle.

I am a senior marketing major at Tulane, but I also work 25-30 hours a week at Search Influence, in addition to several other activities and an attempt to maintain a social life and enjoy some free time. This can be stressful and it certainly keeps me busy, but maintaining all of your commitments while in college is very feasible. I am one of three influencers who work part time while also attending school.

Keeping busy keeps me focused.

When I have too much free time it is easy to procrastinate and get sidetracked from my obligations. A heavy load of classes and work forces students to adopt good time management habits. With limited free time, I make sure I get my work done efficiently so that I have an opportunity to spend time with friends, enjoy hobbies, or catch up on sleep. Learning how to focus and allocate your time also increases productivity and makes enjoying yourself much easier.

Productive Procrastination

I’ll admit it, I procrastinate all the time. It is so easy to get off task in college. There is always some social event or movie on Netflix calling your name. When I have a major assignment due that I just can’t wrap my head around yet, I try to procrastinate in a productive manner. This may sound like an oxymoron, but it is totally possible. Rather than browsing social media or watching TV, focus on smaller homework assignments or clean your room. These less stressful tasks can help turn your lazy mood into a productive one. Once you start on something productive, it is easier to move on to other tasks. When you finish that stressful assignment you will have a clean room, too!

Got any other time management tips? Let us know in the comments!

February 27, 2014
New Influencer Faces: February 2014

We’re still growing over here at Search Influence! We’d like to introduce our five newest employees to join the team!

Sydney Lippman has been hired as a Junior Account Assistant. Originally from Atlanta, Sidney moved to New Orleans to attend Tulane University where she is pursuing a degree in communications and a minor in business. Prior to joining Search Influence, Sydney has worked as an marketing intern for DEL Development Corp.

Jakia Norah has been hired as a Junior Web Developer. She is a New Orleans native and recently graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Computer Information Technology at Delgado Community College with a concentration in Web Design. Prior to working at Search Influence, Jakia was a sales representative at T-Mobile in Metairie.

Alessandra Madrid has been hired as an Account Associate. Born and raised in Guatemala City, Guatemala, she moved to New Orleans nine months ago. Alessandra has also lived in San Antonio, TX and Barcelona, Spain. She attended Trinity University where she earned a B.S. in Business Administration with concentrations in International Business, Marketing, and Communication Management. Before joining Search Influence, Alessandra worked at Colgate-Palmolive and Burson-Marsteller, where she developed a passion for the world of marketing and communications.

Nakia Thomas has been hired as an Internet Marketing Associate. Born and raised in Louisiana, Nakia received her bachelor’s degree from LSU in Communication, She started her career in sales and marketing then slowly spread her wings into the writing world. Nakia is excited about making the shift from a freelance content writer, ghostwriter, and editor to a Search Influence team member.

Alexander Talbot has been hired as an Internet Marketing Associate. Born and raised in the New Orleans metropolitan area, Alex graduated from Loyola University in May of 2013 with a double major in Marketing and Economics. Alex previously worked as a marketing representative for Samsung and has played music in several different bands locally for the past 8 years. Alex is excited to further his professional experience in order to reach a deeper understanding of the world and how to aid in its betterment.

Welcome to Search Influence, Sydney, Jakia, Alessandra, Nakia, & Alexander!

February 24, 2014
Lunchtime at Search Influence’s NEW Office Space

When I first started at Search Influence back in October, I was employee #50. Now, just four months later, we’re nearing 70 employees! As a result, 8120 Oak Street has turned into a veritable can of sardines. Check out this picture from our most recent company meeting…

Our Direct Team (along with a few others, most notably Will & Angie, our founders) even work in what is essentially a converted attic – cleverly nicknamed The Treehouse.

As Search Influence continues to grow, so must our office space. While it’ll be hard to say goodbye to the many memories we’ve made on Oak Street, we’re all looking forward to some room to breathe.

Where are we headed next? While nothing is confirmed quite yet, it looks like we’ll be headed downtown, to the CBD, or Old Metairie.

Lunchtime is something we take very seriously here at SI. Every Influencer has their favorite lunch spot – whether it’s Jimmy John’s delivery, pho from the cleverly named Pho Bistreaux or a juicy burger from trūburger (perfect for Fat Fridays). I’m here to assure you that all of our potential new locales have plenty of lunchtime options.

Downtown

Brave the lines at Mother’s (401 Poydras) for one of the best po-boys the city has to offer. In addition to serving up delicious tacos, Felipe’s Taqueria (301 N. Peters) is the perfect place to grab a margarita after work. Who knows, maybe it’ll even be the next Carrollton Station? Can’t tear yourself away from your desk for more than a minute? There’s sure to be a Lucky Dog cart nearby!

CBD

The Store (814 Gravier) has some great lunch specials and a semi-secret taco bar in the back. Missing Pho Bistreaux? Don’t worry, Viet Orleans Bistro (300 Baronne) is just a few steps away. There’s also a Jimmy John’s (900 Poydras) and a Reginelli’s (930 Poydras) right around the corner.

Old Metairie

In addition to coffee shops, there’s Zoës Kitchen (701 Metairie Rd. Suite 1A103), Naked Pizza (701 Metairie Rd. Suite 2A105) and Lee’s Hamburgers (1507 Metairie Rd.). On hot days, venture down to Sal’s Sno-Ball Stand (1823 Metairie Rd.) for one of Metairie’s best kept secrets.

Stay tuned for more once our new location has officially been announced!

February 21, 2014
HAPPY FRIDAY, BOYS! (and girls)
Here at Search Influence, we’re all about tradition.

We’ve got loads of candy in the kitchen, an anonymous question of the day on the community whiteboard, king cakes all Mardi Gras season long, double booked conference rooms, and every single Friday afternoon ends the same way.

No matter what you’re doing, or how busy and stressed out you are, you’ll know when it’s five o’clock. You’ll hear it coming loud from the Development Department. It’s time to listen to “This is How We Do It” by Montell Jordan. It’s a tradition that began with a former Influencer that we refuse to break (Shout Outs, J-Luft!). I mean, seriously, is there any better way to start off your weekend!? It’s 3 minutes and 59 seconds of head bobbing, hand waving, and lip syncing – or loud singing – bliss. In that moment you forget everything that you’ve ever known and remember what’s important in life. The weekend.

While this doesn’t exactly mean it’s time to pack up and go, because let’s be real, we’ve still got stuff to do, it’s a signal of what’s to come. You may think that we’ve grown tired of one another after spending over 50 hours a week sitting two feet apart, but that’s not the case. For some odd reason, some of us just can’t seem to get enough.

So after we convince ourselves that we’ve accomplished all that we can in a workweek, or slowly peer pressure one another to leave, one-by-one we head on down three blocks to the station. Carrollton Station.

While I could go on for days about all of the fun things that have happened, conversations we’ve had, or the moments we can’t quite seem to forget (or remember) at the station, instead I’ll fill you in on the reasons why we keep going back.

Activities

After sitting at a computer for over 8 hours a day, it’s time for a little cardio. On any given Friday, you can see Influencers doing any combination of the following:
- Ping Pong Tournaments
- Darts
- Shot skis – For added team building
- Buying drinks for co-workers – Because you owe them for helping you out that week
- Starting/Building Fires in the back patio area – It’s cool, we have Boy Scouts on the team
- Watching the Saints – Vuvuzela horn every time they score and free shots after the game
Conversations

While we try to avoid talking shop, it’s inevitable. The nights always seem to begin with those topics, because it tends to take a few drinks for us to forget about the work week. But those stories always lead to funnier stories, which turn into inside jokes we laugh about for years. This is the time when you really get to know your co-workers and decide that you’re also friends.

Food & Drinks

I guess it’s more drink than food…but it’s alright! We worked hard this week and we’re sleeping in tomorrow.
- $1 Tacos – Pretty self explanatory
- “Blue Moonshine Death Berries” – Everclear soaked berries in some concoction of a drink
- Jello shots – Randomly passed around for free
- Fireball, Fireball, Fireball, SHOTS
Music

Most nights involve some sort of live music. If there’s not some crazy Russian band or local New Orleans brass group lined up, the ‘skinny thigh guitar guy’ will start his acoustic jams. If for some reason there’s nothing on the schedule, there’s always the jukebox. It’s important to mention that the Dev boys always end up singing “There is A Light That Never Goes Out” by The Smiths.

The Usuals

Since it’s a neighborhood bar, you typically end up seeing the same faces or hearing familiar sounds. Outside of the SI group and the usual three bartenders (shout out Lillian), you’ll probably spot the bar cat, named Powder Cat, roaming around the backyard and patio. “Wait, did I just hear a dolphin?” Nope. That’s just the sound of a frequent patron’s laugh that we all know and love. And don’t forget about our friend, Harvey. He keeps talking about rounding people up and having some pajama party at the Station? (Not sure what that’s all about.)

After Party

There’s no telling what mood will strike, who will stay out, or where you’ll end up, but it’s possible that you’ll find yourself at one of these places:
- Kajuns – For epic karaoke nights
- Snake and Jake’s – For those really late nights
- Treasure Chest Casino – For the night that you’ll only hear stories about
At Search Influence we work hard and we play hard. We’re all about teamwork and team building, and if you make friends along the way, well that’s even better! As the company continues to grow, so do our weekly gatherings at Carrollton Station. If you’re in the neighborhood on a Friday, stop on by. The more the merrier!

What’s your favorite memory from a Friday night out with co-workers?
February 7, 2014
Search Influence Holiday Party

Here at Search Influence, we do things a little differently than most companies. Our office artwork is created by our employees, we play the same song every Friday at 5pm, and our holiday party is… well, a little later than most holiday parties.

This year, our holiday party fell on January 11, 2014 and employees didn’t have to travel far to get there (it was downstairs from our office at Oak Wine Bar)! For a special holiday bonus, the party fell at the same time as the Saints vs. Seahawks playoff game, so many Who Dat fans showed up in jerseys and other black and gold attire. Much to our dismay, the Saints couldn’t pull out a win, but we still managed to have a great time despite the loss!

Before the party, the whole office voted on the holiday drink name. Some ideas were “Will Scotch” (after CEO, Will Scott) and “The Optimizer.” The grand winner was “Under the Influence,” which was a delicious concoction of vodka, prosecco and St. Germain.

Many influencers enjoyed the photo booth at the party. The pictures from the photo booth are some of the best, and I think we may have broken a record for the most people in a photo booth picture (sorry Boogie Booth)!

All in all, the holiday party was a huge success. Who knows, maybe we’ll be lucky enough to have another holiday party in 2014!

January 15, 2014
Influencer Profile-Erica Rench

As Search Influence continues to grow, so do the departments! Erica Rench joined the Search Influence team in December to fill the newly created Operations Associate position, working under Operations Director Jeremy Brown. Erica comes to Search Influence after living and working in New Orleans for several years as an undergraduate student at Tulane, and as an Associate Director for Tulane’s Undergraduate Office of Admission. While working for Tulane, Erica also received her MBA.

As part of the Operations Department, Erica works to analyze and implement processes that support the Influencers in producing high quality work. Erica told me she loves getting to know everyone at Search Influence and seeing what she learned at Tulane being “put into action.” She is excited to see the company continue to grow at a rapid pace and loves how the variety of departments at Search Influence allow employees to discover what they’re really passionate about.

In her free time, Erica makes custom wedding headpieces for Wedding Belles bridal boutique on Magazine Street. She first became interested in wedding headpieces when planning her own wedding and realizing that there wasn’t a place in New Orleans where brides could hand pick headpieces, rather than ordering online. Erica also enjoys running, cooking, and exploring the local restaurant scene.

January 9, 2014
New Influencer Faces: January 2014

We are excited to welcome 12 new employees to the growing Search Influence team!

Account Management Team

Amanda Ball has been hired as an Accounts Coordinator. Born and raised in New Orleans, Amanda graduated from Delgado Community College with an associate’s degree in applied science with a concentration in Computer Applications. Prior to Search Influence, she worked for Ochsner Health Systems and recently did an internship at Delgado as an administrative office and technology marketing intern.

Chris Dopper has been hired as an Account Associate. She is originally from The Netherlands and moved from Amsterdam to New Orleans six months ago. Before joining Search Influence, Chris has worked for five years in Amsterdam and Brussels for Sanoma Media, one of the biggest publishers in Western Europe. Here she worked as an Online Marketer and Lifestyle Editor for brands like Cosmopolitan and Marie-Claire. Chris graduated from Rijksuniversiteit Groningen with a Master Degree in Communication and Information Science.

Cory Badeaux has been hired as a Junior Account Associate. Though born and raised in New Orleans, Cory has also lived in Connecticut, New York, and California. She attended Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications. Before joining Search Influence, Cory worked in events and promotional marketing in Malibu as well as in New Orleans.

Kimberly Dominguez has joined Search Influence as an Account Associate. She graduated from Loyola University New Orleans with a degree in Mass Communication and a minor in marketing. A New Orleans native, Kimberly has a social media background working for local businesses such as ACCENT on Arrangements, a DMC Company, FestiGals, Gulf Coast Bank and Trust, and The Son of a Saint Foundation.

Lily Chen has been hired as an Account Associate. A New Orleans native, Lily received her bachelor’s from Vanderbilt University and recently her masters in marketing from New York University. Before returning to her home town, Lily has worked for various other companies executing both offline and online marketing campaigns.

Mallory Logan has been hired as an Account Associate. Mallory is excited to specialize in the fast growing industry of online marketing. Formerly, she worked on nation-wide political campaigns as a political account coordinator and the Louisiana International Film Festival as Social Media Manager. She enjoys being part of the unique culture in her hometown of New Orleans and cheering on her alma mater, the LSU Tigers.

Maureen Morphy has been hired as a Junior Account Associate. She was born and raised in New Orleans, and graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in General Studies. Prior to joining Search Influence, she worked as a Public Relations Intern for BCBG Maxazria Corporate in their New York showroom, and as a Sales Associate for Saks Fifth Avenue.

Presley Brouillette has been hired as a Junior Account Associate. Originally from Baton Rouge, Presley graduated from LSU with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication with a concentration in public relations. Prior to graduating and working for Search Influence, Presley interned at SophistOccasions and Pelican House, both located in Baton Rouge, where she learned valuable marketing experience.

Online Advertising Team

Anne Rucker has been hired as an Online Advertising Associate. Originally from Texas, she received her bachelor’s degree in communications from Texas Tech University. Before moving to New Orleans from Austin, Anne worked as a project manager in the political sector.

Operations Team

Erica Salm Rench has been hired as an Operations Associate. Originally from the Greater Chicago Area, Erica came to New Orleans in 2004 to start her undergraduate years at Tulane University, where she earned both her Bachelor’s degree and her MBA. Before joining Search Influence, Erica worked as an Associate Director in Tulane’s Office of Undergraduate Admission.

January 7, 2014
Influencer Spotlight – Mary Silva

Mary Silva has been a part of the Search Influence team for nine months, and in that time she’s gotten a reputation for hard work and dedication. She’s become the go-to person for managing clients’ online presences when it comes to Google, Yahoo and Bing. She is also the person people run to when they need a call made to Google. Additionally, as an Internet Marketing Associate, Mary does basic editorial work for the content team and helps to create monthly reports for clients.

Mary Arthemise Silva, not be confused with her Aunt Arthemise Mary, carries on the tradition of bearing this family name, which gets flipped with each generation. So Mary has an aunt named Arthemise Mary and a grandmother named Mary Arthemise. As a native New Orleanian, Mary tells me all locals always want to know where you went to high school. So for all you locals out there, Mary graduated from Cabrini High School.

Outside of Search Influence, Mary works as a freelance photographer and musician. While she usually focuses on synth, guitar, and vocals, she can actually play seven different instruments. Recently, Mary had the crazy opportunity, through a co-worker, to photograph the band Fun. Mary specializes in creative portraiture photography and usually shoots senior portraits, live bands, and headshots. Every year, she photographs NOLA Fashion Week for designer Noël Martin. Fun fact: Mary also shot photos for the Search Influence website! In addition to working at Search Influence and freelancing in her spare time, Mary is also a marketing major at Tulane University and is looking forward to receiving her BSM in May 2014.

One of Mary’s photos from the recent Fun. concert in New Orleans.

When I asked Mary what the best part of working at Search Influence she said, “My favorite thing about working at SI is the people. I love my coworkers and have literally never had a bad experience with anyone in the office in the nine months that I’ve been here. We also have an awesome team building committee that puts together fun quarterly events for the company. It’s a really great way to interact with fellow Influencers since we spend a lot of our time working behind a computer.”

December 23, 2013
Team Building In the Workplace

Sometime during the spring, I was invited to join the newly formed Team Building Committee for Search Influence. At first I had no idea why I was chosen and what we would be doing. I assumed we would just be planning office parties. Little did I know the activities we planned would be much more than simple get-togethers after office hours.

Our ice cream party was a hit!

Whether it’s been big events, like a crawfish boil or laser tag, or smaller gatherings, like an ice cream social or movie night, it’s been somewhat surprising (in a good way) to see how receptive an office can be to these ideas. One of the biggest keys I’ve noticed to making sure these events are successful is to ensure everyone feels like they are involved and they have a say in what types of things the office does.

Additionally, not everyone is going to like the same thing, so finding the proper medium is important to having everyone enjoy the event. It’s also important to keep in mind that while some activities are fun, they might not be conducive to the team building incentive you’ve set. Every team building experience should be designed with goals in mind, such as improving employee morale or having everyone in the office get to know each other better.

If you feel your office could use a boost, consider starting up a team building squad and get some ideas flowing. Be sure keep an eye on the Search Influence blog to see what we come up with in the future and to see examples of activities you could be doing!

November 8, 2013