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Tag: new orleans

Why You Wish You Could Work on Oak Street

To those of you who are not familiar with New Orleans and all the wonderful neighborhoods, shops, restaurants, activities, and festivals, you’re missing out. Though I’ve only lived in New Orleans the last year and a half, I’ve become very familiar with this awesome city and what it has to offer. Each week there is new festival or fun event to attend, and it is literally impossible to eat at every restaurant in the city in a lifetime.

While there are many great areas and aspects to the city, my absolute favorite is Oak Street. This is where my second home (work) is and where my coworkers and I spend most of our free time. Nestled snugly between the streetcar line and railroad track, Oak Street is located in the Black Pearl neighborhood which is very close to Tulane and Loyola Universities, Audubon Park, and the zoo. This also lends to a diverse mixture of age groups living within a few block of each other.

Food And Drinks

The variety of people in the area leads to an eclectic blend of businesses on Oak Street. There really is something for everyone. For instance, Oak Wine Bar below our office is a staff favorite for their happy hour drink specials. And they hosted our most recent company holiday party!

Maple Leaf Bar is a great place for live music or to kill time while you wait for a table at the famous Jacques-Imo’s, a popular tourist spot and a local favorite! The lucky few get to eat in the truck!

The majority of my favorite memories are taking a long Friday lunch break at either Tru Burger or Cowbell. While on opposite ends of Oak St. and very opposite in menu and style, they both make a great burger! Both are great places to stop and enjoy a meal.

Old school charm is what makes Oak St. businesses stand out, even the newest business on the block, a chain restaurant called https://mellowmushroom.com/location/la-new-orleans-8227-oak-street-70118/, feels like its been here forever.

Shops

In addition to the amazing restaurants and bars on Oak, you can also find a wide range of shops. The chic furniture shop Eclectic Home is great for the urban dweller looking to liven up there living space. Situated a few store fronts down is the always delicious D’ Juice. Boasting the freshest smoothies blended with fresh fruit and veggies, it is a great stop for a refreshing recharge. Located just across the street from D’ Juice is the Castellon Pharmacy. Stepping in there feels like a blast from the past. This old pharmacy continues to maintain its unique charm in the ever changing world we live in.

Culture

The unique culture of New Orleans and Oak St. could not be better represented than by the enormously beautiful Catholic church, Mater Dolorosa. The church takes up a good portion of the block and it’s chorus of singing church bells can be heard many blocks away. The church and the eclectic shops are a constant reminder of the city’s rich history rooted in many religions and long time acceptance of all cultures.

Events

Once a year Oak Street gets even more exciting, playing host to the famous Po Boy Festival. The Po Boy is unique to New Orleans and is a favorite dish amongst locals. Restaurants from all over the city gather to share their own creations with festival goers as live music blares from a stage set up smack in the middle of the road.

The reasons we love the Oak Street and working here every day are endless. There are so many great places to enjoy and there is something here for everyone. I know our time on Oak Street will come to an end one day, but until then I plan to take advantage of all the great things it has to offer.

February 17, 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
It’s SNEAUXmageddon!

Down here in New Orleans, let’s just say we are not used to the cold. With freezing temperatures threatening, the entire city is shutting down, (but here at Search Influence we are still hard at work!) Although many people are referring to the winter storm as Sneauxmageddon (the world is ending, didn’t you know?), others are taking advantage of the unusual circumstances.

Hemline Metairie is offering hot cocoa to shoppers, urging them to spend their days off shopping at their store.

Over at Hattie Sparks, they are taking a different route. Closing for the day to stay warm, they are offering 40% off to online shoppers who have plenty of time to spare while at home.

The brave restaurants that have remained open are serving warm treats that we know all too well: hot gumbo, steamed mussels, and anything to keep us warm.

At Search Influence, we are bundling up with scarves, hats, and coats hidden deep in our closets. And to be sure we remain productive in the cold weather, we resort to some interesting methods. Check out Influencer Lauren Christy‘s hand-warming mouse pad!

Although the temperatures are dropping, creativity is on the rise. Websites like isitsnowinginnola.com, have popped up to add some local flair to the typical weather report (chanting “Snow me something, mister!”) Currently, the forecast states that the snow is “No, it ain’t.”

Hashtags have also emerged to describe the wintry weather in New Orleans. The graphs below from hashtags.org show that they are definitely catching on!

See what others are up to by following hashtags #Sneauxday and #Sneauxmageddon. What’s been your favorite thing to come out of the winter storm?

January 29, 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
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
A Few Tips for Balancing School and Work

Here at Search Influence, we have several employees who are still in school in addition to working here part-time or full-time. Some are in grad school and some are in undergrad at schools in the area like Tulane and UNO. Since I am not one of these ambitious employees, I thought we could all gain some insight from them in time management and life skills. I asked a few of my co-workers questions like “Why are you doing this?” and “How do you do it?” I got some thoughtful responses with a few common themes.

1) Know Your Priorities
Zachary has only been here for a month, but he already knows to be careful not to “load too many responsibilities on yourself, or you will crash and burn and fail at all of them.” If you intend to be an active member of several school clubs on top of working 20 hours a week, you will probably end up overwhelmed. Work, school, and a couple other activities will be plenty enough to fill your time.

2) Figure Out Your Interests
Mary says that working at a place like Search Influence where what we do is meaningful has made the stress level of balancing school and work a lot more manageable. If you like what you are doing (whether that’s your class subjects, job description, or extracurricular activity), you will be more likely to thrive since you are interested in all your daily activities.

3) Get You Some “ME” Time
A common theme for all the employees I interviewed was that you must set aside some time each week to unwind from the chaos of balancing school and work. Figure out something that makes you feel relaxed like reading, exercising, or hanging out with friends. If you can set aside a whole day to de-stress, that’s the best case scenario, but even an afternoon should do the trick!

Search Influence is constantly hiring for new positions, so if you think you can handle the time management challenge of school and work, be sure to check out our employment opportunities page!

December 3, 2013
New Influencer Faces: Fall 2013

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

Account Management Team

Jordan Polhemus has joined Search Influence as a Junior Account Associate. She graduated Cum Laude from Georgia Southern University with a degree in entrepreneurship and a minor in marketing. While in college, she was in the University’s Honors Program and was an active member of Kappa Delta sorority. Before Search Influence, she was an asset manager for Keller Williams Realty.

Kristy Roldan is SI’s new Senior Account Manager. She is a recent transplant from Los Angeles, CA. Before joining Search Influence, Kristy was as a Senior Account Executive at advertising agency RPA in Santa Monica, where she worked on the Honda account amongst other projects. Kristy graduated from California State University with a degree in business marketing.

Sarah Lustberg has been hired as a Junior Account Associate. Originally from New Orleans, Sarah attended American University in Washington, DC, where she received her bachelor’s degree in public communication. Prior to joining Search Influence, she worked as a Public Relations Assistant for the Time Inc. Lifestyle Group in New York.

Production Team

Ian Adams has been hired as an Internet Marketing Associate. Originally from Portland, OR, Ian attended Loyola University in New Orleans where he received bachelor’s degree in economics. He previously worked for The World Trade Center of New Orleans as a Multimedia Production Intern.

Devin Olsen recently relocated to New Orleans from Tallahassee, FL and has joined SI as an Internet Marketing Associate. Devin has a marketing and web design background, having worked in the industry for Homes Media Solutions and Expedia.com.

Shaye Anderson has been hired as an Internet Marketing Associate. Having lived in eight different states, it is difficult to determine exactly where she is from. However, after attending Tulane and LSU, she is proud to call Louisiana home. Shaye previously worked as a teaching assistant in LSU’s philosophy department and served as a one of Delta Literary Journal’s editor-in-chiefs.

A New Orleans native, Caroline Robinson graduated from Tulane University with a bachelor’s degree in communications and psychology. Before becoming a Search Influence Internet Marketing Associate, Caroline worked as a Marketing and Administrative Assistant for Besh Restaurant Group and freelance writer for Rouses Magazine.

Juese Wang has joined Search Infuence as an Internet Marketing Associate. She was born in China and raised in New Orleans. Juese is a student at Tulane University studying marketing and business law and plans on graduating in May 2014.

Zachary Goldrich has been hired as an Internet Marketing Associate. Originally from Los Angeles, CA, he is studying marketing and public relations at Tulane University. Before joining Search Influence, Zach worked as a photographer and as a licensing intern at Amygdala Music.

November 11, 2013
Search Influence Wins Inc. Magazine’s Hire Power Award

We’re excited to announce that Search Influence was recognized as one of Inc. Magazine’s 2013 Hire Power Award winners. The award recognizes private American businesses that have generated the most jobs in the past three years. The Hire Power Awards are a “salute to the job creators who are restoring the lives and rebuilding the economy by putting Americans back to work.” The entire Search Influence team is incredibly proud to be recognized as a contributor to Louisiana’s job growth and economy.

Search Influence generated 20 jobs from January 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013, placing us among the top four private business job creators within the state of Louisiana. Search Influence is among 437 private growth companies Hire Power Award honorees, leading the way in creating more American jobs. Search Influence founders Will and Angie Scott started Search Influence with just three employees shortly after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. Today, Search Influence has 55 full-time New Orleans-area employees in addition to our 25+ contract workers.

“We’re really honored to be on this prestigious list,” Will Scott said. “We’ve focused on providing the products our customers need, and they’ve rewarded us with more business. Our growth in staff is an indication that we’re putting the right products in the market and putting our customers’ needs first.”

To view the entire Inc. Hire Power list, click here.

October 25, 2013
New Orleans Non-profit Spotlight: Café Reconcile

Many of us go about our days without thinking about the non-profit world in New Orleans, including myself. I heard about Café Reconcile through one of my family members and wanted to share some of the amazing things they are doing to turn lives around in Central City, New Orleans.

The dining room at Cafe Reconcile usually packs a good crowd.

Café Reconcile improves future employment opportunities for youth by removing some of the barriers that generally stand between them and success. Since the non-profit restaurant opened in 2000, it has made strides in reducing the roll of poverty in a part of town that is ridden with drugs and crime. Marketing & Events Coordinator Cara McMenamin, said, “We want to change the perception of Central City,” and they are doing just that. This change is largely catalyzed by the restaurant training they provide students. Participants in the program can train in nine different restaurant positions, giving them the tools they need to secure a job in a restaurant, hospital, or other food provider.

I had a chance to speak with Cara about Café Reconcile’s social media marketing. They have almost 4,000 likes on Facebook and nearly 3,200 Twitter followers. They are reaching a wide audience from the New Orleans area and around the country. On Facebook, they have found that posts on lunch specials, special events, smiling students, and good-looking food attract a lot of attention, usually in the form of likes.

Members of the Cafe Reconcile team.

The restaurant uses their Twitter account to get quick words out to their followers while things are happening such as contests and graduations. They find that people mention them in tweets while they are eating at the restaurant. Café Reconcile occasionally receives negative feedback on social media, but it’s usually from individuals who are ignorant of the fact that the restaurant is staffed by students.

Café Reconcile is open Monday through Friday for lunch and also offers off-site catering and space for special events on the second floor. Like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter to stay updated on their delicious food and inspiring updates!

August 1, 2013