I have reason to believe this principle could be helpful in both personal and professional situations. If you really think about it, there are countless times when we react so quickly to a situation that reasoning may fly right out the window and once it gone, it’s tough to retrieve it. So instead of guessing if there is some underlying issue or assuming the worst, it may make more sense to just simply ask; “Real or not real?”

1. I have had lots of great teachers in my life but 3 really stick out: My mom she taught me about kindness, doing the right thing, volunteerism and education. My parents were divorced when I was 14 and despite my struggles with that she never gave up on me and never said anything bad about my father. Even though she struggles with Alzheimer’s and no longer speaks there is still a certain dignity about here and she will still laugh and smile. Her father my grandfather is number 2 on the list. His gifts to me include hard work, a devotion to family, stubbornness and despite little formal education a love of learning. Last but not least is my wife who has an incredible ability to always see the bright side, an infectious laugh, a love of family that is second to none and fierce loyalty to our kids and me. She has helped me be (hopefully) a good dad to my kids.

2. I love sports but I am not very good at them. I played baseball as a kid but I was afraid of the ball. If you are on a golf course with me do not stand on my right side the ball often makes a right hand turn off the club face. I set the record in South Bend Indiana in wrestling for being pinned the fastest I was counted out in 8 seconds. (I have heard rumor that someone finally beat the record by 2 seconds.)

3. My job is one of my passions in life. I am very lucky to be able to do what I do AND get paid for it. There is no better feeling in the world than feeling as if you made someone’s day better and we get to do that all the time. Parents have told us it is the best picture of their kids or family that has ever been taken, it doesn’t get better than that. No matter the size, or the cost if we can bring a smile I love that. I also love our clients they are some of my best teachers and I in turn hope that I have some positive impact on them. We get to travel, which is a huge perk as well. I also get to work with and represent some of the best people in the business, including Michael Miller

4. Volunteering has always been a big part of my life and I hope it always will be. Many people have been there for me in my life and I feel a need to give back. From a very young age I remember stuffing envelopes for various politicians and my Mom being the PTA president. She passed on a legacy of volunteerism that all of her children have continued. It is something that I hope I have passed on to my children as well.

5. I love theater and have always wanted to be on stage. The Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz is a role that was written for me. Despite the fact that I can’t sing or dance it is the part for me.

So remember the next time I am at your school, house, business or event I might just ask you “What are 5 things I need to know about you?” Be ready with some good answers because you have been warned.

Ken Abrahams
ken@funent.com

Following the conference I wrote a blog and boy did it feel good. A good friend talked me out of posting it. What was the call to action, what was the takeaway and what was the lesson. Feeling that no good would come out of my poisonous rant I shelved the blog and tried to let the incident become a distant memory but I could not get it out of my mind. Weeks later I am still angry but I am going to try and channel the anger to provide what some may see as valuable information.

Charities / Non-profits and small businesses are a great combination. If you are the American Cancer Society or the Jimmy Fund you may have access to powerful national or international corporations or professional sports teams to champion your cause, but many charities are smaller local entities or lesser-known national organizations that rely on individuals and small businesses for support. FUN Enterprises is one of these companies and we believe in supporting charitable organizations and causes. Our philanthropy runs the gamut from local food pantries, Higher Education organizations, and Alternative Spring Break trips to national groups like American Cancer and St. Jude’s Hospital. Here are a few tips and pointers that may help you in understanding why companies give and what they want in return:

1. Many companies / organizations have guidelines for who they give to and why.
 We get many requests each year and financially can not possibly fill them all.
 Be respectful if you are declined.
 If you are declined before you label a company as selfish and uncharitable try to find out if they support other organizations – sometimes they just can’t afford to give any more.
2. Companies do not donate to charity in order to get more business
 Most companies donate because they believe it is the right thing to do.
 Often when we donate to or partner with a charity or non-profit we get a lot more of these organizations coming to us looking for support.
 Despite a belief to the contrary there are not enormous tax advantages to donating – essentially the money comes out of the owner or owners pockets.
3. I can’t speak for others I can only speak for FUN Enterprises here is what we would like in return
 First and foremost a thank you is appreciated and frankly expected. Some organizations are incredible at this. We recently participated in the Association of College Unions International’s Annual Convention and we got Tweeted about, thanked in person, Facebook posts, and cards and e-mails following the event. None of that took a lot of time but it made us feel appreciated and GREAT.
 If you have the opportunity to do business with a sponsor do so. Let them know that you support those that support you.
 Let attendees know in a variety of ways who your sponsors are

Hopefully this will help you as you go forward seeking support for your events and organizations.

Ken Abrahams
VP of Client Relations
Ken@funent.com

1.) Pre-contemplation: This is when we don’t even know that we want to change or need to
change
2.) Contemplation: The “Someday I’ll do that” stage
3.) Preparation: Getting ready to change soon
4.) Action: I’m changing
5.) Maintenance: Keeping the change going

We all have been in places where the need for change has not been quite clear yet and when it does become obvious this does not necessarily constitute a spring into action. We must not mistake a decision to change for an action item. Often we can get trapped in the preparation phase where we are getting ready to get ready. The individuals who push through to the Action steps are only half way there because maintenance is the final truth of the matter. We would benefit by changing our view on change which is about accepting that it requires consistency until it becomes embedded into our being and second nature. Since life is full of change there will always be something to adjust even when you have championed one or more areas. If we are to be constantly changing what can help us along the way? MJ Ryan offers the following thoughts to equip us toward progress.

1.) Be crystal clear about what you want, vague is a one way ticket back to sameville
2.) Make a serious commitment
3.) Identify and eliminate any excuse making and procrastination for they are enemies of change
4.) You must be willing to go through the awkward phase
5.) A tracking and reminder system is an essential, whether it is pen and paper or fancy technology
6.) Do not expect perfection because we fall into guilt, regret and shame from unrealistic goals
7.) Share your goals with those you trust so you are not alone and unsupported
8.) Stop playing limiting, stuck in a rut stories in your head. They create anchors against change
9.) Have a backup plan for your goals because change also changes; be flexible
10.) Most importantly, do not turn your goof ups into give ups

Ultimately if we change our perception on change to understand the scope of what is really involved then we have a much better chance in succeeding with it. We may feel anxiety around it because we may be venturing into unknown territory and asking new things of ourselves but positive change will eventually enhance who we are. When we change our view on change, the world begins to open up to numerous possibilities.

Michelle Phips Allen
Business Development Manager
michelle@funent.com

Recently I was invited to a past president dinner for ISES New England. Jen McPhee, the current ISES New England President, had the vision to bring all the past presidents together for a special dinner. It was amazing. Jen and her Board of Directors did a great job of welcoming the past presidents and even designed a FUN interactive way to engage everyone in meaningful conversations. Each past president was given questions at random that related to various topics, they got to answer them and everyone else could join in. For instance one of the questions was similar to how did your experience in ISES help you with your present career? There was of course conversation about involvement, retention, education, how our industry has changed and membership. It was apparent as I listened and absorbed all that was going on around me that this was something that was a benefit to all in the room. Ideas and discussions about our industry and association were flying around the room, it was amazing. So that brings me to my point… yes there is one. I encourage present and past leaders of organizations to keep the conversation going. It does not mean we form committees and have meetings but it can mean a list of advisors that can be contacted for advice or insight or maybe it means a dinner once a year. I thank Jen and the ISES Board of Directors 2011-2012 for inviting us to be part of the dinner and for designing such a wonderful program. I hope this becomes a tradition.

Anne- Celeste Anders
Event Specialist
ac@funent.com

 For some people Boston is nothing more than the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, something to cross off their bucket list. Other runners have spent several years running marathons in other cities to qualify for this race. Many today are running for charity. They have raised untold amounts of money for a wide range of incredible causes. These teams are made up of experienced runners and first time novices all are driven to succeed for their cause. For others, Boston is a celebration of life, an acknowledgement of cancer in remission, or weight loss and fitness goals reached. Some run to help ease the pain of loss of a loved one and to honor their memory.

 Regardless of why they (or you) run there is great commonality among the runners. To run this or any marathon, or for that matter most races, requires commitment, training, and dedication. No one wakes up today and with no training decides to run Boston. You train for months spending countless hours in the gym and on the road. Nutrition becomes a huge part of what you do and who you are. Most of all you need to have passion. To undertake an endeavor which ravishes your body and requires that amount of preparation requires an incredible amount of passion.

 Most of us can learn a lot from the participants in todays race. We can strive to achieve greatness in our pursuits. Whether it is work, family, charity or community we can push ourselves to be better, work harder and set goals that cause us to stretch but still reach. We can be far more dedicated in order to achieve better results. We do not need a marathon to change our lives we just need to want to. Today we wish all those running the best of luck and to those on the sidelines we wish you success in whatever you choose to pursue!!

Ken Abrahams, VP Client Relations

 To me what has really changed is that the access to information is incredible. A simple click or two and you can find out things now that even 10 years ago would have taken hours if not days of making phone calls and driving all over the place. Certain information, regardless of the amount of time spent, could not be found. A good salesperson today wants to make their clients happy, just like they have for years.

 Despite the advances in technology and the incredible access to information sales is still about trust and comfort. We buy from the people and the places that we feel at ease with. As a salesperson, regardless of how much information you can provide, the relationship with the client only works if both of you are comfortable with each other. A true salesperson to client RELATIONSHIP takes time to build it cannot and will not happen overnight. You must have a product(s) that you believe in, if you don’t many of your potential buyers will figure it out quickly.

 As far as some of the “new” sales techniques, like offering something of value for nothing like a report or a webinar, make sure that you are offering quality. I recently sat in on a webinar “Selling in a Volatile Economy” after 10 minutes I left the webinar. From the very beginning the product being offered, although free, was not even worth my time. Due to technical problems they started late and put no information on the site indicating that they were experiencing problems or that they would start soon. Once they started, they could not get the slides synched with the presenter and she had to keep asking the slide be advanced. There was nothing presented which spoke specifically about the economy and how it REALLY impacted business. Suffice it to say they will not be signing me up as a client.

1. Here are some simple rules that I try and follow:
2. Be genuine and be honest clients need to know who really are. Admit when you make a mistake, we are all human and we all make mistakes.
3. Put the interests of your client before self-interest, we need to be there for them not the reverse.
4. Treat others the way that you want and expect to be treated.

 Follow these rules and the sales will take care of themselves.

 Ken Abrahams; VP of Client Relations

 For those that would like to read the entire article her is the link. http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/03/07/massachusetts-system-track-civic-engagement#ixzz1pTjagomT  (from Inside Higher Ed)  

 Timing on this decision is in itself very interesting as we are in the midst of Spring Break on college and university campuses nationwide. For those of us that are involved in the profession and follow trends on campuses we are seeing more and more schools using this time to educate and not recreate. Alternative spring breaks are becoming increasingly more popular on college campuses with each passing year and the offerings are becoming more varied and diverse. Some of these trips are in fact not trips at all but the students stay around school and work on projects that impact and benefit the local communities. Others travel to foreign countries to enhance their learning and work with those less fortunate in other nations. Trips to places like New Orleans or tornado ravaged mid-western cities are additional offerings for those that want to have a different and often more meaningful spring break experience.

 Spring Break trips are but one example of civic engagement at today’s colleges and universities. Service fraternities are another fantastic example of civic engagement on campus today. Like the better know members of the Greek system they provide a sense of brotherhood and fellowship but they also are involved in improving the college community and the areas surrounding the campus. They can be found cleaning up a neighborhood park or calling Bingo at a local Senior Center, as well as a wide range of other projects and they track the hours that they spend doing this.  

 As we move to tracking things that are meant to help colleges and universities produce better citizens how do we measure those students that are involved on campus. Would a member of the radio stations executive committee or the editor of the school newspaper receive credit for those roles? How about working on the Program Board or a member of the Student Government association also be considered as being civically engaged? All of these people are making an impact on their communities and it is impossible to discount that.

 I applaud the Commonwealth for moving in this direction although I believe when we get to college it is a little too late. Growing up my mother taught us the importance of giving back, of not only living in a city or town but being involved in it. Much of what I have read about this topic mentions that faculty members are driving this agenda and that concerns me as well. On many campuses faculty are isolated and completely disengaged from students and the surrounding community. There is no mention of the Division of Student Affairs, the office on many campuses that currently is most involved in the arena of engagement.  Bravo for Massachusetts (and other states) for recognizing the importance of this area but before we measure please let me know what we are measuring.

Ken Abrahams; VP Customer Relations

(PHOTO CREDIT: Lina Macedo; Asst. Dir. Student Activities, Stonehill College)

 We also are very lucky in that many of our events are on signature days of peoples lives or special events for a company or college. There is great joy in providing entertainment at an orientation or taking the annual family photo at a corporate Fall Festival or capturing the guest of honor at their Bar or Bat Mitzvah with all of their friends or perhaps their grand parents. Those days and those feelings are very special.

 That is not really what makes my job cool or makes me lucky to work where I work, it is all about the people. Yes I work with a number of very special people at FUN Enterprises but I am talking about our clients and the people that I meet on the road. My epiphany came about a month ago while working with students from 3 different campuses in the same week. I enjoyed being on the road, working the events and getting to know the students. They both fascinated and touched me. I was fascinated by the stories and the unique personalities that I met and got to work with. They entertained me with stories about their lives and shared some of their dreams and fears. As I listened to them I was touched by how much they cared. This generation is often labeled spoiled, self absorbed and self centered had you met the students that I worked with that week your impression would have been totally different. Often the conversation centered on what they were doing on campus to make a difference to improve the quality of life for their fellow students.

 Most often when they talked about themselves it was at my insistence or to talk about how they could become better leaders. I can’t say I was surprised by this I have seen it time and again with different schools and different students. It does re-energize me when I see the passion and their level of commitment. That week I was at Framingham State University, Anna Maria College and Franklin Pierce University, truthfully it could have been anywhere. The next time someone commented about the cool job that I had I smiled and said yes I do knowing that they don’t know the half of it.

 I have a cool job because I get to work with some really cool people who make a difference. Whether it is on a college campus or at a corporation I get to work with people that help build that sense of community. My travels allow me to interact with and meet some truly exceptional individuals. If you ask me I have a GREAT job.