Nothing beats a great client!

What I love the most about doing what I do is the people that I meet. On occasion you do mean the sketchy sort, but there are always the jewels that make the connection worth it. These jewels are people who are so fantastic that its an honour to be a part of their lives and allowed to help shape an intimate transition in their life like getting married. Or to simply play a key role for them in helping manage something momentous like taking the stress out of a celebration, function or social event. I cannot help but get excited as the time event date draws near and all things are falling into place. I've always found that the greatest indicator is when you leave your meeting energized and in a fantastic mood. Its an infectious vibe that just further fuels being passionate in what one does! Here's looking forward to an ambitious Fall and Winter campaign of events for Simplicity and our fantastic clients!

A wise bride once said...invite those who actually matter to both of you!

I had a great opportunity to catch up with close friends about their wedding over some very good food and coffee up in the Yonge & Eglinton. (Or as I like to call it, Young & Eligible) J chose a wonderful spot to meet up for brunch called Amore. I have to say it was very cozy, and exquisite food! I'm looking forward to trying this place for dinner!

Besides catching up on recent news, I also always enjoy speaking with recently and newly wed people
One of the questions that I was recently tossing around in my head was "who would I invite to my own wedding?"

Sharon had this to say: "Dave and I worked out that we only invite those who've kept in touch with us over the past year."

Truer words were never spoken.  Sometimes it just pays to keep it simple and focus on those you have a stronger bond with than those you need to catch up with.  Especially during a wedding with so many to engage, connect and share such an intimate and momentous event.

Thanks Share!  

Rolo's Personal Pre-event routine

1.) Don't panic - Yes, even I after 9 years still get the "stage jitters"! Having a calm approach going into an event does wonders for ones ability to think ahead and think on your feet.
2.) Visualize the event.  Backwards and Forwards then Forward and Backwards. Consult Murphy's Laws...

3.) Meditate - A bit of calming the heart & mind never hurts

4.) Pack the trusty bottle-opener - Totems/charms are important too!

5.) Polish! - Every detail is important. Check and polish shoes, tie, dress clothes, sharpened the bottle opener. All my personal equipment must be mint condition before seeing action. 

6.) Rinse and Repeat as necessary!

Phew!

Toronto Taste 2013 is finally complete and I can safely give it a huge Mission Accomplished stamp of approval!

As i did in the previous two years I volunteered as their On-site Volunteer Co-Coordinator.  Yet I was not fooling myself into thinking this year would any be easier than TT2011 or TT2012.   Each year has had its own unique challenges and even thought I had two years already tucked under my belt I knew it would not be a piece of cake.

Three years of volunteering for SH has come and gone for me and to this day I cannot stress enough the importance of volunteering.  I have to say that this year our hard working volunteers really rose to the challenge this year, despite the fact that we had lower numbers than previously.   Even then , we made a big difference for others and had fun doing it.  Pictures to follow!

What the heck is Arbejdsglaede?

Arbejdsglaede - means "Happiness at Work". We need this word in North America! - http://ow.ly/jRJU0

 Special thanks to J for finding this beautiful post about this Scandinavian word. Its not surprising that in Japanese culture they have an opposite word for it that essentially means "death from overworking".


What strikes me the most about this word is the statement that we spend most of our lives at work more then our combined time with friends and family.  Doing the rough math of this, assuming you start work at 15-18 and end at 55-60, at 8 hours a day for 5 days a week (as if you only work that long) this is on average over 2,080 hours a year at work! (224 of which would be vacation, if you actually took it!)

 I think arbejdsglaede pretty much nails what its like to be an event planner and do what I love. Now that I have a word for what I've always sought to bring to others I work with and for, it feels like an epiphany or a favourite flavour you could not pin down and hangs at the very tip of your tongue. (In this case mind) For more information about this, check out the link below!

 http://whattheheckisarbejdsglaede.com

New Beginnings

       If its one thing that I have learned over the years, is that life is a constant cycle.  This cycle even includes things like running a socially and environmentally responsible business.  Much to my surprise!  Running Simplicity over the years has never been exactly perpetual, all enduring and/or constant as I would want or like to believe.  It seems life also has a funny way or reminding me of these (often) hard life lessons.  There is no other fitting example this lesson other than being able to see, hold, snuggle up to my new born son.  

       I have always said that running Simplicity has been one of my greatest joys and accomplishments, second only to holding my child for the first time.   Now I can truly continue to say that I was right on about that thought.  

       I sometimes wondered if I would have put aside my business for when I have kids.  As a new parent, I have been told, "you won't have time anymore" and "your time is not your own".   In a way they are right, in another way they are wrong.   I also envisioned the potential day my child would wonder and say "dad, what happened to that business you were running before I was born?"    I would not way to tell him I gave up the business for him, or anything like that.   (It would be a great way to pass on some misplaced guilt!)  I want him to grow up knowing dad continues to find a way to do what he loves, and with a bit of balance; still make time for newest person in my life.  Even more so, I would wish to continue be an example for him that one person can, with persistence, make a difference in this world.  

       When you have a child, your time is certainly no longer you're own.  I have no reason to be selfish with it as it is now shared with someone who well and truly needs me.   I do reject flatly that I won't have time anymore to run Simplicity.  If I believed that then I would have accepted it as truth every time a naysayer said I would not be successful.  Its just a matter now of adapting again, like the way Simplicity does every time it meets a fantastic new client.  

       To sum it up, one of my favourite snarky quotes is "We'll make it fit!"  Similarly for two things are important as my son and Simplicity:  "you make time."     

[Update] Seven months later.  My newborn is now a stunning ten months old!  I remember starting this article when he was two months old.  Upon trying to recall how the last ten months have been, everything else is a blur of lots of laughs, giggles, sleepless nights and worth every moment.  So onward and upward.  It's time for a new cycle for Simplicity and myself!

Now... where were we?

Rolo: Oh hello blog.  Its been what, seven months since I've last seen you?  

Blog: How are things?  

Rolo: Things are quite dandy on my end, if not super crazy.  Thanks for asking!

Blog: What have you been up to Rolo?  I almost feel abandoned.

Rolo: Oh my dear bloggy.  I'm sorry.  Turns out Rolo had a baby, and its amazing how much time had flown by...

Blog: Oh no way?  That's awesome-sauce!  So, are we going to restart this blogging thingy?

Rolo:  Sigh... yes my dear blog.  So sorry, if not for my dear friend Karen, who I made a pinky promise with to post at least one a week, I'd not be here.  

Blog:  So whats up?  What's going on with this blog?

Rolo: Well first off, we'll be revamping it with a new look and finally streamlining it.  Plus we're relaunching Simplicity!

Blog:  Awesomesauce!  Whats up for 2013?

Rolo: Well we'll be shifting away from entrepreneurial thoughts and more thoughts on the catering industry, handy planning articles, tips and random thoughts.  We'll also be covering more of our events, past events and developing stronger ties to social and environmental responsibility.  I'll also try and update on volunteering and working with Google Ad words.  Plus we'll finally be launching the front end Simplicity website to compliment this blog.  This blog will continue to be the personal touch of what we do, and have the finer front cover of a website.  So look forward to these changes!