by admin | Apr 9, 2015 | Blog, Inspiration, Leadership, Uncategorized
When we began this adventure just a few years ago, we never imagined all that God would do with us and this company. We have made mistakes, and learned from them. Mistakes cost us money. Often times artists and small business owners will contact me for advice as they begin their journey. I love doing so !
Our expansion in Orlando has been an incredible journey. We have seen our business go in directions that surprised even us.
Being an entrepreneur is a tough road, But its awesome! I believe God is honored when we pursue and live our dreams.
Here are my three tips that cost our company some hard earned cash.
– Budget every penny that entered the company.
– Factor in your time as a business owner your time is very important.
– Do not undercharge. At times when our goal was to grow our clientele we worked around our clients budget and needs.
we are now in a position where we have set our prices depending on time, resources and the financial strategy of the business. These fees are non negotiable. Clients respect your fees, those that do not will always find alternatives.
Following your dreams to be an entrepreneur means living life like others do not want to for a short period of time, placing the companies needs before yours and respecting your values so you can live a life like others desire.
What’s stopping you from pursuing your hearts desires?
Download our free business plan sample and start working towards your dreams !
Want to chat ? Click here
by admin | Apr 2, 2015 | Blog, Inspiration, Leadership
Is your church ready for Easter?
As a previous church planter, Kids director and currently church strategist often times I get the opportunity to observe mega churches and take notes on pros and cons and later strategize solutions for setbacks. Easter is much more than an event to bring new guests in. Its an opportunity to reach outside the walls of the church to people who would probably not attend a service.
Below are my top Three tips to be ready for your new guests.
1- Educate your staff on verbiage- avoid churchy terms.
- All staff members and leaders must be on the same page or new guests will be confused.
- This is not watering down the gospel, This is making it relevant to their level.
- Avoid terms such as “the blood of the lamb” Be sure you are ready to teach it to a child.
- Bring the word . It speaks for itself. Do not be afraid to make an altar call.
2- signage Walk through your campus.
Is your campus new guest proof? Can a new guest get from the parking lot to the worship center without hesitation. Can a new guest drop off their kids, get a name tag and find the worship center all on their own? It’s better to over communicate than to under communicate and have new guests who are trying to find their way around.
Please no hand written signs and please place your logo on the signs.
Bathroom signage is very important specially for set up churches. Do not assume every one knows the bathrooms are located around the corner of the cafeteria.
3- Have something planned for next weekend.
The average new guest may be back for Mothers day or Christmas if we do not strategically create a reason for them to return.
This is one of the questions I ask churches most as I consult. What is planned for next week? It can be something as simple as pizza with the pastors or pastelito and caffecito or hot chocolate meet and greet. But please be sure you have planned something new guests look forward to next week. The average person must feel an emotional connection the first 3-4 minutes or we lose them.
I’ve had the opportunity with AT Studios to strategize with multimillion businesses on how to reach their target demographics. What if churches considered all possible means to reach those that enter the church once or twice a year.What if our effort was so big that we over communicated our love for Christ and what He did on the Cross for us?
I believe in reaching people where they are at their level and most importantly reaching kids. If you can get kids excited and wanting to return their parents will.
Check out my e-book for programming samples
It is my prayer that you are prepared and expecting God to do great things because He can. You must be prepared to receive.
In His Service,
Betty Flores
Need more help ? Contact me.
by admin | Feb 10, 2015 | Blog, Review
Mega Bus Experience
There’s comes a point when things you considered important are not as important. I needed to be in Miami at a certain time and back in Orlando for meetings and the such. Instead of paying a high price for airline tickets and the such I decided I would give Mega bus a shot. The process was pretty simple. Go online but a ticket. Unlike gray hound you can not but one at the counter. So I went online and thought I would splurge on a good seat since I was saving money instead of an airline ticket. I bought a reserve seat wide window. At this point o had no idea of the seat or bus. I have to admit the check in place was not warm and cozy but it was functional which at this point was the most important thing.
I arrived early and check in got my assigned seat. All was well. Then came the bus. So my seat was number 10 second floor. Yes, wide windows for my viewing pleasure. There was no one next to me the whole time which was great. The seats are very comfy with a small tray for drinks. Which was great. Awesome leg room and a view.
Power outlets for any electronics, free wi-fi and a restroom. Now this is what sold me on trying the mega bus. The free wi-fi and plugs. I find great satisfaction on getting some work done as I travel. I arrived early to Miami which was also convenient as I was having my brother pick me up. Concourse H is pretty much away from all the airport chaos. All in all its a great service, convenient and inexpensive.
by admin | Aug 12, 2014 | Blog
Last time we talked about how our team at AT Studios can create an APP to fit the unique needs of your daycare center. How having one can help with communication and utilizing your website to automate much of the work you and your staff now do. You can read about that here ??
Today we are going to focus on another, often overlooked part of your business, Branding. It may seem like only large companies are known by their branding and you may be wondering how this applies to your business. Branding is important because it helps you to stand out in a crowded market. ?
Since you already may have or use well known, characters or mascots for your business, why should you consider creating your own Brand? It is seemingly easier to print out or purchase a cute, ?easily recognizable image for your daycare. ?However, unless you have a licensing agreement with the company, you are in fact violating copyright law. ?
First what is a copyright? A copy right is the exclusive legal right, given to an originator or an assignee to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material, and to authorize others to do the same. ? This means that when you use their logo, to promote your business outside of a licensing agreement, you are violating their rights to the copyright. ?
What is a licensing agreement? A licensing agreement is a legal contract between two parties, known as the licensor and the licensee. In a typical licensing agreement, the licensor grants the licensee the right to produce and sell goods, apply a brand name or trademark, or use patented technology owned by the licensor. www.inc.com/encyclopedia/licensing–agreements.htm ?
How does it benefit your business using another company’s branding? Especially if you do not have a licensing agreement? The answer is, it does not. ?
The solution? Create your own Branding to promote and identify your business! Having your own identifiable brand will help grow your business. Your logo or the even the font you use for will be linked with your day care. This will help you find an identity in the business community instead of usurping someone else?s work. ?
How do you do this? By partnering with other local businesses such as AT Studios! We can help connect you with local artists who can create a logo and branding that will be unique to your business. Your unique Branding will represent who you are throughout the business and daycare community. ? We at AT Studios love how you invest in the lives of these children and want to help you in any way to improve how you do this!
www.atstudios.co
by admin | Aug 5, 2014 | Blog
The AT Studios team has spent weeks product testing for future APPS to be used at DayCare Centers. We have nailed down several DayCare Centers that may not consider that these APPS can can make life easier.
1-Most Day Care Centers we visited did not know how easy an APP and / Website can be used to automate certain tedious tasks. Current forms of communication range from texting, emailing, and calling parents. In addition to giving out handouts to parents and posting information on a bulletin board.
Use Apps toCommunicate with Parents/Teachers What can we do to enhance communication? Instead of relying on handouts to convey information, alerts can be sent out announcing a field trip or special event more than once.
– AT Studios will develop an app to meet the unique needs of your day care center. These are a just few things an app can do for you.
– Allow for better and more accurate communication.
– Receive payments
– Send last minute information.
2- Get the most use of your website. Our team reviewed several day care center websites. We found that most centers did not know how to make the most out of their websites. The web now a days must be used to ?solve? a problem. No automation is a mistake because it adds to your daily workload. By automating the forms, purchases and products for your day care this saves time. Allowing you and your staff to focus attention on students.
Use your website for Automation of Forms, Purchases and Products. ? Day care centers invest so much in the lives of children. They spend more time with these awesome teachers why not make their lives simpler?
Thank you for your hard work! Special thanks to @tinicity for opening their doors for our research. ? We would love to visit your daycare center and take a look at your unique needs! Contact us at www.atstudios.co
by admin | Aug 7, 2013 | Blog
At “AT Studios” we are blessed to offer our clients printing abilities in house. Questions are frequently asked as to the different types of print shirts etc. Below I attempt to explain the differences between silk screen printing and Direct to garment printing. Photos are from our own brand Farm Toonz an educational app for kids.
AT Studios has the production capabilities to offer both Silk Screen and Direct to Garment printing. Whatever your needs are detailed or simple we will help you make your needs print ready facilitate production.? For characters developed at AT Studios we advise our clients to only use Direct to Garment due to the details, colors and shades of our characters.
Silkscreen: A stencil method of printmaking in where your design is imposed on a screen of silk or other fine mesh, with blank areas coated with an impermeable substance, and ink is forced through the mesh onto the printing surface.
Advantages: The screen-printing process caters to one type of design print. The print must be simple images and text, usually used in promotional items. Screen-printing very useful commercially since it allows many prints to be mass produced dropping the cost for the consumer.
Disadvantages: Images for screen-printing are limited to color, detail and gradients. The design must be reduced to definite lines or shapes that will print simply. Screen frames are quiet durable, and can be reused and washed several times without loosing color. As all apparel they eventually become warped and uneven. This is what is most commonly used for large orders with a simple logo or wording. Silk Screeners will ask you for a set up fee and a minimum order.
Direct To Garment (DTG): Prints an image directly onto a garment or fabric through an intricate modified version of a traditional inkjet printer. Direct to Garment is a relatively new fabric printing method. Consider printing on a sheet of paper, but instead of paper you are printing on a garment. Direct to garment is just that; an image is printed directly unto the fabric which results in exceptional quality of print.
Advantages: Great for low run orders, since you are able to print one at a time. Direct to garment prints full color prints the best part for AT Studios is that our characters who have intricate details and shades are able to be perfectly printed. Characters are easily edited and customizable with one click.
Pretreatment is a shirt which has been sprayed with a type of base Pretreated shirts are usually brighter and crispier.
Disadvantages: Whites and light colors are much easier to print. There fore colors though they can be done they may raise the price of the printing. Direct to garment takes much longer to print than regular Silk Screen. Direct to Garment is a bit more expensive.
