Cells for Cells

Recycle Cell Phones to Help Families Battling Cancer

Fighting Cancer: Plants Clean the Air in Your House

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It is common knowledge that chemotherapy suppresses your immune system. Just read our recent interview with Leesa Gable and her MSRA battle.

As you [or family member or friend] are fighting cancer, don’t make the mistake of overlooking good air quality in your home. Creating all the advantages in your favor as you fight cancer is vital; recognize that your house plants are working for you.

It is a fact: your house plants can help clean the air in your house. If you are like most, you probably already have some of these plants that Wikipedia lists as being most beneficial.

Photo: Zach Bulick)

You can do more research with this google search: house plants that clean the air in your home

Cells for Cells giving away $100 to pay medical bills

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SEE UPDATED POST Now that we have bumped it up to $500

Cells for Cells is giving $100 to help someone pay their medical bill. [At Cells for Cells, we define “medical bill” a little differently, so keep reading.] We will write a the first check for someone on Friday 2-27-09.

As part of our new One Million Cells program, Cells for Cells will help pay medical bills of families battling cancer. We are starting small and plan on being able to give more money to more families.

We want to give to families that are the most deserving and the most inspirational as they fight this very tough battle.

Here are the rules. Please follow them perfectly. (The rules are subject to change at any time, so check back often for updates):

  1. Email your story about battling cancer to jason(dot)cellsforcells(at)gmail(dot)com
  2. The subject line must be One Million Cells: My Story
  3. Your story can be your own, your family member or friends
  4. Your story must include your current situation and how you encourage others that are battling cancer
  5. You must follow me on twitter @jasonclements
  6. You must recycle at least one cell phone w/ Cells for Cells
  7. If you have less than 10 phones to recycle – you foot the shipping bill
  8. If you have more than 10 phones to recycle – Cells for Cells will foot the shipping bill

Request your free FedEx label here

PLEASE NOTE – we are giving away $100 this Friday 2-27-09. If you don’t have an opportunity to send a cell phone to recycle, just promise to do so as soon as you can.

MOST IMPORTANTLY Spread the word. The more cell phones Cells for Cells recycles, the more families we will help.

If Cells for Cells chooses your story, we will contact you via email or phone. Please include your phone number in your email. We will write the check directly to the individual (until our legal team tells us to do it another way). That way, you can apply the $100 to your “medical bills” as you see necessary. [Medical Bills: doctor’s bill, pharmacy bill, mortgage payment, gas for your car, flowers for a loved one, etc.]

Thank you for Recycling Because You Care!

Very Sincerely,

Jason Clements

How I Beat Leukemia: Leesa Gabel’s Story

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Leesa Gabel is a cancer survivor and she hopes that her story will encourage you to stay strong in whatever battle you might be facing.

As of February 17th 2009, Leesa reports that she is entering remission! Even with a few setbacks, like a quick trip to the ER to fight an MSRA Staph infection, she has beaten Leukemia!

This is her awesome story.

Jason: If you could encourage someone right now that is battling cancer, what would you say?


Leesa: You are not alone. There are so many people and organizations out there that are ready and willing to help you throughout your entire ordeal. The kindness and caring of even complete strangers is amazing and will probably overwhelm you. Please don’t be afraid to ask for help….don’t be afraid to admit that you’re scared or that you have questions.


Jason: So, what is the deal with cancer? What do you have? When did you find out? How are you doing right now?

Leesa: I was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) on May 28, 2008. It’s the 65-year old man’s disease in a 37- year old woman’s body – it’s kind of the underachiever of leukemia (in my opinion). Finding out was a bit of a relief…I know that’s an odd thing to say….I had been feeling so extremely tired for such a long time (along with other symptoms) and my doctor kept telling me there was nothing wrong. I didn’t believe her, so I kept pushing and was starting to feel like it was in my head. Finally, a blood test with odd results prompted additional testing by a specialist (an oncologist) and a reason was discovered. To finally learn that there really was something wrong and that I wasn’t just imagining symptoms…well…that was a relief. Now I know what’s causing me to be so tired. Of course it opens up an entire new set of worries, but I just take it one day at a time. As of today, Feb. 17, 2009 – it looks like I’m entering remission.

Jason: What is keeping you strong?


Leesa: My faith in God – I know that whatever happens, it’ll be okay, I’ll be okay. The support of my family and friends – they help keep me focused on the positive. And laughter – I’ve tried to approach having cancer with humor.


Jason: What in the world is WOBO? How did it start?

Leesa: WOBO – Walking Our Butts Off. We were telling our friends about our decision to join Team in Training and train for a marathon. Someone said, ‘you guys will be walking your butts off’ and that’s all it took. It started as a simple website for us to use to track our fundraising progress and to blog about the experience and my health. We have family and friends spread out between numerous states and calling each of them with updates was exhausting – so the blog has come in very handy. But as we continued with our training, we realized that WOBO has the potential to become more than just our way to stay in touch with those around us. We’re still trying to figure out exactly what WOBO’s purpose is. We’ve now added Team WOBO to the mix. Team WOBO will be used to join together our friends and family and participate in various ‘team awareness events’ like March of Dimes or Relay for Life. We’ll put info up on the website with how others can join us for such events – either in person as a participant or as a financial donor. And we’re still brainstorming about the future….there are just so many possibilities.


Jason: How has walking changed your life?

Leesa: It took a cancer diagnosis to change my life. Literally. I never realized how a thing as simple as walking can have such a positive effect on you. I also have type 2 diabetes, and because of all the additional exercise – which honestly isn’t that much – I’ve seen my A1C levels go from 8% to 6.5% — my endocrinologist is very happy with me!! Plus walking just makes me feel good!! Sure it was hard at first; I had led such a sedentary lifestyle, that the first mile was hard. But after about four months….saying I’m going to go walk 8 miles seems like nothing at all.


Jason: Tell us about your husband, Craig. What is he doing to stay strong for you?


Leesa: Craig and I have been together since 1986….we married in 1992. I have more memories with him, than without him. Craig has always been the calm one – he makes sure I don’t over-react and that I try to see the positive in a situation. When I had to go back on a chemo pill and was feeling discouraged, he reminded me that it was a lower dosage and less frequent than before – he helped me see the positive. This whole experience – the cancer, the marathon training – has really taken our marriage to a new level. There are days that I am just overwhelmed by my feelings of love and appreciation for him – it’s so hard to even put into words. He most definitely blesses my life.


Jason: If someone wanted to give money to help you, what should they do?

Leesa: Log on to www.TeamWOBO.org – there’s a donation page that will list all the fundraisers we are currently doing. The links on the page go to secure sites where you can make a donation.


Jason: Did you find the LLS (The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) after your diagnosis or were you already aware of them?

Leesa: I had a vague awareness before. I had heard of various events that they sponsor, but I had never had any direct contact with them.


Jason: Tell us about how the LLS is helping you?

Leesa: Right now, they’re just there for me. Whether I use their services or not, it’s good knowing that they are there. I’ve been an active participate/volunteer for a few events. I like being able to give back – guess I look at volunteering at LLS like putting into a savings account – I keep making deposits (my time as a volunteer or fundraising) and one day I may make a withdrawal (use of patient services). I know there will be a day when I need to take advantage of the assistance programs that are offered, but until then I can keep giving and helping the programs. The staff that I’ve had contact with have all been so supportive. When I call about volunteer opportunities I don’t come right out and mention that I’m a leukemia survivor…but it eventually comes out…and when it does, the atmosphere of the call changes. I can hear the compassion in their voice – it’s nice.


Jason: What advice would you give to any one that is helping to care for a Cancer Patient?


Leesa: Help them to see the positive. Don’t let them stay ‘down’ for long. Having a positive attitude even in the worst situations can be hard, but it’s so helpful and beneficial to healing. Let the patient do as much for him/herself as he/she is able. They know their limitations. Don’t be afraid to let them talk about the “what if’s” – sometimes discussing the worst case scenarios has a positive effect….because you can always turn it around and look at the best case scenarios. Learning you have cancer and dealing with it is a process. Coming to terms with it won’t happen overnight. Also, think about finding someone to talk to yourself – being a caregiver is hard work. You’re not alone either.


Jason: You just finished the Walt Disney’s World Marathon with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Tell us about it.

Leesa: Although I wasn’t able to finish the marathon [read Leesa’s post on her blog] – I had to take myself off the course due to an injury – being a part of Team In Training and getting a taste of a marathon definitely ranks in my Top 5 life experiences. It’s so hard to capture with words the experience. I highly, highly recommend signing up for at least one event at some point. It changes your life – and it’s such a positive change. My husband has already signed up for another event – the Hy-Vee Triathlon in June. I’m actually a bit jealous that I’m not able to do it with him because I see how excited and motivated he is. I’m now an alumnus for TNT and can attend any of the weekend trainings even though I’m not signed up for an event. I haven’t had a chance to do that yet, but I’m looking forward to getting back out there with my former teammates. There’s a bond that forms even in the short amount of time that we’re together. These strangers come together for a common cause – to help raise money to fund blood cancer research – they give so much of themselves for others they may never meet. I loved being an honored patient – especially one that was also able to be a participant. Like I said, it was a life-changing experience that is so hard to put into words.


Jason: What is next for you?

Leesa: I thought I knew. I had planned to do the 5K in the Olathe marathon in March, but a recent MRSA Staph infection and subsequent surgery and hospital stay put an end to my training. So right now I’m concentrating on healing. The infection was a real eye-opener. It came on so suddenly and spread so fast – it really made me mindful of how careful I need to be when it comes to protecting myself against germs and keeping healthy. But I won’t let it get me down. As soon as I’m able (or allowed by my doctor) I’ll get back out and walk – the weather is getting better and better. There’s plenty of time to train for the KC marathon in the fall. Plus….I believe another trip to do the Disney marathon next January is in the works!!


A great big thank you to Leesa and Craig for sharing their story.


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Follow Leesa and Craig on their blog: www.WalkingOurButtsOff.com

Donate to Leesa and Craig’s fundraising site: www.TeamWOBO.org


Organic Climbing: Green = Long Lasting, High Quality Products

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I always enjoy running into companies that have a wider view of what it means to be green. In the case of Josh Helke’s Organic Climbing, green doesn’t just mean reusing scraps of fabric (which they do) or powering their shop by wind energy (which they do) or promoting cell phone recycling (which they also do); but it means loving what you do and creating a product that will outlast the competition.

Jason: Organic Climbing – how did you come up with the name?

Josh: My wife is a Geologist. We were doing research near Price UT and I decided on the trip I wanted a better bouldering pad. We talked about starting our own company and making all pads one-of-a-kind by reusing our cutting scraps. We decided that they would all be organic-one-of-a-kind-artistic pieces.

Jason: How did you get your start with your company? Are you an entrepreneur or were you driven by your artistic/creative upbringing?

Josh: Creativity is in our family. My mother and younger brother are ceramist. I have designed and shaped hundreds of [climbing] holds for companies around the industry. I’ve designed gear. I’ve route set for over a decade and established over 700 first ascents. So, I have always been looking for some creative outlet. Once I started organic, I knew I could stop looking. I love what I do every day 100 percent. And I get to chat with awesome people around the world!

Jason: Has it been easy since the beginning of the biz or have there been tough times?

Josh: It has never been easy. When I started, I had never really used industrial sewing machines so when they would break (always at the worst times late at night) I would freak out. Then, as we grew, there was the how-to-hire-employees, train those employees, and be a boss man. Every step of the way is a new challenge; but, like in climbing, it is what keeps it fun and fresh.

Jason: What makes you happy to go to work everyday?

Josh: Knowing that I am creating pieces of gear that will make someone smile when the open them on the other end of shipping and be psyched for years to come. There is also something so cool about going on a trip (like I did this last weekend to the South east) and meeting customers face to face, getting an idea for new gear and getting right back to the shop and sewing up some prototypes. I get to create the gear people want with my 2 hands. It is soooo coool!!!

Jason: You’ve been climbing since you were 10. What are your favorite climbing / outdoor memories as a kid?

Josh: The many years my little brother and I spent exploring all across Minnesota and Wisconsin, developing awesome new sport and boulder lines. Also, the first year I moved out to Laramie WY, before I started Organic, Andy Rather, my wife Liz and I, would climb every day, averaging 5 new problems each. It was so awesome to have a fresh canvas in front of us to explore and climb.

Jason: Tell me about how you are green.

Josh: All of of our pads use a new soy foam open-cell as well as a non-PVC-closed-cell foam. We also reuse all of the cutting scraps in our shop to form the one-of-a-kind stripes you see on all of our gear! We also focus on building all our gear to the highest quality possible to be sure it lasts for ages. Our shop is also powered by 100 percent Wyoming wind energy!

Jason: I love that fact that you build equipment that lasts. Tell me about the environmental impact of your products.

Josh: We do have to ship our products and many of the materials we use in them, however we do our best to minimize our footprint by buying our foam and fabrics from USA suppliers and not outsourcing any of our products.

Jason: For climbers and boulderers that want to upgrade to Organic, what should we do with our old crash pads?

Josh: I tell people that there are so many kids clubs that can use them if they are in ok condition. You can keep them under your own climbing wall. Or, you can donate them to a local animal shelter to use for dog beds.

Jason: How are you spreading the word about taking care and being a good steward of our precious climbing areas?

Josh: We sponsor many many crag clean ups and we are very aware of who are local steward of areas and do our best to return support to those individuals. I try to travel to many of the major areas each year and we work with many grass-roots, local organizations through raffles, comps, etc. to help raise money for their projects.

Jason: What other climbing / outdoor companies do you like that support the environment?

Josh: I think FiveTen’s recycled rubber is really cool and forward thinking.

Honestly, I feel like many outdoor gear companies ride the green wave but are doing fairly little. I can rant on this for ages, but it is simple: make a bomber product, not one that falls apart, That way, you are doing the best thing possible by minimizing consumption. Why make it if it is not going to last??!!!

Jason: What’s your take on pad stashing?

Josh: I am not a fan, the game is to climb and carry your gear!

Jason: Favorite place to climb?

Josh: South eastern sandstone followed by my Minnesota homeland

Jason: Most rewarding line?

Josh: First ascent of Analog V9 Vedauwoo WY and First Ascent of Tugging Softly 5.13 Vedauwoo WY

Jason: Favorite shoes?

Josh: Currently Five Ten 5X, best all around shoe I have ever worn!

Jason: What cell phone do you use?

Josh: LC Chocolate

Jason: Do you have a favorite personal electronic gadget?

Josh: I like my Macbook and iPod

Jason: What is your take on the highballs that climbers are sending today – like Jorgeson’s Ambrosia – 45 feet up and others (some language on the Mirando video)?

Josh: It is the future of the sport for sure, and I am psyched to see people taking it to the next level!

Jason: How many Organic pads does it take to be safe (I mean little risk of injury) at 45 feet?

Josh: Pads can only do so much, if you have a well skilled spotter you can do amazing things and live to tell about it!!

Jason: Any tips for staying safe while bouldering?

Josh: Spot each other, spotting is so important, also watch your pad placements!

Jason: You guys doing anything different for your biz in this 2009 economy?

Josh: I am focusing on getting out more and showing people the quality of our pads first hand and talking to my customers and climbing with them in person. Face to face interaction is what we are about!

Jason: I love your YouTube video. At 1:45 you show the differences of Organic’s foam to other foams. That is quite a visual. You say that it is a proprietary product. Can you elaborate?

Josh: I can tell you that is is expensive but well worth it, and it is also eco sensitive : )

Jason: How long does it take for me to get my custom pad?

Josh: Pads can range from 2 days – 3 weeks depending on how difficult the custom design is and if you need it for a trip etc. I am always happy to help out a fellow climber : )

Jason: Last words?

Josh: Thanks to Cells for Cells and I would encourage people to check out the great service they provide and contribute!

Purple + Green: Cells for Cells talks to The Purple Guys

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The Purple Guys are one of the top IT firms in Kansas City. They are constantly making headlines with their community involvement and were recently voted as one of Kansas City’s Best Places to Work.

I met Jason Terry, Managing Partner and CTO, at a Leukemia & Lymphoma event. And as you know, I have a great admiration for companies that help families that are battling cancer. So, I asked Jason to take a few minutes to answer questions pertinent to our economy as it is, right now.

This is a must-read for businesses with insights on IT survival, mistakes to avoid, and tips to stay green. (Read time approximately 11 min.)

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Jason C: You have to tell us about your name and why Purple? On your website (www.thepurpleguys.com) it states: “…We think purple is a good color for us. It stands out, it’s unique, and in our opinion, it’s better…”

Jason Terry: We have always liked the color purple. It is a strong color. We used purple at our previous company and brought that with us to Versent. We provide 10 purple shirts to each of our employees. As a result, we credit our clients with the Purple Guys rebranding. Instead of saying “Jason is here” they would say “the Purple Guys are here!” because of our purple shirts. We liked the sound of that and rebranded everything. We take it a little too far… we have purple pens that write in purple, purple staples in our contracts, purple dark Hershey chocolates for client appreciation gifts, purple tape dispensers, purple magnetic thumb tacks, and the list goes on and on.

Jason C: The Purple Guys are very active in the community. Tell us about your support of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Habitat for Humanity.

Jason Terry: We strongly believe that it is required for businesses to give back to the community that supports them. Each quarter, our team does a volunteer effort together to help a not for profit organization. It is a great way to help those in need and there is an added benefit in the teambuilding that occurs. We have done work with Habitat for Humanity, Harvesters, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, CommunityLINC, and Sheffield Place to name a few. Our staff gets a quarterly bonus based on measurable goals and one of those line items is volunteer time. That is how strongly we believe in supporting the community that supports our business.(NOTE FROM JASON C: A bonus based on volunteer time!!! One of Kansas City’s Best Places to Work, indeed!)

Jason C: On your last Habitat project – did any rooms get painted purple?

Jason Terry: Habitat for Humanity provides the materials and volunteers supply the labor. Donating purple paint is a great idea. Our goal is to be able to grow to the point where we can afford to sponsor an entire house, and at that point one of the rooms will definitely need to have purple in it! We did painting at CommunityLINC with a lighter purple, so we have had experience painting rooms purple for others. Oh, and I can guarantee that there are purple walls at our office along with the purple cubes in our call center.

Jason C: Why is community involvement important to an IT firm?

Jason Terry: We think community involvement is important, regardless of the type of business. It is important for an IT firm, specifically, from the perspective that it allows a group of technical people that use computers for their daily work to get out into the world and get their hands dirty. We are in business to help people, so volunteering is just another way for our company to help people in a different capacity.

Jason C: Again, from your website, you say that you believe in the Golden Rule. How do you really apply that in your IT world specifically for your clients?

Jason Terry: The Golden Rule is defined as doing for others as you would like to have done for yourself. The way that we do this in the IT world for our clients is to set up their network and computers using the same best practices that we use to set up our own network and computers. The goal is to get the most efficiency and flexibility possible out of those systems while maintaining security and data integrity. We have an aggressive training program and work hard to stay current with the newest technologies available. Successful implementation of new technology gives us a competitive edge and we use that knowledge for our member companies, sharing that competitive edge.

Jason C: How easy is it for a small business to turn a relationship with The Purple Guys into a strategic advantage?

Jason Terry: It is a straight forward process to leverage The Purple Guys for strategic and competitive advantage. At the start of each new relationship, we do an audit of the existing network and computers. Inevitably, we uncover gaps in the way the network has been set up. These gaps include faulty backups, inconsistent antivirus and spam filtering, inadequate data security, and overdue maintenance that are threats to company data and the ability for the company to process that data to be a profitable entity. There are so many things that we do for our clients, but making sure the basics are done is the first step towards better productivity. Improved productivity for employees and faster access to data is an immediate competitive advantage.

Once we achieve the required basics in network performance, we guide our clients towards network practices and technologies that allow for even greater access to data and improved productivity. Also, we have a valuable network of relationships with other companies in Kansas City and around the country that we bring to the table. We help our member companies by leveraging those relationships, providing competitive advantage beyond their network support needs. From internet providers and VOIP phone solution providers to payroll processing companies, business brokers, succession planning attorneys and hundreds more, our goal is to grow our business effectively by partnering with experts in their field. We pass on the knowledge we gain and our relationships to our member companies so that they don’t have to “reinvent the wheel”. As our clients become more successful, we become more successful.

Jason C: What is your favorite client story? (As in, do you really help your clients make/save money?)

Jason Terry: One of my favorite stories is how our VersentVault backup and disaster recovery solution saved what could have been a week of down time for one of our clients. Our VersentVault is a backup server that physically sits next to the client’s server and does disk based backups every hour, 24/7. The value of having a backup server at the client’s location is that in the event of a failure, we can use our backup server as an interim replacement to the client server while we fix it.

We received an alert on a Saturday afternoon that the hard drive system in the client server was going to fail. We called our primary contact at the client that afternoon and told them that we were going to virtualize their server within our VersentVault server and we proceeded to do that. That process took a couple of hours and the network was effectively running from our VersentVault server. The client server eventually did fail, but nobody was aware of, or impacted by, the problem because our VersentVault was performing as their production server. We worked with their hardware vendor to have them ship replacement parts for the failed server. When the parts arrived, we found that the wrong parts had been shipped due to vendor error, so we had to repeat the process. In the end, the client was running on our VersentVault for 5 business days and none of their employees had any idea because they were able to continue doing their work as usual. Once we got their server repaired, we put it back into production and the VersentVault went back to being the backup server.

The client was so thrilled that they didn’t lose any productivity or see missed opportunity due to a server failure. The majority of our clients have this solution in place and we respond to server hardware failures like this every month or two. It is not a question of IF it will happen, but WHEN will it happen, and if you are a client of The Purple Guys, you won’t have to worry about it. That is a great story to tell and something that we are proud of.

Jason C: What do you guys really do best?

Jason Terry: We get the technology support right or our service wouldn’t be in such high demand. I think the other thing that we do best is forming open and trust based relationship with our clients. At the end of the day, the companies that we work with want someone they can trust to lead them through the maze of Information Technology decisions. That trust is so important because it allows our clients to move forward with our recommendations knowing that we are helping them do what is best for their organization. Doing things the right way requires a budget and sometimes business process changes, both of which can be painful to small and medium sized businesses. Trust and past performance is the glue that allows the Purple Guys and our member companies to move forward and make good decisions together based on their specific needs.

Jason C: Tell us about your favorite new technologies for small businesses? How about for large businesses?

Jason Terry: The new technologies that are our favorites apply to small and large businesses, it is just a matter of volume.

– iPhone – A great phone, contacts, email and calendar device that is easy to use and powerful in features.

– VersentVault – a backup and disaster recovery solution that is an ironclad way to protect your data.

– VersentFilter – a spam filter that lives up stream from your network so that email and virus attachments in emails never even make it to your network.

Jason C: In your most recent newsletter, you mention your successes with some of the online social marketing platforms (i.e. LinkedIn, FaceBook, Twitter), how important do you think embracing those tools will be in 2009.

Jason Terry: Embracing social marketing tools will be a key success factor for service companies in 2009. I would point to the recent presidential race and how effectively Obama used these tools to connect with a massive audience and deliver his message and positions.

It used to be that having a web site established your credentials as a company worth doing business with. We have more access to data about companies and individuals than ever before through the internet. As a result, having a strong LinkedIn profile has become the next important qualifier to businesses doing research on prospective partners. In other words, if you don’t have a good LinkedIn profile, you may not appear to be as professional or successful as your competition.

LinkedIn is more of a business focused social tool and Facebook is more of a personal, friend and family focused social tool. It is good practice to have separation between business and personal relationships, but often those boundaries blur. I use LinkedIn and Facebook often, and some of my clients are linked to me in Facebook because we have such a good relationship.

Relationship is what drives business. Social networking sites improve relationships through better communication. It is a reasonable conclusion that using social networking sites will improve your business through better communication.

Jason C: What is your favorite social marketing website or author? Why?

Jason Terry: My favorite social networking site is LinkedIn. It is hard to keep track of hundreds of relationships and this site allows me to be more effective in nurturing my relationships. I like the fact that I can see a picture of the person (as long as they have uploaded a profile picture) and see what they are doing lately as they update their “current status” All of this information and communication makes me confident that I am more in touch with my clients, prospects and referral partners than ever before.

Jason C: What should businesses (small and large) be doing with their IT in this 2009 economy?

Businesses should be doing the same thing this year with IT as they should be doing every year. They need to make sure they are getting the most for their IT budget as possible. In past years, when cash flow was good, it seemed that companies didn’t pay as much attention to the return on their IT investment as long as things were working. Now that money is tighter and jobs are getting cut, businesses are paying more attention to return on investment across the board. For companies in the 10-200 employee range, there is an incredible opportunity to save tens of thousands of dollars per year by outsourcing their network support to a reputable company. The Purple Guys are a great choice. It is a great conversation when we can talk about spending less and getting more through outsourcing.

I also think this year is a perfect opportunity for companies to retool by implementing new technologies that give them a competitive advantage. The economy will recover. The companies that manage to a budget and position themselves properly with staff, technology and process, will come out on the other side ready to grab market share and grow quickly.

Jason C: Biggest mistakes to avoid in 2009?

Jason Terry: Be prudent in your decisions but don’t buy in to the doom and gloom that the media is shouting at you every day. People are still doing business and growing their companies. Hard work, taking care of your employees, following advice from experts, and sharing best practices with peers will allow you to get through these interesting times and come out stronger on the other side.

Jason C: How can Versent help in 2009?

Jason Terry: We can help in so many ways. I would want to ask a couple of questions to steer me in a direction before I start giving advice. Give me (Jason Terry) a call at 816-221-3900 x107. We can spend 30 minutes to an hour together and you will walk away with at least one useful tip or suggestion that you can put into practice to help your company move in a positive direction.

Jason C: What is your favorite personal electronic gadget?

Jason Terry: The iPhone, and the following applications:

Pandora – Find new music that is similar to artists you already like.

Shazaam – Figure out what the song playing over the speakers where you are at is.

Showtimes – Grabs the nearest movie theater and shows playing with one click.

Tanzen – Puzzle game to pass the time when you have a couple of extra minutes.

Mobile Google Maps – Access to lots of info while on the go.

Facebook Mobile – Stay in touch with everyone, including mobile picture uploads.

Jason C: The Purple Guys and Green – do you have any tips for IT/technology recycling.

Jason Terry: Whenever possible, go paperless. It would be easy to generate lots of printed paper in our daily business. We store as much as possible electronically for many reasons, including security and remote access. We have gone as far as paperless checks for our employees with our payroll provider to save on the waste of printed check stubs.

There are not for profit companies in the KC area that will come to your office to pick up your old computers. They will make sure they are disposed of properly or rebuilt for use by those in need. I recommend removing the hard drives containing business information before donating them.

Jason C: Do you want to offer some business predictions for 2009?

Jason Terry: Things are going to get interesting. 2009 will be a year where companies that are being managed well will grab market share from the companies that aren’t. The Purple Guys will be in the “growth” column because our service model makes even more sense in an economy where businesses are trying to save money and see a return on their investment.

Jason C: Last words?

Jason Terry: It feels like I have written a short novel in this written interview with Cell for Cells. J I appreciate our relationship with Jason Clements and Cell for Cells and applaud the good work they are doing. Best wishes to everyone reading for a profitable and rewarding 2009.

Regards,

Jason Terry, Managing Partner and CTO, The Purple Guys, 816-221-3900 x107

Barkley: Advertising, Battling Cancer, and Recycling with Cells for Cells

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Based in Kansas City, Barkley is a full-service advertising and marketing communications firm with some very well-known clients.

I am excited that I got the chance to talk to Kelly Francis, Technology Liaison Director for Barkley about advertising, battling cancer, and recycling.

Jason: Hi Kelly, let’s talk about advertising. What is your favorite TV commercial of all time and why?

Kelly: This is a tough one to answer. I loved the Bud Light “Wassup”series a few years ago. It coined a catch phrase that still gets used. The more recent Bud Light “Dude” series is equally good. Apparently I like beer commercials…which is interesting because I don’t like beer. : )

Jason: What is your favorite product that Barkley created the ad/marketing for?

Kelly: The Two Guys Sonic commercials, of course. People either love them or hate them…either way, they are being talked about. Which of course is still good publicity either way.

Jason: Here is one of my favorites:

Jason: What should small or medium sized companies be doing with their advertising / marketing in this economy?

Kelly: As the old adage says, “Advertising pays.” While budgets are being cut in just about every area of every company, it is still smart to keep your name/product out there. People are fickle and too easily forget if not reminded often of your product or services.

Jason: How easy is it to use a firm like Barkley?

Kelly: I’d be happy to put anyone in touch with our New Business department and let them take the lead there. Being in IT, we’re a little sheltered as to how it all comes together regarding obtaining new prospects and business.

Jason: What do you see for business in general for 2009?

Kelly: We, like most everyone else, are tightening our belts. Business is steady, but a down economy affects everyone. Not that it’s all doom and gloom though. This should be an opportunity for everyone to take stock of what is important and where changes can be made that would benefit everyone.

Jason: Fighting cancer seems to be a huge deal at Barkley. You are big supporters of Susan G. Komen. How did that start?

Kelly: Barkley was the first ad agency to brand a cause for Lee National Denim Days 12 years ago which benefited breast cancer awareness. The Susan G. Komen Foundation followed shortly thereafter because of being linked to LNDD.

Jason: How do you encourage other industries to get behind the fight against cancer?

Kelly: Our PR Department is instrumental in our Cause Branding efforts. A lot of companies want to be known for more than just the product they product or service they offer. They want to leave a legacy of giving as well, and we help them find their niche.

Jason: Kelly, I know that there are tons of cell phone recycling programs – why is Barkley promoting Cells for Cells?

Kelly: Two reasons: I like to use local companies whenever possible …whether I am purchasing items or donating to a worthy cause; and this truly is a worthy cause that I don’t think gets as much attention as some of the more well known and advertised organizations.

Jason: What recycling do you do at Barkley?

Kelly: We currently recycle paper, cardboard, plastic, aluminum cans, cell phones, electronic equipment (like computer monitors, printers, small electronics, TVs, etc.), and we are in the process of starting a program to recycle ink jet cartridges and alkaline/lithium batteries.

Jason: How long has recycling been a part of Barkley’s culture?

Kelly: It’s really grown in the last couple of years since we moved into our current building. We have implemented a lot of “green” processes besides just recycling. We also promote double-sided printing to save paper and use recycled paper products and utensils in our break rooms.

Jason: What do your hear your employees saying about recycling in the workplace?

Kelly: We offer an equipment recycle program twice a year to our employees allowing them to bring in whatever electronic items they have stored in their ba
sements or garage to be recycled or properly disposed. It’s been a very popular program.

Jason: How do you think you are positioned to best spread the word about recycling?

Kelly: My role as Technology Liaison Director is about communication. I am known as “The Link” between IT and the users, so I have the opportunity to spread the word effectively via posters in common areas, training sessions, department meetings, and of course via email.

Jason: On a bigger scale, what is Barkley doing to promote smarter recycling?

Kelly: We actually have a “Green” committee here called “Planet Fresh” that sends out tips for being greener and reducing our carbon footprint. Articles are published in our weekly newsletter that goes out to all employees with things everyone can do to live greener.

Jason: Have you or are you working on any major ad/marketing specific to recycling?

Kelly: Only internally with information that goes out to our employees with new processes we are putting into place, like the new ink jet and battery recycle programs that will be starting soon.

Jason: Do you see the other ad/marketing firms following your lead and participating in recycling programs?

Kelly: I’d certainly like to think so!

Jason: How do you encourage other industries to get behind recycling?

Kelly: I think just by being responsible citizens in general sets a good example. When we are in meetings with people from outside our agency, we encourage folks to put cans/paper/plastic/etc. in our recycle bins. We print 2-sided presentations or in Handout form which puts several slides on one page to reduce paper usage, or even better, we present via the web (no need to print at all!). Every little bit helps.

Jason: What is an easy recycling tip that you want to share?

Kelly: Junk mail is recyclable. You don’t even need to open it…just put it in the bin.

Jason: What is your favorite cell phone advertisement?

Kelly: Hmmm…I’d have to say the one with Ozzy Ozbourne talking and you can’t understand him, so he sends a text message…it’s just overall funny.

Jason: What cell phone do you currently use?

Kelly: I have an AT&T Blackberry Pearl 8100. It’s a couple of years old, fits nicely in my pocket and still works great. If it ain’t broke…well, you know the rest.

Jason: Last words?

Kelly: I like to look at everything as possibly either being recyclable or reusable. When you have something in your hand ready to toss in the trash, stop and think: do I really want this to be in a landfill.