Petrina Buckley on the Challenges and Rewards of Having your own Business

I hate that ‘elevator in the morning’ feeling. That feeling you have when you get in that lift ride going to work thinking, ‘here we are’. I hated that feeling when I was in a normal working environment and I knew that’s the thing I wanted to break away from as a culture and a business. I never want myself or anyone working for me to get that sinking feeling when they’re coming to work and I don’t think it breeds innovative thinking.

Petrina_Buckley

A self-confessed ‘multipotentialite’, Petrina’s role in her businesses highlights her diverse career background and passion for empathetic creativity. From a background in business development and marketing, Petrina Buckley applies her multi-skilled background to designing training and development courses through Magneto Communications and Credosity. Magneto Communications is a live online and classroom based business-writing organisation taking copyrighting psychology and applying it to business writing training. Credosity meets busy professionals’ demand for just in time learning through real-time analysis of your writing and tailored tips on structure, logic, audience engagement and persuasiveness.

Petrina gives us an overview of how she has built her successful career and the challenges and rewards of having your own business.

Tell us the Petrina story. How did you get to where you are today?

I think about this all the time. There’s a whole language around being an artist versus being an entrepreneur. I think those two worlds are very close to each other and my mind was centred more on being an artist but I’ve always had a big passion for business. I was unfortunately born into a house that didn’t understand what business was and there was no role models but it was something that I clearly had an interest in.

I found my way via art because that was the world I hung out in throughout my 20s with artists, filmmakers and people doing the unconventional. What emerged for me was that I liked to be more in control of the outcome so artistry became entrepreneurialism. After being in the art world you realise how much easier it is to operate in the business world. In the art and entrepreneurial world ambiguity is everywhere. You have theories, passions, interests and intent but the outcome has more ambiguity than you could ever imagine.

I started out in events marketing for nightclubs and that sort of space, which is hilarious given I am the biggest health junkie on earth. I don’t know how I ended up there but quickly went ‘that’s not for me’. I did learn in that space there’s a lot of hustlers. If you want to hang out with a lot of hustlers, go and hang out in the nightclubs space. This was in my early, early 20s. Just hanging around them I learnt a lot about business because I would have to work with the founder, as they’d open up new nightclubs or new hotels that were pretty big scale projects. You saw first hand what it was taking [to build] from the ground up so it was a good learning curve and I think that’s why I hung around because it was so fast paced.

As soon as you’re in hospitality you learn a very fast cadence of delivery on everything. Every night that restaurant is open breakfast, lunch and dinner and there’s events on all the time – there’s no stopping, it’s 24/7 every day of the year, it just keeps rolling and you learn to keep rolling no matter what. As much as I look back at it and go ‘cringe’ at the same time I can get the lessons were around delivery. You had to consistently crank out something new and stepping it up to the next level. It always had to be layer upon layer.

How did you and Paul get the idea to start Magneto Communications?

Magneto started about ten years ago [in] 2005. Paul [Jones] and I had known each other for years but came together when he had a client who booked a training course in three weeks time and Paul hadn’t built the IP yet to deliver the training course but he’d already got the cheque. Paul said ‘I don’t know what to do, I can’t put it together’ and I said ‘I can put it together, that’s exactly what I’ve been doing- I know I can do this. I’ll help you build that first program’. Paul been working for the Australian Institute of Management so it’s not like he hadn’t done it before, he just hadn’t done it for himself though so he hadn’t built his own version.

I remember just lots of pieces of paper out on the unit floor just frantic all night really running up against time and we put it together in the three weeks. The client had already paid, the feedback was fantastic and we went ‘maybe we’ve got a business here’ and really that was it. That’s the exact way you should build a services business – sell first, build the marketing… the one-pager ‘here’s what you’re going to get on the day’ and then build the business. Paul was doing copyrighting at the time and I was doing all sorts of projects – a lot of values exploration workshops for Diabetes Australia and corporate clients so we both kept the day jobs and kept [building] up the business.

Paul also had another business at the time called the Last Thursday Club, a networking group in Sydney and that was just starting to take off as well so I came in and started shaping that into a business. So that’s usually what I do is I come in and create the order and the systems and I’m a bit of an all rounder. We took [the Last Thursday Club] up to the next level over two years. Then we sold it because Magneto had built up. We’d got some great corporate clients, the promise was there and we needed to focus. We got out of the events game but took that learning into our corporate training business.

The 7-year itch…

Fast-forward to 2013/2014…the business had grown and we had a really strong corporate client base. It was a year where we had definitely got the 7-year itch with the business. I think it’s a real thing in relationships and business. It usually comes at 7 or 10 years they say and I think we got it at 7. We went look ‘it’s renovate or detonate’. We knew we wanted to step up to the next level.

We had dabbled in e-learning and online learning and all of it was great but it wasn’t sticking, not just because the business wasn’t sticking but I believed more in just-in-time learning where you work alongside the habit that people already have. That’s how we ended up building Credosity for Microsoft Word because our clients were clearly enterprise and government. That’s who had the pain – managers inside those businesses having to review other peoples’ work or having to just be embarrassed by what was going out on behalf of the business. That’s why they [corporate clients] would come to us to get the training. It was about rethinking learning, identifying existing habits and creating a better learning experience for those existing habits when clients were back at their desks.

What were some of the challenges you faced?

Being a non-technical founder in a technology company, it’s been a disadvantage and an advantage. The disadvantage is you are reliant on getting incredible people around you that know the technology and you can trust to make incredibly built to last decisions.

Enterprise software is tough,anyone will say that. Getting that right and developing it in a way that is built to last that can keep up in very rapidly changing landscape [is challenging]. It’s never been a better time to be building on Microsoft.

Rewind two years ago and people would say ‘Microsoft? There’s so many other cool options out there’. Now I think those people have very rapidly been proven wrong because Microsoft has an incredible pace to it now that was never there two and a half to three years ago. The disadvantage is making sure you understand the technology and you’re focused in the right way. I now know more about enterprise deployment than I ever thought.

The upside is I’m more people focused than technology focused; it’s a huge advantage because smart human software cannot be developed without the empathy piece, without the people piece. That’s what we found, a lot of the solutions out there we would look at them and go ‘that’s just developed by developers for developers and no human could look at this and make sense of it’. It was either too much or too technical and it didn’t have the type of design thinking I can appreciate. I was just seeing something that your average user in a corporate, the type of person we’re trying to help, would open it and go ‘this is not for me’. It was overwhelming and confusing.

We wanted to use the people side as being the advantage of having no idea about the tech. I now know things I never thought I would know or needed to know but apparently I know way more than I thought I could ever imagine about enterprise deployment. You want people to be using it so you have to work through all the roadblocks and build your own knowledge until you understand it so it was a huge learning curve.

And the Rewards…

Many many many! Financial reward is the one that people think ‘that’s going to be the reward’ and it will fix nothing. I’ve had some extreme first hand experience of that not fixing a thing for a friend who has got plenty of it. I can think of two guys who I’ve been particularly close with, one was someone I worked with and the other a close friend. I just got some up close and personal experience with the hell they were in thinking that was going to be the important one. I had the benefit of learning from their mistakes and I know not to pursue that. I shift that [focus] in my head and we’re always making investments so I want a healthy profitable business and I never want that to change because I think that’s what’s sustainable.

Beyond that what I think you get as the biggest reward has been the personal learning and the opportunity and freedom when you get an idea and you can actually implement that idea. You go ‘I actually think we should go do this’ and you don’t have to check that off with anybody else or I don’t have to write a board paper. There’s no red tape, there’s just go, and I love that freedom. Sometimes I don’t acknowledge that as much as I should and go ‘that’s pretty cool’. There’s no handbrake I hate handbrakes and I hate people who are handbrakes too, unless it’s sensible. I don’t like the emotional handbrake or the real world handbrake and I think that’s what a lot of entrepreneurs will tell you too. I go ‘we’ve got to step on the gas over here and even if I slam into the wall that’s okay, I’ll own it.’

How do you stay focused?

The biggest thing I ever did and this was a long time ago, probably 12 years ago, I got really clear about my values and articulated those. They’ve changed a few times as I’ve understood myself better. Working that out and actually knowing for you ‘these are my unshakable, don’t mess with me, don’t cross the line parts of my life’ will help make and shape your decisions.

My three fundamental values that I keep coming back to are health, family and business in that order. If things are wobbly, you have to come back to the moment and assess where your core values are at seeing if you’ve let anything ago and being able to turn that into action the next day. I’ll ask myself have I exercised this week? Are we having enough family time? Where are we at? What do we need to do?

And being clear that business is number three and keeping that in perspective. I’m borderline workaholic and I love to work.

What is the future for Magneto and Credosity?

That Magneto becomes the enterprise communication standard and we are a model that is best practice. When someone sits down to write something important or wants to evolve their communication skills, they turn to Credosity as a source of learning and trusted advisor to help them.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

  1. Don’t wait for permission.
  2. Follow and trust your instinct.
  3. Don’t worry about what everyone else says.
  4. Worry about what’s right for you, not what is right for the rest of the world.
  5. Hurry up!
  6. Know yourself; know that you’re worth it.
  7. Get going and don’t look back.

Thanks to Petrina for sharing her insights with Leaders in Heels!

Images via Petrina Buckley.

Nicola Smith

Nicola Smith is a research and policy analyst with experience in the property and technology industries. Nicola is eager to learn and thrives on intellectual challenge ensuring this translates into informative content for Leaders in Heels’ readers. Her goal- to create the informative career content that you’re grateful to receive from a mentor, colleague or friend.

5 ways to easily generate video content to enhance your brand

Videos are the best way to engage with your audience in today’s online world. It has never been easier to create videos and share them to the world, and, specifically, to your audience.

Businesses who use video are perceived to be more engaged with their audience – it’s a short cut to building rapport with your current and prospective customers.

But how do you get into the habit of being a prolific video creator? Here are 5 ways to easily generate video content to enhance your brand.

1. Make it easy and replicable

Firstly, you need an easy process for creating videos. The more complicated you make this, the more of a burden it will become, and the less likely it will be that you will bother. It needs to be easy to set up and quick to do.

Unless you have a spare few thousands of dollars lying around, make use of the surprisingly effective recording device you carry around with you – your mobile phone. With reasonable lighting conditions, your phone can produce quality videos with little fuss. You can pick up a simple stand for the phone or use a selfie stick (but don’t hold it – attach it to something).

2. Get the audio and vision right

You’ll be more inclined to share your videos if they look and sound okay. The first and essential item is a microphone. You can get a good quality phone lapel microphone for $50. Viewers will forgive poor vision, but not poor sound. Don’t rely on the inbuilt microphone. You will sound distant and amateur.

You should also find a spot that has some decent lighting. It can be sunshine, or just a well-lit room. Bouncing bright lights off a wall or the ceiling will soften the impact and diminish harsh shadows. But once again, keep it simple. The easier it is to do, the more likely it will be for you to maintain the momentum.

3. Streamline your systems

There are a few elements you can create once, and re-use for consistency and branding. For $5 on Fiverr.com, you can commission an animated logothat will immediately give your videos a professional look.

Keep any intros short – no more than 3 or 4 seconds. Your audience is there to be informed by your content, they shouldn’t have to endure a long opening that is just to promote your brand.

Also you can find royalty free music on YouTube and iTunes that you can use for your video openers.

4. Learn some new skills

Invest an hour or two in getting your head around the editing software that comes free with your computer. On a PC there is Movie Maker and iMovie is on a Mac. Editing is actually quite fun, although it does tend to take longer than you’d think.

As the business world embraces video production, you will need to be creating content to compete. It is worth taking a couple of hours to get your head around the software so you can easily create, edit and share videos for your audience.

If all else fails, find a secondary school kid (got any lying around the house?). They’ll be able to show you what to do!

5. Look out for topics to generate

You will have moments of creative proliferation. The ideas will come thick and fast and you will be able to record those videos easily. Of course, there will be other times when you’re busy, tired and the ideas just aren’t flowing. Keep looking for ideas. Jot them down on a note in your phone so you can check in on topics when you are stuck.

You should also build up a library of content that you have in store to release during the busy periods. You can add them to your YouTube channel as unlisted files and then make them public at the appropriate time.

Video is not going to go away. It is here to stay and it is one of the most effective ways to connect and engage with your audience. The sooner you embrace the sooner you can benefit from its power.

You can check out some technical mistakes to avoid here

 

Featured image via Geoff Anderson

 

Geoff-800Geoff Anderson

Geoff Anderson is the Managing Director at Sonic Sight a Sydney based video production facility; author of Amazon Bestseller “Shoot Me Now – making videos to boost business” and a presenter on using video for business. He has been working in TV and Events production for over 20 years. Connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Everything You Need to Know About the Latest Advances in Car Technology

Have you ever forgotten where you parked your car—or even whether or not you locked it? And how many hot summer days have you wished that you could cool your car’s interior before even leaving the office? You will be excited to learn that your days of wishing are almost over—these are just a few things some of the latest cars can do for you.

Clearly aware of today’s tech-minded public, many manufacturers are now including impressive advances in technology in the “in-dash” area of new cars. It’s just another way that they can set themselves apart from the competition.

For many of us, in-car tech has joined on-road performance, safety, and visual appeal as an important factor in the car buying process. As a resourceful businesswoman on the go, these advances allow you to choose from revolutionary safety features, mobile phone connectivity, the convenience of in-built Wi-Fi to connect to your business wherever you are, infotainment systems, and much more.

If you are interested in making sure your next car purchase includes the most up-to-date tech, here’s everything you need to know about the latest advances in car technology.

Smartphone Connectivity

We have now moved beyond just using Bluetooth to make phone calls from our cars. Some of the most recent tech allows your phone to receive diagnostic information from your car.

Smartphone connectivity tools are still at an early stage of development, however despite being in their infancy, these tools already offer great user benefits. Take the example of BMW’s Connected Drive suite, which allows you to remotely flash headlights to help locate your car, or pre-condition your vehicle so it is pre-warmed or pre-cooled when you get to it.

There are also in-dash systems with their own dedicated apps so you can connect via mobile data to provide greater convenience while in the car. In other words, cars with this technology can help you get to your destination sooner by finding the best parking spot, nearest ATM or petrol station, and even checking the weather where you are heading.

Enhanced Safety Features

While there are some obvious safety concerns with using all these extra apps and gadgets in the car, there are also new in-car technologies that aim for greater driver awareness and safety.

General Motors’ OnStar service is leading the way with the latest in advanced security by offering such features as stolen vehicle tracking, remote speed limiting, and remote vehicle immobilisation.

The latest in-dash tech for many manufacturers now typically includes automatic emergency calls and real-time traffic alerts as a standard feature.

If you are interested in tech for the safety benefits, more advanced systems give you the appealing features of adaptive cruising, blind spot mirror sensors, collision warnings, and lane position vibration warnings.

For many of us, in-car tech has joined on-road performance, safety, and visual appeal as an important factor in the car buying process

Voice Command

Another feature of safety and convenience is that of voice command. While it’s still in a stage of relatively early development, drivers in some of the latest cars from Honda, Ford, and General Motors can easily ask their cars’ connectivity system to make a business call, send a basic message, and provide directions.

While voice command is quickly improving, it’s not yet infallible. Until the technology becomes more advanced, it is unlikely to become mainstream.

Windscreen Display

Rather than take your eyes off the road to check speed or the navigation system, these important details can now be projected onto the windscreen in front of you.

BMW and Jaguar are among the manufacturers that offer this technology, known as heads-up display or HUD. By providing the driver with a single point of focus, HUD very simply allows for a safer and less distracted driving experience.

HUD is a great example of an emerging technology that doesn’t necessarily provide a new function, but it does provide a safer way of interacting with existing ones.

Cars with this technology can help you get to your destination sooner by finding the best parking spot, nearest ATM or petrol station, and even checking the weather where you are heading

Wi-Fi

Inbuilt Wi-Fi is soon to become commonplace in your car. With so many apps and gadgets that require internet connectivity, it is really common sense to connect independently to avoid burning through our phone’s data allowance.

Most of Audi’s new model vehicles are equipped with an advanced in-car Wi-Fi system that allows passengers to freely access the web. This means you can connect your laptop to keep up with work, listen to music streaming services, and keep the kids entertained, all from your car’s convenient on-board Wi-Fi service.

What’s to Come?

While all this new technology is incredibly exciting for drivers, there is no end to the innovations that will change how we drive in the years to come.

The next big goal is self-driving cars. Imagine being able to safely catch up on emails or finalise a presentation while your car takes you to your next meeting? While this may seem an exciting fantasy, a number of prototypes and testing vehicles have already been promoted in the United States, including the much-hyped Google driverless car and the Audi RS7.

While not as drastic as self-driving cars, keep your eye out for in-car technologies of the future, such as:

  • Gesture control for certain features, such as windows and sunroof operations
  • Smart navigation systems to reduce traffic congestion
  • Optimised acceleration and braking with fuel economy in mind
  • Automatic settings based on who is driving, such as speed control, mirror and seat adjustments
  • More advanced safety features and sensors to read the surroundings and reduce crashes

The next big goal is self-driving cars. Imagine being able to safely catch up on emails or finalise a presentation while your car takes you to your next meeting?

As with much of our business and personal lives, technology is now a huge part of the driving experience. Whether it is infotainment, advanced mapping and directions, smartphone connectivity, safety, or voice command, it can’t be denied that these advancements are incredibly exciting. Your next car purchase can allow you to stay connected wherever you are and change the way you drive.

Featured image courtesy of Rob Chaloner

 

Rob-Chaloner-profile-image-Leaders-in-HeelsRob Chaloner

Rob Chaloner is the Founder and Managing Director of stratton, and is passionate about smarter ways to buy and finance cars. With stratton, he’s working to help Australian buyers disrupt the traditional car buying, financing and insurance markets through smarter products and online services.

What it means to look like an engineer

Perhaps you’ve seen a hashtag going around called #ILookLikeAnEngineer. Perhaps you know the story behind it. Isis Anchalee Wenger, a full-stack software engineer, was one of the employees featured in a recruitment ad for her company. What followed were many comments saying that the girl in the ad had to be a model, and she couldn’t possibly be an actual engineer in the company. Because as we all know, being pretty precludes females from that particular field of work.

But the brilliant part is what Isis did with the attention. She started the #ILookLikeAnEngineer hashtag, encouraging other engineers to take part and show the world their diversity. These days, most engineers in all fields don’t fall into the nerd-image stereotypes we’re so used to imagining, and a decent number definitely don’t fall under the category of male!

We talk a lot about getting more girls and women into STEM subjects, but it’s going to remain talk for as long as these stereotypes are perpetuated. There seems to be an impression that if you like fashion, or are artistically inclined, or are ‘cool’ in some way, then you’re not the type to do STEM subjects. We need to examine our unconscious biases, culturally conditioned thoughts such as:

  • How women working in tech-heavy roles are ‘rare’, or ‘incredible’, or considered unique above men in some way. Don’t get me wrong – yes, it’s wonderful having women in such roles. But how can we convince our daughters or granddaughters that they are as capable as men in those fields when it’s ‘special’ women who do those jobs?
  • How art and STEM are at opposite ends of the spectrum, and you can only be good at one or the other. This is one I hear commonly, and it’s completely untrue. Just because you may be artistically inclined doesn’t mean you can’t process the logic required for mathematical proof or a piece of code, or conduct scientific experiments around a central hypothesis. One of my civil engineer friends I know is currently working on her own fashion line!
  • How careers in STEM mean stepping into a ‘men’s world’. Yes, there are still a disproportionate amount of men in those fields compared to females, and there are many workplaces where being female is a disadvantage. The problem is, the term sets the expectation that as females, we need to accept certain behaviours or comments as ‘the cost of being in a men’s world’, and that is already starting on the wrong foot. STEM careers are usually harder for females, but the world is just as much theirs! I wonder how many young girls have been discouraged from STEM subjects for this reason?

Looking like an engineer doesn’t mean that you need to be a special kind of female, or a creature of logic, or ‘one of the boys’. It doesn’t mean that you should be geeky, or pretty, or cool, or any of those other labels we place on people.

Looking like an engineer simply means you have a curiosity about how things work, whether it be the chemistry behind a reaction, the 1’s and 0’s that make things appear on your screen, the structures that make buildings stay upright, or even the numbers that make the world move, among other things.

If we want to encourage more of our daughters and sisters and nieces and granddaughters and goddaughters to get interested STEM subjects, then we need to tell them in both the words we say and the words we don’t say that engineering, or STEM in general, is just like any other career they may pursue – and that it doesn’t matter what they look like. Being a Leader in Heels is just as possible in the lab or in the field as it is in an office!

To finish, let me give you some of my story. I graduated as a Mechatronic engineer – think robotics. I work with code in my day job, and have done so for a large chunk of my career. Oh, and I also write novels (one will be published next year!), and have a large wardrobe bursting at the seams with clothes. Yes, #ILookLikeAnEngineer.

Do you look like an engineer, or know someone who does? Tell us about them in the comments!

Here are some of the other people proudly declaring that they too look like engineers – beginning with Isis, who started it all!

 

Featured image

Dating Etiquette in the Smartphone Era: A quick guide to online dating

OK Ladies, 2015 will be your year! That’s right, if you’re single and ready to mingle, then it’s going to be a big year for you. I know it sounds ridiculous, but just hear me out. Dating has evolved, and it’s about time we set up some game-changing rules on how to handle Dating in the Smartphone Era. After all, even ordinary dating can be confusing, sometimes daunting and downright crazy.

Below is a quick 10-step summary on how to handle oneself when trying to find your catch in the online dating world.

1. Know what you want

We don’t always know what we want, I know. Sometimes we just need to figure things out. Have a think about the type of romantic relationship you would like to be in. Will it be a cheeky fling? A rebound? A friendship that might evolve into something more? Something serious and long term? You don’t have to share the details with anyone else, but be honest with yourself. What happens if you meet someone that is not on the same page as you?

Go with the flow, but don’t become too emotionally invested at the start. Let it evolve naturally and see how things go. Have fun on this journey.

2. Choose your platform and create a profile

Now that we have established what you are after, choose your online dating platform. Depending on the type of relationship you’re after, there are many different dating platforms. Just in case you need a little guidance, here is a taste of what is available:

You don’t have to share the details with anyone else, but be honest with yourself. What happens if you meet someone that is not on the same page as you?

Once you have chosen your desired platform it’s time to create your profile. Be open and honest – never lie! It could come back to bite you. Choose recent pictures that reflect the great person you are and choose more than one photo. The more photos in your profile, the greater the likelihood of people believing it’s actually you.

3. Choosing your suitor

When choosing your suitor, sometimes all you have to go by is their profile picture and a few tid-bits about themselves. Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to steer away from profiles that only have a single photo, any profile pictures that feature tigers of any kind, topless selfies – or any selfies for that matter!

4. Congratulations! You have just matched!

Awesome – you have just matched with a suitor! Once you’ve started a conversation and had a chance to chat, it’s probably a good idea to give each other a call. Remember, don’t give out your number but request that they give you their number instead. Let’s be honest, at this point you wouldn’t know them from a bar of soap. Be safe and hide your number when you call your suitor. Once a phone call has been initiated, it’s a good idea to set a date to meet.

If your date suggests the following activities then they could be translated as:

  • Tea or Coffee: “I just want to meet and see how things go”
  • Dinner: “I want to get to know you a little”
  • Dinner with a reservation: They are organised and impressive, with a touch of maturity, this person knows what they want and wants to get to know you
  • A pre-organised event or gig: They are adventurous and nice, they want to get to know you and enjoy something with you (this is a really good sign!)
  • Late night drink: potential hook-up

Remember, don’t give your number out … Let’s be honest, at this point you wouldn’t know them from a bar of soap

If a date is not set within a week of your first chat encounter, it might be a good idea to keep your other options open. It’s a ruthless game, but there are plenty of fish out there and you don’t want to miss out.

5. Date Set! Perfect, but remember be safe

Great news! Your date has been set, now let’s be sensible. This is a person you have never met before, they don’t know anyone you know (most likely) and may turn out to be a little bit of creep. So let’s take some safety precautions:

  • Tell your friends–hell, shout it out from the rooftops! This is one of the few times where you need to let your loved ones know exactly where you are. Make sure your “Find my iPhone” setting is set to “ON”.
  • Meet somewhere very public
  • Text your bestie right before walking into the venue
  • Ask your bestie to give you a check up call within 15 minutes of arriving at your agreed destination

6. What to talk about? The Conversation – keep it light and fun

Just remember you are fabulous, fun and every one wants to be around you. Talk about the fun stuff, ask a silly question. My personal favourite is, “If they were an animal what would they be?”(Very insightful–if they answer, “shark”, RUN!).

7. Go with the flow

Sometimes nerves just overtake us when on a first date. I know because it has happened to me too. Just relax, enjoy and have a couple of drinks. But, don’t have too many! You want to feel composed and relaxed at the same time. A general rule is to alternate between alcoholic beverage and water, that way you remain sober for longer.

8. All went well, or maybe it didn’t?

The date may or may not have progressed as smoothly as you would have liked. It’s OK to leave whenever you want to. Even if all went well and you would like to progress things further, you can still wrap up the evening and leave. What matters is how comfortable you feel with the progression of the date, and if you feel safe.

9. Keep the communication channels traditional

Once the date is over, say your goodbyes and let them know if you are keen to see them again. In most circumstances suitors will message you to thank you for a lovely evening, but sometimes that does not occur. If you feel like it, text them the next day indicating that you had a lovely evening and you hope to see them sometime soon.

Talk about the fun stuff, ask a silly question

Keep the communication channels strictly to text and phone calls. Try to remove yourself from the dating platform that you were on. Believe me, you don’t want to be snooping around seeing when they last logged on. For your own sanity, do not connect on Facebook, or Snapchat, or Instagram or any other social channel for that matter. Sometimes it’s better to just go with the flow and see what unravels. The simpler the communication channels, the better. Think back to the good old days when we only had a landline – wasn’t it much simpler?

10. Have fun – don’t read too much into it

The date may have been great, but don’t read too much into it. It was a great moment, great experience and most likely great conversation. I bet you can’t wait to see them again. Ladies take note – at this point in time, do not create these wonderful fantasies and daydreams on what your wedding day will be like or how your children will look. Repeat after me: “It was just a date. It was just a date!”. If there is no call back, that’s all good–there are plenty of fish in the sea. Get back on that bandwagon, girl! What are you waiting for?

Featured photo credit: Nicki Dobrin via photopin cc

 

Meray-Azar-Leaders-in-Heels-profile-picMeray Azar

Meray Azar is founder of Epic Catch, the dating app that will change the dating rules forever. It all started with one First Date! When she asked the guy out, what followed was one amazing night out. After a debrief with the girls the next day, it was decided there could be only one solution: develop an app that will change the dating rules as we know it. An app that only allows nice guys and girls to join, where everyone will have the chance to go on an Epic Date with an Epic Catch!

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Christmas Gift Guide: 5 Geeky Gift Ideas

Most of you probably have that proud, self-proclaimed geek in your life. A child, niece or nephew, maybe your significant other. Here are five geeky gift ideas that will make that special geek very, very happy come Christmas.

Gaming console (PS4, XBox One)

ps4 xbox one
photo credit: tandemsystemsltd

Both Sony and Microsoft released their latest generation gaming consoles, the Playstation 4 and the Xbox One respectively, in November last year. Fast-forward one year, and both consoles have finally had their worst bugs ironed out, and a slew of great games released. If your special geek has gaming inclinations but neither of the new consoles, perhaps now is the time to start considering a very special gift under the tree this Christmas!

Premium subscriptions

psn plus
photo credit: NewGameNetwork

Sony and Microsoft offer premium subscriptions to their online gaming networks – PlayStation Plus for the Playstation line, and Xbox Live Gold for the Xbox line. They’re a necessity for multiplayer gaming on the latest generation consoles, but even those with the older generation will benefit. Both offer a selection of different free games every month and discounts on selected games for their members, for example. A free, ever-changing library of games is a gift that won’t be forgotten.

Incredibly lifelike figurines

joker

Hot Toys is a company that creates amazingly detailed, lifelike figurines targeting the pop culture market. Batman, the Joker, Iron Man, Han Solo (to get ready for the new Star Wars movies, of course!), to name some of the more popular characters. If you can find your special geek’s favourite franchises, there will probably be a Hot Toys model they’ll fall in love with.

Artbooks

hyrule historia

photo credit: Frandji

Artbooks are becoming increasingly popular these days, especially for video games. There are many beautifully bound and presented books to choose from, depending on your special geek’s interest. Do they love the Zelda games? Hyrule Historia. Assassin’s Creed fan? There are artbooks for most of the later games in the series, including the latest, Assassin’s Creed Unity. There’s also the amazingly evocative The Last of Us. Did they fall in love with the surprisingly emotional Journey? There’s an artbook for that, too. You can generally find an artbook for most recently released games, if you just look. Your video gaming geek will thank you for it.

Home automation goodness

belkin

These days there’s everything from app-controlled light switches and power switches, to smart locks that let you use your smartphone as your key and assign temporary keys to others. Practical? Perhaps, if you want to set up a light show remotely or let friends into your house while you’re away. Cool? To a geek, very much so.

featured image: Bukowsky18

Do you have any other gift ideas, or gifts that have gone over well in previous years? We’d love to hear about them in the comments!