CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-23 17:11:33 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

This is a real indian cave located in a 196 acre forest here in Upper Manhattan. #Inwood is dreamy.

Photo credit: Phil Blevins

2013-05-22 12:11:56 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

We found a small studio in the Caribbean, expanding is fun. Expect fresh coconut water and locally grown tropical fruit (Pineapple! Mango! Papaya! Avocado!) body and face soap bars on our website by September. 

http://taprootorganics.com

2013-05-19 01:49:50 (3 comments, 2 reshares, 4 +1s)

Celia Cruz & The Fania All Stars - Quimbara - Zaire, Africa 1974

2013-05-17 03:22:49 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 2 +1s)

2013-05-08 02:32:00 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

2013-05-03 00:45:14 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

The chocolate section at Zabar's, New York City.

We use it our Lavender Patchouli soap... To die for.

2013-04-25 12:40:54 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Visit our Taproot Organics table today until 5pm! (@ Foley Square Flea Market) [pic]: http://4sq.com/10Ci4UJ

2013-04-19 16:11:10 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

Why we love, and make, Shampoo Bars:
1. Travel - super easy to pack and go. No liquid maximums or accidents. TSA is grateful for making their jobs easier.

2. Ingredients - jojoba oil, hempseed oil, olive oil and many more moisturize without build up. Essential oils clean, fragrance, and soothe itchy scalps.

3. Long lasting - in our family of five, shampoo bars last twice as long as a big bottle of Pantene, costs the same without all the chemical sludge.

2013-04-15 14:39:07 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 9 +1s)

Thrilled to be included in the American Cancer Society's fundraiser, 8th Annual Taste of Hope. We used a classic white kitchen colander, a blue and white striped kitchen towel, and included foodie-type soap bars:

Grapefruit Margarita
Lime Mojito
Organic Rooibos Tea
Cocoa Face, 
Lemongrass Mint
Chamomile Tea Shampoo
Lavender Lemongrass
and of course the all time favorite Goat Milk, Oats + Honey.

Cedarwood Soap Deck is handcut by a retiree across the country. He did a really great job. All natural loofah shower scrub has terry on the other side - a great way to scrub and buff.

Lots of fun creating this basket - this is before the bows and such were applied.  

Thanks to Elite Rubin Raia for the invite!

http://taprootorganics.com photo credit: Rich Raia

2013-04-13 18:18:31 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

* waves* hello from Greenpoint, Brooklyn! Our first day out under our new brand name, Taproot Organics. #happinessis  

2013-04-10 19:00:56 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

Lovely day on the famous Arthur Avenue. Celebrating Stella and Gabriel's fourth birthday with authentic Italian food and gelato. Delish!

#Bronx #NYC

2013-04-08 13:10:59 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

What a great Miami weekend, wedding, startups, public art

Thank you so much to +Hugh MacLeod and his beautiful bride Annush Christina, who got married Saturday night. For those who don't know, Hugh is one of my favorite artists and got his start drawing funny little cartoons on the backs of business cards and putting them up on http://gapingvoid.com

That got us to Miami, we'd never been before. Tomorrow I head to Shanghai, China, where I'll speak at the Bluetooth World conference https://www.bluetooth.org/en-us. 

While there we had a great tour of Miami from Vincent Martinez and Karen Bigorra. We met on Facebook and they took us to every part of what makes Miami great.

While there we visited the Lab, a startup incubator, and I did a couple of interviews that are worth listening to. First is with the co-founder of the Lab (where 70 startups areg... more »

2013-04-05 12:54:58 (1 comments, 2 reshares, 8 +1s)

2013-04-03 14:18:09 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

I miss the old days.

2013-03-26 18:02:35 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

They grow up so fast.

2013-02-22 22:08:36 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

And so it continues. 

This service issue has affected our small home biz so awesomely that I've started ordering supplies in such large quantities just so my suppliers are forced to use UPS. 

Anyone need (soapmaking) oils, butters, essential oils, clays, or botanicals? I could be your new small-buy dealer.

http://violinistunderground.blogspot.com/2013/02/lessons-from-dreaded-post-office.html

2013-02-14 15:39:02 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

Happy Valentine's Day to the lovers of kind people, adventurous places, and delicious things...

2013-02-13 15:48:06 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

"Want to know what I’m interested in right now? The most? Do it yourself learners. The people like you who like to create your own education instead of waiting around for it, who seek out what matters most to what you intend to do with your career or your life. But that’s me."

Bingo.

2013-02-01 17:59:04 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

A new rabbit hole. The tag #ManCave  is especially fun.

2013-02-01 16:54:08 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 9 +1s)

Growing Pains: The Art of Shutting Up.

There are things we have to leave behind in order to grow. After a year of soaping, we have loftier goals, but it means making a few changes, again. And again. My inner voice is complaining. "But our batches are finally pretty! And we just learned the faux funnel technique! Moving is so expensive." And then I'm reminded... this isn't a hobby anymore, it's a business. At least once a week I have to fight my very own inner voice into not complaining. To redirect my energy into mindful silence, remind myself to switch gears back into solution-based thinking, and problem solving. It is not easy. 

Complaining and doing nothing is far easier when I feel lazy.

FACT: Lazy people don't get things done.

Shut up, get uncomfortable, set small goals, take action. 
Do it again.

BenjaminA... more »

2013-01-28 19:01:15 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

Mint To Be.

The second bar in our Valentine's day "Candy and Flowers" theme artisan soap bar gift bundle. Spearmint and Peppermint essential oils leave skin very tingly. Kind of like that first date. 

2013-01-24 06:30:25 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 7 +1s)

Tar Beach.

Handmade olive oil soap, with Coney Island sand, pumice, activated charcoal, Tea Tree and Peppermint essential oils.

2013-01-22 04:52:00 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

2013-01-21 22:38:18 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

2013-01-21 22:27:19 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now."

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

2013-01-20 20:46:33 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Best thing I've watched today.

"Do we want to be a nation of deaf mutes, or do we wanna grow a thicker skin, and bigger middle fingers?"

2013-01-12 16:22:23 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

"My experiment was that I didn’t tell my editors that I was in a jungle, rather than in my home office. I wanted to see if they could tell that anything was different. They couldn’t. But I could." -- +Mike Elgan 

2013-01-09 03:06:23 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 2 +1s)

Joshua Fisher: You Have Been PLUS BOMBED!

Dear +Joshua Fisher congratulations! You have been the unwitting first benefactor of the efforts of a special underground, not-so-underground Community here on Google+, the PLUS BOMBERS (https://plus.google.com/communities/115264326727742493501)

The Plus Bombers are a group of people dedicated to finding a G+ user who is posting Really Great Stuff but not getting the following or recognition he or she deserves. We organize a campaign around a great post by that person, and at the appointed time we do everything we can to spread that post and encourage people to follow our "victim."

We're still relatively small (108 members), so we didn't exactly take you to What's Hot, but I think we did pretty well. According to the Ripples for your Volvo Auto Show photo album, it was shared by 50 people since... more »

2013-01-09 03:09:38 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Dreaming of Spring... What will Men want? What will their Lovers steal from them?

#Body #Spa #Soapmaking

2013-01-07 19:57:49 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

#zerowaste   #zerowastestrategy  

We slice our soap fresh at the table, on demand, but it still goes into a kraft paper bag. Our wholesale accounts ask for packaging, even though we are really against it. So we use biodegradable smell-through shrink wrap. We can do better.

Excited that Zero Waste is slowly becoming an expectation.

2013-01-07 16:28:56 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Looking for ways to trim down time spent in Operations and immediately become more efficient? Consider this.

"Now I’ve got Communities. I’ve got Events. I’ve got Pages. And Hangouts and Circles integrate seamlessly with each of these things. And they are nicely integrated with Gmail and Calendar. And suddenly I can do On-Air Hangouts. And I can record them automatically and save them to my YouTube channel. Keep playing for another few years, user by user, company by company, integrated feature by integrated feature."

2013-01-07 16:16:51 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

There are 181,000 social media 'gurus,' 'ninjas,' 'masters,' and 'mavens' on Twitter.

+B.L. Ochman points out in Ad Age that there are 181,000 people on Twitter who label themselves experts on social media. 

That's up from 16,000 in 2009. 

Bonus data: There are only 174 people who call themselves "social media whores" on Twitter. 

http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/181-000-social-media-gurus-ninjas-masters-mavens-twitter/239026/

2013-01-07 09:28:43 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

"You needn't be reasonable. Being reasonable means lowering your standards & doing what everyone else expects you to do. Be unreasonable." -- +Joshua Fields Millburn

2013-01-04 15:08:10 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

Facebook still owns your personal photos and information even after you delete your account.

The truth is that nearly all users have no idea what they're legally agreeing to when they sign up for social networks. 

The UK's Telegraph has a nice, super simple summary of some aspects of each network's terms of service. 

For example, Facebook's 14,000-word terms of service gives Facebook the legal right to "use your content in any way it sees fit... Facebook can transfer or sub-license its rights over a user’s content to another company or organisation if needed. Facebook’s license does not end upon the deactivation or deletion of a user’s account."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/social-media/9780565/Facebook-terms-and-conditions-why-you-dont-own-your-online-life.html

2013-01-04 14:38:33 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Public Communities vs Circles
Where do we post? My two cents on this issue.

Google+ community team has decided to put all posts under one tab in the profile. Therefore if we send the same post to different audiences the post will appear multiple times. This fact should not influence our posting decisions.
Google should provide a separate tab for community posts in the profile with the option to hide it.
Google communities posts should not appear in the main stream
I encourage everyone to send feedback.

Circles are suited for following people.
Communities are suited for following a particular interest.

+Fraser Cain has issued a 30-day challenge suggesting that we only post to communities and stop posting outside of them. The reasoning is that if anyone wants space posts from Fraser all they have to do is join his... more »

2013-01-03 20:16:59 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 2 +1s)

Another no brainer.

2013-01-03 16:18:10 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

At the top of the steps, there is a clearing where we would let our dogs play off leash. We met at the dog run but spent most of our romantic dates walking pups in the only forest in Manhattan, Inwood Hill Park. With 196 acres, it was easy to get lost. Then in our stories, today in my thoughts. We were married in this overlooked, mostly empty Park. All these years later, it still feels like a local secret. One of a few we collectively keep.

There's a place I love more than here now... The Ocean views in Puerto Rico. Looking forward to traveling soon, but this magical place will always be home.

2013-01-02 12:58:02 (9 comments, 1 reshares, 2 +1s)

We pour our soap batter into slabs, then cut into loaves. The last step is slicing bars on demand, depending how much our clients prefer. Just like cheese.

Right now we charge by the bar, but soon our soap will be priced by the ounce.

This is Lavender Patchouli, a top seller with both men and women. These loaves have cured over six weeks. Very excited to cut into it today. The swirl is always a surprise for us.

2012-12-31 15:31:10 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 10 +1s)

Brand new year, 100% more ass kicking. This photo is my computer background. Every time we sit down to work, I stare at this photo first. We got a lot done this year because of it.

2012-12-30 05:31:38 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

New Rule: for every one thing gifted, two items donated.

2012-12-28 15:09:13 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

"Never let someone's opinion become your reality. Never sacrifice who you are because someone else has a problem with it. Love who you are inside and out."

-- Les Brown 

2012-12-28 14:59:04 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

#Quote #lifelessons #mindful #mindfulness

As I approach 2 years of daily mindful meditation, even the tiniest of details become more focused and seek my attention. My bedroom window faces a church, and I stared at the brick wall for a good 20 mins, thinking of the gentlemen who mixed, poured, climbed up on ladders, and placed each brick in place just so.

Everything was built from nothing.

What are you building?

2012-12-28 14:06:04 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Google Plus Rules of Engagement

These are not the 10 commandments. Just a basic list of things you should consider when you interact with others and what to expect as a result.

1) Followers are not a free gift granted for completing your profile.
Unless you are a celebrity or a known brand you will have to build your own audience.

2) Signing up does not entitle you to interesting stuff streaming in your home page.
All you get it's "What's Hot". Probably the most overrated content in G+. If you don't like it, you can remove it with the tool provided.
You will have to build your circles, follow people that post things you like, get rid of or reduce the noise of people that post things you don't like with sliders.

3) You must listen before you ask to be heard.
At the beginning you won't... more »

2012-12-28 13:55:47 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Reading a lot of trend articles that say Facebook has been a huge disappointment with regards to marketing small business. I know many of the most dedicated Plussers have given up on FB a long time ago. I'll say that our Soap Co has a very nice following on our FB fanpage, but friends and neighbors can only buy so much soap. To extend our reach, I'll need to do something completely different this new year.

In switching my private profile to a public fanpage this week, my personal history, including all the content I've created along with my groups and lead threads, all disappeared. At first I was concerrned this would affect my business. I've spent almost a year cultivating relationships and the written foundations, proof if you will, are completely gone.

But as each day passes, it feels like a blessing. My reluctance to walk away from things big and small, currently... more »

2012-12-27 19:09:59 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 2 +1s)

So you've done the work and now you have this thing that you live and breathe, but nobody knows about it. Too many articles about how Social Media is AWESOME. Well, of course your friends and family love you but that's not enough.

Look around and see what everyone else is doing, and don't do that. OR... do that, but in a completely different way.

New spins keep things fresh. I'm going to incorporate some these tips & tricks this year.

http://www.fastcompany.com/3004124/13-bold-marketing-moves-try-2013?utm_source=facebook

2012-12-27 16:25:08 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

Hugs are free. Why saying Thank You matters.

Well, for the usual reasons I suppose... It's good manners, and when we are grateful we should say so. Often. 

Daniel and I composed a thank you email to a market organizer in Riverdale. She took a chance on us just a few short weeks after we sold our first handmade olive oil soap bar last Spring, and thanks to her weekly market we now have many regular clients using our home delivery service in the Riverdale area. 

She was touched enough to share our email with her Executive Director, who then offered us a space in their Beads For Hope Charity parties. One short email of gratitude landed us a 3 day gig. As we toured the party area yesterday, we told Cynthia how much her kindness has changed our business. Word of Mouth is huge, and because of her giving us (Inwoodites) a shot and a space, our micro-business has growno... more »

2012-12-26 06:57:22 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Instagram’s New Arbitration Clause & How to Opt Out.
In addition to many other controversial changes in Instagram’s updated terms of service agreement, there is also a new arbitration clause that involves waiving the right to a class-action lawsuit. The TOS goes into effect on Jan. 19, 2013. Fortunately, has you can opt-out by sending the following letter directly to Instagram stating your refusal to agree to arbitration.

2012-12-26 06:45:43 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Momsomnia. There's no emoticon for it.

I'm loving Google+ Communities. Joined quite a few and was invited to many. Thank you! SO much easier to follow like-minded folks by interest.

Do you have any favorite Communities?

Photography doesn't count. =P

2012-12-25 22:09:01 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Welcome to the Inwood Community on Google+! 

Please post notes, photos and links relevant to Inwood and its inhabitants here, in one of the appropriate posting categories listed to the left.

The photo I used to get us started is just a placeholder. Please nominate other, better photos!

2012-12-24 15:32:52 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

The Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild has been an incredible resource for industry news. Very proud to be Members! Remember to shop small and locally!

Happy Holidays!