How HVAC BRAIN Successfully Hired A B2B Social Media Pro

For the past five years, Hiroshi Saito, a serial entrepreneur with a passion for marketing, has looked to the Upwork website to find top talent to support the development of his ideas and businesses.

Most recently, Hiroshi decided it was time to take his current company’s social media presence to the next level: Within a few days was able to find an amazing social media manager with the B2B experience he knows will help his company grow.

Hiroshi is a co-founder and principal of HVAC BRAIN, an online supplier of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) supplies to facilities and institutions such as factories, manufacturing plants, hospitals, universities and other large buildings. Started in 2012 in Cleveland, OH, HVAC BRAIN now carries more than 60,000 products and services clients across the country.

The company was able to facilitate this growth by enlisting the skills and talents of almost 40 different freelancers over the past few years, including 18 that are currently engaged on some level.

“I appreciate all the help and support Upwork has given our company in sourcing and collaborating with a talented team of geographically distributed freelancers as our company has grown.”
— Hiroshi Saito, HVAC BRAIN Co-founder

Building the infrastructure of the business was the focus of the first few years. Hiroshi leaned on freelancers initially to get the website up and running, with help from graphic designers, web and e-commerce developers, and search engine optimization experts.

Hiroshi’s main focus now is growing HVAC BRAIN’s marketing efforts to connect with more customers and drive sales—which is why he went looking for a social media expert.

Social media management (SMM) is one of the fastest growing skills on Upwork, according to the latest Upwork Skills Index. Not only did Hiroshi need someone well versed in the latest social media tools and trends, but he needed someone with proven success in B2B marketing who could deliver measurable results.

Hiroshi feels he can find talent most efficiently by investing time to search for freelancers he think will be a good fit. After creating a detailed project description, he invites the people he’s identified to apply. For the social media project, he narrowed it down to a pool of 20 qualified freelancers; within a few days, he’d reviewed a number of proposals and set up interviews with the top four freelancers.

One freelancer in particular stood out above the rest, meeting all the tangible and intangible requirements for this critical project—a perfect match to help expand HVAC BRAIN’s social presence.

Hiroshi and HVAC BRAIN are a great example of how a business of any size in any industry can leverage the latest technology trends and skills needed to build a vibrant business that can thrive in the competitive business landscape.

If you are looking for support for your social media efforts, too, Upwork’s Hiring Headquarters has specific insights to help you create a social media job description and how to hire the right freelancer, as well as the latest ideas for harnessing social media and improving your marketing efforts.

The post How HVAC BRAIN Successfully Hired A B2B Social Media Pro appeared first on Upwork Blog.

from Upwork Blog http://ift.tt/2oYmFlT

How to Deal with Henna in Your Client’s Hair

April 2017 Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver Statistics Package with Charts

April 2017 Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver Statistics Package with Charts from Mike Stewart

Condominiums and townhomes in high demand across Metro Vancouver

Demand for condominiums and townhomes continues to drive the Metro Vancouver* housing market.

Residential property sales in the region totalled 3,553 in April 2017, a 25.7 per cent decline compared to April 2016 when 4,781 homes sold and a 0.7 per cent decrease from the 3,579 sales recorded in March 2017.

April sales were 4.8 per cent above the 10-year average for the month.

For the first four months of the year, condominium and townhome sales have comprised a larger percentage of all residential sales on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in Metro Vancouver. Over this time, they’ve accounted for 68.5 per cent, on average, of all residential sales. This is up 10 per cent from the 58.2 per cent average over the same period last year.

“Our overall market is operating below the record-setting pace from a year ago and is in line with historical spring levels. It’s a different story in our condominium and townhome markets,” Jill Oudil, Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) president said. “Demand has been increasing for months and supply is not keeping pace. This dynamic is causing prices to increase and making multiple offer scenarios the norm.”

New listings for detached, attached and apartment properties in Metro Vancouver totalled 4,907 in April 2017. This represents a decrease of 19.9 per cent compared to the 6,127 units listed in April 2016 and a three per cent increase compared to March 2017 when 4,762 properties were listed.

The total number of residential properties currently listed for sale on the MLS® system in Metro Vancouver is 7,813, a 3.5 per cent increase compared to April 2016 (7,550) and a three per cent increase compared to March 2017 (7,586).

The sales-to-active listings ratio for April 2017 is 45.5 per cent for all property types. This is two per cent below March 2017 and is indicative of a sellers’ market. Generally, analysts say that downward pressure on home prices occurs when the ratio dips below the 12 per cent mark for a sustained period, while home prices often experience upward pressure when it surpasses 20 per cent over several months.

By property type, the sales-to-active listings ratio is 26 per cent for detached homes, 58.2 per cent for townhomes, and 82.2 per cent for condominiums.

“Until more entry level, or ‘missing middle’, homes are available for sale in our market, we’ll likely continue to see prices increase,” Oudil said. “There’s been record building this past year, but much of that inventory isn’t ready to hit the market.”

The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver is currently $941,100. This represents a five per cent increase over the past three months and an 11.4 per cent increase compared to April 2016.

Over the last three months, the benchmark price of condominiums has seen the largest increase in the region at 8.2 per cent, followed by townhomes at 5.3 per cent, and detached homes at 2.8 per cent.

“Home buyers are looking to get into the market and they’re facing fierce competition,” Oudil said. “It’s important to work with your local Realtor to help you navigate today’s marketplace.”

Sales of detached properties in April 2017 reached 1,211, a decrease of 38.8 per cent from the 1,979 detached sales recorded in April 2016. The benchmark price for detached properties is $1,516,500. This represents an 8.1 per cent increase over the last 12 months and a 1.8 per cent increase compared to March 2017.

Sales of apartment, or condominium, properties reached 1,722 in April 2017, a decrease of 18.3 per cent compared to the 2,107 sales in April 2016.The benchmark price of an apartment property is $554,100. This represents a 16.6 per cent increase over the past 12 months and a 3.1 per cent increase compared to March 2017.

Attached, or townhome, property sales in April 2017 totalled 620, a decrease of 10.8 per cent compared to the 695 sales in April 2016. The benchmark price of an attached unit is $701,800. This represents a 15.3 per cent increase over the past 12 months and a 2.4 per cent increase compared to March 2017.

The post April 2017 Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver Statistics Package with Charts appeared first on Mike Stewart.

from Blog – Mike Stewart http://ift.tt/2pUhROg

9 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Do Necessary but Less-than-desirable Tasks

You look at your to-do list and a feeling of dread washes over you. Your least favorite task jumps off the page, mocking you, knowing that if you don’t get it done, you won’t be able to finish your work day. Does this sound familiar?

Maybe it’s personal business admin, maybe it’s one small piece of an otherwise awesome project, but either way, it can’t be ignored—and no amount of procrastinating will make it any less painful.

We asked the Upwork Facebook community to let us in on their secrets for successfully completing tasks they don’t like to do. Here is a sampling of the awesome tips they had to offer.

---

“If it’s a huge project I break it into chunks. So for long articles, I’ll do basic research and an outline, take a break and do something else. Then I’ll come back and start writing little chunks at a time. Other times, I’ll just set a timer and make myself work for 30 minutes on whatever it is. You can get a whole lot of stuff you don’t like doing done in 30 minutes. (It works for cleaning the house too!) Also, occasionally, I go all ‘Rocky’ and jump around giving myself a pep talk. It’s a good thing I work from home, because the ‘Come on Angela, just get this done and then you can take a break,’ jump-chant would look really moronic in an office.”
— Angela Gingerich Brown

“I think about how much happier I am working as a freelancer on my own terms than [I would be] in an office [doing a] 9-5, and that perspective makes even the worst of tasks look like cake.”
— Melanie Lech

“I just look at my vision board. I have a photo of a home office that I want and I say to myself, ‘completing this task will let me have my dream home office.’ After that, I feel inspired and motivated to work.”
— Loida Shiroma Dofiles

“I set a reward for that particular task. It may be a feast in my favorite restaurant or a small gadget. A compensation always pays off for such tasks and it gets done.”
— Ekhtearul Islam Neero

“Most of the time I automate the stuff I dislike doing! Don’t push yourself into tasks you dislike doing, automate them. Live your life with the DRY principle in mind. (*DRY = Don’t repeat yourself.)”
– Ylber Veliu

“I turn it into a game. For example, ‘I wonder if I can finish all my tax prep in two hours or less,’ or ‘Can I load the dishwasher by the time this song is complete?’ It makes it a lot more fun!”
– Laura Pennington

“I think of how my work will bring value to my client’s organization. No matter how mundane or boring a task is, it will still contribute to the success of my client’s projects and business. It will also serve as a stepping stone for me to gain more experience and acquire more skills. There is something to learn from every task even if I dislike it.”
— Gel

“It’s usually a smaller part of the project that I might not like doing. Taking care of myself—things like exercise, getting enough sleep, eating right, and drinking enough water—helps keep energy levels up and manage stress. Remembering why the client and I decided to work together in the first place, and wowing the client after a job well done, are enough for me.”
– Cartrell Hampton

“Balance the work tasks you don’t like with tasks you enjoy—and always make the time to blend in your non-work-related life joys. Only there in the balance can productivity really soar.”
– Shari Cruz

How do you motivate yourself to complete the tasks you dislike doing? Tell us in the comments!

Editor’s note: Responses edited for grammar, spelling, and clarity. The statements above are those of their authors and do not constitute the views or opinions of Upwork.

The post 9 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Do Necessary but Less-than-desirable Tasks appeared first on Upwork Blog.

from Upwork Blog http://ift.tt/2prQGZL

French by Coromandel – Availability, Plans & Prices

At a Glance

• quiet Granville Corridor residential street
• boutique collection of 9 townhomes
• modern 3-bedroom residences
• walking distance to shops, restaurants, services
• near McCleery Golf Course & Southlands Riding Club
• good access to downtown Vancouver, Richmond, YVR Airport, UBC

Refined, Walkable Lifestyle

From the development team that brought you The Leveson across the lane, comes French, an exclusive collection of nine 3-storey courtyard rowhouses. These refined, modern 3-bedroom residences on Vancouver’s West Side are ideally situated in close proximity to schools, recreation, shopping, restaurants, and professional services. With convenient transportation connections to Downtown Vancouver, UBC, Richmond, YVR Airport, and Highway 99 south to the border, you’re more connected than it seems.

VIPSignupList page=”French”]

Pricing for French
As this development is in its pre-construction phase, pricing has not yet been finalized. We recommend you subscribe to our French VIP list above to ensure timely notification of any updates.

Floor Plans for French
Final plans for these 3-bedroom residences have not yet been made public. However, those with a strong interest in purchasing a French townhouse should contact me to discuss suitable plans and availability.

Amenities at French
This boutique residential community features sheltered private entrances and lushly-landscaped patios facing a central courtyard.

Parking and Storage
Each home has ample storage space and its own secured underground parking with private garage.

Maintenance Fees at French
To be included with final pricing information.

Developer Team for French
Coromandel Properties is a commercial and multi-residential property developer that works with clients and communities to create inspired environments. They combine the latest advances in technology, while being sensitive to the unique nature of each location and the responsible use of resources.

Coromandel has partnered again with Gateway Architecture to design French. Gateway is a progressive, award-winning team with vast expertise in all aspects of residential and commercial architecture and interior design.

Expected Completion for French
To be announced. Sales launch is expected some time in 2018.

Are you interested in learning more about other homes in the Cambie Corridor, Kerrisdale, or South Vancouver?

Check out these great Kerrisdale Presales!

The post French by Coromandel – Availability, Plans & Prices appeared first on Mike Stewart.

from Blog – Mike Stewart http://ift.tt/2qpWx0d

WeWork Hub Helps Link Growing SMBs with Top Talent through Upwork

WeWork recently launched the WeWork Services Store, an integrated hub that will help streamline business services for their U.S.-based members by consolidating multiple services and subscriptions into one invoice. This hub simplifies the process of finding, managing, and purchasing services from 100+ best-in-class service providers—including Upwork.

WeWork and Upwork are a natural partnership; both have communities of businesses and entrepreneurs who see flexible work as a smarter and better way to get things done. For clients who are also WeWork members, this is a unique opportunity to access premium talent with simplified billing and without the upfront fee of services such as Upwork Pro. For Upwork’s freelance community, this partnership offers a new stream of great projects from other forward-looking businesses.

“Rigid constraints on where and when people work are a relic of the past,” said Stephane Kasriel, CEO of Upwork. “By finding freelancers via Upwork, entrepreneurs can gain fast, easy access to talent rather than make hires they don’t yet have an ongoing need for.”

“This is the way businesses are increasingly connecting with pros and finding the skills they need to innovate.” — Stephane Kasriel, CEO of Upwork

Through the Services Store, WeWork members will have access to the same features and services available to Fortune 500 companies through Upwork Enterprise at an SMB-friendly price: dedicated hiring assistance for each project and access to premium freelancers and agencies.

Members will also have the benefit of simplified billing, since all project-related spend can be paid through a single WeWork invoice.

If you’re already a WeWork member, learn more from the WeWork Services Store – Upwork Enterprise. If you’re not part of the WeWork community and are interested in finding premium freelancers, handpicked for your consideration, learn how Upwork Pro can help you.

If you’re a freelancer who wants to level-up your business, learn more about joining Upwork’s Premium Freelancer Programs, where we help top talent connect with the best projects.

The post WeWork Hub Helps Link Growing SMBs with Top Talent through Upwork appeared first on Upwork Blog.

from Upwork Blog http://ift.tt/2pOFg3s

Trending Hair Colors This Week

Pinks and blondes may come as no surprise as Spring favorites but this week, our #HolisticHairTribe gave these pretty hues a makeover. Still unsure what hair color you want this season? Maybe this set can give you some inspiration.

Check out the trending hair colors from our community this week:

Hazy Ash Hair Color Formula

Hair by Laura Blackwell

With this Hazy Ash hair color, Laura just took smokey blonde to a whole new level. The asymmetrical bob hairstyle also gave the hair more dimension, making the color pop even more.

Color: O&M Mineral.CCT 9/16 Very Light Ash Violet Blonde with O&M Mineral.CCT 5 Volume SEMI Cream Activator

Processing Time: 20 mins

Rose Gold Hair Color Formula

Hair by Caitlin Helle

Rose gold is one of the prettiest hair trends to hit the beauty industry, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that people still can’t get enough of this color. The pink-meets-golden blonde hair is the perfect transition color for anyone looking to go bolder in the future.

Balayage: Oway Hbleach Butter Cream Lightener

Toner: Oway Hcolor 11.17 Frosted Platinum + Oway Hcolor 6.62 Irisee Red Dark Blonde

Golden Dirty Blonde Hair Color Formula

Hair by Tara Dawn

This Spring, you can never go wrong with a soft shadow root balayage. Not only does this give a refreshing twist to your hair color, it also helps you grow out your roots gracefully.

Base Color: O&M Mineral.CCT 5/75 Light Chocolate Brown + O&M Mineral.CCT 6/75 Dark Chocolate Blonde with O&M Mineral.CCT 5 Volume SEMI Cream Activator

Balayage: O&M Ammonia Free Keratin Powder Lightener with O&M Mineral.CCT 10 Volume DEPOSIT Cream Activator + O&M Mineral.CCT 20 Volume COVERAGE Cream Activator

Toner (Ends): O&M Mineral.CCT 10/3 Lightest Golden Blonde + O&M Mineral.CCT 10/03 Lightest Beige Blonde with O&M Mineral.CCT 5 Volume SEMI Cream Activator

Toner (Mids): O&M Mineral.CCT 9/03 Very Light Beige Blonde with O&M Mineral.CCT 5 Volume SEMI Cream Activator

Warm Honey Hair Color Formula

Hair by Meredith Johnson

There’s nothing we love more than a multi-tonal hair color. Hair colors like this Warm Honey blonde by Meredith is perfect for enhancing the natural warmth of your client’s complexion.

Full Balayage (Foils): Oway Hbleach Butter Cream Lightener + Oway Hcatalyst 20 Volume Cream Developer

Base Color/Shadow Root (with slight pull through): Oway Hcolor 6.1 Ash Dark Blonde with a Baby Pinch of Oway Hcolor 1.8 Blue Black + Oway Htone 9 Volume Cream Developer

Toner: 10g Oway Hcolor 11.17 Frosted Platinum + 20g Oway Hcolor 90.11 Intense Ash Super Bleaching Blonde + Oway Hcolor 0.1 Ash Booster + Oway Hcolor 0.8 Blue Booster (Baby Pinch with the Boosters)

Pink Blush Hair Color Formula

Hair by Mandala Holistic Hair and Wellness Studio

If you’re not into bright pink, perhaps this Pink Blush color from Mandala is the shade you’re looking for? It’s subtle but still has the quirky factor to it.

Bleached Hair

Toner: Oway Hcolor 11.17 Frosted Platinum + Oway Hcolor 0.6 Red Booster + Oway Hcolor 0.1 Ash Booster with Oway Htone 9 Volume Cream Developer

Crimson Copper Hair Color Formula

Hair by Bekah Salazar

Red hair colors are vibrant and stunning, so it’s not surprising many people go for this hue. But like many other hair colors, getting the right shade for your skin tone is important. And by the looks of it, Bekah got it perfectly for this one.

Base: ½ oz Oway Hcolor 5.6 Red Light Brown + ¾ oz Oway Hcolor 7.6 Red Blonde + 1 ¼ oz Oway Hcolor 6.44 Deep Coppery Dark Blonde + Oway Htone 9 Volume Cream Developer

Ends: ⅓ oz Oway Hcolor 5.6 Red Light Brown + 1 oz Oway Hcolor 7.6 Red Blonde + ¾ oz Oway Hcolor 7.44 Deep Coppery Blonde + ¾ oz Oway Hcolor 6.44 Deep Coppery Dark Blonde + Oway Hcatalyst 20 Volume Cream Developer

Which are your favorites this week?

from Simply Organic Beauty http://ift.tt/2qf35S1