Give Back on Giving Tuesday

So today is Giving Tuesday. Basically, after all of the consumerism of the past few days, today’s the day to give back. We dig it!

Between the two of us, we sit on various boards & committees & participate in events for some great non-profits & they could all use your help.

Check ‘em out below and whether you can help them or not, do something today that gives back.

#GivingTuesday

Spread the word. Pay it forward. Give back!

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From Danita Maldonado:

Recording Library of West Texas -  www.facebook.com/recordinglibrary

I have sat on this Board for 3 years now and am the incoming 2013 Secretary. We record books, newspapers, magazines and textbooks for those with vision impairments, those with learning disabilities and those who can’t access the written word.

As an avid reader, I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t read things like street signs or phone numbers, but take away my books?? Oh no! This program brings the written word back to life for so many people who are suffering from things like blindness, macular diseases and other impairments and even learning disabilities like dyslexia.

In my 3 years with the program, we’ve seen technology take over and help our clients. Our offerings increased from our basic telephone reader, to things like podcasts, mobile apps and now, our very own radio station – RLWT!

We always need volunteers to read material. We could especially use Spanish speakers. Our new radio station is broadcast on a special signal & through a special radio. We could use sponsors for these radios. Whether you can sponsor 1 or 100, someone out there will be forever grateful! We are also looking for sponsors for programs on our station – from the weather to grocery ads, we have a really great avenue for advertising while helping us out in the process! (Our internet stats are pretty impressive, too!)

American Diabetes Association – Permian Basin – www.facebook.com/ADAPermianBasin

I have just finished my first stint on this year’s Step Out Walk to Stop Diabetes Committee in Midland and this was my 2nd participating year in the Odessa Step Out Walk.

Diabetes has affected my family, so this cause hits very close to home.

We are always looking for volunteers for just about everything we do – from our committees for our Step Out Walks in both Midland and Odessa, to fundraising captains to walkers to showing up on Walk day & helping us setup and tear down.

In addition, we are always looking for sponsors to underwrite our Walks & recognition awards. All money raised here, stays here, so consider a donation, too!

(Also, check out their page for a special #GivingTuesday promotion. Donate to a Step Out Walker & get them entered for a trip to Hawaii!)

Junior Achievement of the Permian Basin – www.facebook.com/JAPermianBasin

I was flattered when JA asked me to be a part of their Board this year. As someone who believes that a great education along with great mentoring can go a long way, this organization had my name written all over it. I’m extremely excited to begin working on the great things we’ll be doing in the coming months.

If you’re in the education industry, we need you! We are looking to add more schools in the Permian Basin to our growing list. We are also looking for mentors and speakers. We also have various events throughout the year (like next week’s Jingle Bell Run!) that always need sponsors.

Consider volunteering or donating some time or money. We could use it!
These are causes that both of us hold near and dear to our hearts. Please consider giving back to one of these great organizations or give back to one in your neighborhood!

From Raquel Pena:

This year, I embarked on a major endeavor! I decided to train for a half-marathon and raise $1,500.00 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through Team In Training. Not only did I make a lifestyle change, but I added on the task of helping others in need. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society not only funds blood cancer research, but they also help those that are currently undergoing treatment.

It’s important to help those that are battling cancer. When someone in your family has cancer, everyone does. LLS is a community to assist financially and emotionally. Through Team In Training, we band together against blood cancers. Before each practice, we listen to a story about someone affected by blood cancer and dedicate our practice to them. We wake up at the crack of dawn for this person, run in 110 degree heat, stand at the corner with a bucket for money, sell t-shirts, hold concerts, write letters, and anything else we can do for this person.

It’s not just one person. It’s THE person battling cancer or blood cancers. It’s about the family supporting this person. It’s about everyone who could or who has been affected by blood cancer. Knowing that you can actually help someone in need keeps you going in your plight to train. As soon as you step foot on the track, running in 110 degrees seems so trivial. This is the very least I could for someone that’s going through the worst.

Consider a donation….or push yourself to do something you never thought you could in their name.

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BLAZE is extremely proud to be involved in our communities. On this Giving Tuesday, consider doing something for others.

#GivingTuesday

www.facebook.com/blazesocialfirm

HELP: I Need a New Laptop – Any Recommendations?

Hey guys - 

Danita here. Since launching BLAZE, a Social Media Firm two months ago, I’ve been amazed at the support and success that we’ve already experienced, thus far. It’s been a pretty amazing ride. 

Because things have happened so quickly, I’ve found myself taking on a little more work than my poor Dell laptop is able to keep up with. 

When I bought this computer, I had just had my daughter. While on maternity leave, it proved my saving grace, but I wasn’t using it for anything in particular. It was just a computer to go online and do the random doc or something. This was almost 5 years ago. Facebook was barely around. I was in a completely different career. I was a completely different person. 

It’s been with me through a lot and has proven to be a great computer. I love this Dell. It’s done everything I’ve needed it to do…until now. 

This computer is old and the ways that I use it have completely changed. Whereas before, it was just for my casual entertainment, it’s now my life-line to making sure the mortgage is paid and the electricity isn’t cut off and my daughter’s daycare is taken care of. 

In terms of what I use it for, I’m now basing my entire business in the online/digital world. Everything I do, I do online. So, I’m on it….all day….every day. I need to be connected everywhere I go. It’s now essential to what I do. 

So, now, I need your help. 

I’m ready to make an investment in a new laptop.

I’m down with waiting til next week and getting a new one already pre-loaded with Windows 8 or I’ll stay on 7, I’m cool either way. But more importantly, here’s what I need:

Portability – I take my computer everywhere. Whether I use it or not, it’s with me. I am currently on a 15 inch screen, I DO NOT want anything bigger. If I can have the same power on a smaller screen, that would be preferable. The lighter the better. 

Durability – I’m hard on my laptop only because I’m on it every single day…all day. I’ve popped off keys on this one, so I tend to pound the keys, but I also type 70+ wpm, so that can happen.  

Power – While I’m not a gamer and I don’t do any graphics or video or audio production of my own, I still deal with tons of these files and I will have very specific programs that need that kind of power behind them – video editing programs, photo editing programs, social media programs, etc. 

I’m not loyal to a brand – and if you MAC peeps wanna try to make me spend $2Gs on a laptop, y’all go right on ahead and try, but I just can’t drop that at the moment and the computer is an extremely high priority.  (Unless someone wants to donate one!?) 

I’ve done most of the ‘build your own’ sites already, but I’m more interested in hands-on experience or geeky tech knowledge. 

While I’m a total geek when it comes to online marketing, I haven’t a clue when it comes to the workings of the computer and what I need to look for – Intel processors, blah, blah, blah…lol.

Please help! 

Thanks, guys! 

Danita Maldonado - CEO/Founder - BLAZE, a Social Media Firm

Lost & Found – My Personal Facebook Pet-Rescue Story

written by Danita Maldonado

This morning, as I was dropping my daughter off at school, I noticed a small dog in the middle of the street. At this time of day, this area is extremely congested – there are 3 schools all on the same block and this was drop-off time.

Had she moved from where she was, one way or the other, she would’ve been hit. I had mentioned the dog to my daughter. She loves dogs like I do, so she was just as concerned. She started begging me to get out and get her. I already knew that I would. I, luckily, got the red light right next to her. I jumped out of my car and took her with me. I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I drove back by there to see her hurt.

I dropped Bella off and started my plan to find her family. In the car, I snapped a couple pics and immediately uploaded them to Craigslist & to a few different, local pet finding pages on Facebook.

I took the doggy home and I could immediately tell she she was owned. She didn’t get into the trash. There were plenty of opportunities for her to find food, but she was extremely well-behaved. She understood things like ‘sit’ and ‘outside’. She was obviously trained and loved.

All day, people responded, emailed and texted helping me find her family. At 2pm, someone responded to one of my posts on Facebook. When I texted her back, I asked her what her dog’s name was. I’ve had many, many dogs in my life and every single one of them knew their name. As soon as I said her name, I knew I’d found her owner.

Precious knew exactly who she was and she was so excited to hear that I knew, finally, who she was. As I got ready to meet Precious’s owner, it was like she knew where she was going. It was so sweet.

When I got to the store we were meeting at, Precious looked out the window and immediately began barking and got even more excited. I knew I’d found her family.

Her owner immediately started crying. I wasn’t too far behind. She was so happy and thankful and grateful. Unfortunately, she’s still missing another one. As bummed as I was to hear about the second one, I was more than happy to see this amazingly beautiful reunion.

I’m a total animal lover and I’ve lost dogs – some that we’ve recovered, some that we haven’t – and I know that feeling. It’s horrible. To know that I was able to help someone not have to keep wondering…that’s an awesome feeling.

Because I’m in the social media business, I began to analyze what had happened. I asked the lady how she came to find my post. Here’s how it happened:

1.)    I posted pictures of Precious to Craigslist and Facebook around 8:00am this morning.

2.)    Around noon, she noticed her dogs missing and posted an update about them on her Facebook page.

3.)    Around 2pm, one of her friends commented on her post that she’d seen a dog that looked like hers posted on a Facebook page.

4.)    She saw Precious in my update and responded to it.

5.)    I started texting her around 2:20pm.

6.)    By 3pm, Precious was back with her family.

If that isn’t the power of social media…I don’t know what is.

Hey Danita, what’d you do today? Oh nothing, just rescued a dog and used Facebook to find her owner in 7 hours. Not bad for a day’s work.

Danita Maldonado is the CEO/Founder of BLAZE, a Social Media Firm. You can follow her @danitalicious. Follow BLAZE @blazesocialfirm. 

Introducing…

Starting a new anything  can be hard. Whether it’s starting a new school or a new gym or a new job, it can be an extremely daunting and scary thing.

Starting a new business is no different. In fact, on a personal level, it’s terrifying.

Over 10 years ago, I started my own small company in New York City. It didn’t start as much and was almost accidental, but when my passion began to take over, I created a company that I still remember and think of fondly. It was successful. I loved it. I still refer back to it on many occasions.

I remember brainstorming that business name with my two partners. I remember typing it, reading it and knowing that was it. In a Bronx apartment, all those years ago, Smokin’ Hot Enterprises was born. S.H.E. was a women-owned, women-run company. I was proud of it. I still am.

Since then, so many things have changed. I’m no longer in NYC, but in the (oil) booming Odessa/Midland area of West Texas. While NYC is my adopted home, Odessa is home. I grew up here. I went to school here. I’m raising my daughter here.

I am now starting my business here. And I couldn’t be more excited!!

When we’re faced with change, you can react one of two ways. You can let the fear of the unknown win or you can embrace the unknown and know that your passion can make it happen. And I’ve learned that if you’re truly passionate about something you love, then anything is possible.

For a split second, I almost succumbed to the fear. I almost sold out and took a job (a few jobs, actually) for a paycheck, knowing damn well I didn’t want to do that. As I pondered those jobs, I got a call from someone I hadn’t spoken to in a while. He’d heard I was maybe, sort-of, doing this social media thing. I hung up with an appointment to meet and a little voice in my head telling me that maybe I was jumping the gun. Maybe I COULD do this social media thing on my own.

We met. After that meeting, I got a text that continued to make me second guess those other jobs. In his words, I knew my shit.

And I do.

For the past 5 years, I have dealt with online marketing. Whether it’s SEO or local search, banner ads or Google AdWords, Facebook or Twitter, blogs or texting, I’ve learned everything possible about what I do. In addition, I’ve been in media, advertising or promotions for more than half my life.

I know my shit.

A couple of months ago, I approached two of my girlfriends. These are girls that I’d literally die for and, as luck would have it, we all share a passion for advertising.

The more we talked and the more we brainstormed and the more we taught each other, the more excited we became. We have various passions within our industry – online, promotional, print, radio, sales, creative, etc. By combining our passions with our experience, we knew that we could be successful.

Before I introduce you to the company, let me introduce you to the girls. My girls.

Raquel Pena is a UT Arlington grad with her degree in Media Management. She’s done everything from online Yellow Pages (yeah, we know, the horror!) to radio where she was everything from sales to talent to music director. She even launched a radio station! She’s been working with PaperClip Promotions in Austin for the past year handling promotional products for some pretty impressive clients. (Call her if you need anything!) You can also find her modeling and walking the runways in ATX.

Amanda Renfroe is our newlywed and new mom to Baby Jake. (He’s a cutie pie!) She’s an Odessa girl. After graduating from UTPB, Amanda stumbled into advertising when she joined the Odessa American Advertising Department. It’s here she that learned the power of newspaper advertising. More recently, she focused on internet marketing, selling SEO, banner ad and email packages. She also has promotional products experience and has served on the boards for the Permian Basin Fair & Expo, Merry Marketplace and has been a proud member of Junior League of Odessa.

As for me…well, I’ve done it all. Literally. Radio, newspaper, writing, producing, acting, voice-over, music licensing, sales, promotions, events and more starting in Odessa with a pit stop in Corpus Christi for a brief moment in time, taking me all the way to NYC for what was almost a decade and back to West Texas. Social media is my thing and advertising is my passion. I’m currently on the boards for the Recording Library of West Texas & Junior Achievement of the Permian Basin and sit on the committee for our local Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes. Izabella is my 4-year-old. My everything.

So, let’s get to the business…

Our services include everything having to do with social media and online marketing. What does that mean? That means that if you need help with Facebook. We can help. If you want to be found when people are searching their mobile phones. We can help. If you want to send out mass text messages promoting a service or product. We can help. You get the idea…

Basically, If you need any kind of marketing, advertising, branding, promoting done online, we can help.

Plus, it’s not just for businesses! We offer classes and training on all social media platforms, certain ad platforms and more, for personal use. If you just want to learn Twitter or YouTube or how to set something up. We can help you, too!

We can help. I see a theme here…

So, now, 10 years later (okay, it’s like 12, but who’s counting?), here I am starting another new business. I’m more excited than anyone can even imagine. And more importantly, I’m extremely confident in what we’re about to do.

When I realized that Raqui, Amanda and I were ready to do this, I started to brainstorm. This time on my own. This was my baby, my new journey. So, I wanted to make sure I was happy.

I went back to my roots. Smokin’ Hot Enterprises. A company I am so proud of. It was such an important part of my life in NYC.

I wanted to capture THAT passion again.

I did a search for specific words that I wanted to embody what I did: advertise (for the career path I ended up choosing), broadcast (for my first love & my education), smoking, hot, flame (a shout out to the 1^st company).

Every single time, there was one word that kept popping up.

Its definition: to make known openly or publicly

There couldn’t be a more perfect word for this new business.

So, without further ado, I introduce you to…

We are now officially open for business and ready to discuss your online marketing strategy. Give us a call, message us through Facebook, DM us on Twitter, text, email, whatever. We can help.

Connect with us:

LIKE us on Facebook.        Follow us on Twitter.        Subscribe to our email.

(Thanks, in advance.)

Now, back to this whole starting new stuff thing…

This launch date is another big day in my little world. It’s the first day of Pre-K for my Bella. (Get used to hearing about her now.) This little girl is my everything and is more than 1 million of the reasons I’m starting this company. It’s a big day for her, too.

As I get teary eyed, I know that we are both looking at some extremely exciting and scary times ahead. We’re both learning new things, meeting new people, moving on.

Those are big steps to take. We’re ready.

I ask you to join BLAZE on this journey. (You’ll hear about Bella’s, too!) Whether you support us by offering words of encouragement along the way, by liking and following us, by becoming a client or becoming a student or by passing our info along, I personally want to thank you in advance. We already couldn’t have done this without some of you and can’t wait to see what the future holds for the rest.

So, here we go.

Ready? BLAZE!

Very sincerely,

Danita Maldonado

Owner/CEO - BLAZE, a Social Media Firm

cell: 432.208.3339

email: danita [at] blazesocialfirm [dot] com

Coming Soon: http://www.BlazeSocialFirm.com

Connect with me: On Facebook.  On Twitter.  On LinkedIn.

PS. If you’re looking to invest (or know someone who’d be interested in investing) in a dynamic, women-run, women-owned company, give me a call. I would love to talk to you!