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Networking Is a Dirty Word

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Word of mouth networking is one of the most powerful (and affordable) marketing tactics to help grow your business. Not only will you build awareness about your company or practice, but you will also get opportunities to make lasting impressions by building relationships in relevant circles. Yet, due to pushy vendor tactics, networking has become a “dirty word” in some circles. Included in your Amata membership are live events and online resources that provide such opportunities at each Amata Office Center location. Whether you connect in the café, knock on each other’s door, or meet in the comfort of the cognac room, Amata members have many points of contact and venues to build working relationships and identify potential referral sources.

Put Yourself “Out There”

After 16 years of creating shared office space in downtown Chicago, Amata makes it incredibly easy to get to know your neighbors. To create a friendly exchange of ideas, you need only change your surroundings.

  • Open-Up: Stop by the café for a refreshment, or to work from one of the comfortable booths, seats, or couches. Helpful and intriguing conversations often begin in passing or when you look up from your work.
  • Show-Up: Attend, host, or even sponsor events at your center. This will allow you to interact with your neighbors and identity potential synergies.

“AmataNet” – The Exclusive Online Community

Your Amata Membership, gives you access to AmataNet, a members-only community where you can

  • See member profiles and company names
  • Talk shop with any of Amata’s 1,300 Chicago members and demonstrate your knowledge to potential referral sources
  • Get discounts and updates on member perks
  • Display posts and blog articles for members and prospective customers to understand your talents
  • Reserve conference room time and pay your bill

Help for Attorneys

More than 60% of Amata members are attorneys, so we developed support services specific to their needs:

  • Get New Clients: Attorneys at Amata frequently refer new clients to each other when they can’t help them for any reason. We help get attorneys talking to each other outside of work and free from stress through simple gatherings for drinks after work, free breakfasts and lunches, as well as appetizers after work.
  • Talk About Law: You can catch up with CLE credits for ethics or get free lunch and learn opportunities with other Amata attorneys in the convenience of your office suite. In the process, you may create a helpful relationship while working.

Discover our networking events for Chicago lawyers.

What is your ideal workspace?

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It is important that you chose the ideal workspace carefully. Your space should help increase productivity and creativity. Finding the right workspace goes beyond your desk. What makes a space ideal may vary from person to person, but we’re sharing a few key elements below that everyone should consider when searching for their ideal workspace.

Small Business

I’m Busy

Your office space should have high-speed Internet, phone answering, mail sorting and delivery, so you can focus on your day-to-day business without interruption or the distractions of running an office.

First Impressions

In order to provide unforgettable service for your customers and clients, a front desk receptionist is a must. From greeting your clients to accommodating them in a pleasant lobby environment, your receptionist should make their stay memorable. Phones answered by a real person are almost a thing of the past, which is why your clients will remember your receptionist.

Real People

Focusing on your work is paramount, but human interaction helps you remember how your messages are received. Find a space that houses variety of colleagues with whom you can talk shop and even refer business. Business referred by your neighbors is, after all, the most powerful word-of-mouth.

Café and Lounge Space

You spent more of your waking hours at work, than at home. Choose a workspace where you can change up your surroundings because even hearing ambient noise can help improve productivity. Host informal client or colleague meetings in the comfort of your floor’s cafe or lounge without leaving your suite for a noisy coffee shop. Your ideal workspace should be an environment that provides solutions to improve productivity and avoid distraction, while still providing alternative space when you need to shift your thinking. Consider these tips when you’re searching for the ideal workspace, and make the most of the time your time.

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Guest Blog: Why You Should Join Team Morning Workout

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Find out how to get the most out of every day with Amata member Jim Lenger. Read his post about why you should join a Team Morning Workout. As a music instructor and triathlete, Jim notices that people who exercise prior to their guitar lessons are energized and ready to face challenges.

In the workplace and in guitar lessons, Team Morning Workout will enhance your day.

James "Jim" Lenger, Amata Member and Founder of Guitar Cities

Author: James “Jim” Lenger, Amata Member and Founder of Guitar Cities

My life revolves around music and sports. Literally. When I am not training competitively for Team USA in the Pentathlon and Triathlon, I am instructing music and running my Guitar Cities music schools in Chicago, San Francisco, New York, and London.

I have instructed approximately 70,000 people and have noticed many things that have changed positively as they have pursued music and fitness together. These changes have been primarily twofold. First, on a personal level, those who have pursued both areas together strive to learn more, and have more energy and enthusiasm for this.

As a business owner, there is a reason that I market guitar lessons to triathletes, and why I see people that have a budding interest in music start pursuing athletics. They are both roads to bettering themselves, both physically and intellectually.

Second, these changes can affect the workplace productivity, especially if done in the morning.

Why You Should Join Team Morning Workout

I have a number of students that will do their workout prior to their 8 AM lesson and I notice when this is true, these “Team Morning Workout” students are already energized and ready to dive into new challenges head on.

Even the student that starts their day with a guitar lesson is already leaving engaged and prepared to “hit the ground running” as they get into work. Findings from a study published in the Harvard Business Review showed:

“People whose performance peaks in the morning are better positioned for career success, because they’re more proactive than people who are at their best in the evening.”

Basically, attack the day early with something physical and creative; your body, mind, and job will thank you for it!

5 Tips To Make Morning Workouts Easier

Have an accountability partner.

This can be a coach, instructor, or friend that will be expecting you to be there, whether physically with you or via text or phone check in.

Have goals.

If you’re picking up running, perhaps wanting to enter into a 5K, have something to build towards. If you’re picking up an instrument, pick a song to learn and understand the steps necessary to get there.

Start with a reasonable schedule.

Don’t expect to get up super early every morning of the week, especially if that wasn’t a part of your normal schedule before. Start with a few days, and as you gain comfortability with the early hours, add more!

Sleep.

If you are planning on getting up early the next morning, be sure to get a reasonable amount of sleep. You will perform better, both in athletics and music, if your body is rested. Set a few alarms for yourself prior to when you need to get to sleep to aid in the unwinding process.

Keep it simple.

Don’t try to jump into too much at once. Many people make the mistake of modifying a big list of things in their technique, both on guitar and in swimming, for example. Start with the big things, then work your way to the small things, don’t be too concerned with minute details right away.

For more morning workout motivation, be sure to follow James’s training journey on Instagram, check out his Team USA bio, connect with him in the music instruction space, and visit his website for tips on how to stay active.

This article originally appeared on the FFC blog on October 10, 2016 and was reposted with the permission of author and Amata member James Lenger.

Photo Source: TeamUSA.org

Attention Amata Members — Interested in submitting your articles or blogs to appear on our website? Contact us at [email protected] or 877-262-8204. We’d love to hear from you!

Discover our networking events for Chicago lawyers.

Announcing the #AmataStepChallenge Grand Prize Winners

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Below is the list of the #AmataStepChallenge Grand Prize Winners! The winners went above and beyond to create a path for a healthy habit. The 12 week total of 840,000 steps would have been the recommended 10,000 steps daily. However, our winners exceeded the recommended daily steps. They took this challenge into their own hands by putting their health first. Congrats to all the winners, and everyone who took on the challenge, because that 12 weeks of walking won us all better health!

All 1st place winners received a $500 Visa gift card, 2nd place winners all received a $300 Visa gift card, and 3rd place winners all received a $100 Visa gift card!

#AmataStepChallenge Grand Prize Winners

Beginner Category

  • 1st Place – Darshankumar Zala with 1,999,934 total steps
  • 2nd Place – Kel’ley Garner with 1,966,620 total steps
  • 3rd Place – Paul Kozacky with 972,818 total steps

Intermediate Category

  • 1st Place – Issha Shah with 2,014,655 total steps
  • 2nd Place – Danelys Goris with 1,601,926 total steps
  • 3rd Place – Julie Cooper with 1,141,947 total steps

Advanced Category

  • 1st Place – Roniqueka White with 1,678,504 total steps
  • 2nd Place – Tracy Garcia with 1,446,222 total steps
  • 3rd Place – Ken Garcia with 1,402,429 total steps

Team Category

  • 1st Place – Team T-PAIN with 5,605,194 total steps
  • 2nd Place – Team Kozacky, Weitzel & McGrath with 3,717,924 total steps
  • 3rd Place – Team A-TRAIN with 3,592,491 total steps

Want to know when we are having our next event?

Sign up for our weekly newsletters to keep up to date on the latest Amata Events brought to each Amata Office Center location! We have many exciting events planned for our Members (will link to amata member benefits page) this year, so check ‘em out!

photo credit: Fitbit – https://blog.fitbit.com/try-the-new-exercise-sharing-tool-from-fitbit/

Discover our networking events for Chicago lawyers.

Amata Step Challenge Recap

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Amata Step Challenge Recap

This year, Amata had its first ever Step Challenge! We challenged all Amata members and staff to compete for 12 weeks to earn weekly titles and prizes, culminating in four overall champion categories and an overhaul on personal health. They didn’t disappoint.

Our #AmataStepChallenge began on February 15th, while New Year’s resolutions were still pushing us to blaze trails. We’ve been working hard for the past year and a half to provide a community focused on health and wellness, and we felt like a step challenge was the perfect motivator to help us all spring into health this year!

The sign-ups began, and challenge members were placed into categories depending on their current fitness status. The four categories were Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced for solo competitors, and a Team category for groups of five individuals. Their challenge: to track their daily step count and compete for the most steps in their category. Steps were submitted weekly and every week, the person/team with the highest step count for that week in their category was awarded a motivating $20 gift card! At the end, the top three contestants in each category were awarded prizes.

During the 12 week challenge, we stuffed challenge members with knowledge and motivation! The road to health is full of distractions, so we shared weekly newsletters packed with health tips and tricks from some of our favorite sources to help keep us all on track. Here are some of our top health tips and tricks to help you prepare!

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12 weeks doesn’t sound very long until you’re living it! When you’re counting down the days, they seem to go much slower. But spending that time focusing on your health and well-being is the best way to pass the days. We are so proud of everyone who participated in the #AmataStepChallenge. Reaching or trying to reach the goal of 10,000 steps or more daily is a great way to improve overall health- and that comes straight from the experts, folks!

What we love the most is that so many people joined something that can be a springboard to other positive life choices. Focus on walking more steps today and perhaps tomorrow you’ll decide to choose the healthy snack rather than the unhealthy one. A small start is still a start nonetheless, and it is all that is needed to get somewhere.

And boy, did we get somewhere! We were blown away with the step counts that were coming in weekly form contestants! From advanced down to the beginner category, many people were hitting marks well above the daily recommended 10,000 steps.

The #AmataStepChallenge helped over 150 people get healthier and we’ve all had a great time doing it! Some people waged personal bets, others added it to their usual workout routine, and some used it to kick-start their new fitness regime. One of the overall winners of the challenge, Kel’ley Garner, a paralegal with Bennett and Bangser, LLC, made the most out of the 12 weeks:

Wow I can’t believe we made it since February!!! I feel so accomplished.  I lost a couple of pounds and spent some good time with good peeps and some positive life reflection time with myself walking.  This challenge was fun and I appreciate all the support you guys gave from the reminders to the motivational links about the benefits of taking care of ourselves, to the smiles and thumbs up at our efforts.  Amata is much more than just an office space, it is an environment that wants each member to have peace and balance.  The things you guys do for our health don’t go unnoticed.  So kudos to you all!!

Thanks Kel’ley! That is exactly what we hoped for ☺

In a few weeks, we will announce our #AmataStepChallenge winners! Will it be you? Subscribe to our weekly newsletters and find out.

Discover our networking events for Chicago lawyers.

#AmataStepChallenge – Health tips and advice

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#AmataStepChallenge - Health tips and advice

The #AmataStepChallenge is underway. Whether you are looking to loose a little weight or wishing to achieve a healthier lifestyle, motivation will be the key to your success. Are you prepared?

To help you prepare and make the most out of this step challenge, take a look at some of the links below. Cheer your co-workers on and let’s see who will come up on top!

Health Tips and Tricks

  1. http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/the-30-day-walking-challenge/
    This site has a great method for building up to the 10,000 steps daily for all fitness levels.
  2. http://blog.codyapp.com/2013/11/07/maximize-your-walk-infographic/#sthash.LfV0SbDn.qjtu
    Learn the top tips for maximizing your walk with proper posture and shoes.
  3. http://www.skinnymom.com/clean-eating-dos-and-donts-for-getting-started/
    This site has everything you need to know about getting started on the track to clean eating.
  4. http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/How-Feel-More-Energized-34935504
    Everyone could use more energy! Get tips on how to feel more energized here.
  5. http://www.getyourfittogether.org/21-of-the-best-snacks-under-100-calories/
    21 delicious snacks all under 100 calories!
  6. http://www.livestrong.com/article/358608-how-to-maintain-a-healthy-lifestyle/
    Maintain a healthy lifestyle, even when the challenges are over.

Interested in more events like the #AmataStepChallange? Visit our website for upcoming events, hosted at each Amata Office Center.

Discover our networking events for Chicago lawyers.

What’s the No. 1 Key to Increasing Employee Productivity?

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sleeping-on-the-job

Forget cool office perks like ping-pong tables, Friday happy hour and employee gym memberships. According to a recent Harvard Business Review article, the No. 1  key to increasing employee productivity is giving employees control over their work environment, which helps boost their overall happiness, motivation and performance in the workplace.

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3 Tricks For Small Business Cash Management

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3 Tricks For Small Business Cash Management

Cash is king. Most beginning entrepreneurs think that growing revenues is the key to a successful business, but cash management will often save a struggling business despite the amount of revenue. Here are three ideal opportunities to create value for your company when you need it most.

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Types of Flawed Decisions

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Obviously, the most important service you offer your business is leadership and making decisions. Decisions are tough and often times do not turn out the way you planned. So, it begs the question, how do we get better at decision-making? Believe it or not, there is plenty of research about this.

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