Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Need to get Inspired??





I saw this video on YouTube and it really got me motivated.   We at Blue, Inc are pretty competitive and with the holiday season closing in, we like to have that extra push for the end of the year.  It goes without saying that Marketing, Sales and Sports go hand in hand- they are all about team work and competitive drive to get the job done.  We are excited about the new year and the growth opportunities it will bring for us, and we can't wait to get there!

Get inspired and have a great holiday!

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Blue, Inc. to host Charity Poker Tournament!


On December 15th, Blue, Inc. will be hosting a charity poker tournament to raise money for Operation Smile.  Operation Smile is an organization that repairs cleft palates and lips free of charge for children in third-world countries, where they can be ostercized for looking different. We will be playing Texas Hold’em and people will play until one person has the entire pot.  All of the proceeds from the buy in will go to Operation Smile and the winners of the tournament will receive a $50 Target gift card, $50 cash, and other prizes.
“This is such a fun way to raise some money for a great charity.  It will get our competitive juices flowing, and let everyone know just how great of a poker player I am!” says Meredith, our HR Manager.  Everyone here at Blue, Inc. is getting really excited for this weekend’s events and can’t wait to play, we are expecting a great turnout. 
Tune in next week with the results of the tournament!

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Its Thanksgiving Time

As we all head off for a little Thanksgiving break, I thought it would be fun to share some fun facts about Thanksgiving.  I found this article online and it is loaded with really cool traditions and historical facts about the holiday!  Click Here to see the full article.

Everyone here at Blue, Inc are thankful for the growth and success we have had this year and are going to have in the years to come, and hope everyone has something to be thankful for as well!

Happy Thanksgiving!





Thursday, November 8, 2012

Are You a Leader? -Motivating




Check out this video!  I really liked the quotes and the information about famous leaders we know.

Friday, November 2, 2012

Weekly Round Up # 6



In this week’s edition, we keep you up to date on the going on at Blue Inc. Schaumburg. This week we had a Halloween party for "Family and Friends" night. People dressed up in their costumes after work and even took part in some of the festivities (the hat game). People also immersed themselves in a little trick or treating. We also had some visitors from Milwaukee, who were excited to be visiting us and we were more than happy to have them in our midst. The excitement for the week doesn’t end as we are going to be holding a charity garage sale for “Operation Smile” tomorrow and Sunday followed by some flag football. It’s going to be a great weekend to spend with the people at work and gorge on some delicacies. Till next time stay tuned for our weekly updates!!

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Get To Know Your Co-Workers !!

In this latest segment, we at Blue Inc. Schaumburg get to know one of our employees. This week we are going to talk to the newest member of our HR team Lindsay.

Lindsay is from Streamwood, IL but currently resides in Hanover Park, IL. She went to two different high schools the first one being Streamwood High School for her freshman and sophomore years and then graduated from St. Charles North High School. She currently attends Elgin Community College and plans on transferring to Harper College to finish her associates in Applied Science.

Lindsay prefers eating healthy and her food of choice would be a chopped grilled chicken salad. Lindsay's favorite superhero is Hercules. According to her, Hercules has the strength and a big heart, therefore saving people.

Interesting fact about Lindsay: She was in the 2006 Miss Teen USA pageant. There were 182 girls competing in the competition, even though she did not win she says she had a "Wonderful" time.

It was great talking to you Lindsay and we welcome you to our Administration team at Blue Inc. Schaumburg !!

Friday, October 26, 2012

Weekly Round Up #5

So this week was another exciting week at Blue Inc Schaumburg. This week also saw Wrinardo head to his hometown of Atlanta for some well deserved R&R. Meanwhile, at Blue Inc. Schaumburg's we were supposed to play Kickball for "Family and Friends" night, Mother Nature had a different idea so we ended up going to play some bags and get their singing shoes on for some karaoke at the fan favorite Poplar Creek. The guys had to sing "Raining Men" by Geri Halliwell after losing a challenge to the ladies of the office. Everyone had a great time taking part in the festivities and obviously enjoying some delicious food! Next week is definitely going to bring in more surprises and excitement at Blue Inc. Schaumburg.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Weekly Round Up #4 !!

So it's that time of the week at Blue Inc. Schaumburg where we take a look at the week that was.
This week was exciting as Nicole and Wrinardo had a busy week of travel ahead of them. We had Ashley Smith in town from Indianapolis, IN to hang out with us and see all the cool things we've been doing at Blue Inc Schaumburg. In Nicole and Wrinardo's absence Ashley was running the show, it was a lot of fun to see a familiar face back in town. This week we headed to Fox and Hound for some pool, ping pong and shuffleboard for "Family and Friends" night. It was a really good way to unwind from the day and just catch up with co-workers and friends over some brew. Stay Tuned for next week's update when we see what else is happening at one of the 101 Best and Brightest Companies in Chicago,IL.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Are You A Champion

 
 
This video talks about the real meaning of being a champion and being a team player.
 
 
 



Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Determination - Michael Jordan !!

 
 
Michael Jordan talks about determination and how it helps achieve SUCCESS !!
 
 
 
 

Friday, October 12, 2012

Weekly Round Up #3 !!

So another week has passed us and we are excited for the weekend's "Mario Kart" event. It is going to be a true old school edition of video gaming. The bragging rights are up in air to see who wins it all and is Blue Inc. "Mario Kart" Champion. As usual "Family and Friends" night was a huge success. Everyone took part in the Air hockey tournament which was fun and intense as everyone was trying to get to the finals. People were seen playing first person shooting games as well as some racing games to edge the other person out to be the winner. A lot of people were seen mingling and just catching up with everyone and enjoy the evening.  It was another successful night at Gameworks, as the week comes to a close.  Stay tuned to see what happens next week at Blue, Inc!

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Friday, October 5, 2012

Weekly Round Up #2 !!

So yet another week draws to an end at Blue Inc. It was another fun filled week. People had a lot of energy and excitement to take on the challenges of the week. 
The energetic atmosphere was charged when people challenged each other in a friendly competition to see who would owe the other person compliments on demand and various other wagers. A lot of people ended up losing but it was still fun overall. Thursday night was "Friend and Family" night again and everyone took part in the "Hat Game" (involves acting out scenes and catchphrases). Everyone here at Blue Inc. is gearing up for charity flag football game in November. With the weekend almost upon us, everyone is looking forward to watching Sunday football to brag about their standings in the Fantasy Football Leagues that are going on here at Blue Inc. We will keep you guys posted on all the events here at Blue Inc.

Friday, September 28, 2012

Weekly Round up !!

Well another awesome week comes to an end at Blue Inc. A lot of the people are going to be missed as we open up another office in Indianapolis, Ind. The last family and friends night in Chicago, IL was fun as well as bittersweet for people that are going to be leaving with Glenn. Glenn Cunningham just got promoted to management. Glenn has had a huge impact on the company in terms of helping other people, guiding them and motivating them every day. He would be the first one to come in and was always around to talk to anyone who needed any help no matter what he was doing. We are positive that Glenn is going to be successful in management with the skills he'd developed over time.
How time has passed, with Blue Inc. expanding and growing to yet another location. We are excited about the future and to see who is going to get promoted to management next !!

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Friday, September 21, 2012

Talent Is Overrated



Ray Lewis talking about effort compared to talent. Ray Lewis is a pro bowl linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens. He played college football at University Of Miami.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Confidence

Confidence is a word that's being thrown around a lot lately. Confidence isn't an act, Confidence is a state of being certain. Two things that determine confidence are :-

  1. Experience.
  2. Plan out your end result in advance.
Confidence has to do with people having faith in their abilities. Confidence builds success and success builds confidence. According to Eleanor Roosevelt " We gain strength, and courage, confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face. We must do that which we think we cannot". Today we are going to give you helpful tips on building confidence:-

  1. Expect to be nervous: Being nervous means you are tying to go into uncharted territory, being nervous means getting out of the comfort zone. Success results from getting out of the comfort zone and trying things you've never done.
  2. Prepare: Preparation is key. According to Confucius, "Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure". Preparation starts with planning for the day, week, month and year. Preparation results in being able to handle unforeseen problems.
  3. Practice: Practice is really important, all successful business people as well as athletes have had to put in hours of practice. Michael Jordan didn't become a superstar over night, it took years of practice, pain and disappointment to be a champion.
  4. Positive: Positive thinking can do wonders for people. The power of positive thinking is usually lost in the day to day, but giving yourself a pep talk when you think that you are losing positivity will help you overcome any adversity.
  5. Help Others: Always be helpful. Success in business doesn't come by being selfish. If you help other people with their issues, problems you will ultimately reach your goals. Successful people have devoted their life in helping others.
  6. Visualize Success: Visualizing success is vital to reaching any form of success. " Ordinary people believe only in the possible. Extraordinary people visualize not what is possible or probable, but rather what is impossible. By visualizing the impossible they being to see it as possible". - Cherie Carter Scott.
  7. Learn From Your Mistakes: This is the most important of them all. People often say they learn from their mistakes. People don't learn from their mistakes when they commit the same mistakes over and over again. "Failure is a stepping stone to success". Successful people learn from their mistakes so as to not commit the same mistake in the future to lead to a set back.
These 7 points to being confident will help you guys to realize your potential. Henry Ford once said, "Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you're probably right".


Friday, September 14, 2012

The Week That Was

Well, Another week comes to a close being that it's Friday. This week was a lot of fun with hard work, just what we like to do at Blue Inc.
The week started out with utmost energy people being excited to get the day and the week ahead. Michael Holstrom was recognized by his peers for his efforts by being selected to our employee spotlight which will be updated pretty soon. Tuesday, the night included people catching up with their peers and grabbing a bite and just relax. Thursday, everyone was excited for the Packers V/S Bears game that night. The game itself didn't go the way majority of the people wanted ( a Bears Win) we hope the next time the two teams meet up we can exact revenge. The family and friend's night included pizza's, it can't get any better than an intense football rivalry and pizza with people you work with as well as family members. 
The next week is going to be busy seeing the upcoming events that include a lot of travelling. Keep up with our future blogs to know what's going on in one of the 101 Best and Brightest companies in Chicago.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

What Does Success Mean To You

What Does Success Mean

According to Dictionary.com, "Success means achievement of something desired, planned or attempted". A lot of people try to achieve success without hard work, According to David Bly "Striving For Success Without Hard Work Is like Harvesting Without Having Planted Anything".
Top 10 reasons why people succeed :

  1. Look for opportunities to do something better than everyone else.
  2. Accept risk as a necessary evil.
  3. Goals aren't enough, planning is of utmost importance.
  4. Always review your plans and learn from your mistakes.
  5. Do not reinvent the wheel.
  6. Make sure you know your mission and stick to it.
  7. There are going to be difficult times always be resilient.
  8. Sacrifice is important, people that succeed make a lot of sacrifices with time, money and have their priorities listed.
  9. Be passionate about your goals, don't just have goals to have them.
  10. Take positives out of every negative.
Following these 10 golden rules of success will ensure ultimate success in whatever you want to achieve be it good grades in school or success in the work environment.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Happenings Around the Office!

Every Thursday is Office Night here at Blue, Inc. This past Thursday we went to Top Golf in Wood Dale, Illinois, and it was a blast! Besides getting to watch the resident golfers in the office--Glenn and Dan Webster--hit 300-yard drives down the fairway, we also got to play bags and enjoy food and drink with our coworkers, family, and friends. We rented out two bays on the driving range, so there was plenty of room for the amateur golfers to practice. There wasn't enough room for Dan, apparently; he hit a few balls straight over the net and into the parking lot!

With football season coming up, we may have to go back for a fantasy draft party. It was a great time, and a great opportunity to unwind from a long four days of work. Everyone in the office will be looking forward to the next Office Night; I know I am.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Manager Earns Top Award!

                                                            

Nicole Skovgard, Manager at Blue, Inc. earned a Most Improved award last month at our annual business conference.  She received the award for enhancing her performance and climbing to the top of the rankings for her client.  We all watched as she got up among her peers and accepted the award for all of her hard work.  "Based on her hard work, she was the only one that deserved it.  We are all so excited for her and will continue to help her keep improving so she will win again next year!", says Erin Scego, a Top Account Representative at Blue, Inc.  We are proud of Nicole and are thrilled she is recognized for being at the top.

Check out our open jobs at a top company!

Entry Level Training Program

Entry Level Sports Minded Graduate

See what else is going on around the office!

Employee Spotlight!

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Friday, August 10, 2012

101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For!



Blue inc. of Schaumburg, IL was just named one of Chicago's 101 Best and Brightest companies to work for!!  We appreciate all of the nominations and support.  This year we have expanded to 3 additional markets already, and are on pace to hit our goal of 5.  It is because of the hard work and dedication of our staff, starting in an entry level position and working their way up to becoming leaders in the sales and marketing industry.  Thanks to Meredith, Randy, Kristy, Ali, and Glenn for the leadership and example they have brought to our company over the years.  We appreciate you more than you will know!






Thursday, August 9, 2012

INSPIRATIONAL - HOW GREAT I AM






I saw this video and it is really inspiring-- I loved all of the quotes in it!  Enjoy :)

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Get Inspired! 40 Inspirational Speeches in 2 Minutes

I came across this video and thought it was pretty funny as well as inspiring. As a movie buff, I appreciate the use of a lot of these movies, and enjoy a hero's monologue as much as the next person.  Check this video out and let me know what you think!


Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Motivational Quotes - Reach Your Goal





We love quotes here at Blue, Inc and would like to share this video that has some pretty great motivational quotes to get your week started right!

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Mini Golf Scramble!




Last week's Friends and Family Night at Blue Inc. was mini golf at Congo River in Hoffman Estates.  They closed off a course for us to have our event, and we all had a blast.  We found our golfing partners and our opponents and began our scramble.  A lot of the guys played very well, and their competitiveness was at an all time high.  A few of the reps made holes in one, and Meredith, the HR Manager, said she played "the game of her life" and was on the winning team in her scramble! Others were not as lucky- one of the Account Managers, Sharon, actually took a fall and landed in one of the man made ponds on the course.

All in all, this was a great way to kick off the summer season and stay tuned to see what happened on our next Friends and Family night!







Friday, June 8, 2012

Kickin' in with Blue!

In preparation for the upcoming kickball league championship, the Blue team held a kickball game in the parking lot, last night. Everyone split into two teams, who battled it out for the ultimate title of Blue kickball champs. Although everyone plays as a team in the league, last night lead to some friendly taunting and competitve play between teams. The game got very intense, as players ran to the safety of bases, and scored run after run. Of course, along with scoring runs, there come many outs and close calls. Some people were out as soon as they kicked the ball into the opposing team's arms, but there were many people who were racing to beat the ball to the base, or attempting to dodge the ball as it soared toward them. Though both teams celebrated some awesome plays and incredible kicks, only one came out victorious. The winning team bathed in the glory of their victory, while the losers shuffled away in shame.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Ultimate Frisbee!!!

Friends and Family night at Blue, Inc was done right last week when we all played Ultimate Frisbee.  For those of you who have never played Ultimate Frisbee, its a lot of fun, and involves a lot of running.  We played in an open field, the only light coming from our glow-stick bracelets and the light-up frisbee (which is the only fun way to play).  It was pretty windy, which made for some interesting passes between teammates.  The frisbee was constantly switching between teams as we raced back and forth trying to score. We fought the wind, trying to keep the frisbee in bounds and keep passing it to our own teammates.  A couple of the guys in the office, being the natural athletes they are, were able to throw the frisbee clear across the field and have someone catch it for the goal.  That made it the best play of the night!  Stay tuned next week to see what other fun activities we'll have in store at Blue!

Monday, May 21, 2012

Blue holds a bags tournament for Office Night!

The Blue team headed to Poplar Creek Bowl, on Thursday, to have a fun filled office night, after a long day in the office and out in the field. The evening activities revolved around the game of bags, with teams of two going head to head, in a bracket style tournament.

The game let everyone show their impeccable throwing accuracy, while showcasing their incredible arm muscles. Though bags brings out the competitive side of our team members, it also encourages and develops the communication skills between the team pairs (along with some taunting of the opposing team). Who doesn't love some competition mixed in with team work?

Everyone had fun with the tournament, and between rounds of the bracket, some people picked up the mic to sing some karaoke. There were a few shining karaoke stars from the group, and everyone enjoyed listening to the music while the hung out with the group!

With the great bags tournament, and karaoke skills, I'm not sure this office night will be topped!

Monday, May 14, 2012

Office Night at Laser Quest

         Office night took the Blue crew out to Laser Quest last Thursday, for another competitive evening of laser tag. To kill some time, while waiting for the group to arrive, some people played a few arcade games, like basketball and air hockey, while others contemplated their options for code names. The game had some great opponents like "Slim Shady", "Katniss", "Rain Man" and even a bitter "ex-girlfriend"! 


          When the players were released into the arena, everyone ran for safety in this every man for himself round of laser tag. As everyone ran through the darkened maze, searching for the flashing targets of their opponents, they became more and more engaged in the game. Some people formed teams and managed to conquer entire sections of the arena. Although some alliances were formed, only one player was given the honor of the top laser tagger of the game. Rain Man reigned above the other players with his amazing accuracy and ability to dodge the lasers of other players. Though Rain Man was able to beat DWebb this time, I have a feeling there will be some intense rivalry for the top spot during Blue's next Laser Quest adventure!

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Congratulations on your promotion, Matt!

Since starting at Blue, Matt has consistently lead by example by doing the right things inside and outside the office. For all of his hardwork, we want to congratulate Matt for getting promoted! In his new position, he will be taking on more leadership roles and learning even more about the business. Congrats, Matt!




Name: Matthew "Moose" Musielak
Major: Business Management
College: Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
Next Goal: Assistant Management!
Piece of Advice: Stay Positive!







Friday, April 6, 2012

A night at Gameworks!



Last night, Blue employees invaded the local Gameworks with their enthusiasm and competitive spirit. The team showed off their basketball skills, before moving on to hold an air hockey tournament. Though all of the employees displayed their basketball prowess, Ashley reigned above them all with her incredible basketball skills.



The air hockey tournament got off to a competitive start matching employees against each other in multiple intense matches, with many ending in ties. The competitive spirit from everyone involved created an evening fun of fun and excitement for all. Despite intense games and the danger of flying pucks, we can't wait for the next office night!












Monday, March 19, 2012

St. Patrick's Day BBQ

This past Saturday, the Blue team gathered at the home of Manager, Nicole's house, to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a cookout. Everyone joined in the festivities by donning their best green attire, even sporting some holiday accessories!

All Blue employees and their families were invited to join in the fun, which included great food, good times, and enticing conversation! Tons of delicious options were grilled up for everyone to enjoy, and people were also able to enjoy some yummy chocolate chip cookies.

Though the food kept people busy for  a while, the NCAA tournament was playing for all of the sports fans in attendance. The tournament sparks heated conversation and debate over which school was better, and which team would eventually reign over the others, as champion. As the Blue team is constantly working together, in the office, they enjoyed the ability to display their competitive spirit!



Friday, February 10, 2012

Thursday night at Laser Quest!

After a long day at work, who doesn't love to spend an evening of competitive fun, shooting their coworkers with laser beams? At Blue, we know just how to let off some steam after a long day! The team was off to LaserQuest last Thursday to enjoy an fun, but competitive game of laser tag.

Upon arrival, each person got to create their own code name. Following name selection, the team learned the rules of the game, and grabbed their gear. However, everyone had to recite LaserQuest pledge before being allowed to enter the darkened arena.

Soon, the Blue team was divided, placing coworkers against one another, in an intense laser battle! Three teams battled it out for the winning title, but only one could be named the LaserQuest champion. After an awesome battle, the teams shed their guns and vests, and anxiously awaited the announcement of the winning team...the Red Team!

Though winners and losers had a great time, everyone learned an important piece of information from the evening. Everyone will be keeping DWebb on their radar from now on, as the highest scoring Blue employee at LaserQuest! Maybe those Canadians aren't as peaceful as we thought!

Thursday, February 2, 2012

A Roast to Send Off Randy and the Raleigh Team

Last night the office held an event as the final farewell to Randy and the other Blue team members heading off to Raleigh, North Carolina. After work, everyone headed to La Margarita for drinks, pool and darts before the main event began. "The main event" consisted of a roast of Randy, where he was made the center of attention while people poked fun at all of his 'short' comings. About 7 brave members of the Blue team prepared some not so kind words for him.
After everyone had their chance to make fun at Randys expense, the goodbyes began. After the realization sunk in, that about a third of the office will be relocating to Raleigh, the emotions flowed and TONS of pictures were taken.  The team couldn't be more excited to see their team members leave for Raleigh, and watch as they reach all of their goals in North Carolina. Congratulations again Randy, we'll miss you, here in Schaumburg!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Xtreme Trampolines!!


Everyone showed off their jumping skills this week at Xtreme Trampolines at Friends and Family night!  If you haven't been to that place, definitely do because they have a giant foam pit people can jump into that is impossible to get out of.  They also have a trampoline dodge ball court and multiple trampolines set up in a grid form.

Some of the guys had a relay race from one end of the trampoline grid to the other, tripping and falling as they went.  Amir Ross seemed to have the rhythm down to fly to either end and always won, while we found out that Hinton Huckabee has a little bit of trouble jumping from trampoline to trampoline.  It was hilarious watching him try so hard to beat Amir, but to no avail.

The night ended with a "rap off" between Jubilee Olah and Mike Jones (quite the opposite of the rapper) about what lunch meat-oh how much fun we have.

Tune in next week to find out what we will do next at Blue Inc!

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Monday, January 9, 2012

Happy Birthday And A Happy Farewell To Kristy And The Crew!

 Last Thursday the office was privileged to celebrate two big accomplishments. First being Kristy having another birthday, and secondly, Kristy receiving her manager promotion.  After the work day was completed, all of the office went over to La Margarita to celebrate. The night centered around last minute good byes and lots of best wishes to the crew. 
 Kristy and six others will venture up to Milwaukee to run the new branch. Only being an hour or so away, we hope to see them as much as possible, and again, we wish you all the best of luck!