Giving back is a very important part of life.  Many people miss the point and always tie it to money.  It is not about the money although it is about sharing, caring and reaching out.  It could be a very simple gesture; it could be a visit that is an emotional lift or just a shoulder to lean on; it could be mentoring, being a big brother or sister, the list goes on and on.  In many cases time and knowledge are a much more rewarding gift for you as well as the recipient.

We have partnered with Soles4Souls in a national campaign to clean out your closet and to trade shoes you no longer wear or need.  These shoes are donated to the needy and focus on 3^rd world countries.  In some places people don’t have any shoes and share them.

This is a feel good cause that costs you nothing and is also a great way to contribute to recycling and 100% utilization of products.  Click here to find a donation location near you, or you can ship them directly to Soles4Souls.

Today I had the opportunity to meet up with Allan and Silvana Clark who are volunteers for the Soles4Souls campaign who will be touring the USA in an RV promoting this cause; I would like to personally thank them for taking a year out of their lives to support this very helpful program.  They are collecting slightly used shoes for donations to third world countries and the millions of people walking this earth that do not even have a pair of shoes to their name, especially the children.  This is a very easy way for everyone to give something back.

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Recently when I was reading the April issue of the Georgia Trend magazine I was surprised to see a picture of myself staring back at me.  I would like to thank the Cobb Chamber of Commerce for the great honor of being selected as 2008 Small Business of the Year and also thank Cobb County for creating such a great place to work and live.

I am humbled and honored to be recognized but also want everyone to know what a great place Cobb County is for small businesses just like mine.

One of the biggest conflicts busy energetic people face is there is just not enough time to get everything done. I bring this up today to focus on small changes you can make to change this.

First,  identify how your precious time should be used each day.  Note: time is the one thing that once it is gone you cannot get it back.  I say this so you will understand the value of each minute you have on earth – most of us take it for granted, including me.

Put a list together of what is accomplished in a 24 hour period.

• sleep
• work
• family
• exercise
• you
• eating
• travel
• TV

Your list can be expanded or contracted.  You must not only consider the value of your time but also the best way to spend it.  Start with your list and begin to prioritize it.