I am very excited to announce that Jessica Cox, my most recent intern and 3rd to complete an internship with Webbright, has graduated in May, 2013 from Virginia State University with an honors (Cum Laude) bachelors degree in Marketing.
Jessica completed her 4-month internship with Webbirght in December 2012. During her internship, she learned about inbound marketing by completing 16 online courses through the Inbound Marketing University and working on assignments that included writing blog article for Webbright. "Thank you [Lamees] for the opportunity to work with you! I learned a lot and will be applying it in the future," said Jessica.
After graduation, Jessica started working at The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. "Currently, I am the an intern in the Meetings and Event Planning department and in hopes of a permanent position at the end of the internship. I love it so far! Everyone has been so welcoming and helpful," said Jessica.
I wish Jessica, and expect, a successful and bright future. Congratulations Jessica! I'm proud of you!
I am proud of all my interns and always love to hear their updates and recent accomplishments. One of my first interns, a Bright Star, is Brent Trotter. Brent earned his degree from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with B.S in Advertising, Minor in Communications, Marketing & Entrepreneurship. He landed a dream job and started working for Ogilvy, a large advertising company in Chicago. When recently touching base with Brent, he shared that "I passed the 1-year mark at Ogilvy in January. Gaining experience and trying to learn more everyday in and out of the office. Working to transition into the strategic planning department--which has been the goal from jump street. I'm also looking to apply for grad school sometime this year."
Congratulations Brent, and best of luck with all your future plans. Keep me posted with your all your terrific accomplishments.
Sincerely,
Lamees Abourahma
President & Proud Mentor
Webbright Services
Webbright, a leading Wild Apricot partner and developer, designs and develops a new website for an American Translators Association chapter.
"Thank you so much Lamees for such a pleasant experience. Working with you and your team has been a treat. Thanks for all the support and the patience. We are truly happy." -Christina Green, MATI President
Webbright designed and developed a new membership website for the Midwest Association for Translators and Interpreters (MATI). MATI wanted to redesign their existing website because it was "atrocious in too many ways to count," said Susie Schweigert, a MATIi Board Member.
They decided to go with the Wild Apricot platform because of the functionality and flexibility it offers for membership organizations. They also wanted to take control of their website management, which Wild Apricot supports. But, they knew they needed help with the website design and development and looked for a Wild Apricot partner to work with. Webbright was their first pick because of its impressive portfolio of high-quality, professional websites.
"While they [Webbright] are not the cheapest, they looked the most professional," said Christina Green, MATI President. Green has been rebranding MATI since she took over the organization a few years ago. The website was a major marketing piece that needed a lot of attention. Webbright has the team, experience, and processes for making Wild Apricot customization an easy and pleasant experience. "We don't want a "home-made" design,"Green said.
The new, and much improved, MATI website was launched after six weeks of a smooth process of design and development. In addition to the design, Webbright re-created a member directory where site visitors can search for translators and interpreters in the Midwest. The directory provides a major value for MATI members as it gives them more visibility through the organization and an online presence to showcase their qualifications.
New features were added to the website including a new blog, a member forum, a calendar, an online membership application with integrated credit card payment, and an email communication system. "The blog will feature articles by local experts in translation and interpretation, and subject matter will include issues pertaining to the field in the form of explorations into language, methodology and technology, book reviews, biographies, notes on presenters and meeting summaries," said Alaina Sylla with MATI. The new website should add more value to members, which should translate into more members for MATI.
About Webbright
Webbright specializes in website design and development for membership organizations on the Wild Apricot platform. Since 2007, we’ve been fortunate to work with some amazing organizations all over the world, and build exceptional relationships with brilliant individuals. For more information on our membership website services, go to www.webbrightservices.com/
About the Midwest Assocaition for Translators and Interpretors (MATI)
MATI, a chapter of the American Translators Association (ATA), was established in 2003 as a non-profit organization for translators and interpreters in the states of Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, to promote the recognition and advancement of translation and interpretation as professions. For more information on MATI, go to http://www.matiata.org/
Join us on Feb 16th for a fun baseball game benefiting a great cause.
In support of my dear friend, Jennifer Sperberg, I'd like to spread the word out about an amazing foundation she's passionate about and an annual fundraising drive she helps organize.
You are invited to join the Matt Davis Foundation, Saturday, February 16, 2013, as we cheer on the RMC Yellow Jackets in memory of Matt, RMC athlete, as they take on ODAC rivals Randolph College. Game time is 2:00 p.m. (details attached)
This kid and adult friendly event is always a great way to spend a Winter's day in support of brain cancer fundraising.
A raffle will be held for a chance to win free air travel valued at $500!
Bring the whole family for an indoor tailgate in the back gym after the game where the kids can play basketball and meet Nutzy the Flying Squirrel! Feel free to forward this email to anyone you'd like to invite or introduce to the Matt Davis Foundation.
If you can't attend in person, you can still make a difference by donating online at www.mattdavisfoundation.org. Webbright had the honor of making a small contributino by working with Broderick Communications on developing the new website on the Wild Apricot platform. Thank you Jennifer for the opportunity.
News from our Bright World!
The end of the year is a time for reflection on past breakthroughs and a time to set new ones for the coming year. What an amazing year 2012 was for Webbright! Here are a few breakthroughs and accomplishments that I'm most proud of and grateful for this year.
Bright Clients
We have been very blessed this year working with some amazing organizations on their membership websites. Our Bright Clients included the IMC Club (for instrument rated pilots), the Virginia Chapter of Meeting Professionals International (VAMPI), and the Patent Information User Group (PIUG). From organization missions, to member culture, to website requirements, each client is unique and special. We are most grateful for the opportunity to work with each and every one of them.
Branding
This year, both our website design and content had major re-work, and the results have been outstanding. I think my favorite payback was when a prospect complimented us on our new branding and even presented it to his board, pitching our services for his organization! How many times have you had a prospect selling your services on your behalf? I want to particularly thank Kevin Flores and his team for our bright, modern, professional, and solid new branding. Thanks also to Jennifer Sperberg and her amazing team for helping with our website content and messaging. Jennifer and her team took the time to know me and Webbright well enough to communicate who we are and what make us special.
Partnership
One of the things I enjoy most about what I do is the relationships I build with other talented, kind, friendly, and intelligent professionals. This year I had the pleasure of starting new partnerships with Kevin Flores, Jennifer Sperberg, Matthieu Disna, Allison Reilly, Shade Wilson, and Samantha Fotovat. Thanks to these special relationships, Webbright now offers a large set of exceptional services in inbound marketing and membership websites.
Interns
I have great passion fo working with interns. This year I had the pleasure of working with two exceptional students: Brian Armstrong, a System Information Analyst student at Virginia Commonwealth University, and Jessica Cox, a Marketing student at Virginia State University. They both were a pleasure to work with and I expect them both to have amazing careers in the future. Thanks also to Jonathan Young with VSU and Darleen Thomson from VCU for the bright stars they sent my way.
Life Learning
As I learned in the Dale Carnegie Sales Success course earlier this year, one of the characteristics of having a positive attitude for sales (and life) is being a lifelong learner! Luckily, it is one of my favorite things. The Inbound Marketing conference in Boston this summer was by far the highlight of this year for me. It's very inspiring and motivating to be around like-minded individuals and listen to remarkable speakers share their insight and knowledge.
Courses: JJ White, a Dale Carnegie franchise owner and one of the smartest sales people I know, has partnered with Jeffrey Gitomer, sales guru and best-selling author of the Little Red Book of Selling and other top selling books, to create the Dale Carnegie Sales Success course. I had the pleasure of attending the first course JJ offered earlier this year, and then invited him back as a coach for a second class in the spring. Not only did I gain confidence and new sales skills, but I've actually been able to sell more this year. The class is outstanding and I highly recommend it. I also do Inbound Marketing and sales training with HubSpot on an ongoing basis.
Bright Advisors
Starting and running a business is an emotional experience that requires perseverance and a lot of personal support! I am most fortunate for the exceptional people in my life who supported me and Webbright since the start. Special thanks to my mentor, Leyla Mason, my brother Hesham, my sister Heba, my mom Amal, and my wonderful husband Eric.
A big shout out to my amazing Emyth business coach, Rachel Clark, who has been with me since 2009. She kept me focused on the seven centers of management, helped me find my "center", and "get more and more reflective as the years pass".
New Position
I was fortunate to come across the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA) early in 2011 when they hired me to work on their website. I greatly enjoyed working with their team and was eager to get more involved with the organization. When the position of the Executive Director (ED) became available, RPOA graciously hired me for the job. I was very eager to help them with Internet marketing, which I knew a lot about as a certified Inbound Marketer; but I didn't know anything about the RPOA, the job, or even the industry. I spent most of 2012 learning what it takes to be an ED, and worked with amazing, smart people on building the RPOA into an online hub for the industry and bringing RPO leaders together. Working with RPOA has been a very rewarding experience, and I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity. Special thanks to Mike Mayeux and John Younger for supporting and believing in me.
I know this has been a long update, but I really had a lot to share, and I know you're eager to hear it! I'm always thrilled when I connect with my old, long-distance friends every year or so and they tell me they enjoy reading my business updates. So even though I might not hear back from you, I know you're reading.
I hope you take the time to reflect on your breakthroughs from last year, and I wish you the best luck with great accomplishments for 2013!
With warmest regards for a happy and prosperous year!
Lamees
December, 2012
Webbright, a Wild Apricot developer and solution provider, helped the Patent Information User Group Inc. (PIUG) move their website to the Wild Apricot platform within 2 months.
With more than 250 pages and 2000 contacts, this project took almost two months and countless hours. The project main goal was to move PIUG's website content and database contacts to Wild Apricot while maintaining the integrity (look-and-feel, URLs, structure) of the original site. In addition to moving the site, Webbright helped PIUG create a Commercial Provider Directory (CPD): a listing of providers for the PIUG member community. The CPD is a new initiative championed by Tom Wolff, PIUG Board Member and long-time webmaster. Other new features added to the website included: (1) a dynamic sponsor banner on the home page, (2) a public member directory, and (3) online event registration. Webbright also provided training and support to PIUG members to help them with their goal of "taking website control in their hands".
PIUG Home Page Before
PIUG Home Page After
About the Patent Information User Group Inc.
PIUG was founded in the United States in 1988 by an ad hoc group of patent information scientists working in the chemical, pharmaceutical, petroleum, and technology industries. The impetus was to develop open communication among individual patent searchers and database producers in order to supplement existing conversations generally limited to database producers and customer companies’ managers at subscriber meetings and intercompany managers conferences. PIUG was incorporated as a non-profit organization in the state of Michigan in 1999.
About Webbright
Webbright designs and develops websites for membership organizations and helps them grow with integrated online marketing strategies. But, working with clients is more than building websites, blogs, or social networks. It’s about building relationships with people who are passionate about their mission, and helping them realize their vision. Since 2002, Webbright has been fortunate to work with some amazing organizations all over the world, and build exceptional relationships with billiant individuals.
Webbright is very pleased to welcome Brian Armstrong to our Bright Team.
Brain Armstrong is a senior Information Systems student at Virginia Commonweath University. Brian joined the Bright Team in August as an intern web developer. He hit the ground running with the first project, moving a professional association website to the Wild Apricot platform.
Brain impressed us during the recruitment process with his test assignment. I asked him to show me if he can create a new site on Wild Apricot and move a couple of site pages; instead he moved almost 30 pages over the weekend. Brian works very well with minimum supervision, which works very well with Webbright's virtual culture.
Here are a couple of things that Brian shared with us and we really like:
Describes your work ethics
Hardworking, passionate, curious,teamplayer
Two favorite places
My first place is Michigan because it is where my family is from and alot of my childhood was spent there. It is a very relaxing/stress free environment and always a good time.
My second place is in the class room believe it or not. I have a passion for learning and competitiveness. Having those two things as a driving force the classroom is a perfect place for me to feel at ease and have fun!
Something you're proud of
One of the most memorable moments in my life was starting in organization from the ground up. This is not just any organization however this was a fraternal organization. We went from being not existent to a colony to a chapter because of hard work and determination. When I look back on that accomplishment I can truly be proud of my self and knowing that good things don't come easy! All my dedication in handwork has finally paid off!
Favorite project
My favorite project was a semester long project and creating an IS for a auction company. There legacy system was out dated and needed a lot of work. We took an assessment and gathered requirements, etc. Designed prototypes and mock ups, etc. Created the end product and presented it. I liked this project because it introduced me to so many different aspects of a formal project. I learned so much and truly enjoyed the experience. Yes it was work but it was fun and exciting. My role was creator of UI and the business models. I also was able to mock up prototypes and different feasibility studies of the company.
I'm very excited to be taking new big steps towards branding webbright and moving it to the next level. I expect great breakthroughs in 2012 for Webbright. As part of these steps, I am working with one of our Bright Partners, a creative agency specializing in branding, to "refresh" the logo and give it a more sophisticated and serious image. The team presented four different logo ideas. Thanks to my Bright Advisers, we decided on a new creative logo that has more modern feel, smart treatment of letters, and sophisticated design. The logo is the first phase; coming next, the website theme will also be updated.
About Webbright's Original Logo
I created the original logo in 2007 with the help of a seasoned graphic designer. With the original logo, the 'web' was the key element. It had a 'hidden spider' that reminded me of The Very Busy Spider, a fun book I enjoyed reading to my children when they were little. In this story, all the animals and bugs came to the spider asking to do 'stuff' during the day, but the spider was busy spinning her web. She was quitely and patiently working on her spider all day, until by night time she had a nice, big dinner. I often thought of this little spider during my early years of working on Webbright when it was hard work and quite. Luckily, daytime is almost over for Webbright as well; I'm finally starting to achieve some big breakthrough. While I'll miss my little spider, I'm ready to let go and start a new chapter for Webbright.
Stay tuned for more breakthroughs from Webbright!
I had the special fortune of meeting Mr. Jonathan Young, Director of Corporate Relations at Virginia State University and Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce board member, through the Chamber where he was the Member of the Month award for his contribution to the community. I got to learn about a couple of incredible business initiatives Mr. Young created for VSU students. One of them is a Business Week, were the university hosts guests from industries to speak to students about working in the “real world” and provide constructive feedback on their business skills through role playing scenarios. In addition, Mr. Young created and teaches a Professional Enhancement/Career Launch course where guests from industry facilitate student group discussion with a different focus each week.
As someone who is passionate about mentoring young aspiring students, I found both opportunities highly intriguing. I had the pleasure of participating in both of these programs. I was most impressed with the students’ skills and behavior. All the students I met conducted themselves in the most professional and positive manor. I was also most impressed with how well organized these programs were. Mr. Young puts in the extra effort to communicate all details to guests and make their experience pleasant and rewarding.
Virginia State University students are very fortunate to have these amazing opportunities thanks to the leadership and passion of Mr. Young. Having obtained two college degrees myself and worked in the “real world”, these programs Mr. Young is leading are what I wish I had when I went to school, and what I think each college should offer to all students whether they major in business or not; after all, they all will be working in some sort of a business or another.
Jon was kind to share more information on these programs in this 7-question interview:
- How would you describe Business Week?
Business Week constitutes an opportunity for nearly 1,000 undergraduate business students to be exposed to real-world professionals. Over 100 leading industry guests facilitated small group role-play, conducted team exercises, and participated in round table conversations. In a post event survey, 61.2% of students completely agreed with the proposition that the industry guests shared information relevant to what the student wanted to do professionally.
- How do you describe the Career Launch?
Career Launch constitutes a radical new approach to higher education. Representing a paradigm shift, Career Launch consists exclusively of small-group role-play pertinent to real-world topics facilitated by industry. In one semester, over 200 industry guests participate in coaching students on sales, cold calls, conflict resolution, customer is always right, etc. Career Launch is experiential learning; LECTURE IS NOT ALLOWED.
- How did you come up with these initiatives?
Career Launch’s origin was an industry focus group that I put together in 2010. I secured 17 leading professionals who participated in a four hour focus group to develop radical new real-world relevant curriculum.
- Can you explain some of the logistics that goes organizing the Business Week and Career Launch?
Haha, a lot and a lot of work!! First, it necessitates relationships with hundreds of industry leaders. Second, it demands a command of logistics equivalent to a platoon leader!
- What do you like most about teaching the Career Launch course?
It is probably the only class that I know of that when I announce at the end of the session each evening that we have exhausted our time, students boo because they want to keep going!
- Can you share examples of some of the guests that participated in your programs?
Oh goodness, it is a long list. Over 300 companies have now participated. This includes Fortune 500 companies and small entrepreneurs.
- Can you share some of the success stories that resulted from these programs?
Over 35 students have either secured internships and/or employment because of a relationship that a student forged by way of these programs.
Webbright is very pleased to welcome Chelsea Jackson to our internship program. Chelsea is a sophomore at Virginia State University working on her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Management Information Systems. Chelsea has been an active student at VSU working as a Student Activities Office Assistant and a Sophomore Class Vice President. Chelsea will be working on her Inbound Marketing certification while applying her new skills and knowledge to help with Webbright's marketing campaign.
Webbright's Inbound Marketing Internship is a 16-week, part-time, virtual internship program. Interns learn about Internet Marketing techniques and concepts through 16 online course series. Interns should be prepared to work independently and remotely. Interns are assigned a class and homework on weekly basis, and have a 30-minute phone meeting with Internship Supervisor to discuss progress, topics, and assignments. By the end of the program, interns can take a test and receive an Inbound Marketing Certificate from Inbound Marketing University.
Webbright's Internship Program is part of its mission to provide mentoring and support to promising, bright college students. Chelsea is the third student to join this internship program. Webbright is very thrilled and honored to have graduated two other interns to date; Erin Proctor and Brent Trotter both had a very positive and rewarding internship experience with Webbright.
"I am very glad I got the chance to work with Webbright. I learned a lot more than I could have in a classroom environment and I will apply what I have learned in future jobs or internships." -Erin Procter, Bright Inter
Since working with Webbright, Erin has had two more internships and is gaining valuable experience for when she graduates. Erin is currently a senior at St. Bonaventure University and is going on to a marketing internship in Boston with Karmaloop this Summer. She plans to stay and work in Boston for a few years and attend Emerson College to get her master's degree in Publishing.
"The experience has been invaluable. I've learned a lot and look forward to learning more in the future. I probably wouldn't have come across IMU or all the avenues of knowledge it took me down had it not been for Webbright.-Brent Trotter, Bright Intern
Brent is an Entrepreneur, Blogger and Freelance Writer. After successfully completing his internship with Webbright, he moved on to have two more internships before landing a full-time position as an Assistant Account Executive for a top advertising firm in Chicago, IL. Brent resumed his relationship with Webbright past his internship and is currently offering marketing/branding consulting services for Webbright on an ongoing basis.
Help me welcome Chelsea by leaving her a message in our comments section.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RICHMOND – Feb. 8, 2012 – Webbright founder and president, Ms Lamees Abourahma, has partnered with the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA) to grow their membership by launching an online marketing campaign.
“We are excited about our new Executive Director, Ms Abourahma, who has hit the ground running,” said Mike Mayeux, RPOA co-founder and Novotus president.
Ms. Abourahma initially helped RPOA develop an RPO marketplace, called the Buyers’ Guide. The Buyers Guide is the first and only one of its kind in the RPO industry; it helps companies looking to hire an RPO provider to find and connect with the right provider. Since its launch last October, new providers are joining the Buyers Guide on daily basis. The content has boosted up the site traffic and leads a great deal.
“Not only is Lamees a fantastic leader for the RPOA, she is also a web development and marketing star,” said Mr John Younger, RPOA president and Accolo founder.
The RPOA has been going through a transformation that includes membership structure and benefits. “One of the first things I will be working on is conducting market research to help define membership value for the RPOA's members,” said Ms. Abourahma. “The website has some great content including videos, tools, and articles; however, this content has never been optimized for search engines.”
“There are so many good things we can accomplish together that will help build a strong industry for all of us,” said Mr. Mayeux.
An effective online marketing strategy helps businesses get found by qualified leads, capture and nurture these leads, and then analyze their performance. These are the foundations of the popular Inbound Marketing methodology that will be put in place by Webbright Services.
“There is a lot of work to be done, but I’m excited about the journey ahead and the results that we can accomplish together", said Abourahma.
About RPOA: The Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA) was founded in 2003 by John Younger and Mike Mayeux to educate the market and promote RPO best practices. Recruitment Process Outsourcing is a form of business process outsourcing (BPO) where an employer transfers all or part of its recruitment processes to an external service provider. More information about RPOA can be found at http://www.rpoassociation.org/
About Webbright Services: Webbright is a woman-owned, small business agency providing website design and Inbound Marketing services for small businesses and non-profit organizations in the U.S. and throughout the world. More information about Webbright Services can be found at http://www.webbrightservices.com/
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