110 Million people will tune in to the Superbowl on the first Sunday in February making it one of the most-watched shows in the world.  It doesn’t even matter if you like football, if you think football is really soccer, know who is playing or care who wins; if you are an American you are probably going to attend a Superbowl party or get together with friends to watch the game.  Superbowl  Sunday is an unofficial national holiday made for events, celebration and the green light for a party!

Whether its snacks, a bar-b-que or big time buffet this day also represents the ‘Superbowl of Eating’. Second  to only Thanksgiving, Superbowl Sunday boasts the U.S.’s largest one-day  food consumption. That’s a lot of guacamole (actually about 26 million avocados) nachos, pizza and approximately 1.25 billion chicken wings. If you’re the one hosting a party you better start considering the menu and you might consider a few things to insure your party is a super success:

1) Plan ahead: Pre-planning  is key to creating any kind of event.  In the case of guys, yes we mean you men, don’t wait, make a couple lists and try to get the jump on the big day.

2) Invite people early: Hey, there is a lot of competition for game viewing parties. Make sure to get the word out and your email invitations sent early.  Make the invitations bold and fun- ‘advertise’  that your place is going to be the prime viewing venue.

3) Get People to pitch in: It is always a good idea and not unmanly at all to ask for help. Get friends to come over early and help set up. Have the people invited commit to bring or dish or pitch in some money via a service like WePay.   Most friends don’t mind pitching in money for beer or a few extra bucks if they hear you’ll be making your famous tri-tip. Make it easy for them by taking care of it ahead of time.  Have a few folks commit to being the on the post-game clean-up crew.  Know that you have at least one designated driver .

4) Shop early:  If you are ordering a baked ham, going to the supermarket or setting up catering and linking through your WePay account make sure you do it ahead of time. Whatever you do, don’t get caught in the grocery store the day before the game!

5) It’s all about the TV:  You don’t have to go out and buy a new set (although retailers have huge sales just prior to the Superbowl) but make sure you have some prime viewing locations. Don’t think twice about rearranging the furniture or bringing in chairs and cushions. Set smaller TV’s around the house or out on the patio if you live in a place with nice weather. Consider putting an extra TV in a bedroom or den with DVDs for kids (or Heaven forbid, the people who love your party but don’t really like football).

6) Relax and have fun: Superbowl parties are pretty much a set it and forget it event. If you have the TV and you have the food then it’s all going to work out!

The Flip side of the Coin Toss

What if you think the upcoming Superbowl is over rated, thriving on gluttony and commercialism? Well, if you can’t beat ‘em and you don’t want to join them, maybe you can still win.  Several national charities have hitched their wagon to this mega-marketing Superstar and you can too.

Whether you need a male-friendly alternative to a black tie ball or are looking for a winter event to balance a summer fund-raiser, the Superbowl could be an easy answer.  People are already familiar with event, they will probably attend a party anyway so why not direct them to your non-profit, church group or community cause.

1) Sell Tickets:  Create an e-ticket and invitation through WePay. Give your guests an opportunity to pre-buy a ticket to your Superbowl charity party.  WePay will let your non-profit or club have a dedicated account just for this one event. When your guests are buying tickets make sure to offer add-ons: Event T-shirts or caps, donations for entry into a pool, door prize raffle tickets or additional monetary donation to your cause.

2) Create your own Sports Bar:  If you are at a private home, rented hall or restaurant promote the Superbowl theme in your decor, food and drink selections. Homemade signs and pom-poms are inexpensive, fun and appropriate for sports fans.  Game viewing parties are ‘super’ casual!

3) Encourage rivalry: Pick teams, create a pool for winning teams, the best commercial, player performance or guessing the final score.  Have your guests come in jerseys or team t-shirts.  Have beads, hats, removable tattoos or stickers for them. Let them go a little crazy and support their pick.

4) Have all the fun but promote the cause:  Consider using a DVR to record the game so you can stop for a few minutes a half-time and make a statement or collect more funds for your charity.  Have brochures and information on the charity as a take-away.

If they air it we will watch!

Even if we never watch TV chances are we will see this game. We may be a life-long, die-hard , grid iron fan or be one of the viewers who just likes the commercials.  We promote it and see it as the “World Championship” of the game.  We don’t care that, like baseball’s World Series, no other countries are invited to play.   When the Giants and Patriots face off in the Superbowl that silver football trophy is more than a hunk of metal to us;  it’s a reason to be with friends, promote a cause, root for a team and celebrate being an American.

The registration process is the event goer’s first impression. Every post-event evaluation results in comments about the simplicity (or not) of the registration process. And in today’s world of online shopping, everyone is aware of internet security when it comes time to enter their credit card number.

If registration is long and difficult to understand, you risk losing attendees out of frustration and impatience. Simply follow these steps when creating your registration form and your event will make a dazzling first impression:

Determine what information you really need about the attendee. Are you asking for their fax number? Think about it: are you going to fax them information? If not, don’t collect it. Email is an absolute necessity; you can use their email address to send them a receipt, update the attendee on news regarding the event and/or organization, and it gives you a new email for future marketing opportunities.

Demographics are an important part of the planning process and the event’s registration form is the perfect place to collect initial data. ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements, for instance, are frequent requests; ask the attendee if they will require any assistance or have special dietary requirements. If your event involves t-shirts or anything that is size or gender specific, now is the time to ask! Get those details now and save yourself time later.

Always ask where the attendee heard about the event; this way you know in the future which marketing efforts really paid off and which ones were not profitable.

All event materials must include the name and contact information of the person available to answer questions; and the registration form is no exception. Link to an email and/or phone number that the attendee can use during and after the registration process.

Ultimately, you want the person to go through the entire process and pay for their registration, right? Make it simple and make it secure. Add language at the top of the screen that indicates they are using a secure site and that their credit card information is safe. Only the last four digits of the card should be visible on their receipt and in your files.

A full receipt should be emailed to the attendee immediately following the transaction. The receipt should show the total amount paid, what the attendee will receive for that amount, contact information for the event organizer, and basic details about the event.

Online options for ticketing and registration are the way to go; less data entry for you means less mistakes. It also allows you to continue taking registrations right up to the last moment meaning more money goes to your cause or event’s bottom line.

Just remember to keep it simple (let WePay help!) and your event will have a shiny first impression.

It is 2012 and if the world isn’t going to end then there are a lot of us who are saying we have to get organized, get on track and set some new goals. It may be cliché to write down your New Year’s resolution,  start a diet or create a new expense budget on the  first of the year but what better time to start. It’s like the universe is giving us a giant ‘reset ‘ button- so why not take advantage of it?

We set small goals each and every day and reach them through a series of smaller steps. We already know how to do it so why not use this month to set some big goals, huge ones.  I know logic says make them small and attainable. Experts (whoever they are) will cite statistics that say if you go big, you will fail.  The same dream crushers actually say you will most likely fail if you try at all.  But there is only reward with some risk. Some other non-experts say take off more than you can chew or you will never know your true capacity. A true measure of your character may be the result of really testing it.

What is the point of making a long list of resolutions where you know you will not succeed?

Since we are no longer taking wagon trains across the prairie or tall ships on arduous voyages we barely test ourselves physically or emotionally. Most of our challenges come from the everyday stress of maintaining the niche we have chosen, working our career, or keeping our house.

Maybe it’s time to mix it up.

You may not really want to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro or be president of your company but what is your wildest dream?  Most of us can’t remember.  Sure, you have heard the question “If you could anything you wanted, what would it be?” For most of us this is too broad and the prospects are daunting.

To really find out what your answer, to determine your loftiest goal it could be a matter of asking yourself some serious questions:

What did you want to be when you were a child?

Who do you admire most? What are they like? What is it that they do? How did they get there?

What is it that you really want to achieve?

The trick here is to be specific.  You may say “I want to write a book.” Why? Do you want to write a book to tell an important story – or do you really just want to be on the Today Show talking about your book?  Maybe there is a different path for that notoriety.

You may be like millions of us who just want to lose some of that ‘extra’ weight or save ‘some’ money each month.  But I encourage you not to make these goals ambiguous or too easy.  If your goals are small and vague-so are the results. In the past I had to set a huge goal to kick start myself down the path to better health.

I thought I might want to lose a few pounds or start a fitness regime -  thought it for years but never did much about it until I set a big goal. I got a flyer for a marathon and in a few seconds decided to do it, yes 26.2 miles! Even though, until that time, I followed the Miss Piggy rule of exercise “Never run unless someone is chasing you.”  I didn’t focus on if or how I was going to do it, I just made the choice.

Setting a big goal took me to a different level of thinking.  I could lose interest in a 5K but a marathon was going to take some thought and some work. More than physical strength, it took a lot of planning and an amazing amount of time and coordination. I simply had to think about it an revisit some aspect of it (training, diet, schedules, shoes!) every single day for nearly half a year.  It became part of my life and the small goals fell away day by day, then month by month.  One October day I completed my first (and only) marathon. I didn’t do it in record time or with much flourish but I would have never reached the finish line at all by saying I am going to start exercising “someday.”

This may be the year you climb the mountain or become CEO if you set a big, clear cut goal.

So  take some big steps, think big and set your biggest goals ever! And tell us your big goal in the comments!

About the author:

Kelly Sallaway is a professional writer and video and event planner with an extensive background in sports and entertainment. Her production background includes corporate backed experiences for executives, VIPs and the media including press conferences, media days and product launches. She has produced celebrity races, charity fund-raisers and nationally televised events. Kelly is also an avid traveler and published travel writer. She has been published in international print magazines and many on-line travel sites.

The Benefits of Mother Daughter Volunteering

Moms and daughters who volunteer together learn the values of service – giving back to others, showing gratitude of what you have, and improving the life of others. Mothers and daughters can create a closer bond while volunteering as they spend time together, learn about the difficulties of others and how to cope with problems that feel beyond their control, and form beliefs about social causes.

Daughters can learn, with the guidance of their mothers, about professional goals that may interest them as they use various skills. Both can gain work experience and professional and networking skills. Volunteering with others helps social skills, helps with self-confidence and increases self-fulfillment.

When mothers and daughters volunteer together, the uneasiness of starting something new and meeting new people is lessened because the activity is being done together. Moms and daughters can rely on each other to get over hurdles and to push their limits.

Types of Mother Daughter Volunteering

• Mother as Volunteer with Daughter as Helper – A mom volunteers directly with an agency and has her daughter assist her with specific activities. For example, a mother is a volunteer with March of Dimes and her 10 year old daughter helps her stuff envelopes for donations.
• Mother and Daughter Volunteer Together on Same Project – Some agencies, such as KidServe Seattle allow children to volunteer with parents.

How to Find Mother Daughter Volunteer Opportunities

Search for local agencies that allow families to volunteer together by using sites such as Volunteer Match and United We Serve. Look for causes that interest the both of you, be it the environment, homelessness, poverty, animals, veterans, medical or some other worthy cause. Then look at what type of work is needed, such as clerical, fundraising events, mentoring, etc.

Visit the agency and get a feel for what you’ll be doing. Since it’s a decision that both mother and daughter will have to be happy with and comfortable with, it may take more time to find a good fit, but it will be worth it in the long run.

To learn more about the mother daughter volunteer experience, visit National Charity League, Org., which specifically matches mothers and daughters with volunteer work.

Mothers and daughters who volunteer together grow together. Have you ever taken advantage of this opportunity? If so, please leave us a comment about your experience and plug the cause you worked for!

Here it is a week before the event you’ve spent the last few months planning and you’re racing around frantically with your cell phone attached to your ear, sticky note reminders scattered around your house, voicemails from contacts filling up your inbox and your email now a permanent window on your computer. Hours upon hours have been put into this in order to make sure it goes off without a hitch, not to mention all of the funds that have gone into making sure no expense has been spared. So how do you keep it all together and make sure that the actual event is everything you (and your team) has planned on?

Extra Cash.

It’s no surprise that there will inevitably almost always be something that you need to run out and get the day of your event. It’s just the way it goes. If you’ve budgeted correctly, you’ll have a few hundred (or few thousand, depending on the size of your event) set aside as a cushion. It’s absolutely essential to have that there, otherwise you’ll find yourself digging into your own pockets, or asking someone on your team for money that you’ll end up expensing back to them based on the success of the event, or even worse; you’ll have to forgo whatever it was you needed. Don’t put yourself in that situation. Set aside the cash.

Rely on your team!

No matter how large or small the event is you’re putting on I’m banking on the fact that you didn’t do everything by yourself. Your significant other may have pitched in, or you may have an entire planning party that’s been assisting you in bringing your idea to fruition. I know how difficult it is when it comes down to crunch time to let go of things because you want to make sure you have everything handled down to the minute detail, but you brought people on to help for a reason. Odds are, there’s at least one or two people you can count on to get things done with you because they’ve been working just as hard as you have through the whole process. USE THEM! I cannot stress this enough. It’ll alleviate stress from you (which will allow you to get some sleep at night) and things will still get done.

Don’t be annoying.

Every single person who’s ever planned an event (including the professionals) will tell you the same thing. We all get scared about the numbers! Who’s actually going to show up, why didn’t this group of people RSVP and does that mean they’re not coming, etc.

Stop.

Breathe.

It’ll be okay. If you’ve done a good job promoting your event along the way, you’ll get the crowd you’re looking for. The worst thing you could possibly do is start spamming your event everywhere all week long, the week before your event. You’ll just end up driving everyone mad, and possibly scaring off people that would have come in the first place. No one likes 18 text messages asking if they’re coming, or being bombarded with event invites on Facebook, or getting 2 emails a day “reminding” them that they have an event coming up. If you’ve planned your event effectively, people are already planning on coming. Respect that. A reminder the day before is fine, but keep it controlled.

Take a break.

I don’t care if it’s 15 minutes, 30 minutes or an hour. In my experience it’s all too easy to get caught up in working on things 24/7 up until the event itself has taken place. I promise you, you won’t be on your game if you try and pull that type of routine. You need to make sure you’re taking a break more than ever before that week before. And when I say break, I don’t mean “ignore one thing and keep doing the rest of it” or the ever famous “I went to a coffee shop with my computer so I can have a coffee break even though I’m still emailing and on the phone.” I mean turn your brain off. Shut the computer. Turn off the phone. And relax. I promise it’ll be worth it in the long run. You may think you’re wasting valuable time, but in reality you’re giving your brain a chance to cool off for a minute. It’s like an engine. Overheat it and it explodes. Overheat your brain and you’ll have a meltdown. Save yourself the hassle.

Have fun!!

You planned the event and yes you have to be the one to make sure everything goes smoothly, but long after the doors close, the food is put away and the entertainment is paid and on to their next gig people will remember how they felt at your event. They’ll remember the pictures they took, the fun they had, how easy it was to get to things or be involved in whatever the event was planned for. Make sure you get to enjoy your own event. Mingle! Greet the guests. Give away some stuff to key people you want to make connections with. Network. Take a few minutes and sit back and just admire what you’ve accomplished! You deserve it!

Every event is different. It could be a major concert that involves a lot of little technical details, or it could be a baby shower for your best friend with her family and close friends. They take on many different forms. I could spend all day going over tricks for different types of events but really the above tips are universal. They’ll get you through and allow your event to shine for what it is.

Good luck and happy planning!

The Overdone Light Job: Whether it be strung all over a house, on a miniature Christmas tree, or throughout a cramped apartment, I’ve seen some light displays on campuses that give Vegas a run for its money. While such ornate displays are undoubtedly a fire hazard given the likelihood of short-circuiting the lone electrical socket all the lights are daisy-chained to, there’s nothing like being able to illuminate your entire living space without the use of a conventional light bulb. So break out those icicle strands, those blinking blue LEDs, the traditional rainbow bulbs, and any other Christmas lights you’ve got collecting dust in your attic and put them to good use. The tackier, the better.

Holiday Drinks with a Real Bite: Sure, champagne might be the traditional drink of choice to toast to the New Years with, and perhaps sipping on a glass of red wine is the classy way to spend Christmas Eve, but I propose we get back to the times when our holiday beverages served to separate the lightweights from the late-night champions. Eggnog? Spike that with a heavy dose of rum. Cider? Throw some more rum in that, too. Hot Cocoa? You can’t go wrong by dumping some peppermint schnapps in there. Get creative– any drink you’re sipping on this Holiday Season should be consumed with the intention to ‘enhance’ your holiday experience. As the great Sonny Koufax (Adam Sandler) shared with his kindergarten compadres in the 90s classic Big Daddy, “We all love Yoo-hoo, especially Yoo-hoo with a little rum…”

The Multiple Christmas Tree Look: Now this one might be a bit less widespread than the previous two, but my house always had at least 4 or 5 Christmas trees sprinkled throughout to help spread the holiday cheer (Yeah, I lived in a frat house). Let me tell you, there is no better way to say, ‘I dig the Holiday Season’ then by filling your house with the smell of pine trees and sap, so make sure these babies are the real things, not those tame, plastic imitators. The living and dining rooms are a given, but got an empty corner in your bathroom? Throw a tree in there. How about that spot on top of your refrigerator? Yeah, throw a mini-tree up there too. And aside from embracing the holiday spirit, more space under your trees could mean more presents for everyone.

So if you’ve made it through this whole post, hats off to you– you’re clearly as committed to tacky decorations and a crude approach to the holiday season as I am. Spice up your holiday traditions with a much-needed punch of lighting, alcohol, and natural air fresheners. Your mom and dad might not agree with it, but they probably wouldn’t agree with the majority of the decisions you made back in college either. Why stop now just because we graduated and moved onto the ‘real world?’ (And for pete’s sake, drink responsibly.)

Photo by thisisbossi

For 2011’s edition of the Festival, Executive Director Dennis Caldirola and his partners desperately wanted to bring Festa Italian into the 21^st century. They needed a way to sell tickets, register teams, sign up volunteers, and much more, all directly from their website.

So they shopped around to various vendors, banks, and businesses, all to no avail. But through a chance email with WePay’s own Dominic Toscanelli, they had found their solution!

WePay let the organizers set up a system to collect payments and information for various activities, including the delicious Taste of Italy as well as The Grape Stomp. The 2011 Festa Italiana was a success, with over 30,000 Italians and honorary Italians enjoying the event!

Caldirola says they fully intend on using WePay for next year’s festival – in fact, down the road, they intend on making it the sole method of signing up for the event. We’re simply glad we were able to help such a fun and historied festival in some small way. And we’ll be there for the 25^th anniversary!

For more information on what WePay can do for your festival, head on over to our website!

Like this infographic? Get the embed code here:

Large version (972 px):
<a href="http://blog.wepay.com/2011/11/01/occupy-wall-street/?utm_source=links_IG_OWS_972&utm_medium=IG_OWS_972&utm_campaign=IG_OWS_972_2011_11_01/"><img src="http://blog.wepay.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/occupy-infographic2-972.jpg" alt="Occupy Wall Street Donations" /></a><br />Donation payments collected by <a href="http://wepay.com/?utm_source=links_IG_OWS_972&utm_medium=IG_OWS_972&utm_campaign=IG_OWS_972_2011_11_01/">WePay</a>

Small version (620 px):
<a href="http://blog.wepay.com/2011/11/01/occupy-wall-street/?utm_source=links_IG_OWS_620&utm_medium=IG_OWS_620&utm_campaign=IG_OWS_620_2011_11_01/"><img src="http://blog.wepay.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/occupy-infographic2-620.jpg" alt="Occupy Wall Street Donations" /></a><br />Donation payments collected by <a href="http://wepay.com/?utm_source=links_IG_OWS_620&utm_medium=IG_OWS_620&utm_campaign=IG_OWS_620_2011_11_01/">WePay</a>

*Graphic data is lower than $400,000 due to production lag time.

You have made the decision to volunteer. You’ve done some research about the program, who is being helped and what is expected of you. Now you’re signed up to help out. Along the way, though, there are some issues that come up. Here are examples of the top five clashes that can be encountered during volunteering:

1. Expectations of Volunteers and the Program Clash: Even if the numbers of hours expected of a volunteer is discussed and agreed upon, the workload may not be represented by the agency or understood by the volunteer. Sometimes volunteers are given an agenda to follow, or the exact description of their tasks to do, but when other things come up, volunteers are expected to take on those tasks in place of or as well as the volunteer work agreed upon. Volunteers may feel that they are not qualified, or that they are being “used” to fill in gaps. Avoid this clash by spelling out volunteers’ duties and agreeing – beforehand – when those duties change.
2. Personality Clashes: This can happen anywhere, but a volunteer can voice their opinion and chose not to work any longer because he doesn’t get along with someone. This can occur between volunteers working together at the same time, or between the person in charge and the volunteer, or a salaried employee and a volunteer. Because walking out on a volunteer opportunity does not carry the stigma or financial consequences of walking out on a paid job, the volunteer coordinator should be aware of personality clashes and be ready to mitigate the problem before losing one (or more) good volunteers.
3. Safety Clashes: Volunteers may feel that unsafe while doing their volunteer hours. Some programs take place in crime-ridden areas, with people who are prone to violence, and involve other types of risks such as working with heavy machinery or being around people with medical or mental health problems. Volunteers may make the decision that it’s not worth it to take the risk of getting harmed in some way. Avoid this problem by making potential dangers clear to volunteers during training. Arm volunteers with confidence by offering advice on what to do should dangerous situations arise, and send volunteers in groups so there’s safety in numbers.
4. Volunteer Recognition Clashes: Even though many people who volunteer do so to help others as their main goal, not being recognized for their hard work can cause a problem. It is human nature to feel the need that someone else sees and understands what you are doing is worthwhile. This one is a simple fix – recognize your volunteers. (Check out our 15 Ways to Reward and Recognize Your Volunteers for ideas.)
5. Belief Clashes: Some volunteer programs are based on a set of core beliefs, be it religious, political or sociological. And sometimes the agency may realize that the volunteer doesn’t adhere to those beliefs. If the volunteer acts out while volunteering, for example by speaking out against those beliefs, this can be a deal breaker. The solution to this clash is to make your organization’s beliefs clear up front. State it on the website and on training materials and again during volunteer training. Volunteering is a generous act, but not ever volunteer opportunity is a mental, physical or spiritual fit.

Clashes can happen while volunteering, even if the both the volunteer and the agency have the best intentions. It may lead to parting ways or finding a solution to work things out. If, you as a volunteer feel that there is a problem, speak out as soon as you can. Agencies should be there to try to offer guidance and to attempt to alleviate the problem.

I just read a post by Ben Pieratt, the CEO of Svpply, a social shopping site from New York City. Ben recently raised half-a-million dollars in investment, and he admits to having very little understanding of what he is doing. As he says: “I have zero experience or expertise in building a company. I’ve never worked at a web or product startup, I’ve never worked in a healthy team environment.”

Ben ends his post with a description that will sound eerily familiar to any founder in a similar position: “my level of personal confidence is appropriate. Skeptically hopeful. The bouts of depression and self-doubt are reasonable and inevitable….I couldn’t ask for better. I am thankful for the opportunity. It is an amazing challenge.”

When I dropped out of law school to found WePay in the Fall of 2008, I had this notion of what it was like to start a company: You come up with a great idea, convince investors to give you money to build it, hire people to build it, and watch as the customers and dollars roll in.  While I was obviously incredibly naive, I owe everything to that initial naiveté: without it, I never would have had the courage and resolution to venture off the beaten path, alone and in the dark.

In the beginning, my co-founder (Bill Clerico) and I spent a year trying, unsuccessfully, to raise money during “the worst recession since the great depression,” and it cost us nearly a year of our lives and hundreds of thousands of dollars in opportunity. It was like getting punched in the face repeatedly, and I am embarrassed to admit how close I was to crawling back to law school, tail between legs. It was my first major bout of self-doubt and uncertainty; not only in regard to WePay, but in my entire life.

Tim Ferris writes about Harnessing Entrepreneurial Manic-Depression. In it, he outlines the general path of the entrepreneur psyche: At some point, we trade the excitement of uninformed and unmitigated optimism for the anxiety and depression of informed pessimism. This happens when we go from “I have the next million dollar idea!” to “holy shit, this is going to be a lot harder than I thought, and I’m not so sure that I can pull it off.”

Read the rest of the origins and early struggles of WePay over at Business Insider!