This past year has been momentous for Half a Bubble Out. If you have been following us at all, you know that we checked off 20 years in business. Just writing that causes me to want to pause and simply say thank you to all of you: our clients, friends, vendors, and others who are part of our larger community.

Thank you for the gift of allowing us to partner with you in growing your companies, in developing your leadership, and in managing the day to day opportunities that running a business or leading a team brings to your doorstep.

As a child, I (Michael) always knew I wanted to own a business one day. From standing in front of the local convenience store with my first shoe shining kit, to mowing neighbors’ lawns, I was always trying to make a buck. I even told my Sunday School teacher I wanted to become a ‘bachelor millionaire.'

Do you find yourself thinking “how is it 2022 already?” Time is relentless and the older we get, the faster it seems to tick along! We've been thinking a lot about how we frame up our reality. How we see and perceive the world we live in these days, and how we lead well with all that is swirling around us.

Sometimes the death of a business is somewhat personal and triggers a sense of nostalgia. In the world of small business, companies come and go all the time with little more than a raised eyebrow – but every once in a while the closing of a local business surprises you.

There’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday – but do you know about #GivingTuesday? After two days dedicated to shopping there’s a day dedicated to giving back. On Tuesday, December 1, 2015, charities, families, businesses, community centers, and students around the world will come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.

It’s unusually quiet here at The Bubble this week. Our delightful bosses (who we miss!) are visiting their daughter. Even the office dog isn't here to welcome us each morning. Instead she's off gallivanting around the backyard of a friend’s home. Still, there’s a whispered buzz of finger typing, problem solving, and the occasional discussion of why in the world such-and-such is trending on Twitter. It’s unconventional times in the office like this that cause a pause - just long enough to get our brains out of the small business online marketing world for a moment – to reflect. In the spirit of Thanksgiving our staff shares what we’re grateful for.

Ghosts, goblins, zombies, and witches got nothin’ on the scary stuff that may sneak up on an inbound marketing company at any given moment. It’s not the danger that lurks in the deep web. It’s not the mystery behind the curtain of the all-powerful Google. It’s not even the creeper factor of the suspiciously timed emails we receive relating to a conversation we just had. If you dare, keep reading to learn what scares the inbound marketing staff at Half a Bubble Out, and how we slay these marketing vampires sucking the blood out of your business.

My coworker recently made a comment that she considers me to be her friend – not just a work friend – but a real, true friend. I feel the same way about her, and my other coworkers too. I know this is not the norm in the small business world, but I think people would like it to be and it would cause them to be better employees.

We come in all shapes and sizes when it comes to being a consumer of technology.

Are you the “preorder-to-be-the-first-one-to-try-it” type of consumer OR are you the “sit-back-and-wait-for-everyone-else-to-try-it-first-then-buy” type?

A friend of mine sent me a 2 minute video to watch that was well-made and really interesting - but it made me think about the power of persuasion when combined with quality video. I started to wonder if I was getting taken advantage of by companies that I buy stuff from - even when I’m really happy with what I have most of the time.

Take a look at the short video below and then see if you agree with any of my thoughts. Not all of you will care, but some of you might want to talk about it. Just a little food for thought.