Do you need a running partner? How about the world famous ultra-marathon man, Dean Karnazes? Zozi’s new program makes that possible. This San Francisco-based startup recently launched Guru Experiences, where celebrity experts conduct unique adventures for small groups.  National Geographic Explorer Mireya Mayor and world record kayaker, Tao Berman, are among the ranks of professionals that zozi found to kick off their service.

Since their launch in 2009, providing new experiences has been the goal of the company.  Now serving most major cities in the U.S., their daily deal service includes a broad range of activities for people looking to get out of their comfort zone.  Dance classes, cooking courses, and exclusive tours have been the norm for zozi, but the Guru program takes it to a new level.

For the Dean Karnazes experience, guests will run all morning in Big Sur along the California coast.  Dean will share inspiring experiences, advice, and insight. Afterwards, a healthy lunch is served overlooking the Pacific. Sounds great to us, but we might need to hit the treadmill a bit to prep for that one.

Here are the other current Guru Experiences: Snowcat or Squaw Valley Skiing with Jonny Moseley, Sunset Safari with Mireya Mayor, Find Your Stride with Eric Orton, Whitewater Skills with Tao Berman, and coming soon…Chris Lieto-Ironman Champion, and Maya Gabeira-Big Wave Surf Champion.

These exclusive experiences come with a nice price tag, but their rarity makes them hard to pass up. There are set dates for each of the opportunities, so check out the zozi website and register for your own one-of-a-kind Guru Experience.

Here at ABCey, we’ve found that adventure can be just clicks away! Zozi is great for the brave, Sōsh finds all the hot spots, and Wanderfly gives guidance when you’re on the road. How do you find things to do? Which zozi Guru Experience would you like to try out? Let us know in the comments or say hello on Twitter!

Welcome to Startup Monday.  Our new weekly post will feature the hottest ideas from the tech and events industry.  If you have a startup that we should look into, let us know on Twitter!

We know the feeling, you want to get your special someone something this Valentine’s Day, but as it’s fast approaching the supermarkets seem to be jam packed with cheesy V-day gifts that speak little from the heart. To help you tug on your loved ones heart strings, we have researched four delightful websites that will assist you in buying unique gifts or creating something on your own for your significant other this Valentines Day.

1. Uncommon Goods has accumulated quite an assortment of unique products.  You can find everything from mushroom kits to eco picnic baskets. Maybe your girlfriend is a strange health nut;) You’re sure to find something for any type of person.  This site is dedicated to gifts, so you can search by holiday, gender, and category. This would be a great place to look for those difficult to shoo shop for and who don’t have this amazing footed bowl.

We also like the Wooden iPhone Case for $44

2. Etsy is a super sweet website that most of you know which specializes in selling all things handmade and vintage. If you don’t have the time to create but still want something unique, then we recommend Etsy for quick and easy Valentines Day shopping. There is a whole tab dedicated to the holiday, including handpicked items that are sure to charm.

Pick up this Walnut Wooden iPad Stand for only $20! Great for those that have aquired iPads over the holidays.

3. Best Friends For Frosting is a lovely little website that features hundreds of adorable homemade recipes from the best baking blogs around the world. We know techies have a soft spot for sugar, so treat yours to something homemade. Recipes are conveniently categorized under tabs like Holidays, Desserts,Themes and DIY, so you’re sure to find exactly what you’re looking for in a matter of moments. A number of recipes also consider those who are vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free, making it easier for everyone to enjoy your homemade sweet treats.

Try whipping up a batch of these Conversation Heart Valentine Sugar Cookies.

Still haven’t found the right gift? This next one should help you out…

4. Svpply We aren’t quite sure how to say it yet either, but that’s a “v” not a “u”. It’s kinda like a Pinterest, but for shopping only.  You can follow your favorite people and stores, save stuff that you want to buy later, and find great online products.  Back to the point of this post; Valentines Day- you can set search specifications to find exactly what you want to find for that special someone!

Our favorite find was this geeky Unlock Doormat from blessthisstuff for $59:

5. Rent the Runway is your go to online resource for your V-day attire this season. I’m sure many of you have heard by now, but you can rent a top-tier designer dress for a fraction of the retail price. Since formal dresses rarely get much wear anyway, this is a great way to wow your man on less-than-royal budget for just a night.

We hope these ideas inspire you to find that perfect gift this Valentines Day! If you know of any great websites or V-day inspired recipes feel free to share here or find ABCey on Twitter.

Looking to travel this spring? Hunting through different travel sites for convenient hotels and cheap flights can give you a headache. Event planners are on the move, whether it’s for conventions, galas, or fun. This is why we tried Wanderfly, a travel recommendation engine that goes beyond flights and hotels.  Users tailor the settings to fit their budgets and interests, and the site uses your social networks and other travel search engines to give suggestions.

ABCey is planning an event in Washington, D.C. this spring for a company attending the International Trademark Association’s Annual Meeting, so we decided to let Wanderfly help with our travel itinerary.

We set the specifications for San Francisco to Washington DC, $600 per person, early May, and for 4 days. The coolest part of this site is that you can add your interests.  For this trip we decided that our interests were: landmarks (can’t miss those in DC), food (event planners have to eat), and outdoors (May is lovely).  When we hit the “Get Going” button, we were transported to the front steps of the White House…well, not really, but it gave us everything that we needed to get there.

The first thing we did is check out the flight and hotel options.  Wanderfly uses content from travel sites such as Orbitz, Hotels.com, Facebook, Foursquare, Yelp, and Mashable.  We found flight options and hotels with reviews and tips right on the page. The activities suggestions are really what makes the service unique.  For us, it recommended highly reviewed restuarants, hiking trails, and all of the important monuments. If you log into Facebook through the site, it accesses your network’s knowledge and allows you to post a question asking for advice.  

Interested yet? Even if you don’t know where you want to go on vacation, Wanderfly will make recomendations for you based on your interests and budget.  We suggest that you try them out! It is free and easy to plan vacations, even if they’re imaginary. Have you ever used Wanderfly? What travel services do you generally use? Let us know in the comments or find us on Twitter!

What do long lines and slow check-ins have in common? Angry clients! Never fear; help is here. No more standing at the door, flipping through ten pages of names. New iPad and iPhone apps offer efficiency and professionalism for guest check-in. We’ve taken a good look at the latest options and reviewed them for you. From basic spreadsheet uploads to full-on social media integration, these apps are at the front of the line. Each of these applications caters to slightly different needs and they vary in cost, but they all look like they’re worth a try!

  1. My Guest List is the world’s first app allowing event managers to sync guestlists and function enquires from your website, Facebook, or spreadsheets to an ipad ready for hosts or door staff to use at the beginning of your event. This clever app is great for guest management- tap guests off as they arrive and track arrival times, VIPs, and walk-ins. All of the night’s data is translated to reporting and statistics- logging the total number of people who attended your event and the performance of your promoter. Finally, the most important feature, social media integration- allowing your database to have both Facebook and the iPad working in sync. This enables complete guest profiling, including how often they frequent a venue, what they like to drink and how much social influence they have.  The service starts at $25 dollars a month.

2. CheckInEasy is a great iPad/iPhone app which was recently used for the Google holiday party to check in over 2500 guests! This app is great because guests can either be looked up by name or using boarding pass style barcodes.  Also, if you want to be notified when a special guest arrives, you can choose to receive a text message or email. CheckInEasy has really emphasized their attention to data security so that customers can feel confident about protecting their guests’ information. The app is only $1.99 and the starter package, up to 500 check-ins, is $99.00.

3. Eventbrite is a leading ticketing service that has created an app called Entry Manager. This app allows you to log into your Eventbrite account and pull up guestlists from all of the events that you are planning. Attendees can be checked in by name, or by scanning invitation barcodes that guests can print out or pull up right on their iPhones.  The list automatically syncs with other devices being used to check people in.   All of your attendance data will be stored on the server and accessible in your Eventbrite account for further analysis. An Eventbrite account is necessary, and the app is free!

 4. Event Farm has a mobile guest check-in app for the iPad and iPhone. It is sleek, stylish and full of features. It allows you to customize the background of the app to promote your brand and to keep up with the real time analytics for the event.  Also, guests can leave tickets behind for the rest of their party if they happen to arrive separately.  Use it in conjunction with the fully-featured web-based Event Farm Ticketing System, or create your own list by downloading their Excel guest list template.  The cost starts at $0.50 per guest that you upload, with no extra fee for the app.

5. Venue Driver Mobile Check-In is a web based venue management system. This software is ideal for nightclubs and bars that hold events regularly which require guest check-in, VIP table reservations, or ticket distribution. The software can be used on an iPad/iPhone, and the data can be viewed online. It is a great solution for both the venue and the guests, since guests can sign up for events on their mobile devices, and managers can easily keep track of the consumer database, making it easier to plan for future events. The management system requires a subscription, but the app comes at no extra cost.

6. MyBanquet is a great iPad app for events that require seating assignments.  It was created for weddings, awards banquets, and gala dinners.  Guests can be uploaded from facebook, a text document, or manually.  Then, you can design the layout of your event, organize table assignments, and easily email reports to important people every step of the way. You can add notes to people’s table assignments if special arrangements need to be made for their dinner or accessibility.  RSVP’s can be handled manually or by connecting to facebook.   It is only $3.99 in the App Store and doesn’t require a subscription.

 7. Guest List Manager is an app developed by Hilton Worldwide, ensuring event managers have the ability to coordinate guest lists with room bookings. This app is great for managing the small details of your event through key features like viewing the current guest list and reservation status regardless of how the guest’s reservation was booked, viewing the group’s room count, and searching for attendee cancellations. This application is extremely effective and makes booking the Hilton as your next event venue so worthwhile! Guest List Manager is convienently available on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.     

I’m sitting here at my desk in this New Year trying to get organized like most others. For a business owner, and for those who rely on social media marketing to draw new customers and gain recognition, it gets a bit more tricky as you have to organize all of your social networks as well. First, I made a list of all the sites I needed to update my company information on. There have been many new platforms that have popped up as of late, and if we don’t keep up we’ll be left in the dust. Others, we may have just neglected as we tend to focus on Facebook, Twitter, and Linked In. Then there’s Pinterest, Quora, YouTube, Stumbleupon, G+, Tumblr, etc. I then took a look at my Klout score to measure how much influence my posts and social actions are having around the web. I scored a 49 out of 100, which is probably not terrible but not as great as I’d like.

In the past, people mainly relied on radio announcements, TV hosts and more traditional media to get their information and news. Today, you are able to connect with people all over the world using social media and can voice your opinion as often as you’d like. Klout says that “Social media has democratized influence” and it’s very true! Influence is the ability to drive action.

Klout uses data from your social networks to measure your influence. Anywhere you have an online presence, you have the opportunity to influence people by creating or sharing content that inspires actions such as likes, retweets, comments and more. The more engagement your posts receive, the more influential you are. Klout uses this information to provide you with a Klout Score that measures your overall influence and also explains how you are influenced by the world around you. Klout can also be used to help open the door for new opportunities, such as using your networks to find a new job.

Have you gotten your latest Klout score? We noticed that Guy Kawasaki is at 81 so that’s going to be tough to beat. I wonder what it takes to get a perfect score and if anyone has one? ABCey would love to hear how much influence you have, so please leave us a comment or email us at events@abcey.com. Happy Klouting!

Do you ever find yourself coming across beautiful things on the web and not knowing what to do with them? Trying to remember everything you see can be difficult, and remembering to share them with your loved ones can be even more difficult.  That is why we fell in love with Pinterest!  Pinterest is a virtual pinboard that lets you organize and share all of the beautiful things you find around the web.  According to Lauren Drell, this invite-only social platform, launched in March 2010, has the mission to “connect everyone in the world through the ‘things’ they find interesting”. People can pin and organize items to help them plan their weddings, decorate their home, organize recipes, and sort their favorite images. Images are shown in a bulletin board format with links to the original URL of the item and the user who posted it first, so you know where it came from if you are in need of more details.  To add to the excitement, you can browse other people’s pinboards to discover new things and get inspiration from other people who share similar interests. This wonderful invention comes from designer, Evan Sharp. Below is a recap of an interview Mashable conducted with Sharp. We hope you find it interesting and take the initiative to join Pinterest!

Backstory of Pinterest- How the idea came about…

Sharp grew up printing images off the web and collecting them in a folder.  He and two friends wanted to create a place where you can go to upload or collect things on the web and simply organize it the way you want to.

Why the Bulletin Board-Style Aesthetic?

They wanted a style that felt personal but also the feel of a collection of a variety of different images.

Where Does the Inspiration for the Design Come From?

Sharpe’s inspiration arises a lot from physical spaces of discovery like: museums, libraries, or retail spaces.  ”If you think about how things are presented and laid out, you start to realize that the entire space is organized to allow you to discover all the things the store is selling”, said Sharpe.

What Was Sharpe’s Original Vision of the Target Audience for Pinterest?

Although Pinterest is huge with the ladies in planning for weddings and decorating their homes, Sharpe originally envisioned it being popular with architects and designers.  He is happy with the way it has turned out though!

Pintrests Growth Has Trickled Up — why is that?

They didn’t spend a lot of time trying to get tech coverage.  ”We didn’t build this company to build a really hot tech startup; what we wanted to do was build a product — and also a company — that we wanted to work on for the next five or ten years.”

How Does Having a Background in Architecture Help When it Comes to Web Design? 

Architecture is difficult and takes a long time to master the “third dimension”.  Sharpe explains that he worked hard to master this tough process and,  ”a lot of [the process] is about technique and spending the time designing, but there’s such a rich history of architecture and a great body of theory and knowledge, and an enjoyable part of [moving to web design] was learning to take abstract ideas and concepts and then solve them tangibly.”  This explains why Pinterest runs so smoothly.

Lessons Brought from Facebook to Pinterest:

Having worked at Facebook prior to his invention of Pinterest, he explains that learning how Facebook operated was very valuable for Pinterest’s success as a design product.

What Does Sharpe Pin?

He pins stuff he finds interesting and inspirational about architecture.  Star Wars fans follow him, because he pins stuff about Star Wars as well!

Judging From the Userbase and the Pageviews and Anecdotal Evidence- why is there an obsession with Pinterest?

Sharpe think it’s twofold — at a basic level, it’s just a great place to go to see things that are interesting to you. Every time you go, you should see 50 to 100 things that hopefully are relevant or interesting to you. But the flipside of that — and something [he] didn’t expect when [they] built the product — is that there are are tons of people using the pictures to find things that impact their everyday life. People doing crafts projects, planning birthday parties, designing a home on the cheap. There are all sorts of life tips that come out of Pinterest. So now, not only are you finding stuff that’s interesting, but you’re also getting off Pinterest to do the things you’re finding on the site. What that means is that, at the end of the day, Pinterest can really complement your life instead of being a timesuck.

In “Pin Etiquette,” it says that Pinterest is not a Place for Self-Promotion. How, then, can Pinterest best be used by brands as a marketing tool?

A lot of brands are using Pinterest to promote and share more about their brand.  The idea behind the brand makes sense on Pinterest.

What is the Company Culture Like at Pinterest?

Filled with exciting people who want to work, love the product, and everyone has real interests and passions outside of Pinterest.  People who are generally interested in the world is what makes it a very fun environment to work for.

ABCey Events just can’t get enough of Pinterest! Make sure to check out the website, get an invitation, and start your pinning! We look forward to following your pins soon!

Christmas and Hannukkah are just around the corner, so it is time to start preparing! Here are some creative and fun photography tips that we hope you’ll enjoy.

1. Prepare: Making a List, Checking it Twice

• Make sure you are prepared to capture the moments of this holiday.

• Check that you have everything and find some good places to take some shots

• Pack the camera

• Make sure the batteries are charged and you have extra memory cards

• Put someone on ‘photos’.  Make sure someone is taking charge and photographing the whole event!

• Consider the light in the room that you’ll be photographing in. Is there enough light? Will you need a flash?
• Are the backgrounds too cluttered and distracting?

2. Get Your White Balance In Check: Pay attention to what type of light you’re shooting in and set your white balance accordingly.  If you have a camera that shoots in RAW, however, you can change it later.

3. Set Up a DIY ‘Photo Booth’: Time to be creative and set up a photo booth station where the party is.  An idea would be to photograph everyone as they come in and then leave a tripod set up with a self-timer on the camera for people to take pictures of themselves during the party.  As the party goes on, the photos get crazier!

4. Capture the Preparation Stages:

• The meal or party is the best part of the day, but there are other photographic opportunities; mainly the preparation stages of the day.

• Food preparation

• Putting up decorations

• Wrapping gifts

• Kids throwing a tantrum while getting dressed in their Christmas outfits

• Setting the table

5. Before and After Shots: Take pictures of the place before the party starts and after it has finished. It will show you what a success it truly was!

6. Time-lapse Christmas Series: A creative idea would be to set up a web cam on the table looking down the Christmas tree. Set the camera to go off every 5 minutes over the day and you will end up with one of the most wonderful series of shots. Of course can be applied to a Hannukkah bush as well;)

7. Christmas Lights: This can be tricky so read up on it!

8. Find a Point of Interest- but just per shot: Work hard to de-clutter your images

9. Fresh Group Photos: Take the group photo before the day gets started and when everyone looks their best.

10. Opening Gifts- Shoot in Continuous Mode: Opening gifts bring a wide array of emotions, facial expressions and excitement, so be ready to capture all of them! You will find a lot of really exciting, memorable photos.

11. Fill Your Frame: Fill your frame with your subject either by using your zoom or getting up closer to the subjec

Social media has clearly become a main medium for many businesses. Therefore, it is highly important to stay on track and avoid mistakes.  At ABCey Events, we are always using social media to connect with our clients and community, and to share our local knowledge. Brian Solis, tech guru and social media connoisseur, offers some great tips that we think are very helpful.  Here is a quick recap of what he shares with us.

1. Showing Up Isn’t Enough: While it is important you have a social medium and make a name for yourself, it is most important to learn how to engage with your followers.  Whether it be through Twitter, LinkedIn, or any other social medium, make sure you really engage in conversation to attract potential consumers.
2. You Can’t be Everywhere, Nor Should You: With the extensive new up and comings of technology and new social mediums, you may be really excited to try everything. Don’t.  Be where your followers are and excel within that medium.
3. Authenticity and Transparency are Nothing Without a Connection: Authenticity and transparency are the two very important aspects to social media.  They act as a “guiding light” more so than an effective form of engagement.   Therefore, it is most important to make sure you add value and content to your social media, and in return, authenticity and transparency will support your content.
4. Talking to People Isn’t a Business Strategy: Make sure you have a purpose before you engage in conversation! It is important you engage in conversation and make people who don’t know about you, find out about you.  You want the people to start talking about your brand, so engage, engage, engage!
5. Keep Your Customers Tuned in: Adding one video is not going to make you go viral.  According to Solis, “Companies believe that uploading a video to Youtube is the key to anything going viral. What they don’t know is, 48 Hours of video is uploaded every minute to Youtube. The chance of your video going viral naturally is basically nil”.  So if you want to go viral and you are sure that going viral will help your company, seek out people that will help you share and make yourself known.  ”If it creates lift, leaves an imprint or if it drives action or outcomes, that’s when you’re going viral. “

What other common mistakes have you made as part of your social media strategy?

We recently saw the launch of a new lifestyle brand, HelloBrit.com which aims to find helpful, yet creative new ways for busy people to live more simply, beautifully and imaginatively. Brit Morin (wife to Dave Morin, the founder of Path) has been working in the tech world for several years now and was a former Apple and Google employee. She is already being touted as the Martha Stewart of Silicon Valley and has recently been featured in The LA Times, Huffington Post, and TechCrunch. Brit gives new ideas and tips to live a more simple and creative life whether it be through technology, food, style, health that she either created or curated from scouring the web, something that is becoming very popular! Brit says “The ideas should come to you, and they should come through a channel whose expertise and taste you trust.”

Her site is looking like a cross between Real Simple and Wired Magazines with videos showing you how to make Christmas tree cheese appetizers, how to use electrical tape to make candy cane cups, DIY Holiday welcome mats, wearable dinner party napkins, and more. She recently featured a great gift guide for the holidays and showcases 20 of her favorite products and apps. Thanks Brit!

The brand’s first offering is a wedding app called Weduary, which was inspired by the process that Morin and her husband used in planning their own ”Pixel Cowboy”- themed wedding this summer. This will be a new service for brides and grooms, and will hopefully make for a more interesting experience for guests online and off. Make sure to sign up on the website to be notified when the new site arrives! There will be some other apps launched in the future which will likely be centered around ways to be creative around the home and novel ways to perform everyday activities like cooking, decorating and shopping.

We hope you enjoy and use Hello Brit for a little inspiration into your own creativity! We know that at ABCey, we will be keeping up Brit’s innovative ideas and using them for inspiration of our own, especially this holiday season.