30 Things to Do in November (Quarantine Edition)
Happy November! There\’s a new kind of chill in the air, the leaves have changed colors and have started to fall to the ground, the grocery stores are packed with pumpkin spice flavored everything. Fall is in full force, and I am here for it.
Thanks to the pandemic, many of us will find ourselves spending more time inside during November, and lucky for you I have 30 things you can do safely in November. From hunkering down with your favorite fall candle, a super soft throw blanket, and Hallmark Christmas movies to backyard bonfires, get ready to indulge in the cozier side of life.
30 Things to Do in November
1. Out with the spooky and in with the gorgeous gourds. Dress up your front door with an autumn wreath or a welcome mat.
2. Light some autumn scented candles. I am currently loving Copper Forest from Shea Woods Co.
3. Curl up in your favorite blanket and enjoy some Hallmark Christmas movies.
4. Sip on some mulled hot cider. I love Adams Apple Mulling Spices.
5. Make a chunky knitted blanket – the best part about this blanket you only need your fingers and some chunky yarn.
6. Get your hygge on. Hygge is the Dutch concept of coziness. Think snuggles by a fire, chunky knit sweaters, fall-scented candles, and anything you find cozy and comforting.
7. Try out a new soup or chili recipe.
8. Start your Christmas shopping and don\’t forget to shop small.
9. Make some hot cocoa bombs. I will be sharing the details on how to make them on the blog soon.
10. Have a backyard bonfire and make popcorn and s\’mores over the fire.
11. Why not send gratitude notes to friends and family and let them know you\’re thinking of them and appreciate them.
12. Make a list of things you are grateful for.
13. Donate to your local food bank and/or volunteer at a soup kitchen.
14. Rent a cabin in the woods, bonus points if it has a fireplace.
15. Today is Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day, with Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner it is the perfect opportunity for you to get rid of anything that has gone funky.
16. Make a delicious charcuterie board. Add things like nuts, cider mill donuts, cookies, cheese, crackers, apples and more.
17. It\’s National Take a Hike Day, so get outside and explore a new trail.
18. Polish your nails in a moody color.
19. Head to a cider mill for some cider and donuts – the season is almost over so splurge.
20. Order Christmas cards to mail out to friends and family.
21. Make some candied nuts.
22. Go for a leisurely Sunday drive.
23. Make a Pinterest board of cookies and treats you want to make for Christmas.
24. Make a pumpkin pie. This year I want to recreate the chai pumpkin pie I had while I was in Marquette.
25. Sign up for a virtual run with a friend.
26. Happy Thanksgiving. It\’s been a tough year for many of us, and today is a great time to reflect on the things we are grateful for.
27. Make a delicious panini with Thanksgiving leftovers.
28. It\’s Small Business Saturday, get out there and support your favorite local businesses.
29. Treat yourself to something nice like a new blanket scarf or pair of boots.
30. Create a winter wreath.
5 Things that make Five Guys Stand Out from the Crowd
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At Five Guys, the food is so fresh, they don\’t even have freezers on the premises. From fresh beef to fresh-cut fries, Five Guys takes American\’s favorite fast-food meal seriously.
5 Things that make Five Guys Stand Out from the Crowd
Have you ever heard the acronym K.I.S.S.? This acronym stands for Keep It Simple Stupid and is something that was preached to me throughout college when I worked at the school newspaper. People love simple, it makes things easy and is probably a big reason Five Guys is so successful. Five Guys menu is incredibly simple, it has burgers and fries (of course), along with hot dogs and a couple other options depending on the restaurant.
2. Top that burger
At Five Guys there are 15 toppings you can add in any combination you want, for free. Your options are mayo, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, ketchup, mustard, relish, onions, jalapenos, green peppers, bar-b-que sauce, hot sauce, and A1 sauce. By their own count, Five Guys says that there are 250,000 possible ways you can order your burger. Pile on as many toppings as you want, because they\’re all free.
Fast food restaurants and even some sit-down restaurants have pre-made food that they simply warm up and serve it to their customers – gross right? That is not the case at all at Five Guys – in fact, it has been said that the owners of the company actually refuse to install freezers and will only allow coolers in the restaurants.
4. The fries
I don\’t know about you, but I am a fries kind of girl, and I absolutely love the ones from Five Guys. The Five Guys fries are twice-fried in peanut oil and made just the way I like them. Crispy on the outside and mashed potato soft on the inside. The best part is, they\’re made to order. The portion of fries is great too, at Five Guys Daphne they take a paper cup that is about 12 ounces and fill it full of fries. They then place that paper cup into a lunch bag-sized paper bag and add another scoop of fries on top of that, and that my friends is a small.
5. There\’s only one way to cook the burger
If you\’re looking for a medium-rare hamburger, you should probably visit a steakhouse and not your local fast-food burger joint. All of Five Guys burgers are cooked well done and taste delicious.
Friday Favorites 10.30.20
Happy Friday! I am seeing so many people posting that the month is never-ending and it seems as though we have spent a year in each month. Is that the case for you? It is definitely not the case for me, despite the changes we have had to make this year, I feel like this year is completely flying by. That statement is coming from someone who went from a packed schedule six out of seven days a week, to having no events and spending her days in nature.
Jack isn\’t a fan of costumes, and since he does so much with me (and puts up with me taking endless pictures of him) I honor him disliking it. One thing he does like is a lions mane that goes around his neck that my mum made him for his first Halloween to go with my Dorthy from the Wizard of Oz costume. Every year since Jack has been wearing and loving his lion costume. Above you can see a picture of him rocking it this year.
As October and spooky season come to a close, many of us a gearing up for the holidays. By the way, there are only 56 days until Christmas. This week I shared my holiday gift guides with you and next week I will be getting into more of the spirit of the season. Don\’t forget to check back this Sunday when I release my 30 things to do in November post.
Have a Happy Halloween!
I made a batch of these Pup\’kin Biscotti dog treats for Jack.
I have been enjoying the flavor of Yates cider more than ever lately.
These boots are on my wishlist.
And this beanie is on my wishlist as well.
If you love scary movies Come Play opened in theaters today.
I am really enjoying this popcorn.
This sugar whip is keeping my skin hydrated as temperatures get cooler.
I absolutely love this produce wash.
If you\’re looking to make the inside of your vehicle smell better without the chemicals I love this diffuser.
I am addicted to the maple crunch peanut butter.
This tis the season mug is the cutest.
If you\’re looking for a new favorite snack these are my favorite.
2020 Christmas Gift Guides
From celebrating with loved ones and traditions to drives through neighborhoods enjoying the Christmas lights, there are very few things in life quite as magical as the holiday season. There is just something special about this time of year and showing your loved ones a little extra appreciation.
Christmas Shopping Traditions
When it comes to Christmas shopping, traditionally Meeme (my grandma) and I would head to Macy\’s where we would spend the day roaming around the store buying gifts for everyone on her Christmas list, and of course stop and grab a Maurice salad for lunch. She put so much love and care into each gift, and really everything she bought.
This will be my third Christmas without my grandma, and holiday shopping adventures with her. Since I don\’t have her to shop with anymore, my holiday shopping habits have definitely changed. I still try to do shopping in stores and while I have always shopped small when I can this year I have found myself really supporting small businesses more than ever.
Shop Small this Holiday Season
Whether you\’re shopping for someone you know like the back of your hand, someone who is tough to shop for, or some goodies for yourself, I have just the gifts you are looking for. 2020 brought on new challenges that proved that supporting small businesses is more important than ever. This year, EVERYTHING that is right, every single item in my gift guides is from a small business that I absolutely love. That means I actually use and own product(s) from the business.
Turn on some Christmas tunes, pour yourself a cup of hot cocoa, and take a peek at my 2020 holiday shopping guides.
This Made in Michigan Gift Guide features some of my favorite products that are made right here in Michigan. From charcuterie board accents and candles to nail polish, gnomes, and Jack\’s favorite dog bandana this gift guide is jam-packed with some of the best the mitten state has to offer.
Being from Michigan, you know I had to share some of my favorite Michigan businesses with you. In this Michigan Small Business Gift Guide, you will find everything from Christmas ornaments you can get personalized to my go-to gift shop, cute Upper Peninsula attire, and more.
As I mentioned, I absolutely love supporting small businesses. In the Small Businesses Gift Guide, you will find the exact water bottle I use every day and on adventures, my favorite blanket, the inflatable paddle board I used every week this summer, charcuterie board accents I always use, and more.
If you have a small business you think I need to check out, please leave a comment and let me know!
Emily Haines Lloyd is a Grand Rapids, Michigan based writer, and her book Pep Talk Poetry should be the anthem for 2020. Whether you\’re looking for stocking stuffers for someone, a gift for a girlfriend, a way to cheer someone up who is struggling or you could just use some positive words – I HIGHLY recommend grabbing a copy or two of Pep Talk Poetry.
eCommerce Millionaire Mastery by Kevin Zhang Review
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Have you heard of Kevin Zhang before? If not, then you\’re not alone. Kevin Zhang is a relatively new face in the eCommerce industry, but he is gaining speed in the industry quickly. If you are a part of any marketing channels, you may have seen some promotion surrounding Kevin Zhang\’s new eCommerce course, which is designed to teach you the same business processes that made him a millionaire at a young age.
The eCommerce training course was created by Kevin Zhang and teaches the skills that he used to get to where he is today. The course will run you about $2,000. Being in the eCommerce industry, I decided to check out Kevin Zhang\’s eCommerce Millionaire Mastery course to see if it is legit or a scam.
First, I decided to do a little research…
Who is Kevin Zhang?
Kevin Zhang is an eCommerce entrepreneur and CEO of Kreator eCommerce, a global eCommerce organization with over 60 team members and over $20 million in sales.
What is eCommerce Millionaire Mastery?
Kevin created the eCommerce Millionaire Mastery course to condense his eCommerce knowledge into a single source. EMM is one of the most comprehensive eCommerce courses that I have seen thus far. The course features 15 training modules that are jam-packed with the information you need to be successful in the eCommerce world.
How to use the eCommerce Millionaire Mastery Course
The course outline states that it features over 180 videos, offers weekly phone calls, and an active Facebook. There is even a step-by-step checklist that will help you navigate the course, so you won\’t feel overwhelmed.
What can you find in the eCommerce Millionaire Mastery?
Module 1: Introduction to eCommerce and the Entrepreneurial Mindset
You will learn how to think like an entrepreneur and be given a basic introduction to eCommerce. One of the big things you will do in the first module is to write down the #1 reason you want to be an entrepreneur and place it somewhere visible near your workspace.
Pro Tip: If you don\’t know the basics, you\’ll never have a successful business. Don\’t think you know all about eCommerce and skip this module, take the time to actually go through it!
Module 2: Branded Niche Dropshipping
During these modules, you will discover how to create a Shopify account, add apps, and select a niche.
Pro Tip: Many companies miss this mark and don\’t stick to a niche. I once worked for a company that was all about socks. Socks were in the title of the website, however, they also sold underwear, which means they were not niched down. During this module you will learn Kevin\’s actual business model and why it is better and more effective than other generic dropshipping methods out there.
Module 3: Ecommerce Consumer Psychology
During this module, you learn the importance of understanding your consumers. This will help you learn to not only improve your sales but your approach to sales.
Module 4: Introduction Shopify Web Design
In this module, you\’ll learn about buying a domain, creating product collections, naming products, adding tags, and more.
Pro Tip: This section alone will be a game-changer for you. You\’ll not only discover how easy Shopify is to use and gain the confidence you need to create your website without hiring a pricey developer. Don\’t forget a beautifully designed website gets more clicks.
Module 5: Shopify Web Design Mastery
During this module, you\’ll use Photoshop to create a logo and make homepage banners and collection images. You’ll also be adding products, a term of service, and essential pages like privacy, shipping FAQ, returns/refunds, contact us, track orders, about us, and more.
Pro Tip: Hiring a graphic designer will be pricey, so take advantage of Kevin’s graphic design team for inexpensive outsourcing
Module 6: Setting up your Facebook Account for Advertising
In this module, you learn how to create a Facebook business page, how to add the Facebook pixel to your Shopify store, and more.
Pro Tip: Companies and brands pay a lot of money to have someone run their Facebook business pages. When you sign up for the eCommerce Millionaire Mastery course, you actually get the information, which means you will save hundreds or thousands of dollars because you know how to do it on your own.
Module 7: How to make Engaging and Highly Profitable Advertisements
You\’re going to learn how to test different creative formats such as slideshows, videos, and images to get the most out of your advertisements.
Pro Tip: Video is really trendy right now. Definitely take the time to learn it and understand it. As someone in eCommerce, I have seen plenty of companies miss the mark here when there is so much potential.
Module 8: Basic Facebook Ad Strategy
Get ready to learn how to launch your ads in this module! You\’ll learn about target interests, audiences, how to optimize for purchases, how to set a budget, the importance of creatives, and so much more.
Pro Tip: There are A LOT of free classes out there that will teach you Facebook ad strategy. However, none (that I have found) will give you all the information in one location. So, this section is a game-changer in itself.
Module 9: Advanced Facebook Ad Strategy
You will learn how to implement advanced strategies as they are needed.
Module 10: Effective Sales Strategies and Business Fundamentals
In this module, you will learn and establish basic accounting practices for your store as well as the importance of testing sales.
Pro Tip: You’ll learn different strategies for running effective, compliant sales.\” Learning about the verbiage your consumers prefer will be quintessential for your success when it comes to sales and getting them to shop.
Module 11: High ROI Email and SMS Marketing for Drop Shipping
During this module, you will learn about setting up and launching an email marketing campaign. Many of us shop directly from the emails that we receive, that is why you must have an email marketing campaign in place.
Pro Tip: I am in email marketing, and it takes a lot of trial and error. However, when you know things that are tried and true and have already been tested, you are less likely to waste time and money.
Module 12: Multivariate Testing, A/B Testing, and Heat Maps
Here you will learn how to conduct A/B testing and set up a heat map. Take this section seriously! Pay attention to it and you will already be in better shape than a lot of other companies and brands.
Pro Tip: Companies big and small skip this step, however, when you are not A/B testing you\’re not learning about your consumers, you\’re just guessing likenesses. When you A/B test you actually get to learn what they are more willing to open in emails and where they are landing on your site.
Module 13: Setting up Bulletproof Customer Support
Have you ever had a bad customer support experience? I know I have, and it\’s made me not want to shop with that company ever again! Don\’t be like that company you received bad customer support from. In this module, you’ll learn how to set up customer support. You\’ll also learn how to set up G-Suite and a branded domain (ex. support@mystore.com). One of my favorite things about this module is you actually learn how to set up a Google Voice number for your store.
Pro Tip: Google can be tricky to use sometimes, that\’s why this module is perfect for getting established with the important things.
Module 14: Keeping Your Business Alive and Out of Trouble
During this module, you\’ll learn about all the things you probably don\’t want to think about… making sure you are paying the correct taxes, reviewing FTC compliance policies, understanding Facebook advertising policies, learning how to report stores that are stealing your work, etc.
Pro Tip: This is the important stuff that many people let slip through the cracks.
Module 15: Building Advanced Infrastructure and Achieving Full Automation
This module will teach you about outsourcing, negotiating better rates with your supplier, and private labeling.
Pro Tip: This module is remarkably interesting, and it helps you gain the confidence to trust others and outsource things that you don’t have time to do.
Is the eCommerce Millionaire Mastery Course relevant today?
If you\’re wondering if this course will help you despite COVID-19 the answer is YES. Kevin provides you with his best strategies to ensure that you leave every customer 100% satisfied even if COVID is messing with your supply chain. One thing that you will learn from Kevin\’s course is how other students handle COVID delays.
When a delay is present, they send out an email to the affected customers explaining the situation, apologizing for the inconvenience, and offering some sort of discount or free gift. What makes his plan different from others is that they actually give choices to the customer on how to proceed. How many companies have you experienced that offer this kind of customer service? I bet maybe one or two, but most likely none.
Kevin even provides students with a full email template, on how to address issues, in a PDF form and explains why his strategies are powerful. One thing I learned is that the most powerful parts of sending an email during delays (especially during COVID-19) are building trust and a relationship with the customer. You\’re acknowledging someone\’s frustration and showing that you\’re willing to work with the consumer. Now tell me what other courses you’d ever find that information in! Most don’t acknowledge the harder things when it comes to business and this course not only discusses them but also how to overcome them.
Ultimately what do students learn in the eCommerce Millionaire Mastery course?
You will learn about the four pillars of success that have made Kevin Zhang a multi-millionaire:
1. Building a brand and a website that people will TRUST
2. Creating a RELATIONSHIP with suppliers
3. Building infrastructure and AUTOMATING your business
4. GROWING your business
eCommerce Millionaire Mastery Price and Features
The eCommerce Millionaire Mastery course isn\’t cheap. $2,000 is A LOT of money for a training course. However, the course provides you with a ton of valuable content that you would otherwise have to spend countless hours reading, researching, testing, and searching on the web. This doesn’t even include the mentorship program that is included in the price.
Some of the information provided in the course are things that big brands don\’t even understand or are not implementing. For what you get in this course, I definitely believe $2,000 is a good price. In all honesty, some marketing conferences will run you over $2,000 and don\’t even provide the information that Kevin is willing to give you.
I especially love the fact that there is relevant information in the course that will help you satisfy customers even during a time where frustration is running high. This course will give you the confidence to not only become your own boss, but it will make you feel confident in being able to gain trust with your customers. I think the trust factor is something that some businesses forget even though it\’s one of the most important parts of business ownership. Without trust, your customers are not telling their friends and family about your website.
While others do not want to share their secrets to success, I am extremely impressed with all the information you can find in the eCommerce Millionaire Mastery course.
Fashion meets Food 