What do the Vocus PR & Marketing Conference and a Ferris wheel have in common? It turns out, a lot. I experienced both last week as Vocus, the giant marketing software company, held its Demand Success convening at National Harbor in suburban Maryland. After a day taking in the fantastic and informative sessions, I treated a client of mine to a ride on the Harbor’s newest attraction, “Capital Wheel.” This Ferris wheel soars 175 feet in the air and offers breathtaking views of the D.C. area. Here is what I’ve concluded:

In business, there is always something new on the horizon, just like the Ferris wheel. Demand Success was full of great sessions (including one about Pop Up Innovation Labs by Thomas Sanchez of Social Driver). You can’t be content to just watch the scenery. At Demand Success we heard about brilliant, game changing ideas such as Cox Content Marketing and TechValidate.

Here I am, at the top of the Capital Wheel, reflecting on a day at Vocus Demand Success.

Being at the top of the wheel doesn’t guarantee financial success. “Entourage” star Adrian Grenier added some star power to the Vocus event with a fireside chat about his projects. But I got the most out of an aside comment he made. He said HBO pays as if it’s an “independent movie company.” In other words, it pays below the going rate of a big studio. No doubt, this keeps HBO financially lean. Yet the lesson was clear: just working for a big name at the top of the wheel doesn’t mean huge dollars are on the table.

You have to travel to see the scene. At Demand Success I met Vocus clients from across the country. This high tech company regularly connects with clients via phone, email and other web services. Yet it understands the most powerful way to align with a client is in person, face-to-face. Just like my trip on the Ferris wheel showed me, sometimes you have to take the journey to see the best view.

A special thanks to Breeanna Straessle with Vocus and Geoff Livingston for their great help and work putting it together.   

Twenty Years After Trusting His ‘Crazy Idea,’ Founder Steve Loflin to Celebrate

The National Society of Collegiate Scholars

Anniversary and Important Milestones

Colin Powell to Provide Remarks at Anniversary Gala

WASHIGNTON, D.C. — April 11, 2014 — “Never Say Never” is the theme of the 20th Anniversary Gala of The National Society of Collegiate Scholars because it embodies the overriding spirit it took founder and CEO Steve Loflin, and the entire organization, to reach this moment. The nonprofit honor society that recognizes high-achieving first- and second-year students now has more than 1 million members, will make more than $1 million in scholarships available to members this year and is the fastest growing honor society in the U.S.

The Anniversary Gala will include remarks from Hon. Gen. Colin Powell, who will speak about the importance of community service and higher education.

“In remembering the early days, I recall that cynics said we didn’t need another honor society. Then they said our model wouldn’t work for online learning. They also claimed it could never expand to include community colleges. I’m incredibly grateful that our supporters, members and NSCS colleagues persevered. Because we overcame these doubts, we’ve helped more students complete their degrees and have contributed millions of hours in community service,” says Loflin.

WHO:             Hon. Gen. Colin Powell (remarks at approximately 6:30 p.m.)

Michael Robbins, Former Senior Advisor for Nonprofit Partnerships,

U.S. Department of Education

NSCS board members, supporters, members and friends

WHAT:          20th Anniversary Gala for NSCS

WHERE:       The Hay-Adams

800 16th St., N.W.

Washington, D.C.

WHEN:          Wed., April 30

6–9 p.m.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Adam Shapiro

Adam.Shapiro@adampr.tv

202-427-3603

The National Society of Collegiate Scholars (www.nscs.org) provides career and graduate school connections, leadership and service opportunities. Because NSCS is able to connect with students early in their academic life, it successfully establishes an important connection for them with their peers at four-year universities.

NSCS was established in 1994 at The George Washington University on the principle that with scholarship there is a responsibility to obtain leadership and a duty to perform service. It’s a member of the Association of College Honor Societies and is a recognized organization at 300 campuses across the country, including a growing number of community colleges.

NSCS members must be a first- or second-year college student in the top 20 percent of their class with a GPA of 3.4 or above.

FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON TO ADDRESS

HIPPY AS IT MARKS 25 YEARS OF SUCCESS

HIPPY—Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters— Helps Parents

Prepare Their Children for Success in School in 21 States

WASHINGTON, D.C.— On April 28, Hillary Rodham Clinton will celebrate the accomplishments of the voluntary home visiting instruction program as HIPPY USA marks its 25^th anniversary.

Secretary Clinton’s relationship with HIPPY dates back to the 1980s when she was the First Lady of Arkansas.  Recognizing that many families with young children weren’t getting what they needed, she brought the HIPPY program to the state to help teach parents how to prepare their children for school.

HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) serves thousands of vulnerable families by maximizing the parent-child bond. HIPPY encourages them to work together on structured activities that provide school-ready literacy and math skills. Early and ongoing parental engagement can help avoid costly remedial education or unemployment down the road.

Independent research shows that the HIPPY curriculum, books and parent-child interactions increase student achievement scores and strengthen families.

WHAT:          Hillary Rodham Clinton to keynote the HIPPY Avima D. Lombard Award Dinner

WHERE:       Kellogg Conference Hotel at Gallaudet University

800 Florida Avenue NE

Washington, D.C.

WHEN:      Monday, April 28

Introduction and remarks 7–8 p.m.

Media presets 6:45 p.m.

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Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters programs (www.hippyusa.org) focus on family literacy, school readiness and parent involvement. HIPPY helps parents prepare their preschool children to succeed in school. Currently, 135 HIPPY sites in 21 states and the District of Columbia serve 15,000 families.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Adam Shapiro

Adam.Shapiro@adampr.tv

202-427-3603

The Racial Wealth Gap—Overlooked in the Income Inequality Debate—to

Take Center Stage on Capitol Hill

Summit, New Research, and Policy Recommendations for  

‘Shared Prosperity for All: The Policy Imperative for Closing the Racial Wealth Gap’

MEDIA CONTACT:

Adam Shapiro, Adam.Shapiro@adampr.tv, 202-427-3603

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 17, 2014—An unprecedented gathering of national experts and leaders soon will examine the racial wealth gap that plays a major, but often ignored, role in the current debate about rising U.S. inequality. For every dollar in wealth held by the typical white family in 2009, the typical Hispanic and black families only own six and five cents respectively. If left unchecked, this gap will have profound implications for the U.S. economy as the nation’s demographics shift over the next few decades.

The summit will include the release of a new report highlighting research and policy recommendations from the Closing the Racial Wealth Gap Initiative.

WHO:            Sen. Ben Cardin

Rep. Barbara Lee

Rep. Marcia Fudge

Rep. Elijah Cummings

Rep. Gwen Moore

Bill Bynum, CEO of HOPE (Hope Enterprise Corporation/Hope Credit Union)

Experts of Color Network

WHAT:          – News conference for release of a report with the latest data on wealth inequality

– 2014 Color of Wealth Summit

WHERE:       Press conference: The House Triangle (Capitol’s East Front)

Summit:

U.S. Capitol Visitors Center

Visitors Auditorium

First St., S.E.

Washington, D.C.

WHEN:          Press conference: April 29, 10:00 a.m.

Summit: May 1, 8:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Full agenda is available at http://globalpolicysolutions.org/colorofwealthsummit/

                        Note: The CVC requires media to be credentialed. Details about the process are available at this link: http://periodical.house.gov/accreditation.shtml

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Predictions are fun to make because it’s great when you nail them and hardly anyone remembers when you get them wrong. In the interest of transparency I have reviewed the predictions I made in July at the half-way mark of 2013.

On some things I was horribly wrong. I thought the PR/ad push for Obamacare would cause its poll numbers to rise. Oops. I didn’t factor in the web site glitches. “The Fifth Estate” movie was not the big hit of the fall and the weather wasn’t all that bad. I did accurately predict the Winter Olympics would fail to ignite interest but didn’t foresee that it would occur because of Russia’s anti-gay talk. I was too far ahead in thinking Google Glass would be the big holiday gift of the year. It now looks like the product won’t be widely available until this year.

OK, now onto the predictions for the first half of 2014:

-I think “Noah” will be a blockbuster movie. We love biblical stories and weather disasters. Russell Crowe is the star and he is a compelling actor.

-The Democrats will be treading water most of the year. However, the economy is on the rebound in a big way and that will give them a lift as the midterm election approaches.

-The rising economy and the credit for Obama will give Hillary the strength she needs to seriously think about running for President. It will be much later before people realize Hillary had nothing to do with Obama’s economic policies (although she supported them).

-A reality star(s), MSNBC host and Fox News star will all say something incredibly embarrassing that they will be fired for or severely disciplined.

-Commentator Glen Beck will continue to tack to middle of the road points of view. He will pick up a lot of attention for being a reformed, former Fox News star. Some will embrace his change of heart and others will just dismiss him as a charlatan.

-Joe Biden will not be running for President.

-Lady Gaga’s tour will be a bust and Britney Spears will need to cancel her Vegas residency for health reasons.

-I wish I could predict some big changes on the policy front out of D.C. but Congress seems hopelessly deadlocked.

I will let you know in early July how I fared.