We are living in a brand conscious society. Consumers are increasingly aware of the brands and names that permeate our buying habits, our news headlines, and our celebrity-filled tabloids. This growing brand consciousness has created awareness among parents of how the names that they choose can shape their children’s future.

These days, we hear names like “Apple Martin” and “Shiloh Jolie-Pitt,” and the trend is leaning toward more unique names, away from those with more familial or historical implications. Tradition has been set aside for many parents who look to give their … read more

My 7-year-old son is in a Spanish immersion program — his Science and Math classes are conducted in Spanish, while his English and Reading classes are in, well, English.  Having had years of Spanish in high school, and having grown up in Los Angeles, my Spanish is usually adequate to get the gist of the his math homework instructions.  The exception to this is when they include more specific math terms, which “Hi Roberto, how are you today” just didn’t cover.  Yesterday, his … read more

I know, this blog is more about business topics, right?  And Facebook is more about sharing pictures of the kids and locating long-lost high school buddies — for business, you go to LinkedIn, right?  These are both true statements, but there are definitely business-related benefits to Facebook.

At first, I didn’t see it either.  I signed up a year or so ago, simply because that’s what you’re supposed to do, and left the account dormant for months.  I don’t remember what prompted me to pick it … read more

Does your corporate culture represent your brand? Corporate culture is a very broad term and can be interpreted in several ways. The corporate culture of an organization includes the values, beliefs, principles, business operations and business strategies that make a business unique, and establish its character.

This corporate culture is not only a way of business internally, but also a foundation for how a company operates with its clients and prospects. Just as children often adopt the habits – good and bad – of their parents, a corporation’s employees will adopt the work habits, ethics … read more

We’re currently hiring four Belmonsters (a senior designer, a lead generator, and two interns) and through the flood of resumes, cover letters and portfolios, we’ve learned a lot about candidates and what makes one stand out to an employer. As a company and a group of people who hang their hats on creating meaningful connections with those around us, I thought that it might be helpful to share some of the best practices that we’ve recognized in the job application process. This might be similar … read more