Ask the Experts

Been looking for sound business advice or some "hints on how to's"? Well,  look no more. RBWN is full of experts... and they're willing to share!

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Tatyana Kochergina is an accomplished finance professional, entrepreneur, and speaker with a powerful story of resilience and success. Today, she co-owns Tymen Construction with her husband, helps manage a portfolio of properties in New York and Florida, and is expanding her work as a Fractional CFO, supporting small businesses in finding financial balance and increasing growth. And if that's not enough, Tatyana is a Health and Wellness expert and is the Founder of Balance with TK.

"When it's back to work and back to school, how do I keep my chill summer vibe?"

I've got some tips to keep your summer GLOWING right into holiday time!

  1. DON'T RUSH BACK INTO OVERDRIVE- Ease into fall as much as you can, starting off by accomplishing only what you absolutely have to.
  2. KEEP ONE OF YOUR SUMMER FUN RITUALS- Maybe you grilled every Friday or made smores over your fire pit. Pick one of your fun summer rituals and keep it as long as weather and circumstances allow.
  3. KEEP UP DAILY WALKS- Walk outdoors every chance you can, and continue to eat outside as long as the weather allows. This will help keep your physical & mental health boosted.
  4. PROTECT YOUR "ME TIME"- Schedule downtime just like you schedule meetings.
  5. STAY HYDRATED- It's easy to forget this one when we get super busy. In addition to keeping you feeling your best, this one improves skin tone & increases elasticity...definitely a bonus!
  6. TAKE A DEEP BREATH- When you feel stress coming on remember to breath! This reduces stress and promotes better sleep.
  7. PRACTICE GRATITUDE- This one can't be practiced enough! It's a proven fact that people who take time to reflect upon the things they're thankful for are happier and sleep better.
  8. DON'T FORGET DOWNTIME- Unplug when you can, giving yourself pockets of phone-free time, especially in the evenings. This will improve your mood, increase your focus, and foster creativity. When practiced in the evening, this will do amazing things for your sleep!
  9. SAY "NO" WITHOUT GUILT- A relaxed summer mindset is really about giving yourself permission not to do everything.
  10. SMILE!- It feels great, elevates your mood and smiling releases endorphins and dopamine which can make you feel happier, more relaxed, and more content.
  11. OPTIONAL- I find meditation is a great reset. Just 15 minutes of focusing on the breath will relax both mind and body, restoring your happy place.

Remember, September doesn't have to mean stress.  Fall is a beautiful, energizing time of year that can not only be productive in a joyous way, but also peaceful.

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Sally Diaz is the Creative Director and Graphic Designer behind Blackswift Creative, an independent design studio specializing in effective, purposeful visual communication. With years of experience developing brands, print materials, presentations, and digital communications, Sally brings a practical, design-first perspective to her work. She believes that good design should be both visually considered and clear in its purpose.

"I want my logo to tell my whole story!"

This is a frequent request I receive when I am hired to do graphic design projects for clients. It’s natural to want your logo to capture everything about your company — what you do, how you do it, your values, and your vision. Many companies believe the logo should explain their entire business in a single item…that many times is no larger than a postage stamp.

The reality is that a logo is not meant to be a full biography — it’s a symbol. Its purpose is to be recognizable, memorable, and versatile. A strong logo creates a clear anchor point for your brand, while a broader brand/identity system will communicate the full story.

Think of the logo as a spark: it ignites recognition and curiosity, while the brand experience delivers the meaning behind it.

Some understandable examples are:

  • The Apple logo doesn’t show computers, phones, or innovation. It’s a simple apple that became iconic through consistent use and strong brand storytelling.
  • The Nike swoosh doesn’t illustrate shoes or sports. Instead, it suggests movement and energy — the brand’s story is told through advertising and customer experience.

Food for thought for my clients:

  • I start with telling my clients that the logo is always the START to building a brand/identity system. So much more comes after that is established.
  • Consistency is the key with logo use, colors and typography across all items.
  • Practical application is always best: How will the logo work small, large and on different items? If it can’t work at all sizes, then it isn’t a solid design.
  • Once the logo is finalized, it provides the framework for developing all other brand elements.
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Emily Dalamangas is a writer providing copy and content writing, sales enablement, and copy editing services. She is the founder of On the Map Marketing LLC, where she collaborates with brands, agencies, and publishers writing about B2B technology, advertising, and sales. Emily spent 20 years in marketing for leading media companies, supporting the advertising sales teams at Reuters, Condé Nast, Hearst, and Crain Communications. Emily lives in Nanuet and is an RBWN Board Member.

"I just sent out my resume for several jobs before realizing that I have a glaring error in my title from a past role. I need to get better at proofreading my own work if I want to be taken seriously. Any tips?"

 

It’s understandable that you would miss a typo on your resume. We've become so accustomed to dashing off a quick text or scrolling through Facebook that reading and writing words have turned into a fast sprint rather than a slow walk. So, when it comes to words that matter, like resumes and formal letters, we can often miss mistakes.

Spell check can only get you so far, and it isn’t always reliable to catch everything. Here are some other ways to self-edit your own writing:

  • Check out free editing software like Grammarly or ProWritingAid. These tools provide basic spelling and grammar checks. If you do a large amount of writing, you may want to upgrade to the paid plans, which offer more word counts and unlimited usage.
  • Use Microsoft Word “Read Aloud.” The feature allows you to have the program read the text of your document aloud. Sometimes hearing the text versus reading it on the screen helps to catch more errors. To use it, navigate to the Review tab, and then select “Read Aloud.” A toolbar will appear, and you can play, pause, adjust the reading speed, and change the voice.
  • Read the writing backward. Read your piece sentence by sentence or paragraph by paragraph from the end to the beginning. This approach helps to trick your brain into paying closer attention.
  • Try a fresh set of eyes. If you have the time, step away from the piece and revisit it the next day. Sometimes, a new perspective helps us catch writing errors we may have missed. Bonus tip: Print out the document cause the different format can be better than having your eyes gloss over a screen.

Lastly, I recommend using generative AI tools like ChatGPT to refine your writing and assist with factors such as tone, clarity, and succinctness. For example, if you’re writing a resume section that summarizes a past role, input the section in ChatGPT with the prompt: “Rewrite this resume section using more concise and compelling language. It should be around 50 words. The tone should be professional and emphasize the measurable results.”

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