The Backup Plan March 2014

Latest

Posted On: November 11, 2020
Posted On: August 01, 2020
Posted On: June 25, 2020
Posted On: June 12, 2020
Posted On: June 04, 2020

Subscribe

Via Email:    

Archive



Blog Categories

1933 Presidential Packard

Posted On: March 28, 2014

1933 Presidential Packard


 

 

Packard was founded by the Packard brothers James and William and began producing its world famous automobiles in 1899.  The automobiles produced by the Packard brothers were stylish, innovative and extremely high-end, while ford was producing vehicles for roughly $490 the Packards were building automobiles that were starting at $2,600.  Originally dubbed the Ohio Automobile Company, Packard developed innovative designs that were appreciated the world over and had such a global impact that they changed the industry forever.  Some of the models produced by Packard are considered the most beautiful and aesthetically pleasing automobiles ever created, amongst these is included the 1933 Presidential Packard Super 8.

 

Incredibly rare it has been rumored (this rumor has yet to be verified) that their exist only 16 true 1933 Presidential Packards still in the United States.   Visually stunning these expensive and luxurious vehicles were built during the great depression and were difficult to afford to begin with.  During this time of economic crisis very few of these vehicles were purchased and so very few were produced.  1933 is the lowest production year for Packard, and was the year of Packard’s 10ths series, even though so few were made (and possibly in part because so few were made) the 1933 Packards are some of the most universally loved vehicles ever created.

 

All Star Limousine is proud to own not one but two 1933 Presidential Packard Super 8’s.  These vehicles are visually unbelievable truly the epitome of luxury ground transportation.  In addition to the flawless exterior and interior aesthetics the engine and electrical systems have all been updated and redone so that All Star Limousine is able to perform regular preventative maintenance on them in an effort to keep them running smoothly 100% of the time.  All of our antiques are kept in the most pristine condition and are visited weekly by our mechanics and detailers.   This is all done so that on your special day we are there for you with the vehicle of your dreams.

 

The Packard brothers were creative innovators and built some of the most beautiful machines the world has ever see.  All Star Limousine is proud and honored to have a very rare piece of this antiquitous era and we are excited to be able to offer them to you.  This way we can all share in the marvelous beauty that is the 1933 Presidential Packard Super 8 one of the most appreciated and sought after vehicles in the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All Star Limousine is a Long Island, New York based company with an extensive global reach; we provide expert Wedding, Special Event and Executive Travel services throughout the Tri-State area and the world. We have over 30 years of experience in the travel industry; our attention to detail, 2013 top-of-the-line vehicles and professional trained Chauffeurs set us apart from the rest!

by Jarrad Kulick

0

Oculus Rift

Posted On: March 27, 2014

Oculus Rift


 

Facebook continues to acquire companies and software’s in at attempt to augment its already massive network.  Its latest grab is Oculus Rift a developmental piece of virtual reality hardware that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg claims has near limitless potential.  Virtual reality is something that has been talked about for decades, but now we are on the cusp of seeing some very real mainstream virtual reality technology and Facebook wants in.

 

Oculus Rift is a device that the user wears over his face and it places the individual in a fabricated virtual world.   The obvious draw is for gaming; avid gamers have been salivating for years at the thought of being able to step wholly into their digital worlds.  Oculus Rift offers them that opportunity.  Where as the top competitors Sony and Microsoft are at the very beginning stages of VR development, Oculus Rift is practically there.  With a power house like Facebook Behind it we may very well see Oculus hit the commercial market in the next few years.

 

The practicality and uses for VR do not stop at gaming however.  Zuckerberg is quick to point out the implications for brands and marketers, imagine being able to create a virtual storefront where potential customers can see themselves in the cloths they are shopping for online.  Now think of the ability to attend a medical lecture or seminar on the other side of the world without ever leaving your home.  A step beyond that would be to have a doctor or surgeon walk a colleague though a cutting edge procedure from thousands of miles away.

 

As for All Star limousine eventually we will be able to offer full 360 views of the interiors of our vehicles so that experiencing the luxury of a limousine ride can be tested out before actually renting or purchasing one.  Our potential clients will be able to sit in anyone of our beautiful brand new stretch limousines or immaculate antiques and get a taste of the experience before they actually make their decision.

 

Oculus Rift has a lot of potential, a potential that will only be augmented with a company like Facebook behind it.  Time will only tell if they can really get Oculus off the ground but at a preliminary glance the potential is massive.  

 

All Star Limousine is a Long Island, New York based company with an extensive global reach; we provide expert Wedding, Special Event and Executive Travel services throughout the Tri-State area and the world. We have over 30 years of experience in the travel industry; our attention to detail, 2013 top-of-the-line vehicles and professional trained Chauffeurs set us apart from the rest!

by Jarrad Kulick

 

0

Your Website Home page

Posted On: March 26, 2014

Your Website Homepage


 

 

The homepage of your website may quite possibly the most important aspect of a companies digital presence. This means that this is what will be seen far more then anything else related to your business.  Any advertising you do and any marketing efforts will not get near the exposure as the homepage of a well trafficked web site.  That being said the way your home page is constructed and the content on it is very important.   There are a multitude of mistakes a small or even a large business can make when designing a home page below are some of the classic examples of home page error.

 

Walls of text.  Do not drop a giant block of text onto your home page, most people are not even going to read the entire thing anyway, they will simply scan it.  If you start your client relationship off with a text wall no one will bother to go any further.  Keep the text on your home page short, concise, informative and engaging, do not try to tell someone everything there is to know about your company on the first page of your web site.

 

Too much unnecessary stuff.  Blinking pop ups and all types of animation or having too many choices will confuse people.  Most people will see the jumble of information and immediately navigate far away from your scary website.  Simple and clean is the best way to go.  Not everyone knows exactly what he or she is looking for when they are searching the internet and presenting too many choices will only end up being a deterrent.

 

Poor optimization.  A poorly optimized home page will not only get lost in the search engine abyss but will not have the pertinent information people are looking for during their search.  Gone are the days of black hat SEO tactics, Google and the rest have smartened up and they are optimizing what people are looking for.  The right and relevant information should be what is on the home page of your website for Google and for your customers.

 

These are just a few of the most common mistakes found on poorly designed home pages. Do not underestimate the relevance of your digital presence, more and more the Internet is the primary portal where from which people obtain their information and do their shopping.  Keep your home page clean and concise, keep it relevant and in compliance with current SEO requirements and steer away from textbook sized blocks of words.  

 

All Star Limousine is a Long Island, New York based company with an extensive global reach; we provide expert Wedding, Special Event and Executive Travel services throughout the Tri-State area and the world. We have over 30 years of experience in the travel industry; our attention to detail, 2013 top-of-the-line vehicles and professional trained Chauffeurs set us apart from the rest!

by Jarrad Kulick

0

Bad Management

Posted On: March 25, 2014

Bad Management


 

 

Leadership in any organization is of the utmost importance.  Without a good leader a company is doomed to fail.  Unfortunately there are several categories of poor leadership, a few of which we will discuss today.  Perhaps the greatest weapon against a bad leader is self-awareness, if one is able to identify their own negative qualities then that is the first step in correcting those nasty character flaws.  Some of the more common types of poor leaders are the micromanager, the nice guy, the bully, the know-it-all and the distant leader.  Below are the warning signs and problems with these not-so-great managers.

 

The micromanager is relatively self-explanatory this is the type of boss who is just incapable of delegating properly.  He can’t leave well enough alone and he constantly needs to check up or be involved in every menial task that takes place within his department or organization.  The problem with this is he stops becoming a boss he just becomes another worker.  The micromanager has no vision, no plan for the future and as such the company, or whatever he is in charge of, suffers.  The major character flaw here is an inability to delegate or exercise control with out being directly involved, control freaks and individuals with trust issues are the most common examples of the micromanager.

 

The nice guy.  Who doesn’t want a nice boss, well no one should want one that’s too nice.  Kindness and compassion are absolutely necessary for any good leader, and beyond that true understanding of those who work for you, but there is such a thing as being too nice.  The nice guy is the boss who has a problem with the hard conversations; he’s the boss who can’t fire that inept employee or give that difficult employee his review.  What happens here is those that need improvement are often not aware that they do, and the really bad employees stick around too long and destroy the company from within.  Individuals who are unsure of themselves and don’t have a healthy confidence are often the most common personality types that display the nice guy tendencies.

 

The bully, that nasty, negative abusive boss who never has anything nice to say, rules by fear, and is the one you dread to see in the office.  This may be the most dangerous type of bad leader as these individuals will do more then just mess up productivity, these days if you say the wrong thing to an employee you are accountable and can face potential litigation.  To rule by fear is never the answer, as you will never inspire any true loyalty and the first chance someone gets to make you look bad or undermine you they will take it.  Ironically the most common character types to display the bully tendencies are the same ones who display the nice guy tendencies, those with poor confidence or an un-healthy self-esteem.

 

The know-it-all is also a very dangerous example of bad management.  This is the guy who knows absolutely everything, surrounds himself with yes men and likes to tell everyone how to do everything.  Often times this person thinks he’s doing everyone a favor by enlightening them or showing them his correct way of thinking.   The problem here is that this person rarely listens to a differing opinion and one of the greatest strengths of a good leader is to understand that they do not know everything (no one does).  So eventually the wrong decision gets made and the company suffers.  For any organization to truly grow all of its assets must be used, and everyone’s opinions should be thrown in the pot, varying perspectives are key in the building of any successful business.  The defining characteristic for this individual is arrogance.

 

Finally we have the distant leader, he who sits in his ivory tower and makes proclamation from on high.  This is the guy you never see, never gets his hands dirty but always seems to have an opinion about how to do things.  He’s managing his department or business but he really has no idea what’s going on because he’s never there.  This causes an obvious problem because it is impossible to make the right decisions when you don’t really know what’s going on.  The common character traits for the distant leader are laziness and or arrogance.

 

Ultimately to lead is a difficult thing, which is why most of us follow.  Bad management comes in many forms, above are just a few of the more prominent ones.  As an employee the best you can do is a good job, inform the inept individual’s superiors if the right opportunity presents itself or try and let your boss know what he is doing wrong (these last two can be a bit risky if not executed properly).  We hope our managers and leaders that fall into anyone of these categories will eventually take a step back and see what they are doing, and then at that point takes the proper steps to correct those mistakes.  Self awareness and a benevolent and realistic attitude are great qualities in a leader, if these qualities are possessed then the person in charge will eventually realize what he is doing wrong and take steps to correct it, if not then the company will suffer.

 

All Star Limousine is a Long Island, New York based company with an extensive global reach; we provide expert Wedding, Special Event and Executive Travel services throughout the Tri-State area and the world. We have over 30 years of experience in the travel industry; our attention to detail, 2013 top-of-the-line vehicles and professional trained Chauffeurs set us apart from the rest!

by Jarrad Kulick

 

0

Body Language In Business

Posted On: March 21, 2014

Body Language in Business


 

 

Most of us understand that our posturing and the way in which we move our bodies during an interaction or a conversation has the potential to say as much as our words do.  How can this be optimized for business?   During a negotiation, an interview, a sales meeting or a presentation there are many methods people use to maximize the impact of their words.  Below are some great examples we recommend using the next time you are faced with an important conversation or interaction.

 

The use of your hands is something most of us are familiar with.  We all have that friend or co-worker who talks as much with their hands as they do with their mouths.  Using your hands can do two things first gesturing has the potential to improve the retention of knowledge.  Second, talking while gesturing can also improve the clarity of your words.  This is accomplished by a secondary reinforcement that the listener picks up on (usually sub consciously) via universal gestures we all learn as a child.

 

The way you angle your body during a conversation can impact the situation greatly.  Inclining towards the speaker shows deference or subordination.  Angling your body can reduce tension during a conversation, if things are tense do not tense up with them, relax and shift your weight indicating a reduction in pressure.

 

Increase determination and resolve by crossing your arms.  Be careful though as this will also indicate to the other person in the conversation a non-negotiable position.  Try this out the next time you are working on a tough problem but not during a conversation that requires compromise.

 

Recent studies show that we are more creative while lying on our backs.  This also might be the reason why many people say they do their best thinking or have their most inspirational thoughts right before falling asleep.  Having trouble with a situation?  Promote creative thinking by taking a load off and lying down.

 

Facial expressions are important.  A good conversationalist will know the right expression to indicate interest and emotion.  Smiling is always good; it will also help to reduce stress as the expression you wear sends a message to your brain eliciting the required response.  Another interesting tactic that will show interest during a conversation and increase personal likability is to mimic the speaker’s facial expressions.  Smile when they smile or raise eyebrows when they do, this will relate to the speaker empathy and understanding.

 

Try these tactics above and we guarantee you will be shocked by the results.  Body language is as important as actual language and it is a form of communication that should be mastered by any speaker, negotiator or businessperson.

 

All Star Limousine is a Long Island, New York based company with an extensive global reach; we provide expert Wedding, Special Event and Executive Travel services throughout the Tri-State area and the world. We have over 30 years of experience in the travel industry; our attention to detail, 2013 top-of-the-line vehicles and professional trained Chauffeurs set us apart from the rest!

by Jarrad Kulick

 

0