Join the Walk on the Wild Side

By: Roger Ewing

Calabasas residents know the overwhelming amount of wildlife that live just outside our homes. We live in a city replete with coyotes, rattlesnakes, hawks, owls, rabbits and deer. However, our native friends are often sick, injured, and orphaned, especially now during baby season.

This year, join the WOWS program on a 5K walk along Zuma Beach. All proceeds go directly towards helping our native wildlife recover from sickness, injuries or abandonment.

Last year, more than 300 Walkers registered online; there were 29 “wild” teams and 226 people donated online in support of participants. The event features a 5K (approximately three miles) beach walk that begins and ends at Zuma Beach.

All particpants will get a FREE Walk t-shirt if registered online by Friday, May 6. Online registrations will be accepted through Friday, May 13; after that, you may register at the Zuma Beach site on Walk Day for $40/adults and $25/youth (12 and under).

Event details and registration information can also be found on the WOWS website.

Event information:

When: Sunday, May 15, 2011
Where: Zuma Beach, Malibu

All particpants will get a FREE Walk t-shirt if registered online by Friday, May 6. Online registrations will be accepted through Friday, May 13; after that, you may register at the Zuma Beach site on Walk Day for $40/adults and $25/youth (12 and under).

Walk Day Program:

10 a.m. – Online Registrant Check-in and T-shirt pick-up*, Walk Day registrations; warm-up with MC Dan Cortese; applaud as hosts Catherine Oxenberg and Casper Van Dien award the top fundraising prizes; cheer as CWC releases a rehabilitated animal right on the beach. Enjoy our wild DJ, refreshments and snacks!

11 a.m. – 5K Walk Start – Walk with animal lovers of all ages and receive a Certificate of Completion; reward your efforts with an all-vegan hot dog from the Franken Stand or refreshing ice cream and yogurt from King Kone.

*Note to registrants: pick up the t-shirt size you ordered online at check-in to avoid confusion; you may be able to trade for another size later on.

For more information, Email CWC

Roger Ewing

Open House this Sunday 1pm – 4pm

By: Roger Ewing

Wonderful Custom home located in the gated exclusive private community of West Kelly Estates. The grand foyer with soaring ceilings opens to the main living area featuring gourmet cooks kitchen with granite counters, custom cabinetry w/glass doors, stainless steel appliances, travertine flooring and a cozy breakfast area with views. Entertaining made easy in the large Living room w/custom fireplace opening to a large formal dining room with peaceful mountain and city light views. Den/office also with fireplace. Enjoy the splendor of high ceilings, plantation shutters and travertine flooring. Tranquility exudes in the master bedroom, opening to a deck with views and a large master bathroom with spa tub, custom shower and walk-in closet. Three additional spacious bedrooms on the lower level lead to a central bonus room which opens to a rear yard with oversized spa and nearly ½ acre with mature landscaping, oak trees and creek w/bridge. 4 car garage with work shop or possible RV parking.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrp7WYFRh3k[/youtube]

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

Roger Ewing

Useful tips on becoming a leader

By: Roger Ewing

On the surface, the difference between a step and a stumble seems obvious.

But in business, plotting long and hard to climb into a leadership role often is indistinguishable from inadvertently falling into one. The fact is, whether you take a deliberate step toward an objective or immediately trip on a shoelace, you may end up in the same spot. Put another way, many people who have a laser focus on getting to the top make it there no faster than those who have a leadership opportunity thrust upon them.

Yet knowing the difference between thoughtful business leadership and the kind that happens seemingly by accident is critical — not only in your ability to grow and develop as a leader, but to establish a pattern of success that’s deliberate, not miraculous.

Here, then, are eight attributes that separate genuine leadership from leadership that’s more a matter of chance:

1. Real leadership means leading yourself

Passing out orders is as easy as passing out business cards. But a prudent leader also knows how to lead himself or herself — not merely to provide a genuine example to others, but to become a working element of the overall machinery of your business. “It’s important that leaders have the ability to focus and motivate themselves as they motivate others,” says Larraine Segil, an author and consultant who teaches executive education at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

2. Don’t be a monarch

Thoughtful leadership likely means you already have a talented work force in place. That’s terrific. But be careful not to set up a throne room in the process. Accidental leaders often inadvertently establish a system of guidance that’s unnecessarily restrictive. Guide employees, but don’t implement more parameters than are absolutely necessary. “It’s important to influence the people with whom you work,” says Segil. “Don’t see your business as a hierarchy.”

3. Be open to new ways of doing things

One potential land mine of a prosperous operation is to repeat anything that proves successful. It’s hard to argue against that, but an inadvertent leader will put far too much stock in sticking with what always works. By contrast, thoughtful leadership acknowledges success but also recognizes there are always ways to do things better.

4. Remember that white males are fast becoming a minority

Statistics show that white males now make up only a small fraction of the workplace population. Couple that with growing partnerships across borders, and it becomes obvious that blending a variety of cultures and backgrounds in a work environment is an essential leadership skill. A thoughtless leader will try to cope with this as best as he can. One with more vision will work to take advantage of differences. “Competition — the constant push for faster, better, cheaper — mandates that we learn to effectively deal with differences in the workplace,” says career consultant Susan Eckert of Advance Career and Professional Development in Brightwaters, New York. A company that weaves an appreciation of diversity into its cultural fabric will make itself “unbeatable,” Eckert says.

5. Establish a genuine sense of commitment

I must admit this is a personal sore point with me. I’ve seen too many company slogans and catch phrases whose import is no deeper than the paper they’re written on. Want to be “committed to superior service”? More power to you, but a genuine leader will see that as words and little else. Instead, put some meat on those bones — establish how to quantify excellence, design a cogent plan to achieve it and set a reasonable but real timetable for its completion.

6. Finish the job

Many business leaders yak about their complete game, but how many actually finish what they say they’re going to start? A thoughtless leader who never genuinely finishes anything loses the confidence of clients and customers. That lack of follow-through isn’t going to be lost on his or her employees, either. Instead, set goals and establish pragmatic, accountable measures to actually finish what you start. “The ability to complete things is critical,” Segil says. “Nothing’s useful unless you actually complete it.”

7. Show genuine appreciation

Thoughtless leaders must have forearms like Popeye’s, what with all the back-slapping they do. That’s fine, but good performance requires a more substantive response. Leaders with an eye to the future hand out praise but augment it with real rewards: promotions, raises, bonuses and other tangible tokens of appreciation. That motivates your people, not only to apply themselves with enthusiasm but to stick around your company longer than they might otherwise.

8. Know that leadership skills come from learning, too

Far too may business executives believe leadership skills stem from some sort of wondrous epiphany or other such flash of insight. Sure, great ideas can come to any of us, but being a bona fide leader also means study. Read books on effective leadership, attend seminars and pick the brains of colleagues to see what works for them. It can be a long education, but one with rewards that multiply with the more knowledge you have under your belt.

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

Roger Ewing

Announcing the Most Exclusive Real Estate Brokerage in Calabasas

By: Roger Ewing

Welcoming all residents of Calabasas, Hidden Hills and the West San Fernando Valley, Ewing and Associates Sotheby’s International Realty is hosting a wine and cheese party Saturday, December 11th from 2pm – 5pm. We are excited about the recent opening of our corporate headquarters located in the Calabasas Court Yard at 23647 Calabasas Road. Please stop by for live music and plenty of wine.

Warm wishes and Happy Holidays!

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

Roger Ewing

Big Brand Saves you money

By: Denise Arledge

When my Prius needed a new touch screen system, I took it to the Toyota dealership and received a quote for over $1,590 including labor. A bit suspicious, I went online to find the part for substantially cheaper. I purchased the part and went over to the Big Brand Tire Shop in Thousand Oaks to see what they could do the job for. With parts and labor, a $1590 job was done for about $350!

This auto shop in Thousand Oaks is managed by Matt who consistently does my auto repair for roughly 1/3rd the cost of the dealerships. It’s been family owned and operated for 35 years for a reason – they are honest, hardworking, and aim to offer value to their customers. Don’t pay dealer prices, go to Matt the manager at Big Brand Tire shop in Thousand Oaks (click for map).

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

denisearledge

Denise has over 19 years experience in real estate. She is a consistent top producer & has won numerous awards for her sales, listings & service. She is a resident of the Conejo Valley for over 22 years & specializes in fine homes and estates throughout the San Fernando & Conejo Valleys.

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