Archive for the ‘Team & Topics’ Category

BlogHer Business Conference

Wednesday, July 28th, 2010

I’m going to be attending the BlogHer conference in New York next week! I’m hoping to learn a lot and am looking forward to putting all my new-found knowledge to work to make this blog Bigger ‘n Better.

EverydayCelebrating tweet

EverydayCelebrating tweet

Michelle from Everyday Celebrating, who we’ve worked with so often in the past, will also be there and we’re going to come up with another special offer for her readers.

We’re also hoping to launch the revamped SmileBooks.com web site tomorrow. We’ve put a lot of thought into how to make the web site easier to navigate and also to put our message across more clearly. We really do believe we have the best photo books on the market, so it’s about time we had the best web site too!

Friday Photos

Friday, July 2nd, 2010

I thought you might enjoy seeing some old photos today. These were taken at the CES in Las Vegas in 2008. Microsoft invited us to present the Vista version of our software on their booth. 

Here’s Dominic installing the software the day before the show started:

Dominic getting the booth ready for the show

Dominic getting the booth ready for the show

And here he is enjoying one of our extravagant lunch breaks:

Lunch break

Lunch break

The following photo was taken at the end of a long, hard day:

Dr. Reiner Fageth (CTO), Tracy and Dominic

Dr. Reiner Fageth (CTO), Tracy and Dominic

The SmileBooks brand was launched shortly after this trip and we haven’t looked back since!

2010 Microsoft Partner Of The Year Award Finalist

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

A huge big thanks to Ralf and his team who keep developing the software that gets us this kind of recognition!

WPC10_WebBnnr_Anim_Fin

Just in case you’d forgotten what Ralph looks like, here’s another photo from the Grand Canyon series:

Ralph Grand Canyon

Welcome to SmileBooks Tamika

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

We have a new addition to our SmileBooks team! Tamika has joined the Art Department and her first job is to create the Idea Centre on the web page. It’s going to be the new go-to section for all kinds of ideas, tips and tricks for making fantastic SmileBooks photo books!

Tamkia

Tamkia

Johannes showing Tamika how to publish web pages

Johannes showing Tamika how to publish web pages

Trip to UK production plant in Warwick

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

Last week, Kay and I flew to Warwick for work. Our usual hotel was fully booked so we got to try out a new one:

Episode Hotel

Episode Hotel

Which had the most amazing light fittings:

Light fittings in the Episode Hotel

Light fittings in the Episode Hotel

One way to make lemonade from lemons – if you forget which time zone you’re in and your alarm wakes you at 5 am, take a walk around town and take pics for your blog:

Arcade of chestnut trees opposite the hotel

Arcade of chestnut trees opposite the hotel

Cottage with a pretty slate roof

Cottage with a pretty slate roof

Flowers in the park

Flowers in the park

Queen Victoria watching over the town hall

Queen Victoria watching over the town hall

British shop window

British shop window

After two hard days of work, it was time to take the rental car back to Birmingham airport and take pics of the police taking pics of us:

Caught on camera

Caught on camera

Also time to struggle with the Flybe self check in passport scan slot which my passport didn’t fit into:

My rebellious passport

My rebellious passport

We still made it to the plane on time though:

Kay and our Flybe plane to Hannover

Kay and our Flybe plane to Hannover

SmileBooks Facebook Fan Draw

Saturday, May 1st, 2010
SmileBooks Facebook Fans

SmileBooks Facebook Fans

Become a Facebook fan now because as soon as we have 2010 fans, we’ll be holding our first ever SmileBooks Facebook Fan Draw with the following prizes for fans old and new: www.facebook.com/smilebooks.fans

SmileBooks Facebook Fan Draw Prizes
SmileBooks Facebook Fan Draw Prizes

1st Prize: Nikon D5000 SLR digital camra with accessories kit

2nd Prize: Crumpler camera bag

3rd Prize: Scott Kelby’s Digital Photography Boxed Set

4th-50th Prizes: “I’m a SmileBooks Fan” t-shirts

51st-100th Prizes: Free 26 page Mini soft cover SmileBook Photo Book

Behind the scenes at the “Pets and Animals” photo shoot

Sunday, April 25th, 2010

We’ve decided to update our sample book section on the web page.  Some of our customers have been so kind as to let us post their books on the web page, so we thought it was time we did the same.

I’ve managed to convince some of our employees to pose for the camera and to share their private photo books with us. You’d be amazed what SmileBooks employees will do for a free polo shirt!

First up is Ben with Gundel his adorable Bernese Mountain Dog.

smileblog_ben_and_gundel_shooting

Our DIY trade show booth

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

On Friday morning we got up really early and picked up our little Budget rental truck and drove from Anaheim to our top secret storage facility near San Diego…

Ludger - Vice President and part-time truck driver

Ludger - Vice President and part-time truck driver

Once we got there, it was time to assemble all our furnite. Or at least the furniture that Ikea delivered with complete sets of bolts and screws.

Jasmin, Dominic & Ludger

Jasmin, Dominic & Ludger

Two of the three people pictured in the image above do not believe in reading assembly instructions…

Ludger

Ludger

Ludger and his levitating screwdriver trick…

All too soon it was time to head back to Anahiem and start putting the booth together…

The SmileBooks booth

The SmileBooks booth

Voila!

Travelling to the Southern California Photo Expo trade show

Saturday, February 20th, 2010

Today’s the Southern CAlifornia Photo Expo trade show! Dominic, Jasmin and I worked till midnight last night (which is when they kicked us out of the convention centre) setting up the booth. I’ll post pics of the booth tomorrow but here are a few of our trip to California to tide you over!

Dominic trying to work on the plane

Dominic trying to work on the plane

Dominic and I tried to work on a presentation on the plane but we struggled under the cramped conditions. We loved every minute of that 12 hour flight from Frankfurt to LAX!

Greenland from the plane

Greenland from the plane

At least the view outside was breathtaking!

Sample books for the Photo Expo trade show

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

Dominic and I have offices in the R&D tower on the CeWe campus.

R&D Tower on the CeWe campus

R&D Tower on the CeWe campus

 To get our sample books shipped to Anaheim, we have to take them to the dispatch building. 

View of the dispatch building from the R&D tower

View of the dispatch building from the R&D tower

What’s the best means of transportation on a snowy day? That’s right! The R&D Wussy Wagon!

Dominic and the R&D Wussy Wagon

Dominic and the R&D Wussy Wagon

At least it was nice and warm once we got inside.

Dominic packing sample books

Dominic packing sample books