Monday - May 4, 2020

All Classes

So I spent the weekend fishing in Bayou La Batre on Alabama's gulf coast. This place was featured on the movie Forrest Gump - the part with Lieutenant Dan and the shrimp boats. So I feel like throwing in a Forrest Gump quote today....copy and paste and tell me what you think it means.

Stupid is as stupid does. 

Forrest Gump

Friday - May 1, 2020

All Classes

I feel like John Watson will get this one, and almost no one else will.....

Thursday - April 30, 2020

Career Prep Classes

Googling allowed.....explain the relationship between risk and reward when it comes to investing.



Marketing Classes

Read the article linked below and answer the question that follows.
While Many Restaurants Struggle, Here's How One Is Thriving

What did Chef Rivera do to adjust to the new challenges facing all restaurants? Name at least 3 specific things.

Wednesday - April 29, 2020

Career Prep Classes

Talk to a parent about the importance of investing. Tell me at least one thing that your parent wishes he or she knew when they first began earning money.




Marketing Classes

Everyone has hopefully enjoyed some level of success turning around your virtual restaurant. What was the biggest challenge? Do you think this is also a big challenge in actual restaurants?

Tuesday - April 28, 2020

Career Prep Classes

Use the interwebs to answer the following:

1. What is the Nigerian prince scam?
2. How much money does it rake in?
3. Who do you think would fall for such a scam and why?


Marketing Classes

How might a restaurant make decisions about marketing in terms of which media to use and how much to spend? Also, how might management know if a campaign is successful due to the marketing efforts?

Monday - April 27, 2020

All Classes

Copy and respond to the following quote:

We Cannot Direct the Wind, But We Can Adjust the Sails

Friday - April 24, 2020

All Classes

Solve this rebus puzzle. Hint: it's something hardly anyone is doing these days!

Thursday - April 23, 2020

Career Prep Classes

Recently I received an email offering to pay me $500 a month to allow a drink company to put an advertisement on my car door. Research this scam. Describe how it works! What would be the first "red flag" for you that this is not real?




Marketing Classes

From the virtual business simulation, tell me about one menu design tip regarding where to put items or how to price items on your menu.

Wednesday - April 22, 2020

Career Prep Classes

Find one common email scam that persists today. Describe how the scam works. Who do you think is likely to fall for such a scam? Why?



Marketing Classes

From your experience in the virtual business challenge, give me one example of how a restaurant's financial statements can be used to guide management decisions.

Tuesday - April 21, 2010

Career Prep Classes

Describe to me a person who you think should have life insurance. Please research online because the answer is probably different than you think!



Marketing Classes

Where do you see local restaurants advertising? What first came to mind? Does that advertising impact your dining decisions? Do you think it is effective overall?

Monday - April 20, 2020

Career Prep Classes 

What kind of insurance does your family have? Ask your folks. List all types. Ask follow up questions. Why do you have the insurance, is it expensive, has it been useful or not?




Marketing Classes

Today's lesson is on staffing. What do you think are the biggest staffing challenges faced by restaurants? What about during this specific time? I'll take your thoughts or feel free to search online for answers.

Tuesday - April 14, 2020

Career Prep Classes

You'll need to research this one...

What percentage tax do we pay on purchases in Hoover, Alabama? How does that breakdown in regards to how much the city, county, and state get? What is that money used for?




Marketing Classes

If you were to open a restaurant in the Birmingham area, what would be your ideal location and why? What market would you be serving? Business people, couples, families? And finally, how would your plan cater specifically to that market?

Monday - April 13, 2020

Career Prep Classes

Ask your family if you are renting or if you own your residence. Ask why that came to be? What went into the decision to rent or to buy? Don't share with me, but see if you can find out how much is owed each month. Did the answers to the above questions make sense to you? Did anything surprise you?

Don't disclose any details to me. I just wanted you to engage in a conversation, get an idea of how things work, how much things cost, and how family decisions are made.



Marketing Classes

The simulation lesson today is on pricing. What pricing decisions have you seen made lately in the local restaurant scene? Can you list something specific. Comment on the reasoning behind such decisions.

Friday - April 10, 2020

How many can you solve today?

Thursday - April 9, 2020

Career Prep Classes

Now that you have a better idea how much people are paying for rent, how do you think the virus and the recent rise in unemployment is impacting renters? Do a little Internet research. What is happening? Are people getting evicted? What would you do if you had renters in a property you owned? Remember you likely have a mortgage to pay in that situation, too.



Marketing Classes

Like many of you probably have, I've taken advantage some curbside carry-out over the past few weeks. Some restaurant staffers have seemed grumpy and impersonal. Others have been overly gracious and appreciative.

The lady at Wasabi Juan's (I recommend the steak taco btw) hand writes personal notes on top of the carry-out box. She wrote something like "Thank you so much for your love and support. Bless you!" It was a simple gesture, but I'll remember that. And it will impact my future spending decisions.

Can you think of anything a restaurant has done that was special during this time? Something that you will remember and that might actually make you spend more there in the future?

If not, tell me your thoughts on Wasabi Juan's special notes.

Wednesday - April 8, 2019

Career Prep Classes

Do an Internet search. What is a good down payment to make when buying a home? What percentage? Find a home you'd like to buy. Post a pic of it. And tell me how much you'd need to make a good down payment.



Marketing Classes

What is one strategy you've seen local restaurants adopt in this changing business environment? Is it a good one? Why or why not?

Tuesday - April 7, 2020

Career Prep Classes

When you move out on your own, do you think you will look to rent or to buy a place to live? Give THREE reasons for your choice.





Marketing Classes

A restaurant owner might decide to focus on families or business people. Name three ways this decision will impact the operation of the business (in terms of marketing or menu or pricing or layout, etc.). Give specific examples. 

Monday - April 6, 2020

ALL CLASSES

Hi Everyone! It's been too long. I hope you have been doing well. I miss y'all a little bit I swear. Let's get back to it.

Do you remember the 7 habits or no? Do you remember any of them? Here's a reminder below. Look them over. Tell me the habit that would serve you best throughout this online school experiment. Explain your answer.

Friday - March 13, 2020

ALL CLASSES

How many can you solve today?

Wednesday - March 11, 2020 / Thursday - March 12, 2020

ALL CLASSES

Read the article linked below and answer the questions that follow.

Cornell researchers discovered the secret to lifelong happiness—and it’s not buying more stuff

1. According to this study, what is the secret to lifelong happiness?

2. Do you believe it? Explain. 

3. Imagine I just gave you $100. Give an example of a thing you could buy for yourself. Then, give an example of an experience you could purchase. Which do you think would have a more positive impact on your life? 

Also, you owe me $100. 

Monday - March 9, 2020

ALL CLASSES

Okay this one is a little ambitious of me, but see if you can read and catch the main points of the article linked below. Just copy one or two sentences that you feel best summarize the article. We shall discuss.

This was written at the beginning stages of the outbreak just fyi. But I thought it was instructive.

How the stock market has performed during past viral outbreaks, as coronavirus spreads to Italy and Iran

Friday - March 6, 2020

ALL CLASSES

How many of these rebus puzzles can you solve?

Wednesday - March 4, 2020 / Thursday - March 5, 2020

Marketing Classes

Read the article linked below and answer the questions that follow.

LLC vs. Sole Proprietor: How to Make the Right Choice for Your Business

1. If LLCs provide more liability protection, why might one choose a sole proprietorship business organization over an LLC?


2. If you were to create your own business, which option would you choose and why?




Career Prep Classes

Read the article linked below and respond to the prompt that follows.

How Gen Z (and Everyone Else) Can Combat Spending Regret

Copy one sentence from each paragraph that best sums up that paragraph. Be ready to share. 

Tuesday - March 3, 2020

ALL CLASSES 

Copy and respond to the following quote.

Monday - March 2, 2020

ALL CLASSES

Read the article linked below. Respond to the prompts that follow.

Wendy's breakfast sandwiches storm America: Inside the fast-food giant's $1 billion bet

Use your thoughts and Internet research to respond to the following...

1. Who is Wendy's biggest competition for breakfast dollars?

2. What if anything has McDonald's done to interfere with this Wendy's relaunch of breakfast?

3. How much will Wendy's spend on this relaunch? 

4. What is ROMI? Do you think Wendy's will get a ROMI this year? Ever? Explain.

Friday - February 28, 2019

ALL CLASSES

A few rebus puzzles for your Friday brains....

Wednesday - February 26, 2020 / Thursday - February 27, 2020

ALL CLASSES

Read the article linked below and then answer the questions that follow.

Amazon is opening its first full-size, 

cashierless grocery store.

1. This is a fairly new concept. What problem does it attempt to solve for consumers?

2. Would you or your family shop at a Go Grocery store? Why or why not?

3. What are the potential downsides to this model?

4. How might this model impact consumer spending?

Tuesday - February 25, 2020

MARKETING CLASSES

Research online and explain as best you can why a virus most prevalent halfway around the globe had such an impact on our stock market yesterday.





CAREER PREP CLASSES

Read the article linked below and answer the questions that follow.

What an Excellent Credit Score is and How to Get One

1. What is an excellent FICO credit score?

2. What is the most important factor impacting credit scores?

3. How can it be helpful to have a high credit score?

Monday - February 24, 2019

ALL CLASSES

Copy, paste, and respond to the following quote. What can you do today to "make it count"?

Friday - February 21, 2019

ALL CLASSES

See if you can solve all 4 of these rebus puzzles....

Friday - February 14, 2020

ALL CLASSES
Try this pretty difficult rebus puzzle!

Wednesday - February 12, 2020 / Thursday - February 13, 2020

CAREER PREP CLASSES

Read the article linked below. Make a list of the pros and cons of having a credit card.

Credit Card Pros and Cons

MARKETING CLASSES

Read the article linked below. We'll watch the video together. What do you like about the new Samsung Z Flip? Would you buy one? Why or why not?

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip beats the Motorola Razr in nearly every way

Tuesday - February 11, 2019

CAREER PREP CLASSES

Read the article linked below. Then explain whether you'll choose debit or credit and why.

What to know about choosing ‘credit’ when paying with a debit card

MARKETING CLASSES

Read the article linked below. List THREE things that will happen under the new deal.

Trump Just Signed the U.S.M.C.A. Here’s What’s in the New NAFTA.

Monday - February 10, 2020

MARKETING CLASSES

Read the article linked below and answer the questions that follow.

Will Habitas Get an Uber Discount Now?

1. Explain the headline.

2. Who is the target market for Habitas?

3. How is the offering tailored to this target market?

4. If you had hundreds of millions of dollars, would you invest in this new chain? Explain. 

CAREER PREP CLASSES

When considering what bank you will use for a checking and/or savings account, what factors might you consider? List as many as you can and be prepared to share. 

Tuesday - February 4, 2019

ALL CLASSES

Did you watch the Super Bowl? If so, what ad comes to mind first? Why? How much did ads cost during the Super Bowl? Do you think companies get a positive ROI from Super Bowl ads? Expain.

Tuesday - January 28, 2019

ALL CLASSES

If you are completely unaware of the coronavirus spreading in China and beyond, do a quick internet search. Then, answer the following questions as best you can.

1. What impact has this virus had on the US stock market?

2. What industries stock prices have been impacted the most? Why?

3. Are there any industries that may actually get a boost from the coronavirus.

Monday - January 27, 2019

ALL CLASSES

ACROSS

2. 
4. 
5. 
6.

DOWN

1. 
3. 
4. 

Friday - January 24, 2019

RIDDLE FRIDAY

Can you solve this rebus?

Wednesday - January 22, 2019 / Thursday - January 23, 2019

Career Prep Classes

Read the article linked below. Find three savings statistics you found surprising. Copy and paste them and be ready to share.

Survey: 21% of working Americans aren’t saving anything at all

Marketing Classes

Who is Mr. Peanut? What happened to him? Why did this happen? Do you think this is interesting in any way at all?

Tuesday - January 21, 2019

ALL CLASSES
Read the article linked below and answer the questions that follow:

Target Employee Receives Over $30K in Donations After Customer Complaint Goes Viral

1. Thoughts on the journalist who initiated this complaint?

2. Do stores have a legal obligation to honor a mismarked price? Do an internet search to get the real answer. 

3. Do stores, in your opinion, have a moral obligation to honor a mismarked price? Explain your answer. 

Friday - January 17, 2020

RIDDLE FRIDAY!!!
As per yoosh, no googling, no blurting, no bloogling, no glurting....TIA.

Solve this rebus puzzle....

O _ E R _ T _ O _

Wednesday - January 15, 2020 / Thursday - January 16, 2020

CAREER PREP CLASSES

Review topic: Explain the "Pay Yourself First" approach to saving and investing. Why is it so important? Why must you do it? How can it impact your life? List all the reasons you can think of and be prepared to share.






MARKETING CLASSES

Read the article linked below and answer the questions that follow. 

Tesla’s stock keeps going up—here’s why

1. Why is Tesla stock going up? All the reasons. 

2. Define one term or phrase you read and didn't understand.

• 
  

Tuesday - January 14, 2019

All Classes

Read the article linked below and answer the questions that follow.

This is the secret to doing more productive group work

1. What is the mistake often made in group work?

2. Which role do you typically assume in a group and why?

3. Why is it important to assume different roles from time to time?

Monday - January 13, 2020

ALL CLASSES

The College Football National Championship Game Is When? How the Wait Widened

Read the article linked above. Answer the questions below:

1. What circumstances led to this national championship occurring so late after the semi-final game? 
2. How much did ESPN pay for the rights to the college football playoffs?
3. Why did the network have to reimburse advertisers in 2015?

Friday - January 10, 2020

ALL CLASSES - RIDDLE FRIDAY!!!

Explain this...

Wednesday - January 8, 2020 / Thursday - January 9, 2020

CAREER PREP CLASSES

The United States has a negative savings rate. This means that on average, families are spending more than they are making. Why don't people save more?






MARKETING CLASSES

Today I felt the need to pose a geography question. Which one of these is Iran? How many of these labelled countries can you name?

Tuesday - January 7, 2019

ALL CLASSES

What is CES 2020? Why do companies participate? Why do people attend? Would you be interested in attending? Why or why not?

Finally, find one product launching at this year's event that is exciting to you.

Monday - January 6, 2020

ALL CLASSES

Happy New Year! Let's do this...

Step 1: Define resolution. 
Step 2: List 3 personal resolutions for 2020.

REMEMBER: Resolutions, like goals, should be S.M.A.R.T. We will discuss.