Damon Runyon Award and The B.I.G. Day top April Events!

There are a couple of noteworthy events set for April, both of which we recommend you at take a closer look at. Better yet, take part in.

1. The Denver Press Club honors New York Daily News writer/columnist and ESPN's "The Sports Reporters" contributor Mike Lupica with the 19th Annual Damon Runyon Awars. The date is Friday April 12 at the Marriott Denver City Center.

2. The South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce's 3rd annual B.I.G. Day! You can "Be Involved-Give" Saturday morning April 20th with a great post event celebration sponsored by McCormick and Schmick's.

Mike Lupica, 19th Annual Damon Runyon Award Recipient

Each year, The Denver Press Club is proud to honor a member of the journalism profession with our Damon Runyon Award. This award honors a person or persons who have made extraordinary contributions to the field. The honorees are selected with a special eye towards those whose careers have embraced the highest journalistic standards and who embody the colorful, often irreverent and sometimes flamboyant traits so much associated with Runyon and his characters.
Recipients of The Damon Runyon Award are honored at a ceremony in Denver, the proceeds of which provide a major funding source for our scholarship program and the maintenance of our historic facility.

In addition to his work at the Daily News and ESPN, Mike Lupica has had a versatile writing career, with magazines, novels, sports biographies, other nonfiction books on sports and starting “The Sporting Life” column for Esquire magazine. He co-wrote autobiographies with Reggie Jackson and Bill Parcells; collaborated with author and screenwriter William Goldman on “Wait ’Til Next Year”; “Shooting from the Lip,” a collection of columns, and other books.

It's a great event, with silent auction and of course hear from one of the preeminent sports journalists of our time. The Damon Runyon award is anything but stuffy so join us for a great night.

To register, visit Blacktie-Colorado

The following weekend is the B.I.G. Day. Simply put it's goal is to connect the businesses and non-profits of the South Metro Area. This marks the 3rd year for the event and it gets bigger and better every year. Here's why your business, family, church or civic group should take part:

• It's a great team builder. There's nothing like working alongside co-workers, friends, family or even folks you don't know to spend a morning making a difference. Wear t-shirts with your organization logo, share on social media that you care about community.
• It's a chance for you to learn more about the many non-profits who day-in and day-out make a difference in so many ways.
• It's just fun and takes one Saturday morning.
• This year's post event celebration will be held at the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce sponsored by the super folks at McCormick and Schmick's restaurants. You'll work up an appetite and there will be awesome food waiting for you to satisfy it.

Watch the video to learn just what the B.I.G. is all about!

You don't have to be a member of the South Metro Denver Chamber to take part. Just bring your willingness to make a difference on just one day you'll never forget. Register today!

Looking forward to seeing you at either or both great events!

Brian Olson
Owner/Consultant
Conversation Starters Public Relations
"We start the conversation about you"

Obama Chamber Charges Baseless, Factless.

Before I begin, this isn't about partisanship. It's about a dangerous game being played out by the President and when he does, it's our responsibility to call him out. So far, many people have beat me to the punch. But here's a re-cap.

The President is getting desperate. Any time a politician makes things up it's not a good sign. Doubly so when it's POTUS.

President Obama along with Vice-President Biden claim the United States Chamber of Commerce is essentially funneling foreign money into the 2010 campaign. When all else fails, blame everyone but yourself.

The Columbia Journalism Review called out the President in this article, documenting what is a fake scandal. You know, the stuff fairy tales are made of. Make believe.

Claims vs fact according to the Columbia Journalism Review:
-The source of the President's "facts" was a left-wing blog that broke the basic journalism rule of assertion without attribution. It's fancy talk for "making things up."
-Then in an embarrassing exchange between Bob Schieffer of CBS News and White House Advisor David Axelrod, Schieffer asked for proof of what the administration claimed about the Chamber. Axelrod came up short. Way short.



-The Associated Press says flat out there is no evidence to support the administration's claims.

An administration that makes things up to frighten the electorate is an administration in trouble. Ultimately this is a huge insult to the very people the President is sworn to serve and protect. The President believes that if you "evade the truth" about something often enough, people start to believe it. Some sadly do. Most do not.

In a word, it's shameful and an example of all that's wrong in government that puts power and greed above the best interests of the people.

In a word, it's shameful. It's also dangerous to the very freedoms this nation was founded upon.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversation about you"

Red Ribbons better than Red Tape

I had the opportunity to attend a South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting (actually sawing!) for the new Ace Hardware store at 15600 E. Briarwood at Cornerstar in Aurora.

Ted Schenderlein is the GM and Partner in the enterprise. What I hadn't realized is ACE Hardware stores, while having the power of a national brand and marketing, are individually owned. It's a great way to do business.

In these economic times, it's refreshing to see someone starting up a big enterprise. Ted's approach is to make his store a "Neighborhood" type of store, with focus on customer service and individual approaches to customer needs. He's a nice guy and I wish him well.

It's also important that entrepreneurs like Ted can focus more energy on operating his business and less time on bureaucratic red tape. Red Ribbon cutting is far more effective than dealing with Red Tape. Free enterprise creates jobs. So let's free-up, free enterprise!

Here's the video we produced of the event.



Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We get the conversation started about you"

A positive place for kids.

We just completed a new marketing video for Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver, as fine an organization locally and nationally as there is. Once you've visited a club you're hooked because you see the fun, educational and athletic opportunities kids have. It's difficult for many potential supporters to visit a club, so this video takes the club to them. They see, that indeed, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver are a positive place for kids.



The PR Blog is taking next week off as we journey from Anchorage to the Arctic Circle via trains, planes (yea!) and automobiles. Look for video when we return.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We get the conversation started about you"

We now return to our regular programming.

I just took a week off for family. When I started this business, family and work were going to balance out with the tilt of the scales towards family. Although I'll be the first to admit that having our darling grandkids; aged two and five with us for five days is exhausting!

But it's time to get back to work building a business. We'll be announcing a new strategic partner shortly, it's a partnership that's literally been over 20 years in the making and I'm excited about it.

We've tweaked our website here at Conversation Starters to include our new logo. I like the changes.

This morning I shot video at Centennial Airport for Wings over the Rockies Air and Space Museum as they wrap up the visit of the Experimental Aircraft Association's restored WWII B-17 Bomber, Aluminum Overcast. This is my second opportunity to work with this magnificent aircraft. The focus of the video will include the aircraft of course, but also the many volunteers that make such an experience possible.

Tomorrow afternoon is my first meeting with the Business Leaders for Responsible Government Committee of the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce. I'm looking forward to this opportunity to meet with government leaders, and potential leaders and to ask the tough (but fair) questions to make sure our government is accountable to "We the People."

So it's back to work, back to Twitter and hopefully securing new clients.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC

The Art of Starting

As one builds a business, lots of paperwork to set up incorporation, bank accounts, blog pages, twitter pages and network. I've never liked paperwork but networking is great fun.

Next step is to join the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce, arguably one of the most active Chambers in the area. A friend and colleague already invited me to a couple of events and the potential to attract business is obvious.

Also been tweaking the website and doing some pro bono work for some local non-profits, especially in video.

I like this entrepreneur thing. Just might work out. So far so good. The key is to keep busy, always have meetings, projects to work on and goals to set. Especially important when you're starting out from home. Meetings and projects get you out of the house, which is a good thing.

Above all, ethics and integrity remain the key. My crossroads before taking this turn was the choice between dollars and integrity. I chose the latter.

Brian Olson
CEO and Founder
Conversation Starters LLC