When Life Hands You Grapes by Michelle Murrill

The Best Places to Have Lunch Outside

Posted on June 18, 2021     Leave a Comment

Lately, the weather along the Gulf Coast has been nothing but clear skies and warm temperatures, which means it is finally summertime! One of my favorite activities to do in the summer is sit outside with my family and friends at local restaurants. Food with a view? Yes, please!

Spot of Tea

Spot of Tea is the go-to place for breakfast on the Gulf Coast! Located across from Cathedral Square, Spot of Tea offers the best outdoor dining for people watching on a Saturday morning. Every Saturday during the summer, Market in the Square takes place in Cathedral Square, meaning after eating and enjoying the view, you can shop from local vendors and get some of the freshest jams, produce, homemade baked goods and even doggy treats! It is a great opportunity to explore what Mobile offers in such a short amount of time! I highly recommend exploring the Cathedral as well after enjoying some of the best french toast you have ever tasted!

Boudreaux’s Cajun Grill

I cannot stop talking about the view at Boudreaux’s! I love to go to Boudreaux’s for a simple date night and sit on their balcony overlooking Mobile Bay. The view is absolutely breathtaking (so is the food), especially as the sun is setting with oranges, blues and pinks mixing together to paint a beautiful sky. Personally, I really enjoy their Plaquemine Parmigiana (the name is fun to say) with my view, but they have a wide variety to choose from. If you are a morning person (I am not), they serve a delicious brunch on Sunday, so guests can watch the rise over the bay!

NoJa

If you know me, you know NoJa has been my favorite local restaurant since it opened in Mobile. They always serve a blend of Mediterranean and Asian flavors that delight your taste buds and your soul, but I highly recommend eating in the courtyard. While the inside of the restaurant is beautifully designed and elegant, the courtyard is dreamy and a must-see on a visit to Mobile. After your meal in the courtyard, I strongly recommend staying for dessert to try the ginger donut (you won’t regret it ;))!

El Papi

El Papi is a new upscale Mexican restaurant located in downtown Mobile! The food derives from locally sourced ingredients and they provide guests with a beautiful view from the patio and courtyard area. While you enjoy the view in the beautifully landscaped area, you will fall in love with their delicious dishes! One of my favorites is the Tatchos, the El Papi spin on the nachos (another fun word to say). Don’t forget to try their specialty cocktails, such as the Top Shelf (it’s an actual drink!), while you are there! 

This summer is the perfect time to sit back and relax while enjoying amazing food outdoors! There are so many local restaurants that provide amazing food with a view, so why not explore them all this summer?

6 Things I Have Learned About Managing a Business

Posted on April 23, 2021     Leave a Comment

This year my baby is turning six years old! In May, Brad and I will have officially run our company (aka the baby) for six years. Wow, time really does fly when you are having fun (and when you are sleep-deprived). As a small business owner, I have learned many things during these past six years. From handling difficult situations to making hard choices, there is nothing I have not experienced or seen! Together my team and I have grown our business along the Gulf Coast, and we have picked these as the most useful tips when it comes to managing a small business:

Sales is an Important Skill

As a small business, sales is the most important thing to focus on. You need people to be interested in the goods and services you are offering, but, more importantly, you need people to buy them! Sales and marketing are the number one priority to ensure that you can continue running the business you love.

Follow Up, Follow Up, Follow Up

Following up with your clients allows you to receive feedback on your service and see what you can improve. Follow-ups are important to expand and grow your business because if someone likes what you do the first time, they are more likely to come back and work with you again. Follow-ups not only increase sales, but they help you build a better relationship with clients!

Success is Evolving

There is no true measure of success, and what is considered a success is forever evolving. Even after you achieve success, why not try to achieve even more? The only way to continue being successful is to continue to grow beyond what you thought was possible. If you do not continue to grow or progress, you and your business might fall behind, so you must continue to evolve as success does.

Take Risks

When I say take risks, I mean take calculated and evaluated risks that will help your business grow to its fullest extent. Sure, some risks might be a stride down the wrong path, but others are necessary to achieve the level of success you want for your small business.

Credentials Aren’t All the Rage

We are always told that those who go to the best schools, receive the best grades or make the money, are considered the best at their job. However, I learned you do not need the best, you need the best team. Recent studies show that diverse teams outperform those that are more homogenous (including those with the “best”). So, when hiring for a small business, choose those who are unique and will truly bring something new to your team.

It is Okay to be Wrong

Every day, my employees ask me questions that require me to make decisions. These decisions are not always easy, and I will never be able to make the correct decision all the time. No one can always predict what will happen nor can they make the correct decision all of the time. It is okay to make mistakes and be wrong because that is how we learn to make the right decision next time the situation arises.

I cannot wait to see what is on the horizon for Southern View Media. Maybe world domination? I mean, you never know! I could never say thank you enough to all of those who made this achievement happen. Thank you to our clients, our friends, our family and my amazing team for six amazing years. I am looking forward to working with you all for so many more!

When life hands you grapes, hire a team who can turn those grapes to wine!

Shopping During COVID

Posted on March 25, 2021     Leave a Comment

Let’s be honest, when COVID-19 hit, a lot of things became more difficult. Homeschooling my children, running my business and staying in the same house as my family all presented new challenges in my day-to-day life. However, one thing became easier, simpler and faster than ever before: shopping. If anything, COIVD-19 made me question why I had denied the existence of Amazon Prime and grocery delivery. All it takes now is the tap of a button and boom, new and exciting things are arriving daily, almost hourly, to my front door!

I’ll be honest, I might have gone crazy with this new way of buying goods and services. My husband said I was in a canoe on the Amazon headed straight for debt. But how could I help it? There were new books, movies, baby toys, clothes, electronics (you get the picture), all at the touch of my fingertips. Just simply put in my credit card information, and I had my baby this thing that lit up and carried him all around the house. It kind of looked like a robot vacuum, but with a baby seat attached to the top of it. Just take my word of it, it was awesome! (Even if he hated it at first.)

Soon, I discovered I was not the only one with this newfound online shopping dilemma. Many of my employees, friends and family were all buying new things. We all even joked about how the Amazon delivery man probably knows our address by heart! Isn’t it amazing how things as simple as online shopping addictions bring people together? 

Of course, while online shopping may have many upsides, it also has its downsides. As an impatient person, when Amazon says it will take two days before my item arrives, it feels more like two weeks. We never had this problem when shopping in-store. When shopping in-store, we always got our items as soon as we paid for them. Sure, we lost the excitement and anticipation  when shopping in-store, but we got the item right away. However, even though I am impatient, I have grown to love online shopping. Running a business takes a lot of my time, so I never really had time to go shopping in-person before. Online shopping has saved me time, money and sanity. Even if life returns to normal soon, shopping will probably become primarily online. As we continue to work on staying safe at home, I will continue to browse Amazon while sipping wine as my baby goes around on his robot vacuum baby chair thingy. 

When life hands you COVID, well there’s happiness just a click away!

Valentine’s Day During COVID-19

Posted on February 1, 2021     Leave a Comment

If you thought 2020 presented us with changes, boy does 2021 hold a shocker for you. As we continue to adjust to life in the midst of a pandemic, we must sadly adjust our Valentine’s traditions. This means it is not entirely ethical this year to dump my kids off on a babysitter while my husband and I enjoy the one free night we have during the year. So, what should we do instead? 

One option is to call the nanny and ask them to watch the baby in the other room, while we wine and dine on takeout chinese food instead of NoJa, our favorite restaurant. Instead of roasted duck and scallops, we have the pleasure of eating wontons and fried rice. What a wonderful trade-off. Option two is to send the kids to their friend’s houses and make their parents deal with all of them. This option saves me the money and time of finding a babysitter while still giving me a full Valentine’s Day off from parenting. Option three is actually watching my kids and spending Valentine’s Day with my whole family, but who wants that? Why should I have to watch them on the one day I have off? I’ve been watching kids for almost 20 years! 

So, which option will I choose? Most likely lucky number one. Our nanny is always ready and willing to watch the kids for us, whether we have to work or just need time away from our “angels,” she is always a phone call away (and already on payroll). Am I going to force my husband to call NoJa months in advance to get a reservation and still get me flowers and chocolates? Of course! After all, I am the boss of our home and our company. So, we will adjust our normal Valentine’s Day plans, but we are going to make the most of a bad situation (or at least try to).

Remember Valentine’s Day is about spending time with your special someone, or, if you are single, working on yourself, or, if you are a parent, it is about getting away from the kids who will drive you nuts the rest of the year. We all have different reasons to enjoy this special day during the year, so let’s try to enjoy what we can of it, all while trying to stay safe of course!

Holiday Madness: Tips to Stay Stress-Free

Posted on December 8, 2020     Leave a Comment

The holiday season is finally here, and for many, this means a time of good tidings, cheer and stress. ‘Tis the season to resort to bad habits and heightened emotions, but it doesn’t have to be. Finding ways to relieve stress is at the utmost importance, and are some ways to keep your stress in check. 

Take Calm Down Breaks

One technique my therapist taught me long ago was to close your eyes after waking up, take a deep breath and just relax. You can take it farther by meditating if you’d like, but this very simple routine could make a big difference in your day. Whenever you begin to get stressed out it is always a good idea to take a quick relaxation break anywhere between one to five minutes. Conscious, slow breathing will help calm you down in the line at the supermarket, when your child talks back or whenever you’ve simply had enough. 

Be Generous

When you act generously to your loved ones, co-workers and friends, it helps you stay calm, content and cheerful. The best part: it doesn’t break the bank! Be generous with compliments, offer to run an errand for a loved one or maybe write a thank you note. The possibilities are endless! When you are creative and give gifts that come from the heart, people see your authentic self and love it all the more! 

Get Moving

One of the best ways to stay stress-free is to exercise. Research shows physical activity boosts your energy and fitness levels, as well as evaluates your mood! This is not the season to stop exercising. Between the stress and the extra carbs, we have our work cut out for us. It’s a great time to make use of the bike we all bought and never ended up using. So get out, get active and get happy!

Prepare “To Do” Lists

Preparing a “To Do” list is a very helpful way of managing holiday, and even every day, stress. Writing what needs to be done down leaves little to the imagination and allows you to see how do-able tasks are. Be realistic and then, slowly, begin to tackle each task listed. If you create multiple lists, alternate between them. For example, after completing some holiday shopping, bake your favorite cookies. This way you won’t feel deprived because you are being good to yourself. When you practice self-care and are good to yourself, you become fully available to those around you, without any resentment or anger, although sometimes people still get on my last nerve. 

Eat Real Foods

It might be tempting, but do not use the holidays to stuff yourself with sugar. During the holidays, more than ever, you need to eat real foods that provide you with proper nutrients to be your most happy, energetic and focused self. The best foods for you at the moment are leafy greens, lean proteins and healthy fats. It is also easy to use this time to overuse alcohol or caffeine, but remember your body is a temple, not a trash can. It is best to take polite portions, which are considered to be three to five sips or bites of a bad substance and no more. Remember, you are only as good as what you feed your body. Do you really want your body to be a McDonald’s?

Let the season be full of good tidings and cheer instead of stress and anger. Practice good habits and you might even create new traditions!

If you get overly stressed and these tips just aren’t cutting it, time to wind down with a nice tall glass of wine!

Top 5 Mistakes New Business Entrepreneurs Make

Posted on July 31, 2020     Leave a Comment

There is no better feeling than having the motivation and drive to start a new business. Some days we may not be up for it, but there is a goal to keep moving forward every day. It’s like exercising, you need to be committed. Ok, but seriously, who gets up at 4 a.m. to run five miles?! You’re a trooper if you do. There are going to be a few bumps in the road and mistakes made. What are they? Okay, listen up! 

1. Launching without a game plan.

It all makes sense in our heads to just start, get those views, have google magically pop us up onto everyone’s search engines and then bam, we get our money’s worth. Easy peasy lemon squeezy, right? WRONG! This, my friends, is a big no-no. You see, the process begins before you even launch your product, service or business. Trust me, you don’t need millions of followers to get noticed. Look at it as a movie trailer. You’re at home, you see the trailer and before you know it you start discussing it with your family and friends and setting up a date to go see it. That same anticipation is what you want your audience to have. Get out there and drive that traffic y’all! 

2. Not meeting customer’s needs. 

If you are here, then most likely you’re a new, passionate entrepreneur who wanted to quit your day job and start a job you’re actually passionate about. I support this! However, always keep in mind that “the customer is always right”. What do your customers want, need, expect? What are you doing on your end to make it happen? Customers want to feel valued and heard. So make a positive impact and make sure your target audience is defined to your business.

3. Not being consistent.

Okay, so you’ve already promoted your product, launched it, got people to go on the site and buy a few products, now what? The key here is to be consistent! Just how you check your email every day (or maybe you let it pile up. *Cough cough* break that habit!) but you need to upload that content! Share this content on your social pages, in your email campaigns, etc.. Set up a content plan for what days you will upload and create a marketing strategy. You want to be remembered, because let’s face it, it’s a competitive world.

4. Lacking time management skills.

This is your conscious talking to you about getting on a roll! As a new entrepreneur, you’re going to wind up running around (kind of like my kids do). It will drive you crazy, trust me. You need to develop time management skills to get it all done. Plan, hire that accountant, work with a company that will make killer content and help build your brand for you! Look, at the end of the day, we are all human and need an extra set of hands. Plus, once you start meeting your goals, in comes the wine to celebrate! 

5.  Not adding value. 

Let’s wrap things up. All that effort your making is going to pay off. But please don’t forget to keep adding value to your brand. Practice having a growth mindset, evolving as technology does, become a leader and most importantly create a bond with your customers. There’s a spot in the business world for you, get out there and make it happen! You got this!

A Guide to Your Summer Wardrobe

Posted on July 6, 2020     Leave a Comment

Summer is here and it’s time to switch out the old winter and spring clothes and get out your summer wardrobe. As I was trying to piece together outfits this week, I realized how difficult it is to hold a glass of wine and try on different styles at the same time. So, I thought I would share my best ideas for summer so y’all don’t have to figure it out yourself. After all, your wine is much more important.

 Although it might be easy to throw on some shorts and an oversized t-shirt and call it a day, I’m going to tell you how I make myself look presentable while also managing three kids. Here are four summer outfits that work for any occasion.

1. A sundress and sandals: It’s easy, classic and stylish. Let me tell you from experience, it’s way easier to wash one piece of clothing than it is to wash two. Dresses are so easy to throw on and walk out the door. One of my favorite local boutiques to get dresses from is Crimson Blue Boutique. They have the cutest sundresses for our hot summers in the south!

2. Jeans and a seersucker shirt. This is an easy one to dress up or dress down. To dress it up I suggest a cute pair of booties or wedges along with a few big statement jewelry pieces. Chunky gold is so fashionable right now. My favorite places to find great quality jewelry is Goldstein’s Jewelers in Mobile, Alabama and Jubilee Gift Shop in Daphne, Alabama. To dress it down I throw on some sandals or flip flops and top it off with a cute belt to really pull the whole outfit together.

3. Coastal Jewelry is a favorite of mine. Actually, coastal style anything! During summer what better place to wear your coastal style jewelry than at the beach, pool or summer get together? Those octopus or seahorse earrings that have been sitting in your jewelry box all winter are dying to get some sunlight! Pair them with your favorite summer outfit and you’re sure to get tons of compliments.

4. Lastly (my favorite of all): a swimsuit! Whenever I can’t find anything to wear, I put on my favorite swimsuit and yell at the kids to get in the car so we can go to the pool. If you take nothing else from this list, a cute swimsuit is a MUST for summertime. Let your kids run around and get all their energy out while you grab a book, get a tan and relax with a glass of wine or a cocktail.

So, save this list for the next time you can’t find something in your mess of a closet… and when worst comes to worst, just put on some pajamas and go back to bed. I won’t judge.