365great Day 5: BzzAgent

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: , , , , , ,
19 March 2013
2

Learn more about 365great here.

365great challenge day 5: bzzagent

Always providing full size free products to try!


With all the ways to get free things, few are as rewarding and hassle-free as BzzAgent. All you do is fill out surveys so they can best match you with products, then wait to get invited to a campaign. Once you join a campaign, you’re sent a full size product (or coupon for a full size) to sample and you’re encouraged to share your thoughts about it/them through social media channels, in person, and in any other way you see fit. I can’t believe I hadn’t heard of this site earlier, since I usually find out about cool new sites pretty quickly. Once I did and saw how legit it was, I jumped right in. I went crazy connecting my social media accounts, filling out their surveys, and looking around to see what I could do to maximize my opportunities.

As I let it simmer, I went about my business until one day about two months later – boom! An email in my inbox invited me to the MorningStar Farms campaign, trying veggie burgers. I got a coupon and went to my local store to pick out any flavor I wanted. It was so exciting! Not long after, I got invited to some beauty-related ones, including Schick’s Hydro Silk razor, Garnier’s Olia hair coloring system, and most recently, Garnier’s BB cream campaign. I love how you always get a full size of the products to try and there are no mandatory activities to do. Plus, it’s completely free unlike many other “free” offers where you need to spend money elsewhere to earn your free reward. Ultimately, BzzAgent really impresses me with their reputation; I know that I can trust them to make me feel valued and not make me jump through hoops just to get a teeny tiny sample. This is how sampling programs should be, and that’s what makes them great!

365great Day 4: Squishable

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: , , , ,
18 March 2013
3

Learn more about 365great here.

365great challenge day 4: squishable

Wrap your arms around some cuddly balls of love!


Squishable makes adorable, huggable stuffed animals. These aren’t your typical children’s toys, however – they’ve got an avid adult fan following. The appeal might be the almost perfectly round shapes that the characters take on, or the extremely soft and cuddly materials. I can’t quite pinpoint it, but when I discovered them I knew I had to have one for myself, even though I had never spent anywhere near $38 on a plush animal before. You just can’t help but love these balls of fluff that are practically begging for a hug!

There’s something magical about wrapping your arms around a cute character that’s soft AND fills up your “arm space.” I mean, think about it: how many things actually fill up that large circle that your arms can create? In fact, I can’t think of a single other product that does that. Perhaps that’s their secret! Combine that with high quality products, great service, and a well-managed online presence to get a serious near-cult following. The brilliance of the simplicity of their presence yet effectiveness of their brand is what makes them great to me. And of course, Squishables themselves are great in and of themselves!

365great Day 3: TED.com

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: , , , , , , ,
17 March 2013
1

Learn more about 365great here.

Do you thirst for knowledge? TED.com is a great place to satisfy that urge. If you’re not familiar, TED stands for “Technology, Entertainment, Design” and it started off as a conference, but has evolved into so much more. Initially the conference brought together people across those three fields, but now it has grown into many branch-off conferences and best of all (in my opinion), the website. It’s like YouTube for curious minds who want the latest knowledge from forward-thinkers.

365great challenge day 3: ted.com

Watch ideas worth spreading at TED.com!


What I love about TED.com in particular is that it allows access to talks from leaders in their fields. Most people will never get the chance to attend a conference of this caliber (or maybe even any conference at all) so this is a great way to share, as they put it: ideas worth spreading. There are some truly inspirational, informative, and innovative ideas shared in this forum and everyone should spend some time watching the videos. In my never-ending quest for knowledge, TED stands out as an excellent resource. The fact that they offer so much valuable information for free, well that’s what I find great.

365great Day 2: Yuzen

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: , , , , , , ,
16 March 2013
4

Learn more about 365great here.

365great challenge day 2: yuzen

“Sending yu a little zen” – Yuzen

Yuzen may technically be a subscription box service, but they’re really in a league of their own. What sets them apart is that they focus on inner well-being rather than external beauty. The products they choose for each box are not only eco-friendly and more sustainable, but high-quality items that make you feel better when you use them. Whereas many other boxes focus on beauty, food, pets, or other physical themes, Yuzen stands alone in their quest for something more emotional and abstract: zen. As their slogan goes, they’re amazing at “sending yu a little zen.”

I’ve been subscribed to them since their first box in July of 2012, and I even got involved as a Yuzen Ambassador because I admire them so much. They are the only brand that has positive reviews across the board – people love their carefully chosen products, beautifully presented boxes, and excellent customer service (all of which promote more zen!). Their standards are top-notch and the care and love they pour into everything they do shows. That’s what makes them so great.

365great Day 1: Fleksy

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
15 March 2013
2

Learn more about 365great here.

365great challenge day 1: fleksy

A great future for thumb-typing!


It all started with Fleksy, a service that lets you type on a touchscreen without looking. I was so inspired by this great idea that I wanted a forum where I could share finds like this, hence 365great. Fleksy is one of those things you hear about and think, “What a great idea!” I mean, you’d think that smartphone and tablet designers would have tried to tackle the typing issue better than they have. Yet, here we are in a day and age where built-in signatures for emails sent via mobile apologize ahead of time for any and all typos (of which there are usually many).

Check out their site to learn more about how the technology works, then take a moment to marvel at how cool it is. It can figure out that why I typed “yiutdrkg” what I really meant was “yourself” – brilliant! For me, trying out the app was a pure joy that literally made me giggle and wish I could keep typing on my phone forever. What a complete turnaround from my normal dread of typing on my phone. Now we just need to hope it gets integrated into the OS’s of our devices. Not only does Fleksy serve a very practical purpose, it has addressed an emotional and psychological aspect to the keyless typing experience. Now that is truly great.

Introducing 365great

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: , , , , , , ,
15 March 2013
2

Something great, every day.

365great challenge at maryqin.com
Whether it’s a fresh idea, a wonderful company/brand, or an awesome experience – I’m challenging myself to my own version of a 365 photo project by posting about some of the wonderful things I come across every single day. As I mentioned in my recent post, great things are abound and I’d love to share what I find to be wonderful things and thoughts. Some of it might blow you away and some of it might just make you muse. A lot of it will probably be as simple as appreciating the little things in life!

Whatever the case, I’ll aim to not only share that great thing of the day, but pair it with an image. After all, people love pictures, so what better way to share ideas than using both the power of words and images?

I invite you to join me if you’re just as passionate about greatness in our world (and in particular, sharing it). Use whichever medium of sharing you like best, but put those wonderful thoughts out in the world and let’s all learn from each other. If you want to share on social media forums, use the hashtag #365great so we can find your “sharings” easily. Find my postings across these sites:

And if you decide to join in, I’d be more than happy to connect through the Facebook page, create a collaborative Pinterest board, or interact on other sites. Just let me know and I’ll create it!

Here’s a running list of all the things I find great:

MARCH
03.15.13 Day 1 – Fleksy [typing without looking!]
03.16.13 Day 2 – Yuzen [bringing you zen in a box :)]
03.17.13 Day 3 – TED [sharing ideas worth spreading]
03.18.13 Day 4 – Squishable [giant balls of squishy love]
03.19.13 Day 5 – BzzAgent [a hassle-free sampling program]
03.20.13 Day 6 – shea-infused socks [novel, cute, and soft footwear]
03.21.13 Day 7 – Girl Scout Cookies [delicious treats & a lesson in business]
03.22.13 Day 8 – cats! [my furry favorites]
03.23.13 Day 9 – touchscreen gloves [saving you from frostbite]
03.24.13 Day 10 – aromatherapy [tapping into the power of smell]
03.25.13 Day 11 – snow [a gorgeous and magical bit of weather]
03.26.13 Day 12 – Coursera [bringing education online for free via MOOCs]
03.27.13 Day 13 – notebooks [helping you capture inspiration as it strikes]
03.28.13 Day 14 – sea monkeys [cheap and entertaining low-maintenance pets]
03.29.13 Day 15 – Daily Grommet [delightful finds carefully curated for you]
03.30.13 Day 16 – massage oils [pampering skin hydration w/o greasy residue]
03.31.13 Day 17 – photo challenges [opening up a world of creativity]

APRIL
04.01.13 Day 18 – dust plugs [pretty and practical accessories for your device]
04.02.13 Day 19 – cupcake in a jar [delicious, compact, and oh so fun]
04.03.13 Day 20 – packages [doesn’t the thought just make you smile?]
04.04.13 Day 21 – bb cream [turning 5 beauty steps into 1]
04.05.13 Day 22 – marinated mushrooms [tart morsels of delight]
04.06.13 Day 23 – handmade [personalized & made with care]
04.07.13 Day 24 – Korean BBQ [tasty all-you-can-eat]
04.08.13 Day 25 – foaming cleansers [making cleaning your skin fun]
04.09.13 Day 26 – scented pens [colorful, playful, and oh-so-wonderful-smelling]
04.10.13 Day 27 – micro-entrepreneurism [empowering anyone to work flexibly]
04.11.13 Day 28 – eos [uniquely-shaped natural skincare products]
04.12.13 Day 29 – Teatulia [eco-conscious, socially responsible tea]
04.13.13 Day 30 – kaolin clay [soothing, gentle impurity & oil absorber]
04.14.13 Day 31 – freshly baked [mouthwateringly wonderful and warm]
04.15.13 Day 32 – body pillows [amazing to snuggle with for a toasty time]
04.16.13 Day 33 – dry erase boards [reusable office tool great for lists]
04.17.13 Day 34 – spring [a lovely season of renewal]
04.18.13 Day 35 – LUSH [fresh & delicious-looking skincare]
04.19.13 Day 36 – plasma balls [sweet science in action!]
04.20.13 Day 37 – terrariums [mini living sculptures of nature]
04.21.13 Day 38 – 1 Second Everyday [awesome app to record a second of each day]
04.22.13 Day 39 – nature [bringing beauty and peace to our daily lives]
04.23.13 Day 40 – TBD [tune in tomorrow!]

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