Kerry's business blog » personal

Even the Turkey Couldn’t Hold Us Back!

Brian — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:04:53 +0000

So with the thanksgiving holidays I expected our Weight Loss Challenge to, well… gain weight! But that was NOT the case. We overcame, against all odds, and defeated phase one of the holiday weight gaining season.

With Thanksgiving behind us we can focus on preparing mentally for the challenge of Christmas!? So, if you’re making Christmas cookies, send them some place else!!!

Here is what the Guru had to say about this weeks weigh in -
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Thanksgiving couldn’t keep you guys down! Some fantastic results this week people.

The numbers:

Team Red: dropped 10 pounds for a total of 28 pounds lost from initial weigh in, sitting at 1252 right now.

Team White: Dropped a pound, for a loss of 31 pounds since initial weigh-in, sitting at 1033.

Team Blue: These bad asses are taking no prisoners! Dropped another 9 pounds taking them down to 48 pounds lost since initial weigh-in, sitting at 1092 total right now.

Great job everyone! You proved that the holidays don’t have to be an excuse to gain weight. I’m hopeful that you all had a great Thanksgiving anyway. Some of you were shocked that you actually lost. I contend that once you become keenly aware of what you are eating based on the eating plan I put you on, you make more decisions that you are aware of that limit the amount of fat-gaining calories you would normally consume without realizing it

We are going into the home-stretch to Christmas right now so let’s stay focused on our goals and keep up this momentum. If you can get through this first round and actually drop you will all have a head start on the January resolution crowd. You should all be very proud of yourselves for that accomplishment.

Peace out.

The Battle of the Collective Bulge

Brian — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:00:26 +0000

Our company wide weight loss challenge looks to be back on track this week.? No big losses by any of the three teams but collectively we had a pretty good “loss” for the week!

Here is The Guru’s message for the week -

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Progress! Good job everyone. Some pretty good progress was made this week. Let’s ride this wave of success to the next level.

Kerry, I think it’s time to have the talk… Everyone seems really motivated but they lack the tools they need to succeed. After this talk, everyone will walk away with useful and applicable knowledge… They will OWN it! Like that seen in the matrix when Tank uploads all that data to Neo’s brain… You’ll walk out of the room saying, “I know Kung Fu!”

Another factor that will impact fat loss progress is something we haven’t really addressed yet… Exercise. After talking to a few of you today I have determined that there is enough interest to propose a workout program that can be done in 10-15 minutes right here at F&B without having to even go to a gym using inexpensive resistance training bands as the equipment that will rev up your collective metabolisms. More on that later.

Here are the numbers today:

Some upsets today… White has come from behind for the first time since this contest started to tie it up with team Red. Team Blue dropped behind, but only by 1 pound.

Red: 1255 lb, down 3 pounds this week and down 25 pounds from initial weigh-in.

White: 1039 lb, down 25 pounds from initial weigh-in (a loss of NINE pounds this week!)

Blue: 1247, up 3 pounds this week, down 24 pounds from initial weigh-in.

The total F&B loss is 74 pounds from the initial weigh-in, so you are all 3541 total pounds as of today.

Keep sending me questions. I think you’re all starting to figure this stuff out, so don’t be shy. I want all of you to succeed!

Good job guys!

Company Weight Loss Challenge

Brian — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:01:15 +0000

So, about a month ago we started a company wide weight loss challenge.? Every week we have a fitness guru (Jean-Paul Francoeur of JP Fitness) come in and weigh all the participating employees.? We are divided into 3 teams – the red, white, and blue teams.? The team that looses the most weight by the end of the year wins the pot!

And what is in the pot you might ask? Well, to begin with it was a nice wad of cash that Arkansas Flag and Banner put in to seed-the-pot.? Each week if you, individually, gain any weight from the previous week you have to put in a dollar.

And I’m proud to announce that to-date we have lost a combined 100 pounds!? But we have a long way to go to reach many of our individual goals.

JP is good about sending us motivational emails after each week’s weigh in… I thought I would start sharing them with you.

Here is last weeks, and NO… I’m not dressed like a hooker!

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AFB CREW – Looks like we’re getting back on track. If last week helped let me know. Don’t be shy about emailing me questions either. If you’re okay with everyone else benefiting from my reply just send to “all.” If you prefer to ask questions privately I’ll respect that too. I want to see a major loss this week!

Somehow (I don’t know how) Red team held on to their lead, but only by 3 pounds. Blue is hot on their heels. Red actually gained a pound last week, as did White team. Blue had the most loss this week with a drop of 6 pounds!

The numbers:

Red: 1382 (up one pound from last week and down 34 pounds from initial weigh-in)

White: 1217 (up one pound from last week and down 28 pounds from initial weigh-in)

Blue: 1240 (down six pounds and down 31 pounds from initial weigh-in)

Total amount lost from the entire staff since the weigh-in is back on track at 93 pounds. Congratulations F&B crew!

I want to issue a challenge this week. I think that if every person in this contest were to drop at least one measly pound we would have a 20 pound loss. IF you guys can lose a net of 20 pounds, Kerry has agreed to spring for a nutrition lecture by yours truly. And Kerry will dress up like a prostitute and walk downtown at lunch for an hour and try not to get arrested. (Just kidding on that last part)

Here’s how you can do it. It’s a simple matter of caloric restriction. Follow the guidelines I sent you last week but in addition to that, drop your regular serving size portions in half, and skip all dessert and beer for one week. Just try it for one little ol’ week.

Blue team, you’re only 3 pounds off… Every time you sit down to eat remember that you could pass Red this week and take one for the team! White, get back in the game. No more taking up the rear. Show ‘em that you’re still a contender.

I’m out… eat trout,

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Dreamland Ballroom on Today’s THV news

Kerry — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 22:33:10 +0000

So Sunday morning I am sitting at home sipping coffee, when the phone rings. It is Today’s THV reporter, Faith Abubey, she says, “Is this Kerry McCoy owner of Arkansas Flag and Banner?”

Faith had seen Dreamland Ballroom’s press release about our new nonprofit status and wanted to do a story on the place. Faith and I laughed about it must be a slow news day for her to be calling me at home and that I didn’t need a shower because it wasn’t smell-a-vision. So a time was set for us to meet in the Ballroom for the interview. She is a great women. She works alone with a camera and a mike. She records, writes, edits and narrates her own stories, all while wearing heels and makeup. What a girl!

The story aired Sunday at 5, 10 and 6 the next morning. I think she did a really good job but you be the judge…here it is…

Dreamland Ballroom on Today’s THV

Dreamland Ballroom by Kerry McCoy

Kerry — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:05:53 +0000

I first fell in love with the Taborian Hall from its outside appearance, a stately, three story, red brick building, standing alone on I-630, abandoned, with a huge hole in the roof, letting in the sun and rain. I always envisioned, my company, Arkansas Flag and Banner, housed in a building of such grandeur.
After driving by many times, I finally got up the courage to come inside. Stepping over debris and skirting the homeless people, I worked my way to the third floor and� it was beyond love at first site. Because the roof was missing, birds were flying around and the sun was illuminating. Staring across the open hole, in the floor, to the Dreamland stage and box seats, I had a feeling that was indescribable, a kind of euphoria. It could have been because I was pregnant, with my third child, and my nesting instincts were heightened, but whatever it was it sent me on a chain reaction that I have never regretted.
I love this old building and have had many offers to purchase it, renovate it, make a club of it, or some apartments but I keep to my original vision. Maybe not the best business decision, but a decision of the heart; to renovate the Dreamland Ballroom into an event center to be shared with the whole community.
If you are ever lucky enough to go upstairs and see the Dreamland, I think you will feel its magic too. I have become accustomed to it aura but people tell me, upon seeing it for the first time� it still feels indescribable.
Follow along with Dreamland�s progress by joining our email, snail mail list, or become a fan of our Facebook page. We don�t Twitter, yet.

Kerry McCoy Correspondence

Kerry — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 13:44:56 +0000

All this correspondence to read! For Real!

Does anybody really want to know what I am doing all the time (ie. Decided not to go to Walmart today because it is raining)? I don’t really care what everybody else is doing all the time. Does that make me disingenuous? Or maybe just a poor reader.

Reading is not really my forte’. I have the gift of gab, you might say. And that does not really translate on paper unless you are like, a great writer. And I am not.

But I get it. Blogging is for people with opinions, I have them but try to keep them secretive (I’m failing). Facebook is for party invitations and pics. And twittering I have not gotten into yet, but I will, cause I just gotta know.

Lent for Kerry McCoy

Kerry — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:04:46 +0000

I love the Lenten season. It is a good excuse to try something different in your life without any peer pressure. Like one year I gave up alcohol for 40 days and none of my friends could give me any sh… because it was Lent, another year cursing, and this year I gave up talking about people. This idea was told to me by a friend who said she did it one year and it was a real eye opener. So for 40 days, no more bad-mouthing my friends, family, employees or even peripheral salespeople.

I am kind of excited about this sacrifice. As usual, I am thinking about how it is going to affect me (selfish even in my sacrifices) and I think it may have a very positive effect on all aspects of my life. I will let you know after Easter.

Dreamland Ballroom, cont.

Kerry — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:54:30 +0000

Dang it! Another year and no Dreamland Ballroom, but I am the eternal optimist and I have not given up. My timing may be bad but my ambition is still good.

In an effort to move Dreamland forward in this poor economic time I am now planning on building in phases. I am scaling back the new construction and only doing the bare minimum to get the Dreamland open.

Will see.

Razorback Football and Sarah Palin’s Loosing Streak

Kerry — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 19:53:23 +0000

Watching the Arkansas Razorback game this weekend was a lot like watching Sarah Palin in the Vice Presidential debate. My expectations were so low that I was relieved when the underdog didn’t loose by too much. Last week the Razorbacks lost by 50 points and the week before by 40, so being down 10 points at the half just didn’t seem so bad.

I felt the same way watching Sarah Palin in the Vice Presidential debate. By her own admission she is average and after her interviews that is apparent. She is so average (except for her looks), that I think people were relieved when she didn’t loose by too much.

Hillary Clinton Took The Time

Kerry — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:57:54 +0000

The real measure of a person’s character is not what they do when everybody is watching, it’s what they do that no one will ever see. That’s why I feel the need to tell a recent story about Hillary Clinton.

Just to give some background to the story, my mother-in-law, Ann McCoy, worked for the Clintons at the Arkansas Governors Mansion and later at the White House, but she has not worked for them in 8 years. The Clinton’s were always nice and polite to all of Ann’s family but Hillary probably got to know Ann’s mother, Hazel, better than any of us.

Recently, Hazel, 95 years old, was admitted to a Hospice. How Hillary found out is beyond me, but 5 hours before her big debate with Barack Obama, she called Hazel at the Hospice to see how she was adjusting. At perhaps the most critical point in a very long and impressive career, with the world spinning around her, Hillary Clinton took the time to console another great lady. Many people think Hillary is cold and impersonal. Maybe it’s because she is so principled that she doesn’t know how to pretend to be sincere. If I weren’t writing this here, no one would ever know about the phone call. Hillary didn’t make the call because it would end up in a story or photo shoot. She did it because she is a great lady. One day, after the history is written, everyone will know, as do I, exactly how great she is.

Ms. Hazel Askew passed away yesterday, Sunday, but not before one great lady spoke to another great lady. Hazel was born when women couldn’t vote and she almost lived to see one in the White House.