Blogger Molly Killien, Chamber Staff Member

In today’s business world, social networking impacts your bottom line. You need to be linked in, tweeting, starring on YouTube and facebooking with your clients, customers and, perhaps, even your competition in order to remain successful, relevant and to gain a competitive edge.

Today’s Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association seminar “Social Marketing 101” tackled all these topics and much more. Asking participants about their social media expertise, what tools they use and making sure everyone is capitalizing on the free, engaging options that are out there. Social marketing is important for all businesses.

This morning a group of more than 50 people gathered at the Bud Werner Memorial Library to learn the basics of facebook, twitter and tracking social media efforts. Ranging in social media experience attendees ranged from folks with their own social media businesses to those who had never been on a social media site before. 

Presentation topics included “Why and how is Social Media used in business and how to go about it,” “Give your business a FACElift – Facebook for Steamboat Businesses,” “Time to Tweet” and “Social Media Monitoring & Tracking – Why and How.” Local businesswomen Barbara Robinson with the Holiday Inn of Steamboat Springs, Lizzie LaRock with the Old Town Pub and Katy Martin with ResortQuest Steamboat came to the table with informative advice, fresh ideas and perspective and sure motivated the room to use social marketing tools to their advantage.

Thanks to all who attended! Keep up the good work tweeting, facebooking, YouTube-ing and virally getting Steamboat Springs’ messages out for the world to see!

Blogger Courtney Allen, Chamber Staff Member

Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun so glad you came out to play…for a little while. I am happy to report motorcycle riders, bike riders and t-shirts were in full bloom for a few brief hours this afternoon in Steamboat Springs. I would imagine a few lunches and talks over coffee also moved outside as winter previewed its longtime seasonal guest, spring. The evidence of shorts and flip flops is a testament that for some, the sun is a welcomed sight. However, people of the winter need not worry. As I look out of my window now at five o’clock, the sun is gone and I know for a fact that I will still be scraping snow and ice off my car again tomorrow morning.

As your packing for the drive to Steamboat this weekend for some turns in the snow just remember to throw on a tank top below all those layers. Apres-ski is the perfect time to start working on that summer tan. And, unlike at the beach, no one will stare at you like you are from another planet at the sight of your skin that is as white as snow. You might even get someone to buy you a drink in sympathy.  Besides, the pride and the stories that lie behind that carefully maintained goggle tan is something those beach people will never understand.  Cheers.

Blogger Paulette Thomas, Chamber Staff Member

A few weeks back my boyfriend in an effort to get me back on my snowboard accused me of not taking advantage of Steamboat and all its outdoor appeal. Sure, I was eating at Steamboat’s many restaurants , volunteering within the community and not to mention working-out at least five days a week. But it was true, my daily routine lacked exposure to the outdoors. 

Along the way I discovered that part of the Steamboat experience is the Olympic Heritage within our community. I attended the 2010 Winter Olympic Sendoff and followed every sport cheering on our locals during these Olympic Games. I am not a sporty person by any means and to be perfectly honest I find most televised events boring, sports commentators can be annoying and overly critical. But somehow none of that mattered, I found myself holding my breath waiting for the final tallies every time.

The Nordic Combined Events left me stunned; I was filled with so much pride for Steamboat Springs, the USA and Nordic Sports. I have heard of the Steamboat Ski Touring Center but until this very moment that didn’t mean much to me. Not only does the Steamboat Ski Touring Center  has miles and miles of snowshoeing trails but they have some of the best cross-country and skate skiing trails around. Destined for glory I drove off to begin my first nordic adventure.

I decided to start with classic cross-country and then maybe graduate to skate skiing later. My plan would be the same as my first snowshoeing experience, taking  as long as I needed on the training loop until I got the hang of basic cross-country and was ready for more of a challenge. Surprisingly that moment came after I was only on my third loop.

After two hours of moderate but fulfilling aerobic exercise I was spent. I turned back ready to call it a day. As I turned in my rental gear I recounted the tales of my experience, that I was surprise how quickly I had picked up the technique and even though the Moose Meadows trail was filled with steeper stretches I managed to make it back in tacked… I only had one question for them… How exactly do you stop when you are headed full speed downhill? I guess I will address that one next time.

Visit our winter activities page to discover additional winter activities to do in Steamboat Springs for the whole family!

Blogger Paulette Thomas, Chamber Member Staff

I just got back from what could be called ‘the best way to start a weekend’.

It all started a few days ago when a new email entitled, “Airboarding Adventure…interested?” landed in my inbox.

As it turns out I had been invited to try an up and coming sport called airboarding. Was I interested? Yes. Did I have any clue what airboarding was? No.

I took a few minutes and explored Boardom Bound’s  website. There I discovered a a video tagged from You Tube I watched several young enthusiasts speeding belly down on what looked like a boogie board…only they were in the snow. I took a big inhale as a witnessed another take a jump and flip completely over- midair and land with the grace of a cat. What was I getting myself into?

I was relieved to discover, Shelly, from across the hall in our office had also signed up for the Friday afternoon activity. I directed her to the website’s video and watched along as she, too, took a big inhale watching the athletes fly through the air. We looked at each other hoping to find confidence in our thrill seeking partner.

On Thursday afternoon after confirming that I would be attending, I received a rundown of the event:  “We will be departing at 1pm. Please bring the following: Snow jacket and pants, hiking shoes, goggles and a helmet.”  In addition to all the required gear, I took an extra precaution requesting that my entire yoga class keep me in their thoughts as I embarked on my adventure that afternoon.

As it neared 1pm on Friday, Shelly and I hopped into her four runner filled with adrenalin and anticipation. When we arrived we met our guides Danny and Eric with two snowmobiles. It quickly became very clear that I wasn’t going to be learning about airboarding from a training video.

Following a short instructional session that included how to turn and stop, we were given the go ahead to take our first run. I looked over at Shelly, “What do you think?” I asked, “Really, she replied, what’s the worst that could happen?”

With that in mind I started a small run / jump and found myself soaring down the mountain, I was flying…so to speak and I loved it. At the end of each run our Guides would ferry us back to the top full speed for another run. I found that I couldn’t help myself; I took run after run, trying new techniques and routes to the bottom.

After a few more runs I realized that we had been airboarding for well past two hours and although I was exhausted I couldn’t think of a better way to start my weekend.

Airboarding is something that everyone can do from age 5 and up. There are so many options including a back country package for groups of four or smaller. All packages cover a three hour jaunt, where you can customize your thrills and for larger groups there is enough down time that the whole family can come.

Click here  to book your Steamboat Springs winter vacation!

Click here  to plan your airboarding adventure today!

Guest Blogger Tony Counts, CTO Steamboat Springs Board of Realtors

I had the pleasure of attending the Steamboat Springs Young Professional Networks’ (YPN) monthly event at the St. Cloud Mountain Club as a guest of Richard Rende, Account Manager with Brown & Brown Insurance on February 18th. Barbara Robinson, General Manager of the Holiday Inn Steamboat was the evening’s guest speaker. Once again, YPN found another successful, driven, passionate individual to share her story and provide attainable strategies for success for all of us to apply to our own careers. It was a very informative experience.

Additionally, having the opportunity to enjoy the ambiance of the St. Cloud Mountain Club is an experience in itself. As an acquaintance of manager Luke Dudley, I make every opportunity to sit back and relax at St. Cloud. From the tasty appetizers to the quality adult beverages, ranging from martinis to fine wine, the St. Cloud honestly has everything a patron could ask for and more. Several flat screen TV’s for your viewing pleasure, comfortable seating and inviting fires along with easy access to the mountain to ski or ride makes this a must on your list of places to take in while in Steamboat Springs. It provided the perfect backdrop for an excellent evening. I applaud the efforts of the Steamboat Springs Young Professionals Network at the superb staff at the St. Cloud Mountain Club.

Blogger Courtney Allen, Chamber Staff Member

Last night an energized group including myself from the Steamboat Springs Young Professionals Network sampled one of Steamboat  Springs visitors’ favorite winter activities, snow tubing at Howelsen Hill, for our February “fresh air” activity. At a very chilly 18 degrees the air was definitely fresh as we grabbed our tubes, hopped onto the conveyer belt and headed up the hill. 

In a mixed crowd of parents with kids, teenagers from a local youth group and a very exciting group of ladies from Atlanta, GA, we waited in anticipation to take our first trip down the carefully groomed hill. Bets were made on which lane was the fastest and which tubing position would allow for the fastest speed. We soon discovered that we could take “group runs” by linking up to three tubes together and were soon engaged in friendly competition with our fellow tubers.

It would appear that three tubes are better than one in the quest for top speed, but it was the act of stopping that posed a challenge. It would appear, as we nearly slammed into the safety net at the end of each run, we missed those very important instructions from the bundled teenager who was running the show at the top. Luckily, a very amused, rosy-cheeked tike took pity on our mangled bodies and bestowed upon us his superior snow tubing knowledge, “You guys have to drag your feet to stop… duh.” We were stunned by the simplicity of the concept.

With frozen noses and a dozen or so pictures later the “Tubin’ Tuesday Team” concluded that snow tubing is a must-do activity in Steamboat Springs. You can plan your adventure at Howelsen Hill or through in a western twist and visit Yee Haw Hill at Saddleback Ranch.

Can’t wait to go snow tubing? Click here to book your winter vacation to Steamboat Springs today!

 Guest blogger Jill Waldman, event planner at The Main Event, Steamboat Springs, CO

While most winter visitors arrive in Steamboat to ski, many visitors also come to celebrate many of life’s special moments with friends and family. Steamboat Springs is a popular destination for weddings and annual family reunions. Steamboat is well suited to host all types of gatherings and celebrations and the downtown area offers a lot of great shopping, galleries and of course places to eat and unwind.

When you think of some of the best places to get an authentic taste of Steamboat, the Old Town Pub should be on top of your list. The Old Town Pub is an ideal venue for both visitors and locals alike to stop in for lunch, dinner, a cocktail or a night on the town.

I am thrilled to be partnering a great promotion this month at The Old Town Pub. As a gift to 2010 Brides and Grooms, my company, The Main Event, will be at the Pub this Thursday, February 25th offering free event planning advice.  So please come by from 1:30pm – 2:30pm and meet me, check out the Pub and consider it for your next special event.

The Old Town Pub is located on the corner of 6^th and Lincoln Avenue in Downtown Steamboat.
Be sure to check out the music calendar at www.theoldtownpub.com or call owner Lizzie LaRock to book your next special event 970-879-2101.
Cheers!
Your Event Planner,
Jill

Guest blogger Katie Crittenden, YPN Member

I am so grateful to be a part of Steamboat Springs Young Professionals Network!  Last night’s entrepreneur workshop was a great tool and resource for anyone who has ever thought about starting their own business.  I would encourage everyone interested in starting up their own business to attend the seminars that Randy Rudasics, manager of Bogue Enterprise and a Score counselor, offers as well as seek out one of CMC’s many helpful business classes. 

One of the most useful pieces of information that I found in last night’s workshop was all of the resources available in Steamboat- many of them I wasn’t familiar with like www.score.org, First Steps, Next Steps and seminars through the local workforce center. The workshop was a valuable tool covering the fundamentals of what one needs to consider in starting a new venture whether it be down the road or in the current economy.  

Thanks so much YPN for offering these seminars and workshops.  I think these types of workshops have something that everyone can benefit from in one aspect of their life or another.

You might even get a hug from our Information Specialist staff, greeting you to the friendliest place on earth.

Blogger Sandy Evans-Hall, Executive Vice President of the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association

When my three daughters carried in a large 10 Ft long 4X4 piece of wood as a Christmas gift last year, I didn’t know what to think.  Along with this symbolic piece of wood came four 36” signs, each in a different language.  They had chosen Arabic, Chinese, French and English – all with the interpretation of “Let Peace Prevail on Earth.”  This is how my husband and I were introduced to the idea of a Peace Pole.

It turns out that this is not something new.  The Peace Pole project actually started in Japan in 1955 as a response to the bombing of Hiroshima. Masahisa Goi initiated this project which has grown to over 200,000 planted in 200 countries around the world.  And now Steamboat Springs has two!

While I had never seen a peace pole before, my awareness has certainly grown since that 2008 Christmas gift.  While traveling in Chile last spring, I was surprised by one in a small town outside of La Serena up the Elqui Valley.  Then while visiting my daughter in Ft. Collins, I noticed another in the downtown pedestrian mall. 

My husband, the carpenter, decided to construct his own version with eight sides.  This was so beautiful I asked him to create another for the Chamber building.  With the many International visitors, I thought this would be the perfect message and became a gift of love from both of us to the community.  We chose the languages of French, German, English, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese.  I hope you’ll drop by and check it out.  What if Steamboat Springs became the Peace Pole capital of the world?!

We have since added some languages to our pole at home to include Ute, Tibetan, Spanish and Dog Paws…had to have something for our peaceful pup, Rufus! 

For more info on peace poles or to make your own visit http://www.peacepoleproject.org/