As the month of March rolls around, Austinites (and now, people from across the globe) are preparing themselves for the one festival that brings together over 50,000 locals, techies, musicians, hipsters, film makers, producers, celebrities and many more. Yes, South By Southwest or “South By” for those of you in tune with the local lingo has quickly become the go-to festival in North America. Boasting musical acts from over a thousand artists, countless indie movie premieres and hundreds of technology start-ups, SXSW feeds the souls of those in attendance.

In addition to the many fun-filled events, there’s a lot of business that goes down during the nine days that make up SXSW. And as a creative agency that specializes in working with startups, we take this time seriously, both as a networking opportunity and as a chance to help these young entrepreneurs realize their dreams.

Over the years, SXSW has been the launch pad for many major players in the tech and web-based industries. So much so that the third largest social network, Twitter, launched at SXSW back in 2007. The launch of the micro-blogging platform was so successful that Twitter’s servers became overloaded with users during the event. But not every story is as big as Twitter’s, there are hundreds of smaller companies making a name for themselves each year during the festival- and we’re excited to be part of that growth.

As a progressive digital agency with over nine years in the biz, we know how much hard work goes into building a reputable brand and a dominant online presence from the ground up.We can help get you to the next level through proven marketing techniques, creative web design/development and a plan of action that works.

Are you planning on visiting Austin for South By Southwest. If so, make sure you give us a call, Follow us on Twitter, or come say hi when you see us front row at The Flaming Lips and Green Day concerts!

You sit in your car for a thirty minute commute. You hoof it into the office where you sit for another eight or nine hours. Then it’s back in the car and home where you plonk down on the couch for the evening. In fact, many Americans spend an astonishing fifteen hours a day sitting—and it’s showing up in our waistlines. Studies have linked sitting for more than six hours a day to numerous health problems including obesity, cancer, heart disease, and shorter life spans as the study on http://newplantarfasciitistreatment.wordpress.com/ says. But the good news is that even if you spend all day at the office, you can incorporate these five healthy tips into your routine for better health.

1.     Stand Up
Stand up whenever you can, but at least once an hour. Sound impossible? Try standing when you’re on the phone, when you’re waiting for a printout, and when you’re flipping through a file. Walk to a co-workers desk instead of sending an email. Take a trip to the water cooler. Take every opportunity to stand up and get your blood flowing.

2.     Challenge Your Exercise Expectations
Exercise oxiracetam doesn’t have to mean an hour at the gym see best fat burner for women . It can mean a brisk walk around the building on your break, 10 wall-pushups, or a quick jog in place at your desk. It can mean taking the stairs instead of the elevator and parking farther away from the building. Build exercise opportunities into your day in order to increase your overall activity level.

3.     Get Double Benefits During Lunch
If your typical lunch consists of a sandwich from the deli eaten at your desk, it’s time to change it up. Pack a healthy lunch the night before and include some fruit and veggies. Double up on the health benefits by taking twenty minutes to walk around your building or go for a brisk jog when possible.

4.     Switch Out Your Snacks
Wave good-bye to the vending machine and reach into your drawer for a banana or an apple with peanut butter instead. Choosing snacks that consist of fruit, vegetables, and protein can help you feel more awake during the afternoon and can also keep you full longer, helping you say no to the Jelly Belly jar on your co-workers desk.

5.     Pick a Partner
Ask a co-worker to jump into your new healthy routine with you. You’ll feel a lot less conspicuous doing squats at your desk and noshing on celery if you have a friend doing it with you.

If you feel chained to your desk, remember that it’s possible to create active routines even within the confines of the office. Creating healthy routines means making good choices every day, one small step at a time.

Hyde Park Baptist Church, located deep in the heart of Austin, Texas, reached out to us with the need to create a stronger, more appealing way to communicate to its members.  With that in mind, we were able to assist HPBC by creating email templates that would allow them to send out customized weekly messages to a variety of groups.  The email templates provide a consistent and organized theme that allows for a variety of people to receive announcements and other information without the dread of reading, yet another, boring black and white email.

University Ministry Example

General Ministry Example

Do you want to improve your email strategy?  Just a simple change can bring great results.  Contact HMG Creative to get started.

The OneStar Foundation, a preeminent state-wide organization based in Austin, TX providing resources for the entire nonprofit sector recently abandoned old, cumbersome technology to better serve its public.  The shift is one that sets an ambitious tone for outreach and opens up increased opportunities for all nonprofits in the state.

This week OneStar announced the launch of an updated, redesigned website and a refreshed brand image through a partnership with Austin-based HMG Creative to further initiatives for nonprofits in Texas.

OneStar Foundation connects faith-based and community organizations,one of the best car accident solicitor businesses, government and foundations to resources and information about the nonprofit sector as well as facilitating public-private partnerships to drive community solutions and ultimately, build a better Texas.

In efforts to stay ahead of toll free numbers technology and better serve its audience, OneStar Foundation and HMG Creative partnered for the robust rebranding and web development project.

“We conducted several interviews but selected HMG Creative because we wanted the best end-product possible; we believe that their services will result in a long-term advantage,” said Elizabeth Darling, President and CEO of OneStar Foundation.  “Among many requirements and expectations that are necessary to be a leader in our sector, the most important are an easy-to-manage web platform and an impressive brand image, HMG gave us exactly that.”

HMG Creative increased site functionality, accessibility to information and updated the overall look and feel of the brand to connect with OneStar Foundation’s central audience.  With a refreshed online image and updated technology, OneStar Foundation can further their mission of educating, connecting and providing resources to build a stronger nonprofit sector in Texas.

Check out OneStar Foundation’s new website at www.onestarfoundation.org.

OneStar Foundation’s thrive for innovation continues with the launch of the Texas Connector, an online nonprofit mapping tool which boasts the most comprehensive nonprofit statewide database of any state in the country. Texasconnects.org goes live today after its debut at the Texas Nonprofit Summit in Austin.

To learn more about this project or how we can develop solutions for your company email: [email protected]

We’ve officially moved into our new diggs in Austin, TX at 2705 Bee Cave Road. We’re currently getting the new studio up and running and we’re really looking forward to branching out into this creative community. Below are a few photos from our new space. Feel free to drop by any time.

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