We don’t often do giveaways here at Small Biz Survival. We give away tons of good info every day, but we don’t often giveaway products. When I make an exception, it’s one worth noting. This is one of those exceptions.
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| UltraBooks like the HP Folio 13 fit with the trend of rural entrepreneurs working from non-traditional places. |
HP offered Small Biz Survival the chance to review an HP Folio 13 UltraBook, and to give away another one to you. I think UltraBooks show real promise for rural entrepreneurs: powerful enough to do real work, light enough to carry everywhere. So I said yes.
One to Review
My review of the Folio 13 will be coming later, once I actually receive the review unit. In the meantime, I can tell you I was impressed that it packs in connections that other ultrabooks lack: Ethernet cable for internet, HDMI for video out, and an SD card slot to get photos from a camera. I was also impressed that it picked up the PC Mag and CNET Editor’s Choice awards in January.
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| Yes, it’s thinner than a dime, though it’s not the thinnest UltraBook out there. |
One for You
If you are chosen, you’ll receive an HP Folio 13 UltraBook, valued at $899. The prize is provided by HP, and the agency is Edelman Digital.
To make this a little more fun, I’m going to tie it into our Small Town Rules: Rule 4 is Work Anywhere, Anywhen. Bonus points if you can tie in another of the Small Town Rules. There’s a list of the rules on our Media page.
How to Enter: You must do both steps.
Leave a comment explaining how you would work anywhere, anywhen using the HP Folio 13. Optionally, you may create an audio, video, or blog post to support your comment and include a link to that post in your comment.Send me your email address via our contact form. I must be able to match your name and email address to your comment, so I suggest you copy and paste your comment into the contact form.
The deadline was Friday, June 15, 2012. Our judge will make her decision, and we’ll notify the winner by email.
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- About the Author
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Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.
I would work outside when the weather permits just to get out of my under-the-stairs office that makes Harry Potter’s room under-the-stairs look like a palace.
I could work in an area of the house where I could be productive and still be seen as accessible by the guests.
Julie wasn’t able to get her comment through, so she sent it by email. If you have trouble commenting, feel free to use the contact form to send it.
“Becky-thank you so much for this wonderful gift whoever may win it! I would be so happy to be portable-my studio is downstairs and my computer upstairs, this way I could be portable and go where ever I want! I would love to work at the library, in the garden, or while traveling!”
Julie Vander Pol
Remembered-Moments.com
I would like to recommend Shelbie Huff for the laptop. This post isn’t directly related to business, but it does describe a small-town single mom who made my own business better w/ her hard work & her personal influences on me. This laptop could really help her take a big step towards a better life.
Shelbie is a mom at only 19. She is incredibly dedicated to her 2yo daughter, Nora, and works tirelessly to provide for her. Although Shelbie comes from a rough background, she has truly come a long way and has grown tremendously in a very short period. Nora is the reason for this. She has been Shelbie’s saving grace and guiding light since the day she was born.
I first met Shelbie when she began training as a dental assistant at my practice. It was her 1st job. Although she lives an hour from my office, she was always one of the first employees to arrive to work and one of the last to leave. She never complained when she was asked to do something. These personal qualities allowed her to grow incredibly quickly as an employee and as a person. Now, at her current office of employment, Shelbie is acting as both a dental assistant and front office representative. One look at the numerous duties she performs is a testament to how hard working and dedicated she is.
Considering her background, Shelbie should be a failure. But she isn’t. Life has given her every reason to give up. But she hasn’t. Shelbie had a very unstable childhood, as troubles between her parents affected her in many ways. She got into many destructive habits which rapidly sent her life in a very scary direction. Becoming a mom at 17 changed all of that.
When Nora was born, Shelbie was herself, reborn. Since her parents were either unwilling or unable to help her much financially, and Nora’s father was denying her as his own, Shelbie knew she would be almost solely responsible for caring for her daughter. So Shelbie took summer classes so she could graduate high school early and begin working. She took out a loan to attend dental assisting school. Once finished with school, she began training at my office. Shelbie’s story doesn’t end there.
Since meeting Shelbie, I have seen her constantly pushing to make herself, for the sole reason of providing a good life for Nora. She’s always looking to enhance her skills and knowledge in order to put herself in a better position financially. She’s planning on taking online college courses when she’s not at work, so she can open more opportunities for herself. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have the money for a computer, so that’s where I hope you are able to help her! Just as important, she is working so hard to improve herself personally. She has cut drugs from her life, doesn’t party anymore, and rarely drinks any alcohol. Every day she goes to work, then comes home and takes care of Nora, that’s it. She has become completely dedicated to her daughter. And she’s also had some success in getting Nora’s dad to be a consistent part of Nora’s life. Shelbie truly had to fight tooth and nail to achieve this, and I admire her greatly for what she put herself through in order to get to this point with Nora’s father.
In the end, Shelbie still has many struggles financially and personally. When times are tough, she always puts Nora ahead of herself. Nora eats first. Nora is clothed first. Nora is cared for first. Though she doesn’t talk about it much, I know Shelbie fears that she isn’t good enough for Nora or isn’t doing enough for her. As I said before, Shelbie has found financial aid to help cover the cost of the courses, but it won’t cover a computer, which is such a shame! So, if she were to get this laptop, it would make a huge impact for her as it would remove the biggest obstacle for her beginning online courses & improving her life. And she could & would use the laptop anywhere to keep up on her coursework.
Shelbie has inspired me, probably more than she realizes. I hope her story inspires you too! If anyone could & would be helped by getting this laptop, it would be Shelbie.
This is so touching. And it deserves recognition for being the only post where someone is asking for the laptop for someone else and not themselves. That’s very generous of you Alok!
Hi, I’m Jay Merrill from Littleton, Colorado. I thought I’d give my reasons why I should win the laptop through this video!
https://vimeo.com/43705804
I spend a lot of time outside my office and it would be nice to be able to do all the same things that I can do in my office.
I was going to enter to win but can’t top Jay’s video! I hope you win Jay.
Oh becky! I’ve literally worked in the middle of no where. My husband and I once toured a potential homesite that was 1/2 mile off the nearest road. Insert mental images of me hiking through a wooded area of land, jumping a barbed wire fence, running from strange and wild cattle, crossing over a summer creek, and hiking some more. The whole time checking my cell phone bars saying to my husband, “This is SO not going to work.” Lol!
Now as a mother of five, I’ve worked on my book or blog from the soccer field, from the restroom with my poddy-training toddler, from the swimming pool during swim lessons, from the chiropractor after a Evan-jumped-on-me-and-we-fell-off-the-bed injury, from the midwife’s waiting room, and from the airport while traveling to conferences on more than one occasion. A lightweight laptop that can take my crazy lifestyle is a must!
Angela <><
As your rules state, I’m developing multiple sources of income, and all of them are dependent on technology. Meetings are usually on-the-go at non-traditional places like coffee shops or libraries. Constant connection, and access to files, is required all day, every day. The idea of having an HP Folio 13 to replace what I’m currently lugging around is enticing. If getting this new laptop hurts my chiropractor’s small business because I don’t need to see him as often, I promise to offer him some complimentary marketing advice to get new clients to pick up the slack.
Nick Gaston also emailed his entry, as he had trouble getting a comment through:
“I would use the lappy here in New Brunswick Canada where I have moved back to after 10 years of big city living and cross-Canada traveling to start a small media company to help local businesses and organizations get themselves high quality media and marketing options that they can afford. After moving back I was appalled at the few marketing companies around for charging towns with no more than 1000 people the same as they would a larger city. I want to see people have access to the same high quality creativity that others have. I’ve started the baby steps of building that vision and your book was a big part of those first steps.”
Thanks!
Nick Gaston
http://www.about.me/nickgaston
This came in by email also, and I just couldn’t resist sharing it. :)
“Hi Becky
Saw your competition announcement on Twitter and it got my creative juices flowing.
I’m not in a rural location and based in the UK, so I’m not officially entering your competition.
Yet, I thought I would share my ‘cheesy’ rhyme with you, which owes something to Telephone Man by Meri Wilson http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UexxG4RntfU
I will use it in the kitchen
I will use it in the hall
When I am in the city
I will use it in the mall
I will use it at a client
Or sitting in the park
As it has a backlit keyboard
I can use it as it gets dark
I will use it at the airport
And take it on a flight
I will take with me everywhere
Cos it is so small and light
From first thing in the morning
Till I get home in the night
I’ll be able to use my Folio
Without a power socket in sight
A Folio will give me more freedom
To build connections and new clients
With a sleek, impressive laptop
That’s powered by HP science
If it makes you cringe, wince or even smile it will have been worth it! ;)
Good luck to the winner.
Warm Regards
Ian”
Ian Edwards Consulting
Henllys, Cwmbran, South Wales
http://www.ianedwardshq.com
Seeing as I’m starting writing again having a laptop/mobile device would assist my work greatly. Being able to cover events in real time and post my stories as they are happening only adds to the conversation and the stories I’m sharing.
Hi Becky! Love this contest! Couldn’t resist but to make a video for you. http://youtu.be/QSuJU_w0_Zk
Thanks, Gina B.
The quirks of an older computer can be so problematic and time-consuming. When “Mom and Pop” are running the store, doing the books, and maintaining the records, a reliable machine is a necessity. With the added benefit of portability and compactness, the Portfolio 13 would provide some needed flexibility. Anywhere/Anywhen is certainly an apt description for our needs. When we’re too busy at the shop to deal with the computer, it could follow us home. If the entries can’t be done at the desk at work, I can envision the HP being updated from comfort of my recliner!
Thanks,
Rod Murrow
Murrow’s FrameArt LLC
I work for a variety of community non-profits – it’s my passion. Unfortunately, none of these organizations are financially able to provide “equipment” so I use my personal pc. Making presentations to promote programs or seek funding support means begging/borrowing a friends laptop or going completely old fashioned and printing handouts/making posters for visual aids. Thankfully living in a rural area means people are willing/trusting to let me run around the community with their expensive equipment, but it sure lacks efficiency and makes non-profit work all the more challenging. Having any portable device would be shear luxury, an HP Folio would be a dream!
Sincerely,
Ann D.
This one also came in via contact form:
“If I am selected to receive the HP Folio 13 Ultrabook, I will use it to drive the small business I am in the process of starting. I will use it to write and maintain the Mobileyes blog I’m launching, run Quickbooks, present at conferences or trainings, store everything needed from business plan to receipts and tax returns related to the business, as well as use it to serve as home base for everything from calendar to social media.
Since proceeds from Sally Bair Solutions will support http://www.dogsmatter.org as needed, I will further use the Ultrabook to maintain Lacey’s site dogsmatter.org, make presentations to children when Lacey visits children in schools or other locations like Ronald McDonald House of Central PA and maintain all files and photos and videos related to her work. (Lacey’s goals are twofold: offering people of all ages hope and comfort when she visits and recruiting more therapy dogs and animals and their humans to address the many requests for therapy animals for which no trained teams are available).
The Ultrabook would especially wonderful for those times we are moving resources for presentations in which the laptop is central to our program PLUS the ability to get online anywhere we can get Internet access would be sweet!
We live on a farm in rural Central PA. Lacey visits 5 locations at this time that are at least 30 minutes away to about two hours away. Her friends range in age from children to the very elderly to our veterans and folks with disabilities or dementia.
I think the poem from the Brit is the best submission so far. Good luck selecting to best recipient for the give away. No matter who you choose, you will be making a good investment.
On another note, I will plan to look for you at the 140conf next week. I have been fortunate to *WIN* a ticket to attend. I’m wondering if you could spend a little time talking to me about the rural marketing of technical consulting services. I’m interested in providing training to folks individually or in groups to use mobile devices whether they are laptops, netbooks, smaprtphones or whatever. I feel I a wrote a decent business plan but my SCORE mentor is asking me to develop the marketing plan which I asked for help to do. I have no real experience in that domain. I’ve spent time researching competitors and trying to figure out pricing locally but still feel I’m pretty clueless in the domain in spite of investigating some fairly significant time. I would love any additional input or advice I can get for that piece of the plan. Right now my mentor is recovering from a major surgery so I have a bit of time.
Finally, if I have a copy of your book, will you sign it for me?
Love your contact info! I do hope I will have the chance to meet you in NYC. I’m certain it will be crowded and you will be very busy.
Thanks for your time and consideration, Becky.”
Sally Bair
Sally Bair Solutions