Andrea, Kristin, Gail, Shannon, Derrick and Ashley (Katch on banner)
You may not know this, but one of our account coordinators, Katch Byrnes, is quite an accomplished bagpipe player (or is it bagpipe-ist).
And the NY crew are zealots when it comes to supporting their own. Here they are as Katch makes her St. Patrick’s Day Parade debut.
On Saturday, March 26th, join us at One World, One Glass, presented by Drink Good – DO GOOD and sponsored by East Bay Express, for unique spirit and beer tastings from three regions of the world.
Each region is represented at a different bar. No matter which one you attend, you enjoy unlimited tastings as well as savory ethnic snacks. You can even keep your souvenir glass.
And better yet, a significant portion of the proceeds is donated to MetWest High School in Oakland. MetWest is one of forty public high schools around the country pioneering a model of internship-based education. It’s approach to learning is grounded in a commitment to educate one student at a time, in a tight-knit community of peers, family, teachers, and community mentors. In a city where the average drop-out rate is 31%, MetWest’s 2010 graduation rate is 100%.
It all goes down on Saturday, March 26th from 6pm-9pm.
Bollywood: Indian whiskeys and beers @ EZ5 featuring Desi Jams DJ
Without Borders: Mexican tequilas and beers @ Madrone Art Bar featuring DJ Roger Más
Voodoo Magic: Caribbean rums and beers @ (announcing shortly) featuring Guillermo (Sweater Funk / Colombia y Panamá)
Click here to purchase tickets on a per-bar basis for $45.
If you’re ambitious, you can purchase the “World Tour” package, which includes admission to all three bars and car service for a group of four friends for $240.
And don’t forget! Check in at all three bars via Foursquare, post a picture of your group with the bartenders, and win a Drink Good – DO GOOD t-shirt plus a bottle of booze!
See you there!
“1 Bourbon, 1 Scotch, 1 Beer,” which is a part of San Francisco Beer Week, is a unique evening of pairing 15 select craft beers with 15 craft and traditional whiskeys based on their flavor profiles. The whiskies will range from single malts to bourbons and ryes to white dog and experimental whiskies.
The festivities begin at 6:30pm on Saturday, November 19 at the Boothby Center for the Beverage Arts (1161 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA) and lasts until 12:30am. The attire is casual.
In keeping with Drink Good – Do Good’s philosophy, a portion of the night’s proceeds will be donated to the Barbary Coast Conservancy of the American Cocktail.
Tickets are $45 each and can be purchased through Eventbrite (http://1bourbon1scotch1beer.eventbrite.com/).
The Drink Good – Do Good Coalition is dedicated to supporting Bay Area nonprofits. The Coalition partners with boutique distilleries, breweries, and wineries to host events that not only provide a unique tasting experience for Bay Area spirit enthusiasts, but also allow them the opportunity to give back to the community. To find out more about Drink Good – Do Good, visit their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/DrinkGoodDoGood.
Back in September 2010, our founder Raj Prasad participated in the Small Business Technology Tour in Mountain View, CA.
Below is a video of his conversation with Rachel King (Bloomberg Business Week) and moderator Ramon Ray on how companies are leveraging technology.
Click here to watch the video.
As a member of the Inc. 500, WDFA recently participated in a social media study that we wanted to share for your intellectual enjoyment.
Entitled “The 2010 Inc. 500 Update: Most Blog, Friend And Tweet But Some Industries Still Shun Social Media,” this study was conducted by the Center for Research Marketing at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. It reveals some noteworthy facts:
Social networking continues to lead the way [duh] — The platform most familiar to the 2010 Inc. 500 is Facebook with 87% of respondents claiming to be “very familiar” with it. Another noteworthy statistic around familiarity is Twitter’s amazing “share of mind” with 71% percent (up from 62% in 2009) reporting being familiar with the relatively new micro blogging and social networking site.
Blogging remains an important tool for the Inc. 500 — Fifty percent of the 2010 Inc. 500 has a corporate blog, up from 45% in 2009 and 39% in 2008.
Social media adoption varies among the Inc. 500 Industries — Government services, energy services and financial services are slow to embrace social media.
You can read the full article here.
If there was one thing 2010 taught us it’s that life has no guarantees and that every day should be treated as a blessing and adventure. So here in 2011 we are not going to wait for milestones or sales figures to move forward. The days of us living to work are over and working to live are here.
As we move into the new year, all I can tell you is that we will keep pushing forward. As challenging (and rewarding) as the road has been or may be ahead, it’s through teamwork, togetherness and hardwork that we will succeed. Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” So whatever 2011 holds, just remember to get out there and create as many wonderful and new memories as you can.
Someone got six new swords for Christmas…
Corinne and Samurai J
WDFA is back in the headlines! The San Francisco Business Times‘ exposé reveals WDFA’s unique history, tracing the company from its roots to where it is now — a serious player in the San Francisco market and working on expanding nationally.
Jason's ready for his close-up
Raj Prasad and Jason Hilton, WDFA’s co-founders, got business up and running back in 2006. What started as a two-employee business based in the duo’s apartment, quickly grew to almost 50 strong in 2010. Despite the company’s youth and small size, business started booming, drawing in big-name clients, such as MetroPCS and Comcast.
In its first four years, WDFA had achieved what seemed almost impossible, all the while using guerilla micromarketing tactics like sidewalk chalking and door hanging rather than mainstream radio and TV. Our unique business strategy in combination with our out-of-the-box ideas, fearless attitude, and attention to detail has obviously paid off. By the end of 2009, WDFA reported a three-year growth of 326% and raked in a whopping $17 million in revenue in that year alone. We even opened up the New York office in 2009, when the economy was abysmal at best.
How YOU doin'
But despite an amazing initial three years in business, reality finally hit. 2010, any employee will tell you, was quite a different story. But rather than run for cover, WDFA managed to power through the setbacks. And as a nice reward, the San Francisco Business Times named us the tenth fastest growing private company on their “Fast 100” list of 2010. Needless to say, we readily accepted.
As we round the corner into 2011, we’re no doubt breathing a collective sigh of relief that the worst is over — but we’re also excited and ready for whats ahead. After all, “fearless” is our mantra.
Check out Jason’s mug and a preview of the San Francisco Business Times article here.
Believe it or not, but WDFA isn’t all business; we have our fun both at and outside of the office. So when we sponsor events and get-togethers, chances are pretty good that it’ll be a blast.
Take, for example, The Drink Good — Do Good Coalition events hosted at our favorite local watering hole, EZ5.
Take your pick.
Here’s how it works: a few times a month, Mama (EZ5’s purveyor) takes down all the name-brand bottles from the bar shelf and replaces them with less-known boutique brands. Bid farewell to Grey Goose, Maker’s Mark, and friends, and say hello to Death’s Door Spirits, Barsol Pisco, Choya, and Bakon Vodka (yes, I said bacon vodka), among others. Event attendees are able to enjoy a specialty menu featuring $4 concoctions that show off the versatility and taste of each local brand. It’s the perfect opportunity to discover some hidden gems, expand your palate, and, of course, show off to your friends later.
Tonight's menu.
But it gets better.
In addition to great drinks, close friends, and lots of laughs, 100% of the proceeds from the sale of t-shirts and other promotional items are donated to a local Bay Area nonprofit. We figure, if you’re going to go to happy hour anyway, you might as well drink for a cause.
Yvonne and Emma showing off tonight's t-shirt.
Who knows, that $7 t-shirt you just bought could wind up helping a orphaned animal find a new home or go towards programs that focus on growing the future leaders of America. How can you say no to that?
Join us tonight at 5:30pm. All t-shirt proceeds benefit Rocket Dog Rescue. See you there!
Lauren, Jess, Yvonne, Hosnia, Corinne and Alex, with Brian's head in the background
For any new employee, the company holiday party is HUGE stress provoker. What to wear? Who to bring? How do I annihilate this shrimp skewer without drawing attention to myself?
When I think of company get-togethers, a stuffy, judgmental atmosphere full of awkward conversation is what comes to mind. Luckily for me (and I think I speak for all the newbies here), I didn’t have to worry a second about the WDFA holiday extravaganza. Considering the fact that I have a blast at the office on any given day, it was safe to assume getting together with everyone outside of a work setting would only be better.
Upon arriving, by boat I might add, at our floating oasis, I knew I was in for an exciting night. The sway of the tiny island venue was a little disorienting at first, but after finding my sea legs, I was good to go. The top of the restaurant’s light house offered some spectacular city views for those who felt like taking a break from the revelries below. Not to mention, who didn’t love the creepy pirate statue? In true WDFA fashion, the attire ranged from “Island Liz” to “Suave Sergio” and everything in between. Complete with one of Raj’s famous inspirational pep talks and delicious eats and drinks galore, it all seemed to go by way too fast.
When it was all said and done, I’d say it was a successful night. We all made it home alive with only minor scrapes and bruises, which, by our standards, is pretty impressive.
Here’s to surviving my first WDFA holiday experience!
Lisa McGehee, Web Coordinator
Jenni, the party planner, and Jason
Some of the New York ladies representin': Gail, Kristin, Ashley and Katch
WDFA Tweeters
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