Chamber Spotlight is a new feature from the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce. Reston Now will spotlight local businesses and business leaders on a regular basis. Today, Jen Sterling of Red Thinking, a digital marketing and brand strategy firm.

1. Why did you decide to start your business in Reston? I escaped DC and moved west early in my business. Originally located in Loudoun County, I shifted to Reston because I fell in love with the energy and the people. I felt drawn in and welcomed. In addition, it was a thriving hotspot for my target market as well making it great “feeding grounds” for my business.

2. What are the challenges and rewards of being a business owner?

It’s a complete and total roller coaster. Sometimes that is emotional …f rom “Wow this controlling my own future thing is amazing!” to “What the hell was I thinking?” And sometimes that is financial where you are rolling in it one month and the next you start thinking about invoicing your dog just to get cash flow. It is one of the most challenging, and yet rewarding things that I have ever done. I would never go back.

3. Name something about your business that most people don’t know? Our business is a ubiquitous workplace. While we are headquartered in Reston, we no longer maintain a formal office space. Our staff is able to work from wherever they want. They may be in a home office one day, a local Starbucks the next, or perhaps at the beach for a week. Our work is not tied to location so we can work from anywhere and everywhere.

4. What is the unique value proposition your client’s know of when using your services? Our entire goal as a company is to provide an environment where our staff and our clients can succeed while still having a life.

5. Describe a typical day as the business owner? My days are never the same. One day I am focused on financials and running ratios, the next I am knee-deep in a dashboard about our proposal pipeline. The day after that I may be in a three-hour strategy session with a client who is preparing to take their business through a 180-degree shift in focus. I am interviewing new staff and cultivating the team members I already have to make sure that they are happy and delivering. One of my favorite things about being an entrepreneur is that no day is the same.

6. How has the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce helped your business grow? I first joined the GRCC when my business was young. The GRCC’s staff and fellow members helped me to learn about the region and to explore the business community around me. As a volunteer for the Chamber, I met hundreds of people and I learned to build teams to accomplish goals. As a volunteer leader in the chamber I learned to plan strategically, to budget, and to build partnerships between organizations. All of these lessons helped shape and improve my business.

7. What is your advice to someone who is thinking about owning a business? Know that it will be the most magical and frustrating ride you will ever take. You will have days where you feel like a superhero, but be prepared to also have days where you question your sanity and your ability to handle it all. Then be resilient and never give up. It’s worth it!

Photo: Jen Sterling/Credit: Red Thinking

The Harrison at Reston Town Center is now open! Take a tour today and see not only the two fully furnished apartment models, but all of the amazing luxuries The Harrison has to offer.

The Harrison has truly elevated the modern apartment concept to a level all its own. Whether you’re in the mood to stay in for a quiet, relaxing night, meet up with friends at Reston Town Center for dinner and a movie or you are looking to get in a nice long workout, The Harrison has everything you need.

Here are the Top Eight Ways The Harrison’s luxury apartments will provide you with a great home, location and lifestyle:

1. Residences are distinguished by spacious, open floor plans, multiple finish combinations, expansive windows and keyless entry. Additionally, each kitchen uniquely offers imported stone countertops, custom cabinetry, ENERGY STAR® stainless steel appliances and large pantries.

2. There are also carefully thought-out minor touches, such as a full-size washer and dryer, walk-in closets, wood flooring in the living space, wall-to-wall carpeting in the bedrooms, oversized bathroom vanities and linen closets.

3. An all-inclusive, ultra-modern health club offers instructor-led fitness classes as well as digitally led classes with Fitness On Demand™ and features touch-screen cardio-training equipment, machine and free-weight training, a multi-lane lap pool, a cycle studio, a yoga and Pilates room and a private massage room.

4. The rooftop access features an outdoor pool, events and gatherings at Skyclub, a fire pit, an outdoor prep and grilling area, and the ability to play virtual golf with our TruGolf system.

5. The residents’ lounge features intimate seating, a landscaped patio, a media lounge, a cyber café, a 24-hour resident hospitality center serving Starbucks®, a culinary center and onsite pet-friendly living, which includes a pet spa and an outdoor pet park. The Harrison also provides its residents with their very own Lifestyle Coordinator, who is dedicated to serving up individually unique experiences based on each resident’s lifestyle.

6. An onsite pedestrian tunnel leads directly to Reston Town Center, which has more than 50 stores, 30 restaurants, a multiplex cinema, an open-air pavilion featuring concerts and, when the season’s right, ice skating!

7. Reap the benefits of living in close proximity to the new Silver Line Metro station and having the 45-mile long W&OD Trail right at your front door.

8. Enjoy quick access to Hidden Creek Country Club, the Reston Town Center Transit Station and popular destinations including Wolf Trap, Tysons Corner and Washington, DC.

Be sure to schedule your tour of The Harrison today, to see how they have elevated apartment living to an entirely unprecedented level.

Reston Now will now be featuring pets available for adoption as our Pets of the Week.  If the pets find a new home after our posting, the new owners will win prizes and treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care.

This week’s pet is Bandit, an older dog from Homeward Trails Animal Rescue who loves to ride in the car.

Little Bandit is an 8-year-old, adorable and active Lhasa Apso with the cutest little underbite!

His ideal family would be one that would love to spend time with him, taking him on lots of walks, car rides, and just hanging out with him and giving him lots of love.

Bandit thinks sitting in your lap and cuddling is the perfect way to spend the evening and he gets exercise by running circles around you. Literally!

Bandit simply loves to go for car rides so you can take him anywhere you go. He is a bit unsure around very young children, so an adult home or one with older children is ideal. If you will give him a wonderful home, Bandit will repay you by being your loving, loyal companion for life.

See more about Bandit on his Petfinder page.

Are you involved with a pet rescue group and would like to post a pet here? Contact us at [email protected]. Send along a few paragraphs of info about the pet, 2-3 horizontally oriented photos and contact info for interested adopters.

Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Reston and Northern Virginia.

This is a sponsored column by Jessica Storm, ACSM Health/Fitness Specialist and NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist. This week’s post is from trainer Genevieve from the Storm Fitness team.

According to research at the University of Scranton, only 8 percent of Americans who make a New Year’s resolution stick to it.

Seems bleak, right? I thought that. Then I pondered it. We typically pick a weakness and plan to kick that habit or lack of habit.

When I think of a New Year’s resolution, I think of advertisements for Weight Watchers and LA Fitness. The definition of a resolution is the firm decision to do something or not do something. So leave your lofty goals in 2014. It’s 2015!

I realize that this article is coming from someone who lives, eats, and breathes a healthy lifestyle. How could I possibly understand the weight roller coaster you have been on or your relationship with food? Well I can, because I have a resolution of every day until the day I die to treat my body kindly. I crave sugar, cheese, wine, and I sometimes loathe the idea of a workout.

Here are my tips to sticking to your goals in the New Year.

Get Specific: When you set loose goals like “work out more” or “eat healthy,” there is a lot of room to cheat and barely make a change in your lifestyle. I am specific with myself. I tell myself what food is off limits and my workout schedule is prescheduled down to the activity and time of day.

Start Small: You can make a small change that can catapult your motivation when you realize you are capable. For example, if your weakness is snacking,  cut out all your usual junk and replace it with fruit, veggies and hummus, etc. When you get into this healthy habit you may find yourself making smarter choices all around.

Move: Get a fitness tracker that encourages you to move. Being sedentary is exhausting. It is easier to get up off your butt when you are not on it in the first place.

Try Something New: Don’t punish yourself on a treadmill day after day. There are so many exercise styles out there. Boredom can be avoided in your workout and in your diet! Hunt for some delicious healthy recipes and try something new.

Reach Out: You are human, and it is hard to commit to a fitness program, especially if you have not had your own routine in a while. Find workout buddies or hire a trainer.

Be Realistic: It is impossible to follow a perfect diet and exercise regimen. When life happens you have to be able to fall off the wagon and hop right back on. Don’t have a handful of chips and decide to eat the whole bag. Don’t quit the gym after you get a cold. There is always tomorrow and there is always room to grow.

To read more about Trainer Genevieve visit her profile page on the Storm Fitness website. Happy New Year!

This is a sponsored column by Jessica Storm, ACSM Health/Fitness Specialist and NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist. Jessica is the owner of Storm Fitness – A Personal Training and Nutrition Company based in Reston.

Working out but not getting the results you want?

It really isn’t a secret and it really isn’t your fault that you aren’t achieving or seeing the results you desire with your current fitness program. You just need a fresh perspective.

We can often be our own worst enemy when carrying out our fitness routine. Here are the top five traps we see with some of our clients.

Lack Of Consistency in Your Workouts. What is most important is that you do some type of exercise five to six days per week on a consistent basis. This trumps intensity.

All too often, I hear about people starting intense workout programs and going hard for three or four months and then completely burning themselves out because the program is unsustainable.  It’s the same as going on a crazy, restricted diet that you know you can’t sustain for the long haul. Be consistent with both your workouts and your eating. Seek the help of a professional to find a balance and middle ground if you are struggling in this area.

Not Understanding Your Body Type and the Specific Exercises it Needs. Finding the right combination of fitness programing is not as simple as it may seem.

I think videos and group classes are great, but they’re not for everyone and they certainly won’t produce the same results for everyone. Everybody is different and needs individualized programing.

For example, I have clients that bulk in the thighs very quickly and it’s not a “look” they are after.  I have a very customized routine for these types of individuals and I actually make sure to avoid weighted squats and lunges for these body types. Read More

This is a sponsored post by Danielle Gray of Apartment Showcase.

Buying a rug for your home or apartment can be an overwhelming process. There are a ton of factors to consider and if you buy one that’s too small you risk making the space feel chopped up and awkward. Rugs come is different shapes — rectangle, square, or round with sizes ranging from 2′ x 3′ to 12′ x 18′.

Let’s face it, rugs are expensive. It’s always best to save money and time by getting it right the first time.

Here are some basic tips to follow to make the rug buying process a lot easier.

The perfect size for your space is determined by how the furniture is arranged in the room.

As shown here, this basic rug layout is ideal for people with smaller budgets and small spaces.  Depending on the size of your sofa, 4’x6′ or 5’x8′ rugs are perfect here. As a rule of thumb, you want to have at least 5″-10″ of rug on either side of the sofa.

If you have a larger room, consider floating your seating area in the center of the room using an 8’x10′ (or larger) size rug. Anything smaller will make the room feel small and choppy. Remember, your rug is supposed to pull the room together not break it up.

In the bedroom, float the rug towards the foot of the bed.

Use a rug in the bedroom to anchor the bed and to soften the room. If your budget doesn’t call for a large rug, you can also go with a 3’x5′ rug one side of the bed to plant your feet on when you wake up in the morning.

The biggest mistake that people make is buying a rug for the dining or kitchen table that is too small. People tend to stick with rugs that are 5’x8′ or 6′ x 10′ because they are more affordable.

The standard size rug in this area is 8’x10′.  Your goal is to fit the table and chairs on the rug. This prevents the chair legs from scratching up your beautiful hardwood floors.

Here’s the rundown on rug shapes. Square rugs are for square rooms. Round rugs are best suited for entry ways, bathrooms, or playful spaces like kid rooms.

Some people may be wondering if the legs should be on the rug or off. I think legs on the rug looks more polished. Your rug should be large enough to fit the front pieces. But if a large rug isn’t in your budget, then legs off is fine; make sure that you  keep this theme consistent throughout the space.

Finally, don’t forget your rug pad. Rug pads keeps the rug neatly in place and adds an additional layer of cushion underneath it.

Happy shopping! Don’t forget to visit the Apartment Showcase to search for your next apartment.

Graphics by Gray Livin’