#2015 XO Conference

[perfectirishgifts]

A Brief History Of NetJets And How It Plans To Stay On Top

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A Brief History Of NetJets And How It Plans To Stay On Top

For more than a quarter-century, NetJets has been the big dog in the world of private jet solutions. It’s a market where competitors have come and gone, and in some cases, come back again. And while it hasn’t been a flight without turbulence, for the leader, its view continues to be well ahead, from the front of the pack. Of course, how you view the pack depends on your lens. But first, a bit of history.

The history of NetJets

Looking back to the late 1980s, the brand’s founder Richard Santulli popularized the concept of fractional ownership, filling the massive gap between one-off charters and the magnitude of full ownership. Instead of buying an entire airplane, you purchased a share, starting at just 50 hours per year. Somebody else would now hire the pilots, worry about your holidays versus theirs, take care of the maintenance and where to park the thing. Even better, you could upgrade to a larger jet if you needed to bring along more people or downgrade to a smaller aircraft if you wanted to save a few dollars. When you needed to go someplace, your jet would be ready for you, at your preferred local airport, with just a few hours’ notice. And unlike charter, you had a consistent experience, both in terms of look-alike cabins and standards for safety and pilot training.

Billionaire’s Ball: Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway purchased NetJets in 1998 for $725 million. … [] Here he appears in an early 2000s advertisement with friend and client Bill Gates selling fractional ownership. A decade later, NetJets would launch QS Partners, one of the largest whole aircraft brokers, helping customers moving to shared ownership sell their private jets.

There was the expansion to Europe and the 1998 acquisition by Berkshire Hathaway BRK.B , an unequivocal stamp of approval when you are selling to the C-Suite. A 1999 profile by Forbes noted over the previous four years, NetJets “purchased nearly 600 planes worth $10 billion—about 40% of the world’s business jet market.”

There was a boost from 9-11 as terrorism fears and airport safety became a big issue for CEOs and UHNWs. There was a famous ad campaign with Warren Buffett and Bill Gates lounging on the L-shaped sofa aboard one of its Boeing Business Jets and more growth. As one former rival somewhat enviously put it, “NetJets is the blue in blue-chip. They’re a safe haven.” When Uber was initially raising money, it referenced the company as a basis for its vision. The trend lines were going in one direction, up.

That was before the financial crisis of 2008 pulled the rug out from under the entire business aviation market and brought a $711 million loss to the fractional provider in 2009. By the time Buffett wrote his 2010 annual letter to shareholders that “NetJets would have been out of business (without Berkshire’s backing),” its founder was gone.

NetJets’ operations center coordinates hundreds of daily flights and crews, some of them scheduled … [] as few as four hours before departure. At the outbreak of COVID-19, the entire operation was shifted to work at home in days.

The transition to the current management of NetJets’ veterans came after two different outsider CEOs and a battle with its flight crews and their union. Except for larger jets, most private aircraft don’t have flight attendants. Those guys who sit up front are your customer service. In the world of private jets, the pilots greet you when you arrive at the terminal and even help load your luggage. They give you your safety briefing and pour you a cup of coffee once you are seated. A March 2015 press release from the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots announced 98% of the union’s members voted no confidence in the then CEO.

Less than three months later, and a month after leaving the company, longtime sales boss Adam Johnson was back, installed in the corner office. Bill Noe, who had left that April, returned as president and COO. In an interview with The Columbus Dispatch, union boss Pedro Leroux immediately said, “We believe we can work with A.J. and Bill Noe…We’re cautiously optimistic that (the new leadership will lead to) improvement in the labor relations we’ve had the last few years.”

New rivals and familiar faces

While unrest is now distant history, nothing stands still. New rivals emerged. Thomas Flohr brought his fractional alternative VistaJet to the United States with a fleet of slick silver airplanes and European-style white-glove service. He’s since acquired XOJET and JetSmarter, combining their brokerage businesses into XO while holding a minority stake in XOJET Aviation, the operator side. He recently announced plans to add 50 light jets to its North American fleet.

From his base in Cleveland, longtime rival Kenn Ricci’s Directional Aviation snapped up Flexjet from Bombardier, jet card leader Sentient Jet, and more recently charter broker PrivateFly in the U.K. Earlier this summer, he launched FXAIR, an on-demand brokerage that sells flights on 30 Challenger 300 and Global Express jets that are exiting his fractional program. Beyond the U.S., Ricci last month launched a Flexjet fractional share and lease program in Europe, going head-to-head with his in-state competitor. He also holds options for what looks to be the world’s first supersonic private jet, something that might be too hard for those who can afford it to pass up if it happens.

Then there’s Kenny Dichter. Having gotten his start in private aviation in 2001 by pestering Santulli for an exclusive agreement to sell jet cards in increments of 25 hours onto the NetJets fleet under the Marquis Jet Partners banner, he’s back. After being bought out in 2010, he launched Wheels Up in 2013. Even with just three King Air turboprops to start, there was no doubt his sights were set on the Columbus, Ohio, headquarters of the largest operator of private jets in the world. Today, after an 18-month acquisition spree has brought his fleet to over 300 owned and managed aircraft, he’s about halfway there. He also counts Delta Air Lines as his largest shareholder with a 24% stake.

Decades of dominance

While the barbarians continue to gather around the moat, blowing their horns, firing arrows, and issuing press releases, if success is measured by fleet size or flight hours, it’s not apparent they have much chance of breaching the wall.

Through October of this year, data from JetNet also shows NetJets with 531 aircraft, 65% of the total fractional fleet. Through November, Argus shows NetJets clocked 268,881 flight hours for North American operations compared to 121,686 for second place Flexjet.

For perspective, a 2007 UBS report estimated NetJets had a 61% share of the fractional fleet. In other words, nearly 15 years later, not much has changed, except the names. Gone are Avantair, CitationAir and Raytheon Travel Air. Others are around, having pivoted to different models.

Still, the fractional numbers don’t include the aircraft management and charter arm of NetJets, Inc., Executive Jet Management (EJM). With over 230 aircraft, about 150 available for hire, on its own it is one of the three largest charter operators measured by hours. Combining charter and fractional operators’ flight hours in North America, NetJets, Inc. ended 2019 with a 20.8% market share compared to 6.7% for Ricci’s Directional Aviation, 5.3% for Wheels Up’s three operators, and 3.4% for Vista Global Holding’s XOJET Aviation and VistaJet. In 2007, NetJets share was 21.9%, although Argus says its historical data has a /- 10% margin of error.

Is NetJets profitable?

While NetJets has no intention of ceding any ground, it’s often hard to get a read on what’s happening. There are only passing references to the company in Berkshire’s financials. Patrick Gallagher, president of NetJets, says it is debt-free, although he declines to comment on profitability. Its results are grouped with a half dozen other holdings, ranging from Dairy Queen and an electronics component maker to FlightSafety, a leader in pilot training.

Under the NetJets, Inc. umbrella, there’s also QS Partners. Gallagher says launching the whole aircraft brokerage division came after listening to potential customers. Aircraft owners were saying, “If you can sell my current jet, I’ll buy a share from you.” QS Partners is believed to be one of the industry’s larger players in that segment, often helping customers as they transit between owning a jet, a share, jet card, or charter, many having multiple solutions at the same time.

Expanding the fleet and facilities

You’re more likely to see a press release from NetJets about sponsoring an equestrian event than boasting about flight numbers or new members. In fact, it caused a considerable amount of chatter during a recent conference when Gallagher let drop that not only will NetJets take delivery of over 30 new private jets this year, it expects to take at least 40 new aircraft every year for the next decade. Having purged its fleet of older models over the past several years (average age is now seven years), he told the industry audience most of the new jets would be additive, not replacements, the result being a “significantly larger” fleet in the future.

NetJets is also expanding on the ground. In October, it announced new facilities in Denver and San Jose that will feature private lounges for customers. Gallagher says more significant is the hangar space, which means more places to carry-out minor maintenance that “keeps the planes moving.” Further announcements are expected, he says.

While not everything NetJets touches turns to gold – the Boeing Business Jet fleet didn’t last long, a partnership in Saudi Arabia came and went, and an excursion into China ended in short order – you don’t see the company chasing every shiny object. It was on the sidelines for the very light jet air taxi fad of the early 2000s and has eschewed selling seats and crowdsourcing flights, something Wheels Up, Vista Global, and Jet Linx Aviation, another up and comer, have been championing.

NetJets is planning to add more than 40 private jets per year for the next decade. Based on fleet … [] size, it would rank alongside Southwest Airlines as fourth largest in the world.

When asked if NetJets’ success is a bit on the boring side, Gallagher responds, “Our primary focus has always been safety and service…We focus on incremental innovation and continuous investment to widen our moat. Things like FOQA (That’s Flight Operational Quality Assurance) and AQP (That would be Advanced Qualification Programming training), real estate investments, sustainable aviation fuel, Ka-band WIFI on large-cabin jets, and industry-leading pilot compensation don’t always garner the same press as another jet-sharing app or the prospect that private flight has become more accessible, but the developments that I mentioned are valued greatly by our customers and allow us to maintain our leadership position.”

Asked if there NetJets will be jumping on the bandwagon with other private jet companies to create luxury vacation experiences, Gallagher says beyond a select group of partnerships, it’s not something customers are asking for.

It also has been absent from the frenzied deal market that has seen seven of the nine largest charter operators merge, make acquisitions, or be acquired in the past two years. “Given our position in the industry, our strong balance sheet, and the Berkshire Hathaway connection, you have to imagine that we get a look at lots of acquisition opportunities, new aircraft models and other investment ideas. We aren’t getting beat to the deals. We just haven’t found many that we felt were worth doing,” Gallagher says.

#OnlyNetJets. The world’s largest private jet operator has no qualms about the leadership position … [] it has held for decades. Its president, Patrick Gallagher (pictured), compares joining to the company to how kids grow up dreaming about playing for the iconic New York Yankees. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for The New York Times )

NetJets may not operate for the benefit of lifestyle journalists, issuing reports about where customers are jetting or launching fear of flying programs for your puppy. However, a visit to its headquarters at John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Ohio is an impressive experience, something akin to NASA operations, or well, a major airline, which in essence is what NetJets is.

Based on fleet size, it would be in a tie with Southwest Airlines, behind only American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. A difference is its flights aren’t scheduled a year in advance. Fractional owners can call with as little as four hours’ notice. That’s right. If you decide you want to go someplace sunny during breakfast, by lunchtime, you can be airborne and on your way. While that’s impressive if you live in New York or Los Angeles, it’s the same for customers in North Dakota or New Mexico.

In Columbus, a large hangar-like room features rows of desks with blinking monitors and screens with dots showing the NetJets fleet in action. Color-coded bars track flight crews and their status as well as scheduled and unscheduled maintenance. NetJets pilots can take themselves off flights at any time or any reason without retribution, part of its emphasis on safety.

While NetJets has a high profile via relationships with star athletes such as tennis great Roger … [] Federer (pictured), the subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway does not break out financial results. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images for The Laver Cup)

Owner service representatives, dispatchers, travel coordinators, crew services, and even a team of in-house meteorologists that work 24/7/365 normally sit in groups. As COVID spread this past March, Gallagher says, “In the course of a few days (the various groups) were set up at their homes with laptops, monitors, web-phones and headsets.” Not a single flight was delayed.

If Mr. Smith is undecided about heading to Florida this weekend because he heard it might rain, he can speak to a certified weatherperson to get a micro forecast for Saturday morning at his golf club. If Mrs. Walsh is a skittish flyer, her owner services representative might call her the day before and suggest adjusting her departure time to avoid a passing storm.

Since NetJets operates its aircraft – it has control over the health safety protocols for its flight crews and the cleaning process, as well as what’s stocked on each airplane. In fact, NetJets used its aircraft to fly PPE from China to frontline workers in the U.S. at the outset of the pandemic. It also was among the first operators to test flight crews.

For customers, they can request specific magazines, order from a variety of menus serving up healthy to indulgent, or even specify a preferred brand of beer be stocked, although COVID-19 protocols are probably a more important factor for buyers these days. Despite the crisis, NetJets recently rolled out an umbrella for its multitude of sustainability initiatives. It also published a chart showing customers how much it costs to offset the carbon emissions from their flights. Being a leader on issues bigger than its own bottom line is an important part of being part of Berkshire, Gallagher said at the time. Philanthropy has long been at the core of what NetJets does. It is a longtime supporter of Corporate Angel Network, using empty legs to fly cancer patients for treatments.

Each aircraft type in the NetJets fleet is configured the same, providing an owner-like experience … [] for its customers.

If others sell the sizzle, operations executives at headquarters talk excitedly about how they use reams of data captured from every flight to enhance safety. That includes coming up with slightly different approaches to a handful of tricky airports.

At its core, it’s about attention to detail and experience. Pilots average 16 years with the company and over 10,000 hours at the controls, far beyond the 1,500-hour minimum mandated by the FAA. Twice a year, they go through four-day training sessions onsite at FlightSafety, including special training for mountain and island destinations.

NetJets appears to have come into this crisis from a position of strength. During the same conference, Gallagher told virtual attendees the company is back to 85% of pre-COVID flight levels, and it expects to be back to 2019 levels by the second half of 2021.

It is one of only a few large operators to eschew CARES Act money, and it has been openly critical of those that did. Gallagher taunts, “With the rising tide apparently lifting all ships in our industry, I’m hopeful as a taxpayer that some of those CARES Act funds get paid back. We see our competitors touting their recent success and return to pre-pandemic levels. I’m glad that those funds were available to keep people employed, but many of these companies today are out doing bolt-on acquisitions and spinning off new ventures. Personally, I am hopeful they are also paying back the tens of millions of dollars that they took to make payroll just a few months ago.”

Is NetJets for you?

Success may be one of NetJets’ most significant obstacles. “One of the things we hear a lot are people who have a preconceived notion…unless you’re flying a couple of hundred hours a year, ‘I don’t need NetJets.’ What I think it boils down to is the perception that we are significantly more expensive than other options that are out there, and the fact is we are not,” Gallagher says.

While many companies try to equate the cost of flying privately to be a reasonable premium to first class on the airlines using a per seat formula, that ignores that the average private jet typically has four passengers. In many cases, it’s just one or two. Rivals’ promotions typically include a grid showing their hourly rates compared to NetJets, with claims of saving 30% or so. For Gallagher, he simply says, “If you are spending 10 times more than what you would pay the airlines, why not spend 11 times more and get what you expected.”

NetJets is also making it easier for new customers to join. Until last year, it didn’t have a true light jet in its Marquis Jet card program. It also waived the daily minimum flight time charges on the Phenom 300, Citation XLS and Latitude, in some cases making it a price leader for short hops. Competitors have minimums as high as 120 minutes on light and midsize aircraft. That means your $5,000 hourly rate ends up on your invoice as a $10,000 charge, even if your flight was 30 minutes. With NetJets, you would pay the half-hour of flight time, and like most programs, 12 minutes for taxi time.

It is one of the few providers that offers fixed one-way rates to Hawaii and Europe. That means you don’t have to pay for the ferry flights after you are dropped off or to come to pick you up when you are ready to return. There are no surcharges for flights to the Caribbean, Mexico and Canada, except for pass-along international fees. A number of competitors limit their fixed-rate service area to the Continental U.S. while others charge premiums up to 40%. Deicing, something that runs into the thousands of dollars, is included, as is catering, which can add up quickly. WIFI and pets are guaranteed. In other words, there is less nickel and dime stuff.

Next year will bring the first Bombardier Global 7500 into the NetJets fleet. With a nonstop range of up to 16 hours, the ultra-long-haul jet will enable customers to get to more places without fuel stops.

Looking forward

“I think it would be a mistake for anyone to underestimate NetJets. They are not chasing headlines, but they are still the biggest business jet operator in the world,” says Alasdair Whyte, editor and co-founder of Corporate Jet Investor, adding, “Until 2008, NetJets was very focused on growth. From the outside, it now seems more focused on running a good business – especially keeping customers happy and retaining them. They are adding a lot of new customers and still growing and taking a lot of new aircraft, but they are not looking for growth for growth’s sake.”

While earlier this year NetJets said it wanted to increase its client count in the Middle East, expect its main focus to be on the U.S. and Europe. Gallagher points out there are more private jets in Ohio and Tennessee than in India or China. Fish where the fish are. Stick to your knitting. If the time since the Great Depression provides any sort of reveal, private aviation’s biggest player learned from its mistakes and is ready to keep winning.

Of course, everyone knows about clear air turbulence. Despite its apparent dominance, for consumers, there’s a long tail market of mom and pop operators who are fully capable of winning bookings. Whyte says, “Although it is fun to compare the different large operators, private aviation is so fragmented that they are all competing with dozens of other companies, especially at a local level. If you want to check this, ask a charter broker to quote you a trip and see the options. There is plenty of room for everyone.”

Then there’s the prospect of converting more full aircraft owners to fractional ownership. If you add the flight hours of those aircraft, the NetJets, Inc. share is just 10.1% of the total U.S. market, one reason Gallagher says there is “plenty of runway” for growth. While NetJets is principally focused on selling time on its fleet, competitors like Directional, Vista Global and Wheels Up tally hundreds of millions of dollars in charter flights onto the fleets of smaller operators, another place there could be growth.

For the future, don’t expect much to change. “Safety and service are far more important to us than market share, but our maniacal focus on the former two has proven effective in maintaining the latter,” Gallagher says.

And of course, there’s the confidence shown by a company that uses #OnlyNetJets as its hashtag. Gallagher, who cut his teeth with Flight Options, Jet Aviation and Marquis Jet before landing at NetJets, switches to a sports analogy, comparing arrival at the hallowed grounds of the company’s headquarter in Columbus to “when you’re a kid, you don’t just dream about growing up and playing in the majors, you dream about playing for the Yankees.”

More from Boats & Planes in Perfectirishgifts

[lamaisongaga]

BACK IN TIME: LADY GAGA’S ARTRAVE LAUNCH PARTY

On November 10, 2013 Lady Gaga threw an exclusive #ArtRave event. The event, which was held in a large warehouse in the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York, served as an album release party and included a press conference + live performance. 

During the press conference, Gaga revealed "the world's first flying dress", called the Volantis, confirmed plans to stage a performance in space in 2015, and introduced new projects by artists Marina Abramović, Benjamin Rollins Caldwell, Inez and Vinoodh, Jeff Koons, and Robert Wilson.

Let’s kick it off with the press conference. Gaga showed up a few hours before the event to do a few interviews for the press. 

The singer asked La Cambre Mode(s) graduate Louise Leconte to create for her a series of custom looks for the event. The first one is this gorgeous brown long biker dress, made of velvet and crocodile-embossed vinyl.

It was worn with the gold steampunk goggles from Charlie Le Mindu’s Fall/Winter 2013 “Gold Sabah” collection...

...and “ARTPOP” era signature shoes - the  Pleaser Beyond-1020 boots.

Volantis was not the only piece of TechHaus (the technical geniuses of the Haus of Gaga team) – Studio XO couture Gaga debuted during her ArtRave extravaganza. 

Her Volantis Flight Couture comprised a flight suit, Sparco helmet, one-shoulder cut-out bodysuit and organza bomber jacket with chest patch, custom-made by costume designer Natalie Caroline Wilkins.

Her glossy round aviator shades are the signature Samuele by Tom Ford.

Her Swarovski crystal-pavéd white knee-high pointed-toe boots are custom-made by Giuseppe Zanotti and were later worn throughout the show.

Time for the white carpet! The 3D-printed Jeff Koons-inspired parametric body sculpture, headpiece and sheer organza patch dress are custom-made for the event by Studio XO in collaboration with young designers Weilong Xie and Natalie Caroline Wilkins. The 3D-printing was done by Materialise.

Gaga opened the show with ‘Aura’, wearing a monochrome leather bodysuit with zipper-embellished floaties, mask and cone hat from Gareth Pugh’s Spring/Summer 2007 collection.

The collection was inspired by a scene from “Legend” – Ridley Scott’s 1985 fantasy adventure movie, “where Princess Lili dances in a white room and becomes her darker self”.

During the performance, she revealed a white bodysuit with black zipper embellishment with a pair of white structured vinyl sleeves and harness - based on Louise Leconte’s “Apostasy” collection, influenced by the iconic figure of Joan of Arc, as a metaphor of the contemporary urban woman.

For ‘Dope’, she added her custom Thom Browne iridescent sequinned double-breasted cube cape with boned trims and grey floral silk lining, based on the Fall/Winter 2013 collection.

For ‘Applause’ she wore Gareth Pugh from two different collections.

Her custom black trash bag bolero and hat are an extension of Pugh’s Fall/Winter 2013 collection while the black look underneath, featuring floor-length dress with molded glossy bodice and matching architectural, arch-shaped bolero, belongs to his Spring/Summer 2014 collection, influenced by Gloria Swanson in “Sunset Boulevard” and Julianne Moore in “Safe”.

The last look of the night is the meet & greet one, where Gaga presented the last out of three custom Louise Leconte creations. 

She wore her aforementioned Capezio unitard, Charlie Le Mindu goggles and Pleaser shoes with a pair of custom black vinyl sleeves, harness, garter panties and leg warmers.

[sunnymegatron]

Dr. Jess O'Reilly: Happy Healthy Relationships - Ep 50

This is our jam-packed relationship episode! Dr. Jess zeroes in on the real issues we need to focus on for better relationships. She explains the chemistry of love and why things seem to go south after the honeymoon period is over, why taking calculated risks is vital to the longevity and quality of your relationship, how to battle the resentment and criticism that pop up in arguments, why addressing these issues will revitalize your sex life, plus she gives tips and resources you can start using today to improve communication with your partners. We also get personal-- Dr. Jess opens up about her own relationship hurdles and we reveal what the sex lives of sexologists are really like. Ken & Sunny discuss Stormy Daniels' latest legal hurdle plus Sunny comes up with the perfect couples anniversary gift.       

Call in your BDSM & sex advice questions to our voicemail line 773-MUFF-TOY (we may play your message on air) or by email to americansexpodcast@gmail.com

To support American Sex podcast, please visit patreon.com/americansex (plus you’ll get all episodes early, secret episodes, bonus stories from guests, blooper reels, stuff in the mail & more!)

Enter our monthly sex toy giveaway at sunnymegatron.com/prettyloveford

Get friendly with us on Twitter at @AmericanSexPod or visit sunnymegatron.com or americansexpodcast.com

Join our mailing list by texting MEGATRON to 444999

Sunny & Ken, xo!

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Episode 50 Links

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Dr. Jess Website sexwithdrjess.com

The 36 Questions That Lead to Love https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/11/fashion/no-37-big-wedding-or-small.html

Dr. Jess' 60 Second Favors https://www.sexwithdrjess.com/2018/04/60-seconds-to-a-better-relationship-favours/

Sunny Megatron Instagram/IGTV (please help us get to 10k to unlock more business features!) instagram.com/sunnymegatron

$100 off Midori’s Forte Femme July (New York) or August (San Fransisco) - use code sunny http://www.fortefemme.com/

COPE Conference Ohio July 2018 (we're teaching!) adventuresinsexuality.org/COPE/tickets.html

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Check out our latest episode!

[happyartmuseum]

DAGS Vidulejs/ Happy Art Museum/ Art Riga Fair http://artriga.com/ CILVEKSTASTI 

DAGS Vidulejs https://www.facebook.com/VIDULEJS/ Happy Art Museum http://happyartmuseum.co/ Art Riga Fair http://artriga.com/ CILVEKSTASTI https://www.facebook.com/cilvekstasti/

                   Dags Vidulejs                    Born in 1961 2014-2016  ART RIGA FAIR organizer 2010-2016  Production group and exhibition hall „Happy Art Museum” executive 2009-2015  SIA “Pinakotēka” co-creator and artistic executive 2008 Work in gallery - ”Sky art” 2000-2006 Latvian Art Academy painting conceptual department Producer assistant work at “Telefilm Riga” 1980-1985- LAA Theory and Pedagogy department 1981-1984 – Methodist work at LAA fond exhibition montage                                  "Nation's Cinema-Actor Studio" 49th middle school, Volleyball Olympic reserve sport school

Painter exhibitions: 2012 “Va Bank” exhibition in the hall “West” in Rietumu Bank 2012 graphic personal-exhibition in Jelgava gallery „Suņa taka” 2012 Gallery „Happy Art Museum” exhibition „Klaipeda's city's gallery” 2010 participation in exhibition „Bronze glamour” in Airport's VIP zone 2010 ”Autumn” in Pinakotēka exhibition hall Participation in Baltezers church renewal devoted Christmas exhibition 2009 Graphic personal-exhibition in shopping center “SkyArt" Sky&More Personal-exhibition in shopping center „Spice” – „Lemon Loft” exposition halls 2009 ”Autumn” in Pinakotēka exhibition hall 2008 personal-exhibition in Ventspils 2008 Exhibition in “Hypothec un Earth bank's” VIP hall 2008 Personal-exhibition gallery “Sky art” “Black & white” paintings 2007 Personal-exhibition „Plikni” gallery “Bonhanss” restaurant „Andalūzijas suns” ( Kuratore S.Sīle) 2007 participation in the Artist Union's exhibition “Autumn” 2006 LAA student and professor creative trip-order job and exhibition in Berlin hotel “Gates” Ceiling paintjob in “Kalnozols” office 2006 “Europe's musical capital” personal-exhibition in Rietumu Bank's exhibition hall 2006 „Trip exhibition” after creative trip gallery “Ars Linga”  (Curator Aija Nodieva) 2005 Wall painting 2005 participation in exhibition „Rudens”, inside exhibition hall „Arsenals”           Journal „Studija” prize for diptych „Civilization” 2005 ”Green Art” participation with paintings and curator work in an exhibition in Skonto hall 2004 personal-exhibition „Trip in another dimension” in gallery „XO” 2003 “Painters” in gallery “XO”   Conference workshops in Florence. LAA professor, student group exhibitions in Brussels, Minsk etc. 2003 “Green point” art from recycling materials- exhibition organizer Skonto hall 1986 Participation in “Autumn” exhibition and student work exhibitions LAA

Works are located in private collections in Latvia, Germany, Denmark, Russia, Estonia, Austria etc.

Produced exhibition hall's “PINAKOTĒKA” exhibitions and events:   2009 - „Autumn 2009” Happy Art Museum                - Inta Berga's sculpture exhibition                - Normund Puč's graphic and painting exhibition "Melancholy"                 -Tālis Muzikant's sculptures “Alive Rock”

2010 - „Sankt-Peterbourg art academy fond exhibition”                 Matti Miliuse's collection exhibition                 Journal “Rīgas Laiks” anniversary exhibition

2009-2014 organizes exhibition hall's “Happy Art Museum” activity: (Galleria Riga, 5th -7th floor,  Dzirnavu 67) as Happy Art Museum's subsidiary and Happy Art author group trip exhibitions

09 2013  Participation in international art mesa “ART MOSCOW” 11 2013  Participation in international art exhibition “ART COKTEIL BRUGE” in Belgium 02 2014  Gallery's “Happy Art Museum” author exhibition in Frankfurt- gallery         “IRA KITZKI” 05 2014 - 07 2014 Gallery's “Happy Art Museum” author exhibition in Airport's VIP center

Language abilities: English, Russian, Latvian -  freely Expierience in press conference and round table arrangement, capability of working in a team.

Wide contacts in social media: FACEBOOK -5000 TWITTER - 80 000 DRAUGIEM - 12 000 LINKEDIN -12 000

Computer skills: PHOTOSHOP, POWERPOINT, FINAL CUT

Contacts: vidulejs@inbox.lv happyartmuseum@gmail.com 29595885 29177748

[jemmasmithinterior]

Transform Your Home Office to Work for You

We are all spending more time at home recently, and our spaces are functioning in ways we never planned for them to. Our kitchen tables are classrooms and living rooms are conference rooms while we navigate staying at home. 

As we adjust to new routines and work schedules, we wanted to help you get acquainted with working from your home. Keeping productive and restorative areas as separate as possible will help you stay focused while you are on the clock. And then when it’s time to turn off, you will be able to relax and recharge. 

Take a look at some of our design inspiration for a beautiful at-home workspace. The aesthetic of this area should inspire you to get everything on your to-do list accomplished.

Be a Bohemian Boss

If you are looking for a space that keeps your creativity going, try a bohemian home office! This style pulls together bright colors and ornate designs for an eclectic look.

To achieve this room, don’t be afraid to use color. Pick a favorite shade and use that as an anchor for the space and pick other accents that also have that color. We chose a rich teal for this look book. A separate sitting area might be the perfect spot for you to take a small 15-minute break during the day. Position it next to a window and use it as your brainstorming station. Your four-legged coworkers can also use it as their seat for staff meetings. 

Breeze Through Your To-Do List

Bringing the beach into your home office will bring serenity to your space while you balance budget sheets and your calendar. Focus on keeping your color palette neutral but add pops of blue to resemble calm waters.

Channel the look of seaside docks by adding décor pieces that feature industrial accents like locks and worn wood. Whimsical pieces that remind you of the ocean will tie the aquatic look together. 

Let City Vibes Inspire You

Even big city dreams and goals can fit into the smallest studio apartment. Inspired by the industrial landscapes, edgy design and city lifestyles, an urban home office is a great look for young professionals.

If you are working with less living space, each choice when creating a home office is done with efficiency in mind. To keep your home feeling open, use space saving options that are multifunctional. A secretarial can work during office hours, and then hide away once your day is done. At 5 p.m., you can literally hide your paperwork and start relaxing. 

A Sleek Space Creates a Clear Mind

This look book is inspired by sleek, modern style and reflects a minimal aesthetic. This would be perfect for those of you who need less clutter to stay productive during work hours. For a more glam approach to this style, decorate with a jewel-toned green by adding a throw blanket and plants. It keeps the space minimal while adding a pop of color to keep you inspired. 

There’s No Meeting Time for Classic Style

Mid-century modern spaces are perfect for anyone who is looking for a unique space that combines elements from other styles. The aesthetic features vibrant use of color, sleek industrial design, minimalist accents and bohemian flair. For mid-century design lovers, this aesthetic is the best of all worlds when it comes to interiors.

Décor tip: For a subtle pop in the space, include mixed metals in your space to play up the industrial look. And don’t be afraid to play with color in your workspace, the vibrant tones can spark your creativity while you work. Use muted jewel tones to keep the room neutral, so the colors are not overwhelming. 

We’re Blushing Over this Look

After the rise of Millennial Pink in 2015, we have seen muted blush tones across interior design trends. The shade allows people to experiment with color without committing to bright tones. Light pink keeps a space light while creating a whimsical look. 

Take Your Work to New Places

Bonjour! This look book was inspired by the romantic designs of the French Country aesthetic. To achieve this space in your home, no beret is required, just an open mind and a love of soft pastel colors. Small details like a tufted desk chair and floral decor give the look a more feminine vibe. 

To keep your workspace clear, try illuminating your space with a floor lamp. The taller style will cast bright light across the room, which will help keep you alert and focused. 

Some Styles are Timeless

If you’re a no muss no fuss type of interior decorator, stick with classic designs and styles when creating your traditional home office. The sleek silhouettes of the pieces in this look book offer enough intrigue, so you don’t have to worry about home decor. You can also experiment with texture instead of layering home accent pieces. Velvet gives the space an elegant, ornate look. Open shelving concepts keep the room airy and give an illusion of more space. All while providing extra storage for books and files. 

Bring the Farmhouse to the Office

Modern farmhouse style is inspired by antique, rustic pieces and designs. This aesthetic features a lot of neutral tones, with pops of natural colors like greenery. Bring the outdoors into the office space with materials that add rugged charm. 

Staying productive while learning to work from home may get frustrating at times. Creating an at-home work space can help you transition your routine during this period. And we’d love to see how you transform the extra space in your home to function as a productive home office. If you want more advice from our interior design team, tag us with #DesignWithAshley and we will help you achieve a beautiful look in your home. 

Share the space you create by using #MyAshleyHome on Instagram to possibly be featured on our feed! We’d also love to know your work-from-home tips and tricks for tackling this challenge. You can also find more home office inspiration on Pinterest.

If these looks inspired you to transform your at-home workspace, shop with the styles! You can use the code ASHDESIGN at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase. (Exclusions apply.)

The post Transform Your Home Office to Work for You appeared first on XO Ashley.

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[hotfitnesstopics]

 Hey hey! How was the weekend? I hope you had an amazing one. I’m back home feeling refreshed and inspired from the weekend’s events. It was my 5th IDEA World fitness conference, and each time they’re just as enjoyable as the previous ones I’ve been fortunate to attend. This year brought a new opportunity as I was asked to emcee for the Studio Spotlight stage at the Expo. While I was hesitant about doing it (I was like, “Why are they asking me? They know I’m awkward, right?”), in the end I decided to go for it. I found that it wasn’t nearly as awkward or terrifying as I anticipated because it was about FITNESS and new studio classes, aka things I genuinely enjoy with all of my heart. So this year I ended up spending a lot of time at the Studio Spotlight stage and got to check out so many new and amazing formats. (Thank you so much to the reader friends who came up to say hi at the conference!) The Studio Spotlight stage was towards the side of the expo, and the entire time, participants wandered in to take classes from the latest and greatest in studio fitness. Many of the classes were packed and the energy was off the hook. Here are some of the highlights: Jazzercise: I still feel like I need to make up for lost time with Jazzercise. (I waited forever to try it and when I finally did, I loved it.) The moves are easy to follow and I really enjoy the upbeat music. It was great to catch up with some of the Jazzercise girls and take their classes on the studio spotlight stage.  (Source) FitSteps:  (Source) FitSteps was a unique twist on traditional dance cardio as they focus on ballroom-style movements without a partner. I had a smile on my face the entire time! The waltz was especially beautiful, and the instructor Crystal was graceful and enjoyable to watch.  HIGH Fitness: (Source) You guys. HIGH Fitness is a PARTY. It’s modern aerobics with current music and killer cardio moves. The instructors were a blast and their dance moves and style they brought to the class made it even more fun. I’m actually thinking about getting certified even though I might need to start drinking caffeine again to teach haha.  Full Body Fitness by Roger Romero: (Source) The creator of this format came to present along with an entire crew from Peru. They had SO much energy and I loved Roger’s mix of aerobics, dance cardio, boxing, and plyometric movements.  BollyX: (Source) I already swooned over BollyX in my last post, but it deserves another mention. The movements were SO fun and different – it was like hip hop meets Bollywood- and they drew a huge crowd for each of their demos. Something about Bollywood music makes me insanely happy and I loved dancing along. I’ll definitely be checking out their YouTube channel when I want a little at-home cardio.  Flow Barre Dance:  (Source) The creator of this format, Edvania, was here all the way from Brazil. (And reads the blog! HI!) This format combines dance, Pilates, and barre, and had beautiful fluid movements. She has a huge following in Brazil, and I can see why so many people love taking her class.  STRONG by Zumba: (Source) This is another that I feel like I’ve been missing out on. STRONG is totally unlike traditional Zumba. There’s zero dancing and is strength, cardio, and plyometric movements synced to the music. The music was driving and powerful; the perfect accompaniment to jumps and martial arts-style punches. The master trainer Ai Lee (from Switzerland. She’s in the pic above) was INCREDIBLE. I would want to take her class all the time.  Beachbody LIVE PiYo and Insanity:  (Source) It was great to take an Insanity class from Danille (Fit and Funky). I’ve followed her online for a while and she’s a powerhouse instructor. All of the Beachbody Live classes were perfect representations of the formats I enjoy so much. (Check out my review of PiYo here and Insanity here.) While the IDEA sessions and classes are a haven of happiness, I always look forward to catching up with blog friends, (with Ashley, Giselle, and Tara. I also got to spend all day Wednesday and Thursday with my bestie before she left for a trip.) and exploring the expo.  The expo is pretty much my Disneyland. Just picture all of the latest and greatest in fitness gear/equipment + healthy foods, snacks, and fitness apparel under one roof. *Sighs* It’s just so good. The LaCroix booth was my very favorite; they had free LaCroix for everyone, hats (! to match my swimsuit), and many photo ops. We had some great meals, too. Thursday evening Betsy and I grabbed tacos and margaritas at Puesto, and Friday night, I met up with Giselle, Ashley and Tara for cocktails and dinner at Rustic Root. This year, I didn’t end up going crazy with a lot of lectures and workshops. After the past month, my body and mind needed a serious reset. There’s been so much going on, especially packing up the house, living in hotels with the girls in Valdosta and in Tucson while the Pilot drove here, unpacking, getting settled, and more behind-the-scenes stuff, it all kind of hit me at once. I ended up sleeping in each day and enjoying slow mornings before heading to the Expo for the official adventures. (One morning, I went to Better Buzz and walked around Liberty Station, and it was lovely.) I still got to see and do a ton, but usually after IDEA, my body is EXHAUSTED (in the best way!) from all of the classes and lectures. For the first time,  I didn’t feel tired at all coming home. I’m still not quite sure what my teaching schedule will be like in Tucson – I can only teach one or two classes a week right now, so I’m subbing at a local studio. For next year’s conference I’ll likely have a solid purpose for the workshops and lectures. I’m still trying to figure everything out and decide if I want to get certified in a new format, create my own format, or teach something that I know and love (like spin, barre, or BODYPUMP). I really, really missed the girls during this trip. For my first night away, I was like YES I CAN SLEEP UNTIL WHENEVER I WANT, but after a couple of nights, the loneliness and missing set in. I missed those little monkeys so much and being back home with them is the best ever. It’s always nice to get a little bit of a break and time to enjoy cocktails with friends, but whenever trips like these are over, I’m so ready to get back home to our little fam. Thank you again to my friends at IDEA for an incredible weekend. I’m already looking forward to next year. What’s your all-time favorite group fitness class? Any new studios you’ve discovered lately? xo Gina More IDEA recaps:   2013 Conference recap 2013: The Expo and other fun stuff 2014 snack stash 2014: What I learned 2014: What I knew 2015: IDEA World and BlogFest 2016: IDEA Recap The post A great IDEA appeared first on The Fitnessista. from The Fitnessista https://ift.tt/2KILs3O via IFTTT

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[codystrout-blog]

Behind the scenes: 2015 XO Conference commercial Photo Credit: Matt Knisely