The Brain Performance Center - Neurofeedback In Southlake, Texas

Recently, we did a small business website for Leigh, at the Brain Performance Center in Southlake, Texas. We built her website around the popular content management system with a custom Wordpress theme.  She is super hands-on with her business, and wants to be able to provide a wealth of information to the public, and educate her clients and others about what she does.

When Leigh contacted me needing help with a website design, I thought to myself, what in the world is 'Brain Performance'? And what I found out made me so glad that Leigh and I connected - because what she does is nothing short of amazing. Now that I have kids, and am under different stresses in my life - I am finding that what these folks do is something that needs to be broadcasted to the world - as so many people could benefit from what they offer.

The Brain Performance Center specializes in non-medicated treatments and alternative therapies for very common cognitive and emotional symptoms that are related - quite literally - to our brain performance.  Symptoms such as insomnia, ADHD, OCD, depression, anxiety and autism. Or, perhaps you are looking to improve athletic performance receive wellness coaching or enhance your leadership skills - The Brain Performance Center focuses on training your brain, to enhance your life in a positive way.

The first step is your 'Brain Evaluation'. Through an in-depth analysis and several tests, the staff at The Brain Performance Center can identify brain wave patterns and then over a series of neurofeedback treatments, effectively train your brain to keep itself in check.

The same can be done for more physical functions, such as breathing to regulate your heart rate - with biofeedback.

I am going through the program to help my issues with anxiety and insomnia. The top photo is just a picture of the computer showing my head, and the points to which the sensors are connected to read brain waves during my initial brain evaluation.  This photo is showing that I am hooked up and ready to go.

The second picture is that of my brain waves,  collecting data from all those points. You can see a heavy, thick set of peaks on the right side of the photo. These are called 'artifact' (or, "interference' in the brain wave world) and indicates that I chomped my teeth four times.  You have to try and sit very still during this process, so they can get a good reading.

Once we have our results, we review these together and map out a plan to support recovery. We ALL have a bit of a brain wave imbalance one way or another. The goal, with everyone, is to keep a healthy balance of all brain activity - Delta (primarily sleep), Alpha, Beta (hi Beta and lo Beta) and Theta waves have a specific order and 'frequency' they should present.

Looks like I'm in for some neurofeedback. My alpha takes over when my eyes are closed, and everything goes bananas in other areas. Looking at my wave patterns, Leigh was able to tell me a ton about my current state of emotional well-being and mental health...

To learn more about my journey with The Brain Performance Center - stay tuned for our next blog post, which will cover the results of my brain wave analysis and how neurofeedback is helping me, without medications to resolve my symptoms of imbalance.

How Much Should You Pay For A Website?

I call it 'business terrorism'.

Businesses - holding others hostage, or using fear - to charge WAY more than they should for website design, web maintenance, hosting, social media and more.

Lately - I've seen several local 'web design' and 'SEO' agencies and firms preying on small business (and doctor's offices mostly, that I have seen).  I have been watching people pay hundreds of dollars for things that take less than an hour to perform (adding links to copy on a page for example, or a new link from the drop down menu on a custom Wordpress site).

I've seen instances this year - where doctors paid more for their website - than they would a luxury car.  

I have seen cases - locally - and recently - where these webdesign and marketing companies 'host' and design the sites for the client, then do not give them access at all or full, free reign to manage their own site, AND then - they charge them unbelievable money to make small changes. (over $1000 to add a link to the navigation? really?)

Now, I'm not talking about a website that provides an interactive, multi-programming platform experience that does something AHHHHH-MAZING.

And if anyone needed that - it's not something we do - it's out of my league and skill set. I'm talking about a Wordpress site design. Or a standard HTML (page by page) small business website.

For this same type of website - which we do every day - our website design rates start at $1500.00 and go up to around $2500 - and it all depends on time involved. We post these rates directly on our website - we try to be as up-front as possible - from the start and communicate the entire way through. Of course - it can cost more - sure - but it rarely is.  We do small changes, updates for our hourly rate and a two-hour minimum. And - I can get a TON done in two hours.  We work hard, one on one try to include as much as we can - to give added value to our clients and do quality work, efficiently. 

Bottom line: we're nowhere NEAR $20k, $30k and even over $50k. (all of which - I have seen here LATELY - as in the last 6 months on more than 5 different local clients)  Makes me wonder if our prices are that far below the ballpark?

And - we don't 'host' sites and mark up that cost with another fee. We charge money for a providing a service to you. We don't need to make more money by marking up hosting. We refer our clients to our favorite web hosting company - Host Assured, and then let our client set up their own account - billing and management so that they can manage that fully moving forward. Why, you ask? We find this works best on a number of levels - 1/ they can get support directly from the host and 2/ if they choose to leave us, or go with another company - they have full freedom over their website, it's content - and who has access to it. These poor companies I've been working with lately seem to be in the dark on their access and what they are paying for. That's just wrong.

Of course, Kari & Co. is just me, and Kim - and a couple of other quality folks. We have some help from time to time with blogging and content, but for the most part we do all of the design work, we have a WONDERFUL programmer friend in Bangkok who is a brilliant jQuery ninja - but beyond that - what you see is what you get with us. We stay busy, we work hard and we feel we provide a quality end result at a competitive price.

But I see an opportunity here. As a consultant maybe - helping clients (especially medical companies needing medical practice websites) save money from the business terrorists.

New Wordpress Website Deisgn - Diva G - Texas Party Band

♫ I gotta feeling.... that tonight's gonna be a good night.... that tonight's gonna be a good, good night....

Hit the homepage of texas party band Diva G and High Maintenance, and you'll hear them performing this hit by the Black Eyed Peas - and now, of course - it's stuck in my head!

So glad to have done a custom WordPress design for this group - Gloria (Diva G) is SO sweet, a local Dallas Ft. Worth singer and their band is so fun. This lady has so much energy!! They would rock the house as your event band or wedding reception entertainment. They also have a smooth jazz band.
 
Gloria D'Azerro and Friends, the Band High Maintenance - thank you for your business and letting us do your new website!

Park Place Dealerships Launches Company Blog

Park Place Dealerships announced the launch of its automotive blog, referred to as "The Expert Blog" following the lead of the company tagline, “Experts in Excellence”.

The blog is designed to provide weekly tips, photos, videos and news/articles on Park Place luxury automotive brands, location news, new and used car sales and service research, as well as local community and event stories. Content will be developed from Park Place members who are truly experts in their respective positions within the dealership. The Expert Blog will provide a platform where members and clients can share and interact with the contributed content.

The blog design makes efficient use of advanced drop down navigation, and interactive and social media widgets designed and developed by a partnership between us, and Lee Chestnutt of Design Chemical. Developed on the popular WordPress blog platform - social media widgets will help make the content more interactive and shareable. We had a vision for a ultra-beautiful and highly-usable blog, and the dynamic WordPress mega menus conceptualized by us, and brought to fruition by Lee - are a huge part of what takes this blog 'over the top'. Thank you Lee!!

Over the last several months, Park Place has made a large effort in increasing exposure across social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Foursquare, and Pinterest. The addition of the blog will make relevant and interesting company and brand news easily accessible to readers. This social media initiative is expected to continue as the company realizes the increasing need for social media interactions and exposure for clients and members. To view the Park Place “Expert Blog” please visit http://blog.parkplace.com.