Posted on 04/13/2013
MS is effects a lot of people in the Pacific NW. It seems everyone knows someone who faces the daily challenges of it. Pacific Perks is one of those and actually the reason for its creation. My husband, Jim has had MS for 15 years and it has slowly changed our lives. The silver lining is that we were given the strength to take a leap of faith to start our own business and we are forced to balance our life.
Today we will be at the Portland MS Walk serving complimentary espresso on behalf of Questcor- come by and grab a cup! Questcor will also be having us on the 20th at the MS walk in Salem. You can look for us at the Vancouver walk on the 20th as well.
I also want to take a moment to thank all of our friends and family for their support that seems endless. Jim and I are so humbled by the generosity and caring we have been surrounded by. Enjoy the picture below! This is Jim on his new mode of transportation – the cruzin cooler. It enabled us to enjoy our trip to Cancun. The cooler goes 15 miles per hour and carries a case of…. Well whatever you would like.
Make it a great day
- Natalie
Posted on 04/07/2013
Meet Becca, Becca will be 11years old May 1st – the same day my daughter (London) will turn 11 years old! Becca comes to work everyday with her Dad and stops by my office for her daily treat. Sometimes I am on a phone call and I find myself holding up my finger mouthing “Just a minute” like she can hear me. I realize she can’t when she finally gives up and turns to find the next source.
Most days I jump from my desk to give her treats. I asked her Dad if she knows any tricks. He said, “Well she knows how to get you to give her a treat everyday”. This is true and I love it!
Posted on 02/04/2013
Wedding dreams come true
On the news we see stories all the time about how someone got ripped off or taken advantage of and the misery it can create in their lives. Recently we were able to actually change the misery into smiles and happy tears. We are very lucky to be a part of EventFusion which is our team of events service providers like ourselves. Kristina, from Niella’s Special Events, heard of a couple who lost their deposit when their wedding venue closed their doors then she had an idea and took action. Watch the rest unfold on KATU2 Problem Solvers.
Posted on 06/05/2012
You know when you are traveling through your day and you NEED a cup of coffee or your stomach is telling you to find food immediately. You need something that won’t be a hassle. So you find a cafe’ and enter the door. Usually you have the hope that the espresso, food and service will be good, the atmosphere enjoyable and you will be satisfied. Well that is what the Pacific Perks’ Personal Cafe’ delivers every time.
The big difference is that we bring our Personal Cafe’ to you. We deliver great espresso and food, we add to the atmosphere of your events and we strive for you to be fully satisfied. Every time.
Here’s why our Personal Cafe’ experience is perfect for any event:
Our service becomes YOUR cafe’. Whatever you dream up for your event we have either done it before or are willing to try. Creativity and flexibility allows us to fulfill your needs and satisfy your goals.
Made-to-order. It’s nice to be taken care of! Our staff is trained to do just that. All our espresso and food options are made-to-order so you get just want you want, just the way you like it.
Hassle free. We handle the details so you can relax and enjoy your event. We bring in everything and haul away the mess. What could be better?
We can customize our services for your event. It’s fun to have a Mocha named after your employee-of-the-month, or a Latte named after the bride. We can wear your branded gear while we serve so we represent who you are.
We are an interactive cafe’. Our baristas are professional and social. We know how to have a good time or impress your clients. We know how to encourage conversation because our espresso bars will sometimes become the “center of attention” at a party where everyone wants to gather.
Pacific Perks is wonderful espresso, roasted locally in Vancouver Washington. Our clients are always satisfied with the delicious taste and wide variety of our drinks.
So to summarize. Our services are the hassle free way to spice up the atmosphere of your events with made-to-order espresso and food from professionally social baristas who can represent you and your brand or keep the party caffeinated all night long. In short, we are YOUR Personal Cafe’, able to accomplish your dreams and satisfy your guests. Every time!
Posted on 05/10/2012
Teacher Appreciation at McKay Elementary School
One of our favorite weeks of the year is Teacher Appreciation. The work teachers do is so important and they deserve some espresso to keep them going strong. This year we donated an espresso bar to a school that told us why their staff deserves a coffee cart. We got a lot of great entries from Vancouver and Portland that were very deserving of a treat. This was a tough decision but in the end we choose a Beaverton school, McKay Elementary, because we felt the principal exemplified the dedication and care the staff has for students. It was an honor to serve them espresso and we’ll do this again next year.
Here is what Megan Clifford had to say about the McKay staff:
“I am principal at McKay Elementary school in Beaverton. I LOVE that you raffle off espresso’s for educators! The reason MCKAY deserves to be treated to free espresso is because of our staff’s dedication! Teaching is a labor of love at our school. McKay is a title I school which means we have a high number of students receiving free or reduced lunch. Currently this is 60% of our kids. About a third of our kids rely on us for a hot breakfast in the morning, too. In addition about 1/3 of our kids are trying to learn english. Our teachers are teaching to a very diverse population which requires so much planning and differentiating their teaching, and they love their work. There is even a group who come in every Sunday to get more work done!
Our school is very old…. we don’t have the bells and whistles that schools in wealtheir neighborhoods have…. our families just can’t afford it. But you walk into our school and you can “feel” the love and dedication in our community. I hear that from people who come in all the time. It is all because of our teachers, secretaries, custodians, and instructional assistants. They take each child’s academic growth very personally. The go above and beyond—when there has been a house fire, a death in a family, or families can’t afford gifts during the holidays- they step up to help out in any way they can. This isn’t easy is such a small school, as it requires so much from everyone.”
Megan Clifford
Principal
McKay Elementary School
Posted on 05/03/2012
We’re talking about Vancouver WA not B.C. where businesses can, and do, thrive. At the Vancouver Business Journal’s Business Growth Awards that was perfectly apparent. From trampoline parks (G6 Airpark) to a fast growing marketing firm (Gravitate Design Studio) and a Canine Utopia (Canine Utopia) there was a myriad of companies on hand with a plethora of stories about struggle leading to success. It was also very encouraging to see a business that has averaged 25% growth over the last four years (Ryonet) and many companies hiring new staff in 2011! During the current recession the news seems to be more about the bad than the good. That’s why Pacific Perks is very honored to be in the company of so many great companies who are proving that there is a lot of good going on in business due to perseverance and ingenuity.
It was also fun to mingle with entrepreneurs who have a passion for success. During the last couple years it hasn’t been easy to run a company of any size but it has always been worth it.
Check our the full list of finalists in the VBJ.
Posted on 04/27/2012
It pays to appreciate the people important to your business! Throughout the year there are dozens of “official” dates on the calendar that give upper management a reason to say “Thank You” to the people who make their businesses, schools and medical offices run smoothly and succeed. Without the teachers who go the extra mile, secretaries who work late and nurses who make the patients feel good it would be very hard, if not impossible, to have a successful operation. A “thank you” doesn’t have to be extravagant to be effective. A lot of employees just need to be acknowledged for their efforts, commitment and contributions.
Appreciate everything your associates do for the business. Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen, well-timed, sincere words of praise. They’re absolutely free and worth a fortune. ~ Sam Walton
Posted on 01/25/2012
Are you lucky enough to have a great client base who you can relate to by name or event talk to when you see them outside of work? Having this type of relationship with people comes from the mentality that without your clients, you won’t stay in business. Whatever you can do to please the people who ask for your goods or services is what you need to do to build a lasting business.
There are a lot of tips out there for how to treat a client but the one that holds up during a recession, or in an economic boom, is “treat people the way you want to be treated”. Maybe it’s cliche but it will serve you well! Whenever you run into a situation that needs special handling, just ask what you would need to be happy with the resolution and then you’ll come up with the “right” way to resolve the issue. If you wouldn’t like the way an issue is handled, then either will your client.
Posted on 01/12/2012
How much caffeine is in your drink of choice?
One shot of espresso = 77 mg
Cup of brewed coffee = 60-90 mg
Tea = 30-35 mg
12 oz Coke = 40-45 mg
Posted on 11/21/2011
People are always talking about how important coffee is to their morning. Here’s a couple quotes that prove just that:
“In Seattle you haven’t had enough coffee until you can thread a sewing machine while it’s running.” ~Jeff Bezos
“Coffee smells like freshly ground heaven.” ~Jessi Lane Adams
“I believe humans get a lot done, not because we’re smart, but because we have thumbs so we can make coffee.” ~Flash Rosenberg
