Team TAG helps Homeboy Industries go solar!

Last holiday season Team TAG's solar crew raised money for Homeboy Industries to put solar panels on their roof. Homeboy Industries, which was founded in Los Angeles by Father Greg Boyle, serves high-risk, formerly gang-involved men and women with a continuum of free services and programs and operates seven social enterprises that serve as job-training sites. Offsetting the costs of utility bills is going to help provide more funds for training, job placement, educational and mental health programs.  Team TAG is proud to have helped such a wonderful cause!  As we say in the office, making the world a better place one solar panel at a time!

Check out more about this wonderful cause at Everybodygosolar.org http://www.everybodysolar.org/our-work/solar-projects/current-projects/117-solar-for-homeboy-industries

Team TAG attends BGCV Youth of the Year

On Tuesday, February 25th Team TAG’s top reps Andrew and Ryan attended the Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year awards at Google Headquarters in Venice Beach, California.  The Youth of the Year is the Boys & Girls Club’s premier youth recognition program for Club members ages 14-18.  The program promotes and celebrates their service to the Club, community, family, academic performance, spiritual values, life goals, poise and public speaking. The Club’s local Youth of the Year is awarded a $1,000 scholarship and participates in a state competition. State winners participate in a regional competition. Each regional winner receives a $10,000 scholarship and competes on a national level. The National Youth of the Year receives an additional $15,000 scholarship and is installed by the President of the United States. Out of all of the finalists from the Boys and Girls Club of Venice, Idalia Munoz was named the Club's Youth of the Year on February 25th. This was an inspirational event held at Google's new location in Venice. One of Google's very own was a member of the Boys & Girls Club. He had an amazing story about how the Club changed his future and even led him to Google. The children also had great stories with inspiring details on how the club changed their lives.  Team TAG is very proud to witness all the accomplishments of the youth at the Boys & Girls Club of Venice.  We’re excited to see them grow and do wonderful things for their club and their communities.

team TAG Management Enjoy Rest and Relaxation in Arizona

Our management team here at team TAG enjoyed some much needed rest and relaxation in Phoenix over the weekend.  The Arizona Grand Resort and Spa included some amazing golf, views of Phoenix, water slides and lazy river.  Look out for more about the conference and the trip in an up and coming press release!

Here is a picture of the team all dressed up for a Wild West theme Dinner!

Team TAG wins Campaign Cup Again!

Team TAG wins Campaign Cup Again!

The team gets to hold onto the campaign cup for one more quarter! The campaign cup is awarded by our client Quill to the highest performing office in the country. High standards and a strong work ethic keep our team at the #1 spot!

Our team surrounding the campaign cup!

Team TAG ranks #10 in Los Angeles Business Journal’s Best Places to Work

Team TAG ranks #10 in Los Angeles Business Journal’s Best Places to Work

Our team was honored to be awarded the #10 spot among other small businesses in the Los Angeles Business Journal’s Best Places to Work.  Ellesse and Jamie were our representatives at the luncheon this past Wednesday, August 21 at the J.W. Marriot in Downtown LA.  We moved one spot up from #11 in 2012.  We credit our increase in the ranks to the wonderful team we currently have!

Our management team Jaime, Manilynn, Ellesse, Yarin, and Mirza with our #10 certificate!

Team TAG Participates in 25 Days of Giving

It is officially the last month of 2012 and the Christmas season is upon us all. It is one of our favorite times of the year because it is a great season of giving. As a company, we have a motto of not only do we work in a community, but we love to give back to the community whether in big or small ways. For this Christmas season, we are excited to have 25 Days of Giving Back to LA. Each day of December we will have a random act of kindness to do in our city and spheres of influences.

The schedule has been as follows:

Day 1: Make a stranger smile.
Day 2: Don’t gossip. Speak well of others and give 3 compliments to someone
and really mean it.
Day 3: Thank the mailman, janitor or any service person you encounter today.
Oftentimes these service workers go unnoticed and do the work that many people
do not like to do.
Day 4: Write down 5 things you are thankful for on a piece of paper and post it
somewhere you can see it often.
Day 5: Buy a coffee/give something to a homeless person. There are many
homeless people in LA and oftentimes they go without food or shelter for days.
Day 6: Call your parents/loved ones and tell them you love them and appreciate
them for all that they do for you.
Day 7: Laugh heartily and spread holiday cheer to one and all
Day 8: Find 3 or more items in your closet to give to a local charity place (i.e. Goodwill or Jewish Women’s Council)
Day 9: Go and meet your neighbors and get to know them.
Day 10: Send a holiday card to a friend(s)
Day 11: To be announced via Facebook…

Each day leading up to Christmas, we will be revealing what to do. Each task will be a way to build a stronger relationship with those around them. Also to spread holiday cheer. There is not enough kindness in the world that is encouraged and developed. We are excited to hear how people will effect change to those all around them. Post to our Facebook page or email us ways that this has affected your life!

Happy Holidays!

Team TAG Begin Office Olympics

We might not have had an opening ceremony in London, England, but here in Culver City the captains have been chosen, the draft has been completed, and the games have begun!  Last Tuesday evening Team TAG's usual workout nights were replaced with the first round of our Team Night Olympics 2012 with an intense game of ping pong, or as it is officially called in the Olympics, Table Tennis!

Blurry action shot of President, Jaime Hepp against account representative, Ryan  Castro.

Team Ashley, Mac, Stefanie, and Andrew battled it out on the ping pong tables at the Boys and Girls Club of Venice.  Team Mac won 1st place in the first round of Team Night Olympics, but the games continue tonight with Taboo!

Which team will come out victorious?!  Who will be crowned the winner of this season's Team Night Olympics?!

Team TAG pumped after National Conference in Atlanta

Team TAG attended their US National Conference held this year at the Hyatt in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. After flying in on Friday afternoon and enjoying the sights in the city, the team enjoyed networking mixers, motivational speakers, and educational workshops all weekend.

This year's general session speaker was wrestler Anthony Robles.  Despite being born with only one leg, Robles trained and persevered to win a NCAA championship during his senior year at Arizona State University.  The theme of his talk was "Unstoppable" and spoke about the various challenges he faced and how he overcame them.

The team posing on stage after the awards dinner.

In addition to speakers and workshops, the team took home some much deserved awards.  The admin team, Manilynn Disuanco and Ellesse Wong, took home Tiffany's jewelry for being in the top 10% in the nation.  Team TAG President, Jaime Hepp, accepted the Million Dollar Club Award on behalf of the ICL accruing over a million dollars in revenue last year.

Overall, the conference was a huge success as an opportunity to connect with fellow business professionals, enrich our selves and become even more pumped up to hit our goals for the rest of the year!

Team TAG goes GREEN with new Solar Initiative

Monday, April 16 marks the start of the new Solar Campaign here at Team TAG.  Check out the official press release here: http://bit.ly/IySaRj.

Team Leaders Teach Career Workshop

Two of TAG's best team leaders, Jinu Park and Mirza Ulasoglu, spent their Friday afternoon volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club of Venice.  They participated in leading a career workshop teaching teens on how to prepare for interviews and impress future employers.  They definitely made the experience enjoyable and memorable for the teens.

Jinu and Mirza with the group of teens.

“The session prepared me for what I will encounter during a real job interview.  It was fun and intense at the same time, but I learned how to handle myself under pressure and what types of questions to expect and therefore I now know how to prepare.  It was interesting because the session wasn’t typical and boring, it was very interactive and it made all of us practice this important skill” – Max Ericastilla  12^th grader from Venice High School

Team TAG is constantly involved with various events at the Boys and Girls Club of Venice including their annual Silent Auction, Thanksgiving Dinner, and Dodgeball Tournament.

Jinu the teens how to "sell" themselves.

Charity Poker Tournament

On Sunday, March 25, TeamTAG held it's 2nd Annual Charity Poker Tournament raising money for Operation Smile.  The event brought together a group of motivated, young entrepreneurs with a passion to give back to the community.

 The rain didn't stop us, we moved the tournament indoors!

With each player donating $20 to buy in, half the pot was donated to Operation Smile.  While additional funds were raised selling  bahn mi sandwiches to the hungry poker players prepared by Team TAG's very own Helen Davidov.  Over $250 was raised to help children born with facial deformities, such as cleft lip and cleft palates,  receive safe and effective reconstructive surgery.

"It's cool because you get to help the children out, make money, eat food, and show everyone you are the #1 poker player in the office," says winner, Mac Bunnag.

 Aykut Eren doesn't look too happy for winner, Mac Bunnag.

The event was a huge success thanks to then planning and preparation of event organizer, Mac Bunnag.  Big thanks to Helen Davidov and her family who graciously let TeamTAG use her home and cooked delicious Vietnamese sandwiches.  Thank you also to Manilynn Disuanco who did a fantastic job of bookkeeping and keeping track of all the financials.

All of this would not have been possible if it wasn't for the TeamTaggers who spent their time off on a Sunday to give back to the children. TeamTAG is constantly involved in the community and we look forward to the next awesome philanthropic event these studs put on!

Team Night Olympics are Back!

The captains have chosen their teams, the events have been set, who will be the winners of this season's Team Night Olympics!?  

This year's team roster!

Last year, Mani's team was dubbed the under dogs but came out victorious winning a weekend trip in Big Bear!  This's year's prize is still to be announced, but we're looking forward to some intense games of Taboo & Jenga, volleyball, ping pong, and the return of Minute to Win It!  We're all about friendly competition here at TAG.  What are some ways you foster team building and leadership in your office?

Some of last year's events: Billiards, ping pong, basketball, and Jenga!

Check out our blog's new look!

Welcome to the REVAMPED team TAG Blog!  Help us get cool, new followers, like you!  Like us on facebook, tweet us on twitter, subscribe to this blog through RSS or email (through the link to the left).  Thanks for the support!

Promotions! The Office is On Fire with New Leaders!

Heather Thaung and Mctana Bunnag on their promotion day.

Adding to the exciting growth and expansion at Team TAG, two new leaders Heather Thaung and Mctana Bunnag were promoted on the same day as the Los Angeles 'Get Motivated' Business Seminar that our top leaders attended.

Annual Team Building Retreat at Big Bear Lake!

 Tug of war!

We had a blast with all kinds of crazy team building events up in the cabins & mountains of big bear. Teams were drafted and competed in canoe races, high ropes courses, beer pong, and many more events! Already looking forward to next year's draft!

The yellow team posing with their trophy!