Laura Blakney

Freelance Writer and Graphic Designer

 

Work Samples

This is just a very small sampling of what I can do. Please see my freelancer profiles (on the Contact Me page) or email me to see more work samples.

Published Press Release Samples

Show America Teams Up with Badgeville to Offer 

Superior User Loyalty Program

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/8/prweb9845039.htm


Flora & Muse Will Host Springboard South Music 

Festival’s 2nd Stage

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/5/prweb9461926.htm 

Blog Sample: Why Do I Still Have Acne, and How Can I Get Rid of It? 

No one likes acne, especially teenagers who are trying to fit in and not look like they have the measles. But teenagers aren't the only ones who get acne problems; adults often suffer from acne too. Sometimes it may seem like despite your best efforts and hygiene attempts, the pimples just keep on coming. What can you do to stop them? Here are some tried and true tips that can help eliminate your acne problems for good.


  1. Consistency. No acne treatment system will work if you don't use it regularly. Why? Because your body is constantly secreting oils in your skin that attract dirt. So even when your face doesn't feel oily and dirty, it is still dirty. So skipping washing your face at night or in the morning means that the oils and dirt are staying on your skin for another 12 hours- creating prime conditions for acne to form. Whatever face wash system you use, use it every morning when you wake up and every evening before bed. Pick a face wash system that has a toner and moisturizer.


  1. Use an exfoliating face wash at least once a week. Even if you are using Proactive, it's still important to use a face wash with exfoliating beads or that gritty stuff. Think of it as your weekly “deep clean” for your skin.


  1. After washing your face, use an acne spot treatment gel where you have pimples. Do this every time you wash your face. This seals in the pimples and dries them out. You can use them on spots with heavy blackheads too, but be careful to not put the gel on too large of a surface area too often, as it can dry out your skin. Use it mainly on whiteheads, large blackheads and pimples.


  1. Ditch the makeup. This is a tough one, since most people with acne problems want to cover it up. But this actually makes the problem much worse. Wearing foundation and concealer clogs pores, and applying it with a sponge that traps bacteria is just asking for a breakout. It's hard, but ditching the heavy makeup will do wonders for your skin. Once your skin has cleared up, try using a light mineral powder if you absolutely must have foundation on. This will smooth out your skin's texture without being heavy like foundation.


  1. Hands off! One of the biggest causes of acne is hands and hair. They both have oils that when in contact with your skin, can clog your pores and cause acne breakouts. So leaning your head on your hands or picking or touching your acne with your fingers is a no-no unless you are applying acne medication. If you get acne on your forehead, you might want to consider growing out your bangs or curling them so they don't touch your forehead.


  1. Drink lots of water! Hydrated skin is healthy skin. By drinking lots of water, your skin will be able to process toxins and the things that clog your pores more easily.


  1. Avoid oily sunscreens. Don't put anything on your skin that has oils in it. Suncreen is a huge offender; it clogs pores badly, and since you're outside sweating the problem gets even worse. But you still need to protect your skin, so look for brands that offer lighter, oil free options for acne prone skin. Try to wash your face more often on days that you are wearing sunscreen.


Remember, only using one of these tips will not solve your acne problems. It's using all of these tips together that will keep your acne from being a problem. It's all a part of having a healthy, acne free lifestyle.



Blog Sample: Jobs Act Frees 
Entrepreneurs to Boost Economy

Being a technology start-up has many challenges, one of the greatest being the limitations on raising capital. Up until the recent passing of the Jobs act, the General Solicitation Ban has made it very difficult for a young start-up to get the initial financing they need by cutting off important income sources. The Jobs act removed that ban, and offers a higher shareholder limit for companies before they must go IPO, and crowd-funding options to help raise capital. 

Unlike investment companies with capital looking for someone to invest in, who can contact and market themselves in any way they choose, the start-ups had many obstacles to face in order to get the funding they so desperately needed. Before the Jobs act, they were only allowed to seek out accredited investors, and only if they met certain qualifications. They could not use any sort of general advertisements, whether it was through social media or a newspaper ad.

Being denied their greatest asset, which is marketing, meant that their investment options were severely reduced. Without marketing to solicit decent investments, the business takes much longer to become successful, if it survives at all, while postponing much needed jobs that could be assisting with the stabilization of the economy.

Those who do get the capital they need often have to sacrifice control of their company, bowing to the wishes of investors instead of focusing on building the business to its highest potential. In some cases, the investor’s control ultimately leads to the entrepreneur being fired and losing the business they fought so hard to build.

Here is the law that prevented start-ups from using social media or any other type of advertisement to secure the initial funds needed for growth:

Limitation on manner of offering. Except as provided in Rule 504(b)(1), neither the issuer nor any person acting on its behalf shall offer or sell the securities by any form of general solicitation or general advertising, including, but not limited to, the following:

  1. Any advertisement, article, notice or other communication published in any newspaper, magazine, or similar media or broadcast over television or radio; and
  1. Any seminar or meeting whose attendees have been invited by any general solicitation or general advertising;

The pre-Jobs act system can be thought of this way. If you have money to invest, you may advertise all you want, and companies will come to you for investment. But the entrepreneur trying to grow his website idea must jump through countless bureaucratic hoops to share his business’s investment potential with anyone. This is unbalanced and detrimental to start-ups, and therefore the economy.

How many new jobs would we have if a start-up was not so difficult to fund? Studies done by the Kauffman Foundation show that the majority of new jobs are created by new companies. Therefore, the more new companies we have, the more new jobs will be created and the lower the unemployment rate will be.

Fortunately, the new Jobs act has changed everything. With the General Solicitation Ban gone, the shareholder limit bumped from 500 to 2,000 with employees excluded from the count, and the allowance of yearly “crowd funding offerings” amounting to $1 million without SEC registration, new business start-ups now have a better chance of success. The new system will encourage more start-ups, meaning that more new jobs that will be created to boost the economy. 

The Jobs act has untied the hands of the nation’s young entrepreneurs, giving them and the public they serve a better future.