Everyone gives a presentation at some point in their career.

And whether you thrive on the opportunity to showcase your accomplishments or shudder at the thought of speaking in front of a crowd, there’s no denying that professional presentations and strong public speaking skills are important qualities to have.

Although it might seem intimidating, giving a presentation doesn’t have to be scary. Planning ahead, remaining authentic and owning your nerves are some of the best ways to impress clients, coworkers or management during your next presentation.

Continue reading to learn more about how to give the best presentations.

We get it. Phone interviews are tricky, but they’re also an unavoidable reality when it comes to finding a job or internship.

At Garden Media, we screen every intern candidate with a phone interview first. This ensures we’re bringing in the right people for the job and, most importantly, not wasting anyone’s time.

As the intern supervisor, I’ve conducted a fair share of phone interviews. I am here to tell you there are specific things that make one candidate stand out from the others.  

Continue reading for tips on how to nail a phone interview. 

Now that we know divergent thinking leads to innovative ideas, it’s time to discuss another important factor in creativity:having FUN!

While work and play may seem like conflicting ideas, an article in Entreprenuer Magazine suggests having fun in the office can increase employee motivation and productivity, which leads to increased ROI.

Google may be one of the most well known companies famous for having fun. The company is well known for its innovative office designs and creativity-based culture.

While we might not have tube slides and food trucks at Garden Media Group, we still know how to have fun while getting the job done.

Read more to learn about ways you can integrate fun in the office.

For today's Thanksgiving post, we want to take the time to express our gratitude. At Garden Media, our greatest strength is our hardworking, creative team. I am thankful for them. This year, we celebrated our 27th Thanksgiving as a company. And that makes me thankful for Suzi, her dedication to this company, our clients and the industry amazes me everyday. And finally, we’re thankful for you, our readers and friends, who find our content valuable, interesting and newsworthy. We couldn’t have done it without you.

In addition to homoring our team and YOU... we're combining two of the best things on the internet: food and infographics.

Remember, when crafting content for your blog, you have to think about topics that will not only educate and inspire your audience, but also encourage social sharing - all while maintaining your own, unique voice.

So while yes, Thanksgiving is about giving thanks, spending time with family and remembering our roots, it's also about food. So, let's pay homage to what we're all truly excited for... 

The New York Times published 'The United States of Thanksgiving,' a list of recipes that represent the 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico! The dishes range from traditional cranberry sauce to creative twists on favorites such as Pennsylvania's glazed bacon. 

Keep reading to check out the map for your state and dish:

With more than 100 million monthly users globally, you must know that Pinterest is an important piece of your brand’s quest for social media domination.

And with two-thirds of the content being Pinned from businesses, brands that pin daily, have original content and large followings are more likely to get their name out to the masses.

Users are browsing the site for everything from inspiration to how-to's. And the site recently introduced a buy it now button for those who want to make a purchase on the spot.

Make the most of this platform to increase your brand's presence.

Read on for 5 tips for creating great content for Pinterest.

Think about the way you think. Yes, it's a strange question, but are you capable of changing the way you think?

Most people are set in their ways, which can be dangerous working in a creative environment.

Original ideas are essential to repeatedly impressing clients and customers. New ideas often stem from different ways of thinking.

Divergent thinking and inspired brainstorming sessions can be extremely beneficial in the workplace, especially when it comes to developing innovative solutions.

Read more to learn about divergent thinking.

2016 is quickly approaching, which means it’s time to refresh your garden brand’s Pinterest strategy. 

Over the past five years, Pinterest has become the second most high-powered search engine (behind Google) that delivers your content directly to target audiences that want to see it.

The best thing about Pinterest: content survives long-term on the platform. 

The second best thing, Pins continue to drive traffic back to your website long after you initially pin it.

A study by Piquora found that 40 percent of pin clicks happen within the first day, 70 percent happen within the first two days, and the remaining 30 percent of clicks happen 30 days and beyond.

This is truly social marketing gold. A tweet lives for about 2.8 hours (if you’re lucky) and a Facebook post lasts 3.2 hours. Pins practically live forever on the site and 80 percent of the images on Pinterest are repins, 

Get started creating your 2016 Pinterest strategy with these six tips.

Volkswagen is facing a storm of bad publicity surrounding the recent emissions test scandal.

Chipotle has temporarily closed a number of its western stores due to E. coli outbreaks.

Crises like these happen all too often these days and it is crucial to know how to react in these situations.

A publicity crisis has the potential to destroy a brand. If dealt with in a positive manner, companies can, and often do, rebuild themselves by responding quickly and honestly.

Read more to learn about the best ways brands can respond to a publicity crisis.

We now know there are a variety of benefits that come with decorating the workspace. Not only does it spark creativity and boost productivity, it also allows employees to show off their personalities.

My personal workspace reflects who and what I admire most. My desk – accompanied by a giant, colorful corkboard – showcases everything from inspirational Beyoncé posters to pictures of my family to houseplants.

A little desk décor makes all the difference in the world - and the Garden Media office agrees.  

Continue reading to see what type of décor inspires the rest of the Garden Media team.

At the start of the World Series, PR Week asked the question: What World Series team has the better story to tell?

New York Mets fans cheered for the underdog team to win their first World Series title since 1986.

Kansas City Royals fans were excited about the chance of redemption after their loss in 2014. 

Most people have blind loyalty to a team, largely due to city pride. But it doesn’t hurt when the team has a great story to tell.

The start of each season brings about a hopeful new chapter, with the players as the characters and the anticipation of ending the story with the ultimate victory, a World Series title.

However, sports teams aren’t the only ones with a story. Brands can – and should – tell stories, too.

Read more to learn about how your brand can tell a story.