"I happened to stumble across Alarm Security LLC.com while bored and clicking around on facebook. This was the first contest and I noticed a chance to win a free iPad II. The question was, "If you won an iPad, who would you give it to and why?" I was skeptical because there are many contests to win a free iPad on the internet, but the more I checked into it seemed legit, as I seen local friend's associated with family who had entered. The contest rules were quite simple: The comment with the most "likes" in 24 hours wins. I realized I may have a good chance and to win for Joshua. I then summoned my "Angel Army" and they were right behind me, because they knew what an iPad means to an Angel or any special needs child. I wanted the iPad because of the exclusive applications and know that they offer more than a typical communication device. I was running neck and neck with another contestant, during the contest Matt friend requested me personally and I began to realize what a wonderful man he was. I wanted to win, but the contest was so fun.
I had conceded to the other contestant who had 9 more likes than I did, but I walked away filled with joy and pride. I realized that I had 302 "likes" and that meant people behind me, which was a majority of my Angel family pulled together to support me. This was priceless that so many people cared! I even had Angel friends I had yet to meet who were in my corner, just because I had an Angel! When I went to write a congratulations to the other contestant on the while my notifications were going crazy! I had more than 70 within a minute, my chat box opening telling me I had won. I seen Matt's comment about giving us both one and I was reduced to tears! Not because I had won, don't get me wrong it was awesome, but because of the happiness that there are still people in this world with giving hearts. His genorousity amazed me and although I had never met him in person, I already could judge his character and know that he was an amazing man! (Winning the iPad or not)
Soon, we will go meet Matt when I get up that way for an eye doctor appointment. I have spoken to Matt over the phone and facebook and am proud to call him a friend. He and his wife are both beautiful people inside and out. I have never won anything really, so I felt guilty about accepting the iPad. I felt like there were other's more deserving than I was. This is why I wanted to pay it forward and I hope more people do, because what a wonderful world it would be if each person just showed one another a kind action. iPads are expensive, and Matt seems quite blessed financially. I am glad that he is not greedy and shares his wealth to make the world a better place. As I have said, many major corporations become greedy and lose focus on the customer, Matt on the other hand would hands down put his customer needs first. I want to continue to pay it forward, and realized you don't have to have a lot of money to do this, opening a door for someone, paying for their cup of coffee anonymously, helping load groceries for an elderly person. All of these are things you can do to help someone! And if you are blessed financially then you can help people on a larger scale. I hope Matt is proud of what he is doing and realizes the level he has helped people, including msyelf. I also hope that he continues to receive business and that one day Alarm Security LLC will be just as much of a household name as ADT, Brinks or even Vivint. Which Vivint is another great story in itself and we know that!
The iPad has really changed our life, and I am not sure how we made it all this time without it, lol! This thing does everything. I am not going to lie when I say I have used applications to budget the bills! Or that Joshua has shared it with his siblings. ;-)[Image] It's really cool!
For Joshua it has helped with so much. We are still learning and I am overwhelmed with the applications and possibility. I am starting to think there is an application for EVERYTHING! We have taken advantage of many of the "free" lite versions. We have one called Talk2, and Joshua was able to tell us that he would like a drink of soda. I realized he wasn't pressing buttons randomly, but that he really wanted Kenny's soda he was drinking. He usually signs "Please" for a drink, or really anything, but he was able to be specific and tell us!
We have also played several sorting games, association games, matching games and so forth. These are so fun and they have made me realize how much Joshua really knows. For instance there is this one that will show three pictures and play a sound. An example was a picture of a door bell, a cow, and a hair dryer. The sound was a bell and Joshua was able to point to the door bell.
I also have used it myself and downloaded lite versions of behavioral situations and how to properly deal with them. One potrays an autistic child who is having a "meltdown" and it is a simulation where you have different options to console the child. It teaches you how to properly deal with the behavior.
The possibilites on the iPad are endless and needless to say, I know that Joshua will be asking Santa for iTunes gift cards. There is an application called Proloquo2go that is an augmentive communication program that we would like to buy. We are using the lite version and it is amazing!
Joshua lives and breathes the iPad. He wants it from the time he wakes up until he falls asleep, in fact there have been a few nights that I have had to pry it out of his hands because he has fallen asleep with it. He loves it and it keeps him occupied and most importantly he is learning and able to communicate with us.
We are just so grateful!
**Angelman Syndrome is caused by a partial deletion of chromosome 15. For more information, feel free to visit the Angelman Syndrome Foundation at http://www.angelman.org/ or the Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics at http://www.cureangelman.com/. Donna is a wonderful lady, and her love as well as Joshua inspire us all. Now, for a moment read about Matt McMillen, from Alarm Company, LLC, a business that in addition to having an incredible reputation, has an owner that understands the concept of hard work and love.
My name is Matt McMillen. I reside in a small town in Missouri, called Farmington. Farmington has a great feel to it. It is growing rapidly, and everyone knows everyone. I own a company called Alarm Security. We specialize in home and business security with alarm monitoring and video surveillance. I've been in the business since I was 19, and I'm now 30. I LOVE what I do. And I'm good at it. Around here, if you own a company and do good work (or bad work), everyone knows about it. Any company can spend money on advertising. Billboards, radio, newspaper, phonebook, etc. But no matter how much you advertise, people in our community trade with companies because of ‘word-of-mouth’. People buy from you, because they like you. Not because your face is all over the highway and your jingle is played on the radio 30 times a day.
What’s set me apart from a lot of other business owners is: I know that people want to get to know you as a person. As a business owner, I have a budget for advertising. The budget is there, and people DO need to know the Alarm Security name. But I’ve come to the realization that I can give it away, help those in need, and do even more with it. I’ve worked very, VERY hard to make my company what it is today. I’ve been blessed. I’m honest with people and treat everyone like they are my family. Showing love to others, in whatever way possible, is what life is all about. Just sitting down and listening to someone tell you about their struggles, issues, or accomplishments, makes a world of difference in their life.
I grew up poor and from a broken home. I have 3 brothers and a sister. Going in and out of foster homes was very difficult. But I look back now and realize it only brought all of us closer. We are all VERY close. Even to this day. My Grandmother eventually raised us from the time I was 12 and on. She is the one and only person on this earth that I consider a role model. She instilled love, forgiveness, and compassion in all of us kids. The sweetest woman ever. She made me, ME. She didn’t have to raise us, but she did. She is the greatest person I’ve ever known. Even now, in her 80’s, she will call me and tell me a story I’ve heard a hundred times, and I STILL get something out of it. In my eyes, she is the greatest teacher of love ever to walk this earth.
I was very successful at a young age, and I’ve always been driven to be the best at everything. So when I started my company, Alarm Security, I knew it would never fail. No matter what, I wouldn’t allow it. I’ve always been told that I was gifted with words and that I had a great work ethic. I’ve done things that most people would give up on because it was just too difficult. It’s been a long time coming, but my company has peaked is THE STANDARD for security in our area. People know us and love us. And ask for us by name.
We secure thousands of homes and businesses from harm, every day. 24-hours a day.
As the years have gone by and I’ve advertised, my wife told me, “You need to start an Alarm Security Facebook Page.” I looked at her funny and said, “Why?”. She went on to tell me it’s easy to start one and a lot of companies are doing it. This was summer of 2009. So, I did. I didn’t know what to post except security facts and specials we were having. I got some response, but not much. So I spent money on FB ads. Eh…didn’t really do much. Then one day, I had a phonebook advertiser ask me. “What makes you different than other alarm companies?” So, I proceeded to say this and that, like a sales person would do. Then the lady said. “No, what makes you stand apart? From everyone else.” My answer was, “Me.”. She said, “That’s a good answer.” So at that point, I decided to brand my company with ‘ME’.
It was weird at first, putting my face out there. On everything. But it worked. People started to see how much I cared about them, as a person. People got to know me, then my company. And that’s how it should be.
So, back to Alarm Security’s FB page. I decided to stop pushing my products and services. I wanted to ‘give back’. I wanted to make someone’s day. Now, I want to point out that Facebook has revolutionized advertising as we know it. There is no other tool, as a business owner, that you can connect with so many people on a personal level ALL AT THE SAME TIME. By me branding “Alarm Security” with “Matt McMillen” and my personality and values, Facebook was and is that final ingredient to bring all of this together. I’ve done MANY contest giveaways. And those contests usually require the person posting a comment to say something very personal in order to be eligible to win. It started out small. Not many people would post something SO personal, just to win. But as time went on and Alarm Security’s FB page became a place of love and sharing. Now, thousands of people tell their most intimate stories. Stories about love, friendship, kids, family, heartache.
One of those stories in particular was the story of Donna Sweet and her boy Joshua. I had a contest for an iPad 2. I asked, “If you won Alarm Security’s iPad 2 and had to give it away, who would you give it to and why?” Oh my God did the comments pour in! It went nuts with hundreds of comments. The comment with the most likes would win. I got MANY inbox messages both good and bad. The good, I thanked. The bad, I sternly said, “This page is not for you. We are about love. Go somewhere else”. In the end, a woman by the name of Kristin Hale won by just a few votes over Donna. Kristen wanted the iPad 2 for her daughter. Donna, for Joshua. Joshua has a disorder called Angelman’s Syndrome. And in Donna’s post, she very sweetly let us know how beneficial it would be for him, his development and communication skills. Bless Kristin’s heart, she was getting hate mail telling her she didn’t deserve to win because Joshua’s story was worse. Bottom line, KRISTIN DID DESERVE TO WIN. And won fair and square. When I talked to her after she won, she was upset. I assured her that I was glad she won and I hope she enjoys the new iPad 2.
Donna’s story touched me as well. And she was SO close to winning. I really felt compasion for her. So I gave her an iPad 2 as well. The amount of thanks that she has shown to me has been nothing short of amazing. I’m touched by the articles she's had printed in the paper about me and all of the publicity she has given Alarm Security. It feels good to help. Donna has shown an extreme amount of gratitude. And I’m thankful that she and her son Joshua are getting a great benefit out of one of my contest winnings. When it all comes down to it, life is about people. Listening to people. Forgiving people. Thanking people. Loving people. If what I’m doing is making a difference in people’s lives, then I’m honored and I’m proud. I hope to inspire all of my friends on Alarm Security’s Facebook page to live life like it should be lived. With love."
http://www.alarmsecurityllc.com/ : Check out Matt's company here. He is a shining example of protecting and helping others, and God bless him, his family, the Sweet's, and all of their collective dreams, which are so intertwined with beauty.
What’s set me apart from a lot of other business owners is: I know that people want to get to know you as a person. As a business owner, I have a budget for advertising. The budget is there, and people DO need to know the Alarm Security name. But I’ve come to the realization that I can give it away, help those in need, and do even more with it. I’ve worked very, VERY hard to make my company what it is today. I’ve been blessed. I’m honest with people and treat everyone like they are my family. Showing love to others, in whatever way possible, is what life is all about. Just sitting down and listening to someone tell you about their struggles, issues, or accomplishments, makes a world of difference in their life.
I grew up poor and from a broken home. I have 3 brothers and a sister. Going in and out of foster homes was very difficult. But I look back now and realize it only brought all of us closer. We are all VERY close. Even to this day. My Grandmother eventually raised us from the time I was 12 and on. She is the one and only person on this earth that I consider a role model. She instilled love, forgiveness, and compassion in all of us kids. The sweetest woman ever. She made me, ME. She didn’t have to raise us, but she did. She is the greatest person I’ve ever known. Even now, in her 80’s, she will call me and tell me a story I’ve heard a hundred times, and I STILL get something out of it. In my eyes, she is the greatest teacher of love ever to walk this earth.
I was very successful at a young age, and I’ve always been driven to be the best at everything. So when I started my company, Alarm Security, I knew it would never fail. No matter what, I wouldn’t allow it. I’ve always been told that I was gifted with words and that I had a great work ethic. I’ve done things that most people would give up on because it was just too difficult. It’s been a long time coming, but my company has peaked is THE STANDARD for security in our area. People know us and love us. And ask for us by name.
We secure thousands of homes and businesses from harm, every day. 24-hours a day.
As the years have gone by and I’ve advertised, my wife told me, “You need to start an Alarm Security Facebook Page.” I looked at her funny and said, “Why?”. She went on to tell me it’s easy to start one and a lot of companies are doing it. This was summer of 2009. So, I did. I didn’t know what to post except security facts and specials we were having. I got some response, but not much. So I spent money on FB ads. Eh…didn’t really do much. Then one day, I had a phonebook advertiser ask me. “What makes you different than other alarm companies?” So, I proceeded to say this and that, like a sales person would do. Then the lady said. “No, what makes you stand apart? From everyone else.” My answer was, “Me.”. She said, “That’s a good answer.” So at that point, I decided to brand my company with ‘ME’.
It was weird at first, putting my face out there. On everything. But it worked. People started to see how much I cared about them, as a person. People got to know me, then my company. And that’s how it should be.
So, back to Alarm Security’s FB page. I decided to stop pushing my products and services. I wanted to ‘give back’. I wanted to make someone’s day. Now, I want to point out that Facebook has revolutionized advertising as we know it. There is no other tool, as a business owner, that you can connect with so many people on a personal level ALL AT THE SAME TIME. By me branding “Alarm Security” with “Matt McMillen” and my personality and values, Facebook was and is that final ingredient to bring all of this together. I’ve done MANY contest giveaways. And those contests usually require the person posting a comment to say something very personal in order to be eligible to win. It started out small. Not many people would post something SO personal, just to win. But as time went on and Alarm Security’s FB page became a place of love and sharing. Now, thousands of people tell their most intimate stories. Stories about love, friendship, kids, family, heartache.
One of those stories in particular was the story of Donna Sweet and her boy Joshua. I had a contest for an iPad 2. I asked, “If you won Alarm Security’s iPad 2 and had to give it away, who would you give it to and why?” Oh my God did the comments pour in! It went nuts with hundreds of comments. The comment with the most likes would win. I got MANY inbox messages both good and bad. The good, I thanked. The bad, I sternly said, “This page is not for you. We are about love. Go somewhere else”. In the end, a woman by the name of Kristin Hale won by just a few votes over Donna. Kristen wanted the iPad 2 for her daughter. Donna, for Joshua. Joshua has a disorder called Angelman’s Syndrome. And in Donna’s post, she very sweetly let us know how beneficial it would be for him, his development and communication skills. Bless Kristin’s heart, she was getting hate mail telling her she didn’t deserve to win because Joshua’s story was worse. Bottom line, KRISTIN DID DESERVE TO WIN. And won fair and square. When I talked to her after she won, she was upset. I assured her that I was glad she won and I hope she enjoys the new iPad 2.
Donna’s story touched me as well. And she was SO close to winning. I really felt compasion for her. So I gave her an iPad 2 as well. The amount of thanks that she has shown to me has been nothing short of amazing. I’m touched by the articles she's had printed in the paper about me and all of the publicity she has given Alarm Security. It feels good to help. Donna has shown an extreme amount of gratitude. And I’m thankful that she and her son Joshua are getting a great benefit out of one of my contest winnings. When it all comes down to it, life is about people. Listening to people. Forgiving people. Thanking people. Loving people. If what I’m doing is making a difference in people’s lives, then I’m honored and I’m proud. I hope to inspire all of my friends on Alarm Security’s Facebook page to live life like it should be lived. With love."
http://www.alarmsecurityllc.com/ : Check out Matt's company here. He is a shining example of protecting and helping others, and God bless him, his family, the Sweet's, and all of their collective dreams, which are so intertwined with beauty.
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