journey pick

Where would you go if you didn’t get in your OWN way?

Travel is exciting. not knowing where is extra exciting..

Fill out our questionnaire and get secretly matched to a destination based on your travel taste. We take care of everything. You find out where you’re going at the airport!

9,000+ people have already been on their Journee adventure. Be the next!

How it works, unplan your next trip..

When was the last time you surprised yourself? Get ready to Journee in 4 easy steps!

1. Match with

Somewhere unexpected..

Fill in our 10 minute questionnaire to tell us dates, budget, what you love, and where you don’t want to go. Then check your inbox and review your Trip Proposal. No spoilers yet!

2. Keep guessing.

Think you know where you’re going? Think again! We’ll send you fun clues about your surprise destination. But... we’ve not made them easy.

3. Get ready to explore.

We'll book flights, accommodation and authentic local experiences in an unconventional destination. You just have to pack and get ready to embrace the unknown.

4. Show up at the airport.

Turn up when we agreed, open your Reveal Postcard, hop on your flight and head off on your adventure.

Don’t worry.

We’ll tell you what to pack..

INCLUDED WITH EVERY JOURNEE

Travel. without the hassle., get your personalised journee pack..

You'll get a physical pack in the post with everything you need for your trip: your Reveal Postcard, your day-by-day itinerary and your Destination Guide.

TAKE A PEEK AT A JOURNEE PACK

Stay curious, stay connected..

Need help before your trip? Got stuck on your Journee? We’ve got you! Reach our friendly London team anytime on WhatsApp for 5* support.

WHATSAPP US

Answers to your questions, fall in love with somewhere new..

We only select non-touristy, unconventional destinations you might not know much about, but you'll end up falling in love with. We understand if you have questions! We would too.

Where will I end up?

You may Journee in all kinds of places, as long as they’re safe and not touristy. It all comes down to your travel personality!

Can I exclude destinations?

Of course! We want you to experience somewhere new. You can let us know as many places you DON'T want to go to as possible.

How much does it cost?

The minimum is £545 per person for a 4-day trip from the UK or $2,950 per person for a 7-day trip from the US.

Want to know more? Take a look at our FAQs .

Why People Like you love Journee.

Why we started Journee:

Our Promise

• Musical Instruments
• Amplifiers & Effects
• Guitar & Bass Amplifiers & Preamps
• Electric Guitar Amplifiers & Preamps

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Classical Passive Piezo Pickup – EP004K Four Balanced German-made Passive Piezo Pickup Elements – Piezo Pickup for Classical Guitars

Acoustic Guitar Pickup

Bass Guitar Pickup

Classical Guitar Pickup

Passive Soundhole Volume Wheel

Ukulele Pickup

Purchase options and add-ons

About this item.

• AMPLIFY THE NATURAL SOUND OF YOUR CLASSICAL GUITAR - Our passive piezo pickup is an elegant solution for transparent tone to amplify the natural sound of your guitar. Frequency response 22Hz-18kHz. EADGBE guitar frequency range is E2 (82 Hz) to F6 (1,397 Hz).
• EASY INSTALLATION - Easily upgradeable, minimal effort required installation will allow you to enjoy the acoustic guitar’s natural sounds. A premium, clear and transparent passive piezo pickup requires no batteries and makes installation quick and effortless.
• QUALITY GERMAN-MADE MATERIALS - Four balanced high-output, upgradeable German-made ceramic piezo elements are 20mm diameter making it a high-grade, premium quality.
• ULTRA COMPATIBLE WITH CLASSICAL GUITARS - Passive piezo pickup can be installed with classical guitars. We love adding it to Journey Instruments collapsible classical guitars. To enable traveling musician that can amplify their guitar sound and be ready for any gig.
• LIFETIME WARRANTY - Your satisfaction is guaranteed! Enjoy your amplified guitar sounds with our premium quality passive piezo pickup. Upgrade your guitar for complete satisfaction.

Additional Details

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Product information

Warranty & support, videos for this product.

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Customer Review: Fantastic solution for my Lyon & Healy Drake lever harp!

Norman Grachis

Journey Instruments EP001K Acoustic Pickup Review

Journey instruments.

Journey Instruments Passive Piezo Pickup Review

Journey Instruments EP001K Passive Pickup Installation Guide

Journey Instruments Pickup Demonstration - Best Piezo Pickup

Journey Instruments Dual Source Pickup Module Installation

Journey Instruments EP001K Passive Piezo Pickup Demo

Product description.

Pickups & Accessories

Premium Accessories With German Components

EP001K for Acoustic Guitars

EP001K Ceramic Three Balanced German-made Passive Pickup Elements – Piezo Pickup for Acoustic Guitars

EP002K for Bass Guitars

EP002K Ceramic Two Balanced German-made Passive Pickup Elements – Piezo Pickup for Bass Guitars

EP003K for Ukuleles

EP003K Ceramic Two Balanced German-made Passive Pickup Elements – Piezo Pickup for Ukuleles

EP004K for Classical Guitars

EP004K Four Balanced German-Made Passive Piezo Pickup Elements – Piezo Pickup for Classical Guitars

Passive Soundhole Volume Wheel is an add-on for all upgradable JourneyTek passive pickups. Journey Instruments passive soundhole volume wheel adds the ability to control your instrument volume. This is an add-on module for all of the Journey Instruments EP001K, EP002K, EP003K & EP004K pickup modules.

Passport Guitar Headphone Amplifier

The Journey Instruments Passport - A Multi Effects Amplifier that fits in your pocket and is lightweight to carry around (1.94oz). 10 classic preamps, 6 fully customisable effects, an IR cabinet sim, and a powerful recording tool - all created by Journey Instruments for traveling guitarists.

Can I use JourneyTek pickups on instruments other than guitars, basses or ukes?

Our pickups are designed primarily for use with the instruments for which they’re advertised, and our installation procedures are based on these applications.

What are the Thread Specs for Your Pickups?

Strap Button Threads: 3/8-32 standard (if you need to replace the strap button)

Inner socket Threads: M12*0.75 metric (If you need to replace a nut for the pickup inner tube threads)

How are the piezos wired on your passive pickups? (EP001K, EP002K, EP003K, EP004K)

All piezos are wired in parallel to the 2.5mm mono jack that plugs into the back of the endpin guitar cable connector. (and can also plug into the EPA01 volume control wheel)

Is the HA01 Passport Headphone amp really a useful, or just another headphone amp for electric guitar?

This little headphone guitar amp is phenomenal! You can stream-in you favorite tunes with bluetooth to play along. You can create a custom sound and select from 10 custom amps and 10 IR cabinets; then adjust tone, gain and volume.

Will the EP001K fit my guitar?

Fits most 12-string guitars as well. You can allow for about 2 mm overhang off of the bridge plate with negligible degradation in acoustic transfer. If you’re using a classical guitar with a center brace, we recommend 4 piezo elements.

From the brand

Shop Our Bestsellers

Visit the Store

Journey Instruments is a Texas company specializing in travel guitars and instruments that are engineered for the best overall travel experience possible for artists and musicians on the go.

Our goods are developed after hundreds of hours of research and testing to meet the real-life needs of traveling musicians. We aim to empower artists to create and perform with instruments and gear perfectly designed for their travel and performance needs.

Looking for specific info?

Customer reviews.

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 74% 15% 4% 3% 4% 74%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 74% 15% 4% 3% 4% 15%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 74% 15% 4% 3% 4% 4%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 74% 15% 4% 3% 4% 3%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 74% 15% 4% 3% 4% 4%

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers like the quality, value, and sound quality of the musical instrument amplifier. For example, they mention it's a great deal, sounds every bit as good as the K&K version, and keeps the acoustic feel in performance. That said, opinions are mixed on ease of installation.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers are satisfied with the sound quality of the musical instrument amplifier. They mention that it sounds every bit as good as the original, and it keeps their acoustic feel in performance. They also appreciate the amplified sound, saying that it has the best value, tone, and sensitivity of all the ones they've tried. Customers also say that it allows them to adjust their tone as needed with very little EQ.

"... Completely noise free which the recording engineers demand:⁠-⁠)..." Read more

"Clear instructions, easy to install, sounds WAY better than the Fishman under-saddle that came with my Guild...." Read more

"...3/27/23 UPDATE, after all that, they work perfectly and sound great !..." Read more

"...I plugged it into my DI Box on my desk and was amazed with how good the guitar sounded (hence why I'm typing this. I was that blown away)...." Read more

Customers like the performance of the musical instrument amplifier. For example, they say it works extremely well, produces outstanding results, and works well for the price. Some mention that the initial stage use was extremely positive and that there were no feedback issues.

"...playing style since the whole top is now amplified, it worked wonderfully through a preamp ...." Read more

"...3/27/23 UPDATE, after all that, they work perfectly and sound great!..." Read more

"...This one seems to work good ...." Read more

"This product worked very well for the price ...." Read more

Customers appreciate the value of the pickups. They say they're a great deal and save them a fortune.

"...And the price can't be beat - best bang for the buck." Read more

"...These pickups are a great deal !" Read more

"...I landed the this pickup given how reasonably priced it is, and all the reviews I saw online were nothing but positive...." Read more

"... Great value for the money !..." Read more

Customers are satisfied with the quality of the musical instrument amplifier. They mention that it is well conceived and executed, with sturdy transducers that give a very natural tone. Customers also say that it works great and is worth serious consideration.

"...tune the tone to your taste, but the discs are large, seem to be high quality and pick up well...." Read more

"EP001K : I really like these. The transducers seem sturdy , and to my ear they give a very natural tone...." Read more

"These piezo’s are amazing! They look and feel very high quality and they sound just as good as the k&k’s at a much cheaper price...." Read more

"...and accessories may differ, but this Journey pickup is worth serious consideration ." Read more

Customers are satisfied with the pickup of the musical instrument amplifier. They mention that it's an excellent passive pickup system, and a great addition to the Journey pick ups.

"...to your taste, but the discs are large, seem to be high quality and pick up well ...." Read more

"...By the way the pick up itself is OK for what I'm using it for. Small acoustic parts in production work...." Read more

"...I installed them in a Mahogany acoustic guitar. These are passive pickups , so you will need a preamp, and the preamp and amp that you run them..." Read more

"This is an excellent passive pickup system . I have another brand installed in my Larrivee, bur these ae much better in my opinion...." Read more

Customers like the representation of the musical instrument amplifier. They mention that it has a really nice, hassle-free acoustic pickup, and that the piezos are amazing. They also say that the sound is clear, rich, and all around more natural.

"... Good representation of the guitar , especially from a passive transducer. Much nicer than an under saddle piezo...." Read more

"These piezo’s are amazing ! They look and feel very high quality and they sound just as good as the k&k’s at a much cheaper price...." Read more

"...The sound is leaps and bounds better than the woody, super nice and natural sounding...." Read more

"...This is warmer and all around more natural . It sounds more like my actual guitar!I'd say its virtually unbeatable at this price!..." Read more

Customers are mixed about the ease of installation. Some mention it's pretty easy to install, with nifty installation tools included. They also say it resulted in easier mounting. However, some say it was the hardest part of the entire install, frustrating, and there were no printed instructions.

" Clear instructions , easy to install, sounds WAY better than the Fishman under-saddle that came with my Guild...." Read more

"...This review is all about the installation and issues I experienced. Not too hard but not as easy and smooth as the video makes it seem...." Read more

"While the kit did not come with instructions I was able to find a similar install online...." Read more

"Best bang for your buck! It sounds good and the install was not so bad ." Read more

Customers are dissatisfied with the size of the musical instrument amplifier. They mention that the pickups are too large, the sensors are much larger, and the plug is too big. Some say that the discs are not mini and will not fit in the optimum locations in guitars with tight spacing.

"...The actual problem is that the piezo mini plug is too big to go into the end of the jack cover to connect to the plug...." Read more

"...With this being a smaller guitar, my hand barely fit though the sound hole ...." Read more

"This product worked very well for the price. The plastic template did not fit exactly on my Yamaha bracing just forward of the bridge, but I..." Read more

"...The Journey discs are much larger and I had difficulty fitting them on the somewhat limited bridgeplate real estate of this forward shifted 000...." Read more

Reviews with images

Installation issues, but they work!

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

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‘The Bachelorette’ Finale Recap: How Did Jenn’s Journey End and Did She Pick Marcus or Devin?

Jenn Tran had two men left to choose from on  The Bachelorette finale:  Marcus Shoberg or  Devin Strader . After telling both men she loved them during fantasy suites week, she had a big decision to make during the Tuesday, September 3, episode.

The finale began with the clip that’s been teased all season: Jenn telling someone, “I can’t let you propose to me,” before putting her final rose back on the podium. In between the previously-filmed clips, host Jesse Palmer was back in the live studio with updates.

Jenn Tran Introduces Devin to Her Family

Before bringing the men to meet her mom,  Trinh , brother  James , aunt Lylan and friend Nicole , Jenn spent some quality time with her loved ones. She revealed that she had “equal” feelings for both of them and informed them that Devin had told her he loved her but Marcus didn’t.

Devin was first to meet the family . He had a conversation with Lylan and Trinh about race and opened up about how he loves Jenn because he makes her feel seen. He also vowed to always be someone who makes Jenn feel safe and be the man she never had in her life since her father wasn’t around. Trinh and Lylan were admittedly worried about giving Devin their blessing to propose because they thought Jenn needed to be in a longer relationship with someone before settling down. Trinh told her daughter that she thought she and Devin needed more time to understand each other before a proposal.

James took it upon himself to “grill” the guys because he was playing the role of father figure in the situation. Devin pointed to his and Jenn’s similar upbringings — growing up without their dads playing a prominent role in their lives — as a reason to why they’ve gotten so close. James also would not give his blessing to Devin to propose and didn’t feel like he could until he met Marcus first. However, he said he respected the fact that Devin asked.

Devin left the day feeling unsure about where he stood because of Jenn’s family’s concerns, but she assured him that she loved him and told him not to get in his head about it.

Jenn Tran Introduces Marcus to Her Family

Next, it was Marcus’ turn to meet the family. James said he was going into the meeting with an open mind, despite fearing that Jenn was falling for another emotionally unavailable man since Marcus hadn’t used the L-word yet. Off the bat, James was concerned that Marcus wasn’t opening up about his feelings for Jenn, even though he “appreciated” that the Army veteran spoke so openly about his difficult past and upbringing .

Marcus told Lylan and Trinh that he still wasn’t in love with Jenn but believed that he could get there. He also said he still felt like it was possible for him to get to the point of being ready for an engagement. James admitted to his sister that he “wasn’t sure” about Marcus because he didn’t know if he was giving her the love she needed like Devin was. He said Marcus seemed to “fit the mold” of Jenn’s exes.

After speaking with her family, Jenn knew she had to ask Marcus the tough questions and find out where he was at. Marcus said he felt “progress” after the day with Jenn’s family but she needed more. He said he wasn’t uncertain about her but was putting pressure on himself to have the family that he never did growing up. After they spoke, Marcus still didn’t say “I love you” and Jenn still didn’t have the answers she wanted.

Jenn Tran and Devin Strader’s Final Date on ‘The Bachelorette’

Jenn went on her final date with Devin in Hawaii. The two took part in a traditional Hawaiian ceremony that was meant to help them let go of the past and embrace the future.

After Jenn opened up about wanting to let go of her fear of abandonment, Devin went into the second part of the date wanting to make sure she knew he’d always be a safe space for her. Devin gifted Jenn with something he was given by the shaman on their first one-on-one date, which meant a lot to her because it represented his commitment to spending the rest of his life with her.

Jenn Tran and Marcus Shoberg Split

A lot more was riding on Jenn and Marcus’ final date, as she was still waiting to hear that he loved her. She went into the date with more uncertainty in their relationship than ever before. Meanwhile, Marcus told Jesse that he was still “so torn” about whether or not he was in love with Jenn. Jesse urged Marcus to tell Jenn that he loved her if that’s how he was really feeling.

Before the date, Jenn approached Marcus in his hotel room to get the answers she wanted before moving forward. He said he regretted not diving deeper into what he wanted from the future on their overnight date. “I’m struggling, for sure,” he told her, adding, “You make me want to keep trying. My highest aspiration in life is to find love and start a family. … I know that my feelings for you are real and that I can picture it with you.”

Jenn pointed out how much she invested in her relationship with Marcus and wasn’t feeling the same reciprocated. Finally, Marcus said, “At the end of the day, I know that I love you and I want to be the type of person that fights for it. I want to do this with you. I want to give it a try.”

Jenn was still conflicted, though, and needed a minute to process what she wanted to do. Although she finally heard what she wanted to hear from Marcus, she still had a “pit in [her] stomach.” Marcus told Jenn he knew that he wasn’t giving Jenn what she needed and wasn’t living up to what she wanted. Jenn was “done waiting around” for somebody to get to where she needed them to be.

“I’m just done,” she said. “I genuinely had so much hope for us.” She thanked Marcus for being honest with her about his feelings because it was what helped her come to the realization that they weren’t meant to be … then she sent him home and they broke up .

Did Jenn Tran and Devin Strader Get Engaged on ‘The Bachelorette’?

Devin met with  Neil Lane to pick out an engagement ring, but Jenn went into the final rose ceremony a bit unsure of what she wanted to do. “I have to choose myself,” she said. “I’m not going to let Devin propose to me today.” Jenn revealed that she wanted to propose to Devin herself.

However, instead of airing the proposal, the footage cut back to Jesse in the live studio. He confirmed that the proposal happened, but said that “because of what has transpired since,” he wanted to talk to Jenn before airing it.

Jenn Tran and Devin Strader Split

Back in the live studio, Jenn was in tears. She confirmed that she and Devin left Hawaii engaged and said it was the “happiest day of [her] life.” But, “As soon as we left Hawaii, things were just different,” she added. “It kind of just felt like he was pulling away. All the promises he made of wanting to move somewhere together and have this future planned out and wanting to see each other all the time … slowly he was pulling away. The efforts were inconsistent. He wasn’t calling as much, wasn’t texting as much. I was confused. I didn’t understand.”

Jenn revealed that Devin broke off the engagement one day before they were meant to meet for a happy couple weekend at the beginning of August. She said he started pulling away from her and she assured him it would be fine if they just dated, even without the engagement. “He was just checked out. It wasn’t what he wanted anymore. I’ve been fighting for the relationship,” she added. “He didn’t want to go to couple’s counseling. He didn’t want to fight for the relationship anymore. He was just done.”

Deal of the Day

It had been over a month since Devin and Jenn saw each other and it was time to come face-to-face. She claimed he had been avoiding her ever since the split.

Jenn told Devin that she understood him changing his mind, but didn’t understand his behavior in the days after the breakup. She also called him out for following other girls , including  Maria Georgas , on Instagram after their split.

Jenn Tran’s Proposal to Devin Strader

Despite the dramatic breakup, ABC still aired the footage of Jenn’s proposal to Devin . She professed her love to Devin and asked her to marry him.

“Devin, you were the first person to really see me and take the time to understand me,” Jenn told Devin. “You were always a constant. Our love was always there. I’ve never doubted for a second how much you loved me.” She told Devin she couldn’t let him propose to her and instead popped the question to him. Devin still gave Jenn the ring he picked out for her too.

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• Marcus Shoberg
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Customers Are Changing – Is Your Business Ready? Follow these four strategies to adapt to changing customer demands and leverage them for success

By Sarah Acton Edited by Micah Zimmerman Sep 6, 2024

Key Takeaways

• Align teams for a seamless customer journey and foster cross-functional collaboration for success.
• Build trust through authentic customer engagement, leveraging technology and strong company values.

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

In the fast-paced world of beauty, Glamnetic transformed a simple idea — better eyelash extensions — into a $50 million business in five years. Their success stemmed not only from an innovative product but also from their approach to customer engagement.

For 25 years, I've worked on and helped build some of the best-known B2C and B2B brands – from LinkedIn to Yahoo!, Coca-Cola brands, Home Depot and now BILL. I've seen a consistent trend that Glamnetic co-founders Ann McFerran and Kevin Gould understood instinctively: customers are changing .

A new generation of customers

Shifts in customer behavior have implications for businesses of all sizes. However, small and midsize businesses (SMBs) that are particularly time — and resource-constrained can face unique challenges in understanding and responding to changes in customer expectations.

For B2B and B2C brands, customers are no longer satisfied with being passive recipients of products and services. Increasingly, they seek active engagement with brands and a consistent experience along their journey with a brand. Advances in technology and AI are key drivers, heightening expectations for new innovations in e-commerce or self-service tools. Also, with more competition, switching costs are lower, making retention all the more important. And with a more agile, online and mobile business presence, customers expect to see their feedback quickly reflected.

Here are four simple and effective strategies I've seen SMBs use to respond to these shifts in customer behavior and leverage them for success.

1. Build a seamless customer journey

A customer's journey begins before a sale. From the moment they signal intent, you want to deliver a coherent, holistic and seamless experience . Creating this experience can be tough because, typically, different teams look after different parts of that customer journey. This process can cause friction or missed opportunities as customers move through the customer funnel.

If you can align sales, marketing, customer support and product or engineering teams and point them towards the same north star of a 'seamless customer journey,' you can deliver a great experience at every touchpoint.

Some companies, like BILL, have brought together GTM teams (sales and marketing) to drive greater alignment and focus from the beginning of the customer journey. Creating circular feedback loops is very important to ensure customer insights gained at any point can inform business strategy, product and engineering, marketing or support.

Your leadership team plays a central role in facilitating this cross-functional collaboration , but establishing a culture of empowerment at every level is the key to ensuring all employees feel ownership of the customer journey.

Related: How to Nurture Your Leads and Create the Right Customer Journey

2. Communicate w ith customers

Great brands don't just market to customers — they open a two-way dialogue with them that is targeted to their needs and interests and authentic to company values and voice. To do this, they start by listening to customers' needs and then building a brand and marketing strategy around them.

An effective two-way communication approach meets customers where they are — and in the modality they choose. Focus on how your communications can add value to customers' lives. For example, share educational content to help customers optimize your product or service. Building community between customers is a fantastic way to deepen emotional connections with your brand.

Glamnetic did this exceptionally well. They harnessed the power of Instagram , user-generated videos and genuine customer interaction to grow a devoted "Glam Fam" community. They capitalized on the trend of social media discovery.

Through this, they identified a growing demand for more natural-looking lashes and press-on nails and expanded their product line. Glamnetic curated a space for authentic customer interaction and harnessed this community to ensure every interaction was an opportunity to learn and strengthen customer relationships.

Related: 5 Ways to Communicate More Effectively With Your Customers

3. Make technology a competitive advantage

Technology is a game-changer for SMBs looking to understand better and serve their customers. As automation and AI become more powerful and ubiquitous, so too does the ability of SMBs to incorporate technology across every part of the customer journey.

For example, financial automation software can help you improve operational efficiency and productivity and ensure teams can spend more time with customers and less time in the back office. Customer relationship management (CRM) tools track interactions and gather customer insights to spot trends that can feed into every part of your business.

Analytics platforms help you understand customer behavior on your website or app so you can better target your communications with customers. And AI-powered chat can equip SMBs to provide 24/7 customer support.

Take Amy Liu, founder and CEO of Tower 28 Beauty. Amy started her business with a mission to sell clean beauty and skincare products. But she found herself spending time on manual back-office tasks. By upgrading their technology and investing in financial automation software, Amy used the time she saved to focus on expanding their retail footprint. Their products are now carried in Sephora stores across the U.S. and Canada. Automation also helped Amy stay focused on the one that mattered most: customers.

4. Live by your values to foster trust

In a competitive landscape, trust is the most valuable asset a SMB has. To build trust, you first need to deliver on your product or service promise to customers. You also need to establish emotional connections with customers to translate that trust into long-term loyalty. Do they believe in your mission? Do they understand your commitment to innovate for them? Can they feel the empathy you have for their needs?

Trust starts with a company's values and culture. Values guide who you hire, the products you build, the service you provide and how you communicate. Values provide certainty, security and reassurance to customers. If something goes wrong, customers need to trust you'll put their interests first and be accountable to them. It's also not enough to write values on a wall or website – you must infuse them at every level of your organization.

Related: 4 Reasons Values Matter So Much in Business

At BILL, our five values (authentic, accountable, humble, passionate and fun) inform our business priorities and decisions and guide our engagement with customers. We measure and reward employee performance against our values. We reiterate them in every company meeting and discuss them with customers, investors and partners.

Concentrating on agile, empathetic and customer-centric approaches can help SMBs reap the benefits of an increasingly engaged, tech-savvy and community-oriented customer base. By instilling strong company values, leveraging technology, building a seamless customer journey and engaging in two-way communication, SMBs will not only earn the loyalty and trust of customers — they'll also win.

Entrepreneur Leadership Network® Contributor

Chief Customer Officer of BILL

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

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Welcome to Santa Clara Marriott

Discover our hotel in santa clara, ca.

Experience the ultimate Silicon Valley lifestyle at Santa Clara Marriott, where innovation meets California living. Nestled in vibrant Santa Clara, just 10 minutes from San Jose International Airport, our hotel is your gateway to premier attractions. Discover Levi's Stadium, Santana Row, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara Square, Eataly, Stanford University, and hundreds of Northern California wineries. Whether for business or leisure, our resort-style accommodations cater to all. Unwind in style in our 766 contemporary guest rooms, each with modern furnishings, Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and plush pillowtop beds. Enjoy our refreshed fitness center, Silicon Valley's largest pool, or bask in California sun. Savor dining at Bosc + Bartlett and The Orchard, offering culinary delights with local influences. Elevate your stay with exclusive access to our M Club lounge including hot breakfast and Hors d ‘Oeuvres with drinks in the evening. Book your stay today and embark on an unforgettable journey in Silicon Valley.

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Check-in: 4:00 pm

Check-out: 11:00 am

Minimum Age to Check In: 1

Smoke Free Property

Pets Not Allowed

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Hourly: $15.00

Daily: $40.00

Bosc + Bartlett

Enjoy fresh and flavorful food and libations at Bosc + Bartlett. We welcome travelers and locals to a dining place offering delightful fare and a perfectly curated bar program.

The Orchard

Come enjoy a full breakfast buffet at The Orchard

Fuel your day with grab-and-go offerings from The Market in the Lobby. Open 24-hours, The Market has everything you need to complement your stay in Santa Clara.

Bosc + Bartlett Bar

Meet a colleague for lunch, or have a local craft beer or a glass of Napa wine as you wind down from your day in Santa Clara

More Ways to Enjoy Your Stay

Fitness Center

State-of-the-art indoor fitness center featuring Peloton Bikes

Let Your Stay Take You Further

Broaden your experience with us, whether by deepening your knowledge of cocktails in our Greatroom or learning something new with Manchester United.

Food for Your Journey

Pick up a fresh snack on your way out or linger over a meal with us. From light bites to classics with a local twist, enjoy food that is familiar yet elevated beyond the expected.

Experience Marriott at Home

Bring thoughtfully chosen details from our home to yours, from our iconic Marriott Pillow to our bath and body collection.

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2700 Mission College Boulevard, Santa Clara, California, USA, 95054

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Accepts: Cash, Credit Cards

Property has elevators

Languages spoken by staff: English, Spanish

For more information about the physical features of our accessible rooms, common areas or special services relating to a specific disability please call +1 408-988-1500

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Carbon Footprint: 11.84 kg per room night

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A Day of Wine in Livermore, California

Not many people outside of the wine community in Northern California know that Livermore – a city about an hour east of San Francisco and about an hour and a quarter southeast of Napa – is one of the oldest wine growing regions on the West Coast. The first commercial vines were planted there in the 1840s – whereas in Napa, commercial production of wine didn’t start until 1858. Many of the pioneer winemakers in Livermore such as C. H. Wente and James Concannon, who still have active wineries today, began their journey’s in the 1880s. In fact, it was Livermore Valley that put California on the wine map when they captured America’s first international gold medal for wine in 1889 at the Paris Exposition.

Growing up in Northern California, I’ve always known about Livermore, but not until recent years did I realize that Livermore was home to over 40 wineries. On this day trip – my second for wine tasting – I visited four wineries. The day began at Thomas Coyne , a historical plot of wine land just south of Livermore’s town center. In 1994 winemaker Thomas Coyne reopened the old Chateau Bellevue Winery on this estate, which was originally built in 1881 by French engineer Alexander Duvall. Pulling up to the winery on a dirt road, rickety red barns dot the landscape and swim amongst a sea of old vines and a handful of sheep grazing in the field. The tasting room is up on a hill in an old brick building with stone floors, oak barrels from Virginia and Pennsylvania, and a wood bar with a hodge-podge of nick-knacks, awards and old wine boxes. The winery specializes in both Rhone and Bordeaux varietals, but today they were pouring Rhone which suited me just fine.

We started with a crisp Viognier, then moved onto a Rose of Grenache, Cotes du Rhone blend, Grenache, Mouvedre, Syrah, Reserve Syrah, and finished off with a port and late harvest Viognier. Overall, I enjoyed the wines and was extremely impressed with the price point – $14 on the low side and $28 on the high side. Most of the wines were priced in the mid to high teens, which for quality, low production California wines is almost unheard of. Something you’d be hard pressed to find in the more popular California wine regions of Napa, Sonoma or even Paso Robles.

From Thomas Coyne, I headed about 10 minutes north and stopped at a smaller, off-the-beaten-path spot called Rodrigue Molyneaux . I had done a little research beforehand and was intrigued by their selection of Italian varietals, which are always a pleasant thing to see when looking at winery after winery of Cabernet and Zinfandel. The tasting started off with a secret blend called Il Segreto which was an interesting Italian red served chilled with some mild carbonation. It was fresh, crisp and a pleasant start to the lineup. From there we went on to taste the Primitivo, Nebiollo, a very interesting blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese called Cabiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and a late harvest Barbera. I wound up purchasing a bottle of the Sangiovese, which we did not taste, for $26. Overall, a pretty solid winery with some interesting selections for the area.

After a quick stop in downtown Livermore for a late lunch, we continued on to a winery on Tesla Road – a major wine thoroughfare that runs through the town. I was attracted to La Rochelle because of their lineup of Pinot Noir, but a little hesitant because of the higher price points and tasting costs (after all, this is Livermore – tastings shouldn’t be $15 a pop). Regardless, we decided to swing by the La Rochelle property which shares a lot with Steven Kent , a winery that specializes in Cabernet. After mistakenly going into the La Rochelle seated tasting room which serves cheese and wine pairings for $20 per head, we re-routed into the Steven Kent tasting room which offered two tastings – the La Rochelle Pinot flight and the Steven Kent flight. Each for $10. I opted for the La Rochelle Pinot flight which included a Pinot Blanc and three Pinot Noirs. The last Pinot Noir, a silky smooth 2008 selection from the Sonoma Coast was an extremely limited production, 50 case-wine only available to club members, but was the clear highlight of the tasting. Marked at nearly $50 I would have probably passed either way, but the tasting was nice – big pours in a beautiful tasting room that focused on comfort and privacy. Our server – yes, the tasting room has table service – also poured a beautiful Steven Kent Port as an extra plus at the end. If you’re a Pinot or Cabernet fan, and you’re not looking to rush through your tastings, I’d recommend a stop here.

The final spot on the list was Eagle Ridge , a winery about 8 minutes due east on Tesla Road from La Rochelle/Steven Kent. It’s a nice ride that takes you further into rural Livermore where the rolling hills and vineyards become even more picturesque. On the drive out, you pass by Boaventura , a small winery I visited previously and would highly recommend to a first-timer in Livermore. But, go a couple minutes further and you reach Eagle Ridge – a right turn off the road, at the top of a hill, at the end of a dirt road that takes you all the way down, up and over to a menacing tasting room. The owner was sitting behind the bar, surrounded by antiques, vintage car goods and Livermore memorabilia. The winery specializes in Petite Sirah, but also serves a Pinot Grigio, Zinfandel and a fortified wine made from Sauzao grapes. I was attracted to this vineyard because they produce wines made exclusively from grapes grown in Livermore. This is not the case at any of the other wineries we visited today.

I wasn’t a big fan of the wines at Eagle Ridge. The Zins and Petite Sirah’s were restrained, earthy and weren’t over the top bombs, but overall the dirty taste profile wasn’t working for my palate. That said, the winemaker was a great guy, the tasting didn’t cost a dime and the view from the winery was pretty great. I will say that the Port at the end had me almost ready to buy. It had huge chocolate notes and some nice depth, but at $25 for a 375ml bottle, I just wasn’t ready to make the purchase.

At the end of the day, if you live in Northern California and haven’t experienced the Livermore wine region, it’s a no brainer – plan a trip. If you’re visiting Northern California for the first time and want to experience wine country, go to Sonoma. If you’ve already done Napa and Sonoma and are interested in exploring something new, think about checking out Livermore. It’s a good spot with laid back wineries, history, relatively low price points compared to most other California wine regions and there are some pretty good wines to be found if you do your research. On the other hand, there are probably better wines to be found in Paso Robles and the Santa Cruz mountains, so… take your pick. California is full of wonderful surprises.

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Supreme Court rejects bid to restrict access to abortion pill

In a blow for anti-abortion advocates, the  Supreme Court  on Thursday rejected a challenge to the abortion pill mifepristone , meaning the commonly used drug can remain widely available.

The court  found unanimously  that the group of anti-abortion doctors who questioned the Food and Drug Administration’s decisions making it easier to access the pill did not have legal standing to sue. 

President Joe Biden said in a statement that while the ruling means the pill can remain easily accessible, “the fight for reproductive freedom continues” in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s ruling two years ago that overturned abortion rights landmark Roe v. Wade.

“It does not change the fact that the right for a woman to get the treatment she needs is imperiled if not impossible in many states,” he added.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing for the court, wrote that while plaintiffs have “sincere legal, moral, ideological, and policy objections to elective abortion and to FDA’s relaxed regulation of mifepristone,” that does not mean they have a federal case.

The plaintiffs failed to show they had suffered any injury, meaning that “the federal courts are the wrong forum for addressing the plaintiffs’ concerns about FDA’s actions,” he added.

“The plaintiffs may present their concerns and objections to the president and FDA in the regulatory process or to Congress and the president in the legislative process,” Kavanaugh wrote. “And they may also express their views about abortion and mifepristone to fellow citizens, including in the political and electoral processes.”

The legal challenge was brought by doctors and other medical professionals represented by the conservative Christian legal group Alliance Defending Freedom.

“We are disappointed that the Supreme Court did not reach the merits of the FDA’s lawless removal of commonsense safety standards for abortion drugs,” said Erin Hawley, one of the group’s lawyers. She told reporters she is hopeful the underlying lawsuit can continue because three states — Idaho, Missouri and Kansas — have brought their own claims and have different arguments for standing.

By throwing out the case on such grounds, the court avoided reaching a decision on the legal merits of whether the FDA acted lawfully in lifting various restrictions, including one making the drug obtainable via mail, meaning the same issues could yet return to the court in another case.

Another regulatory decision left in place means women can still obtain the pill within 10 weeks of gestation instead of seven. 

Likewise a decision to allow health care providers other than physicians to dispense the pill will remain in effect.

The court’s decision to roll back abortion rights two years ago led to a wave of new abortion restrictions in conservative states.

Then, the court suggested it was removing itself from the political debate over abortion, but with litigation continuing to rage over abortion access, the justices are continuing to play a pivotal role. 

Abortion rights supporters welcomed the ruling, with Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, saying she was relieved at the outcome but angered about the case lingering in the court system so long.

“Thank goodness the Supreme Court rejected this unwarranted attempt to curtail access to medication abortion, but the fact remains that this meritless case should never have gotten this far,” she said in a statement.

Danco Laboratories, manufacturer of Mifeprex, the brand version of mifepristone, praised the ruling too, saying it was good for the drug approval process writ large.

In rejecting the challenge, the court “maintained the stability of the FDA drug approval process, which is based on the agency’s expertise and on which patients, health care providers and the U.S. pharmaceutical industry rely,” company spokeswoman Abigail Long said.

Anti-abortion groups expressed disappointment, saying that the ruling highlighted the importance of this year’s election in which Democrat Biden, who has pledged to defend abortion rights, faces off against Republican Donald Trump, who has the strong backing of conservatives who oppose abortion.

“Joe Biden and the Democrats are hell-bent on forcing abortion on demand any time for any reason, including DIY mail-order abortions, on every state in the country,” Marjorie Dannenfeiser, president of SBA Pro-Life America, said.

If Trump were to win the election, his appointees to the FDA would be a position to impose new restrictions on mifepristone. Biden’s campaign manager, Julie Chavez-Rodriguez, alluded to the possibility in a call with reporters after the ruling. Calling the case “one tactic in a broader, relentless strategy” by anti-abortion activists, Chavez-Rodriguez said if Trump is elected, his advisers and allies would try to ban abortion nationwide “without the help of Congress or the court,” and also restrict access to contraception — a threat, she said, to blue as well as red states.

The mifepristone dispute is not the only abortion case currently before the court. It is also due to decide whether  Idaho’s strict abortion ban  prevents doctors in emergency rooms from performing abortions when a pregnant woman is facing dangerous complications.

Mifepristone is used as part of a two-drug FDA-approved regimen that is now the most common form of abortion in the United States.

Abortion is effectively banned altogether in 14 states, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that backs abortion rights.

The FDA had the backing of the pharmaceutical industry, which has warned that any second-guessing of the approval process by untrained federal judges could  cause chaos and deter innovation.

Last year, Texas-based U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk issued a sweeping ruling that completely invalidated the FDA’s approval of the pill, leading to panic among abortion-rights activists that it would be banned nationwide.

The Supreme Court last April put that ruling on hold, meaning the pill remained widely available while litigation continued.

The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in August then narrowed Kacsmaryk’s decision but left in place his conclusion that the FDA’s move to lift restrictions starting in 2016 was unlawful.

Both sides appealed to the Supreme Court. The court in December took up the Biden administration’s appeal in defense of the later FDA decisions, but it opted against hearing the challenge to the original approval of mifepristone in 2000. 

The Supreme Court focused solely on the later FDA action, including the initial 2021 decision that made the drug available by mail, which was finalized last year.

This article first appeared on NBCNews.com .

Lawrence Hurley covers the Supreme Court for NBC News Digital.

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San Francisco 49ers | Luke McCaffrey looks to make his own name in…

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San Francisco 49ers

San francisco 49ers | luke mccaffrey looks to make his own name in the nfl apart from dad and brothers.

ASHBURN, Va.  — Luke McCaffrey has some big cleats to fill as the son of Ed and brother of Christian . Also following brother Max, he is on the verge of being the fourth member of his family to play in the NFL.

McCaffrey knows all about what comes with having a well-known last name, and now he’s trying to make his own name in professional football as a rookie wide receiver with the Washington Commanders.

The converted quarterback has already formed a strong bond with Jayden Daniels and expects his upbringing on and off the field to help him adjust to the next level.

“I took everything from them,” McCaffrey said of learning from his father and brothers. “So much of life is the nurture aspect of that and becoming a product of your environment, and I was lucky enough to have such a beautiful environment growing up.”

Ed won three Super Bowls total with San Francisco and Denver during a career lasting more than a decade spent catching passes for the New York Giants, the 49ers and then the Broncos. Christian is a two-time All-Pro running back who’s on the cover of the latest Madden video game, the reigning AP Offensive Player of the Year and perennially among the top fantasy football picks in leagues around the world. Max appeared in six games in 2017 and ‘18 before moving into coaching, where he’s now an assistant with the Miami Dolphins.

McCaffrey, a third-round pick out of Rice who previously played at Nebraska, calls growing up in such a decorated family “the biggest blessing I never earned” given the resources he has had at his fingertips along the way.

College coach Mike Bloomgren said, partially as a result, McCaffrey “broke all the norms” moving from quarterback to receiver.

“Does it come from having a dad that played in the league 13 years and brother who he can lean on and say: ‘Hey, on this, what do you do? What is your mindset? How do you prepare for X?’ Sure,” Bloomgren said in a phone interview. “All those things help. But they’re going to help with this transition, too.”

Bloomgren, who was Stanford’s offensive coordinator when Christian played there, said he first met Luke more than a decade ago and has gotten to know the family very well. A former New York Jets assistant who has been coaching Rice since 2018 , he is not in the least bit worried about the McCaffrey name getting to Luke.

“Maybe the pressure that comes with being Ed’s son or Christian’s brother gets lost somewhere on Luke because he’s so hard on his friggin’ self,” Bloomgren said. “You have to remind him to go to the next play because he is such a perfectionist. Great ones can realize it and strive for perfection but let it be water off a duck’s back so that they can go to the next play and understand that that play that just happened good or bad can’t affect them in the next one. And I think Luke’s grown tremendously in that.”

Bloomgren said that was a struggle for McCaffrey at QB, part of what precipitated the position switch prior to the 2022 season. McCaffrey has since made 129 catches for 1,715 yards and 19 touchdowns, with nearly 400 yards rushing mixed in as a dual threat like Christian, a running back who’s just as reliable as a receiver out of the backfield.

McCaffrey believes his background and history helped the most in communicating with quarterbacks, be it in college or since being drafted and dealing with Daniels, Marcus Mariota , Jeff Driskel and Sam Hartman with Washington.

“He came up as a quarterback and he understands the time that’s needed that you have to invest in the playbook,” Bloomgren said. “That’s been really cool for him to have under his belt as a receiver and not just understand how to study and how to prepare in such a way but also to understand what the quarterback wants you to do as a receiver.”

Washington coach Dan Quinn thinks it has helped McCaffrey learn concepts and depth of routes quicker than expected, making him a more refined pro receiver than expected at this stage. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury appreciates what McCaffrey’s path has done to shape the 23-year-old’s mindset.

“He dealt with some adversity, and he kept fighting,” Kingsbury said. “He doesn’t care if he plays quarterback, running back, whatever. He just wants to play, and that’s fun to be around. Really smart, same type-deal. I mean, he’s up there all hours of the day trying to learn and trying to get it down — and every drill we do, he is full speed.”

So many hours that when Daniels started doing early morning walkthroughs in the Commanders’ practice bubble, he was joined by McCaffrey, who saw the work the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner was doing, asked about it and showed up daily to be a part of it.

That level of commitment comes as no surprise to Christian, who got emotional when he saw Luke’s name scroll across the TV as the 100th pick in the draft earlier this year.

“I know how hard he’s worked,” Christian said. “I know the journey he’s been on. I know the ups and the downs that he’s gone through, and he’s done nothing but persevere through them. I’m fired up for him, and hopefully he has a lot of success.”

AP Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow in Santa Clara, California, contributed.

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Installation Guide for EPA01 passive volume knob:

• First select the optimal location for your volume knob around the sound hole. Place the volume knob in the area near the sound hole that does not bump into the bracing. This may be slightly off-center, but you want the wheel to be easily accessible using your thumb or finger while the strings are on the guitar.
• After you determine the volume knob location, then unplug the piezo wires from the back of the guitar plug jack, and plug this back into socket on the volume knob.
• Insert the male connector coming from the passive volume knob into the back of the pickup jack.
• Remove the adhesive from the back of the volume knob module and attach it to the soundboard with the volume wheel next to the soundhole.
• Use the 3M secure clips to secure the lose wire to the side of the guitar so it does not vibrate.
• If the connections are solid you should now be good to go.

Installation Guide for JourneyTek® Passive piezo pickups. (EP001K, EP002K, EP003K, EP004K)

CLICK HERE FOR A COMPANION PDF MANUAL

Note For Ukulele Piezo Positioning: Most ukuleles have three fan braces as shown in the image below.

Position the two piezo elements of the EP003 pickup on either side of the center brace. Because of the size of most ukulele sound holes and the relative distance to the bridge plate, it is sometimes difficult to position the piezos on the bridge plate at the position (1). Alternatively you can position them in location (2). The attachment process is identical to that shown in the above video, with the exception that you will not be using a jig, but will rather hold the piezo in place with your finger until the glue dries.

FOR 12 STRING GUITARS:

Use the EP001K model and position the piezos in similar positions you would for a standard 6 string. Our piezos are wide enough to pick up the signal of all 12 strings with 3 piezo elements.

FOR CLASSICAL GUITARS AND PINLESS BRIDGES:

If you want to position directly under the saddle, or if you’re working with a pinless bridge, you can search on YouTube for “under bridge pickup instal on pinless bridge” and one of the top results show how you can drill into the saddle slot to use a jig for positioning the piezos on a pinless bridge.

For most classical guitar installations, however, our piezos fit perfectly along the bridge plate for most models, and we recommend you use one of these two configurations based on the spacing of the braces on your guitar.

Installation Guide for JourneyTek® EPS001 Dual Source Module

CLICK HERE FOR COMPANION PDF MANUAL FOR EPS001

Notes for EPS001 Installation:

• If you’re upgrading to the EPS001-05K or EPS001-15K  from the original EP001K, you must be sure to use the new socket provided with the EPS001-05K or EPS001-15K  kit. It should look like B in the chart above. If you have an older pickup jack and try to route the “out” to this jack, it will have no signal.

HA01 Passport Headphone Guitar AMP Manual

For Troubleshooting – See FAQ for Electronics FAQ

*  Scroll down to Section 4. Electronics FAQ

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