With Season 1 of our podcast, Beer, Beats, & Business wrapping up, I wanted to share some of the lessons that I learned from my first few months into the podcast world. It's been a lot of fun, and I'm proud of what we've created so far. If you are looking to start your own podcast, these concepts will steer you along the right path. They apply to much more than podcasting, though. Whether you are starting a podcast, a book, a blog, or a business, these ideas are totally relevant. 1. Now is Better than Perfect The podcast idea started kicking around my head 6 months before I got around to starting. I knew a little about audio … [Read more...]
Purple Cow – Seth Godin
This article was originally published on June 30th 2010. And Seth keeps pumping out insightful ideas on current marketing! Big Thought Because the modern consumer is overwhelmed by information, the most effective way to market is to create products and services that are remarkable and stand out – leading people to want to talk about them.[Tweet "The most effective way to market is to create products and services that are remarkable"] Ideas, Implications, and Questions It’s interesting that Seth focuses on a “holistic” view of marketing: instead of seeing marketing as something separate from the product development, what the product is … [Read more...]
Don’t Worry about Keywords on Your LinkedIn Profile
I'm always looking for a few good tips on improving the LinkedIn profile (and I want to keep tabs on what everyone else is talking about). So I read a lot of articles that are some variation of "X number of ways to make your LinkedIn profile work for you". Most give solid foundational tips for the profile. But I see one idea over and over again that I have to say something about. It seems like basic advice but I think it's actually counter-productive. I cringe every time I see it because it's horrible advice to give someone who is reading an article on the basics of writing a LinkedIn profile: Create a keyword-rich summary and … [Read more...]
Business Lessons I Learned from B.A. Baracus
I've read a lot of business books on team-building, delegation, and leadership. But some of the best lessons on teamwork are the ones I learned at my grandparent's house on Saturday afternoons when I was growing up. And I'm not talking about the wonderful things I learned by helping my grandma set the table or by playing cards with my grandpa (although they were pretty awesome). I'm talking about the A-Team. Every Saturday afternoon my cousins and I gathered around to watch the reruns of Hannibal and his crew while they protected some poor soul from the villain of the week and then jetted off just before the MPs got there. MBAs Could … [Read more...]
Act a Little Happier than You Feel
A quick tip you won't find in most business books: Act a little happier than you feel. Whether you are talking to a client or prospect, sending an email to your boss, or attending a networking event, make your disposition a little cheerier than you normally would. Smile a little more, be a little more animated, and when someone asks you how you're doing, say "Great! Thanks for asking." Attitude Has Impact Two things I want to point out. I'm saying act a little happier. I'm not saying that you should be inauthentic and Pollyannaish. But if you are having a bad day, it doesn't mean you have to be completely gloomy and whiny. How … [Read more...]
Technology Can’t Solve Any Business Problems Alone
Today, as you go through your work day, your goal is to solve as many problems as you can. For most of us, that is actually what our work consists of: solving challenges that pop up consistently through the day. Luckily, since our society has advanced a bit, the problems that we face aren't the dire ones that faced our ancestors, like mystery blights destroying our crops or hordes of marauding barbarians. For us, it might be finding prospective clients, balancing the books, or managing different personalities on a project. Technology is Just a Tool Just like our ancestors, we consistently look to technology to solve our problems. They … [Read more...]
3 Ways to Rock Your Second-Half Networking
Ah, July. We're all sitting on a beach, enjoying the summer. But soon the fall will be here and with it the mad dash to accomplish our 2012 goals. Make it easier on yourself by having your network poised to help you as the weather starts to cool. Here are three ways you can make your networking more effective: 1. Create a plan – Many people fail at building a strong professional network because they don’t develop a strategy first, they just blindly flail about. Networking is much more effective when you create clarity around your objectives first. Think about the questions that journalists ask: Who, When, What, Where, Why, and How? Who … [Read more...]