Yes and No

Early on in my career as an entrepreneur I made a critical mistake...I said yes to everything.  Can  you produce a newsletter for us...yes, can you handle our direct mail...yes.  Can you do this, can you do that...yes of course.  The yes's wore me very thin and I lost...

Comfortable

Most people are trying to get to a place in life where they are comfortable.  But people who are comfortable in their relationships, finances, careers, etc are so because they've gotten use to being uncomfortable. You have to be willing to do things you're afraid to...

Are You Enjoying The Process

There was a time when hardly anyone wanted a Picasso.  But today of course an original Picasso goes for many hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Even after becoming famous and wealthy Picasso took great risk in deepening his art by developing  styles like cubism....

Two Phrases To Help You Become More Successful

Here are two phrases that you should use more often, followed by a few thoughts on each. 1. How Can I Help This is an embodiment of what Jesus says is the second greatest commandment - love your neighbor as you love yourself. When you look for ways to help others you...

Elevator Pitch

Hey Arnold tell us a joke. I don't know any jokes. In his new book Total Recall, Arnold Schwarzenegger shares a story about how early in his career he was at a celebrity party and got caught unprepared.  Fortunately Lucile Ball came to his rescue.  But preparedness is...

Google Split Testing

Most of agree that in life having a Plan A and a Plan B makes perfect sense. The same goes for your website marketing.  It's called A/B split testing. A/B testing various components of your website to discover what smaller changes you can make to have a larger impact...

Vibram Five Fingers Shoes Review

Vibram Five Fingers Shoes Review

I've been wearing Vibram Five Finger Shoes now for about 3 years.  My friend Guy Shultz who's an early adopter was the first person I know to have a pair.  What really motivated me to try them though was the book Born To Run by Christopher McDougall.  What has...

The Story You Tell Yourself Matters

The Story You Tell Yourself Matters

You will tell yourself a story today.  I will be along the lines of these three themes. Story 1: I or we will never ____________ (you fill in the blank). Better.... Story 2: How can I or we _____________ (you fill in the blank). Better Yet..... Story 3: I or we will...

On Being

You are not what you say you are. You are simply what you do. So when someone shows you who they are, believe them...the first time - Maya Angelou

On Selling

Whatever you do in life it will involve selling - Arnold Schwarzenegger Daniel Pink put's it this way .... To Sell Is Human. It's just that simple everyone should at least learn the basics of selling.

Good Ain’t Cheap

...and cheap ain't good.  In fact most people aren't interested in cheap, they are interested in better. There is, and always will be a place for an alternative that works and is less expensive.  But the best marketing strategy, and fastest way to grow your business...

Huba Huba Huba and Trust

Huba Huba Huba and Trust

Huba, Huba, Huba!  Money, Money, Money! Who Do You Trust?  Jack Nickelson's character, The Joker, got the question correct. A sales problem is really a trust problem.  Let me explain. In the 90's when I worked for Lucent Technologies. We won a lot of deals simply...

Start Now

The Internet is an over crowded space, and getting your message out can be difficult.  People who started blogging 5 years ago certainly have an advantage.  The secret of getting ahead in your marketing today is simply to get started.

Absorbing vs Doing

One of the most important decisions you'll make today is how much of your time you'll give to absorbing, and how much time you'll give to doing. There was not always the endless supply of information we have today.  So used to be that once you absorbed all the...

MLK Quotes: 4 Of My Favorite

MLK Quotes: 4 Of My Favorite

One thing nearly all African Americans over the age of 40 have in common is that our parents, and grandparents always had three pictures hanging on a wall side by side: Jesus Christ, John F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, Jr. In college I would sit for hours and...

Nelson Mandela Life Lessons

Nelson Mandela Life Lessons

Free Mandela was our cry during my years as a college student.  I'm glad I lived during a time to see a great social injustice made right. As Nelson Mandela struggled to liberate South Africa from Apartheid's system of racial segregation and racial discrimination he...