My son uses a statement that is at once the funniest joke he knows and also the Nuclear Option he uses to end any argument. "Buddy, we've talked about fire safety. Don't set things on fire inside the house. You know when you do that it stresses mommy out..." At some point in the lecture, he decides he's had enough. He screws up his face, looks his debate partner straight in the eye, and … [Read more...]
A Three Step Growth Algorithm For Startups & Small Business
As business owners, our primary goal is to create a highly desirable product or service that our clients love. But in this society, it isn’t enough to be loved. We must also get paid. Our deliverables must also be consistently profitable if we want to survive. This is especially important when we are just starting a new endeavor. Now, I know we hear about tech startups that raise … [Read more...]
The Straw Man Fallacy & Hot Russian Spies
Remember the last time you got into an argument. Remember how, when you felt personally attacked, you might adopt a more and more extreme position for the sake of making a point? Maybe you even exaggerated the other person's position to make it look silly. One of my buddies and I do this all the time. We are both very similar people IRL. We both have two children, we each own a marketing … [Read more...]
I Am Proud To Support Veterans
I support veterans. Through my company, I have volunteered my time and money to support nonprofits that provide services to veterans and veteran-owned businesses. By my count, this support has totaled roughly $20,000 in the past 4-5 years. I feel a personal obligation to do so. People who've fought to protect my security and rights as a member of this country work hard, are underpaid, and … [Read more...]
The Ideal Career Generator
Are you working the perfect job? Do you get paid enough? Are you happy? Do books like "The 4 Hour Work Week" litter your shelves? Do you wish you could "strike it out on your own," but you don't know what to do? Step right up, ladies and gentlemen and feast your eyes on the world-renowned, super-effective and absolutely free Ideal Career Generator! It's spectacular! It's stupendous! … [Read more...]
Two words that will make you a great fundraiser
The most common objection that volunteers and new fundraisers give to doing the work of fundraising is, "But I don't know what to say!" Of course, it's much easier to sit around and discuss prospects than it is to speak with them, but that hunted feeling that comes from not doing work when we should is so uncomfortable, isn't it? A fundraising visit can seem very technical. Anyone who has … [Read more...]
Why I practice Lent
Whether you are agnostic, atheist, Buddhist or “other,” if you live in Western society, you undoubtedly have been confronted with the problem of whether or not to celebrate the Christian holidays. Whatever your belief system, there is benefit to celebrating each of them. They celebrate so much more than simply a Christian worldview. Christians believe that man was created in God’s image, and so … [Read more...]
How to use Linkedin to get leads now
Linkedin can be a very effective source for new leads for virtually any business - for free. I have created an effective process to develop leads which I've outlined below in 9 steps that'll take only an hour or two a week. It is the result of much experimentation. My only request is that you follow this sequence exactly for a month before you decide it doesn't work. Follow this step-by-step … [Read more...]
The DIY Social Media Audit
Social media can be an effective tool that helps your business grow - or it can be a waste of both time and money. Do you wonder whether you or an employee are spending too much time on Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin? Do you question whether you should be paying anyone to "do social media?" Do you worry about whether you should be using different social media than you are? Are you concerned that … [Read more...]
Failure is always an option – do it anyway.
I can't count on my fingers and toes the number of people I know who have written a novel and are: working on it editing it revising it re-doing it thinking about it sitting on it, or sending it to agents It's awesome. Everybody's got a novel. And with modern internet publishing through Amazon and similar services, they could be published and selling books in a matter of … [Read more...]