Wanting More Weeping In My Business
I’ve been home for less than one week, after being on a two-month adoption journey, and I’m struck down by the flu. DESPITE getting the flu shot that the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit aggressively recommended. Headache, weak, low-grade fever. You know, sick. And, so I’ve been going through handkerchiefs, and trying to rest so that […]
Authenticity Is Not The Secret Ingredient
In social media circles the big word is “authenticity.” Being authentic, being yourself. “Be yourself!” people scream. People moan. People cry. There’s a lot of people acting out their inner drama queen with all of this authenticity. However, if you’ve noticed, it’s not strictly authenticity that works. In fact, lots of people can be themselves, […]
Back Where We Belong
We’ve arrived at home, at last, in Portland. (Curious about the journey? Start here. Then read here.) Luggage on the floor of my office, baby clothes, bottles, toys, diapers strewn everywhere. Just enough time to sleep a very tiny bit, get a little bit grounded, and then teach a class yesterday. Today I’m teaching again, […]
A Quick Saturday Morning Roundup
The drama with the twins has had me more distracted from the rest of my life than I care to be. The bureaucracy is maddening and uncommunicative, as we found ourselves here in Columbus, Ohio (in a hotel room since November 16) for yet another weekend, with the dear hope that we will finally, finally […]
Lame job marketing a marketing course.
I have to admit, I’ve done a mediocre job marketing this marketing course. Kinda lame, perhaps, but I’m going to say I have the best of excuses: I’ve been operating out of a hotel room since November 12 (still here as I write this) while we’ve been adopting our new-born twin sons! A miracle! And […]
Big Time Recommendation: Comfort Queen's 2009 Virtual Retreat
Jennifer Louden, aka the Comfort Queen, is a close friend of mine- we stay at each other’s homes when we visit. And, in the spirit of supporting a friend, I went to see her give a talk when she came down to Portland about two years ago. Drop my jaw, lordy she was amazing. There […]
When Innocent Questions Turn Into Hours of Unpaid Time
Someone calls you up and is interested in your offer. So they start asking questions. And more questions. And more questions. Suddenly, you’ve been on the phone for over an hour. And when you hang up, they still didn’t sign up for your offer. You spent enough time on the phone and answered enough questions […]
Why Strangers are Worried Your Business is Stalking Them
There you are at a party, and you notice someone you’d like to get to know. So you start staring at them. And staring. And staring. You’re hoping that your googly-eyed stare is communicating your interest in them. No surprise what happens next. He or she gets up, crosses the room, and whispers to the […]
Contest with Prize: Crying Babies and Loneliness in Business.
Strange spiritual contest with impractical poetry prize. Contest rules below. As I feed my twins and they’ve settled down this early morning, and I can’t help also thinking about my “other child”– Heart of Business. The same way my babies cry, the business cries, and my clients cry. And I cry. We’re all crying because […]
Contrary versus Herd
Sonia Simone, someone I like and respect tremendously, wrote a fair and cautionary post “Dumb Things Small Businesses Do #7: Follow the Herd.” So before I expand the conversation, let me say this up front: “Sonia! I loved your post. Folks- listen to her, the herd isn’t necessarily safe.” But, that ain’t the whole story […]