I’m Sorry....

Wow. I said it, I’m sorry. Despite a little hit to my ego and the fraction of a second it takes to type or utter these two words, it doesn’t really cost anything to say, “I’m sorry.” Not saying them, however, can cost thousands even millions of dollars, split up marriages, drive wedges in families, and result in years of litigation. It seems to me that as a culture we’ve adopted a hard stance against the two words, and when someone humbly utters them it’s newsworthy. Last week Jim Joyce made headlines when he apologized to Armando...

Work for Your Worth...

I hear people tell me that they aren’t paid what they are worth. All too often, I think they are worried about getting paid to the level that they work, and not “I am working at the level that I expect to get paid.” I remember a great leader that I once worked for at Lowe’s. Dale was the COO of the store where I worked in college, and he went on to have a hugely successful retail career. He recounted his quick rise through management to me one day. Dale was hired as “the lot guy.” He was at the bottom of the leadership hierarchy, but as...

Business Seem Overwhelming? Lean Into It...

Sometimes business is completely out of control. Deadlines, emails, telephone calls, meetings, proposals, and then you actually have the work that you are supposed to deliver. In addition, competitors seek to take the next deal from you, you must keep your clients happy, and oh yeah, the economy is at an all time low. You are powerless against the external factors, so you might as well just lean into it. We’ve seen tidal waves decimate villages, flood cities, and kill hundreds of thousands, but big wave surfers still seek to drop into these monsters for the ride of a...

My Company, Eluminare, is Merging with B...

In 2008, I started a Marketing company, Eluminare, that initially focused on internet marketing and lead generation. The success of the company has exceeded my expectations and those of my clients. It has grown from Internet marketing into virtualized marketing executive consultancy, and most recently it has focused on “growth” consulting with clients. Now, only two years later, it is my great pleasure to announce the merger of Eluminare with Bluegill Creative. So, what’s a Bluegill you may ask? On their website you’ll see: …Bluegill is an...

Consultants, Freelancers, Lend Me Your E...

Do you ever read something that seems to haunt you? I woke up in the middle of the night in cold sweats thinking about this one. I read a Seth Godin post over the weekend, and, as usual, his words struck a chord. This time, however, I could not just post a tweet and go on about my business. I was struck by this one line: Employees and freelancers that produce more than they cost are worth hiring. Too often, it seems, that we can hide behind rationalizations for what we do. We paint these pictures with huge self-congratulation, but at the end of the day, are we producing...

Planting Vision...

For the past four weeks I have spent Weekends working long hours in the yard. After, as the wife says, neglecting the yard for several years, I am interested and excited in transforming dirt into something beautiful. While laboring away under the hot sun with the assistance of a few fine friends (kids aged 7 and 2), I have reflected on the fun torture that was working with my dad in the yard when I was young. In particular, I remember one event where my dad had created a raised bed in front of their house. My job was to create a “custom” edging around the...

Get the Tip...

Why do we tip 15% and not 10%? 20% instead of 15%? Sure, it is some sort of ransom “to insure prompt service,” but really we tip based upon our expectations. If we expect lousy service and they exceed the expectations, we generously tip. If we expect Class A service but are delivered a Waffle House experience, we stroke some appalling number on the credit card slip as to make sure they “get the message.” At lunch yesterday, the poor waiters were terribly short-staffed. Two tuckered table jockeys were tirelessly running full pace to underwhelm the...

Business Advice from American Idol: Pick...

Adam has some great business advice–Lambert, not Smith, that is. When given the choice, do you look for the “long shot” or the “sure bet?” This guy’s voice gets on my nerves, and I am generally not a fan. However, he consistently picks the sure bet. Within every genre, he has selected the song that turns the judges into bobble heads. Sure, he has a good voice, but out of the 50,000 contestants these finalists all have good voices.  Plus, they practice 8 hours a day, but before spending any time practicing, Adam spends time thinking and...

New Rules in the Sales in the Age of Con...

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Internet & Technolog Presentations & Slid sales tools Also, take a look at this Squidoo Lens. Share the...

Do it...

Seth wrote: The only thing worse than starting something and failing… is not starting something. Reminds me of a GK Chesterton quote: Anything worth doing is worth doing badly. What aren’t you doing that you should be? What are you scared to mess up? Share the...