I was listening to some kids (ages 9-12 I guess) talking at the table next to me in Subway the other night. Their mother was talking about all they needed to do for the upcoming weekend and the oldest said confidently, “Don’t worry mom. It’s only Friday night. We’ve got plenty of time.” I loved the look on the mother’s face. Obviously she knew something they didn’t, but she played along in all seriousness.
“Oh,” she said. “So how long do you think it will take you to clean up your …

This weekend I took stock of my stress and realized it was off the charts. I wrote out all the projects I’m working on to *help* people and friends get THEIR business going and compared it with how much time I’m spending on my own. Then I looked at who is helping me and who is not. Out of the 15 or so folks I’ve been helping, only three are putting in as much time on helping me as I am spending on helping them. The others are sitting around …

“Communities that set high standards will compete to the top; communities that set low standards will compete to the bottom.” - Ed McMahon
Seth Godin blogged about selling the benefits of charity today. He said he’s fascinated by people who don’t see the benefits of giving.
He wrote and I totally agree:
I think marketers of causes that do good have a long way to go in selling the public on the core reason to give… don’t give because you get a tote bag, or a prize at the charity …

When I first began writing for pay I submitted 17 articles before I received my first rejection letter. I counted them because the Writer’s Market how-to book I considered my bible, spent a great deal of time talking about rejection letters.
I assumed I had to get at least 100 before I sold an article. So when everything I sent out sold, I was confused. After all, the Writer’s Market spent SOOOO much time reassuring writers and talking about the inevitable, soul-crushing rejection letters that I was getting nervous, wondering what …

Clarity. So many of us want it, so few of us have it. Why not? Because we’re afraid to ask for what we need and what we want. We’re afraid to say “No,” for fear of offending someone or losing what we have already gotten. It’s tough enough to do with friends, but what happens when clarity with clients can make or break us? A friend sent me this video today and I loved it. It’s for creatives dealing with clients, but I think anyone who has a business …