Creative Partnering is our answer to coaching and consulting.
If you know me, you know that showing up authentically is something I’m passionate about. It’s at the heart of the Certified Authentic Networker program I founded. And it can be invaluable to you in making deeper connections, whatever your profession may be. Showing up authentically is owning your uniqueness and allowing yourself to fully […]
What Does It Mean: Showing Up Authentically? Read More »
In this post, we address whether you–as a small business owner–need technology for content marketing. Technology here refers to marketing automation software or a platform. You may or may not need a big technology investment to support your content efforts. [box] This is one of our Business Breakdown posts. We break down a marketing headline,
Do You Need Technology for Content Marketing? Read More »
“Start with a goal.” It sounds so simple. And it’s a message that’s so pervasive. Yet putting goal-setting into action can range from being an exercise that begins with positive momentum but becomes difficult to maintain to virtually non-existent due to day-to-day demands. Nevermind full-on strategic planning, which can be too daunting, misguided, or cumbersome
Rockstars have magnetism and devoted fans–both good things for small businesses. Here’s my brief rundown of what we can learn from them: 1. It’s all about the show. Whatever’s going on behind the scenes doesn’t matter when we hit the stage. 2. Sometimes the leaders must pull the weight and/or create a distraction so the
What We Can Learn From Rockstars Read More »
Many small businesses or even mid-to-large-sized businesses with geographic dispersion have marketing people in-house or at least marketing-minded employees, whether at the top or within the company’s ranks. But oftentimes, there’s not a dedicated, experienced resource at the C-level. The lack of a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) or equivalent leadership role often results in a task-based
Someone Has to Be the CMO Read More »
A while ago I saw a quote someone re-tweeted from Michael E. Gerber, the author of The E-Myth and Founder of Club E: “The entrepreneur sees opportunities everywhere we [sic] look, while many people see only problems everywhere they look.” This statement made me wonder: Is seeing opportunities (aka optimism) vs. problems (aka pessimism) a requirement
Optimism in Entrepreneurship: Is It a Requirement? Read More »
Criterion # 1: Sufficient Experience . . . As Evidenced by LinkedIn (or other professional online network) Background: I get asked sometimes by friends (even those who have made hiring mistakes in the past) about how they can “screen” an independent contractor or small marketing agency based on its leadership and what to look for. This
Evaluating a Marketing Person: Criterion #1 Read More »
While I strongly believe in investing in professional relationships, I realize I cannot have coffee or lunch with everyone who suggests it. While I understand the importance of networking, there’s no way I can attend all of the networking events where my target market hangs out. I guess I’m not too different from any other small business owner, solo service
Getting Fierce About Time Management Read More »
Ron Ashkenas has a brillant post “Do You Have Too Much on Your Plate?” from Harvard Business Review yesterday in which he advises larger organizations on how to streamline and manage projects. His first point, “Review the workload across strategic priorities,” has more meaning for companies who have multiple management levels, a departmental structure, and a strategic plan.
What To Do With a Full Plate Read More »
“Focus on what you do best and pay someone to do the rest.” I’m on my soapbox today about doing it yourself, or DIY. Lately, I’ve seen too many small business owners trying to do it all and once they’ve wasted too much time and money on non-essential tasks, they contact me for help. Not an
Quote of the Day: DIY Read More »