I help entrepreneurs leapfrog over the typical potholes that derail most small businesses with inspiration, motivation, education, and support across a wide range of business topics drawn from over a decade of running my own business, teaching entrepreneurship for the City of New York, and coaching and consulting privately with dozens of women and minority small business owners. Honestly, why go it alone when help is an email away?
Keep It In Check
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I've had many conversations lately that deal in one way or another with the challenges of actually being the boss and needing to make tough decisions and/or negotiate challenging situations. In helping my clients, I can see that they've already spent a lot of their energy taking care of other people's needs to the detriment of their own. Or, they've been wading through a sea of their own emotions, which have distracted them from creating a workable solution and way forward. Neither of these is productive. If you find yourself getting emotional—angry, frustrated, upset, scared—or you're worried about how others will respond to your requests, please take one giant step back from the details and the story of the situation. Now, take a deep breath. And, then make a list of what's really important to you in terms of an outcome or resolution. When a client recently did this, she found she was looking for an apology—this was a huge source of anger and frustration. Rationally, she knew that apology wasn't going to happen. But, she felt she deserved one, and that thought prevented her from creating a game plan to get what she really needed from her client. And, here's the funny thing: Once she connected the dots for herself, she was a lot less angry and much more able to negotiate a resolution that actually serves her business. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying take all the emotion out of your business dealings. I'm also not saying you shouldn't be empathetic. I'm saying, don't let your emotions run your business by themselves. You need to temper them with smart strategies and a bit of dispassion, especially when they're running high or deep. That's when it's especially helpful to have someone to talk things through with. Missed last week's message on the duality of serving client needs and also their expectations? Find it here. Your success is our strategy! |
Easily Said & Done
I help entrepreneurs leapfrog over the typical potholes that derail most small businesses with inspiration, motivation, education, and support across a wide range of business topics drawn from over a decade of running my own business, teaching entrepreneurship for the City of New York, and coaching and consulting privately with dozens of women and minority small business owners. Honestly, why go it alone when help is an email away?
Hi Reader, Something I've been enjoying of late are multiple influencers showcasing the limits of ChatGPT and the like. One guy asks it some pretty basic questions, such as to name a number between one and one hundred that includes the letter 'a.' (Spoiler alert: there aren't any). ChatGPT lies to his face over and over again. Another one provides examples of business fails due to AI. Some are pretty extraordinary. But here's the thing, this isn't just a harmless gimmick, it's a warning cry,...
Have you seen the video of McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski trying to promote the new Big Arch burger ahead of its March 3rd launch? How about any of the many, many videos or memes negging on it for a host of reasons, including how Kempczinski refers to the burger as "a delicious product" or his failure to take a real bite of it, seeming almost disgusted by it. To me, there are three great marketing stories going on here. 1. Going Viral Isn't the Goal Yes, there is such a thing as bad PR and...
This fall my mom was diagnosed with mild-to-moderate dementia. While sad, it did not come as a surprise. It's one reason I sold her house and we moved in together late last summer. At first, I planned outings to the Y and other senior programs, scheduled visits from family and friends, coordinated physical therapy appointments, and designed little daily activities to keep her engaged and stimulated. This winter it's gotten harder and harder to get mom out of bed let alone dressed and out the...