How do you make email offers that compel people to take you up on them? Imagine that every time you send out an email this summer you’re inviting someone over to your beautiful outdoor garden for tea. During your tea party, you invite them to cut whatever flowers they want …

There are two main objectives to your flagship email. Build connections. Make offers. I’ve seen a lot of emails making offers. But without the requisite building of connection. People send an automated email often devoid of personality and thoughtful ways to build rapport. It’s an inadequate way to check off …

In my online dictionary Commitment means: the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc. “the company’s commitment to quality” a pledge or undertaking. Plural noun: commitments “I cannot make such a commitment at the moment” an engagement or obligation that restricts freedom of action. “business commitments” Our …

Bronnie Ware, a longtime Palliative Care Specialist who cares for people in the last 3 to 12 weeks of their lives, documented the regrets of the dying. Their #1 regret is, “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of …

If you were to put a value on your business day, what would it be? What relationships did you build? What did you sell? What did you create? Did you spend your day focusing on the essential things that will really grow and scale your business? Let’s see how you’re …

In my work and life I choose stretch goals that I’m really committed to. That is how I learn and not just grow, but leap. Stretch meaning daring, wildly ambitious objectives that are inherently, extremely challenging and require a new and different approach to bring them within reach. For instance, I’m committed now to …

Successful companies, large and small, understand the significance of a powerful brand. This note is not for them it’s for you, the world of individual players. Those who need to be the “CEO of Me”. Your Personal Brand follows you around like your shadow. It’s essentially your value and your …

On Turkey Point there is a historic lighthouse. It’s in northern Maryland and it’s from the 1830’s. It occupies a beautiful point of land on the northern reaches of the Chesapeake Bay with eagles, hawks and falcons flying over. The last keeper of Turkey Point was Fannie Mae Salter, who …

“…each and every formula is simply the written solution to a particular problem that occurred in the past. Change even one part of that problem and you need an entirely different formula.”

As we begin to emerge from life in lockdown, I’ve noticed that our small steps towards regaining emotional and physical freedom become cherished, profound experiences in our lives. Whereas before they might have been just a nice afternoon spent out and a fun experience, there now seems to be a …

Cialdini first started studying influence because he knew the “influence wars were being waged” in the real world, and they were principles that were being practiced on him by professional marketing and sales people. Initially, he delved into them to understand, so that he could recognize and resist when they were being used to persuade him.
But as he continued his work, he realized that there was an opportunity available to teach others how to harness the process in a morally responsible way, to be used to help people and not to take advantage of them.
These 7 principles have always driven behavior in the human species, so if you’re someone who is interested in practicing their power, make sure you wield them ethically when moving people in your direction.

Today, International Women’s Day, is a celebration of the vast achievements and contributions of women around the world. Achievements and contributions that span social, economic, cultural, scientific, medical and political purviews. The day is a call to action for accelerating gender parity.

The Sistine Chapel ceiling’s most famous panel, entitled “The Creation of Adam”, represents God and Adam reaching for each other with outstretched arms, fingers almost-touching. I’ve read an interesting hypothesis that the “scene contains the unmistakable outline of a human brain formed by angels and robes surrounding God” which has …

One of my favorite magazine reads is the last page of The Economist…Obituary. No, it’s not because I’m morbid but because the obituaries are really stories of everyday people doing extraordinary things. People you likely never heard of but have made their mark and left a legacy worth writing about.  …

This image of my cat Ivy reminded me of a book I recently read titled Living On The Skinny Branches by Master Transformational Leader, Michael Strasner. The premise of the book is that to live an extraordinary and abundant life filled with personal freedom requires we live on the skinny branches…moving from …

It is the first time in the 244-year-old history of our nation that a woman, a Black and South Asian woman at that, will be inaugurated as the first female elected to the second highest ranking position in our country. The first female Vice President of the United States of …

2020 was a year of adaptation. We were forced to face extraordinary challenges that completely upset our normal way of life. We had to dig deep, search for ways to strengthen ourselves and continue on, no matter what. It was shocking, it was unsettling, and it is still uncertain. The …

Have you ever encountered something so complex that you felt like skipping to the next topic? You’re not alone. Complexity can sometimes act as a barrier, making us question whether delving deeper is worth the effort. While I relish a challenge in many areas, when it comes to productivity frameworks, …

  Every Saturday morning I settle into an inspiring space, often light a candle and reflect on what type of leader I have been in my life and my business. It’s become a cherished ritual in my life because it keeps me connected with who I am becoming and who …

Business is built on relationships. Lazy, random, transactional exchanges are not relationships. Instead, relationships take an investment of interest, understanding, compassion, generosity, and time. This is what builds trust. This is what transforms insincere, brief encounters into meaningful, mutually beneficial, lasting friendships both personally and professionally. Friendships where you support …

  Questions are our most powerful resource. High quality questions that is. When we’re willing to reflect on critical issues facing us, it’s amazing what doors open up just by asking questions. Questions make us aware of what’s getting in our way. Questions become a search for answers. They reveal …

    I spend much of my summer at our boathouse in the near pristine northern Adirondack Mountains. It’s a place of peaceful relaxation and exciting outdoor recreation that is wonderfully restorative. Those outdoor activities include boating, swimming, hiking, climbing mountains and fire towers and so much more. The fresh …

That’s what it’s about. That’s why you became an entrepreneur. You started a business because you want to do work you love, make a meaningful impact and create [financial] freedom. What’s most important to you is to live life on your terms…doing what you want, when you want and with …

  Do you notice newsletters you’ve received where you’re yawning before you even really get into them? You know and respect the author and want to give them the benefit of the doubt that they have something valuable to convey, so you open it and start reading. Only to find …

Do you notice newsletters you’ve received where you’re yawning before you even really get into them? You know and respect the author and want to give them the benefit of the doubt that they have something valuable to convey, so you open it and start reading. Only to find it …

It was actually one of my highest and most rewarding moments as a Fortune 500 Sales Executive. A little back story first… I grew up in a man’s world. The corporate world. With some great men mentors, and a few not-so-great. I learned to do business the traditional, expected way…initially …

Whoever we believe we are is what we will be. Our identity defines how we think about ourselves, in turn determining everything else in our life…health, money, people, business, success, failures, etc. Our beliefs are the core of our identity, our identity dictates our habits, and our habits determine the …