Category: a slice of AMUSEMENT

Watch as we unpack and critique, with logic and levity — and the occasional incredulous sigh.

Cash flow, creativity, and compassion are not mutually exclusive™

12 things you will never regret saying in business

Posted on by Red Slice

We all have had that moment when our mouth moves 3 milliseconds faster than our brain. Often, the heart has bypassed the brain’s filter completely and as you say something, you can almost literally see the words flying out of your mouth in slow motion but can’t stop them and stuff them back in.

As a fiesty redhead, this has happened to me way more times than I care to admit. With age and experience, I can honestly say it’s getting better. But tell that to the sassy 8 year-old who walked out of a TV commercial audition for a new snack cracker only to exclaim loudly to my brother, “God, those were soooooooooo gross!” – with the casting agent and client walking right behind me sporting  nervous smiles and shocked expressions. Yeah, not one of my finer. more tactful moments.

But I came to a realization in recent years that there are just some things you will never regret saying in business. You will never want to take them back and, however uncomfortable it may feel at the time to say some of these things, the regret would be in not saying them:

  1. You’re right. This seems like a great idea and offer. Let me think it over before giving you my answer, ok?
  2. I adore working with you, too! Let’s just make this official and put it in writing, so I’m sure I can deliver exactly what you’re expecting and we’re on the same page.  Protects you and me.
  3. I’m sorry. How can I make it right?
  4. That’s a really good way for us to go. Or, another option we may want to consider is….
  5. It would help me serve you better and ensure I’m delivering on my end if you overcommunicate rather than undercommunicate. I don’t mind multiple emails or calls if it means we can be successful.
  6. Let’s set up a weekly status call for this project. Sometimes, voice is easier than going back and forth on email.
  7. I would love to help you with this project but I am just too overcommitted right now and would not be able to give it the attention and care it deserves. Here are 3 other people who may be able to help you out.
  8. Please
  9. Thank you
  10. You’re welcome
  11. How can I support you in your efforts?
  12. Great job!

Photo credit: dno1967b on Flickr

Want even less regrets? If you’re in Seattle on April 23, please join me for a special workshop with the Puget Sound Business Journal: Building a Buzz-worthy Brand on Any Budget, 9-11 am. Click here for details (hurry, space is limited!)

Your turn: I know you’re dying to share your own bit of hard-earned wisdom with us, so please tell us below what phrase you have never regretted saying when doing business.  Or is there a deadly phrase you have regretted saying that led to bad consequences? Please share in the Comments below!

Cash flow, creativity, and compassion are not mutually exclusive™

Lance Armstrong: Death of a brand…or fall of an idol?

Posted on by Red Slice

I was hesitant to weigh on on the Lance Armstrong debacle for a variety of reasons. My husband, an avid cyclist, can’t even bear to watch the taped Oprah interview that sits on our DVR – and I’ll admit, I haven’t watched it all the way through myself. I’ve sat by and read the tweets, the comments, the passionate defenses, the harsh rebukes. And I waited….

But Lance Armstrong is a brand, and so I feel compelled to say…well, something. People have been asking me.

I’m no expert on the events that lead us here. I don’t follow cycling the way my husband does.  In my house, I didn’t comment a few weeks ago when I glanced into the trash to see some Armstrong socks tossed among the food scraps. Instead, I teared up. And as Armstrong’s yellow jersey was torn open to reveal the ugly guts of a drastically different man – and brand – we all thought we knew, I can merely make some observations for you to think about when it comes to personal brands.

Here’s the deal: Lance Armstrong cheated and lied. Period. For all his defenders, it’s no excuse to say “Everyone does it” or “But look at all the good he’s done.” He lied and cheated, yes, but it also doesn’t take away from all the good that the amazing LIVESTRONG charity does for cancer patients…and which I hope it continues to do. It doesn’t detract from how Armstrong inspired and motivated millions of people over the years. No one is saying that.

All it says is that this man, held up to showcase what hard work, determination and the human spirit can accomplish…this man, it turns out, is a liar. But what impacts the brand for me is not just that. People make mistakes, they lie when they are backed into a corner. But Armstrong went beyond. He not just lied, he slandered. He bullied people into getting into the muck with him, and those who wanted to do the right thing or tell the truth. He branded people liars and frauds. He sued people who were telling the truth and won. He ruined careers, lives. All in an effort to save his own skin and keep the lie going. Keep the brand and the myth alive.

Apologies are common in our media world today. And many are willing to forgive. Hugh Grant bounced back from his hooker escapade. Eliot Spitzer got a new media career after his public scandal. Michael Vick continues a successful football career after running dog fighting rings. People have even forgotten about Ray Lewis, linebacker for the Super Bowl contending Baltimore Ravens, and his homicide plea deal so long ago. Forgiveness, a comeback, a new lease on life. As long as someone pays their debt and apologizes, we as humans love a good redemption story.

But my problem lies with the trail of hurt, lies, bullying, and selfishness that Armstrong leaves behind. Some say the bullying and intimidation leaves deeper scars than the lies. And he destroyed not just anyone, but people he once called friends. Given what is now revealed about him (note: many who follow cycling closely always kind of suspected he might not be the nicest of men), I can only assume this mea culpa comes not from wanting to do the right thing, but wanting to single-mindedly compete again and perhaps regain some lost endorsements. Time will tell.

Former Armstrong teammate Frankie Andreu has this to say on ESPN Radio: “Anybody that crossed his path or didn’t go along with his plan, he set out to take them down. And he was very powerful and influential and did take them down,”

Gotta love that trademark determination, no?

Before you lynch me, I am well aware everyone has their motives. I don’t believe everyone whistleblows out of the goodness of their hearts, nor do I believe this is the first or last we’ll hear of illegal performance enhancement in cycling – or any sport. But those issues do not justify the choices Armstrong has made, the brazen lies he told, how he’s hurt and destroyed people or most importantly, how he has let us down. Especially those who publicly defended him.

Mostly, we as a society are tired of seeing idols and heroes fall. I know I am. The whole thing just makes me very, very sad. Not angry, not judgemental. Just sad. I experienced the same thing when OSU coach Jim Tressel fell from grace. And even over the debates about Joe Paterno’s actions at Penn State. Sadness.

This is the inherent danger with building a personal brand or tying a brand so closely to a human being. The operative word being human.  You have to accept the person foibles, misjudgments, vanity and all. While sponsors dropped Armstrong like hotcakes, it’s sort of too little, too late. The damage is done, the name tarnished for all time.

I hope LIVESTRONG can survive…and I think it will. If anything, people are more determined to ensure it does. No one can take away all the good Armstrong’s celebrity, backing,  influence and committment made to cancer research and survivors everywhere. I’m glad some good came out of his relentless quest for success.  And I admire the guy for surviving and thriving after cancer. I really do.

The Armstrong brand may well survive. But the man has fallen in our eyes and I don’t know if he can ever come back. Another hero lost to reality. Another inspiration who has let us down like children who’ve been told there is no Santa Claus.

And yet. And yet…..I don’t want to stop believing in future heroes that will surely come our way. No matter how many times I get hurt. Do you?

Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles. According to this CNN article, “In place of a record seven wins by Lance Armstrong, the chronicles of the Tour de France bear seven record vacancies.” The records now show, in essence, that no one won.

How fitting.

What is your take on the Armstrong legacy and brand? Do you think the charity will survive? Do you think he’ll make a real comeback? Please share in the Comments below, I’d love to know what you think!

Cash flow, creativity, and compassion are not mutually exclusive™

4 powerful business lessons from James Bond and Skyfall

Posted on by Red Slice

James Bond…entrepreneurial guru?

I recently saw Skyfall,, the latest installment in the Bond franchise and it was incredible. Not normally a Bond fan, I loved Casino Royale, wiped the awful Quantum of Solace from my memory, but thoroughly enjoyed this latest turn. The characters were complex and flawed, the performances brilliant, the pace lively and Daniel Craig does wonders for an expensive suit. I left the theatre like I’d just gotten off a roller coaster. My husband – a native Scotsman – even dared admit, “I have to say that Daniel Craig can now be crowned the best Bond, even better than Connery.” Blasphemy! But very true.

That said, our favorite Secret Agent can also teach us some powerful business lessons. So strap on your Rolex submariner, put on your X-ray sunglasses and climb inside your tricked-out Aston Martin as we review Bond’s best advice:

  1. Stick to the basics: We’ve grown accustomed to Q loading Bond up with spectacular gadgets before each mission. In Skyfall, we watch with delight as Bond confronts his age by meeting the newest Q, a young techie hipster that wouldn’t look out of place at Apple’s Genius Bar.  One assumes Bond will get some sort of iPod mets Kinect device or some Google-developed driverless car. But no: Q simply hands Bond a Walther PPK, which is a small automatic pistol, and a  tiny tracking radio. Even Bond is surprised but it turns out that’s all he needs when in a pinch and Q mocks him by saying something like, “What? Were you expecting another exploding pen?” In our age of the next new shiny object coming out every 5 minutes, it’s easy for entrepreneurs and business owners to forget the basics and get lost in the glitz. But often, it’s the old, simple secrets that make the best weapons for your business success: building your brand strategy before throwing away money on tactics, delighting customers, collaborating in person over coffee, providing quality products/services, delivering what you promise.
  2. There’s always a way through: Many scenes in Skyfall leave viewers thinking, “Oh, he’ll never find a way out of this one!” And then, of course, Bond continues to chase the bad guy onto a moving train, escape an island run by a madman and outsmart an evil mastermind and all his henchmen with just his wits, resourcefulness and resolve. No matter how bleak it seems, no matter how much you think you’d stop running or surrender, Bond shows us that ingenuity can help you see every problem in a fresh way. If you are facing business challenges, step back and look at the issue from another angle. If sales are down, should you offer a new product or service, or adjust your prices? If no one is reading your blog, can you clarify your brand value or find other avenues to promote each post? If prospects don’t know who you are, can you partner with someone else for more exposure? There’s a million ways to look at a problem and a million levers you can pull before you throw in the towel.
  3. Stay calm under pressure: There’s an awesomely sexy scene in Skyfall where Bond crashes into the passenger car of a speeding train. As the surprised onlookers gawk, he maintains his balance, straightens up, adjusts the cuffs on his impeccable suit and proceeds to walk through the train car calmly as he continues chasing his man. That’s grace under pressure.  When things hurtle out of control, customers demand attention and you are juggling 637 things at once, how do you respond? Do you handle everything calmly and get the job done, or do you freak out or run and hide? It’s up to you to tame the chaos and say no to things that prove distracting.
  4. Control the conversation: Towards the film’s climax, Bond realizes he’s constantly one step behind his nemesis. Bond is reacting to, rather than controlling, the conversation. He sets a trap and then lures the baddie to his turf where he can now proactively make the moves he wants to make and keep his enemy off-balance, rather than vice versa. Sometimes, in business, we react to the everyday fires and demands that others are making on us, rather than keeping our eye on the ball and charting a clear course to our mission. We end up slaves to a to-do list, rather than making time to achieve our long-term vision. We need boundaries: not checking email every second, or making sure people know we only return phone calls between 3 and 4 pm, or whatever system works for you. Get your strategy sorted first and work towards that before you let the seemingly urgent but ultimately less important demands on your time take over. Change the conversation to the one you want to have.

Any other business lessons that Bond (or other movie heroes) have taught you? Please share in the Comments below and get some link love back to your site!

Cash flow, creativity, and compassion are not mutually exclusive™

Best & worst brand campaigns of 2012

Posted on by Red Slice

Yes, I know it’s a new year and you’re tired of Best Of lists. But there’s something irresistible about looking back on the year that was and summarizing it in an instant, like time-lapse photography or something.

There were some pretty creative (and dreadful) attempts made to promote viral word of mouth and infuence brand awareness. As social media continues shaping our lives and buying habits in unique ways, marketers are doing all they can to simply keep up.

We can learn some valuable brand lessons from the year that was – and apply that to our own efforts, regardless of budget or reach.

Please note: I’m basing this off of the Wall Street Journal’s recent 2012 best/worst ad list, as I don’t believe in reinventing the wheel.  But I find it interesting how the author stretched the definition of “ad,” as both these picks were more about virality and social media rather than traditional ads. I prefer to name these “brand campaigns” because many of them found their way into various format and media.

BEST: Chipotle Mexican Grill

I found the most compelling, evocative brand campaign to be from Chipotle. This 2-minute animated video, which premiered during the Grammy’s actually stopped me and my husband in out tracks as we were about the turn off the TV. That’s powerful stuff. And my eyes actually teared up at the chain’s message of responsible farming practices (the soulful, twangy Willie Nelson cover of Coldplay’s “The Scientist” didn’t hurt either.) It hit seven million views on YouTube and the agency claims it contributed to a 23% increase in revenue during the first half of the year (according to the WSJ). I blogged about my reaction to this ad and still stand behind that it was not about fast food: it was about shared purpose and getting customers on their side. That, in my mind, is genius branding: they managed to get customers to root for a multi million dollar corporation.

LESSON: Stand for something, rally for a cause, inspire people. It will make your brand stand out (but only if you authentically can deliver). Make your brand about more than the products or services you sell.
WORST: McDonald’s

This Twitter campaign probably seemed lke a great idea in the conference room….until users found a way to air their complaints about food quality publicly with the hashtag #McDStories. While McDonald’s keeps making a valiant effort to make better food and offer healthier options, the fact is that it’s not that good for you. They keep trying to convince us that because they serve salads and fruit, it makes up for the sodium-drenched, artery-clogging, calorie-fest that is a Big Mac. Don’t get me wrong: there are markets for everything and if I’m getting my twice-yearly craving for a quarter pounder, nothing else can substitute for that. But we know why we go to McDonald’s and it’s not for health reasons so don’t try to pull the wool over our eyes (I’ll save my rant about the morally corrupt marketing tactics of processed food companies for another time). This viral campaign backfired when hecklers piled on and complained about food poisoning, weight gain and other issues. Was it succesful? According to the WSJ article, McDonald’s says it generated about 72,000 tweets, with only 2,000 being negative. But it’s the negative ones that got all the press.

LESSON: Those in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones – or try to pretend people buy their products/services for a reason that they don’t. Understand why people buy from you, what benefits you provide, and don’t try to jump on a bandwagon if you can’t really deliver.

OK, now it’s your turn. What do you think were the brand hits or misses of 2012? What sparked your imagination or made you cringe? Please share in the Comments!

Cash flow, creativity, and compassion are not mutually exclusive™

Fine wine brands: “Chanel vs. H&M”

Posted on by Red Slice

Some of you may know I’ve been a freelance wine writer online and in print before. I’m not an expert sommelier by any stretch but I love wine so I was fortunate enough to share the novice’s point of view and land some fun gigs tasting, researching and chatting up wine experts.  I often tout that good wine is any wine that you like, whether it costs $10 or $150 a bottle.

Recently, I got the chance to hear an inspirational panel of wine industry women. They were winemakers, owners, executives and even a well-known wine industry TV and radio personality.  Women winemakers are making huge strides in this very male-dominated industry, which is fabulous, considering 60% of wine is bought by women. They are on a mission to introduce more women to the rewards of the wine world – and help women use their palates (which are often better than men’s) to have confidence in choosing gorgeous wines.

As far as experiential, emotional brands go, you can’t really find any better example than the wine world. Wine is about making memories, about upscale casual summer night dinner parties with friends. It’s about great – often uninhibited – conversation. It’s about celebrating the simple pleasures of life.  Often, we’ve experienced some of our most emotional memories over a bottle of wine: an engagement toast, a comforting chat with a sobbing girlfriend, an exciting first date, a cherished holiday dinner.

There’s a quote I adore, attributed to Ben Franklin: “Wine is constant proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Amen, brother. Tweet this!

The panel’s moderator, Sharon Harris, is owner and winemaker for Rarecat Wines but also founder of A Woman’s Palate, a place for women who want to connect and empower others through wine.  I loved how she described the difference between regular wines and fine wines.

“It’s like comparing Chanel to H&M.”

This is a great brand analogy. It’s not that H&M doesn’t provide fun, good or trendy clothes. But it’s how the products are crafted that makes the brand difference. Tweet this! Fine wine is crafted with love, carefully-honed knowledge of “terroir,” science and agriculture. It’s perfected to evoke a feeling or a memory and is often overseen personally by the winemaker.

The highlight for me was the discussion about all those crazy taste and aroma descriptions critics dream up for wines: “lingering notes of leather and black cherries, with a hint of tar on the nose.” Sharon’s perspective? “Fine wine is crafted with such love and excellence that it results in a complex yet balanced taste that no one word can accurately describe. It goes beyond words. Yet the memory of it lasts for decades.”

Wouldn’t you love your brand to have such an impact?

Which brands do you feel exemplify quality craftsmanship and feel “made with love?” Please share in the Comments below!

Cash flow, creativity, and compassion are not mutually exclusive™

Art of Seduction: 5 Ways to Woo Your Audience with Great Content

Posted on by Red Slice

Today’s marketplace is noisier than ever and customers not only expect, but demand killer value from you even before they spend a dime. (Tweet this!)

But how can you create compelling free content that engages, informs and delight people enough to keep coming back for more – and eventually buy from you?

Special treat for you guys today: I’m sharing this 30-minute info-rich, delightful and useful free video interview with Betsy Talbot, author and co-creator of Married With Luggage. (they are personal friends and I’m a huge fan so check them out and enjoy their resources for entrepreneurs with big dreams!)

Betsy penned an awesome article for Copyblogger about what the male stripper movie Magic Mike can teach you about engaging your audience and giving them what they really want. I just had to take a deeper dive with her on these tips as they relate to your brand strategy.

In this free video, we discuss 5 sizzling tips for getting your audience all hot and bothered.

You’ll learn how to communicate your brand and you’ll also discover copywriting and messaging tips that will create a “love connection” with your fans.

Yes, it’s about 30 minutes. But it’s super useful. trust me. The tips we’ll discuss in the video:

  • Know what you are really selling 
  • Grab their attention 
  • Provide consistently compelling content 
  • Reward loyal fans 
  • Promote new talent 

And PS, there’s a BONUS tip for you: Make the ask. A little extra just to show you how much I love you.

Which tip do you find most useful? How will you apply it to your future content? Please share in the Comments below and share this post/video with your tribe!

Cash flow, creativity, and compassion are not mutually exclusive™

NO is not a dirty word

Posted on by Red Slice

I think we’re programmed to see “No” as a dirty word from a young age. No candy before bedtime. No, don’t touch that outlet. No, you can’t have the car tonight. No, you absolutely cannot date that guy who’s ten years older than you and plans to pick you up on his motorcycle…

Here’s the truth: Saying No is actually a gift. Why?

It’s a gift for you because sometimes we need to say no in order to focus on what matters. We need to keep our eyes on the prize. If you say no to the wrong clients or customers and focus on serving the ones you enjoy, who will pay you what you’re worth and who will gladly spread the word about how awesome your products or services are – your business is going to be a lot more successful.

I don’t care how big or small your company is. You’ve got to treat loyal customers better than the rest. You’ve got to serve their needs first and offer then special perks, privileges or rewards.

Remember your brand strategy. Who are you talking to? Who are your “people”? Who matters to your business? Your customers and clients represent your brand to others, so choose wisely. (Tweet this!)

I’m not suggesting you act rudely toward prospects or those in your audience. Not at all. I’m talking more about managing your time, attention and budget better and invest in the right people for your business. If you are too busy dealing with the wrong people, you won’t have the bandwidth to serve the right ones.

Saying no is also a gift to those to whom you say no. You enable them the freedom to find a better fit, to find what they are looking for at a price they are comfortable paying. You also avoid becoming bitter as time goes on and just making both you and the customer unhappy in the end. If something is a bad fit from the start, it’s better to cut bait right then and there.

Also, you give them a gift because you don’t agree to something you don’t have time, energy or passion to deliver. Instead of overcommitting and making everyone unhappy, focus on quality rather than quantity. It may hurt to say no to that client, customer – or even volunteer opportunity – but remember that you do them more harm if you can’t truly deliver your best for them. Let them find someone who will invest their best.

See? No is not a dirty word and, frankly, it needs to be said with love and respect way more often.

How do you turn down work or say no when asked to volunteer? Any tips for how to do this gracefully? Please share your insight and wisdom with us in the Comments!

Cash flow, creativity, and compassion are not mutually exclusive™

The most important person to your business

Posted on by Red Slice

“I’m nobody.”

Recently, I got to witness a fascinating customer service moment. I was at a specialty grocery store in my neighborhood and as I walked up to the check out line, a man was complaining to the cashier. Doesn’t really matter about what. It was something to do with freshness expiration dates on some of the store items, as far as I could tell. The guy was saying he has complained about this many times before. The poor harried cashier tried to assuage him and suggested he speak to the manager about it. The man backed off a bit, knowing this woman did not have the power to help solve the problem and said he’d tried that several times. He wished her a nice day and left.

As I stepped up to the line, I offered her an easy smile to try to salvage her day. She pleasantly greeted me and started checking me out.

“I understand he’s upset, but I can’t do anything for him. Who am I?” she stated to me, partly as a way to acknowledge the awkward situation that had just happened. And then she said something that broke my heart:

 “I’m nobody. I mean, I really. Am. Nobody.”

How messed up is that?

The people on the front lines, those who answer  your phone or check out customers, or take dinner orders  – these people are the most important people in your business. They are the ones – no matter how awesome your product, stellar the service you offer or brilliant you might be as the owner, manager or CEO  – who make or break your brand . They are the face of your business.

The 932 acts of brilliance, quality, blood, sweat, tears, and craftsmanship leading up to that one customer touchpoint don’t matter worth a damn if that one person is not empowered enough to alleviate customer pain, make decisions or enact change.

Do you empower your front line to resolve any customer payment dispute up to $500 (or some other reasonable number) at their own discretion? You should.

Do you listen to him or her when they bring a customer complaint to your attention and do the job you are supposed to do: take ownership and responsibility to resolve the issue yourself, personally? You should.

Do you train them to do whatever it takes to make a customer happy, even if they have to give away something for free or go outside their assigned role to get it done? You should.

There is no business without your customers. And therefore the people dealing directly with them day in and day out need to be treated like the kings and queens of the castle. If you can’t trust them with that much power and discretion, don’t hire them.  You, as the owner, CEO or manager are their servants – not the other way around.

Photo courtesy of http://drlindagalloway.wordpress.com

What is your customer service “hero” story? When did you get such excellent service from the person working the front lines? Please share below in the Comments!

Cash flow, creativity, and compassion are not mutually exclusive™

What marketing is…and is not

Posted on by Red Slice

“I don’t believe in marketing.”

This is what a CEO who has a few successful tech startups under his belt told someone I know. And it made me laugh.

Have you ever told someone sitting next to you on plane what your company does? That’s marketing.

Have you ever pitched a client on the value of your solution? That’s marketing.

Have you ever followed up with an unhappy customer to make things right? That’s marketing.

Too many people believe marketing is simply about placing expensive ads or ordering silly tradeshow tchotchkes that end up sitting in a storage closet somewhere, gathering dust.  They dismiss it because they haven’t seen it done in the right way – and then wonder why they slog to gain traction. “If our sales reps just “sold” better, we wouldn’t be having such a hard time,” they say.

Here’s the deal: Marketing is communication. Communicating the value that your product or service offers to the people who will buy it.

I guess he doesn’t believe in communicating what his company does, why they are different or speaking to a customer’s needs. I suppose people will just see the product or service, instantly understand how it can help them without a word being spoken or read, and say, “Gee, I need that widget now!”

Can you be successful without an official marketing director or an earmarked “marketing budget”? Well, yeah. Businesses do it all the time. But don’t try to tell me your company is not performing marketing.

If they don’t have a marketing function, they normally burden the sales process with performing both sales and marketing at the same time. Marketing is about communication and positioning based on market analysis that ultimately helps a sales rep sell something. Marketing as a function exists to make it easier to sell.

If you have a sales pitch, a product label, or a 50-word company descriptor – those are all elements of marketing. And if you approach it with marketing discipline to create a foundation and maintain clarity and consistency, you can go a lot further than if you reinvent the wheel on the fly each time.

I’m not sure what there is not to believe in about that.

Photo credit: © Royalty-Free/Corbis (PMTips.net)

Ever work with someone who did not “get” the value of marketing? What was that experience like? What is your definition of marketing? Please share in the Comments!

 

Cash flow, creativity, and compassion are not mutually exclusive™

3 powerful tips to fuel your body…and your business

Posted on by Red Slice

What does running your business and nourishing your body have to do with each other? A helluva lot, it turns out.

A few weeks ago, my husband and I embarked on a food transformation. While we both eat fairly healthy, we were still feeling run down in the afternoons, defaulting to poor food choices when tired and generally getting confused by all the conflicting nutrition info that is out there.

Fed up, we called in a big gun: food and body coach Jamie G. Dougherty of Jamie Living. I was introduced to Jamie through not one, but two entrepreneurial women friends as “someone I just had to know.” We met and it was the best blind date ever. With our curly hair and smart mouths, we hit it off like a house on fire.

Fast forward: Jamie is sitting at my dining room table with me and my husband, talking us through our food choices, purging our pantry and giving us the straight talk on what labels really mean and how to incorporate healthy eating without stooping to diet plans with trademarked names. Jamie is about being educated, making intentional choices, finding ways to savor delicious food (she’s a foodie herself) and especially, how to avoid hating yourself. Love your body and fuel it right but if you make a deliberate choice, enjoy the choice and love yourself anyway, is kind of her mantra.

So we started overstocking our fridge with freshness, living without as much processed food as can, cooking meals in bulk to use throughout the week and navigating this whole terrain of “making positive changes: I’ve soaked beans for the first time in my life, rather than popping open a can. We tried kale. I had oatmeal for breakfast. We actually asked if the meat we were buying was hormone-free. I threw away my agave nectar. My husband cut out his daily soy latte….. We’re through the Looking Glass, people!

Now, we have an expanded repertoire of delicious, farm-fresh, some might say gourmet, meals at our disposal. We ate extremely well without counting calories or depriving ourselves.  We instantly felt less tired and run down – able to get through our workouts and busy days and even have fun cooking and planning together as a couple.
I’ve marveled at the lessons that apply to your business as well as your body during this transformation:

  1. Garbage in, Garbage out: Your food really does fuel YOU, the machine. The more crap you put in, the worse you’ll feel and it’s I’m not talking about emotional guilt. It’s about how your body physically performs.  Same thing with your business: you’ve got to surround yourself with cheerleaders, partners and, yes, the right clients and customers so that your business can thrive and your brand can shine the way you want it to. Do you really want people around town saying how that untrustworthy partner you recommended reflect badly on you? Didn’t think so. And side note: when you fuel yourself right, you can think more clearly, perform better and delight customers even more, so it directly impacts your bottom line. You’ve got to bring your best self to work every day because, whether you do or you don’t, it shows up.
  2. A Little Planning Goes a Long Way: The reason processed foods full of chemicals and empty calories are so popular is because they’re easy. It’s why they are called convenience foods, people. But taking some time out to plan your meals and prepare dishes in advance to freeze or have at the ready makes the week a breeze. We’re actually enjoying this as a weekend activity we can do together. One hour of shopping and two hours of cooking sustained us for the entire week (of course, we cooked some things fresh at mealtime but nothing complicated). Your business is like that: if you think through your brand strategy before you start “performing random acts of marketing”, you’ll avoid shiny object syndrome. Plan your brand image intentionally. Flesh out your target customer and craft design and messaging that compels them. Carve out time to write your content and blog posts. Mark 20 minutes of social media time per day on your calendar like a meeting. You’ll spend more wisely, get more impact and put your business into overdrive.
  3. Don’t Believe Everything You Hear/Read/See: We were floored to learn that some of the foods we thought were somewhat healthy really are not. Here we are, trying to make good food choices, and we learned a ton about what food companies will stoop to say and do to make you think you’re making a good choice for your family. It actually made us both disgusted to be marketers, to tell you the truth.  For example, did you know “natural flavors” as an ingredient is not good for you? Did you know manufacturers list sugars and MSG as other names on the ingredients list to fool you? Do you know which cooking oils are “good for you” and which you should use in moderation – or not at all? Did you know that just because it says “whole grain” doesn’t mean it really is? We didn’t either. With your business, the same holds true. You don’t have to be an expert in everything (nor should you spend your time trying to be) but get educated on the basics. Understand the concepts of content marketing and SEO; take a course in how to read financial statements or understand QuickBooks 101; learn how to balance good design and good interactive strategy and usability; learn how your brand look and feel drives sales; understand the difference between branding, marketing, PR and social media. Be clear on what you’re investing in and how it will contribute to moving your business forward.

Photo credit: Racerxvt.com

Do any of these tips especially resonate with you – for your body or your business? What do you find fuels you or your business the most? Please share in the Comments below!