Do You Dare to Mix It Up?
Ever noticed that Accountants seem to know a lot of other Accountants and Artists tend to hang out with other Artists?
It is easy to fall into this trap and stay within your comfort zone. Meeting the same people (or similar type) all the time will result in a less effective professional network. This is also true online. Connecting with like-minded people is great, but can lead to tunnel vision.
Meeting interesting people outside of your own profession is a powerful way to strengthen your business and make life more interesting!
How to make it happen? Read about subjects and attend events beyond your immediate areas of interest and outside your zip code. Think twice before you “unfriend ” someone that doesn’t share your opinions or political views. Reach out to connect with people from all walks of life via social networks. Check Meetup.com to find interesting gatherings to attend or try a local Tweetup?
How will you Mix it Up?
Filed under Adventure, Entrepreneurship | Comment (0)
Rejection Collection
Do you save rejection letters? I definitely do. Not because I have a masochistic desire to repeatedly read bad reviews about myself, in fact rejection letters are almost never personal. They are typically generic, copy-paste and insert name, sent by someone (or their assistant) who can’t be bothered.
So why hold on to them? I keep mine as a collection, but the problem is that I don’t have enough rejection letters! Am I bragging here? Is my ego bigger than my collection of rejection letters? No, it’s not that I’m rarely rejected. My short stack of rejections is a reminder that I am not trying hard enough! The hard reality is that you have to endure hearing NO many times in order to hear the magic YES.
Filed under Entrepreneurship, Just Life | Comment (0)
Helping Hearts – How Small Business Helps Haiti
Millions of people around the world tuned in over the weekend for the Hope for Haiti Telethon organized by George Clooney. The show was an amazing spectacle that featured musical performances by Bono, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Alicia Keys, Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Coldplay, Beyonce, Stevie Wonders and many, many more! Hollywood celebs were out in full force to man the phones for the telethon. Julie Roberts, Robert Deniro and Steven Spielberg chatting with donors and giving heartfelt thanks demonstrated a perfect example of everyone pitching in for the cause.
HopeforHaitinow.org achieved record-breaking results, collecting over 58 million in the 24 hours following the broadcast. It was well organized with multiple ways to complete the transaction, including internationals, which is not always easy! Particularly ingenious was the the Donate Now button on the website becoming a Donate Again button after you give (each time). The money will continue to pour in through the sales of the recorded performance, which has reached number 1 in 18 countries. Wow and bravo all around!
So this morning when I glanced at Facebook and noticed the blog post, “Let’s do Something to Help Haiti” by Natalie Carstens of Tigs Creations Photography, I was not convinced that this link would lead me to a new and inspiring initiative to raise money for Haiti, but I was wrong to underestimate Small Business. Continue reading »
Filed under Entrepreneurship, In the news, Inspiring | Comments (5)
How to start a business in the Netherlands
By request, here is the presentation that was the basis of my recent talks at Expatica and the US Consulate in Amsterdam. It’s always fun to meet people in the early days of considering a new business venture. I do my best to talk every person out of it! If I didn’t succeed in the talk, drop me a line and let know how your plans are evolving.
