Why I said NO to a free vacation in a $2.6M house
NOTE TO ALL READERS - Starting next week my blog updates ezine will hit your mail box every Wednesday. Instead of 3-4 posts in one mailer, it will only have one blog post per week, but will be on a regular schedule.
Call me crazy. Yes, I did. I said no to a luxury vacation in the mountains of North Carolina in a $2.6 million dollar, 5,000 square foot, McLodge just off Cedar Cliff Lake. My boyfriend and his family rented this gorgeous place and invited me to join them and I opted out in the eleventh hour, even losing a $300.00 plane ticket. Why? Because the past 6 months, I have been super busy, and have not had my ample "just me" time, to think, write and create beyond my obligations, including my blogging. And as a creative, highly sensitive (HS) person this is like cutting off my oxygen.
I’m not complaining, I am grateful my life has been filled with giving keynote speeches on branding, working on a very exciting global brand transformation, enjoying two great relationships, one with a smart guy and the other with a very cute dog.
Paula Deen’s brand, Southern charm now burnt toast
There is no amount of butter that can help Paula Deen’s brand get out of this tight jam. The past few weeks have not been pretty for Ms. Paula, the Southern belle, sweet potato, comfort food celeb. After being deposed in a lawsuit where a former employee alleged a culture of racism and sexual harassment, Paula under oath, admitted using the “N” word and I’m not referring to “Non-Fat.”
Her million-dollar empire went from deep-fried and happy to “where have all my sponsors gone?” Wal-Mart, Target, Smithfield Foods, Caesars Entertainment, The Food Network, Home Depot and even the drug maker Novo Nordisk all opted-out after the news broke.
Doing something bad is never good, but this situation went from bad, to insanely stupid, self-inflicted, career-ruining awful.
3 Fast revelations. How less can get you more.
Condensed soup, perfume and now skimmed news, all pack an intense punch of value in a smaller space than their fuller counterparts.
In a world with seemingly less time and so much more to consume I've identified three tighter, smaller and concise was of getting three important things done in my world.
1) Read theSkimm.com.
This daily feed of the top 3-4 news stories keep you informed even when your day does not allow any news reading, TV watching or much dialogue with your well-informed friends.
Playing through pain. And 5 other business tips from tennis.
This morning I had a tennis match. It was a beautiful Florida day, sunny and 68 degrees.
I've been suffering from plantar fasciitis, a painful foot condition. Not sure why I have it. I'd like to think it's because I'm such a competitive athlete. Which may be part of it or it could be my body is just getting worn down and aged.
What matters is not the origin of any challenge, but how do you play and win when you are in excruciating pain and not feeling your best.
I was down 5, 0. My opponent was hitting perfect drop shots. I was not able to move fast enough to get to them.
A dangerous habit that can rob your bank account
Many possess skills, talents and attributes that come easier to them than others. This stuff doesn't feel like work, and it's fun.
For some it is writing, rain making, negotiating, playing sports, singing, public speaking or even solving problems.
Many believe people who have these traits are considered naturals. They think gifts are included in the DNA, and are passed down when they got their set of genes. Or they are just lucky.
That may be true in a few rare cases. But I'm of the opinion there are no gifts of talent, and luck is extremely over rated, too. Gifts and luck happen, when you really love something, are passionate, invest in practicing a craft and continuously developing "the whatever", they become a very natural, effortless act.
Be a brand snowflake – unlike the rest
If you covered up your logo on your Website or one of your important marketing tools, would the market know it was your brand? Do you stand out from the pack of competitors or blend in?
As outlined in my recent book, Brand Turnaround, through which I tell the stories of more than 75 brands, Game Changers are key concepts to brand transformation. If you've been following my article series on turnaround, you will recall that I've introduced you to six Game Changers: Take Responsibility, Never Give Up, Lead Strong, Stay Relevant, Keep Improving and Build Equity. In addition to these six, there is one last Game Changer—Own Your Distinction. And, for many brands, this is one of the most important strategies of them all.