Are You Making a Difference?
Yesterday I attended a memorial for Susan Lanfray. Susan wasn’t a close friend, but someone that I met eight years ago through an association that I am active in. We were never super…
Age is Just a Number.
First fact: I’m 33. I like being 33. I don’t feel old; I don’t feel young. I found my first gray hair last week. My closest friends are 56, 33, 42, 61 and…
Confidence Is…
When I was little my Nana told me that I was pretty. When I was a teenager she told me that I was smart. These days I’m pretty sure she has no idea…
Not So Random Acts of Kindness.
I will preface this post by saying that 1)I’m not a parent and 2)I had a pretty crappy childhood (don’t worry, I’ll write a book about it one day), but I have a…
Being Nice.
Being nice is important. That seems simple, right? The sad truth is that not everyone is nice and people notice. It’s a fact (feel free to argue this with me) that people are…
Throw a Parade Instead
When I was a child I hated parades. Actually, it wasn’t that I hated them, but I hated sitting on the side lines watching other people have all of the fun. I wanted…
First Impressions Online and In Real-life
In the last few weeks I have been thinking about first impressions. I know that when I meet people in-person that I am sometimes very quiet. It’s not because I am shy or…
Coach, Mentor or Friend: Which One Do You Need?
Last night, at dinner with my friend Eileen, we discussed whether or not every business owner needs a coach. For the most part, my answer is yes. In addition to a coach, you…
Support Group 2.0: Losing It Together
A lot of people say they don’t like to use social media because it is simply about “what I had for breakfast” and they really don’t care. I spend a lot of time…
EventCamp: Just the Facts
Anyone that has spoken to me over the last few months has probably heard me talk about EventCamp. As a co-founder of this event, it is near and dear to my heart. EventCamp is an experiment in meeting planning. While its primary focus is on integrating social media and technology into events, it’s really about experimenting with new formats. EventCamp gives event professionals the opportunity to try new things in a safe environment. I like to think of EventCampers as FEARLESS.
How Not to Work a Room.
I recently attended a networking event for marketers. It was a facilitated discussion and one of the topics was how to help others network. To my surprise, some of the marketers in the room left really bad impressions. As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Here are ways to ensure that you will NOT win friends and influence people.
No Snow Day For Me! The Benefits of Being Virtual.
It snowed today. Again. Schools are closed. Offices are closed. Many, many people are losing productivity and many businesses are losing money. I, however, am toasty warm working from my office. Sure, I had a meeting canceled today, but I am still am able to get all of my other work done. Why? Because I work 100% virtually.
Making Webinars Engaging, Is it Possible?
How many webinar invitations do you get a day? I think I get three on average. There are webinars for everything. Free ones, paid ones, sponsored ones and webinars about webinars. Some have video where you can see the presenter, but many simply contain a voice and a PowerPoint show. My question is: how many people actually learn during a webinar?
Afraid of Public Speaking? Tips to Ease the Fear.
Today I helped my friend Melissa prepare for a presentation. She was asked to present her job responsibilities and background to the CEO and Chief HR Bigwig. Melissa knows her job well and can do it in her sleep yet the thought of speaking in public is quite frightening. When I asked Melissa what she did she was easily able to articulate it, but the thought of doing a “presentation” scared her beyond belief.