Supporting Our Friends
Let's lift each other up. Let's help each other out if we can. A simple act of caring creates an endless ripple.
The Reality of Building a Newsletter Audience
In the world of online content, there's a common message that goes something like this: "Take my course and you'll have 10,000 newsletter subscribers in 90 days." It feels tempting, especially after you have struggled so hard to build any sort of momentum, but in my experience, these promises are far from reality.
(Most) Cold Emails Suck
So, how can we fix this? It's simple, really. Start by doing your homework. Research the person you're reaching out to. Understand their work, their passions, and their challenges. Then, craft your email with this in mind. Make it personal. Show genuine interest. Be respectful of their time. Remember, you're reaching out to a human, not a faceless email address.
Sell Like a Farmer
For the last 18 years, one of my primary goals has been building new business, be it for my past two employers and now for my own company, 33 Sticks. Over those 18 years, one thing has become very clear, i tend to take a very non-traditional approach to building companies, to managing teams, and to acquiring new business.
Start Falling On Your Ass
No one. Let me repeat. NO ONE, plays at the top of their game without first making a lot of mistakes and falling on their ass many, many times. If you aren’t falling down, you aren’t pushing yourself hard enough.
Doing the Right Thing is Enough
“When you've done well and another has benefited by it, why like a fool do you look for a third thing on top—credit for the good deed or a favor in return?”
RFP Experiences: A Tale of Two Clients
It's not business, it's personal. In the business world, relationships are everything. They shape how we work, influence our experiences, and, in many cases, determine our success. But what happens when those relationships are put to the test?
From Student to Data Analyst
Becoming a great analyst takes time. It’s not something that happens overnight. It’s not something that you become by reading a book. It’s not something you become by working for {fill-in-the-blank-company} or getting a certification in {fill-in-the-blank-industry-certification}.
Talented People Collaborate
While talented people are collaborating with other talented people and in the process becoming more talented everyday, those who are protecting their knowledge are falling further behind, their knowledge becoming more and more outdated by the day.
Lessons i learned from a School Teacher Mom: Managing Out of Pocket
Managers seem to get caught up in things like timesheets and quarterly goals and corporate process and OKRs and you get the picture. Don’t get me wrong, those things can be valuable but it’s the little things that happen everyday, like managing out of pocket, that have lasting impacts on employees and ultimately make the employee, the manager, and the organization as a whole so much more successful.
Being a Good Sport Matters
The greatest lesson i ever learned was the importance of sportsmanship. With time, i could no longer go 5 sets on the tennis court and gone were the days i could pull up for a transition 3 but what i learned about how to treat others has never left and it is a skill that has prepared me well for a successful business career.
Why Really Talented People Don’t Work For Your Company
i believe that purpose is where every company should start. If you have a purpose, your culture naturally develops to support that purpose. Culture isn’t a game room, culture isn’t free soda, culture isn’t a foosball table. Culture simply is the sum of the people that are attracted to your purpose. Everything else, the amazing benefits, the flexible work schedule, the work environment, the autonomy, is just a reflection of the culture.
The American Tourist and Mexican Fisherman
My friend Michael Sanders, who makes brilliant products at BambooHR, has always provided me with balance. His view on life, business, and success is so refreshing. i miss having the opportunity to work with him everyday. Michael always has a good story to share to illustrate the importance of putting things into their proper perspective and the parable of the American Tourist and Mexican Fisherman is one he has shared with me many times.
Angry and Frustrated: Maybe You Are Lacking Purpose
Whether you are angry and frustrated and struggling to reach your goals as an individual, as a team, or as an organization, ask yourself if you have a clearly defined purpose, if not, there is no better place to start than defining your purpose.
Dippers, Fillers, and the No Asshole Rule
Every moment, we face a choice, we can fill someone’s bucket and create an environment in which great things can be accomplished OR we can dip from the buckets of others, we can be an asshole, creating a toxic environment in which nothing but poison can grow.
Customer Service Translates to Customer Loyalty
If you want to do it right, hire people you trust, empower them to take care of your customers, remove unnecessary process & procedures, and just freaking care.