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Make Your Life an Awesome Movie

One of my favorite films is “Stranger Than Fiction.” In it Will Ferrell plays IRS agent Harold Crick who is thrown for a loop when a mysterious voice begins to narrate his life. All of a sudden he is hearing about every little thing – from him filing folders to how nervous he gets whenever he is near his crush.

This narration leads Harold to evaluate aspects of his life he never had the courage to face. And what is left, at the end, is the story of Harold’s transformation. Self-evaluation is a helpful tool during your lifetime. Not the skimming over “should I have done or said that” moments, but true time to reflect on yourself – character, motives, hopes, dreams, bad and good habits and changes that need to be made. Now if you are saying to yourself that you are in a good place (mentally, physically and emotionally) that is wonderful. But you’re kidding yourself if you think you should stay there. Life is about changes. We age, we grow, we learn – we continuously evolve.

What is the soundtrack to your life? If your life were a movie, what would be the message or the sub-text?

The soundtrack to my life is a little all over the place. It’s not that cool (in fact, it’s probably pretty lame), but because it accounted for significant growth for me at that time, it is tunes I will never forget. Janet Jackson’s Control album blew my mind! I had never seen a woman take center stage like that – demanding to be heard, and commanding all of the attention. In the video for “The Pleasure Principle” there were no background dancers, singers or costumes. Just Janet, a dusty factory and her Adidas. Sometimes it’s not about the fluff. It’s about the simplicity.

Lauryn Hill’s MTV Unplugged changed my entire life. I was taking a summer writing course at American International College, surprisingly, in a class of mostly females, when this record was released. I was going through that funky transition of entering the real world. And I struggled. I have always been a very spiritual, fairly conservative, always in my head kind of girl. I was 21, struggling to make sense of myself as a young mother, my beliefs and who I was and then … and then, Lauryn Hill put everything I was feeling, thinking and going through on wax. I must have listened to that album three times back-to-back when I first bought it. When that summer was over, I felt a little more at ease in my own skin.

I’ve also created my own mottos and sayings along the way. Ones that speak to me in good and bad times and also add joy to those around me: “Aspire to inspire,” “I love God. God loves me and I love myself,” “Today is a bad day, but tomorrow will be fabulous,” “Dream about me” (saved for goodbyes when someone close to me is leaving), “Love you, miss you, want you,” (created just for my son when he was little) and “It’s better when you sing it.”

It’s not about the artist, the genre or its popularity. It’s about the message. How does your soundtrack make you feel? How does it speak to your life and/or your situation? What does it say about you? We determine our own destinies. Many people feel like artists such as Biggie Smalls, Tupac and Amy Winehouse created music that, ultimately, mirrored the endings of their shortly lived lives. Coincidence or Law of Attraction – meaning you attract into your life what you put out? Either way, it’s important to surround yourself with like-minded individuals in both your business and personal relationships. Reading and listening materials shouldn’t be any different.

Consider your home an extension of your movie set. Are your dwellings a reflection of you? Don’t let your budget dictate your surroundings. Living within your means, whatever they may be, can still ensure that your castle is a place of peace and an ambiance that gives you serenity. Your home should be a place of inner comfort. The one area you sigh with relief to come into. If it doesn’t give you that feeling, evaluate what needs changing. My friends and family give me a hard time, in good fun, about not replacing my Panasonic TV with a flat screen. But it still works!

I come home and relax in front of it and enjoy it just the same. I prefer to think my house is full of love rather than stuff. My bookcase – filled with books that have shaped and inspired me – is a truer reflection of Natasha than any flat screen could ever be. That goes for my friends (the supporting cast in my movie) and the God I serve (this film’s director).

But like any script, there can be edits. And so I charge you with evaluating and editing your film. At the end of your life, when the credits roll, there will always be critics, but at least the most important viewer will be satisfied – YOU.

Can we really be all things to all people?

If you could have a clone, what would he or she be doing right now? Mine would be home cleaning and ironing my clothes. I spend anywhere between 17 to 20 hours a day working. I wish I could say I was one of those “concentrate on finishing one project at a time” people. But, I am all over the place every minute of the day.


As women we often feel guilty about spending too much time at work and too little time at home. If men are feeling the same, they sure aren’t talking about it as much. In March, www.reuters.com covered the topic in an article titled, “Women feel guilty about work-home intrusion.” The study found that, although women have become economic providers in dual-income households they have different expectations from men over the boundaries separating work and family life. ‘These forces may lead some women to question or negatively evaluate their family role performance when they're trying to navigate work issues at home,’” Scott Schieman, a co-author of the report and a professor at the University of Toronto in Canada, said.

When I was a little girl I despised chores. I would roll my eyes in my skull when my mother would say that these were things I HAD to know how to do as a woman. I would say that my husband can do his share of the chores and then scurry along to do as I was told before I didn’t live to meet him. I became a little feminist in my elementary days.

I still have my fourth grade yearbook from Lincoln Elementary School in Springfield, Mass. In the little, “When I Grow Up” blurbs, all my female peers were gushing about being future wives and mothers and I said I wanted to be a rapper (I idolized MC Lyte.), married to a man named Ted (Still don’t know where that came from) – AND HERE IS THE KICKER – I actually wrote “I WILL HAVE NO KIDS.” Looking back, I think I was setting the tone for no one telling me what I COULD or SHOULD do.
I don’t like the idea of being pigeon-holed or labeled. We let others do this to us all the time – housewife, party girl, businesswoman. No one person is all or nothing. We have layers.

Men juggle as well. I can almost here them now, “We just don’t complain about it.” I know many who say they are leaving meetings early or canceling events because it’s their son’s soccer game or girlfriend’s birthday.

David Kurtz told Fortune Magazine he left his job as a director of production at the Walt Disney Co. in order to spend more time with his family. "I completely changed my work environment to suit being able to be home at 6 p.m.," says Kurtz. "It's an improvement for our generation. Men and women feel the same way in the workplace; they are struggling with the same issues."

In the article titled, “The changing face of the American working dad,” Kathryn Reynolds Lewis examines this increasing trend. “While in previous generations, it would have been silently assumed that men stake a larger portion of their identity to their careers than women, a recent study from WFD Consulting and WorldatWork's Alliance for Work-Life Progress found that there are little, if any, differences between men and women on this front, similar to results from Brazil, China, Germany and the United Kingdom,” Lewis found.

WHO ARE YOU?

Is your career tied to your identity? And if so, does prioritizing it ahead of anything else make you selfish? If you remember: last year I blogged about being at the Next Level Development Conference for Women. At the start of one of the workshops, I was instructed to introduce myself to someone, but I could not talk about my job or family. It was one of the most awkward and difficult introductions ever. Who was I, if not a mother and writer?

A LinkedIn discussion posed a similar question: “How much of your identity is wrapped in your profession/career selection? Have you selected a profession that speaks strongly to your core values and desires, is your profession merely a paycheck, or are you somewhere in between?”

One professional answered: “My identity, however, is father, husband, son, brother, cousin and friend.” Another, “I am what I do. Ain't never gonna retire. Plan on being the irascible old guy that is too good to be gotten rid of, since he has the only key to the coffee storage.”

My career is tied to my identity. I am a writer. I am always amazed when I meet people and they say if they weren’t doing what they were doing, they’d be doing this or that. I have NEVER thought of doing anything else. Anything else I ever did prior to writing full-time was precisely so I could eventually write full-time. Everything – God, love, laughter, beauty, ugliness, pain, joy, heartache, good and bad – stems from the same place inside of me, my soul. This is who I am completely stripped. It is from this same place I find motherhood, friendship and more. It is not about choosing one over the other. I need to be me first in order to be remotely decent at any of the others.



My Mommy



Maybe that is what life is about, fitting in a little of everything. My mother always had remarkable hustle. She was a nurse, my hairdresser, our housekeeper, pastor, travel agent and everything in between. Maybe we need to stop worrying about being all things to all people and invest more time in managing what we have to do.

If there is one thing I know, my future hubby will definitely know how to work a vacuum. And I can do what I do best and WRITE him a nice, “Things To Do Today, Ted” note.

Self-doubt is real for entrepreneurs

This week I am reminded of one of Aesop’s fables, “The Lion, Jupiter, and the Elephant.” Even against our greatest efforts, it is easy to fall into the temporary stoop of our doubting our abilities. Entrepreneurs often wear many hats. Today we can act as the accountant, tomorrow the sales team and the day after we are PR gurus and marketing specialists. We are continuously juggling a variety of roles so often that at times it can be exhausting. You’re working your damnedest to do everything right even though it feels as if you’re doing everything wrong. And then you look over, and for a second, you get a glimpse of another entrepreneur riding the wave of success so elegantly and seamlessly, it makes you tuck your surf board between your legs and scurry back home to see if the last slice of humble pie is still in the fridge.

This week I am on overload and coasting on little sleep. So much is going on full force at work and on the home front that on Tuesday I literally hurried to the bathroom to lose my lunch just as quickly as I had ate it. I share this not so pleasant detail with you to tell the truth about navigating your way through entrepreneurism. Telling the tales of fun and achievement would be meaningless if I didn’t share the insecurities that grip you as you work to make your vision a reality. That is why the tale of “The Lion, Jupiter, and the Elephant” resonated with me so much.

For those of you who don’t know the meaningful tale, here it is: “The Lion, for all his size and strength, and his sharp teeth and claws, is a coward in one thing: he can’t bear the sound of a cock crowing, and runs away whenever he hears it. He complained bitterly to Jupiter for making him like that; but Jupiter said it wasn’t his fault: he had done the best he could for him, and, considering this was his only failing, he ought to be well content. The Lion, however, wouldn’t be comforted, and was so ashamed of his timidity that he wished he might die. In this state of mind, he met the Elephant and had a talk with him. He noticed that the great beast cocked up his ears all the time, as if he were listening for something, and he asked him why he did so. Just then a gnat came humming by, and the Elephant said, “Do you see that wretched little buzzing insect? I’m terribly afraid of its getting into my ear: if it once gets in, I’m dead and done for.” The Lion’s spirits rose at once when he heard this: “For,” he said to himself, “if the Elephant, huge as he is, is afraid of a gnat, I needn’t be so much ashamed of being afraid of a cock, who is ten thousand times bigger than a gnat.”

The line of pessimism and optimism is an edge you walk as you build a business from the ground up. We all experience self-doubt at one point. The difference is understanding that it is just a fleeting moment. Believe in yourself.

Michael Jordan, commonly lauded as the greatest basketball player of all time, had this to say about fear, “Some people get frozen by the fear of failure. They get it from peers or from just thinking about the possibility of negative results. They might be afraid of looking bad or being embarrassed. I realized that if I was going to achieve anything in life I had to be aggressive. I had to get out there and go for it. I don't believe you can achieve anything by being passive.

Michael breaks down with emotion after winning his first trophy.

"I'm not thinking about anything except what I'm trying to accomplish. Any fear is an illusion," Jordan continued. "You think something is standing in your way but nothing is really there. What is there is an opportunity to do your best and gain some success. If it turns out my best isn't good enough, then at least I'll never be able to look back and say I was too afraid to try. Failure always made me try harder the next time.”

It’s far too easy to look at others and see their excellence and wonder just how they are getting along so nicely. The truth of the matter is no one will ever be as invested in your future as you. When you have so much on the line, it is natural for doubt to sneak its way into your system. What if I don’t sell as much as I estimated? What if this doesn’t pan out as I planned? He has a well-known business and I am just starting out. How can I possibly compete with that?

These questions are common to those deeply entrenched in fulfilling their dreams. What I have learned is that in life we all must face the impossible if we are determined to set the precedent on what can be.

So don’t let the doubt that creeps into your soul at times deter you from what is head. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Look at your temporary moments of unease as a pit stop on the way to the finish line.

Ugly people make ugly wages?

Do good looking people enjoy more success in PR and Communications? This was a recent question posed in one of my online LinkedIn groups. While people have their own preferences when it comes to what they consider attractive, studies have shown that, in general, women and men are attracted to certain “things.” Women, on average, tend to be more attracted to men who have a relatively narrow waist, a V-shaped torso, and broad shoulders, are taller than they are, and display a high-degree of facial symmetry, and relatively masculine facial dimorphism (basically a face that visually differentiates from a woman).

Men, on average, tend to place a higher value on physical appearance in a partner than women do. Men, on average, tend to be more attracted to women who are shorter than they are, have a youthful appearance and exhibit features such as a symmetrical face, full breasts, full lips, and a low waist-hip ratio. So how does this affect your salary?

A July 2005 USA Today article by Stephanie Armour found that how you look is influential. “In a recent analysis, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis reviewed various economic studies to find possible links between looks and wages. The study's conclusion: A worker with below-average looks tended to earn significantly less -- on average 9% less -- per hour than an above-average-looking employee. And those with above-average looks tended to earn 5% more than their average-looking colleagues.

courtesy of usatoday.com

 ‘If someone looks like Brad Pitt or Julia Roberts, and society values that, that attribute is built into wages,’ says Michael Owyang, an economist who worked on the analysis.”



Two people who will have no problem finding employment.



We all know that how we dress has an impact on how we are perceived – especially in a field such as media and public relations. PR gurus Jessica Kleiman and Meryl Weinsaft Cooper said it best in an article this month, “Public relations is an image business and how you look is as much your calling card as the one in your wallet.”

But we’re talking about a person’s features, not their clothes. Can your physical features hinder or propel your success? Dr. Gordon Patzer has been studying this for more than 30 years. It is what he calls the Physical Attractiveness Phenomenon, a concept devised of many years of scholarly scientific research.

“Physical Attractiveness Phenomenon can be reasonably summarized as a four step process whereby (1) appearance via physical attractiveness serves as an informational cue, (2) from which extensive information is inferred, (3) that triggers assumptions, expectations, attitudes, and behaviors, (4) causing pervasive, powerful effects/consequences that are generally beneficial for people whose appearance is higher in physical attractiveness and detrimental for people whose appearance is lower in physical attractiveness,” according to gordonpatzer.com.

To summarize some of the findings:

• Appearance is a compelling informational cue, from which extensive information is inferred, attitudes formed, and behaviors caused.

• Determinants of appearance are many and complicated: physical and non-physical, permanent and temporary, congenital from birth and developed throughout life.

• Dynamics of appearance are pervasive, powerful, and often unrecognized, unacknowledged, or denied.

• Consequences of appearance, especially as appearance is inseparable from or inextricably interrelated with physical attractiveness, are overwhelmingly in one direction.

Body Fat = Thin Pockets?

So what now? How do you proceed? First, to stay ahead of the game, I guess we would need to figure out if we’re attractive or not. So I went to the most credible online source on the issue there is …. Are-you-ugly.com. I delved headfirst into the quiz, anxious to know the results. And then, the numbers were in …I scored a 68.75 %. In attractiveness terms, according to the experts, I am a 7 on a scale of 1-10, ten being the hottest. Some would say that isn’t bad for a chunky girl. But according to the UK’s Daily Mail, my career may be in jeopardy.

I have been a plus-sized woman most of my adult life.

“Overweight women, according to medical research, are far more likely to lose their jobs. They are also more likely to be a victim of crime - or a criminal. And as if all that wasn't enough, they are also more likely to be broke.” In Africa, however, (particularly in Mauritania) large women are held in high regard. It means they come from a wealthy family (can afford food) and are fit for marriage. In fact, some men actively go out seeking the curvaceous beauties.

So in a parallel universe, if I were living in Africa with a subscription to Schwan’s, I’d be beating men and employment opportunities back with a stick. If I resided in the UK, I’d be a broke criminal. (I am booking my airline ticket to Africa as as I write.)

When it comes to physical attractiveness and salaries, I believe confidence comes more in to play. On the social effects of physical attractiveness, Wikipedia suggests, “When a person is seen as attractive or unattractive, assumptions are brought into play. Across cultures, what is beautiful is assumed to be good. Attractive people are assumed to be more extroverted, popular, and happy. This could lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy; from a young age, attractive people receive more attention that helps them develop these characteristics.”

A healthy dose of confidence can do wonders. When you feel good about yourself, you walk taller, laugh louder and are more comfortable in your skin. We all have aspects of ourselves that can cause some minor feeling of insecurity, but learning to generally appreciate who you are will yield positive results. Certified Personal and Professional Strategy Coach Jonathan Wells, agrees that confidence is important. “In reality, self-confidence is often a more important asset than skill, knowledge, or even experience … People have a natural tendency to trust you more when you seem confident. To the subconscious mind confidence equals competence. Does that seem unfair? Well ask yourself if you would hire someone who seemed unsure of their own abilities? If you needed surgery, would you use a doctor whose first impression left you wondering how he got his license to practice? It wouldn’t matter how impressive his credentials were, you would find someone else.

“Confidence creates trust, and everyone wants to be able to trust the people they do business with, become friends with and fall in love with. If you want to be trusted by others, you must first trust yourself.”

Think about it? Have you ever been around a person that just had that “it”? They weren’t necessarily drop-dead gorgeous or fit the “typical” ideals of beauty, but they had zeal, oomph, that wow factor? It’s because some people just ooze confidence and command our attention. So while I believe how you carry yourself will absolutely assist you in climbing up or falling down the success ladder, blaming it on your parent’s DNA is a little far-fetched.

We all need daily confidence boosters. We perform better when we feel better. Click here for 25 great tips. And ask yourself, what makes you feel confident?

Are your clients more than a number?



I am a creature of habit, of loyalty. There are things I like to be spontaneous about: travel, activities and hairstyles. Yet, there are other circumstances where I prefer to lock my feet in the cement: primary care physician, mechanic, Cottonelle toilet paper. It was hard for me to leave my pediatrician. I was around the age of 25 when I knew it was time. There I was sitting in Dr. Regina Kruczynska’s office surrounded by children playing with blocks and watching videos.


The nurse opened the door and said, “Natasha Clark,” and I was embarrassed as I rose to meet her at the door. I told this to Dr. Kruczynska when I entered and she told me not to worry. She had patients that were approaching 30. I had been her patient since I was 7. She knew my history, my parents and my son. (That was the kicker! Shaun was her patient, too. And if he had an appointment and I wasn’t feeling well, I could get a twofer and ask her to check me out, as well.) It hurt, but I eventually found a new physician.

As entrepreneurs, we should constantly be thinking about keeping our clients coming back for more. Walt Disney said, “Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends.” It doesn’t matter what line of work you’re in, you need and want them to come back. If you’re an author, you want them to buy the sequel. If you’re the president of UCONN, you want that student to return for the master’s degree.

“Recent estimates put each person's circle of influence at between 50 and 300 people. Imagine the time it would take a sales rep to generate 300 potential prospects," says Jay Lipe, author of The Marketing Toolkit for Growing Businesses. "Yet by connecting with a repeat customer, and finding ways for them to communicate with their circle of influence about your company, you've just expanded your sales force, without incurring additional overhead."

I can’t write on this topic and not mention Randy Pausch. He learned that he had pancreatic cancer in September 2006, and in August 2007 he was given a terminal diagnosis: "3 to 6 months of good health left". He gave an upbeat lecture titled "The Last Lecture: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" on September 18, 2007 at Carnegie Mellon, which became a popular YouTube video and led to other media appearances. He then co-authored a book called The Last Lecture on the same theme, which became a New York Times best-seller.

A fence dedicated to Randy Pausch at Carnegie Mellon.

Pausch died of complications from pancreatic cancer on July 25, 2008. In his fantastic book, he tells readers about the $100,000 salt and pepper shaker Disney World sold. As a kid, Randy was at Disney World with his family and he and his sister decided they wanted to show their parents their appreciation for the trip. They pooled their allowance and purchased a ceramic Disney salt and pepper shaker.

However, Randy accidentally drops the shaker and it breaks. A nearby adult suggests they take it back to the store. To their surprise, the Disney employee who had sold them the items apologized for not wrapping them appropriately and gave them a new set, no questions asked.

As an adult, by Randy's calculations, over the years his family has spent over $100,000 with the Disney brand over the years because they never forgot the symbolic importance of that one specific interaction. In later years as a consultant, Randy asked Disney executives this question: "If I sent a child into one of your stores with a broken salt and pepper shaker today, would your policies allow your workers to be kind enough to replace it?" Randy said, "the executives squirm at the question. They know the answer: Probably not."

Good service can yield remarkable results. Disney profited 100 times over because of good service, not a fantastic salt and pepper shaker. Delivering quality service is just as important as the quality product.

What are some of the things that spark your loyalty?

Not Having Fun Can Kill You

P. Diddy was right; it is “All About the Benjamins.” We all need to earn a living to survive. With the economy in its current state, some of us are truly hurting to get by. Some of us have been forced to take whatever form of employment we can acquire due to these conditions. But are you smiling or grimacing when you’re counting your cash?

When it comes to working at The Lioness Group and building this firm from the ground up, I only work on what I enjoy. Even if it’s work to be sub-contracted to someone else, I don’t take on the client or contract if it isn’t in line with my firm’s vision. You should only represent what you believe in.

There are some who would say, you need to do what makes money. I get that. Income needs to flow in, but I prefer to carefully select the channels in which it arrives. My sister-in-law has tried to remind me that as I age, I need to start taking the salary benefits a little more seriously, and I will, I’m sure. I have a great appreciation for life and it is very important to me to squeeze joy and fulfillment out of every second. So if I tell a prospective client or peer that I want to work with them, it is because I WANT to, not because I have to.

If you’re not enjoying it, why are you doing it? Have you been in the position to have to report to work or a meeting and dread going? I’m sure you have. I don’t like that situation. I work hard at trying to avoid feeling that way. It’s the stress I try to stay away from. Stress, my friends, can kill. “According to a study by the British Medical Journal, chronic stress has been linked to the development of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, as well as other conditions. This is because they found a link between chronic job stress and metabolic syndrome, which is a group of factors that, together, increase the risk of these diseases, including high blood pressure, insulin resistance, central obesity (excessive abdominal fat, which has been linked to increased cortisol in the bloodstream, as well as several other health problems). They found that greater levels of job stress increased people’s chances of developing metabolic syndrome: the higher the stress level, the greater the chance of developing metabolic syndrome.”

If you are not currently stressed at work, I am sure you know someone who is. Here are some emotional and cognitive signs: irritable, anxious, worrying, feeling overwhelmed, inability to concentrate and unhappiness. Here are some physical and behavioral signs:  aches, pains, dizziness, diarrhea, eating more or less, procrastination, nervous habits (nail biting, pacing), sleeping too much or too little and abusing alcohol or drugs.

Graph courtesy of http://www.uml.edu/

We only get one go. So if you’re not getting pleasure out of what you’re doing, maybe it’s time to reevaluate why you’re doing it. Stress is a serious issue. To learn more about what the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has to say on the subject, visit http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/blog/nsb120307_stress.html.

My vision board makes me invincible

Sometimes when it comes to having vision, I literally need it. When I first decided I was going to put together a vision board, I thought it was pretty corny. It was about 2007/2008 and I decided to search my favorite books and magazines looking for quotes and images that inspired me. After I assembled an impressive collage and hung it up near my bed, the corniest factor was still alive and well.

In fact, when my son cocked his brow at it and asked me what it was, I blushed a bit. I said something like, “It’s a vision board. It’s what I want out of my life,” and he sort of shrugged it off and moved on to the next thing, like adolescents his age so often do. However, the first time I woke up in the morning and glimpsed the vision board in the early morning sunlight, I realized its true purpose – renewed inspiration. Since then, the corny factor has evaporated.

I don’t think I could live without my vision board. I have gotten pretty skilled at it, too. Now, each year on my birthday, I create a new board with things I want to see for me in that year. I try to be well-rounded, optimistic, a little realistic, but hopeful, as well. Hell, to give myself a boost of confidence and extra oomph on the days I want to curl back in bed, one look at words like “Warrior Woman” and I’m up and in the shower. On the days I’m feeling a bit selfish, images of giving back to my community remind me of the things I NEED to do.

I have inspirations for home, work, inner reflections, external hopes, any and everything under the son. This year I have my own special motto, the very most important piece on my vision board for my 30th year of life … in between all of the images and quotes in big red letters on a blue background, it reads, “REVEAL THE WOMAN WITHIN.” Trust me; it takes a lot more courage to do that than anything else on that board. And even a lioness needs something to get that roar going.

What are some of the things you would put on your vision board?

Have We Had Lunch Yet? Pt. II

A toast to a great year

As promised back in September, I have reflected over some of the meetings and great lunch dates I have had in 2010. While some were last minute or never entered into my planner at all, here is the best round up I can give. I have personally reached out to and had business meetings with about 80 people this year – roughly six a month. In addition to these 80 meetings, I sat down with roughly 35 other people either over lunch or dinner.


Except for five professionals, I have collaborated, created a partnership or continue to actively network with the rest of the 110. I say this and end 2010 with this column to prove the power of networking and reaching out. I only knew two of you prior to this year. I cold contacted the majority of my lunch dates. Now I have 113 other professionals I can add to my network. It’s not a one way street. These people can now add me to theirs. Building connections is a continuous cycle. Don’t be out for the take. Be truly interested in how you can help one another. It always comes back to you tenfold.

There are hundreds of people who meet with triple the number of people I have met with. Remember, it is not about numbers. It’s about building quality relationships. Some of you have become friends, some of you are currently in the midst of working on projects with me, some of you I have dragged into volunteering and others are probably sick of receiving emails from me. I love working with all of you. I love that we are all making Greater Springfield a wonderful place to live. Here’s a toast to what we will all accomplish in 2011!

See you in the New Year!

Suit up and get in the game

With regards to business, the age-old philosophy of “living in the moment” doesn’t completely ring true. I find that those who are very successful thrive in the present, but always keep one foot in the future. To get where you are going, you have to start your navigation from your current location. Like Michael Jackson in the Billy Jean video, if you do it well, your wise decisions will illuminate your path with each step.

Be Proactive.

Get noticed for the right reasons. Employees who get involved are recognized for their commitment and team-player mentality. Don’t wait for assignments to be delegated to you, sign up for them. In fact, create new strategies and ideas and present them to your supervisor or boss. Don’t be afraid to share ideas with co-workers. Invite them to brainstorm on an idea you have been pondering. Stay that extra half hour to finish up the proposal your group needs by next week.

I am not telling you to be a slave. I am saying be efficient, consistent and energized when you are in the workplace. When you are the ables (reliable and capable) you become a necessity to the company. The worst thing to do is to maintain your position in a manner that results in your superior not caring who is sitting in your seat. Make them want you, and only you, in that role. Then you will have leverage when you ask for that raise, rally for that promotion or argue your case for that new espresso machine in the cafeteria. By the time you are ready to move on to the next phase of your career - whether you are leaving or ascending within the organization - you will have established a track record.

Let The Players In The Game Get To Know You.
Many people will tell you the opposite. Try to get past his secretary, approach him at a meet and greet. Don’t believe them. I don’t care how much you want to get five minutes with Mr. Wilson, the president of Hold It Paper Clips. The quickest and easiest way to get a sit-down with Mr. Wilson is to be great at what you do. A funny thing will happen. Mr. Wilson will come looking for you.

I hate to think about it as much as you, but people are talking behind your back. Trust me, some are saying not so nice things, and some are saying some wonderful things. No matter what any of them say, the proof is in the pudding. No amount of idle gossip can take away your accomplishments and the opportunities you have created for yourself and others. So spend your time doing positive work and getting solid results. Before you know it, people will be trying to get past your secretary.

Let Them See It All Over Your Face.
Remember that song, (I’m singing at the top of my lungs here), “It’s written all over your face. You don’t have to say a word.” Well, guess what? It’s true. When you are feeling annoyed, angry and mentally exhausted at work, people can see it and they want no parts of it. In Jeremy Myers’ article titled, “The art of the poker face,” he teaches players that “the ability to keep a positive attitude, and not let losses and setbacks drag you down, is an essential part of being a successful poker player. If you do happen to take a beating - which, inevitably, you will - do your best to brush it off. Dwelling on it will only take much-needed focus away from the next hand.”

The key to staying positive is recognizing a situation for what it is and then pushing through it until the moment has passed. When I am having a bad day, I say out loud, “Today is a bad day. Tomorrow will be a wonderful day.” And you know what, tomorrow usually is. Sulking in negativity, moping about the workplace and answering colleagues in a sinister tone is contagious. You offshoot that vibration to another, they in turn get annoyed and exhibit a reflection of your misery and so the virus spreads … We all know people who work in hostile work environments. They often bring that baggage home at the end of the day, and the cycle continues.

When I used to begin to feel overwhelmed on lay out day at the newspaper and deadlines were looming over my head, I used to say to my co-workers Courtney Llewellyn and Katelyn Gendron, “The work will get done because it has to.” It would act as a moment for me to shovel off any feeling of burden, recycle it into something positive, and allow me to do what needed to be done one step at a time. On stressful days, take a moment to harness your chi and bring yourself back to that positive space. Let that piece of peace ooze out into the work environment. You’ll be known as being able to work well under pressure.

Step Up The Corporate Ladder, Not The Backs Of Others.
No one will ever convince me that you have to be ruthless to others to get ahead. The only thing you should be ruthless about is your work ethic. Don’t connive, manipulate or mislead. Having character and integrity doesn’t make you weak. It makes you level-headed. Always be tactful, honest and sure of what you say and do before you do it. Workplace speech and behavior is like childbirth, once it’s out, there is absolutely no going back.

Earn the respect and trust of your colleagues. When you are helpful and supportive, they will be the same in return. Don’t fall victim to cynicism. Not everyone is out to get you. I’m not advising you to play dumb. I am encouraging you to play smart. Know which battles to fight and which wars to wage. When it comes to office politics, those who have attracted more bees with honey, tend to have more soldiers on the front lines for them.

10 things every entrepreneur should know or do

1) They are not born, they are made. I was an average student in school. I wasn’t on the honor roll. I didn’t play sports. I wasn’t the most popular. However, I managed to figure out at an early age what I was good at and stuck with it.


2) There is not a pile of grants for small businesses waiting to be claimed. This is an ever-present myth. Yes, there are grants out there for specific programs that file under specific categories. There is not a lump some of money, readily available for someone with a brilliant idea, sitting in a locked vault allocated from the federal government to your state. If so, everyone wouldn’t be looking for investors and bank loans. There are small business grants that state and federal agencies offer and financial programs that assist entrepreneurs.

3) You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Some of the wealthiest entrepreneurs in this world took something that already existed and made it better.

4) Don’t look for the end of the rainbow for at least three to five years for a brand-new start up. The average start up takes about that long to see real profit. During that time most of the cash goes back into the company. You might want to keep that side job.

5) Smart ones include advertising dollars in their budget. Today you can do a lot for free and word-of-mouth never goes out of style. Still, the right ad, at the right place, at the right time, can do wonders.

6) Intern, intern, intern or get a mentor. If you haven’t done it. Do it. Some places will take an intern no matter the grade or if they need college credit. I once did an internship after college where my fellow interns were double my age. If you can’t intern, do a fellowship. These are basically some of the only situations where people will show you how they run their company; share their protocols and everything they know for FREE.

7) Volunteer to join local boards and committees. You will learn how to run and structure an organization. The financial literacy you gain is second to none and you’re doing something for the community.

8) Some days you will wonder why you aren’t working for someone else collecting a regular salary without the headache.

9) You will experience a brilliant moment when you remember exactly why you went into business for yourself.

10) The only thing more depressing than having your venture fail is looking back at your life and wondering why you never exhausted every avenue or put every blood, sweat and tear into it. This is your dream. Go big or go home.

Meat and potatoes never hurt anybody

Is it just me or are we constantly worried about time? What time is the meeting? How long is the event? Where will we be inserting the keynote speaker on the timeline in the program?

If time was a meal, we’d consistently be serving hors d'oeuvres. I always go for the entrée. Whenever I meet with a client, I always ask that they schedule me for a time that is convenient for them. Not when they have 15 minutes to spare, but a bulk of time for genuine conversation. I think it is a waning feature nowadays.

I’m not trying to squeeze anything out of you. Neither am I interested in giving you a spiel. I am meeting with you to learn more about your organization, its needs and you as a person and member of the community. Sure, I am going to tell you about what we offer at The Lioness Group and our mission. However, I am going to tell you about it and a host of other things and if you decide you would like our services, fantastic – I’m ecstatic. And if you don’t, that is OK, too.

Trying to blurt out what I do in 10 minutes is not only a disservice to the professional services I provide, but a waste of our time. If my services are worth having, than offering it is enough. Talking a million words a minute and pressuring you into a deal should make the ears perk up on anyone. It should also tell you that they are interested in your cash and not the value of your company.

I like to work with people who care about the success of their organization, their employees/clients/consumers and community outreach. All are interlinked to the success of the other. All of these I hope to touch on in conversation. The fleeting 10-second sound bite is not my cup of tea. Maybe some like the little appetizer sprinkled with insincere rhetoric. But I prefer the meat and potatoes.

To plan or not to plan



Do you have the future in your sights?

 I am one of those entrepreneurs who fell into my company – if there ever is such a one. I never thought about owning a business. I did not search for business opportunities and yet, here I am. My first client referred me to another, then someone else called me about a thing, then that thing was noticed by another and so on.


I did not have any start up capital. I did not have a business plan. Though I was certified in business planning nearly a decade ago, everything I am learning I am learning on the job. I have my successes and my slips and I have the plaques and bruises to prove it. However, talking to others about how they got their business ventures going got me thinking about planning. How effective is it? How do you weigh short-term and long-term goals?

Planning is crucial to executing a great idea. That is a no-brainer. Yes, I am one of THOSE people. I admit it. I have a vision board – two to be exact. I have a short term one (present to one year) and a long-term one (ten to fifteen years from now). I set long-term goals, but I complete them in stages. I see where I want to be in three months, nine months and two years from now. I then decide what I need to do every day in order to be where I need to be in three months. I look at my week in units. The last day of the week, Saturday, I briefly reflect on whether or not I completed any tasks that make my three-month goal a reality. Trust me, there are off weeks. Working in short-term bursts keeps me from looking too far ahead and wondering how long I still have to go.

Everyone is different. I honestly think if I had started off by writing a business plan, I would have quit this business owner gig a long time ago. Taking my time and learning and growing at my own pace has allowed me to shape The Lioness Group into its unique niche. If I had sat down and typed out what I thought a writing and media services firm should look like, it would not have been what I currently have. Being different means doing what others have not done and stepping out is frightening. I wouldn’t have been able to write down what I wanted to do, because I didn’t know what I wanted to do until I started to do it. (Whew! Did you catch that?) Slow, steady growth has enabled me to find my strengths and what makes my brand what it is. Take the time to work in the field you are attempting to become a leader in. Know what it feels like to be in the shoes of the worker bee, the queen bee’s assistant and, ultimately, the queen herself. Be a consumer of the same services you hope to provide. Being on the other side of the glass can do remarkable things when it comes to determining how you want to treat your clients.

I am not encouraging anyone to not have a business plan. It is a necessity. I am in the throws of working with Williams Business Consulting to finally complete my business plan. I must say, it’s a lot easier to write after being in business for more than a year. I don’t have to use estimates. I can use facts. The bonus of having a plan is when you are having those off days; the ones where you are wondering why you started this in the first place. You can open up that plan, refocus on your mission and get right back on track. But don’t be afraid to wander out of the guidelines every now and then. Leave room for the unexpected. Fore it is the only thing that has catapulted me on my path. The irony is what we think is unexpected is often a result of choices we have made, both good and bad.

The Power is in Your Hands

The first time I worked in a mentor capacity, I was Assistant Managing Editor at Reminder Publications. Through Minnechaug Regional High School’s School to Career program, overseen by the amazing and talented Paula Talmadge, each year a high school student would intern in our news department.

These students would come in willing and ready to absorb all they could learn each day. Errors led to discoveries, nerves strengthened to confidence and each story led them to become a part of the news team family. One of the greatest rewards in participating in the program, on my end, was that each student reignited my passion for news.

Each time they figured out a way to track down a source or finally nail their lead, you felt a piece of their victory when their story went to print. You remember how good it feels, because you can recall being in their shoes.

Last week I had the pleasure of talking to students at New Leadership Charter School on entrepreneurism. It was wonderful to hear about their dreams and hopes for the future. Two students hoped to start a wedding planning company. It gave me great satisfaction to tell them they were on the right track. In order to gain experience, they have been planning whatever they can, including school activities and events. After we did a brief exercise that is designed to learn more about your strengths and weaknesses and to access your needs, the two young ladies discovered that what one lacked, the other excelled in, which makes an excellent partnership. It would allow the two be able to focus on different, yet equally important, functions of their future company.

After we went through my Power Point presentation, munched on snacks and muddled over some of the press and marketing materials I brought them, I also shared with them that often people have a certain idea of what an entrepreneur is. I explained to them that an entrepreneur is YOU. It is a person who sees where there is nothing and creates something. It is a person who looks at a product or service and says, “How can I make that better?”

I explained to them that I wasn’t the best student in high school and I had a son at the end of my senior year. But, what saved my future is there was one thing I knew that I loved doing – writing. I had no idea how I was going to make a living at it, but I knew I would. I had veered off my path, but was determined to get "write" back on. So I went to college, worked, interned, and interned some more, and the most important thing I ever did was LISTEN. I have always admired and respected people older than I. And until this very day, when they talk, I listen. I take their advice, learn how they do things, what works, what doesn't and then I do it my way.

I can name numerous people who have made a difference and impacted my life in a substantial way. People who don’t even have a clue they did. Here are just a few: Laurie, a mother of four children who worked with me at The Avenue when I was 23 years old. She told me I could start my own business one day. She was right. Thanks to her, I attended the Center for Women & Enterprise in Rhode Island.

There is a gentleman I never met face-to-face in the early 2000s. We spoke on the phone for about 10 minutes. I don’t even remember his name. He told me to call The Republican and say he sent me. After a series of phone calls and an interview, I got my first paying freelance job writing for the Plus section. Gosh, my articles were horrible. However, Cynthia Simison was kind enough to let me gain some experience.

Later, when I worked at The Reminder, G. Michael Dobbs would listen to our story ideas and give us permission to write them – no matter how out there they were for a weekly newspaper: i.e. “Mike, can we go to the Mojave Desert to track local Marines as they prepare for war in Iraq?” Yes. “Mike, can we drive down to Connecticut in the wee hours of the morning and cover the Michael Ross execution?” Yes. “Can I ride a bus with hundreds of citizens who are going to rally at the New England Congressional Delegation?” Yes. “Mike, can I go to Thailand for a month to write a piece on Group Study Exchange?” Yes. “Can I cover Bill Cosby?” Yes. “How about Grant Hill?” Yes. “Dick Gregory?” Yes. Sorry Jim Carey, but Dobbs is the true “Yes Man.”

Today I encourage you to pay it forward. Even if you did not have someone in your life that helped you get where you are, be the first to turn around and lift up a young person behind you, and then nudge them forward in your own, unique way. Maybe you may know a good resource for them; maybe you can offer advice on a particular subject – it may be as simple as showing them a little love and respect. It all makes a difference.

Don't Be Afraid, Go Out On A Limb

Fear can be crippling. In order to see our businesses flourish, we have to take calculated risks. However, it is often easier said than done. Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the 4th Annual Next Level Development Conference for Women of Color hosted at The Sheraton in Springfield, Mass.


The brainchild and vision of Kimberly Robinson Williams, the conference exists to promote the career and personal development of women and people of color across professions, industries and levels of experience. Audra Bohannon, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion for Global Novations, presented one of the workshops titled, “Efficacy: Success Strategies for Career Success.” It was brilliantly put together and I was quite pleased to learn that I have been on the right track when it comes to my career.

Then we came to the portion of the program that asked us to write down things we have always wanted to accomplish but still have not. That was easy, too. But then she asked, “What can get in the way?” And that is where I got the first chink in my armour. The things I have accomplished and are known to be great at, well, they come naturally to me. Currently, there are only a few things that make me weak in the knees (Not actually true. If I were to list all of the animals, creepy crawlers and reptiles that turn my blood to ice you’d be reading a book not a column). Since I believe in the practice what you preach motto, I am going to so that I can be held accountable by you. Give me a microphone and place me in front of an audience and my throat will lock. I begin to sound like I inhaled a can of helium. It’s not that I am not prepared to speak or that I am not knowledgeable on the subject. I just begin to wonder what the thoughts are behind all of those roving eyeballs.

Oddly enough, I have spoken to classes, organizations and civic meetings – some have went better than others. However, my worst experience with public speaking took place when I was in Thailand participating in Group Study Exchange, a program sponsored by Rotary International. For six weeks I travelled the country with my other team mates, practically (in my mind) making a fool of myself at every club meeting. I’d be fine leading up to it. I’d even feel quite calm, but one second before I opened my mouth my palms would start sweating and a death grip would seize my vocal cords. My favourite joke on the subject comes from Jerry Seinfeld. He said, "The number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Number two. That means most people would rather be in the casket than doing the eulogy."

The Next Level Conference encouraged me to think about fear. Sometimes we’re willing to take a backseat to it rather than follow our hearts. While I believe most people will admit they have a fear of failure, I think it actually comes back to worrying how others view your failure. For example, I fail at things all the time. I’ve slipped on winter ice in my drive way before or put on my shirt backwards. Heck, one morning during my high school days I made it half a block before I realized I hadn’t combed my hair that morning. Did I care about many of these mishaps? No. Why? No one was around to witness them.

Going out on a limb in clear view is scary. We’re vulnerable and visible. The funny thing is that when we fear doing what we want to because of how we may be perceived, we not only miss out on a fantastic opportunity to grow, but we wind up with that feeling that I refuse become friends with, regret.

When I left the conference that afternoon, I left with one mission in mind: Over the next three months I am going accept all of the speaking engagements I had previously turned down. I am going to tiptoe to the edge of my comfort zone, open my arms and take a leap of faith – and I don’t care who is watching. Someone once told me that whatever people think of me is none of my business anyway.

One Click and it Spreads Like a Virus

As an entrepreneur, are you a business owner or a brand? Either way, you represent something. Last week I was invited to an amazing professional development opportunity for women. Hosted by Mary Fallon, of Garvey Communications, there was a great topic on social media and where the line of business and personal is drawn.

For many years I put off utilizing social media. Heck, I didn’t even get a steady cell phone until 2009 (Long story, but sometimes I actually LIKE being unreachable). When I began to use Facebook,I never associated with business contacts on it because at that time I was still a reporter and wanted to keep socializing with city and/or town officials to a minimum. When I started The Lioness Group I thought creating two accounts would be beneficial. I had my business profile and then I had a personal profile. It was easy at first - checking to inboxes, building both networks. However, the more connections I began to make, the longer it took me online.

A few weeks ago I had enough – I contacted all of my friends and associates on my business profile and said that I was merging everyone into one account. Why? It not only was too time consuming, but what did I truly not want my business associates to see on the other personal Facebook account I kept? Nothing.

The Lioness Group and my name are not two separate things. They are one. I am The Lioness Group. I am the brand. I represent my company wherever I go at all times. If people looked at themselves as unified with their business and/or employer, it might cut back on all of the trouble some employees find themselves in when they post far too personal information on social media networks.

Writer Ron Callari wrote an amazing article on the situation for inventorspot.com. In the piece Callari writes, “Be careful what you tweet, Flikr, YouTube and update - less you want to reduce your chances of getting hired or landing your next client. Social media is now officially the extension of one's resume. It adds another layer for discovery by prospective employers and companies. After all, who knows you better than your social networks?

“Austin Carr in a Fast Company analysis reported that "employers are on longer just searching Google for information on applicants - they're commissioning companies to do professional social media background checks." To that point, a Proofpoint study indicated that 8 percent of companies have already fired "social media miscreants."

The study also uncovered the following infractions:

• 17 percent disciplined an employee for violating blog or message board policies

• 15 percent have disciplined an employee for violating multimedia sharing / posting policies

• 13 percent of US companies investigated an exposure event involving mobile or Web-based short message services”

Still don’t believe? Take Scott Dutcher, head of the Colorado Animal Protection Bureau, for example. Under the Twitter account name Skinnyhorse, abcNews10 reported that, “He called himself an ‘unapologetic American’ who was ‘anti-animal rights.’ In one tweet he urged his followers to ‘take our country back’ and in another he sarcastically called on people to "eat more polar bears.’ He also went after people he deemed to be too much in favor of animal rights.

‘Success over animal rights is the best revenge!’ he wrote. ‘Meat is in higher demand, more entries, spectators in rodeo, etc...’

Those kinds of tweets brought forward the wrath of many people in favor of animal rights. An online petition is currently encouraging people to sign their names in order to try to get him fired. There's even a Facebook page devoted to getting him out of the job. The local head of the Humane Society of the United States called his behavior ‘appalling.’”

Be aware of what you post online. You have to be aware of what you’re doing. As I shared with the professional development group that morning, my motto is I never post anything online that I wouldn’t want my mother to see.

Have We Had Lunch Yet?

I have a weird rule – every week I have lunch, coffee or dinner with someone I do not know. I have met entrepreneurs, financial advisors, pastors, teachers, investors, writers, restaurateurs, designers – the list goes on and on.
While I have not tallied it up thus far, I can safely say that I have met over 70 new acquaintances – some have become friends – in the last several months. At the end of 2010, for the first time, I will attempt to tally them up for the year. You see, it has never been about the number. I am going to tally it up to prove a point. These are genuinely people that I thought to myself, “I would like to get to know her” or “Jeez, what he does sounds so interesting. I am going to reach out to him to learn more.”

Believe it or not, people welcome meeting YOU, yes, YOU! I have yet to meet one person who has refused a meeting. And do you know why that is? People want to build new relationships just as much as you. I’m not talking about the superficial exchanging of business cards to build a rolodex. I mean learning about why they do what they do and caring to know about their families, interests and contributions.

Sure we all hope to do business with someone, but it goes beyond that. Before I even think about working with someone, I try to get to know them. Maybe we might not make a great business partnership, but you may be a heck of a bowling partner. Maybe we initially met for you to learn about my services and it turns out you don’t quite need them yet. However, through conversation, it could be revealed that you are just the person to fill a vacancy on a committee I’m familiar with.

Not everyone fits in one box. You’ll never know the true potential of a relationship if you don’t approach it with an open mind. So get rid of those old, washed up notions of networking. People are as interesting and unique as the stars in the sky.

Stay tuned for my 2010 tally in December … and if you haven’t thought about it, you should: Have we had lunch yet?

Cast Your Vote Campaign Kicks-off

New Western Mass. black professional organization to launch


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Springfield, Mass. August 26, 2010 - This fall Western Massachusetts will be the home of a new black professional organization. However, they can’t do it without you! Starting Wednesday, Sept. 1 until Sunday, Oct. 31, 2010, residents will have the opportunity to vote to name the new group!

The Cast Your Vote campaign allows residents in Western Mass. to vote for one of five potential names for the organization. Votes will be tallied after Oct. 31 and the winning name will be announced along with the organization’s launch event this November. The five names to choose from are: Alliance of Black Professionals, Western Massachusetts Professional Black Network, The Onyx Guild, The Mahogany Society or Association of Black Professionals.

Voters can send an e-mail with their name, contact information and their favorite selection to votespringfield@gmail.com. Only one vote is allowed per e-mail address. Voting will end on Oct. 31 at midnight.

Based in Springfield, Massachusetts, the new group was created to represent the region's black professional population and positively contribute to its advancement by unifying black professionals to impact civic and economic development. Members are encouraged to participate in initiatives that enhance the quality of life within their communities.

The mission of the organization is to be a resource to black professionals in Western Massachusetts by providing professional development, networking and community service. Developed by a seven-member steering committee, there will be a variety of monthly networking events and professional development workshops that build interpersonal and leadership skills. These gatherings will also be a platform for business exchange and fellowship.

Home is Where the Work is?

I cannot speak for other entrepreneurs that work from home, but for me, drawing the line between work and home is difficult. It is not an issue that is new to me. In fact, the problem originally began to rear its head a few years ago when I was still Assistant Managing Editor at Reminder Publications.


At first, you are finishing up a story at home. I would knock out the other duties – editing, downloading, etc. during the day – and finish up my piece later at home. Easy enough, right? Yeah, until that turns into writing more than one at home, still double checking resources and research after hours and, before you know it, you’re up at midnight clicking away at your computer. In those days, I fought to squeeze in family time. I hate to admit it, but quality time was a battle I often lost. Even when you manage to pry yourself away from work, your thoughts zip back to work – did I get that in, I forgot to send this email, and my fave, am I supposed to be somewhere right now?

The difference between the issue then and now is there is no work to “take home” in that sense. My office is my home and for me, it opens up a whole new can of worms. I am finding myself having the opposite problem. Home is a refuge of relaxation. I’ll catch myself lounging on the sofa, flipping through the TV channels and suddenly questioning whether I should be doing this. Isn’t there work to be done? Aren’t there phone calls to make? The problem is you never quite “leave the office.” As I sit chuckling at the antics of Will Smith in a ridiculous episode of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” I can feel my laptop and paperwork pile burning hole in the back of my head.

The other interesting thing I am finding is that lately I DON’T want people to know I work from home. I feel like each time I hand over a business card with my home address printed on it, I am losing a piece of my privacy. Over the weekend I was discussing this with my administrator, Laurie, and we decided that on our new marketing materials, we would not use my address. We also discussed the benefits of establishing a P.O. Box.

As a society, work/life balance is sort of non-existent. We have pretty much accepted that it is one and the same and so checking emails while on vacation, listening to your voicemail in bed and running your business from a palm pilot has become the norm. The ironic thing is that for most of my adult life I shied away from having a cell phone in order to avoid this very same thing. However, I LOVE that I am always only a click or call away from running The Lioness Group from anywhere. But I must admit: my curse is also my blessing.

How do you handle working from home? Share. Discuss.

Build Relationships, Build Your Business

Building relationships is a major part of success and longevity when it comes to business. This weekend I had a business lunch with someone I was introduced to last year. Our initial meeting was brief and pleasant. We had a mutual acquaintance and over a Happy Hour cocktail, we simply shook hands and other than light conversation and a note of what we each did for a living, there was no other business discussed.


Flash forward to July 2010. Another mutual acquaintance in passing conversation mentions The Lioness Group and what we do and low and behold it is services they need. She also remembered meeting me on that cold winter night. I was glad to receive the referral (as most of my business is) and a quick game of phone tag later, we were finally face to face munching and chitchatting about their public relations needs.

This is why building relationships is so important. We never know where potential business will come from. Always be on your A game. Be courteous, pleasant and maintain a clean track record. People should be proud to be associated with you. It’s not just about getting referred; it’s about being REFERRABLE.