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Tag: entrepreneur

Surefire ways to get attention

I spent a good chunk of my early career worrying about finding the right kinds of business, attracting smart clients, generating the best PR. I’d worry if my work was good enough, if my talents and skills were evident, if my angle was unique.

Through trial and error, I realized there are two surefire ways to catch the attention of an audience (they’re fickle and quick to move on, so you have to be powerfully concise and to the point):

1. Show “why you.”

Behave in a way that gives me no choice but to see you. Your track record is an active testament to your character and to your work as a professional. I don’t care what is listed on your resume. I want projects and completed work that demonstrate your capabilities and promise as a leader.

2. Ask a question that can’t be avoided.

Put something in my head I can’t ignore. You’re here as a professional, so ask me something that proves you are what you say. You’re not here to be ordered about. Create an itch that leaves me wanting more.

Make me care.

When you find your passion, people will hate you.

“I think your [sic] passionate about your work and I know it turns people like me off.”

The message pinged in my Facebook inbox as I was going to sleep.

Maybe because I was in a particularly fragile state — two days in bed with high fever, my arms and legs raging with sunburn, pimples dotting my face, constipation, tension high with continued visa struggles, pressure to find funding for our annex building while trying to keep dinners in NYC going strong — I’ll admit, the comment stung. It got me thinking about what I’ve been doing and how I’ve been going about it. I instantly starting writing and analyzing.

You see, even when you’re shining and radiant and doing good work in the world, there will be people who don’t like you, who don’t understand, who aren’t supportive.

Ignore them. Write a list of all your wins and keep going.

P.S. If I had good wifi, I would download and listen to James’ podcasts.

Acceptance and a face tattoo

Last night I had a dream I got a tattoo. It was a big black tribal symbol winding down the side of my face and neck. Sometimes my hair would hide it, but no amount of accessories or clothing could conceal its dark lines. I spent most of the dream trying to come to terms with it and accept the fact I had this thing permanently etched onto my skin.

I’ve sat with NY Times bestselling authors, farmers in Nepal, Tibetan Buddhists, Wall Street sharks, Italian philosophers and millionaires from California. They all have one thing in common:

Everyone wants something.

I have yet to meet an individual who is 100% honestly, truly satisfied. Everyone has some benchmark they are trying to tip, some element of their life they wish they could change. This is life.

No matter where you are, who you are, how much money you have, or who sleeps next to you, there is something that could be better, easier, more exciting, different. This gap drives who we are and what we do. We spend so much time and energy building, creating, altering and striving that it seems against our nature to be satisfied.

Acceptance is one of those gold terms; if you nail it, you’re rich. Wealth comes from recognizing what cannot be changed and where there is opportunity (of self, of others, the good and bad of what life deals you). If you can work with what you have, you’re well on your way.

Microactions

It’s easy to focus on big issues. They’re the blaring, obvious ones, and they make for easy complaints. Small actions can be more difficult to identify and require more brain power and attention.

More industries are understanding the value of these details and the importance they have in long term change. We’re seeing this trend with the rising popularity of “micro-” vernacular: micro-lending, micro-movements, micro-grants, micro-lancing.

Over time, small actions add up. Whether it’s a business owner planning out his annual forecast or the dieter writing a daily meal plan, daily decisions have great consequence.

The challenge is this: starting now.

(Tip: the first few actions you take in your day set the tone for what’s to come.)

5 rules of hustling

Alongside the long hours and sleepless nights and moments of thrashing, I can pinpoint five realizations that have defined my journey as an entrepreneur and businessperson. Whether you’re just beginning or well on your way, I’m sharing these “rules” in hopes they’ll encourage you and meet you wherever you’re at. Note: these statements apply to spaces beyond entrepreneurship and commerce.
ONE. It’s OK to start slow and take small steps until things become clear.
TWO. There is never a perfect moment, but there will always be something that can stop you (if you let it).
THREE. Change doesn’t happen over night.
FOUR. If you’re searching for your life’s purpose, you may never find it. Instead, focus on what brings you joy and do what you’re good at.
FIVE. Stop pretending. There is no substitution for “doing you” — being authentically, wholly, completely, fully you. When you can embrace this, you will be rewarded in more ways than you could have ever imagined.

Who helps you find what’s next?

Throughout my work, I’ve helped professionals connect in ways that matter. By carefully assessing the talents and skills of my clients, I consider how strangers might enter a room and leave as friends. I see value in introducing individuals to those who know how to get them closer to their goals. Maybe this person has “arrived” there already, or they know how to get there, or they know someone who can help. My hope is to help people cross that sometimes awkward edge of newness and unfamiliarity with opportunities to have relaxed, easy conversations. I call it curated networking, and no two experiences are alike.
An outsider observer has a different perspective than you. They have the ability to align you with others you might not otherwise meet, someone who can introduce you to fellow travelers, instigators who can help you move onto the next level.
You need these people in your life.