Earlier this year, I made a promise to you. More of a confession, a public pledge. I was going to work my risk muscles. Going to get out of my comfort zone. So I went mechanical bull riding. Tried meditative dance. Spoke at a major women’s business conference. Okay, so I wasn’t exactly jumping at … Read More
Have you earned the Brass Ring?
“I can’t reach it!” cried little Billy. He hung his head, embarrassed. His father, Jim, was standing outside the carousel, watching it circle. Billy was frozen stuck to his white horse. His knuckles white from gripping the pole so tightly. “C’mon, Billy—reach for it!” called Jim. Billy was feeling dizzy. “You can do it!” Jim … Read More
Don't end up in the County Clerk's basement
Imagine: You’re standing at a computer terminal in the basement of the County Clerk’s Office. Wondering if you’ve fallen into your own version of a Direct TV ad. Your hands are shaking a little as you listen to the unusually loud clack-clack-clack of the outdated keyboard as you type in the name of a strategic … Read More
DIY and Fail
If you ever watched cheesy Saturday afternoon B movies featuring the Hydra—the many-headed mythological sea serpent—you’ve seen an image of an entrepreneur. (And definitely me on a bad day!) Everyone knows you have to wear a lot of hats when you start your own business. Even with a partner or two, there are more … Read More
What can you learn from Bill the Bull?
Bill the Bull stares at me with brown glassy eyes. He sits forlornly in the middle of a large, padded basement pen in a dark midtown NYC restaurant. The damp hint of stale beer gently lingers in the air. His sad face beckons “Play with me! Play with me!” The nearly-empty room ignores him. (It … Read More
On being spontaneous … with Polar Bears
“It’s 46 degrees!” Joe squeals, on hearing the weather report. (To the extent that a grown man and former champion power lifter would actually squeal). “Let’s go to the beach!” “Why?” I ask, maybe a little condescendingly. “The Polar Bears are there!” he replies. Sigh. The beach? Okay, so it’s a little warm for early … Read More
Where’s ‘some happy’ in your business?
The article screams “ICU Nurse Finds Joy (and Money) Launching Skin Care Line!” Alright, maybe it doesn’t scream, but it is 4am and I can’t sleep. My mind revs like a car in neutral. I go into the bathroom, where I keep my stash of light reading (“light” as in not hard news, law, or … Read More
How Being a Dirty Girl Helps My Business
I’m full-out body length in squishy, watery mud, groveling on my elbows and knees to squirm through a tunnel. If I didn’t know better, I’d think this was Tim Robbins’s workout for the prison break scene in The Shawshank Redemption, minus the stench. At first, I’m tempted to squeal and jump out, but it’s warm … Read More
What I learned from a lobster
“We’re like lobsters,” said Nancy. “If we don’t grow, we die.” Nancy and I are at a speaking workshop in Orlando, led by world-renowned speaker Les Brown. We’ve been through 8 straight hours of drills, one-on-one coaching, and partner feedback in a cramped conference room. I’m worn out. It’s taking all of my energy just … Read More
Create an Environment for High Performance
The word “motivate” means “to stimulate towards action.” I emphasize towards because too often, we hear of stories where it’s only the threat of the lash (and termination) that keeps employees in their seats … for fear of losing their income. But that’s not motivation—as in moving forward. That approach doesn’t bring your team happily … Read More
Why pole dancing is part of my New Year's resolution
“Pole dancing? Pole dancing would be considered fun! Where’s the risk in pole dancing?” Nelly cries. Nelly’s the CTO of Webgrrls International and the TechSpeak Bootcamp. We’re sipping hot mint tea in a cozy Upper West Side café. Two women business leaders, finally meeting face-to-face after months of email exchange. “W-w-w-ell, it would totally challenge … Read More
If Time Is Money, Automation Can Buy Lots of It!
I was having lunch the other day with Sam. His business is bursting at the seams—a problem you think he’d be thrilled to have—yet, he’s losing his mind. “So much of my day is spent maintaining what I’ve already built—it’s like I can’t escape the daily grind. I haven’t take a day off all year!” … Read More