Category Archives: Business

23 things I learned last weekend

I spent last weekend in Orlando. Here’s what I learned.

  1. Work trips can’t be vacation until the work is done.
  2. Crowded resorts can be annoying. But deserted resorts equally bizarre.
  3. The culture and people at big consulting firms never changes.
  4. The culture and leadership at small consulting firms never changes either.
  5. Twitter is like a big circle jerk of retweets and mentions.
  6. You can always get a little bit better.
  7. You are never your best editor.
  8. Pre-select participants for on-stage demos.
  9. When speaking, nerves are good. Stress is, too.
  10. Easy laughs are like playing the hits. You may not find them satisfying. But they’re not for you.
  11. Networking still sucks. Making one or two new friends never does.
  12. Nobody smiles while visiting Disney Parks.
  13. Now days, simulator rides make me nauseous.
  14. Roller coaster still don’t.
  15. 45% tax on rental cars is one reason why there’s no state income tax in Florida.
  16. A quality protein powder is crucial for decently healthy traveling.
  17. Good events require good coffee.
  18. SWAG bags should have unique and useful items. Otherwise, we’re just creating trash.
  19. Little things make a big difference at events. You might not notice them when they’re there. But when they’re missing, it’s glaring and disappointing.
  20. Working outside of the comfort zone remains the best kind of work.
  21. They best reviews come from the most unexpected places.
  22. Fried food doesn’t really do it for me anymore.
  23. Stay humble.

Easy Outsourcing Opportunity

Outsourcing is all the rage.

  • Someone to do your email.
  • Someone to do your social media.
  • Someone to do your support.

But outsourcing takes work. Training, feedback, etc.

So when outsourcing requires zero work, do it.

Having Amazon gift-wrap and deliver your gifts is a perfect example.

Just check the box.

Outsourcing doesn’t get any easier than that.

 

Enjoying the Win

Never be disappointed with a win. Especially big wins.

It may not have gone 100% to plan.

But when does it ever?

And if it did, how would you ever get any better?

Enjoy the win.

Tomorrow you can look at the tape.

[Scoreboard]

Get the Guts to Take it Away

It takes guts to:

  • Have no TV in the bedroom.
  • Have no sidebar on your homepage.
  • Have no visible cash register in your store.

But with fewer distractions, you do more of the stuff you want to be done.

Get the guts.

Watching the Film

After NFL Sunday, the most important work happens.

Watching the film:

  • What worked.
  • What didn’t work.
  • Action items for next week.

It’s best done on Monday. Fine if it’s done another.

But it must get done.

You gotta get a little bit better.

The Price is Not For You. It’s For Them.

Pricing is not a way to make money.

It’s a way to assign value.

To get people to help themselves.

A motivator.

Sure, pricing determines profit.

But that only happens when you help people get what they want.

Price it for them.

NOTE:  This really only applies to non-commodities

A New Responsibility

As you get older, you get more responsibilities.

A break from the responsibilities is nice. It’s needed.

Losing the responsibilities forever can be devastating.

Make sure they get replaced.

New Response When People Ask What You Do

“What do you do?”

I hear it a lot.

The answer is complicated.

So…

To respond, I’ve used a few tactics:

  1. One word. “Writer.”
  2. Many words. “I run a health and wellness blog.”
  3. Joke. “I drive the Red Line for the CTA.”

The results are usually the same. Several followups with little or no long-term benefit to anyone.

Time for a new method.

That’s What I Do Method

Respond with a question. That question should get an answer where you can respond with, “That’s what I do.”

For example:

Partygoer: “What do you do?”

Me: “How do you find inspiration and advice on staying healthy and well?”

Partygoer: “Well, I listen to speakers, read blogs, and talk to my friends.”

Me: “That’s what I do.”

Partygoer: “Really?”

Me: “Yup.”

Conversation over.

And, they ACTUALLY understand what I do.

AND, there might be some mutual benefit afterwards.

Can’t wait to use it.

[HT to Kiko Doran for this idea]