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We should never feel bad about burning out. It’s part of the life experience. None of us is invulnerable to the emotional exhaustion that comes with the territory of being an entrepreneur. Or an artist. Or a leader. Or a parent. Or a whatever. Burnout affects everybody, everywhere. It’s human, it’s healthy, it’s helpful, and best of all, it’s humbling. It’s a reminder that, despite our best efforts, life…

The first sale is the one I make to myself. Before I make the call, meet the client, give the pitch, show my wares and ask for the order, my chief weapon is the convincing of myself. The internal monologue that inspires me, down to my bones, to believe in who I am and the value I deliver. And it’s not just the first sale, it’s also the hardest…

When we tell our story the same way, all the time, everywhere, people don’t just buy from us once, they join with us forever.  Stay at any Ritz Carlton around the globe, and the employees offer the same warm welcome, deliver the same anticipatory service and embody the same attitude.  Take a class at any Bikram studio around the world, and the instructors will use the same language, teach…

    Unlike a certain former president, I do inhale.     Nothing drug related.        It’s just part of my job.        Here’s a list of my favorites from this year so far. 1.     The Challenger Sale. If you help customers think differently and bring them new idea, then you earn the right to a relationship. 2.     Art+ Copy. It’s not a truth about the product, it’s about…

I got too successful, too fast, too early. And because I lacked the mental, physical, spiritual and emotional foundation to support my new found success, a lot of my life suffered. On the business side, media attention wasn’t leveraged, partnership opportunities weren’t developed, web traffic wasn’t converted and product sales weren’t generated. No wonder my company didn’t make any money for three years. No wonder the ratio of effort…

I’ll never forget smelling the first copy of my first book. Greatest moment of all time. Especially for a guy who wanted nothing more than to be an author his whole life, when I opened that cardboard case and literally touched a copy of my dream, pride an accomplishment washed over me like a spring rain. Immediately following that, I had a realization: Crap. Now I have to sell…

Most headphone companies tout their ridiculous bass quality, masterful sonic performance, superb tonal balance and revolutionary planar magnetic orthodynamic reference capacity.  Whatever the hell that means. Meanwhile, Bose is the only headphone company whose value proposition is based on what you can’t hear. And every year, they’re always the best selling in their category. Never underestimate the profitability of can’t.

Sometimes what starts as a dream finishes as a nightmare. We take a job, buy a house, start a relationship or make an investment because it seems like a smart decision at the time. Based on the truth as we know it, we do what we think is best for us. Until five years go by. The world changes, our world changes, and something we once pursued so passionately…

Ideas were never meant to stay that way. Success isn’t about the seed, it’s about the tree it grows into, the forest it becomes a part of, the landscape it belongs to to and the new life that flourishes within in. Success is what the idea looks like when the world is done having its way with it. But if the idea isn’t executed, we never had it. Regardless…

Every company needs a delight item. An unexpected, tactile surprise for every customer who buys. But not just the same old chotchkie, gift card, thank you note, free sandwich or chance to win a thousand dollars. Something worth noticing, worth crossing the street for, worth standing in line for, worth taking a picture of, worth paying extra for, worth showing off, worth socializing around, worth blogging about, worth sharing…