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I’ve always been told that art should speak for itself. That our job is to do the work, the work’s job is to speak for the work, and any attempt to make grand claims about what the work is, what it’s supposed to do or what people should think about it, is bad form.                                                             And yet, every time I go to an art museum, watch a documentary or…

Every one of my nametags is handwritten. People assume they’re printed because they all look the same, but I assure them that I personally write every single one. And not just because I’m an anal retentive obsessive compulsive control freak. There is a method behind the madness. My brand is done by hand. By writing the nametags myself, I inject soul into my conversations. I give my values a…

When we work for someone else, the question that rules our world is: “Who’s going to let me?” When we work for ourselves, the question that rules our world is: “Who’s going to stop me?” That’s the draw. That’s the biggest advantage to self-employment. That’s why forty-one million people in this country work for themselves. It’s not a financial thing — it’s a freedom thing. Freedom in a physical…

We can love what we do, but we can’t fall in love with what we do. That type of attachment will be the end of us. Nothing against love, but when we’re smitten by our own enterprise, hopelessly enchanted by our own work, the blinders of the heart obstruct the vision of the brand. And like Narcissus, infatuated with our own reflection, we can’t see what’s obvious, practical and…

Nobody knows how to be good customer anymore. We’ve learned everything there is to know about acting hospitable, establishing comfort, building trust, anticipating needs, communicating messages, creating memories, fixing problems, managing interactions, exceeding expectations, collecting feedback, extending generosity and earning loyalty. But when the tables are turned, when we’re the ones being served, we suck. Entitlement trumps respect, impatience trumps appreciation, rudeness trumps understanding and greed trumps civility. Who…

I’m not as successful as I could be. But instead of blaming my professional situation on economic, cultural or industry forces, I recently reflected on themental obstacles that have been holding me back. And I’m not looking for help, feedback, sympathy or advice. I just thought I’d share, in the hopes that these liabilities serve as a mirror for your own. Why am I not as successful as I…

I’ve been doing yoga for five years. It’s changed my life physically, socially, emotionally, spiritually and mentally. I’ve met some of the coolest people in the world who have become dear friends. And I’ve become a member of a global a community, a center of belonging, unlike any other in the world. And yet, I will find every excuse not to go to class. I’m too tired. I’m too…

For several years, I made a small career out of going to seminars, attending week-long conferences, schmoozing at networking events, disappearing on spiritual retreats, reading every book on the shelves, studying personal development programs and brainstorming at mastermind sessions. Which was inspiring and educational, but it was also expensive, time consuming and not especially profitable. Eventually, I had to get very honest with myself. Am I actually creating work…

The Nametag Manifesto was chosen as one of SlideShare’s Top Presentations of The Day!  It’s currently showcased on their homepage, but you can also view the slide show below for eternity. Great way to start the weekend. In the email I received, they explained that it waschosen from the thousands of presentations uploaded to SlideShare everyday from across the world. Awesome! You can download The Nametag Manifesto, in full,…

“Everyone should wear nametags, all the time, everywhere, forever.” That’s my thesis, philosophy, dangerous idea and theory of the universe. My name is Scott, and I’ve been wearing a nametag for past four thousand days. And after traveling to hundreds of cities, a dozen countries, four continents, meeting tens of thousands of people, constant experimentation and observation, building a enterprise and writing a dozen books in the process, I…