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Not to brag, but I hold the world record for wearing nametags. Don’t act like you’re not impressed. But as the world’s foremost expert, I am uniquely qualified to give an opinion on how nametags should be worn. Here’s my theory: No last names. No company names. No logos. No titles. No acronyms. No designations. First name only. Nothing else.This levels the playing field. This restores the balance of…

The road less traveled isn’t just foggy – it’s lonely. Whether you’re a writer, freelancer, artist, entrepreneur, or part of a mobile workforce, there are more people going it alone that every before in history. Our culture encourages it, our technology enables it and our economy demands it. Which is great for productivity and flexibility. But we’re still human. And human beings are social animals. Creativity without community, isn’t.And…

If you want to reach the world. If you want to make a name for yourself. If you want to win with the people who matter most. You have to use your hand, and you have to use your heart. And I know what you’re thinking. Great. Is he going to get all touchy feely now? Yes. That’s exactly what’s going to happen, because that’s exactly what people crave….

After four thousand days of wearing a nametag, I’ve learned more lessons about being an entrepreneur than I ever could have learned in college. Straight from my column on monthly column on American Express Open Forum, here are a few to consider: 1. Interaction is the agent of human decision. Any time people decide to listen to, buy from, get behind, partner with or tell others about you, it’s…

I’ve been wearing a nametag for four thousand consecutive days. More importantly, I’ve turned that quest into a career as a writer, publisher, speaker, consultant and artist. In the process, I’ve learned a lot of valuable lessons. From my monthly column on American Express Open Forum, here are a few to consider: 1. It’s not a nametag – it an advertisement. I used to think advertising was cool. When…

Sometimes you have to say no to the good so you can say yes to the best. Steve Jobs taught me that. In a recent interview with Fortune, he made a similar distinction: “People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to…

Last week I shared a shuttle with a flight attendant. She was complaining about young people’s inability to shut off their phones right before takeoff. “It’s only a two-hour flight. You’d think it was the end of the world for these kids!” Oh, but it is. Considering the average teenager uses the Internet fifty hours a week — seventy percent of which are on their mobile devices – two…

If you have to tell someone you’re not a stalker, you probably are. I learned this the hard way. His named was Stephan. He was a fan of my work. And he called me every day. Every. Single. Day. For three weeks. Did I mention he was a middle-aged unemployed alcoholic with social anxiety disorder whose father abused him physically, sexually and emotionally? He told me these things. On…

My generation is typecast as being afraid of commitment. The consensus is that we’re impatient, have mediocre work ethic, don’t offer loyalty easily and are quick to quit and pursue something better. Is that an accurate description? Doesn’t matter. What matters is that commitment is unquestionable. That’s why I got a tattoo of the nametag on my chest. Not a marker. Not temporary ink. Not the sticker on my…

It’s not a sticker – it’s a spark. Every morning when I put on a nametag, I light a match and see what catches fire. Will I make a new friend? Will I have a cool conversation? Will I be mistaken for an employee at Office Depot? Will I get insulted by a group of drunken football fans? Will I get harassed by the flight attendant who thinks I…