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When the economy sucks, everyone is trying to save money. And there’s no shortage of ways to do so. But what about saving time? Saving energy? Saving face? Saving emotional effort? THE REALITY IS: Saving isn’t just about spending less – it’s about becoming more. Today we’re going to explore several areas where you can practice the art of cheap:1. Abstinence is cheaper than moderation. I’d rather say no…

Most of the things we’re afraid of, aren’t. Fear is sneaky like that. Always wearing disguises to throw us off. THE GOOD NEWS IS: If you can identify the fear behind the fear, you can beat it. More than that – you can use it. As a compass. As a fuel source. As an invitation to evolve. Today we’re going to explore a collection of fears, the bigger fears…

I wear a nametag twenty-four seven. But sometimes that’s not enough. THE REALITY IS: Approachability is more than just face-to-face. It’s about being findable. It’s about being reachable. It’s about being knowable. Straight from my monthly column with American Express Open Forum, here are six ways to increase your digital approachability:1. Build online knowability. Since day one, you’ve been beaten over the head with three words: “Know your customer.”…

I recently booked a room at the Sofitel New York. When I arrived, their system showed no record of my reservation, nor did they have any open rooms for walk-ins. A bit annoyed, I ended up staying across the street at a competing hotel. No problem. But when I got my credit card statement, Sofitel still billed me. Turns out, they documented my reservation after all. The problem was,…

I never went to the career fair. I just hired myself and got to work. And after ten years, I still haven’t been fired. That’s the cool part: When you hire yourself, you stay free. When you hire yourself, you call the shots. When you hire yourself, you don’t have to wait. When you hire yourself, you execute what matters faster. When you hire yourself, you remove the threat…

“Acts of friendliness in moments of anonymity.” That’s why I wear a nametag: To invite people to join me, to remind the world that face to face is making a comeback and to create spontaneous moments of authentic human interaction infused with a spirit of humor, playfulness and connection. And if a picture is worth a thousand words, a nametag is worth a thousand stories. Here are my most…

I never had a real job. Started my own company the day I graduated college and never looked back. HOWEVER: There were a lot of things I did wrong. A lot of things I overlooked. And a lot of things I wish someone would have told me when I was twenty-two. Here’s a collection of ideas you might consider before going out on your own:1. Build recovery into your…

People can get information anywhere, anytime, immediately, for free. But that’s the thing. We don’t need more access to information – we need more access to each other. IN SHORT: Contact is the new content. Which doesn’t make information irrelevant. But contact offers an unquantifiable humanness that content can’t provide. And if your brand fails to deliver that interaction in addition to the information people need, customers will quickly…

Everybody wants to be found. People. Ideas. Brands. Organizations. They want customers to stumble upon, obsess over, fall in love with, become addicted to and tell their friends about them. But this isn’t just a business need – it’s a human need. To be found is to be noticed. To be found is to be heard. To be found is to be seen. To be seen is to matter….

Gambling is for fools. It wastes your time. It burns your money. It corrupts your thinking. As Robert DeNiro said in Casino, “The more they play, the more they lose. In the end, the casino gets it all.” HOWEVER: Some things are worth taking a chance on. Namely, you. Here are a few things you might keep in mind: 1. Desire is not an occupation. The first word to…