Folios, Friedlander’s and Familial Connection

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Ariana Friedlander by Ariana Friedlander

I’ve been working a lot this year on improving my workflow process. As part of my overall effort I recently bought a folio to help me stay organized. I didn’t want just another P.O.S. made in China though. I wanted something that fit my style yet was practical. That meant that everything for sale at Office Max was out of the question.

My new folio, isn’t she great!

Actually, there were no options I could find locally that fit my needs or style. So I took to the web, and I finally found exactly what I was looking for on Etsy. It was my first Etsy purchase ever (thank you Watermelon Wishes for making the perfect folio to order for me, how awesome).

It’s such a personal experience buying something on Etsy. You talk with the crafter, get to ask for special touches to make it just right. I even got to pick out whatever fabric my heart desired. That turned out to be a rather stressful endeavor. I swear there were literally thousands of options to choose among.

I tried being rational about my decision in the beginning. I looked through the new releases (which was miles long) and marked patterns I liked to review later. I spent over a half hour doing that and got about 8-10 patterns in the cue. Unfortunately, none of them really spoke to me. They were too feminine or too plain or too light. In short, they just weren’t me.

But searching for the perfect fabric felt daunting. I’d already invested 30 minutes in this endeavor, the pressure was on, this effort better pay off in improved workflow productivity!! Clearly my strategy for searching wasn’t working. I had to try something new. But how do you narrow down thousands of fabric choices?

Impulsively I clicked on the link that listed the fabric in alphabetical order by name of the designer…The page loaded with a list. I laughed thinking to myself, “like this is going to help, I don’t know any fabric designers by name.” As I scrolled down the screen, there was something I rarely see. Someone with my last name (that I don’t already know) was listed! Carolyn Friedlander’s a textile designer. Intrigued, I clicked on her name to find her designs.

Amazingly, she had the most perfect fabric for my folio, called scribbles. That’s when my prolonged search suddenly ended, all efforts to make a rational decision null and void. I placed my order, ecstatic that I’d found exactly what I was looking for (even though I didn’t know what I wanted going into the search), and giggled that I got to support a fellow Friedlander in such a round about kinda way.

Here’s a pic of the inside of my new folio!

Anyway, the entire experience got me thinking about how powerful a thing familial connection is. I was swimming in a sea of fabric choices, too overwhelmed to confidently make a decision. And then, wham I’m looking at Carolyn Friedlander’s designs and my decision is made without another thought.

It’s safe to say I was pre-disposed to like her fabric, which begs the question would, I have chosen that design without the familial connection? To be fair, there was nothing else like Carolyn Friedlander’s designs on the site, her stuff was original and fit my style (it must be a Friedlander thing)! But my decision to look at her designs rather than any of the other names listed was definitely influenced by the familial connection.

Have you made a decision recently that was influenced by a familial-likeness? How’d that work out for you? For marketers, leveraging such a pre-disposition for the familial can be a mighty fine advantage. But for the smart decision maker it can be problematic if all rational criteria is overshadowed by familial-likeness!

“Buy a Book By Its Cover” – Words, Triggers and Decisions

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Ariana Friedlander by Ariana Friedlander

Be Glorious performing our Burning Questions

I just laughed my ass off at the ELTC fundraiser, Word Play Literacy Theatre: A Night of Improv. It was a night to be remembered. Be Glorious, a local improv troupe, entertained us. Everyone in the audience was asked to provide a line of dialogue from a movie or a book and a burning question. It was LOL from the very beginning.

As part of the act, there was a fundraising activity “buy a book by its cover.” We had over 50 books, graciously donated by Old Firehouse Books, for sell for $20 each. They all had a prize worth at least $10 inside them and there was a grand prize, a nook in one. Members of the troupe read the titles of each book, elaborating on the the premise until someone from the audience raised their hand. Of course I bought a book.

Of all 50 titles, what kind of book do you think I got? I totally bought an EntrepreNerds book, I mean I’m not sure it’s EntrepreNerds quality but it definitely fits the genre. Not only that, to make my purchase I literally and impulsively jumped up and down screaming, “Oh me, me!” (keep in mind, I was volunteering at this event, running books from stage to the audience only half listening to the troupe).

The book I bought, which will be out this April, is called Give and Take by Adam Grant. It is “a Revolutionary Approach to Success.” Hello, key words I get all tingly over.

Shop Local

Anyway, I didn’t plan it that way, to buy an “EntrepreNerds” book. I didn’t even know a book like this was in the pile! Most of them seemed to be novels or memoirs. But before I could even form a conscious thought my interest and desire was triggered by these keywords and the decision was made, I must have this book!

It got me thinking about how important word choice is in business, for marketing and organizational leadership, to insight action. Really understanding the effect certain words have on your audience is crucial for communicating effectively. Some words will trigger a decision that benefits you while others practically slam the door in your face.

To be honest, I didn’t even realize that Give and Take, Revolutionary (ok, that’s not true I’ve been consciously triggered by that word for years) and Success were all positive trigger words for me. But now I know! And there in lies both the challenge and the opportunity for entrepreneurs, you must know those trigger words even if your audience does not.

I wonder what books everyone else bought last night and why they were driven to get that one. We’re they pulled because of some maniacal obsession like me? Was there a word that impulsively triggered their decision? Is it possible that people voted for their favorite improv troupe member with their purchase? Or was it purely the energy of the room?

Clearly there are many different factors that will influence our decisions, as is always the case in life. We’re not going to explore all of that know. But, what I really want to know is if anyone else is as excited (and decidedly dorky) as me to read the newest edition to their book shelf?

Attributing Value

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Ariana Friedlander by Ariana Friedlander

Photo by Tax Credits

We all have different things we hold in high value. The parent of a toddler values their personal time. The recent college graduate values the ability to pay off their student loans while doing what they enjoy. A business person values the client that matches their expectations. And the teacher values a student that fully engages in learning.

When attributing value to something, we assume that it’s shared. I belong to a business group where I’m supposed to be able to get a question that’s worth $1,000 answered by my colleagues every month. Unfortunately, I’m not getting such a return from the group, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t valuable. It just so happens that I value $1,000 differently than I value the insight I gain. But since the value that’s been attributed to the group is monetary, I’m experiencing a disconnect.

It is easy to compare value with money, material goods and things that are easy to quantify. But the things we value most, don’t translate easily to such tangible outcomes. So why do we keep grasping at straws to compare the value of what our businesses offer in these antiquated ways?

One reason is because we assume that people are rational and logical when we are actually emotional by nature. Given such a false assumption we don’t typically know what people truly value. Frank Bettger said, “A man generally has two reasons for doing a thing – one that sounds good and a real one.” Money sounds good but it isn’t the real reason; it doesn’t actually speak to the things that people deeply care about.

To understand what people truly value, you have to go into research mode. Your best bet is to ask people questions that will indirectly provide insight and analyze their answers for common themes or patterns. For example, What’s important to you? What would make your job a lot easier right now? What would drastically improve the quality of your life right now? What keeps you up at night?

Then observe their behavior in comparison to their answers. Someone might say they value other people’s opinions yet whenever someone else is talking, their eyes wander, they check their cell phone, tap their foot and seem to be off in la-la land. Our actions, more truthfully, demonstrate our values as there’s often a disconnect between what one espouses versus what they practice (remember there’s the reason that sounds good and the real reason).

So the next time you’re attributing value to something in an effort to gain the support of others take a moment to consider the deeper implications rather than the obvious, easily quantifiable reasons.

5 Steps to Building Win-Win Community Partnerships

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Ariana Friedlander by Ariana Friedlander

Everyone has at least one hot-button issue. A boss from an old job of mine used to say, “Everything’s sales!” Not surprisingly, I was in a sales position at the time. His was a philosophy I didn’t much care for as it felt kind of… shallow.

When I think of Community I think of the Farmers Market as a great visual!

On the other-hand, one of my personal hot-button issues is community. For me everything in business and life personally, is about building, nurturing and sustaining community. Simply put, I dork out over community. To be fair, I think that working within (and creating) communities is an integral piece to business and personal success these days. I believe people and organizations that can effectively and respectfully leverage community partnerships are at an advantage!

I’ve been building win-win community partnerships for the last 5+ years; it is one of my favorite things. I love meeting others, exploring opportunities for collaboration and executing on a mutually beneficial arrangement. It should come as no surprise that when I started EntrepreNerds earlier this year, I immediately began collaborating with complimentary businesses. The results of which produced outcomes I never expected, nor would I have achieved them on my own!

While everyone’s experiences are usually a little different, there are a few general rules you should follow. I’d like to share the five steps I’ve learned to form win-win community partnerships.

Think Vertically – Brainstorm a list of products or services that directly or indirectly support what you’re doing. For example when starting a business book club, an independently owned book store makes for a good partner.
Who Do You Already Know – Look over your existing contacts and connect with people in positions that compliment your own efforts. Working with your existing contacts usually means you have already established trust as well, that’s an added bonus. For example, I’ve been working with Old Firehouse Books in Fort Collins for years prior to starting EntrepreNerds. In fact, in 2008 I told Susie, the owner, that I thought someone should start a business book club…..
What Do you Have to Offer – It’s easy sometimes to think about the things you can get out of working with others (truly it is, we don’t have to act like we’re totally self-less to be good collaborators). But going to the table with “What’s in it for me” isn’t exactly a win-win proposition. Think about it from their perspective, what genuinely helps them out. Consider the unique value and experterience (yeah, I like that word a lot now, experience + expertise = experterience) that you enjoy bringing to the table. Make it meaningful and manageable.
Set Clear, Mutually Agreed Upon Expectations– I’ve seen many-a-projects go astray when expectations aren’t determined together, and from the beginning. If tis is poorly executed, the trust may begin to disintegrate. Determining who is responsible, and what their responsible for helps to ensure that all bases are covered without stepping on other’s toes as well.
Keep the Conversation Going – Open communication is key. Most partnerships are formed in a dynamic world that’s ever-evolving. As things change, you each grow. Therefore, you must discuss the ways your working relationship will evolve as well. This might mean a change in responsibilities, a shift in the value exchanged, or that you’re going entirely in different directions!

Like mostly everything else in business, managing community partnerships is a continuous process. One that requires on-going effort: to evaluate, strategize and act.

The Easiest Way to Fire a Client is to Never Get Hired by them in the First Place

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Ariana Friedlander by Ariana Friedlander

We’ve all worked with some clients that we’d rather just fire for various reasons. Either they’re demanding, have unrealistic expectations, are noncommunicative, disrespectful, don’t value you or maybe they’re plain unethical. No matter the specifics, the jist is – they’re not a good fit and therefore are not your ideal client.

It is a common myth to think it is better to have the wrong clientele than no customer at all! These customer misfits will cost you dearly. They impact employee morale, take up valuable time, and they attract more bad customers to you. Ultimately, it is in your best interest to fire these customers and focus on attracting and serving your ideal client.

Your ideal client is someone that you’ll enjoy working with, generate a viable profit from and create the most valuable impact for. Identifying and connecting with this caliber of customer is important because one of the most deadliest things for a business to do is target a clientele that is not ideal!

Of course, the easiest way to fire a client is to never get hired by them in the first place. To do that, you need to have a general understanding of your ideal client. Truthfully, you need to know more about them than just their demographics, or psychographics. You need to know what they care about, how they behave and what they’re experiencing. To help define your ideal client try answering these 4 questions:

What does your ideal client value? What is of the utmost importance to them?
What are they experiencing when they need your products/services?
What behaviors do they exhibit that align with your own business practices?
What kinds of clients do you dislike working with?

This type of exercise requires some time and space for quiet reflection as well as a deep level of self-awareness. It is helpful to understand the way your own business operates as well as the values that guide you professionally. The ideal client aligns with your own values, practices and expectations. The things that are important to them should also be important to you!

Understanding what your ideal client is experiencing is invaluable. This idea goes way beyond identifying the problem you’re solving. It is about empathizing with and recognizing the complexity of their situation. Consider the emotions, the challenges and the other obstacles that go along with whatever it is they’re experiencing.

The third question can pose a real challenge for some folks but this is how you’re able to differentiate between someone that seems like an ideal client and someone that is actually an ideal client. Sometimes the easiest way to answer this question is by reflecting on the clients you dislike working with and specifically considering why. There’s usually a certain type of behavior or lack-there-of that makes them difficult, frustrating, draining and demanding to work with.

Once you have an understanding of who your ideal client is, the next step is to apply this knowledge to your business development efforts. Consider ways you can improve your marketing, messaging, networking and sales process to better connect with your ideal client. And begin evaluating the fit of potential clients by looking for indicators of their values, experiences and behavior before you begin working with them. Like everything else in business, this too is a continuous process of re-evaluation as shifts and lessons learned will inevitably effect the makeup of your ideal client!

4 Steps to Supporting Local Businesses and Loving It!

Posted on November 11, 2012 by Ariana Friedlander by Ariana Friedlander

I recently worked on the 5 Year Strategic Plan for Be Local Northern Colorado and one of the things that came up a number of times was the importance of encouraging more people and businesses to shop locally. You see, by supporting, local, independently owned businesses, you are contributing to a thriving community, creating local jobs and supporting the unique businesses that make where you live special. But what does it look like to shop locally?

Our Handmade Client Appreciation Gifts. Notice the eco-friendly wrapping!

I recently put together a special client (and supporters) appreciation gift. November 10th is my Grandmother’s birthday and I thought it would be sweet to honor her by sharing gifts with all my awesome clients in appreciation for the opportunity to serve them. I wanted this gift to be enjoyable, meaningful, affordable and locally sourced (as much as possible).

I was faced with many different decisions as I embarked on this journey. First thing first, I set my budget so I knew what I had to work with. Then I decided on the gift; because my Grandmother and I loved sharing a pot of tea together while we chatted I thought tea would be a fun, unique and memorable gift. So I made a list of the materials I needed and started to research my options (I even made a spreadsheet including cost, product details and vendor information).

Where was the first place I looked? Online of course, I started doing my research at 9pm at night so no stores were open anyway. And to be honest, I found everything I needed at various online retailers but what I didn’t know was the reputation of the companies, the quality of their products, the amount of shipping time required, etc. Many people will stop their search there, click buy, put in their CC information and wait for the delivery.

Loose Leaf Tea, Labels, and Ingredient Cards

My search, however, did not stop there because my goal was to support local businesses as much as possible. I went to our local tea house, Happy Lucky’s and inquired about getting a special blend made for Rosabella Tea. The staff was incredibly helpful and I ended up paying less for the tea and tea bags there than I would have if I bought them online (when you add on shipping, costs tend go up a lot)! Plus the quality was exceptional and I got exactly what I wanted, no sacrifices made there.

I thought for sure that I was going to have to buy the stickers from a company online because I needed round ones and last I checked for a different project those were only available from a special online store. But I thought to myself, “If I’m really doing my best to support locally-owned businesses I better do my due diligence first.” So I looked at the local office supplies store, My Office etc. Lo-and-behold they had round stickers, exactly what I was looking for at a fraction of the price.

The one thing I decided to buy online were the round metal tins. There was just no price comparison there, I got a sweet deal and was able to get the quantity I needed. The only local option I found was to buy them from a chain store and they didn’t have the quantity in stock, were more expensive and lower quality (for me sustainability of a product is also important, these tins can be reused again and again).

Cards Made in Nepal

What’s really cool is that I was way under my budget at this point! And as a result I was able to purchase beautiful, sustainable, fair trade cards from Green Logic. When I started this project I figured I could always buy some paper and make cards myself to keep my costs down. But as it turned out, buying locally was all I needed to do to keep my costs down!

At this point, supporting local businesses is a habit of mine. One of the greatest rewards of this habit is that I get to socialize with my fellow community members and business owners when I’m out and about shopping in town. Building relationships with other professionals and entrepreneurs is just one of the many benefits of shopping locally.

I realize however, that this is not a habit for most people. Whether you run a business or not, here are four steps to supporting local businesses you can start following today.

Create Procurement Policies that require local and sustainable purchasing whenever possible. In other words, make a commitment to vote with your dollars.
Join an organization like Be Local Northern Colorado that advocates for locally-owned businesses. Checkout the BALLE network for information about organizations in your town.
Research local business options online, by talking with friends and colleagues, and looking at sites like BeLocalFirst.org.
When-in-doubt if you can’t buy it from a locally-owned store at least purchase it from a locally located store! That way you’re still supporting local jobs and contributing sales tax to your community (in states and municipalities where they collect a sales tax that is).

In what ways have you made an effort to support local businesses lately?

Empathizing with Olympic Athletes – Believe it or Not, There’s a Marketing Lesson Here

Posted on August 6, 2012 by Ariana Friedlander by Ariana Friedlander

London 2012 Olympics Aquatics Centre Swimmers Photo by garybembridge

I can’t help but tear up as I watch the Olympics and hear the stories of athletes’ dedication and triumph. It is truly heartwarming to learn about their sacrifices, blind faith and profound inspiration. There are countless records being broken, personal “bests” being achieved and dreams reaching fruition. It is like I can really feel their elation, joy and awe for performing on the world’s biggest stage!

What I feel, is empathy. I deeply and truly experience the glee and wonder that results from their sheer effort and persistence towards their vision for success. If you listen closely to the stories of olympic athletes, you’ll hear a common theme, continual and routine training towards a single goal, often at a great sacrifice and with a clear path towards success.

Einstein once said, “It isn’t that I’m smarter, it’s that I stay with problems longer.” The same thing could be said about their athletic prowess. Sure, Olympians have got talent. But they also have dedication that is strong, that perseveres and that is driven by a lofty dream. By allowing myself to empathize, I get a surge of energy to push through challenges, setbacks and distractions in pursuit of a greater purpose (alas, I digress from my point).

Empathy for others’ life experiences is a powerful thing to feel. If you can truly feel others’ emotions you can understand a lot about their actions and decisions. That is because when everything is said and done, we’re emotional beings. We make emotional decisions that we’ll justify – we call it being rational! But at the end of the day, it is human nature to go with your gut, with what you feel is right.

Chances are, you are not your ideal client. Yet so many small business owners create marketing around what feels like a powerful message to them. As experts in their field, they’ll include stats, industry jargon, and dry content that reads like a resume with too many bullet points. In the end, such marketing efforts create more confusion then conversion. That’s because you’re missing the emotional mark.

Creating action through emotional connection is the ultimate goal in marketing. And if you can empathize with what your customers are feeling, you have the opportunity to create a strategy and messaging that will make a powerful emotional connection with them. Then, when the time is appropriate, you can share the stats and rational they need to justify the decision that they’re ultimately making on an emotional level anyway.

So, take some time to put yourself in the shoes of your customers and experience their feelings. Empathize with them like I have with our Olympic athletes and notice just how powerful and informative their feelings are. Now keep those feelings in mind as you engage your ideal client through your marketing and voila, you’re able connect on a more authentic and meaningful level! Of course perfecting this practice will take time, dedication and continuous effort on your part.

The Networking Fallacy – 7 Steps to Authentic and Effective Networking

Posted on July 26, 2012 by Ariana Friedlander by Ariana Friedlander

Conversation Abounds in Networking Groups

If you’ve ever been to a networking event, then you’ve likely met that person that bustles around the room meeting as many people as possible to give their business cards to. When you meet, there’s usually this feigned interest in what you do, then they quickly turn the conversation onto why you should do business with them followed by exchanging cards with you before they move onto their next conquest in the room.

You might be envious of this outgoing networker’s fervor. Well don’t be! Card pushing, heartless blaber-mouthing and pushy sales tactics are not effective ways for building valuable professional relationships that last.

So many people mistakenly think that networking is a matter of getting down a good elevator speech, going to as many events as possible and passing out cards to every breathing soul in the room. Well, I’m here to tell you that’s not the case.

Networking is about making valuable connections so you can build relationships with colleagues and potential clients. But in order for those connections to be valuable and the relationships to be genuine and fruitful, you need to target the RIGHT kind of group and put in concerted time and effort to your endeavors.

With it being the “year of the Meetup,” I probably don’t need to tell you about the growing number of networking opportunities. I’m pretty sure there’s at least three networking events going on in Fort Collins every weekday. I’ve gone to as many as four networking events in one day.

You can quickly burn out if you try to make every networking opportunity (trust me, I know), not to mention you’ll waste a lot of time networking in groups that aren’t a match (yup, been there and done that too). Ideally, you want to network with groups that align with your target audience. They should share common values with you, demonstrate an ability to provide value to you all while you’re being your authentic self. So how do you connect with a group that’s a fit for you? Follow these 7 steps to Authentic and Effective networking:

Know Thyself – Before you start hitting the streets, you should answer a few important questions: First, you have to know a bit about yourself, what you like, value and enjoy. Secondly you have to know a bit about your ideal connection, describe who they are, what they’re like and the capacity you’d like to work with them. Having an understanding of these things will help you to network most effectively.
Be Authentic – Be true in how you’re representing yourself. Don’t try to be someone you’re not, or you know straight up lie to pretend you have something in common with someone.
Connect with the Right People – If the people you want to connect with (i.e. CEO’s, HR Managers, Controllers, complimentary service providers, etc.) are not participating in the groups you’re checking out then it is probably a waste of time. Make the most of your efforts by joining groups that will provide the most valuable connections for your business.
Find a Group You Enjoy - While it is important to stretch beyond your comfort zone, you shouldn’t put yourself in a room with a bunch of suits and ties if it’s not your style. There are many benefits to participating in a group you like being a part of: first, you’re more likely to be your authentic self and and secondly, you’ll want to participate in the group over time.
Connect with People Emotionally – Chances are, you can find something in common with most people you’ll meet. Things as simple as where you grew up, favorite restaurants, hobbies, family or work experience can provide an opportunity to ease into conversation so you may make a real emotional connection with someone.
Stick With It – Building meaningful and valuable relationships takes time. When you join a networking group commit to spending at least six months as an active member. If you’re not there, you’re not demonstrating the quality of your character or the value you have to offer. In short, absenteeism makes a non-impression on people.
Hold One-On-One Meetings – When you perceive a genuine connection with a fellow member, get to know them by scheduling a coffee or lunch meeting. This is a great opportunity for you both to learn more about each other’s businesses and for you to demonstrate value while seeking the value they can bring to you.

With years of networking experience behind me, I’ve developed a keen insight to determine when someone I meet is or is not a good fit for me to develop a working relationship with. Simply put, if I see a misalignment I don’t pursue developing a deeper connection with that person. While it may be tempting to work the numbers game of sales, when it comes to networking go for quality not quantity!

Seth Godin – If He Builds it They Will Come

Posted on July 2, 2012 by Ariana Friedlander by Ariana Friedlander

A few weeks ago Seth Godin announced a KickStarter project that was quite successful in a matter of hours! He has since raised well over a quarter-a-million dollars for his new book, The iCarus Deception. The real kicker, his goal was only $40,000 ca-ching. (BTW Seth, what are you planning on doing with the overage from your goal? I’m thinking a philanthropic contribution, maybe books for underprivileged kids, or the Stop Stealing Dreams Foundation, just a thought……)

If I was more savy I'd photoshop Seth Godin's head on Kevin Costner

Godin created the KickStarter project as an experiment. He wanted to demonstrate a new method of publishing and marketing where you engage your audience, test interest and proceed with the big launch (or not) accordingly. He did it to prove a point to his publishers and boy did he ever; he built the project, “they” came and he succeeded in exceeding his goal. It kind of feels like a true Field of Dreams moment!

Allow me to recap the premise of the movie. This crazy Iowa farmer (played by Kevin Costner) starts cutting down his crops to build a baseball diamond. He keeps hearing a voice that whispers, “If you build it, he will come.”

So the guy continues down this insane path, all-the-while he’s jeopardizing his family’s livelihood. The weird thing is, he’s not even sure why he was doing this but he just has this strong compulsion to persevere and the hopes of an allusive vision coming to him from some mysterious voice.

Low and behold (spoiler alert), he completes the field and all these old school players making right on their shattered dreams appear…. There’s Shoeless Joe Jackson, Archie Graham……And people drive from all over to pay to see it because it reminds them of their youth. Oh, and he amends the tattered relationship with his father (no one ever seems to remember that part of the story though)!

The movie has sensationalized this notion that if you follow a dream, even a crazy one, and build something, the people will follow. By build something I mean a business of sorts. And by people I mean customers that quite literally just appear, which will of course make you rich. But were not in Hollywood and building a baseball field (or website, storefront, KickStarter project, etc) isn’t enough in-and-of-itself. What you build has to be deeper then that, more meaningful than bricks and mortar (physical or digital).

If you want to build something “they” will come to, then you have a lot of work to do. You have to create a movement of sorts, around an inspiring vision. You know, you have to lead the effort and market that Purple Cow! I think it is safe to say that Seth Godin is a modern thought leader. By my own observations, he’s followed these six steps for building his Field of Dreams.

Inspire a shared vision (Kouzes and Posner) – You need to have a vision the your working to create for making the world better. I don’t actually know Seth Godin’s a vision for what he seeks to create in the world. But this is a vision I feel he has conveyed: Innovators in business that build relationships, are dedicated to learning, make creative use of technology and adept to change succeed.
Challenge the process (Kouzes and Posner) – Well, if we’re going to be innovative that means we have to question the status quo and find new, better ways of doing things. You know, to boldly do something no man has done before!
Build your tribe – The reality is, some people will love what you’re putting forth and other’s will think it is hogwash (forget about them). Connect with the people that get it, and want to be a part of your movement. Have a system to communicate with them. Provide value. Appeal equally to their emotions and their intellect.
Demonstrate credibility, and expertise – This is a continual process of striving for improvement, delivering on your promises, walking the talk and practicing what you preach. It doesn’t mean you have to be perfect, but you have to admit fault and maybe even be vulnerable.
Engage your tribe – Create timely calls to action. Give them something to do to contribute to your movement while giving them latitude to choose how to get involved. Ask for the sell!
Keep at it!

Are You Getting Caught up Shoulding All Over Yourself?? 5 Steps You Can Take to Blaze Your Own Trail!

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Ariana Friedlander by Ariana Friedlander

I see this all the time, business owners that talk about their decision with the expletive, “should.” “Well, I should do social media, it is free and everyone else is doing it.” Or “I should offer coupons, people like buying things that are discounted.” The problem with should is that it is not, in and of itself, a rational way to make a decision. So, stop shoulding all over yourself!

"You should go that way"

I’m going to tell you what you should do (hahahaha) instead. Ok, all jokes aside, seriously, the next time you say “I/we should,” take a step back and ask yourself. Is this in my/our best interest? Do I/we have the resources to support this over the long term? Will it help me/us to achieve me/our vision? Is it in alignment with our mission? Does this support our brand?

Reflecting on these things will help you avoid the problems that result from shoulding all over yourself. When you do something because it is what you feel you should do, your passion and enthusiasm is usually not in the game. As a consummate volunteer (I’m really trying to draw boundaries with that), I have admittedly continued to stay involved with things even after I’d emotionally and mentally checked out because I felt that I should. Specifically, I thought that a good volunteer should stick with it, see it through and never give up!

The point? Doing something because you should usually feels insincere and inauthentic, and most people can tell! As my own example above demonstrates, this can happen on both a personal and a professional level. On a personal level, doing what you should can often be construed as following the formula, i.e. grow up, go to college, get a job, buy a house, have kids, go on a disney vacation, max out your credit cards….hopefully you get the point.

When addressing the should factor on a personal level, again take a step back and reflect. What drives you? What do you hope to achieve in your lifetime? What impact do you want to create in business, in your community or in the world? In an ideal world with no boundaries or limitations, consider what your life would look like?

Whether you’re overcoming personal or professional “shoulding,” there are 5 steps you can take to avoid blindly following the formula and being empowered to blaze your own trail!

Develop an understanding of your purpose;
Envision your future;
Evaluate what needs to occur for you to achieve your vision;
Take steps to create your vision (that means saying no to things your “should” do sometimes);
And re-evaluate

I’ll be giving a talk at The Fort Collins Chamber Envisions Young Professionals on June 6 at 11:30am.

Title: So, You Got a Job, Now What? How to Avoid Shoulding All Over Yourself

Description: Do you ever get caught up in doing what you should, when all you want to do is blaze your own trail? You don’t want to follow the formula, I get it. And luckily you don’t have. In fact, you’re more likely to enjoy success when you do what you love and use your strengths.

Learn more or register online.

Nurturing Sustainable Business Growth

Tag Archives: Marketing