How hard is it to engage your customers in a conversation? For some businesses, it is easy. And for far too many, it seems to be quite challenging. But why is that? Is it the desire to be more efficient? Hit a growth target? Achieve arbitrary metrics that may or may not impact the quality…
How do you respond when clients ask for services you don’t offer – but they think you do or should? A colleague asked me this question recently. It is easy to let this question get under your skin or at the very least, start that little voice of self-doubt in your head chattering. Whether you…
Authenticity is not a brand value. Authenticity is knowing what your brand values and then living them. Stop using authenticity as a catch-all for what you hope to be… take the time to define the values your brand represents. What is authentic? By definition, authentic is real or genuine: not copied or false: true and…
“Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.” I shared this quote from Brene Brown recently. And just putting it out into the universe has brought so many examples of this to light. My dentist experience. The clarity he offered throughout my crown procedure was so kind and curbed my potential anxiety. Trying to get access to all the…
Over the course of 82 podcasts, there has been a consistent theme: purpose and strengths make our storytelling, brand and business stronger. This week’s episode is a highlight reel of sorts. When I looked at the ten most popular episodes, this theme was apparent. And to be honest, I couldn’t be more excited about that.…
Successful brands start with trust. As Scott J. Miller starts building his new brand, independent of the Franklin Covey company, it must start on a foundation of trust. Miller recently moved on to become an entrepreneur, focusing on leadership development, keynote speaking, and continuing on as the host of the On Leadership podcast. One of…
Brand and branding often are thought of as confusing and frustrating or to go the opposite direction – oversimplified as being only the logo, color, and tagline of a business. Making these five mindset shifts will lead to branding success. I’d like to say these five mindsets were of my own creative writing and intellect…
A purposeful conversation with Suz Carpenter Do you really know your target audience? Knowing exactly who you serve has many benefits, one of which is having clarity in the conversations you have with them. In this week’s Pursuit of Purpose, Suz Carpenter and I discuss her ideal client avatar – Jessica – and how she…
August 2020 Favorites File Reviews, experiences and fitting in are the three primary topics for this month’s favorites. Each of these has a role to play in building a brand. Starting from a place of purpose and intention will make each of these aspects of business easier. Reviews (and ratings) It was not long ago…
23 leadership lessons in 25 minutes is my summary of 90 ideas in 90 minutes hosted by the Corridor Business Journal on May 28, 2020. This annual event brings together nine business leaders of the Eastern Iowa Corridor to share their 10 best lessons or words of wisdom in 90 minutes. I’ve never attended the…