The Way it Begins is the Way it Goes
Have you ever worked hard to get a relationship started and finally realized that it was never going to work? This can happen when choosing a client, a friend, a vendor, or an employee. If there are glitches at the beginning, there will … Continue reading →
My Transformation From “Selling” to “Contributing”
My Transformation from “Selling” to “Contributing” I have never thought of myself as “good at selling.” I was uncomfortable with the notion of selling, because I saw it in the category of “imposing,” and that was not what … Continue reading →
Thank You For Helping With My Blog’s “Beta-Test”
Thank you for helping to “beta test” my blog over the past two months! Your comments and suggestions have been extremely helpful. Here are some facts and lessons learned, some obvious and others not so: I can do 95% of what … Continue reading →
My All-Time Favorite– “It’s Never Too Late”
I have been reluctant to quote others, thinking that original work is best. But I’m wrong. My all-time favorite quote is worth sharing even more than writing something new: “It’s never too late …to start heading in the right direction.” … Continue reading →
It’s Not Business, It’s Personal
When I hear people say, “It’s not personal, it’s just business,” I cringe inside. I don’t believe it. As an independent professional, everything we do is both business AND personal. We ARE our business. Our success depends on our relationships … Continue reading →
Do You Take Responsibility End To End?
(This is the second in a series of lessons learned from Steve Jobs for independent professionals.) Do you take responsibility “end to end?” Or do you find yourself making excuses and blaming someone or something else? Here is one way to tell: … Continue reading →
Don’t let the “Perfect” be the Enemy of the “Very Good!”
I can’t tell you how many wasted hours I’ve spent tweaking things. Should this word be italicized? Should that heading be a different color? And I am actually worse when it comes to spreadsheets. When I realize that I am … Continue reading →
Turn Your Mistakes into “Lessons Learned”
How do you feel when you make a mistake? Do you feel angry with yourself? Discouraged? What do you do about it? When my cousin John retired from the military and took on a senior management role for Sprint many … Continue reading →
Can You Say More With Questions?
For those of us who earn our living as “independent professionals,” we survive on our ability to help, inspire, educate, or entertain others. People come to us for information or advice. Can we help more by asking questions instead of making statements? … Continue reading →
Will You “Beta-Test” My Blog?
Will you help me improve my blog and website? My blog focuses on helping independent professionals, those of us who have no employees, yet we find all kinds of ways to serve others and earn our livings at it. (See … Continue reading →