Flip The ScriptHi Reader, Earlier this week, I wrapped up the 6.5 week class I've been teaching for New York City Small Business Services with 15 fantastic business owners who wanted to dive into growth strategy and create a scalable three-year plan. It's the first time I've taught this class since the pandemic. It was also the first time I taught it remotely. So, I spent a lot of April crafting a new curriculum with loads of updated and new lessons and resources. When I started building the updated…Keep Reading
Shall I Compare Thee…?Hi Reader, The other week, a young web designer asked me how she could distinguish herself from other freelancers offering the same types of services. I'll be honest, this question always makes me think of Jeff Bezos talking about how, in building Amazon, he didn't focus on the competition but on customers. As a result, his competition began to focus more and more on Amazon as it ate up more and more of the marketplace. In other words, Amazon distinguished itself from the competition by…Keep Reading
Off the Beaten PathHi Reader, This past July 4th weekend, one of the guys who works in my apartment building jokingly said to me, "I think we're the only two people left in the building this holiday weekend." I've never, personally, enjoyed traveling on holidays. Sitting in traffic. Waiting in long lines. Feeling like part of a crowd. It's not for me. Instead, I like to look at the mass exodus of holiday travel as a unique opportunity—especially here in New York—to enjoy the more relaxed pace and unique…Keep Reading
Prep for SuccessHi Reader, A few weekends ago, I had a truly awful and thoroughly frustrating experience with Verizon Fios through their live chat customer support. I spent over an hour typing messages back and forth with their rep only to wind up back where I started our conversation. I'll be honest, I'd love to blame the rep, but I really can't. This is a failure of the organization that employs him. He only has the resources and tools they make available to him, and clearly, these were inadequate for the…Keep Reading
Everything That's Not an ElephantThe other week I spent the afternoon binge-watching the HBO Now show "Julia" with my mom. It was actually the second time watching for me and mom's first. In one of the episodes, Julia's editor Judith Jones meets with her most prestigious client, a young John Updike, fresh off the success of his National Book Award-winning debut novel "Rabbit Run." Judith is giving Updike some sage insight into how he might improve his follow-up effort, "Rabbit Redux." Updike looks at her with amazement on…Keep Reading
Like a Fish to WaterI recently saw my nephew, who'll be 10 soon, and offered to teach him how to dive this summer. Between my freshman and sophomore years of college, I was a day camp counselor for a troop of 8-year-old kids, many of whom I taught to swim or dive during our time together. I love swimming and really enjoy helping kids overcome their fears and learn what I believe are necessary life skills in the water. But, honestly, that moment when they get it, and they get that they are actually doing it—it's…Keep Reading
Hi Reader, Earlier this week, I wrapped up the 6.5 week class I've been teaching for New York City Small Business Services with 15 fantastic business owners who wanted to dive into growth strategy and create a scalable three-year plan. It's the first time I've taught this class since the pandemic. It was also the first time I taught it remotely. So, I spent a lot of April crafting a new curriculum with loads of updated and new lessons and resources. When I started building the updated…Keep Reading
Hi Reader, The other week, a young web designer asked me how she could distinguish herself from other freelancers offering the same types of services. I'll be honest, this question always makes me think of Jeff Bezos talking about how, in building Amazon, he didn't focus on the competition but on customers. As a result, his competition began to focus more and more on Amazon as it ate up more and more of the marketplace. In other words, Amazon distinguished itself from the competition by…Keep Reading
Hi Reader, This past July 4th weekend, one of the guys who works in my apartment building jokingly said to me, "I think we're the only two people left in the building this holiday weekend." I've never, personally, enjoyed traveling on holidays. Sitting in traffic. Waiting in long lines. Feeling like part of a crowd. It's not for me. Instead, I like to look at the mass exodus of holiday travel as a unique opportunity—especially here in New York—to enjoy the more relaxed pace and unique…Keep Reading
Hi Reader, A few weekends ago, I had a truly awful and thoroughly frustrating experience with Verizon Fios through their live chat customer support. I spent over an hour typing messages back and forth with their rep only to wind up back where I started our conversation. I'll be honest, I'd love to blame the rep, but I really can't. This is a failure of the organization that employs him. He only has the resources and tools they make available to him, and clearly, these were inadequate for the…Keep Reading
The other week I spent the afternoon binge-watching the HBO Now show "Julia" with my mom. It was actually the second time watching for me and mom's first. In one of the episodes, Julia's editor Judith Jones meets with her most prestigious client, a young John Updike, fresh off the success of his National Book Award-winning debut novel "Rabbit Run." Judith is giving Updike some sage insight into how he might improve his follow-up effort, "Rabbit Redux." Updike looks at her with amazement on…Keep Reading
I recently saw my nephew, who'll be 10 soon, and offered to teach him how to dive this summer. Between my freshman and sophomore years of college, I was a day camp counselor for a troop of 8-year-old kids, many of whom I taught to swim or dive during our time together. I love swimming and really enjoy helping kids overcome their fears and learn what I believe are necessary life skills in the water. But, honestly, that moment when they get it, and they get that they are actually doing it—it's…Keep Reading