Yesterday, I was invited to be a guest instructor at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where I’ve taught classes before. It was a general audience of aspiring entrepreneurs, and they were wrapping up a series of classes on the topic. Mine was obviously marketing… here’s a quick podcast of the top 14 marketing questions.
How many of them can you answer effectively? How many of the answers have you written down??
Folks in my workshops answer YES! … Now, you can too.
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Last night, I attended an awesome networking event with some of the most influential leaders of Long Island. 
Luckily, it was my book release party (and 30th birthday). It was the biggest event the bookstore (I AM Books in Huntington, NY) ever had; and my book sold out. (This is bitter-sweet since I don’t have books for my speaking engagement on Friday; or for a real estate trade party on Tuesday; back-of-the-room sales is a Thumb-rule; this is a faux-pas.)
My main intention of the event was of course to drive book sales… but not only to sell out the room, but to promote the book as an awesome gift: 100% of my book sale profits from last night is being donated to the Cross Island YMCA Strong Kids campaign, which grants memberships to lower-income families. I’m the campaign chair for 2008, so it seemed natural to me. We raised over $1500 last night for Long Island youth. PLUS, those who purchased more than 2 books got my audio-book(s) for free. Now they have an extra copy - hopefully autographed - to give as a gift to a “stranger.” My colleagues will pollinate future orders.
I have achieved my January “book sales quota,” and I now working on February. But this success isn’t luck… And while it’s based on strategic design, I know there’s a greater power at play.
I wanted to invoke my spiritual beliefs to bless the success of my book. I invited my aunt, Geetha, to perform a short pooja (Hindu blessing ceremony). It was only fitting that I have my immediate family in the room, including my grandmother. As one of my colleagues mentioned as he was leaving, “It was like I attended a family event.” I responded, “It is.” My network was introduced not only to my family, my culture, my beliefs, and my intentional personal brand. Unfortunately, the video of the ceremony has been lost to the Universe!
Words cannot fully express how grateful I am for the wonderful reception I felt last night… while the cupcakes weren’t fully appreciated, folks ate up the snacks and my sense of style (4-button peach suit and deep purple shirt). I nurtured the success and am grateful for the forces that coalesce to continue the book’s phenomenal success.
We must plant the right seeds at the right time in the right soil. We must water appropriate and tend to the weeds. But still, we cannot grow the fruit. I believe God does the Growing in response to our successful Strategic Habits. Together, everyone achieves this TEAM.
Thank you.
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The moments of appreciation, reminiscence, and forethought are the gifts we give ourselves during this season. It is the dawn of a new year, and our resolutions need not be fleeting. There’s no preaching here. Instead, let’s consider practicing some rules of thumb that can help change the world.
Often, many of us feel “stuck.” We all know the clichés and bumper stickers to change the world, but can’t seem to find the time, the money, the people, or the energy to do much about it. We want to “be the change we want to see” … but we gotta do what we gotta do to just keep up with everyday life. First off, if we’re meeting our obligations, we must be proud of that. No guilt. But oftentimes we’d like to do more good.
We can judge ourselves by how we handle our calendar and our cash flow; it shows us what’s really important to us. It may be easier said than done, but we must make the time to take the time. What are we choosing to do with our time and money? Don’t worry about what others are doing right now. Let’s become aware of what we’re choosing.
You can read the rest of my FEATURE ARTICLE in this month’s issue of Canvas Magazine.
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From resolutions to goals to habits to achievement.
In order to sustain a 365 personal brand, we must schedule in our Action Goals in order to achieve our Result Goals. And of course, today is the first day of the rest of your life. It also feels apropos given the season…
You won’t have the time. You won’t find the time. You have to make the time.
What’s your Vision for 2008? My clients know that I make goal setting a very simple process… with 5 cascading goals:
- 1000 days (2 - 3 years from now)
- 300 days (1 year from now)
- 200 days (six months from now)
- 100 days (3 months from now)
- 30 days (1 month from now)
Progressively, it becomes more short-term (in alignment with the long-term), more tactical, more practical, and more action-oriented. The more we achieve our day-to-day action goals, the more will achieve our Vision for 2008!
The SMARTest goal setting process is simply ____what____ BY _____when_____. This goal-setting formula will keep it specific, measurable, results-oriented, resource-focused, and time-bound, in a simple, one-liner.
The most important daily action-goal: Smile, with a deep breath, and affirm your goals!
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