passion
Life | Work

What’s Your Passion?

What’s your passion? Dictionary definition is “a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything.” Why do people start their own businesses? Is it for money, for freedom (from corporate structure or otherwise), for power? What would you want to do if you didn’t need to work? Some people might answer that they’d want […]

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wisdom
Work

Words of Wisdom for Entrepreneurs

Advice is given to us so often, it’s easy for it to fall on deaf ears. Some of this so-called advice is given from friends and family; other comes from colleagues or a mentor. How do you decide what sticks? The top 8 things I’ve learned from those around me can be summed up in […]

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ambition
Life | Work

The Key to Success: Ambition or Competition

What’s the difference between being ambitious or competitive? Some people are competitive by nature. They grew up playing sports, knew they had to study hard and be the top of their class, and now put that same mindset into their jobs. This makes me wonder, is being “competitive” a good thing or a bad thing? […]

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happy
Life | Work

Successful: Rich or Happy?

What defines success? Merriam-Webster describes it as a “favorable or desired outcome; the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence.” Just as every word that conjures emotion, a dictionary definition doesn’t do it justice. So what does it mean to you? Is success having 2 cars, 2 kids, and a suburban home, or what about breaking […]

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negotiation
Life | Work

What’s Your Negotiation Style?

Good negotiating involves give and take. It applies to work and home, friends and family and is an important part of relationship starting and building. Being good at it takes practice and patience, both of which many people do not have. In the business world, negotiating is the key to getting what you want, if […]

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consulting
Life | Work

The Story of Promise Consulting Group

6 years ago in July 2010, Vistaprint (my employer at the time) offered a free website for life to employees. I loved testing the new products, so quickly signed on and claimed www.promiseconsultinggroup.com. Did I do any consulting at that time? No. Did I give any thought to what I may someday do with this […]

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online marketing
Work

Essentials of Online Marketing

With total advertising spend at a decline, online advertising is the only medium with projected growth in 2010 – to a whopping $60 billion in revenue. So what does this mean for you? Whether you’re a small business or work for a large corporation, you will likely need to know the basics of online marketing […]

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marketing
Work

Marketing with Meaning

“Marketing with meaning”, coined in The Next Evolution of Marketing, can be defined as bringing value to clients (potential and existing) through your marketing tactics. What does this mean for a business? Is offering a product or service enough of a value in itself? Merriam-Webster provides several definitions of the word value: “a fair return […]

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invest
Life

Invest in Yourself

The return on investment by investing in your business – and therefore yourself – offers higher rewards and lower risks than trying to beat the stock market or going all in on the latest pyramid scheme. That’s not to say that if you pile all your savings into a half-baked idea it will come out […]

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negotiate
Work

Negotiate Your Pay

This is one of my favorite work topics, as friends have come to me for years asking about this. I know everyone approaches this topic differently, and my viewpoint is not the only one. I am a firm advocate of NEVER telling how much you make in your current role. 1) it’s no one’s business […]

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