As some of you know, our client, Alesia Shute, was diagnosed with cancer when she was seven years old. At a time when most kids are learning to ride bikes, Alesia was overcoming obstacles that knock adults to their knees. As a child, ...READ»
Businesses
that operate without integrity—by cutting corners, overcharging,
underpaying, or otherwise devaluing clients and employees—don’t last
long. Because of these cheap tricks, they may soar in the short-term ...READ»
If you ask me, integrity is the backbone of any good business—no, great business. But it’s a broad term, one that people find more difficult to define than, say, “results-oriented.” And without knowing what integrity is, ...READ»
When I lived in L.A., I was fortunate enough to take part in a number of really fantastic film projects. Either as an actor, producer, or director, I dove headlong into making these projects a success, and to some extent, they all ...READ»
After our morning call with Katie, Annie reached out to talk privately with me to check in and see if there was some unresolved tension from last week. I admitted that last night I had gotten nervous about our call today because ...READ»
Last night I shared with my story guide Annie Hart that I needed us to have a structured call today. Since our call last week I was beginning to feel a bit desperate and depressed, like we had fallen off track. Thankfully, ...READ»
It’s easy to get comfortable once you come up with an exceptional product. It’s easy to take that product—and the process that created it—and keep duplicating it, making small changes every so often to keep it “new” and ...READ»
You know the old adage, If you want a job done right you’ve got to do it yourself? Okay, in some cases it’s true. But you probably wouldn’t perform open-heart surgery on yourself no matter how fervently you buy into the idea. ...READ»
I'll be on Annie Hart's Radio show again tomorrow: www.blogtalkradio.com/inspiringchangethroughstoryWhen you have the courage to tell your story, it is a vulnerable journey but one filled with healing, epiphany and growth. Join ...READ»
Today, in speaking with Annie and Katie on our weekly call to
develop my book we dove into some new waters. My book has started
taking on the appearance of a memoir as I change through the process of
putting it ...READ»
In the creative world, there’s often a stigma against paying for help to build your dream. The art loses authenticity, some feel, or you’re simply less of an artist if you need to hire out to get a job done. Writers, for example, ...READ»
Writing a book is commitment. It’s like being a parent. First there’s the commitment required to develop an idea into a story. As the story grows into a manuscript, there’s the commitment to allowing that story to change if it ...READ»
When readers go to their favorite bookstore (or, you know, Amazon) and lose themselves in the quiet pleasure of choosing a book, they’re probably not thinking, “I want to find a book that doesn’t change me through reading it.” ...READ»
Could it be accountability? One of the pitfalls of the typical creative process is that it’s a mostly solitary endeavor. You set your own goals and deadlines and are accountable to yourself alone if you miss them. Awesome, right? I ...READ»
Think of having a good, deep talk with your best friend—could be your spouse, your old college roommate, or your childhood companion. You’re sitting together over drinks, most of your dinner eaten, and you’re talking candidly. ...READ»
Most books have only one author’s name on the cover. And most people think of those authors as solitary creatures working alone in a dim room, surrounded by books and clutter and haloed in the glow of a computer screen. Although a ...READ»
In the immediate panic of a recession, most companies try to save money by reducing their labor force. But according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate remained steady at about 9.4% throughout June and July. This ...READ»
A huge part of running a successful business is being proactive—responding to e-mails as soon as possible, returning phone calls within the same business day, presenting new ideas for clients to consider, finishing projects ahead of ...READ»
Not long ago, any business that functioned primarily over the Internet was looked at with suspicion, even straight-up mistrust; many times, rightfully so. But these days, the Internet has given legitimate businesses a virtually ...READ»
Is it a coincidence that Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Eric Schmidt (a.k.a. the founder of Google) are all avid chess players? Probably not. Building a brilliant brand is a game of strategy—a game that these men have mastered with ...READ»
Have you ever thought about what the cover of your published book would look like? Of course you have. Just like you’ve thought very carefully about (and described) what your characters look like, what the setting reveals—all the ...READ»
When it comes to money, most creatives entering into business make the mistake of selling themselves short. They worry about competing with the cheapest guys out there instead of pricing their work at a point that is both fair and ...READ»
When you work in a creative field, your work speaks for itself. In fact, it’s the only thing that can speak for it. No amount of clever marketing, self-promotion, or even outstanding recommendations can take the place of a portfolio ...READ»
Another great call with Annie Hart this morning. This past week, I had one of my favorite writers draw up a small section of the screenplay version of my story. It was fascinating to read my thoughts in someone else’s ...READ»
In the beginning of setting up a creative business, quantity is pretty tempting. Quantity as in more clients and more output. Because that can only lead to more money and more success, right? Not necessarily.Chasing every lead you ...READ»
