After working on my next book for many months, I finally realized it really was two books. The moment I committed to that concept and divided the book into two, each book took on a life of their own.
I am so excited to share both books with you!
The original title of my book was Spheres of Influence. As I was developing the chapters and reviewing them with trusted advisors, it became clear how important it was to explain the power of human connections before jumping into how to build a network inherently supportive of one’s goals.
Crowd SuccessTM – The Book
The new book, Crowd SuccessTM, not only expands on how neuroscience, laws of nature and human psychology are predisposed and ready support each of us in our quest for personal achievement. Crowd Success shares powerful, proven methods to empower any startup entrepreneur, career professional, seasoned executive, college graduate, professional marketer, human resources or recruiting professional, or advocate for any cause; to achieve greater results from their efforts in networking, marketing, community-building, social engagement, social selling (or sales of any type).
Crowd SuccessTM Aligns Science With Pop Culture to Present a Solid Approach to Success
Crowd SuccessTM, publishing in Fall 2016 eliminates the hype found in similar books to hone-in on the science and proven methods inherent to how humans are wired to think and act. The book includes powerful stories shared by successful people (many of whom you may recognize) to illustrate how others have influenced their path to success and fulfillment.
Success is unique to each of us. Crowd SuccessTM emphasizes the importance of human relationships and how to apply the power of the crowd to achieving virtually any goal the mind can conceive.
Visit MyCrowdSuccess.com to learn more and be sure to join the crowd to receive updates, including access to the book completely free! #CrowdSuccess is the hashtag to follow on social media.
Follow @CrowdSuccess_ on Twitter for book news, blog, podcast and engagement.
Follow @CrowdSuccesstV on Twitter for Podcast-specific updates.
Spheres of Influence, the book outlining HOW to connect and cultivate relationships with audiences inherently supportive of you and your goals – on and offline – will be published shortly after…stay tuned for that announcement!
Entrepreneurs learn valuable lessons from their parents – even if their parents were never entrepreneurs themselves. This post is a Fathers Day tribute to my father who taught me so many valuable lessons – many of which have become part of my life as an entrepreneur. I miss him every day and my gratitude for the lessons he taught me continue to grow as time goes by. Happy Fathers Day to all you dads out there!
How many of these lessons in entrepreneurship did your dad teach you?
The Journey to Success Is Its Own Reward
Despite the dream of ‘making it big’ there is little satisfaction in having someone giving you success – you must earn it. A very successful multimillionaire advised me to enjoy the journey because achieving success that is what you will cherish as the sweetest part of becoming successful. Dads instill work ethic and perseverance that is required of an entrepreneur. Success is that much sweeter for the entrepreneur willing to plow through challenges and see it through.
Appreciate the Value of a Dollar
An Entrepreneur must understand the value of a dollar if they wish to achieve financial success. Whether your dream is financial independence or going big with an IPO, Dads are often the greatest influence in teaching financial discipline – how to plan, research and make in smart financial decisions, which translate to ROI in the world of entrepreneurship.
Great Expectations
Fathers show their love by providing a stable, safe environment for us to grow, along with the expectation that we will fulfill our potential. Encouraging dads teach us to push ourselves to move beyond our comfort zone to reach new heights. The innate drive to challenge the status quo and exceed expectations is at the heart of entrepreneurship.
Commitment to Excellence
“If its worth doing at all, it is worth doing right”. A father committed to putting in the extra time and effort to arrive at a quality solution teaches his children, by example, the commitment to excellence. A short-cut can result in failure of a solution, money lost, or hurting others – creating a mindset of ‘settling’ and an ever-present fear of failure. A commitment to excellence may not always lead to a winner, it does provides entrepreneurs peace of mind and satisfaction of putting forth their best effort.
Perseverance
The day-to-day life of an entrepreneur is far from glamorous. It requires long hours and many setbacks and challenges. Good thing dads are so good at teaching perseverance! That ‘can do’ attitude helps entrepreneurs see failure as mere bumpers in the pinball game of entrepreneurship. Minor glitches and major setbacks become key lessons in guiding entrepreneurs toward a successful outcome.
What would you add to the lessons Dad’s teach about entrepreneurship?
After eight years of intensive research, Dr. Robert Emmons, a professor at University of California, believes he has discovered what gives life meaning: Gratitude.
An attitude of gratitude, not to be confused with indebtedness, has been scientifically proven to have a positive impact on health and well-being. Basically, the ‘attitude of gratitude’ can make all the difference in how you view the world you live in (on and offline). An expression of gratitude can increase the “happiness” of the average individual by 2-19%. The impact of gratitude on those who are being challenged or having a tough time can be even more dramatic.
The video below to puts this theory to the test. Please watch it! I promise you it is worth every second of your time.
The Power of Gratitude
This may explain why those who experience near-death experiences, or put in harm’s way find it easier to express gratitude. When one views life as a gift – rather than taking on a victim mentality or sense of entitlement – they enjoy multiple advantages in several areas of life including relationships, career, finances, academics, health, energy level as well as coping with tragedy and crisis.
I believe an attitude of gratitude and happiness is the driving force behind the accelerated recovery of a colleague. Dana Lookadoo is a smart, positive, generous woman, who I have had the honor of meeting, and who is known and liked by many in the SEO profession. In early November 2013, Dana and her bike, were in an accident that left her with broken vertebrae and other injuries. Despite the devastating physical injuries, Dana’s positive attitude are accelerating her recovery. I am not at all surprised. Dana is a gracious and generous person, touching the lives of many on and offline – illustrated by the intense interest and activity on Facebook where hundreds of people from around the world anxiously await news on her progress, sending her notes of love, support and encouragement for her recovery. Many of these people have never met Dana in person – they only know her through social media, yet the sentiments are powerful, strong and quite genuine.
I am truly inspired by her strength and believe that if there were ever a case study to be made on how to be authentic and connect as a real person on social media, Dana would be it…wouldn’t you agree?
Dana’s experience resonates with me in a very personal way.
While recovering from a violent car accident during my college years, I was so grateful to be alive I could not stop smiling – even though I was visibly missing many teeth! Instead of focusing on injuries and the long road of recovery ahead, I felt thankful, happy, and believed I had been given a beautiful gift. To this day, I care less about appearances or material things. Instead, I appreciate what matters most, embracing experiences in life and grateful for each and every new friend or opportunity that comes my way…including you – the person reading this post at this very moment. : )
Gratitude in Social Media – and Life
It really does not matter how or where you express that gratitude. Gratitude can be a whisper to someone you love, a note, while blessing a meal, or a note of thanks on social media.
As part of daily life for so many, social media can play a vital role in expressing gratitude. Sincere acts of gratitude will not only feel good; they can go a long way in creating an authentic connection with audiences, one person at a time. You do not need science to believe that showing appreciation for blessings, including gifts or acts of kindness of others, is a win-win. So, it only makes sense that sincere gratitude would be equally powerful when expressed on social media, whether public or privately.
Gratitude Challenge
In the U.S. we often express gratitude on Thanksgiving day.
We really don’t need a holiday or excuse to be grateful for everything (and everyone) good in our life – do we?
I challenge you to take a moment each and every day to express your gratitude on social media. You do not have to exercise all of your gratitude publicly or online. Yet, one expression of gratitude a day could bring dramatic results over a week, month or year.
What expressions of gratitude are suitable for social media? Think about what are you grateful for each day. It may be an event for which you initially believe no one person is responsible. Yet, I suspect that when we take a moment to reflect and delve into the events that led to that event, we can probably identify a person that contributed to that success or achievement. It may have been words of affirmation, a loan, a gift, an introduction, a rave review, or even a simple share…any of which are worthy of an expression of gratitude.
Birds of a Feather
Something tells me that if we all did this, every day, we would connect with more people, enjoy more success and be genuinely happier about the life we live. Studies show that the happier we are, the more attractive we are to other people. The more attractive you are to others, the more effective social media is likely to be in helping you build audiences that you genuinely connect with – that want to be connected to you.
My final thought is one of gratitude…thank YOU clicking on this page and reading this post.
I wish you happiness and fulfillment in everything you do!
P.S. Dana, thank you for your friendship and for reminding me of how powerful gratitude is, especially this Thanksgiving and holiday season xx00
UPDATE: It is with sadness that I have to add that Dana Lookado lost her brave battle to recover from her injuries in September 2015. Rest in Peace Dana, you made everyone you knew better by association with you.
In my latest Search Engine Watch Article I present my case for updating the definition of the website. For years, countless websites have been lost in the gauntlet of what I call ‘project-dom”. Myopic focus on elements of the website process (design, SEO, content, programming, etc.) has distracted businesses and brands from embracing the website as an extension of the business. As a result, resources are invested before proper strategic planning occurs – resulting in disappointing, if not devastatingly dismal results.
The New Definition of a Website
Rather than the historic definition of the website as a technological connection between pages using links, I suggest that the definition of the website be updated. I provide the following new and more current definition in my book:
“A digital environment capable of delivering information and solutions and promoting interaction between people, places, and things to support the goals of the organization it was created for.”
– from the book ‘Million Dollar Websites” written by Rebecca Murtagh.
This perspective has spurred a flurry of discussion in the industry. The reaction from the web industry has been overwhelmingly positive. However, the challenge will lie in educating businesses and empowering them with the insight and education to feel empowered to lead the website process.
For years, I have been educating businesses and brands to treat the website as a dynamic extension of the business or brand, rather than a static marketing or sales communication project that has a beginning and an end. This may seem complex to many, however a methodical approach and a little bit of planning is all it takes to transform the website from being an expense to a business asset.
One of the fundamental shifts I propose must occur for this perspective to yield positive results is that the business or brand take ownership of the brand. So, rather than letting the web designer, webmaster taking the lead, the website is more likely to deliver immediate and long-term results when the business leads the process.
The Website Does Not Begin With Design
This is where most organizations think the website process begins. High-performance websites do not begin with design, but rather a deliberate process that provides the necessary information needed to create the design that will serve the goals of the organization.
Web designers and developers tell me over and again that they are not mind-readers. And, that very often, a brand will provide a competitive website as a design reference and ask for something similar to be created. Unfortunately, this website will be destined to fail without being guided by the strategic goals of the business, being tailored to the audiences it serves, and deliberate consideration of how the website facilitates conversion. Design is a method of solving problems. It is incumbent upon the business to be able to provide the information needed for designers and developers to apply their talent. Being prepared, providing a strategic vision, sitemap, visitor personas, brand essence, etc. goes a long way in advancing the process to achieve optimum performance effectively and cost efficiently. I cover these aspects of website planning thoroughly in my book; Million Dollar Websites: Build a Better Website Using Best Practices of the Web Elite in E-Business, Design, SEO, Usability, Social, Mobile and Conversion accompanied by worksheets to facilitate the process of these important tools.
Hear a Podcast of web and internet marketing professionals Erin Sparks and Douglas Karr review the post and expand on my post here:
(Discussion about this topic begins around 14:20)
Thanks to all who have shared, commented and continue to support this discussion!
Improve Personal Performance – Even While on Vacation or Holiday
Most American Entrepreneurs find it difficult to step away from their work, I know, I am one of them. However, one thing I have learned over the years is that taking time off is not only good for relationships with family and friends, but good for business. The Europeans are very good at stepping away from work to take time for family and friends. Americans, not so much.
Here’s what I’ve learned over the years – let me know if I’ve missed anything…
1. It Can Wait
It doesn’t matter what comes up, there will always be more to do. A crisis may require some delegation. However, for the most part, you already know that there will always be something new that requires your time and attention. So, taking a day, or two, or ten, isn’t going to get you caught up. Your work will never be done.
2. Taking Time off is Good For Your Business
Time away from the business is healthy. It enables the team you left behind to step-up, exercise their problem-solving talents, and appreciate your contribution – that is if you have built a good team and are a good leader. The alternative of course is that all hell breaks loose. In which case you have a new priority when you return: to build a new team.
3. Taking Time Off is Good For Creative Thought
You know I’m right. Sometimes extracting yourself from the day-to-day routine is the only way to invite creative thought. You must turn off the automatic-pilot your brain operates on in a typical day to create space for new thoughts, fresh perspective and new ideas.
4. Time Off Provides Fresh Perspective
This is true for any aspect of your life, but taking time away from the business exposes you to new people, places and ideas, which can give you fresh perspective on a specific problem or solution.
5. Taking Time Off is Good for Your Body
Time away from the business can be stressful for some. However, when you commit to truly stepping away from work, your stress levels go down, you relax, and may even find yourself enjoying the company of humans in conversation that has nothing to do with business.
6. Taking Time Off is Good for Relationships
If you are reading this, I am pretty confident that you have been told, on at least one occasion, that you work too much. Probably by a family member or friend. So, do yourself a favor and turn off the devices, turn your attention to loved ones and give them your full attention. I promise you the rewards will be worth it!
7. Taking Time Off Creates Balance
The more balanced you are as a human, the easier it is for others to relate to you, in the board room, on the soccer field, or on your next business trip. After all, we are all human, and we learn how much we have in common with others, when we take the time to notice.
And, if you still need a business reason to take time off – balance makes us more real and relevant to those we influence, and are influenced by, in every aspect of life.
Give yourself permission. Take the time off, and enjoy yourself..it will do you wonders!
