Blog

9 posts published in May 2014

13 ways launching a start-up is like having a baby

May 2, 2014

I have given birth to one child and helped launch at least 6 start-ups. I might have a few illegitimate start-ups out there that I don’t know about but we’ll save that for another post. I had a blinding moment of delusion recently with my current start-up where I experienced the exact same feeling I did as the mother of a toddler. It was a day where one microscopic sign of progress overshadowed months of endless challenge, preparation, and self-sacrifice. How can that be?! How can the joy...

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truly communicating & not just throwing up

May 4, 2014

1. Use only a few well-defined categories. For most people, strategic plans top their list of “most boring documents to read.” If you hand your employees 20 pages of text, they are unlikely to read it. If they do, they are not likely to retain it. Instead, clearly define a small number of categories to provide a framework that is easily remembered and relevant to your employees’ daily activities.

2. Make a clear differentiation between you and your competition. Your strategic plan should...

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read this before EVERY hire

May 12, 2014

One of the things that great companies do is they hire the best people. These successful companies aren’t afraid to recruit the best candidates from other organizations or pull talented people from other industries. There are three attributes that are most important to an organization when hiring: attitude, competency and mindset.

Attitude. An employee has a passion for the organization and what it is trying to accomplish and is excited about being a part of the...

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Straight talk from the EVP of Target

May 14, 2014

I shared this message with Target’s team members moments ago. As I told them, the truth hurts, but it can also set you free.

To say that the last five months at Target have been difficult is an extraordinary understatement.

The data breach we suffered rocked consumer confidence and ignited a nationwide discussion about phishing, cyber-security and the realities of living in today’s data-enabled world. Thanks in large part to social media, it looks like this will have been one of the most...

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Work Less to Succeed More

May 15, 2014

For those who seek positions of business leadership or self-employment, it’s easy to feel duty-bound to your aspirations even when you’re off the clock. Career-driven people tend to spend their free time doing things that contribute to their professional goals, such as networking, reading business books, learning a work-related skill or keeping a business blog.

But is this singular focus really a good thing? Many studies seem to indicate that challenging your mind in different ways may...

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