Young & Reckless: An Interview with Chris “Drama” Pfaff
This was one of my favorite interviews. A couple of weeks ago, I got a chance to chat with Chris “Drama” Pfaff. At only 26 years old, Drama is a successful entrepreneur and the star of 3 hit MTV shows, including the new season of Fantasy Factory which premiered this month. He also has a …
POWER of Branding: An Interview with J.D. Power
Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with James David “Dave” Power III, the visionary entrepreneur whose company, J.D. Power & Associates, has become a household name since it’s inception in 1968. Dave shares many of his successes and failures in the new book, POWER: How J.D. Power III Became the Auto Industry’s Adviser, Confessor, …
Surviving the Shark Tank: An Interview with Julie Busha
Recently, I had the privilege of connecting with Julie Busha, the founder of the popular condiment brand Slawsa. Slawsa is a unique cross between a “slaw” and “salsa” that is all-natural, fat-free, cholesterol-free, gluten-free, low in sodium and kosher. Julie was featured on ABC’s Shark Tank, and though she didn’t receive funding, was the recipient …
Side-Hustling: Tracy DiNunzio, Founder of Tradesy
I went to college to study marketing. When I graduated, I began working at an agency, and very much enjoyed my job. However, in today’s market, it is difficult to get everything you need from a “day job.” So I wrote, on this blog and on others. I started doing comedy on nights and weekends, …
The ABC of Retaining Brand Dominance
Building a business is a long process from initial idea, to start-up tasks, to identifying and reaching a market. And then it happens, your business is a success. You’ve captured a market share and have a loyal following. Now you can sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Right? Wrong.
Especially in today’s …
How Often Should You Be Checking In on Your Competition?
How often do you check up on your competitor’s brand mentions and sentiment? What do you look for?
The following answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, the YEC recently launched #StartupLab, a free virtual mentorship program that …
Knocked Down 7 Times? Stand Up 8
A pep talk.
My favorite moment in the entire Rocky Balboa pantheon is not when he beats the hell out of Clubber Lang or Ivan Drago. It’s near the end of the first movie, Rocky, at the end of the 14th round when he’s been beaten so badly, he can barely stand.
He’s so tired …
Honey, I Shrunk the Job Market
A fantasy of shrinking your family can be entertaining, especially if you know from the start that it is a Disney film intended to entertain the entire family. We love to be entertained — taken away from the real world for a while. But what about the real world of today’s job market? It is …
Afraid of Feedback? Find How It Serves You Best
If you are a corporate professional, notice the feeling you are having when you read the word “Feedback”. “I have some feedback for you” often creates the same or worse reaction as “we have a problem”!
A quick web search brought this definition of feedback: Comments in the form of opinions and reactions to something, …
Brand Check-Up: 4 Questions to Ask Your Market
Creating a brand focuses your message so that your consumers know your mission and values. But a brand isn’t static. Instead, it’s a dynamic, living, breathing asset that should transform as you and your market changes. Trends come and go. Customer needs change. The skills and services you offer expand or contract. Through all these …