Likeable Leadership - A Collecti - Dave Kerpen

Dedication
This book is dedicated to all of the likeable leaders I’ve been privileged to know, including Jeff
Haden and my fellow LinkedIn Influencers, and most all, my amazing wife Carrie, and our amazing
young leaders Charlotte & Kate.
Praise for Likeable Leadership
"When it comes to cutting through the clutter and making his voice heard, Dave has always been a
thought leader and a truly creative promoter. His new book is an invaluable tool for any business
leader who hopes to navigate today's fast changing social media landscape. Moreover, Dave's cogent
advice and instructive (and humorous!) anecdotes are as likeable as he is!"
–Christopher McCann, CEO and President of 1-800-FLOWERS.com
“Dave’s career is a testament to all those who should continue to follow their passions and eventually
you will get it right. I have known Dave for a very long time, from his humble beginnings as a stadium
vendor to his current status as social media rock star. What I admire most about Dave is that he truly
embodies that anything is possible if you stay true to who you are and keep chasing your dreams.”
-Christian McMahan Managing Partner at Smartfish Group and Former CMO Heineken USA
“This book is a GEM! Likeable Leadership reminds us all about what is really important in business
and in life. A fun and easy read it will help you be a better and more effective leader.”
-Chester Elton, Bestselling Author of The Carrot Principle, 24-Carrot Manager, and The Orange
Revolution
“Dave Kerpen is one of the most likeable people on the planet, and he also happens be full of insight.
Likeable Leadership is an engaging collection of practical tips for leadership, career success,
marketing, and social media.”
-Adam Grant, Wharton Professor and New York Times Bestselling Author of Give and Take
"In a world in which one 'proven' marketing tactic after another seems to stop working, Dave Kerpen
has an innate sense of how to humanize companies in the eyes of their customers. I study nearly every
word he writes, and you should, too."
-Bruce Kasanoff, Founder of Now Possible and Co-Author of Smart Customers, Stupid Companies
“Dave Kerpen has a long line of writing successes with his bestselling "Likeable" works. Likeable
Leadership is destined to be Dave's next bestseller! Dave's business accounts will inspire you to
greatness! You will honestly find Likeable Leadership a very Likeable book indeed!”
- Lon Safko, Bestselling Author of The Social Media Bible and The Fusion Marketing Bible
“It’s very rare to find an impactful read on leadership that flawlessly covers so many relevant topics.
When Dave’s not dishing out top-notch marketing and social media advice, he’s using his personal
experiences to help build leaders and transform careers. Likeable Leadership is one book every
professional needs to add to their reading queue.”
- Ilya Pozin, Founder of Open Me and Ciplex
Table of Contents
DEDICATION
FOREWARD
INTRODUCTION
SECTION 1: LEADERSHIP & INSPIRATION

11 Simple Concepts to Become a Better Leader
What a 5-Year-Old can Teach You About Courage
What Makes a Likeable Leader?
You Can Be a Leader, No Matter What
21 Songs to Inspire You at Work
Every Mistake is An Opportunity to Surprise and Delight
Leadership Lessons from the World's Religions
The 1 Thing a Business Leader Must Do to Succeed
9 Timeless Leadership Lessons from Baseball
8 Simple Ways to Inspire Yourself at Work
9 Business Books That Will Change Your Life
25 Quotes to Inspire You to Become a Better Leader
3 Leadership Lessons From a Total Loser
The Secret to Happiness in Life
3 Amazing Life Lessons From a Chance Encounter
What Inspires Me: My Children
SECTION 2: YOUR CAREER

Your Attitude at Work is Everything
The Simple Secret to an Amazing Career
Drinking, Crying and Other Less Obvious Ways to Tank a Job Interview
The 1 Thing You Must Do In Every Job Interview
How to Dress for Success Today
How Successful People Think
3 Essentials to Landing Your Dream Job Using Social Media
Every Day Can Be The First Day
The 2 Most Important Days In Your Life
The New Rules for Career Success
Want To Be Taken Seriously? Become a Better Writer
The Most Important Phrase You'll Ever Say in a Meeting
7 Simple Steps to Reinventing You
How to Work with a Jerk
17 Things You Should Never Say to Your Boss
17 Things the Boss Should Never Say
The Tech-Free Secret to Business Success
13 Must-Have Mobile Apps For Business
6 Secrets to Better Networking at Conferences
9 Networking Secrets From a Superconnector
How to Turn Your Weaknesses Into Strengths
How to Achieve Career Independence
Career Highlights Won't Be On Your Tombstone
SECTION 3: MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

7 Simple Rules for Amazing Content Marketing
What Businesses Are Doing Wrong on Social Media (And 5 Tips For Success)
10 Podcasts You Should be Listening to Right Now
The Most Essential Social Network for CEO’s
Memo to CEOs: Go Social or Go Home
Content is Fire and Social Media is Gasoline
How to Write More Successful Blog Posts
7 Ways to Tell Stories to Sell Online
5 Marketing Lessons From Lady Gaga
How to Create Word of Mouth Magic
Why Your Company's Social Media is Failing
How to Sell Anything Using Social Media
LinkedIn Endorsements Changes Everything. Here's Why
The 1 Thing Every Business Executive Must Understand About Social Media
6 Ways to Make Your Story Go Viral
5 Keys to Great Storytelling: Lessons from Barbara Corcoran
5 Ways Social Media Takes Customer Relationships To The Next Level
And the Future of Social Media Is…
SECTION 4: MISCELLANEOUS MUSINGS

Always Show Your Friendship First
7 Rules For Talking to Children About Self Image
11 Must-Read Authors For Every Professional
3 Weird Truths About Business From a Night With Weird Al
A Life Lesson From Reality TV
Why Orange is the Best Color
5 Reasons NYC is the New Technology Capital of the World
How to Build a Culture of Innovation

It's Easier To Be Honest
How LinkedIn Quietly Built a Massive Media Empire
How to Get Everything You Want. Seriously
CONCLUSION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
APPENDIX: RECOMMENDED BOOKS

Foreward
Vince Lombardi once said leaders aren’t born, they’re made. And the man knew a thing or two about
leadership.
Lombardi never saw a losing season as a head coach in the NFL and lead his Green Bay Packers to
three NFL championships and two Super Bowl victories in the 1960s. For his accomplishments, he
earned a spot in the NFL Hall of Fame — and the respect of a nation.
But by all accounts, Lombardi’s leadership style, which was colored by a violent temper, was
anything but likeable, and there’s a lot that has been written about his iron-fisted, win-at-all-costs
approach to the game.
As the name implies, Likeable Leadership offers a different road to arriving at the same high-level
results and is full of the kinds of nuts-and-bolts advice anyone — no matter where they’re starting out
from — can begin applying today to make themselves a better leader.
I’ve bought and sold more than 250 businesses worth billions of dollars over my career, and in that
time, I’ve seen my share of leaders come and go. The ones who are still around, who are still
inspiring their companies and breaking new ground as far as what’s possible in the marketplace, all
share a few things in common: they’re very, very grounded in who they are, have integrity beyond
compare, and are radically transparent.
Dave Kerpen is that kind of leader.
Not only is he likeable (who wouldn’t want to hang around with someone who once made a name for
himself as Fenway Park’s “Crunch n Munch Guy” and whose goofy dance moves were a regular
feature on the park’s large-screen Jumbotron?), but Dave walks his talk.
Through candid stories about professional triumphs (and the failures that preceded them), life with his
wife and two daughters, and his undeniable optimism, Dave has crafted a blueprint for online and
real-world success that proves nice guys can finish first.
I often say a brand is a promise delivered. In a world where the ability to lead change is a critical
talent, Dave’s brand of win-win leadership — his down-to-earth style and the way he is able to make
a genuine connection with anyone who crosses his path — is one such promise.
Not everyone is qualified to write a book of this importance, but for anyone who hears the call to
leadership, it should be required reading.
Keep in mind, however, good information is only good if you act on it.
Pay attention to the simple guidelines offered in these pages. Be authentic, be positive, and be
transparent. Align yourself with people who are forward thinking, action-oriented risk-takers. And
above all, follow the likeable leadership of those like Dave who maintain a positive outlook.
Do so, and you’ll begin to see immediately the difference win-win leadership makes in your career
and every other area of life.
photo via Jeffrey Hayzlett
- Jeffrey Hayzlett
Bestselling Author, Television Host and Likeable Cowboy
Introduction
One year ago, I read an article on Inc.com by Jeff Haden called "6 Habits of Remarkably Likeable
People.” It was an excellent article, as are all of Jeff’s, but because of its subject, I had to reach out
to Jeff. I emailed him, set up a phone intro, and had a terrific conversation. During that conversation,
as I always do with new people I’ve met, I asked him, “How can I help you?”
“Just let me know if you have writing opportunities, and let’s stay connected,” Jeff replied.
Ten years ago, I would have left it at that. Three years ago, I would have just sent a LinkedIn request.
But this time, thanks to what I’ve learned about giving to others first and showing authentic gratitude, I
followed up the phone call with a handwritten thank you card, and basket of chocolates. I wasn't sure
how I could help him or how he could help me, yet, but I wanted to make a great impression.
One month later, I noticed Jeff’s writing again – only this time, it wasn’t for Inc Magazine, but
for LinkedIn. Jeff was part of the LinkedIn Influencers program, along with 300 other authors, CEO’s
and world leaders such as Barack Obama, Richard Branson, Jack Welch, Arianna Huffington, Deepak
Chopra and David Cameron. I was immediately fascinated and decided I would love to somehow
join this distinguished group.
I applied through LinkedIn.com, and got an auto-response saying I’d been added to the wait-list. Then
I did some asking around of entrepreneur friends and learned that the wait-list was estimated to be at
over 20,000 people!
Determined to find a way to pitch myself for the program, I called Jeff again. I did this reluctantly-
after all, I really hadn’t done anything for him yet, and here I was, asking for a big favor. I’d never
even met Jeff Haden.
“Sure, I’d be happy to connect you to my editor at LinkedIn," Jeff replied. I was thrilled, shocked and
excited, but I still had a huge task ahead of myself. How would I convince the editors at LinkedIn to
let me join this group of much more talented, smarter, more accomplished people than I was?
I prepared a list of what I thought were my best articles and links to my books and sent them to the
editor I had been introduced to. I nervously prepared for my phone call with them. After three days
that felt more like thirty, I had my call.
It began with the editor on the other end of the phone: "We trust Jeff, so when he introduced you to me,
we knew we should take a close look. So I've read a lot of your articles, and I'd like to officially
welcome you to the LinkedIn Influencers program!"
I was ecstatic. I knew it was a big deal to be joining this elite group. But I had no idea that it would
literally change my life the way it has. There are three profound ways the LinkedIn Influencer
program has changed my life:
1) Content is King & Distribution is Queen

The credibility of my work being published alongside people like Tony Robbins and Guy Kawasaki
is terrific. But content and distribution is still an essential part of the formula. I'll never forget the day
in August I got an email from LinkedIn telling me they were about to announce the top 10 posts of all
time. Number three on the list was Jack Welch. Number two was Bill Gates. And the number one top
post of all time, with 2.3 million views, was a poor kid from Brooklyn, New York, who somehow
had gotten people's attention with a post about how to become a better leader. If this isn't proof that
anyone can be successful with the right content and distribution, I don't know what is.
2) Traffic, Leads, and Sales
In less than a year of writing, I've had over 15 million page views of my articles, 5,000 leads and
over $1 million of business from leads attributed to LinkedIn. I continue to be absolutely blown away
by the power of the distribution that this massive professional social network provides. For anyone
who doubts the monetary value of content marketing and social media, LinkedIn is living proof that
“this stuff" really does work.
3) It's All About The People
As valuable as the credibility and the business has been, by far the most valuable aspect of writing
for LinkedIn Influencers has been the exposure to the amazing people who also write for the program.
The relationships I've made with brilliant people like Sallie Krawcheck, Guy Kawasaki, A.J. Jacobs,
Adam Grant, Chester Elton, J.T. O’Donnell and so many others, are utterly priceless.
I am so grateful to Chip Cutter, Dan Roth, Jeff Weiner and the entire team at LinkedIn for everything,
and everyone you've brought to me. And to Jeff Haden, who introduced me to LinkedIn Influencers
and ultimately to Likeable Leadership - a million thanks to you.
What This Book Is And Isn't
This book is a collection of stories I've shared and articles I've written on LinkedIn and elsewhere on
the web about a wide variety of topics- most notably, leadership, inspiration, careers, marketing and
social media. It is meant to be read one article at a time, based on what you need on any given day.
Skip around, and skip what you don't find relevant to you! Looking for career advice? Turn to the
section on Your Career. In the mood for guidance on social media? Turn to that section. Looking for a
little inspiration to start your day? I hope you'll find it in the first section.
This book is not a traditional narrative from start to finish. If that's what you're looking for, there are
lots of terrific books for that on the same topics - many of which I've listed in the Appendix in the
back of the book. This book is the culmination of a year of work and a journey that's had me exploring
new topics as a reader, writer and thinker- topics I hope you'll enjoy exploring with me.
In Section 1, I've included articles and stories about leadership and inspiration. We can all benefit
from becoming better leaders and feeling more inspired, no matter what our jobs are.
In Section 2, there are articles and stories about navigating your career: finding the perfect job,
interviewing, networking, and starting a business. I've seen too many people of all ages unhappy with
what they do for a living, and we spend too many waking hours at work to do anything besides what
makes us happy.
In Section 3, there are articles and stories about marketing and social media. My first area of passion
and expertise, I love writing about the changing face of marketing and communications and I hope you
will like reading about it- and having a conversation with me about it on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
or Google+!
Section 4, titled "Miscellaneous Musings," features stories and articles about a wide variety of
topics. We've got everything from talking to children about body image to my night at the movies with
Weird Al Yankovic; from my love affair with NYC to a blueprint for getting what you want in life.
Skip around, find a story or article you like, and enjoy.
Likeability as Happiness
In my first book, Likeable Social Media, I wrote that being likeable is the key to doing social media
well for your brand, small business or ideas. In the second, Likeable Business, I wrote that being
likeable is the key to conducting business successfully. In the last year, I've learned that being likeable
is not only the key to becoming a better leader, it's the key to becoming a happier person.
If this book has one theme, it's that being likeable isn't just about social media or business - it's
about living life, to its fullest.
For most of my life, no matter how successful I've been, I haven't been happy. When I was a kid in
first grade, I brought home a math test that I scored a 99 out of 100 on. I brought the test excitedly to
my dad, who remarked, "Why didn't you get 100 on the test?"
The following week, I got a 100 on my next math test, and proudly brought it to my dad again. "Why
didn't you get the extra credit?" he said this time.
I learned to always want more, to never be satisfied, to never be content, to never be happy. I used to
believe I could never be happy--no matter what, I was always driven for more. More revenue, more
companies, more books, more children. I actually believed that my lack of contentment was good--
because it kept me ambitious and striving for more. And to a certain extent, my lack of happiness was
good in that it kept me hungry and working hard.
But now, I feel the opposite way--now I believe I can always be happy, because no matter what, I have
so much to be grateful for. I can still be driven to succeed, and happy at the same time, and it feels
amazing.
I've become addicted to the feeling of authentic gratitude, and to the feeling of doing good for others,
and to my attempt to be more likeable each day. And I'm not afraid to share it. It fills my days and
weeks, and for the first time ever in my life, I can say that I'm happy.
Let's Get Started, and Let's Keep in Touch
As you begin to flip through these pages, know that this book is just part of the relationship we have.
Unlike twenty years ago, when readers read books and only occasionally contacted authors - by mail-
you have an opportunity to contact me with a question or comment anytime you'd like, 24/7/365,
by Twitter or email, and I promise to get back to you as promptly as I can. Now, let's get likeable!
From the time I was in first grade with Mrs. Flayton, through my senior year in college, I wanted to
become a teacher. For 15 years, I was convinced that my mission in life was to teach and inspire
children.
My last year at Boston University, I worked as an assistant for Dean Carole Greenes. Dean Greenes
was a mathematics educator by trade, but she was so much more: a textbook publisher, an author, an
entrepreneur, a leader. She was full of life, hope and passion, and brought her positive spirit to
everything she did. Dean Greenes taught me one of the most important lessons of my life: that I could
go into business and still become a teacher, and that I could inspire people each day through writing,
speaking, and leading. She also taught me that all great teachers were eager students of life.
Even though I did end up teaching in a classroom for three years, most of my career has been spent
outside a school building. But I've held on to what Dean Greenes taught me. I look for opportunities to
learn and to teach at every corner, to find and share inspiration wherever possible, and to find lessons
to become a better leader every day.
In this section, you'll find many of the lessons I've learned through the years. From baseball to
religion, from a Senator to a loser, from great music to great quotes, there are leadership lessons and
inspiration to be found nearly everywhere we turn, and my goal for this section is to share some of
them with you.
Here's to all of us feeling a little more inspired in our lives, and becoming better leaders. Dean
Greenes, thank you for teaching me the lesson that we all can be both eager students and teachers.
11 Simple Concepts to Become a Better Leader
photo via Ramon Thompson
Being likeable will help you in your job, business, relationships, and life. I interviewed dozens of
successful business leaders to determine what made them so likeable and their companies so
successful. All of the concepts are simple, and yet, perhaps in the name of revenues or the bottom
line, we often lose sight of the simple things - things that not only make us human, but can actually
help us become more successful. Below are the eleven most important principles to integrate to
become a better leader:
1. Listening
"When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen." - Ernest Hemingway
Listening is the foundation of any good relationship. Great leaders listen to what their customers and
prospects want and need, and they listen to the challenges those customers face. They listen to
colleagues and are open to new ideas. They listen to shareholders, investors, and competitors.
2. Storytelling
"Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today." -Robert McAfee Brown
After listening, leaders need to tell great stories in order to sell their products, but more important, in
order to sell their ideas. Storytelling is what captivates people and drives them to take action.
Whether you're telling a story to one prospect over lunch, a boardroom full of people, or thousands of
people through an online video - storytelling wins customers.
3. Authenticity
"I had no idea that being your authentic self could make me as rich as I've become. If I had, I'd
have done it a lot earlier." -Oprah Winfrey
Great leaders are who they say they are, and they have integrity beyond compare. Vulnerability and
humility are hallmarks of the authentic leader and create a positive, attractive energy. Customers,
employees, and media all want to help an authentic person to succeed. There used to be a divide
between one’s public self and private self, but the social internet has blurred that line. Tomorrow's
leaders are transparent about who they are online, merging their personal and professional lives
together.
4. Transparency
"As a small businessperson, you have no greater leverage than the truth." -John Whittier
There is nowhere to hide anymore, and businesspeople who attempt to keep secrets will eventually
be exposed. Openness and honesty lead to happier staff and customers and colleagues. More
important, transparency makes it a lot easier to sleep at night - unworried about what you said to
whom, a happier leader is a more productive one.
5. Team Playing
"Individuals play the game, but teams beat the odds." -SEAL Team Saying
No matter how small your organization, you interact with others every day. Letting others shine,
encouraging innovative ideas, practicing humility, and following other rules for working in teams will
help you become a more likeable leader. You’ll need a culture of success within your organization,
one that includes out-of-the-box thinking.
6. Responsiveness
"Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." -Charles Swindoll
The best leaders are responsive to their customers, staff, investors, and prospects. Every stakeholder
today is a potential viral sparkplug, for better or for worse, and the winning leader is one who
recognizes this and insists upon a culture of responsiveness. Whether the communication is email,
voicemail, a note or a tweet, responding shows you care and gives your customers and colleagues a
say, allowing them to make a positive impact on the organization.
7. Adaptability
"When you're finished changing, you're finished." -Ben Franklin
There has never been a faster-changing marketplace than the one we live in today. Leaders must be
flexible in managing changing opportunities and challenges and nimble enough to pivot at the right
moment. Stubbornness is no longer desirable to most organizations. Instead, humility and the
willingness to adapt mark a great leader.
8. Passion
"The only way to do great work is to love the work you do." -Steve Jobs
Those who love what they do don’t have to work a day in their lives. People who are able to bring
passion to their business have a remarkable advantage, as that passion is contagious to customers and
colleagues alike. Finding and increasing your passion will absolutely affect your bottom line.
9. Surprise and Delight
"A true leader always keeps an element of surprise up his sleeve, which others cannot grasp but
which keeps his public excited and breathless." -Charles de Gaulle
Most people like surprises in their day-to-day lives. Likeable leaders underpromise and overdeliver,
assuring that customers and staff are surprised in a positive way. There are a plethora of ways to
surprise without spending extra money - a smile. We all like to be delighted — surprise and delight
create incredible word-of-mouth marketing opportunities.
10. Simplicity
"Less isn't more; just enough is more." -Milton Glaser
The world is more complex than ever before, and yet what customers often respond to best is
simplicity — in design, form, and function. Taking complex projects, challenges, and ideas and
distilling them to their simplest components allows customers, staff, and other stakeholders to better
understand and buy into your vision. We humans all crave simplicity, and so today's leader must be
focused and deliver simplicity.
11. Gratefulness
"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness
doubled by wonder." -Gilbert Chesterton
Likeable leaders are ever grateful for the people who contribute to their opportunities and success.
Being appreciative and saying thank you to mentors, customers, colleagues, and other stakeholders
keeps leaders humble, appreciated, and well received. It also makes you feel great! Donor's Choose
studied the value of a hand-written thank-you note, and actually found donors were 38% more likely
to give a 2nd time if they got a hand-written note!
The Golden Rule: Above all else, treat others as you’d like to be treated.
By showing others the same courtesy you expect from them, you will gain more respect from
coworkers, customers, and business partners. Holding others in high regard demonstrates your
company’s likeability and motivates others to work with you. This seems so simple, as do so many of
these principles — and yet many people, too concerned with making money or getting by, fail to truly
adopt these key concepts.
What a 5-Year-Old can Teach You About Courage
photo via Dave Kerpen
I didn’t go on a date until I was 20 years old, and I didn’t have a girlfriend until I was 22.
Even though my wife says I’m one of the most entrepreneurial people she’s ever met, I didn’t start my
first business until I was 30 years old.
When I was younger, I was afraid of a lot. I was afraid of rejection, so even though I wanted a
girlfriend desperately, I didn’t ask out girls on dates. I was afraid of failure, so even though I had lots
of business ideas, I didn’t start a business.
Ironically, my fear of failure ensured the very thing I was afraid of: failure.
If you don’t risk failure, it’s hard to enjoy success.
Somewhere along the way, fortunately, I realized these 3 key facts of life:
1) We will always have fear, and that’s okay.

2) Courage is the ability to proceed in the face of fear.
3) The difference between those who are unsuccessful and those who are successful in life is often
courage.
When I finally got the courage to ask out Robin on a date at age 20, she said yes, and I went on my
first date. (It went horribly of course, but that’s another story.) When I finally got the courage to ask
out Jen on a date, this time it went better, and soon thereafter, I had my first girlfriend. When I finally
got the courage to ask another girlfriend to marry me, she said yes, and Carrie and I have now been
happily married for more than seven years, with two daughters that are the loves of my life.
When I finally had the courage to start a business, I ended up starting a business that in six years
became one of the leading independent social marketing firms in the country, on the INC 500 list of
fastest growing private companies for two years running.
I’m no less afraid today than I was when I started my first business or asked out that first girl or even
than in high school and college, when I didn’t ask out anyone on a date. The only difference is
courage.
Three weeks ago, I relearned these lessons by teaching them to my 5-year old daughter Kate. She is a
first year Girl Scout – they’re called Daisies – and with my wife and troop leader Carrie running late
from a meeting, I was called on to pinch-hit and lead a troop meeting. The lesson that day, in order for
the Daisies to get a “petal,” was on “Courage and Strength.”
I read the seven 5-year olds a story about a girl named Tula who witnessed other girls teasing
someone in the schoolyard. The girl was afraid to stand up and say something, but then finally did,
when she realized it was the right thing to do, and had the courage to stand up to the bullies. Tula, in
the end, was able to get all of the girls to be friends, and was rewarded for her courage.
“So courage is when you do the right thing, when you’re strong like Tula in the story?” asked one of
the girls. Scratching my head, I wasn’t quite sure how to answer. And then my daughter did for me:
“Daddy,” my daughter Kate said, “I think that to have courage, you have to be afraid first. And then be
strong, like Tula.”
I thought that insight from a five year old was pretty amazing.
Fear is normal –even a good thing.
Fear plus courage may or may not lead to success. But it will lead to an adventure.
And fear without courage will almost assuredly lead to failure.
I’m so glad I led that Girl Scout lesson in courage when I did, because in the last year, I’ve been in
the midst of the fearful process of soliciting investors and fundraising for my 2nd business, a social
media software company for small businesses. I had been rejected by many investors, and I had been
afraid of getting rejected by all of them and my business never getting off the ground. In fact, after all
of those rejections, I was running out of courage when I led the Girl Scouts lesson.
Life has a very funny way of working out the way it’s supposed to, though. Inspired by the lesson I
taught to 75 year olds, I persevered, I kept asking, and within two weeks, I secured a $500 thousand
dollar investment – or enough to grow my new software company to the next level.
Everyone is afraid – of rejection, or failure, or embarrassment, or consequences, or losing, or feeling

hurt, or missing out, or so many other fears.
The challenge isn’t to be fearless. It’s to summon up the courage, in spite of the fear, to go for it. Then,
win or lose, you’ll have an adventure.
And, like Tula in the Girl Scouts story, you just might win.
What Makes a Likeable Leader?
I've been thinking about and writing about likeable business for several years now. There are many
opinions about what makes a likeable leader, and about whether it's even desirable for a leader to be
likeable. My wife Carrie Kerpen, the CEO of Likeable Media, is the most likeable person I know.
After interviewing hundreds of CEOs of fast-growing companies, I'm convinced that it's way better
for leaders to be likeable. But what makes a likeable leader? I reveal the 11 traits that I've found
make a likeable leader below. But first, I asked this question to leaders from The Young Entrepreneur
Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world's most promising young
entrepreneurs. Here are 19 of their diverse responses:
photo via YEC
photo via YEC
1. An Inclination to Smile Often Believe it or not, my natural inclination to smile has made me very
likeable as a leader. Often people have bad days, and a kind smile from someone that they work with
can brighten their day.
- Lawrence Watkins, Founder & CEO, Great Black Speakers.
photo via YEC
2. A Balance of Firmness and Understanding The Millennials entering the work force are not
accustomed to the old style of tough-love leadership used by many highly successful older leaders.
There are times that will require an iron fist, but there's no question that they need considerably more
TLC. Taking a personal interest in their lives while being understanding and reasonable, but firm
when necessary, is a good balance.
- Adam Callinan, Founder/CEO, PiCK Ventures, Inc.
photo via YEC
3. Authenticity People who work underneath you want to know that you're a human being, and this
means talking to them about your personal life, passions and fears. When my reports take me off that
pedestal and get to know me, they give me much more of themselves.
- Alexandra Levit, President and Founder, Inspiration at Work.
photo via YEC
4. Leading by Example As a founder, the most important thing you can do is lead by example. We
ask a lot of our employees: work, time and personal sacrifice. The only way such demands can be fair
is if you push yourself to go well beyond them. Don't tell your employees what you mean by hard
work -- show them.
- Danny Boice, Co-Founder & CTO, Speek
photo via YEC
5. Humility The most likeable quality in a leader is not acting like a jerk. You didn't always have it
figured out, and your business wasn't always this successful. Great leaders recognize that hard work
and luck contribute to their success, which makes them more likeable in the marketplace, office and
with clients.
- Kelly Azevedo, Founder, She's Got Systems.
photo via YEC
6. Honesty The best leaders always tell the truth -- especially when people don't necessarily want to
hear what they have to say. What separates a true leader from someone who overexposes or comes
across as insensitive is her capacity to structure the message in a way that people can best hear it,
understand it (even if they don't agree) and take appropriate action from it.
- Alexia Vernon, President, Alexia Vernon Empowerment, LLC.
photo via YEC
7. Compassion My co-founder holds a Ph.D. in personality psychology, so each week our team does
fun personality quizzes. She's determined that I'm the "giver." No matter what I'm working on, I'll
always drop everything to speak with team members, hear them out and get my hands dirty with one of
their projects. I really listen to our customers so we can build products to help them solve their
problems.
- Jessica Brondo, Founder & CEO, Admitted.ly.
photo via YEC
8. Being an Open Book Whether I'm having a pow-wow with my team or speaking at an event, I
always encourage people to ask me personal questions and things they really want to know, but are
afraid to ask. Sometimes, I contractually can't share something. But if my experiences, mistakes and
failures can help someone else, I'm happy to share them, even if they're uncomfortable to discuss.
-Natalie MacNeil, She Takes on the World.
photo via YEC
9. Respect To be a successful and likeable leader, you have to actually respect and admire the
people you work with. If you believe you're better than them, either you're wrong or you hired wrong.
- Derek Flanzraich, CEO and Founder, Greatist.
photo via YEC
10. A Sense of Humor Injecting a little humor into the workplace makes for a better working
environment. Staff members who see their leader as someone who can laugh at things (and at
themselves, as well), are sure to be happier and less likely to look for greener pastures.
- Andrew Schrage, Co-Owner, Money Crashers Personal Finance.
photo via YEC
11. A Willingness to Listen I’ve heard over and over again that the thing that makes me a great
leader is my willingness to listen. This trait doesn’t seem like a hard one, but it’s surprising how
many leaders struggle with this. Taking criticism well is a great first step. Willingness to hear other
people’s input and ideas can often lead to innovative and game-changing growth, as well. An “open
door policy” fosters loyalty, keeps communication lines open, builds camaraderie and can often help
catch what might have been a catastrophic oversight or an easily avoidable mistake. Don’t worry
about your openness undermining the strength of your leadership. Being willing to listen doesn’t
guarantee you have to take every suggestion; it strengthens your position and increases leadership
longevity.
- Nicole Smartt, Co-Owner/Vice President, Star Staffing.
photo via YEC
12. Work Ethic Being a leader means walking the walk. It's important to show your team and
employees that you are putting 110 percent into your company. Making the most sales calls, hustling
PR placement, striking seemingly achievable deals and working nonstop are a few things that show
off a dedicated leader. If you do these things, your employees will follow and try to compete with
your work ethic. - Ryan Shank, COO, Mhelpdesk.
photo via YEC
13. Approachability I try to be an approachable CEO. My team members can come and talk to me
whenever they want, and I consider every idea my employees give me. We're all on the same team,
and as the team's "coach," I've got to be a good listener. - Michael Patak, CEO, TopstepTrader.
photo via YEC
14. Charisma People live to be inspired, and nothing moves people more than a good vision from a
charismatic leader. These leaders have a presence all the way from when they walk into the room to
when they open their mouths to speak to their peers. You want a dedicated team? Give them a cause
and an inspiring leader to take them on the journey.
- Andy Karuza, CEO, brandbuddee.
photo via YEC
15. Trustworthiness Of course I want to be the likeable leader who others can relate to, and I want
to be friends with everyone. But I’ve learned it is much more important to show your team you trust
them. Trusting your team not only makes your job easier, but your employees will also know you
believe in them and want them to succeed. - John Meyer, Founder/CEO, Lemon.ly.
photo via YEC
16. A Commitment to Help Others Succeed Likeable leaders are people who are dedicated to the
success of others. If you want to be a likeable leader, you must genuinely want to help your employees
work together to discover success as a team.
- Heather Huhman, Founder & President, Come Recommended.
photo via YEC
17. Relatability The most likeable leaders are able to relate to their entire team, whether it is the
summer interns or their seasoned investors. They understand the wants, needs and concerns of each
team member and know when to act as a the boss or when to take a step back and be a friend. This
quality is instrumental in creating a bond with the team and earning trust, which is essential for any
leader. - Kevin Tighe II, Co-founder and CEO, WeBRAND.
photo via YEC
18. Giving Bold Feedback The single greatest attribute of a leader is to engage in feedback loops
with your team and your company. Feedback needs to be honest, empathetic and fair, and it should
also be bold enough to both resonate emotionally and to push someone to always do better.
- Michael Staton, Founder, Chief Evangelist, Inigral.
photo via YEC
19. Giving Recognition Liberally The biggest motivator isn't money or titles; it's public recognition.
Give it liberally as you walk through the halls. That doesn't mean you should accept failure, but
public criticism should be avoided. Instead, take someone aside and make expectations clear. -
Trevor Sumner, President and Co-Founder, LocalVox.
This is what 19 young leaders believe makes you likeable as
a leader. Here are the 11 traits that I believe make up a
likeable leader.
1) Listening
2) Storytelling
3) Passion
4) Team Playing
5) Surprise & Delight
6) Responsiveness
7) Simplicity
8) Authenticity
9) Transparency
10) Adaptability
11) Gratefulness
You Can Be a Leader, No Matter What
When I was in first grade, I used to always want to be the line leader in class. I would get fussy and
sometimes even get into mischief when I wasn't the line leader. But my teacher Mrs. Flayton would
say to me, as she often said to the whole class, "David, you can be a leader, no matter what." She
would tell us all, that even if we weren't the line leader, we could all set a good example for others,
guide others to do the right thing, and become young leaders. Mrs. Flayton drilled those words into us
all: You can be a leader, no matter what.
Thirty years later, after leading two companies and more important, a family, and after writing about
leadership, those words resonate with me as much as ever.
I talked with LinkedIn's Executive Editor, Dan Roth, about likeable leadership. We talked about the
values of listening and gratefulness. I shared what I've learned from great leaders such as Michael
Dell, Cary Chessick, and Sheldon Yellen, pictured above.
I am certain that as social media continues to make this world more transparent, that the "command
and control" aspect of leadership will fade away, and the qualities of a likeable leader will
increasingly become more important.
photo via google.com
You can be a likeable leader, whether the group you're leading is your company, your team, your
department or your family. You can be a leader, even if you are simply setting a good example for the
people around you.
I am certain as ever, that as Mrs. Flayton told a bunch of five and six year olds, whatever your age
and job title, you can be a leader, no matter what.
21 Songs to Inspire You at Work
photo via iStockPhoto
"Music is the movement of sound to reach the soul for the education of its virtue." –Plato
We all love to be inspired at work, and we all love great music. So I asked people I respect what
songs inspire them most at the office. I asked members of the Likeable team, as well as CEO's from
the Young Entrepreneurs Council and the Entrepreneurs Organization for their favorite songs to get
motivated at work, to get them feeling productive on days when that's not so easy, and to simply
inspire them. Below are their choices along with select lyrics from each. From a wide variety of
genres, some of these songs are sure to inspire you as well:
1) Not Afraid by Eminem (submitted by Carrie Kerpen, CEO of Likeable Media)

I'm not afraid to take a stand. Everybody come take my hand.
We'll walk this road together, through the storm.
2) Imagine by John Lennon (submitted by Sam Sudakoff of Likeable)

You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.
3) Run the World (Girls) by Beyonce (submitted by Tiffany Hopkins of Likeable)

I'm reppin' for the girls who taking over the world. Help me raise a glass for the college grads.
4) Don't Stop Believin' by Journey (submitted by Michele Weisman of Likeable)

Working hard to get my fill, Everybody wants a thrill.
5) Number One by Nelly (submitted by Brian Murray of Likeable)

What does it take to be number one? Two is not a winner. And 3 nobody remembers.
6) Relax, Take it Easy by Mika (submitted by Sarah Al of Likeable)

Relax, take it easy. For there is nothing that we can do.
7) Countdown by Beyonce (submitted by Ricky Demaio of Likeable)

Do whatever that it takes, he got a winner's mind. Give it all to him, meet him at the finish line.
8) Little Lion Man by Mumford and Sons (submitted by Frank Emanuele of Likeable)
Your boldness stands alone among the wreck
Now learn from your mother or else spend your days biting your own neck.
9) Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd (submitted by Shannon Maguire of Likeable)

Sweet home Alabama where the skies are so blue.
Sweet home Alabama, Lord, I'm coming home to you.
10) Eye of the Tiger by Survivor (submitted by Scott Gerber, founder/CEO of the YEC)
It's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight, risin' up to the challenge of our rival.
11) Rock You Like a Hurricane by The Scorpions (submitted by James DiSabatino)
It's time for a show...Here I am, rock you like a hurricane.
12) Beat it by Michael Jackson (submitted by Kofi Frimpong)

No one wants to be defeated. Showin' how funky and strong is your fight.
13) One Day by Matisyahu (submitted by Sarah Schupp)

In this maze you can lose your way. It might drive you crazy but don't let it faze you no way.
14) Safe and Sound by Capital Cities (submitted by David Cohen)

I could lift you up. I could show you what you want to see, and take you where you want to be.
15) Make the Money by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (submitted by Clay Hebert)
Listen, see I was meant to be a warrior. Fight something amongst me, leave here victorious.
16) Walking on a Dream by Empire of the Sun (submitted by Evan Kirkpatrick)

We are always running, for the thrill of it, thrill of it. Always pushing up the hill.
17) Don't Stop Me Now by Queen (submitted by Derek Flanzraich)

I'm a shooting star leaping through the skies, like a tiger defying the laws of gravity.
18) Let's Go by Calvin Harris & Ne-Yo (submitted by Eric Koester)

Make no excuses now. I'm talking here and now.
19) Lose Yourself by Eminem (submitted by Hemang Mehta of Entrepreneurs Organization)

You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow.
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime.
20) Firework by Katy Perry (submitted by Fran Biderman Gross)

Baby, you're a firework. Come on, show 'em what you're worth. Make 'em go, oh, oh, oh.
Finally, for my personal favorite song to inspire me at work...
21) The Final Countdown by Europe

Oh. It's the final countdown. We're leaving together.
Here is a Spotify playlist of all 21 songs that Michele Weisman from Likeable put together!
Every Mistake is An Opportunity to Surprise and Delight
“Why couldn’t they get a simple cookie platter right?” I thought angrily as I prepared to dial the “Star
Service” team at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort in Orlando, Florida.
I had planned a birthday celebration to remember for my daughter Charlotte at Universal Studios.
Charlotte’s a huge Harry Potter fan, so we had arranged for a VIP tour of Harry Potter World inside
Universal, amongst lots of other surprises, such as a cookie platter and ”Happy Birthday” sign at our
hotel room at 4pm. On the way back to the hotel, I told Charlotte, “I think there might be something
waiting for you in your room!” And she got very excited.
So when we got back to the hotel room to find nothing, we were both disappointed. I called up “Star
Service” thinking I was getting anything but that.
Cristina Bolanos, the Assistant Star Service Manager, picked up and I told her why I was upset.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “We are working on the cookie platter and will send it right up.”
“Well, thanks,” I replied. “But the whole point was to surprise her for her birthday.”
Cristina followed, totally validating how I was feeling: “I know, we really messed up. I love planning
surprises for people and I know how upsetting it is when the surprise doesn’t go as planned. Let me
work on this. What is your daughter into?”
I told her Charlotte adored all things Harry Potter and I thanked her. The cookies came up and we
enjoyed them, even though it was no longer a surprise.
A couple hours later, we got a note offering us complimentary breakfast the next morning. I thought
this was a nice surprise for me, but obviously my 9 year old couldn’t really appreciate it. She gets
free breakfast every day from her parents.
The next morning though, at breakfast, the hostess brought over to Charlotte a giant arrangement of
Harry Potter balloons tied to a jar of gummi bears, along with a gift-wrapped box and card.
Charlotte freaked out in unexpected excitement, and opened the box. Inside was an authentic
Hermoine Granger magic wand – (a $50 item from Universal’s Harry Potter World!! The card read:
"Happy birthday Charlotte! From Cristina and all of your friends at Loews.”
I can’t tell you how happy this made my daughter, and therefore me. Cristina had recognized an error
the hotel had made, and then had gone ridiculously out of her way to make it right. I can’t imagine that
they had magic wands in inventory, which means someone had to go purchase it, wrap it, and set
everything up.
In the process, I went from telling a story about how a Loews hotel couldn’t get a cookie platter right
to raving about Cristina and her truly “Star Service” on Facebook, on Twitter, and to anyone who will
listen. And writing about it here and in my latest book. And insisting upon staying at Loews hotels in
the future whenever possible.
To get customers talking about your company, you need to give them something to talk about. There is
nothing more word of mouth worthy than surprising and delighting customers. A delighted customer
wants to share that joy with others and pass the happiness on, and a surprised customer can’t help but
express his or her shock over an unexpected event. If you can consistently surprise and delight, that is
your marketing. And the best opportunities for surprise and delight come from the mistakes we make
— mistakes that disappoint and enrage customers, mistakes that happen all-too frequently.
Every person and every organization makes mistakes. But if you can follow up those mistakes with a
little (or a lot) of surprise and delight, you can not only erase the mistakes – you can create loyal fans
for life.
Leadership Lessons from the World's Religions
photo via MediaFax Foto
Many of the world's great religions have been going strong for thousands of years. How many
institutions or businesses can claim that kind of success (quick - can you name 5 companies that have
been in business over 200, no less 2000, years)? Whether you believe in a religion or not, there's no
questioning the fact that the world's major religions have been going strong far longer than most
companies, organizations and even governments. What best practices can you learn from these
religious institutions to keep your organization going strong long into the future? I talked with my
friend Andy Cohen, a successful real estate entrepreneur, about the lessons he’s taken from organized
religion to apply to his company:
photo via Wikipedia
1. Put regular celebration and recognition of your stars on the calendar.

Make it impossible to forget. This is not always easy to do (have you ever seen an Employee of the
Month plaque that is up-to-date?). Put event funding in your budget and hold the event at the same time
every year or quarter to make it a habit. Make something about the event fun, unforgettable, and
rewarding in its own right. At Andy's real estate company Rock Properties in Newark, NJ, families
are invited to the annual celebration dinner and the company mascot Rox attends in full costume.
Organizers hide wrapped rock candy in spaces all over the room. Rox and the children hunt for the
candy and then pose for pictures together. Children love the event every year and begin to ask their
parents months in advance when they can collect rock candy and see Rox again. This makes sure the
adults in charge don't let lapse the importance and scheduling of the annual employee recognition
dinner.
2. Incorporate rituals and traditions.

Rituals and traditions make events meaningful for participants. At the annual Rock Properties dinner,
a group photo is taken, put in a frame with a large mat, and everyone in attendance autographs the mat
with a short personal note. The annual framed picture with autographs then hangs in the Rock
headquarters for all to see. Staff and families line up to not miss the chance of signing the annual
plaque - they want to be included for all-times sake. This gives the entire dinner added meaning.
3. Have a clear company mission that gives meaning to the whole organization.
How painful are most mission statements to read? If your company has one, can you recite it from
memory? If your mission statement is longer than the Lord's Prayer or the Serenity Prayer, think about
shortening it. If the gist of it fits on a bumper sticker, even better. For example, Zappo's: Delivering
Happiness.
photo via Wikipedia
4. Tell the story of how your organization was founded and how it developed.
Almost everyone knows where Hewlett Packard started (a garage) or GE started (Thomas Edison's
labs). Have a short, simple version of how your company came into being that can inspire your staff,
customers, and investors. Then tell that story, over and over. Stories inspire.
5. Keep your message simple and repeat it often.

Your company may be global, but if it's not, imagine it is. How are you going to communicate your
mission to far-flung employees who speak different languages? Keep your message simple, don't try
to communicate more than one or two main points at a time, and repeat the message often - just like
religions do.
6. Change with the times while staying true to your core mission.
Always look to the future but always experiment with change. Any innovations should meet the test of
your mission and should be reversible if they don't work. Even the Pope is on Twitter now - surely,
your organization can innovate.
7. Eat meals with your employees and customers.

When is the last time you invited your largest clients to a meal together? Have you ever seen the
frenzy surrounding a free pizza lunch with the office staff? These should be regularly scheduled
events, tied to the seasons or other events, so they don't get skipped. Meals bring people together, are
fun, and memorable.
These seven practices have all helped Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and other world religions thrive
for thousands of years. Even if you hate organized religion, you have to appreciate that these
institutions must be doing something right to last so long. How can you implement these practices to
become a better leader and help your organization thrive?
The 1 Thing a Business Leader Must Do to Succeed
photo via 123RF
Sadly, 25% of businesses fail within their first year and an astonishing 70% of businesses fail within
ten years. So, if you're thinking about starting a business or you've recently made the leap, how can
you optimize your chances of success? What is the single most important factor in determining your
success? I asked this question of 10 successful business leaders from the Young Entrepreneur
Council, and their answers are below, followed by mine:
photo via YEC
1. Build A Strong Leadership Team We used to invest in technology. Then it was marketing. Then
we woke up and realized it was all about the people. Bringing in the best, seasoned, Director/VP-
level talent over the past 18 months has really helped the owners bring the company's goals back in
focus. Do your systems, workflow and technology always need to be evolving? You bet. But at a
certain point in company's growth, you will NEED an experienced leader helping you architect those
things if you want to go to the next level.
- Andrew Loos, Attack
photo via YEC
2. Have A Great Mindset Your mindset drives so much in business: the risks you take, opportunities
you pursue, challenges to tackle, confidence level and vision. The great thing is that even if you have
doubts and fears now, your mindset can change and grow with you as an entrepreneur. The things that
once terrified me are now easy to manage and I understand much better why entrepreneurship is an
excellent avenue for personal growth and development!
- Kelly Azevedo, She's Got Systems
photo via YEC
3. Execute Hands down, continuing to execute to accomplish your goals is the single most important
factor in making your business a success. Without continual execution, businesses sink. However,
executing on the right goals will not only keep you from sinking, it will help you excel
- Stacey Ferreira, MySocialCloud
photo via YEC
4. Have a Passion for Change At Star Toilet Paper, we have a deep-seated yearning to change the
world and that is what we are doing and will continue to do. Each and every week, we have a weekly
email that we sign off with, "Let's change the world and disrupt the status quo." Having an internal
team slogan like that really helps bring out the best in us and continues to fuel our passion.
- Bryan Silverman, Star Toilet Paper
photo via YEC
5. Create Value Purchase decisions almost always come down to value --- customers must realize a
benefit from working with your business. That can mean a multitude of things, such as cost savings,
convenience, reliability, increased quality, etc. Effectively providing value is integral to the long-term
success of your company; not only does it assist in retaining your current customers, but also provides
the highest-quality referrals you can ask for when attempting to gain new business.
- Charles Bogoian, Kenai Sports, LLC
photo via YEC
6. Work With Clients Who Share Your Beliefs Being ourselves and working with companies who
share our beliefs is everything. We believe design makes a difference and we look to work with
companies who agree. We also work with companies who know the people inside the building are
what counts. Working with companies with soul has been the key to our success.
- Chuck Longanecker, digital-telepathy
photo via YEC
7. Focus It's so tempting early on to chase after every interesting idea and business opportunity.
Learning to say "no" or at least "not yet" is paramount to every entrepreneur's success. Focus on
what's most important. Your customers and investors will thank you for it eventually.
- Ryan Buckley, Scripted, Inc.
photo via YEC
8. Serve Your Customers By providing your product or service in a fast, convenient, and friendly
way, you'll establish your business as one built for the long term. Any unsatisfied customers should be
compensated to ensure they'll still consider you for future business. Happy customers are everything.
- Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers Personal Finance
photo via YEC
9. Remain Unsatisfied I am famous internally for saying "we're almost there" when referring to the
business. The truth is that "there" is a constantly moving goal post. As a team, we have a positive but
relentless and never-satisfied attitude, which in turn results in our company always pushing for better
and never being complacent.
- Lauren Friese, TalentEgg
photo via YEC
10. Hire the Right People I was telling my team just last week that regardless of how much we
market or sell, if we don't create good products (in our case, websites), then we can't progress. It's
people who create those sites, so hiring the best developers (or widget makers, or whoever makes
your business succeed) is vital to keeping the engine of your business running.
- Hassan Bawab, Magic Logix
These are the single most important things a leader must do to succeed in business according to ten
successful young entrepreneurs. But wait - there are 10 different factors listed above! So which, in
fact, is most important?
My answer to this question:
Focus is the single most important factor in determining your success as a business leader.
Focus means understanding what your priorities are in any given hour, day, month, quarter or year.
Focus means knowing what's most important - product, service, hiring, fundraising, sales or
innovation, and then concentrating on that one thing. Focus means knowing what's not as important in
any given time period. Without focus, it's easy to wander - it's easy to become reactive instead of
proactive - it's easy to fail. With focus and determination, you and your team will understand what's
most important, and help you execute - to success. So that unlike that 70%, you can beat the odds and
maintain a successful business over time.
9 Timeless Leadership Lessons from Baseball
photo via StockXCHNG
"It's like deja-vu, all over again." - Yogi Berra
April is my favorite month, and it includes one of my favorite days of the year: Opening Day in Major
League Baseball. My love of baseball is clear from the photo from my wedding below - and my love
of baseball is year round. But there's only so far watching Field of Dreams and playing simulated
games can take me during the winter.
Every April, spring is in the air, and for fans throughout the country and world, hope springs eternal.
Every April, I head out to Citi Field in Flushing, Queens to catch the New York Mets home opener
(I’ve made it to 27 consecutive ones!). In the meantime, here are 9 timeless leadership lessons from
America's pastime, or one for each inning. Whether you're a baseball fan or not, you can benefit from
applying the game's most important lessons:
1) You can't hit a home run unless you swing for the fences.
Leaders must think big, and act big. You can't accomplish huge things unless you go for it. Of course,
in baseball, with two strikes, you should choke up, and just try to make contact - and in business,
there is a time to settle for less. But always start by thinking big.
2) The best players aren't afraid to get their uniforms dirty.

Leaders must live by example, and that means demonstrating they can get "in the weeds" and handle
basic, menial tasks when necessary. As CEO of a startup, I know that we're too small to have too
many defined roles at the organization. If I have to take the garbage out sometimes - that's okay.
Sometimes getting your uniform dirty inspires others to work that much harder.
3) Measure everything that matters.

Billy Beane ushered in a new era in baseball with the 2002 Oakland A's. Made famous by the book
and movie Moneyball, Beane demonstrated that by measuring statistics such as on-base percentage,
he could field a competitive team for less money than the teams who relied on gut instincts alone.
Great leaders use all of the data and analysis they can get their hands on to make smart, informed
decisions.
4) It's more about the team than about any one superstar.
In baseball, more than in any other team sport, individuals make less of a difference than the whole
team. Even a dominant pitcher only plays once every five days. The best leaders recognize that the
whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and while it's great to have top talent - it's the whole
organization which must perform in order to succeed.
5) Don't go down looking.

It's important as a hitter to be patient and wait for your pitch- but with two strikes against you, you've
got to swing the bat. (Mets fans will recall, we learned this the hard way with Carlos Beltran in
2006.) Great leaders have strong convictions, and they don't go down without fighting for what they
believe in.
6) Keep your eye on the ball.

Hitting a major league pitch is one of the most difficult tasks in sports, if not the most difficult. In
order to succeed, players must be laser focused on the ball coming at them at 80-100 miles per hour.
In business, it's also essential to stay focused. Great leaders know at any given moment what their top
priorities are for the day, month, quarter, and year. The best leaders are focused even on a 3-5 year
plan.
7) Hit em where they ain't.

Willie Keeler, one of the greatest hitters of all time, coined this phrase, which essentially means, it
doesn't matter how hard you hit the ball, just hit it where the opposing players aren't standing, and you
can get a hit. In the same way, great entrepreneurs realize that as long as they can find a market need,
and solve an existing problem, they can build a successful organization. It doesn't have to be sexy, and
you don't have the build the next Facebook to be a great leader.
8) Be ready for a curve ball - or a change up.

You can be a great fastball hitter, but unless you can hit a major league curveball and change up, it
won't matter. Isaac Asimov said, "The only constant is change." Great leaders are responsive and
adaptable - they know that in order to succeed, they'll have to ready their organizations for anything
and everything. Key players can knock a fastball out of the park, but are also prepared for the
unexpected.
9) Talent wins games, but team chemistry wins championships.

You can have the best players in the league and the smartest, most strategic manager and coaches -
and that might even win a lot of games. But if the players don't get along well - if the team doesn't gel
- if the entire group doesn't have great chemistry - they won't win a championship. Famed management
expert and author Peter Drucker once said, "Culture eats strategy for breakfast." The best leaders
recognize that more important than any vision or strategy is building a team that believes in each other
and in the organization.
Opening Day reminds us of all that can be great - it's a fresh start for 30 baseball teams, and their
millions of fans. Whatever day today is, it can be a fresh start for you. Whether you're a CEO,
entrepreneur, manager, entry-level employee or student, you can apply these simple lessons to become
a better leader. Hope does, in fact, spring eternal.
8 Simple Ways to Inspire Yourself at Work
photo via Distinct Interiors
Whether you're a CEO, an intern, or anywhere in between, it can be difficult to stay motivated at
work. There are priorities, challenges and distractions. There are people who help you - and perhaps
people who hinder you. There are office politics, layoffs, and lost clients to contend with. Even if you
have an inspiring boss, mission, and culture, it can be helpful to have your own tools to drive you and
inspire you. Here are eight ways I've found to get myself in a good place to be productive, at work
and in life, when I'm in need of some inspiration:
1) Read a book.
There are thousands of great, time-tested books available for inspiration and motivation. I'm currently
reading another amazing, timeless, inspirational book that is having a profound impact: How to Win
Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
2) Write a blog post or letter.

Reading can be very valuable, but writing requires more thinking, and so it can be even more
valuable. Write about something you're passionate about - write about how to solve a problem, or
write an article about your business that you wish you had read yourself a year ago. You don't even
need to publish it for writing to be effective.
3) Exercise.
Sometimes you just need to get the blood flowing. Go for a walk, or a run, or a workout. There are
two great advantages of exercise: First, it's healthy for your body. Second, it forces you to spend time
thinking - time when you can't be on your smartphone or otherwise distracted. As little as 15 minutes
of movement can burn some calories - and set your mind on fire with new ideas and inspiration.
4) Write a thank you note.

Not a thank you email, or a thank you text, or even a thank you phone call - a physical, hand-written
thank you note. Tony Robbins said, "Gratitude is the antidote to the two things that stop us: fear and
anger." I have found that is impossible to feel upset and grateful at the same time. So every morning, I
start out my day by writing three thank-you cards.
5) Perform a random act of kindness.

The ironic and amazing thing about acts of kindness is that they end up being kind-of selfish, because
you feel SO great after doing them. Open a door for people leaving it for a while. Help an elderly
lady cross the street. Buy a homeless man lunch. Retweet a bunch of people. Whatever you do, take
your mind off of yourself and your problems and focus on helping another person. You'll come back
feeling rejuvenated.
6) Read inspiring quotes.

Reading a book or even an article can take more time than you have to spare sometimes. So it's worth
looking at inspiring quotes from great leaders, writers and thinkers of the past. Google makes it easy -
simple search for "Inspiring quotes about [whatever it is that's on your mind]," and feel better within
seconds.
7) Listen to music.
Plato said, "Music is the movement of sound to reach the soul for the education of its virtue."
Looking to educate your soul? Or perhaps just to let off some steam and feel better about the work
before you? Turn on your Itunes, or Spotify, YouTube, or even the radio, to elevate your mood through
music..
8) Watch an inspiring video.

As inspiring and uplifting as music can be, video can be even more inspiring. Whether it's your
favorite movie, or, if you don't have time, a short video you find through a quick search on YouTube,
you can get in a good mood in just a few minutes. Two of my favorite inspirational videos come
courtesy of Facing the Giants and Britain's Got Talent respectively.
Whether it's through reading, writing, music, video, or your own virtuous activities, inspiration is
absolutely within your reach, anytime you seek it. Whatever challenges lie ahead for you at work, and
in life, I hope you'll embrace these tools to inspire yourself when needed.
9 Business Books That Will Change Your Life
image via Likeable Local
Great leaders learn every day, and reading great books is the one of the best ways to learn. I've been
fortunate enough to read some excellent books over the last fifteen years - books that have inspired
me to change the way I see the world, my business, and the opportunities in front of me. In the order in
which I've read them, here is a list of nine books which have changed my life. May they change yours
as well:
1) What Color is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career Seekers by
Richard Bolles
I read this book when I was 21 years old and didn't know what to do with the rest of my life. It helped
me go from a Crunch n Munch vendor at the ballpark to a top salesperson at Radio Disney. Ffifteen
years later, I have given at least 40 copies away to interns, staff and friends who are searching for
their career purpose. It's difficult work - because not only will you read the book, but you'll have to
do a lot of exercises and soul searching throughout - but whether you're 21 or 61, you'll emerge with a
clearer vision of what you want to do next and where you'll want to work.
2) Permission Marketing: Turning Strangers Into Friends & Friends Into Customers by Seth
Godin
No author has influenced me more as a marketer, businessperson and writer than Seth Godin. I could
have easily included 9 books just by Godin - Purple Cow, Tribes, Linchpin, Poke the Box & his
latest, Icarus Deception are all amongst my favorites. But Permission Marketing described social
media marketing before it existed. Seth understood push-vs-pull marketing long before others, and
this book, published in 1999, is still a must read for anyone in marketing today.
3) The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
This classic, one of three by Gladwell (Blink & Outliers are the others), demonstrates how
successful products are launched, how ideas spread and how a trend can take off. It's influenced me a
great deal, as a word of mouth and social media marketer. And it's an essential read, whether you're
in marketing or sales, or just want to become better at getting your ideas to spread.
4) Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap - and Others Don't by Jim Collins
Collins is scientist of great companies - and this is his best work - chock full of case studies and
simple yet profound principles like Level 5 Leadership. Even though I read this book when my
company was only a handful of employees, it inspired me to want to build something great, and
enduring. Whether you work at a large company that has the potential itself to become great and
enduring, or you have a vision of a company you'd like to one day build, this is a must-read.
5) Mastering the Rockefeller Habits: What You Must Do to Increase The Value of Your Growing
Firm by Verne Harnish
It's hard to believe I even had a business before I read this book by the founder of my favorite
business group, Entrepreneurs Organization. Verne's 1-page strategic plan is now used by both
companies I've founded, and thousands of other companies. And our management teams use much of
the methodology from this book. What's great is that it's both inspirational and quite practical - an
excellent read for any entrepreneur or manager at a small business.
6) The E-Myth: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work, and What to Do About It by Michael
Gerber
This is a must read for any small business owner - especially "technical" owners such as lawyers,
accountants, florists, restaurateurs, consultants and dentists. Gerber inspires the small business owner
to get out of his/her own way, and to build systems and processes that scale and allow the business
owner to work "on" the business and not "in" the business.
7) Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You by John Warrilow
Make no mistake - if you are an owner or leader at a business - this is a great, super valuable read,
even if you or your owners have no intention or ever selling the business. The idea isn't to create a
business in order to sell it - it's to create a business that has sustaining value beyond you and without
you. Warrilow's book is a short, easy story - with powerful, unforgettable lessons - so much so, that
after my business partner and I read it, we gave copies to the entire Likeable team to read.
8) Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson

No matter what you do, this easy read will change the way you think about your work. It is so simply
written, with small words and big pictures - and yet contains profound wisdom about how to be more
productive and successful without being a workaholic or sacrificing anything. I read it in an hour on a
plane, and have since shared it with two dozen colleagues, and referred back to it myself at least a
dozen times.
9) The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family: A Leadership Fable About Restoring Sanity to
The Most Important Organization in Your Life by Patrick Lencioni
Along with Seth Godin, Patrick Lencioni is my favorite business author. I've read and love The
Advantage, Getting Naked, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, and The Five Tempations of a CEO.
But the reason I've selected this one as my favorite, is that, our ultimate legacy isn't our career, but our
family. In this book, Lencioni applies his management consulting methodology and brilliant
storytelling ability to the running of a family. It's amazing how little strategy most of us parents apply
to the most important organization we've got, our families, and this book helps change all that. Six
months after my wife and I read this book, I'm proud to report that our family now has a strategic plan,
complete with a mission statement, quarterly objectives, and weekly 10-minute meetings. And it's
going GREAT.
Those are my nine favorites- though I've read dozens more I've loved. I hope you read a few of these
and enjoy!
25 Quotes to Inspire You to Become a Better Leader
Here are my 25 favorite likeable leadership quotes. I hope they inspire you as much as they have
inspired me:
Listening
1) "When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen." - Ernest Hemingway
2) "The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to
understand people is to listen to them." - Ralph Nichols
Storytelling
3) "Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today." -Robert McKee
4) "If you tell me, it’s an essay. If you show me, it’s a story." —Barbara Greene
Authenticity
5) "I had no idea that being your authentic self could make me as rich as I've become. If I had, I'd have
done it a lot earlier." -Oprah Winfrey
6) "Authenticity is the alignment of head, mouth, heart, and feet - thinking, saying, feeling, and doing
the same thing - consistently. This builds trust, and followers love leaders they can trust." -Lance
Secretan
Transparency
7) "As a small businessperson, you have no greater leverage than the truth." -John Whittier
8) "There is no persuasiveness more effectual than the transparency of a single heart, of a sincere
life." -Joseph Berber Lightfoot
Team Playing
9) "Individuals play the game, but teams beat the odds." -SEAL Team Saying
10) "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." - Helen Keller
Responsiveness
11) "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." -Charles Swindoll
12) '"Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning." - Bill Gates
Adaptability
13) "When you're finished changing, you're finished." -Ben Franklin
14) "It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most
responsive to change." –Charles Darwin
Passion
15) "The only way to do great work is to love the work you do." -Steve Jobs
16) "I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." -Albert Einstein
Surprise and Delight

17) "A true leader always keeps an element of surprise up his sleeve, which others cannot grasp but
which keeps his public excited and breathless." -Charles de Gaulle
18) “Surprise is the greatest gift which life can grant us.” - Boris Pasternak
Simplicity
19) "Less isn't more; just enough is more." -Milton Glaser
20) “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” -Leonardo daVinci
Gratefulness
21) "I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness
doubled by wonder." -Gilbert K Chesterton
22) "The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude." -Friedrich Nietzsche
Leadership
23) “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” — Peter F. Drucker
24) "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a
leader." —John Quincy Adams
25) "Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other." —John F. Kennedy
3 Leadership Lessons From a Total Loser
photo via Catholic Match
A few months ago, I competed in Swim with the Sharks, a fundraising pitch contest run by the local
New York Entrepreneur's Organization. Five finalists went head-to-head in front of a panel of judges
and a live audience of 300 entrepreneurs, similar to the ABC hit show Shark Tank.
I had rehearsed several times and believed wholeheartedly that I had crafted the perfect pitch. Though
I had recently already closed a seed round for Likeable Local, I fully expected to come to this event
and win. I had worked very hard, I'm very competitive, and I simply expected to win. I always win.
Not this time. The event host, FUBU founder Daymond John, announced both a "People's Choice"
winner and a "Judge's Choice" winner. I was neither. I emerged a loser--or at least I felt like it. I was
devastated. I felt like I wasn't good enough, smart enough, or talented enough. I sulked for hours.
Then I realized I had lessons to learn from this experience, from losing:
1) Humility makes a difference.

I had gone into the event feeling too confident, perhaps even cocky, and that probably showed. The
truth is, everybody loves an underdog, and nobody likes a cocky attitude. As Geoff James said,
"Humility is probably the business world's least-appreciated emotion." It's always important to be
confident, but humble at the same time. It makes you more likeable and likely more successful.
2) Practice doesn't always make perfect.

While practice does make you better, it doesn't make you impeccable. There are no guarantees of
success. I practiced more for this presentation than I've practiced for most things in my entire life--
and I still didn't win. I had a strong presentation, but upon review of a video of it, I see I definitely
could have been better. For instance, I could have made the presentation more about the problem my
new company is solving, and less about me.
3) There's success other than 'winning.'
You don't always have to win to achieve positive outcomes. A pessimist says, "I lost." An optimist
says, "I didn't win, but what can I learn from this? What can I take away from this experience?" As it
turns out, I landed a meeting with Daymond John, made some great new contacts, and walked away
with a fine-tuned fundraising presentation. Most importantly, I learned how to lose better.
Despite my ultra-competitive nature, I learned that winning and losing isn't always so black and
white. In this case, I may have been a loser, but the only thing I really lost was an unduly cocky
approach.
The Secret to Happiness in Life
In high school, I had a gambling problem. I started dealing blackjack in 8th grade, and made enough
money as the “house” to bet on the slot machine at the corner store bodega on my block in Brooklyn.
Then, I began to take bets on sports at my school, and as a bookie I earned thousands of dollars –
which I proceeded to gamble on horses at the track and on cards at Turning Stone, the native
American casino in upstate New York. I used to bet on horses, on sports, on cards, and on anything I
could find someone to cover a bet for – until I lost all of my money. And hit rock bottom.
When I lost it all, in the spring of my senior year in high school, it was really tough. I felt
embarrassed. I felt ashamed. I felt completely out of control.
Then I Joined Gamblers Anonymous, and within a few weeks, I began to feel better. In the twenty
years since that dark time, I’ve certainly experienced my share of ups and downs, good times and bad,
wins and losses. But I’ve kept with me something that guides my attitude, my choices and my
happiness. I’ve held on to something I heard for the first time at that GA meeting at age 17. It’s called
the Serenity Prayer:
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.”
The serenity prayer has been used by many millions of Alcoholics Anonymous members and other
addiction support groups all over the world. But you don't need to have an addiction to heed its
wisdom.
You can be wealthy and successful – and unhappy – or poor and unsuccessful – and relatively happy.
You can get everything you’ve ever wanted – and still be completely miserable and wanting more –
or you can be dealt a series of catastrophic events, and still be at peace and happy. What it boils
down to is this: How well can you accept the things you cannot change, and change the things you
can?
This certainly isn’t always easy, especially for ambitious people. As an entrepreneur, I do find myself
trying to change things that others might accept as unchangeable. I do believe in seeing problems as
opportunities and thinking outside of the box to solve those problems.
The key is knowing when you’re not in control of something, and letting go.
No matter what, the one thing you always can control is your own attitude.
In my early twenties, when I was in love with a married woman, I wanted her to leave her husband
for me, but I couldn’t control the situation. I wasn’t happy until I truly let go.
In my mid twenties, when I was on reality TV, I wanted everyone to like me. But I couldn’t control
that, no matter what I did. I wasn’t happy until I realized this, and let go.
Throughout my adulthood, the most challenging aspect of my life has been dealing with my father's
health. My dad has struggled with chronic bipolar disorder for the last 25 years. His mental health has
been a big stress on my family, from the first time he had a psychotic break when I was 12 years old,
through today. In the past ten years, my dad's physical health has deteriorated a lot as well, as his
smoking three packs of cigarettes a day has led to emphysema and trouble breathing and now trouble
walking.
Of everything in my life, it's my dad's health that I've had the most difficulty accepting and not trying
to control. "If only I could get my dad to stop smoking,' I used to think. "If only I could find him a new
psychiatrist that could get him on better meds," I used to think. "If only I could..."
I realized that whenever I tried to control the outcome of my dad's health, not only did it not work, I
felt like a failure. Whenever I accepted that I couldn't control it, even if I was sad about my dad's
health, I felt at peace with myself. The serenity prayer really did work.
I brought my wife and kids to visit my dad, and we took the picture above. My dad has many
challenges ahead, for sure - as do I - but in that picture, I see serenity, acceptance, and yes, even
happiness.
We all have things in our life we can't control, and things we can. I wish for you to have the serenity
to accept the things you cannot change, the courage to change the things you can, and the wisdom to
know the difference.
3 Amazing Life Lessons From a Chance Encounter
I have a story to share, about a short flight that changed my life, which I’ve never written publicly
about. Before I tell you the story, I’ll warn you – my last lesson learned may be a controversial one
for some people.
Anyway, two years ago, one rainy morning in New York, I had a flight to catch to Boston. My first
two scheduled flights were canceled, and I almost decided not to go, but I gave it one more shot, and
the third flight went out as planned. I was sitting in the front row of coach, and just before the flight
took off, a much older man got up from first class, which was actually a lot more crowded, and sat
down in my row, just across the aisle.
As the plane went into the air, I had a rare moment when I couldn’t stare at my electronic device of
choice, and so I peered to my right, and saw the older man reading some paper, with large print typed
on it. I couldn’t help but notice the words on the page: “My dear friend, the late Ted Kennedy…”
Intrigued, I read on, and saw the following words soon thereafter:
“When I wrote the new GI Bill…”
I was sitting next to a Congressman! Excited, but still not knowing who he was, I put out my hand and
said to him, “Excuse me. Sorry to bother you, but I just wanted to say it’s an honor to meet you. I’m
Dave Kerpen.”
“Great to meet you, Dave. I’m Senator Frank Lautenberg,” he replied.
We proceeded to talk for the next 45 minutes – the entire flight up to Boston. It turned out that he was
on his way to give a speech at his grandson’s school – and having nearly run for political office
myself, I was anxious to learn from him. I did learn a great deal about the Senator – over his
illustrious career, the oldest living senator (at 89!) had authored the legislation to ban smoking on
airlines – legislation that has affected us all, in a positive way. He also authored the Ryan White Care
Act, serving AIDS patients, and fought for stiffer drunk-driving penalties. He has had what anyone of
any political party would argue is a great career in government – and he had gotten it all started late
in his life, at 58 years old.
But the incredible thing I learned was that before politics, Lautenberg had had another career – in
business – as the first salesperson and longtime CEO of a payroll company you may have heard of –
ADP. Today, Automatic Data Processing (ADP) is a $10 Billion company on the Fortune 500 – but
Senator Lautenberg shared stories from its start, in 1949, when he had just graduated from college,
and from 1961, when he took the company public.
We talked about business, and politics, and social media, and family. I told him how interested I was
in growing our social media business, and then perhaps going into politics, as he had done. I also told
him my wife and I were considering having a third child, but we weren’t sure, because we were both
so busy with work and other priorities. It was great conversation, or at least I thought so. Of course,
the flight from NYC to Boston doesn’t last long, and the flight landed almost as quickly as it took off.
Senator Lautenberg gave me his business card, told me he really enjoyed meeting me and learned a lot
from me about social media, and said he’d love to get together again. I wasn’t sure I’d see him again,
but I thanked him profusely, and told him he’d given me a lot to think about in terms of creating a
legacy as he had done.
“One more thing, Dave,” Senator Lautenberg said, as the flight attendant welcomed us to Boston. “I
want to show you a picture of my greatest legacy.”
As he reached into his pocket, I wondered what he’d show me –a leader so accomplished in two
totally different careers. A piece of paper with the idea for ADP? A section of a law he’d written? A
picture of him with a President?
Senator Lautenberg pulled his phone out of his pocket, and proceeded to show me a picture with a
whole bunch of people.
“These are my four kids, and seven grandchildren, Dave. This is my greatest legacy.”
What I Learned From That Flight
1) You can learn from anyone. Start up a conversation whenever possible. Life gives us so many
opportunities to strike up a conversation with a stranger – on a flight, waiting in line at the
supermarket, and on the train to work, to name a few. We can keep to ourselves, or say hello with a
smile and meet someone, and maybe even learn from them. I learned so much from Frank Lautenberg
in just 45 minutes – and the crazy thing is, he actually said he learned from me.
2) It’s never too early – or too late – to pursue a dream. Frank Lautenberg built one of the largest
companies in the world – ADP – and began when he was just 25. Then he became a United States
Senator – at 58 years old – and will have served for over 30 years. Whatever our dreams are, it’s
always the right time to go for it.
3) Our ultimate, most important legacy is our children. The end of my conversation with Frank
Lautenberg had a profound impact on me, and eventually helped my wife and me make the decision to
try to have a third child. If a man so accomplished in both business and government could argue that
his greatest legacy is his family, how could I not?
I know those of you who do not have children and are not planning on having children may not like my
last lesson here. But I really, strongly believe that it was an important one for me to learn. And even if
you don't have children of your own, the impact you have on nephews, nieces, students, and other
young people - IS your legacy. Senator Lautenberg shared one more thing at the end of our
conversation, which I think about nearly every day today:
“ADP, and the US Senate won’t be on my tombstone. My kids' names all will be.”
Senator Lautenberg passed away this year. I was at his funeral, and while Vice President Joe Biden
and many other dignitaries spoke, it was through all of his children and grandchildren speaking that I
could again see the amazing man he was, and be reminded of what is most important.
What Inspires Me: My Children
“I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all
the beauty they possess inside.” –Whitney Houston
“Daddy,” my almost-ten year old daughter Charlotte told me after school, “I overheard a lunch lady
today talking about her friend who has a gluten-free cookie business!”
I knew my daughter was telling me this because I’ve been coaching our cousin Julie, who’s actually
launching a gluten-free cookie business herself. But I thought that my daughter, as others might, would
think that this lunch lady’s friend’s business would pose a threat to our cousin’s fledgling gluten-free
cookie business.
“So, what do you think of that,” I asked Charlotte.
My child looked up at me, wide-eyed and smiling, and said, “I think it’s great, because now we know
there’s a market!”
I can’t tell you how happy and inspired that made me – as a dad, a businessperson, and a human
being. It made me happy for so many reasons – (what an astute young businesswoman!) but most of
all, it inspired me because it reminded me that our children, by and large, are filled with hope, not
worry – optimism, not sadness, and excitement, not regret.
Here are the seven things that inspire me most about my children Charlotte and Kate. Our greatest
legacy is our children. I hope you too have children somewhere that inspire you each day:
Tolerance
In the United States, every week, it seems, there are headlines about hate crimes and bigotry. Gays
and lesbians struggle for equal rights. Minorities face discrimination. Women aren’t paid equally to
men. Republicans hate Democrats, and Democrats hate Republicans. And yet, nobody was born
intolerant. Hatred and bigotry are clearly taught, and acquired over time. My children, and your
children, are tolerant and loving by default. They see people as people, not as the labels that over
time we adults ascribe to them. This inspires me.
Innocence
Also avoidable these days are headline about horrific crimes – in the last months alone, we’ve been
witness to the Newtown shooting, the Boston bombing, and the Cleveland kidnapping. With every
horrendous act we hear about, we lose a bit more innocence and hope and become a bit more jaded.
With every time we are hurt personally, we further lose that innocence. When I was 12 years old, I
was beat up, just walking down the street in Brooklyn, by a gang of older teenagers. That was the end
of my innocence. But before that – I was the happiest, most care-free kid in New York. And when I
look at my kids, I see that innocence in them, and wish for them to be able to hold on to it for as long
as possible. This inspires me.
Optimism
I consider myself a really optimistic adult – even perhaps unrealistically optimistic at times. But I
certainly have my days and my moments where my outlook on things isn’t so rosy. All adults have
those moments. But children are naturally optimistic. Taken a kid to a birthday party lately? At the end
of the hour-and-a-half, you’re likely anxious to get the heck out of there, while your child is enjoying
every last minute – right up until she enthusiastically grabs that goodie bag. As adults, we’ve often
come to fear, and even expect the worst in people. Children always expect the best in people until
they’re taught otherwise. This inspires me.
Ambition
Ask my children what they want to be when they grow up, and they’ll give you a different answer
each day: a ballerina, an astronaut, a business owner and a Princess are most common though. At a
recent team meeting, I asked my team at Likeable what they had wanted to be when they were kids,
and I got equally ambitious and divergent responses: a Major League baseball player, the President,
and a rocket scientist, to name a few. Ask an adult what he’s looking forward to in his career, and
you’re more likely to hear “the weekend” than any of those responses. My children believe they can
be anything they want to be when they grow up, and this inspires me.
Honesty
Children are honest – at times brutally honest. Witness the time I asked Charlotte to tell her grandma
what she thought of her tuna salad: “Grandma, I hate your tuna fish salad” or when I asked Kate how I
looked in my new suit: “Daddy, I think you’re gaining weight” – but nonetheless, they are honest.
Somewhere on the way to adulthood, we get filters, and begin to not tell the whole truth. But, honesty
is always the best policy – and in the long run, it’s actually easier. Children are honest, and this
inspires me.
Energy
When I get home at 6:30 PM after a long day’s work, I want to relax on the couch, and enjoy some
quiet time. But my children, after a long day at school, piano lessons and dance class still tell me:
“Daddy, let’s jump on the trampoline!” Adults drink coffee, work out, take 5-hour energy pills and
have all sorts of rituals and routines in order to keep their energy up. Children, though, have a natural
energy and desire to be active. It’s infectious, and it inspires me.
Courage
As we all get older, we experience so many things that teach us to be afraid – loss, rejection, failure,
and exposure to acts of evil. It gets more and more difficult to be courageous in the face of that fear.
Children, on the other hand, God-willing, haven’t experienced those things yet. And if encouraged,
they can most certainly be unafraid, or at least courageous enough to take smart risks in the face of
that fear. I’m proud that my wife and I are raising our children to be courageous and entrepreneurial –
so that they are thinking about problems and how they can try to solve them.
When I look into the faces of my two beautiful girls, Charlotte and Kate, I’m inspired by their
tolerance, innocence, optimism, ambition, honesty, energy and courage. On this Mother’s Day and
beyond, I hope you too can get some inspiration from your children, nieces, nephews, and students.
Whitney said it best: The children are most definitely our future.
We are all able to become better leaders, and we are all capable of inspiring others and feeling
inspiration. The key to growth is to find inspiration and leadership lessons everywhere we turn: our
experiences, our mistakes, and our families, books and articles we read and music and movies we
enjoy. When in doubt, have an attitude of gratitude and let the golden rule inform your actions.
Now, I'd love to hear your thoughts, reactions and questions! Please let me know
on Amazon, Twitter or Facebook.
I'll never forget the hot summer night sixteen years ago when I sold Adam a life insurance policy. A
21-year old recent college graduate, I had done my job perfectly - I had done everything I was
supposed to do, from prospecting to cold-calling to finding someone who had had a recent baby, to
listening to him and asking questions which led to my selling him a whole life insurance policy. The
sale earned both my company and me some nice money, Adam got life insurance, and everyone was
happy.
Everyone, was happy, that is, except me. I knew I had sold him something he really didn't need - a
more expensive product than the term life insurance Adam could afford. I knew it and yet I knowingly
sold him what I did, to benefit my company and to benefit myself. I had made a horrible mistake.
I felt horrible about Adam, and I knew that job wasn't for me. I quit the next week, without a plan of
any kind, and fortunately read the best career book of all time, What Color Is Your Parachute, which
led me to my first successful post-college job, at Radio Disney.
My career over the past sixteen years has included sales, marketing, consulting, reality television and
teaching. More recently, it's included the terrifying, exhilarating endeavor known as entrepreneurship,
as I've started and built two companies. Throughout my career so far, the good news and bad news is
that I've made lots of mistakes. Selling Adam whole life insurance, as it turns out, was just the
beginning.
But I've learned to embrace each mistake as a lesson. I've also been fortunate to meet many fellow
entrepreneurs and business leaders who have shared their experiences- both mistakes and successes-
and the lessons they've learned from them.
In this section, I will tell you about those experiences and lessons and about how you can benefit from
them in your career. I want you to walk away from this section knowing there is a better way to do
interviewing, networking, writing and communicating in your career. There are ways to bring passion,
creativity and innovation into what you are doing at work. There are ways that you can become a
likeable leader at your job and for your organization.
For most of our lives, we spend more of our waking hours with our jobs than we do with our family
and friends. We know we will all make mistakes, but by learning from those mistakes, and by doing
something we love each day, we can truly make the most of those hours.
Your Attitude at Work is Everything
“Our intention creates our reality." -Wayne Dyer

I have two secrets to share, about my first job in life. Here's the story:
Fifteen lousy bucks.
That's how much I earned my first night on the job selling Crunch ’n Munch in the fall of 1996. While
in college at Boston University, I had taken a job as a vendor at Fenway Park and the Boston Garden
(then called the Fleet Center). I was a snack hawker who walked up and down the aisles selling
product. What most people don't know is that vendors are paid only in commission and tips—the
more they sell, the more they make. And it's a seniority-based system- you have to work for years to
get to sell the good stuff, like beer and hot dogs. My first day, as the low man on the totem pole,
seniority-wise, I had been assigned a product called Crunch ’n Munch. I sold a grand total of 12
boxes and made the legal minimum, $15.
I decided later that night that while it was fun being at games, I wanted to at least make a decent living
hawking Crunch ’n Munch. So my second day, (here's secret #1), I gave myself a promotion, and I
decided to become not only a ballpark vendor, but an entertainer at work—a little singing, a little
dancing, a little screaming, and a lot of goofy Dave. I sold 36 boxes, three times as many as the first
night. I stepped up my efforts for the rest of the week. I'd be the first person to admit that I had no real
talent as an entertainer. My only assets were passion, fearlessness, and the attitude to think of myself
as an entertainer, not just another hawker. I began to scream at the top of my lungs each night, in an
effort to pull attention away from the games and toward the buttery toffee popcorn with peanuts I was
selling.
The attitude change paid off. Within weeks I had developed a persona as the “Crunch ’n Munch Guy,"
and regulars began to take notice. The in-stadium cameramen liked my shtick and began to feature my
goofy dancing on the large-screen Jumbotron during timeouts. When The Boston Herald published an
article about me, a fan actually asked me to autograph her box of Crunch ’n Munch.
Secret #2: I decided at that moment to promote myself from ballpark vendor / entertainer to local
celebrity. I asked the woman to borrow her Sharpie, and proceeded to sign unsolicited every box of
Crunch 'n Munch I sold that night. Somehow, I helped change perception in the building by the end of
that night - not only did you have to buy a box of Crunch 'n Munch, but you had to get it autographed
by the Crunch 'n Munch guy.
Over the next three years, I was featured in The Boston Herald, Boston Globe, Boston Magazine,
Fox Sports New England, and ESPN Sportscenter. I also sold a lot of Crunch ’n Munch. At my peak,
I was selling - and signing - between 250 and 300 boxes per game and making, with commission and
tips, between $400 and $500 a night—an excellent living for a college kid. There I was, utterly
talentless, but using my attitude and others' perception to generate a nice income.
Eventually, of course, three years later with a college degree in hand, I decided to retire as the Crunch
'n Munch guy. But the lesson remained:
Redefine your job at work, change the way people perceive you - and you can become limitless.
There are many examples of people "giving themselves a promotion" at work:
There's the salesperson who becomes an expert consultant and whose customers come to him for help
- driving sales through the roof.
There's the marketing assistant who becomes a thought leader by reading countless books and industry
articles and then writing for the company blog.
There's the intern who works tirelessly to solve company problems and quickly not only gets noticed,
but becomes indispensable.
There's the small business owner who becomes a spokesperson for her industry by doing media
appearances and writing - creating the impression of a bigger business - and soon, actually growing a
bigger business.
No matter what your job title is, you can get creative, choose to see your role differently, take on new
tasks, and make a huge positive impression on customers, prospects, colleagues, and bosses.
What are you waiting for? Give yourself a promotion at work today.
image via Bill Swersey
The Simple Secret to an Amazing Career
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma –
which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions
drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and
intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is
secondary.” - Steve Jobs
"If you're not happy, just quit. Like, today!" said a good friend to me one day in late 1999.
There's one job that I don't have on my LinkedIn profile, or on any resume, or in any book I've written
to date, and that's because it didn't last long, and I hated it. In 1999, for six months I was a life
insurance salesperson. I had just graduated from Boston University, and had made a good living and a
name for myself as a Crunch n Munch sales person at the Boston Garden while in school. I had been
recruited by a small affiliate of a major global insurance company, who had painted a picture for me
that I'd be helping lots of people achieve their financial goals, and make a fortune doing so.
I got the appropriate licenses to work in the industry, and began my first professional job out of
college. I hated it from the start. I was asked to make a list of basically everyone I knew, and then try
to sell them whole life insurance. I tried to inject passion into my work, but I just couldn't love it.
Moreover, I felt like the organization wasn't growing, and wasn't supporting me professionally.
The day I realized these things, with the help of a friend, I decided to quit. Even though I was making
good money, and even though I had no other job lined up, I quit the next day.
I knew what I didn't love, but I didn't know what exactly what I'd love yet. So I turned to the best-
selling career book of all time. I read What Color Is Your Parachute and it helped me identify not
only what I've love to do, but the organizations I'd love to work for. While I was reading and self-
exploring, I took a job delivering pizzas to help pay the bills. (So, I guess there are actually two jobs
not on my LinkedIn profile.)
A few months later, I began a job in sales and marketing at Radio Disney, and I began an amazing
career that has so far brought me immense satisfaction, enjoyment, fulfillment and wealth. I've had a
variety of jobs and businesses in my career so far, but they've all had two things in common:
I've done what I loved at organizations where I could grow.
There's personal growth and professional growth - ideally, since you spend more waking hours at
your job than anywhere else, you get both - but in order to have an amazing career, you absolutely
need at least one form of growth. Each time I stopped loving what I was doing, or stopped growing,
or the organization I was working for stopped growing, I knew it was time for change. This way, I
was always passionate about what I was doing, and growing in every job I had, which in turn
contributed to organizations, and helped to build a great career.
In the last few years, I've had the opportunity to interview dozens if not hundreds of leaders, and from
talking to many successful, happy professionals, I've learned the following:
The simple secret to an amazing career is to do what you love at organizations where you can
grow.
Some people love many things, and have more opportunities than others. Some people can't find
organizations where they can grow, so they start their own! Some people, like Jack Dorsey, pictured
above with me, aren't satisfied running one organization they love where they can grow, so they run
two at once!
Are you doing what you love? Are you at an organization where you can grow?
The bottom line is, as I've learned from many mentors, friends, interviewees and leaders:
If you're not working at a place where you love what you do and can grow, then quit today. It
doesn't matter whether you're 22, 42 or 62. Life is too short to waste, as Steve Jobs reminded us
above.
If you're not sure of the answers to these two questions, then read What Color is Your Parachute,
and/or talk to your boss, CEO, or HR group, to better learn the answers to those two questions.
Then you can have an amazing career too.
By the way, the last time I checked, my boss at the first insurance agency where I worked was doing
time in federal prison. So I guess quitting that job worked out pretty well after all.
Drinking, Crying and Other Less Obvious Ways to Tank a Job Interview
photo via F1 Online
I sat in traffic in Boston, Massachusetts one cold fall morning 16 years ago, cursing myself, cursing
the cars around me, and cursing the world. I had prepared so much for the job interview at the
prestigious firm I was driving to – done research, gotten dressed in a sharp outfit, prepared questions
to ask – and yet somehow I had not left enough time to make up for a traffic jam on the way to their
offices.
I arrived 15 minutes late, and had what I thought was an excellent interview – but of course I did not
get offered the job. I may have been a pretty smart, determined guy, but what a stupid mistake I made
that day, to not leave enough time to get to the interview early.
Showing up late to a job interview may seem like a pretty obvious mistake, but as I talked to other
leaders, I couldn't believe some of the mistakes I heard people making. Below is a list of mistakes to
avoid at job interviews – all, believe it or not, based on real stories shared with me by members of
the the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC). Don't make the same mistakes these people made!
1. Trashing a Boss or Old Job

photo via YEC
I get it. You had a horrible boss who ruined your experience, and now you are leaving. You may be
bitter or angry, but don't let that unhinge you in a professional setting. You don't know if I know your
boss, or how I will react. Was it you or them? I'd rather see someone who can learn from tough
experiences and hold their head up high. Don't avoid the question if asked, but handle it with class.
- Trevor Sumner, President and Co-Founder, LocalVox
2. Taking a Call or Checking Messages

photo via YEC
In China, a lot of the people we interview have the habit of doing this in interviews. I have no
problem if the phone rings, but it is what the person does after that lets me know how that person
would treat a client in a stressful situation. They don't know this, but I actually analyze everything they
do to determine if it would make a customer feel uncomfortable or not.
- Derek Capo, CEO and Founder, Next Step China
3. Drinking a Beer
photo via YEC
I couldn't believe it. On a Skype video interview, a candidate who was great on paper moistened his
lips with a beer before starting to talk. He took several more sips throughout the then-shortened
interview, and I told the employee who was supposed to screen after me not to bother. We closed him
out. -
- Ryan Buckley, COO & Co-founder, Scripted, Inc.
4. Over-Selling Yourself
photo via YEC
Job interviews can be nerve-wracking, and it's normal to feel the need to "sell" yourself. But some
candidates get so focused on selling themselves that they forget to ask questions to learn if the job is
even a good fit for them in the first place. Or worse, they come off as disingenuous, inauthentic or
fidgety. Interviews should be a conversation, not a sales pitch.
- Matt Ehrlichman, CEO, Porch
5. Underdressing
photo via YEC
One time a potential hire called and asked what the dress code for the office was. We said casual.
Then later that day, that person came in wearing a T-shirt, shorts and sandals. To me, a first
impression is everything, and the fact that this person wouldn't even dress up a bit for an interview
showed me that he was not a good fit for us.
- Phil Laboon, President, Eyeflow Internet Marketing
6. Not Preparing Anecdotes

photo via YEC
It's all about the evidence -- saying you have a certain skill set or experience isn't enough, and
anecdotes and examples are critical in showcasing that you really do have expertise. In particular, it's
important for applicants to have quantitative evidence for any skills or experience they have. Without
stories and numbers, an interview isn't as memorable or effective as it could be.
-Doreen Bloch, CEO / Founder, Poshly Inc.
7. Saying They Didn't Want to Learn or Work Too Much

photo via YEC
I was interviewing a potential candidate who said to me, "My old job had me working and learning
too much." This was after a phone interview where I explained we were a startup! Startups are small,
nimble, constantly growing and always learning to do things faster and better. This statement showed
me someone who isn't ready to fully immerse themselves in the startup mentality and culture.
- Kim Kaupe, Co-Founder, 'ZinePak
8. Crying
photo via YEC
Yes, believe it or not, tough interview questions can make some people cry. When tears flow, the
interview is over. No one wants to hire people who can't control their emotions on the job. I've
interviewed over 1,000 people during the past 12 years, and in my humble opinion, crying is the kiss
of death.
- Robert Sofia, Co-Founder & COO, Platinum Advisor Marketing Strategies
9. Being Unprepared
photo via YEC
It's so hard to watch someone squirm during an interview. So many candidates think that they will
waltz in, deliver a few canned responses and charm the pants off of their interviewer. It's not that
easy. Candidates should know about the history, culture and brand of the company they are
interviewing for.
- Maren Hogan, Chief Marketing Brain, Red Branch Media
10. Talking Themselves out of the Job

photo via YEC
So many people go into a job interview and set themselves up for failure. Whether it's self-
deprecating talk or downplaying their skill sets or just completely talking themselves out of the job,
there is self-sabotage all over the place. If you're showing up for an interview, show up, be confident,
be prepared, and rock it. You ARE amazing and deserve the job. Now go get it!
- Erin Blaskie, CEO, Erin Blaskie, Digital Strategist
11. Hedging Bets

photo via YEC
The worst mistake you can make is hedging your bet. You are interviewing for a specific position
within a company; therefore, you should focus on communicating your qualifications for that role. If
you mention that "you are also available for consulting work," you don't seem very interested in
filling the role you are interviewing for. In fact, you seem uncertain of yourself.
- Chris Hunter, Co-Founder, Phusion Projects
12. Having a Know-it-All Mentality

photo via YEC
If I'm starting out a potential employer relationship with somebody, I want to make sure they're going
to be a team player. People who think they know it all and/or are rigid in their beliefs can be very
hard to work with. A know-it-all tends to accept that they do in fact know it all and won't change
when they should really be constantly learning.
- Andy Karuza, CEO, Brandbuddee
13. Asking the Wrong Questions

photo via YEC
I had an interviewee stop me in the first couple minutes of an interview to tell me her requirements
for vacation. I can appreciate vacation time being important to someone, but I'm interviewing
someone who I hope wants to work -- not just take time off.
- Sam Saxton, President, Salter Spiral Stair and Mylen Stairs
14. Saying 'Yes' to Everything

photo via YEC
When candidates say, "Yeah, I can do that," to almost everything that is asked during an interview,
that's a red flag. The reality is they’re thinking more about paying their bills or gaining employment
than about what the organization is trying to solve by hiring for the position. Some people have been
searching for a job for so long that they're desperate to show they can handle anything.
- Brett Farmiloe, Employee 01: Digital Marketing Auditor, Internet Marketing Agency
15. Focusing on the Benefits Over the Value

photo via YEC
I've had people ask about benefits such as vacation time and paid time off right at the beginning of the
interview. While it's important to have a clear understanding of all incentives offered, focusing on
benefits offered by the company over the value they can bring to the company sends a message that the
person is looking to take more than give.
- Michael Mogill, President, Crisp Video Group
16. Lacking Company Research

photo via YEC
The worst mistake I’ve seen someone make at a job interview was not researching my company
beforehand. It was so easy to tell, especially when I started asking questions related to our products.
An hour’s research can mean the difference between getting the job and wasting a company’s time.
- Ted Murphy, Founder / CEO, IZEA
17. Not Having an Agenda

photo via YEC
Most people show up to job interviews with the sole purpose of answering questions. Big mistake.
It's imperative to have an agenda. For example, if you only communicate three key points about your
experience during the interview, what must they be? If you'd like to display your knowledge of the
company and the industry, have examples ready to go. Take a proactive approach.
- Antonio Neves, Founder, THINQACTION
18. Confusing Us With Our Competitor

photo via YEC
I once had an applicant forget which company he was speaking with during our interview. About five
minutes into our telephone interview, he started mentioning all the reasons why he wanted to work for
our competitor. We obviously didn't invite him back for another interview. I didn't see any reason to
embarrass him, so I just thanked him for his time. He probably never realized his mistake.
- Chuck Cohn, Founder and CEO, Varsity Tutors
19. Not Having Passion

photo via YEC
Recently, a prospective hire fresh out of college applied for a job opening with us. During the
interview, he showed a lack of research on the company. When I asked him what he was looking for
in his career, he told me anything that hired him and paid well. The only enthusiasm in the whole
interview was the possibility of earning a paycheck. Needless to say, we never called him back.
- Fehzan Ali, Co-Founder & CEO, Adscend Media LLC
20. Making the Interview Too Much About You

photo via YEC
When interviewing, you're proving you can both do the job and bring value to the company. So don't
focus on how great the job will be for you or your career. It's not about what you need at this point;
it's about what you have to offer and what you bring to the table.
- Susan Strayer LaMotte, Founder & Principal Consultant, exaqueo
21. Making a Pitch on Autopilot

photo via YEC
Interviews fail as soon as the conversation goes into autopilot. Interviewees should engage in a
genuine dialogue starting with developing an informed understanding of the company and the person
they're meeting with. Responses should be phrased within the context of the company, and the
opportunity and questions should be real, not canned.
- Christopher Kelly, Co-Founder, Principal, Convene
22. Not Taking Ownership of Mistakes

photo via YEC
I love to grill potential employees on conflict in their previous positions, and I always listen closely
to how they describe what happened. I look for people who take full ownership and proactively look
back at what they could have done differently. The worst mistake is just blaming others and not seeing
how they played a role in the conflict.
- Laura Roeder, Founder, LKR Social Media
23. Asking What the Company Does

photo via YEC
Every now and then, there are candidates who may have applied to several companies and are in the
process of interviewing with many of them. They show up to an interview asking what our company
does without having done any homework on the culture, position or mission of our organization. We
want to know we're bringing on people who are diligent, passionate and hard-working.
- Shradha Agarwal, Founder/Chief Strategy Officer, ContextMedia
24. Not Having Any Questions

photo via YEC
At the end of most interviews, the interviewer says, “OK, so do you have any questions for me?” The
absolute worst mistake a candidate can make is to say no. Really? Not one question? This
immediately tells me they’re not passionate about the job. They’re not even interested.
-Marcos Cordero, Chief Gradsaver, GradSave, LLC
25. Wearing a Costume

photo via YEC
During a one-way video interview, an applicant wore a Jedi robe (you know, as in Star Wars Jedi).
The worst part was that the candidate made no reference to the costume at all. We were all baffled!
- Heather Huhman, Founder & President, Come Recommended
Some of these mistakes may seem silly or obvious, but they're all worth thinking about as you apply
for your next job. It's worth avoiding the obvious mistakes, such as my lateness to that job interview
16 years ago, so that you can truly shine at every interview.
The 1 Thing You Must Do In Every Job Interview
I recently interviewed an excellent candidate for a position. This woman had an incredible resume, an
infectious personality, and, seemingly, a great work ethic. She was dressed for success, with a style
fitting our culture. She answered all of my questions well, and seemed like a potential excellent fit for
our company. Yet, despite all of this, she didn’t receive another interview, and I absolutely couldn’t
seriously consider hiring her. What went wrong?
When I asked her what questions she had for me, the job candidate replied, “None, really. I’ve been
following you guys online for awhile and feel like I know everything already.”
That was a fatal error, of course. By not asking questions, she told me she wasn’t truly interested in
learning more, in creating value, and in our company. I couldn’t hire an otherwise very-well-qualified
candidate because, in her lack of questions, she displayed a lack of passion for, interest in, and
curiosity about our company and the position.
The most important thing you must do in every interview is to ask great questions.
The key is to ask great questions- not to ask questions that you should know the answers to already
(“What does the position entail?) or questions that make it all about you (“What is your vacation
policy?”).
Here are 9 great questions you can use or make your own on your next job interview. Obviously
they're generic and should be tailored based on circumstances:
1) Who would make the ideal candidate for this position?

2) How will the work I’ll be doing contribute to the organization’s mission?
3) What were the best things about the last person who held this position?
4) What are three ways I can contribute to the company beyond the job description?
5) How can I best contribute to the department’s goals?
6) How do you see me best contributing to the corporate culture and morale?
7) What do you see as the biggest challenges of working here and how can I overcome those
challenges?
8) What is your vision for where the company or department will be in one year? In 3-5 years?
9) How can I best help you and the team succeed?
Of course, the more research you do in advance, the more you can ask specific questions about the
company’s recent news, blog posts, product launches, plans, etc. But here’s the bottom line:
Ask questions that demonstrate genuine interest in the organization and how you can fit in to their
success.
Remember, also, job interviewing is a two-way-street! By asking questions, you can get a much better
sense of the organization you’re interviewing at, and the extent to which you’d even want to work
there.
An interview is just like a date. A date is a two way street-- where both parties are seeing if tis a
right fit. The dater who talks and talks, even if they're a good match, seems disinterested in the other
person. It's the same with interviewing. Show that you are invested and interested in the person, by
asking questions.
When job seekers come in to Likeable not only with great answers, but with great questions, I get
excited about the prospects of hiring them. And hopefully, they can get some great answers from us,
and get excited about the prospects of working there as well.
How to Dress for Success Today
photo via Likeable Local
I'm warning you: Based on conversations about this topic at my office, you may find this post to be
controversial - you may totally disagree with me. You may even find it to be trivial. But with nearly
1.8 million college graduates each year, it’s important to talk about something that's not so trivial to
anyone looking for work: What should you wear to a job interview? And then once you have a job,
what should you wear to work?
When I interviewed for my first real job after college, at Radio Disney in Boston, Massachusetts, I
went into the interview in a full suit and tie, dressed to impress, or so I thought. Unfortunately, it was
a hot September day and I was fifty pounds heavier than I am today. And unfortunately, I had a bit of a
sweating problem back then.
I thought I had aced the interview. In fact, I did ace the interview. I received an offer via a phone call
from Peggy Iafrate, who would become my boss and one of my early mentors the very next day.
Concluded Peggy:
"We loved everything about you Dave and can't wait for you to start. Well, just about everything.
Please, oh please, lose the jacket and tie."
I got the job - but not because of what I wore - in spite of it. Through most of the years since then, I've
been fortunate enough to be the boss, and help set the dress code for the office, and it's always been a
casual or business casual setting. I've also interviewed dozens if not hundreds of job applicants, and
I've seen many men and women dressed uncomfortably formally - (and a few dressed uncomfortably
informally.) Conventional wisdom says to dress up formally for a job interview. But I disagree.
Through the years I've come to this conclusion, truer today than ever before:
At a job interview, you should dress comfortably and (at most) a little more formally than the rest of
the office.
At a job interview, you're trying to show the organization that you'd fit in there. If you show up
dressed casually and everyone else is dressed more formally, you won't fit in. That's the easy part that
everyone gets. But equally true is the converse: If you show up as a man in a three-piece suit or as a
woman in a formal pantsuit, and everyone else there is casual, you also won't be fitting it. If a job
applicant to one of our companies comes in a suit and tie, it shows that he didn't research the culture
of our office - and it counts as a strike against him. Why take that risk?
Two years ago, my daughter Charlotte had a boy in her class who wore a suit and tie to school every
day. It was a second grade classroom, and yes, at first, I thought Trevor was adorable. But eventually,
I came to believe that his parents were doing him a disservice by letting him go to school like that
every day. He didn't fit in, and on hot days with no air conditioning in that classroom, he couldn't have
possibly been comfortable.
Do you want to be a Trevor, at a job interview or beyond?
So what's the solution?
Before an interview, ask the recruiter or people at the office what the unofficial dress code is. Then
come in, wearing comfortable clothes, and dressed similarly, (or just a little bit more formally) to
what everyone else is wearing. You'll fit in, and you'll be comfortable and confident throughout the
interview.
Remember, too: It might seem like the interview - and getting the job - is everything - but in the long
run, it's just the beginning. You want to work at an organization where you'll fit in and feel like part of
the culture for a long time - after all, you spend more waking hours at work than anywhere else.
If you like to dress casually, do you really want to work somewhere where formal wear is expected?
If you like to dress up, do you really want to work somewhere where most people dress down?
The best solution?
Decide what dressing for success means for you- and then find an industry and organization where - at
the interview and beyond - you can be comfortable, successful, and fit in with the corporate culture.
Want to work in a suit? Interview at organizations that'll support that - where it's part of the corporate
culture.
Want to work while dressed casually? Interview at organizations where that's the norm.
Want to work at home in your underwear? Luckily for you, more than ever before, there are
telecommuting positions and work-from-home positions available. But in that case, it's probably best
to get a bit more dressed up for your interview.
How Successful People Think
I love to give the following puzzle to new team members at our companies:
Using four straight lines and never taking your finger off of your screen, connect all nine dots
below:
It's easy, of course, to connect the nine dots with just three lines, if you take your finger off of the
screen. But it's a much harder problem to solve with the rules I gave. Scroll down for the answer to
the puzzle, if you can't solve it or wait. In the meantime, here's a clue and a story:
Think outside of the box.

Now, the story behind our first company: Today is my seven-year wedding anniversary. 7 years ago
today, I got married to the love of my life Carrie - at what most people would consider an unusual
setting - a baseball game.
Several months prior to July 8, 2006, when we got engaged, we had a problem. I really wanted to
have a large wedding - the kind of wedding where I could invite everyone I knew to share in our
joyous celebration. But Carrie and I didn't have enough money to host a traditional New York
wedding and invite everyone we knew.
Luckily for me, Carrie, a marketer by trade, had a brilliant out-of-the-box idea: partner with a minor
league baseball team to create a wedding-themed promotion, sell sponsorships and get a ballpark
wedding paid for - a wedding that we could literally invite thousands of people to attend. Sponsors
could get great value in the promotion, which would likely generate buzz and media attention, and we
could get a huge wedding paid for. As a diehard baseball fan, I thought the idea was perfect - but it
would require willing partners to make it work.
We pitched the Brooklyn Cyclones, a minor league affiliate of the NY Mets, and GM Steve Cohen
liked the idea enough to give it a shot. We created the "Our Field of Dreams" promotion and were off
to the races. We successfully pitched 1-800-Flowers.com to sponsor our flowers, Smirnoff to sponsor
our alcohol, Entenmann's to sponsor our desserts, After Hours to sponsor our tuxedos, and several
other local and national sponsors, totaling about $100,000 in trade value.
We also asked sponsors to donate cash to the David Wright Foundation, and we were able to raise
$20,000 for the Multiple Sclerosis Society through our wedding.
And on July 8, 2006, I got married to the love of my life in front of 500 friends and family members
(and 5,000 strangers) at the end of a baseball game. We walked underneath the bats held up by the
Cyclones team as pictured above. It was an amazing wedding with an amazing partner.
As it turns out, the wedding was also an amazing marketing and public relations promotion for our
vendors/sponsors. It generated about $20 million in earned media through coverage on the CBS Early
Show, ABC World New Tonight, CNBC's On The Money, the New York Times, and hundreds of
blogs. Our vendors were so thrilled with all of their ROI, in fact, that a couple of them asked us what
we could do for them next. We couldn't get married again, so we started our first company.
An incredible wedding took place, and a company was born - all through one out-of-the-box idea
from my brilliant wife Carrie. The lesson here is clear:
Successful people think outside of the box.
Successful people don't just see problems, they see opportunities. They don't just see obstacles, they
see solutions. And when they don't see solutions right away, successful people get creative to find
solutions.
Remember the puzzle we began with? Successful people think outside of the box, literally, and
then find this solution:
Once you think outside the box, this puzzle, and your life, get a lot easier.
Happy Anniversary, Carrie, and here's to all of you thinking outside the box, getting things done, and
becoming more successful.
3 Essentials to Landing Your Dream Job Using Social Media
Landing your dream job is certainly no easy task. Unemployment rates range from 7.9% in the United
States to as high as 50% in some countries. Even if you're employed currently, the reality is, at least
according to Deloitte's Shift Index, as many as 80% of people are unhappy in their jobs. The good
news? With the openness of the social web today and the availability of your entire life's connections,
a job hunt can be much easier if you present yourself well and network appropriately. Here are three
social media essentials to remember:
1) Optimize Your Profiles
You already have your resume in a PDF and have found all the right websites for job listings. But just
as important as these things is having your profiles on the major social networks updated and
optimized for a potential job search. For some jobs, employers may even ask for links to your
profiles in the application or interview process. Don’t be afraid, be proactive!
LinkedIn: Extend your resume
· Do you have a picture? If not, make sure you have one that represents yourself in a professional
manner!
· Reach out to relevant connections for recommendations. Don’t just ask your supervisors at
previous jobs, but ask your peers and reports.
· Have you listed all of your accomplishments and skills? Sometimes better than finding the right
job is being found for the right job! LinkedIn Recruiter allows companies to look for specific
skills and past positions. Make sure you list them so you can be indexed!
· Endorsements are a great way to easily gain credibility. You should give them as well as ask for
them.
Twitter: Show your expertise!
· What is your picture? Make sure it represents you as you want the world to see you.
· What are you sharing? Your tweets should reflect your personality and expertise. Share articles
and quotes from thought leaders in your industry. As a guide for sharing jokes, thoughts, and
everything else, if your mom wouldn’t approve, don’t tweet it.
· What does your Twitter bio say about you? Make sure you include a link where people can find
you. Consider making it a link to your LinkedIn profile.
Facebook: Clean it up!
· What do your profile picture and cover photo say about you?
· Check your privacy settings and make sure you understand them. They may seem difficult to
navigate, but they are really important when it comes to your public image. I'm all for openness
personally, but for many, you'll want to make sure photos and videos for friends aren't visible to
your next employer.
2) Network Appropriately
The opportunity is there for you to find and engage with literally millions of people. The tough part is
going for it, setting boundaries and making sure you don’t come across negatively.
LinkedIn:
Search your 1st degree connections to find interesting 2nd degree connections. Connect with people,
but make sure to be upfront about why you are connecting. Don’t ever send the default message!
Instead, give them a reason to connect with you. If you really want an in, tell them you’d love to learn
more about their company and the position they have. People love to talk about themselves and a 15-
minute informational interview, whether in person (ideal) or via phone or video chat - is an ideal
way to learn more about a company while subtly showcasing yourself.
Twitter:
Follow the people that interest you at companies you'd like to work at. Follow the CEO's, marketers
and other industry leaders. Follow the Head of Human Resources. Watch what they are doing and find
the right time to engage with them. It won't work to bombard them on a Friday night with a tweet
about how you want a job, but Twitter does give you the unique opportunity to engage in conversation
with someone you don't know. When they talk about the Lakers game, or their kids, or their trip to
Costa Rica - just reply with interest, if you have something to say. Show them you're interested in
them - and they just might be interested in you.
Facebook:
Most people keep Facebook for their existing network of friends, and some don't even connect with
professional colleagues on Facebook. However, you can like the companies you are interested in and
engage with their content. You can also find company and industry leaders to subscribe to, (one way
communication, similar to Twitter) which can give you insight into their lives! You never know when
a common interest might help.
3) Research
Use LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to research the organizations and people where you might want
to work before you reach out to apply for a job or schedule an informational interview. You can learn
a lot more about a company's core values and culture from their social sites than their website - and if
it's a dream job you seek, be sure that the company's values and culture align well with yours before
any interview.
Once you land an interview, do significant research in order to be prepared to talk about the company.
You can learn from their company website of course, but again, their social sites will also provide
great insight into the organization, their leaders, the department's personalities, and the company's
culture and values. In addition to the big three, research whether the organization you'd like to work
for is on YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+, or Tumblr. Read their blogs. The more you can
learn in advance, the better you'll be able to show how well you'd fit in and provide value at your
dream job.
Remember, in finding the perfect job, it's always been about who you know. The only difference
today is, thanks to social media, who you know - and who knows you - can quickly change for the
better.
Every Day Can Be The First Day
In September, I sent my 10-year-old and 6-year-old daughters off to their first day of fifth grade and
first grade in school respectively. They were up at 6:30am, showered and dressed by 7, and ready for
school by 7:30. They insisted upon being taken to the school bus stop at 8:02, 20 minutes early, “just-
in-case,” and at 8:28am, when the bus finally arrived six minutes late, they headed off to school, as
excited as they’d been at 6:30am when they had woken up.
Sure, there were some nervous jitters from some of the kids at the bus stop (and some of the parents!)
But for all of the parents and the children at the bus stop this morning, there was excitement, energy,
and a positive spirit in the air. The first day of school represents a new start - a milestone- a great
reason to be excited.
For American football fans, these past Sundays were perhaps equally exciting – the first day of
regular season games in the NFL. Every team begins at 0-0, tied for first place, and whether you’re a
fan of a perennial champion like the New England Patriots, or a perennial underdog like the New
York Jets, hope springs eternal.
As I write this, heading into the office after that magical first-day-of-school-dropoff, I’m filled with
energy and excitement. I'm not the only one. My Facebook feed is filled with pictures of kids' first
days of school, and updates from proud, excited parents. But why should that excitement be restricted
to the first day of school, or the first day of the NFL, or the first day of your new job, or the first day
with a new client?
How can we capture that “first day energy” and apply it to our attitude, each and every day? How can
we go into work feeling refreshed, feeling excited, and feeling hopeful for what's to come?
After all, every day does bring us new challenges, new adventures, and new reasons for hope. Every
day, is in fact, the first day of the rest of our lives.
So I’m challenging myself to capture the way I’m feeling right now as a proud parent on the first day
of school, and apply it to my life and career every day. I’m going to find a reason to be as excited as
my kids were this morning – tomorrow, the next day, and the next day.
Everybody loves “the first day.” How can you make everyday “the first day”?
The 2 Most Important Days In Your Life
photo via Getty Images
Last summer, I took a road trip to Cooperstown, New York, where I introduced my two young
daughters to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
My daughter Charlotte asked me who my favorite baseball player in the Hall of Fame was--and, after
explaining that none of the current or recent New York Mets were in the Hall--I told her my favorite
was Jackie Robinson. I chose Jackie not because of the ball player he was, though obviously he was
an excellent one. I chose Jackie for the person he was, and for the influence he had on others, and on
the world.
Jackie Robinson said: "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."
Mark Twain said: "The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day
you find out why."
These are two of the most powerful quotes I've ever read, and I try to live by both every day. I
believe I was born to help build a more "likeable" world for my children, my family, and those who I
affect through my writing, speaking, teaching, and leading. I believe I was born to help my children
and others become more transparent, authentic leaders who put others' needs first.
Why were you born? What is your purpose in life?
If you know the answers to those two questions, you're off to a great start, and I'll simply suggest that
you remind yourself the answers every day.
If you're not sure yet, it's never too late--or too early to figure it out.
Here are three books I highly recommend to help guide you in our journey towards answering these
questions:
What Color is Your Parachute: A Practical Manual for Job Hunters and Career Changers
This classic career book may advertise that it's practical, but I used in it when I was 21 years old to
help me find my purpose at the time. It's chock-full of guidance and introspective activities to help
you find your direction, whether you're just out of college or feeling burned out at any age.
Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action
This more recent classic from Simon Sinek will help business people, especially entrepreneurs,
better understand the importance of your professional purpose, not only for you but for your entire
organization. Now, more than ever, you need to be able to answer the "purpose" question, and this
book helps you answer it--not only for yourself but, importantly, for others you lead.
The Purpose-Driven Life: What On Earth Am I Here For?
One of the best-selling books of all time, The Purpose-Driven Life helps people of all ages and
backgrounds determine their purpose, but is especially well-suited for those of you who observe the
Christian faith. Author Rick Warren takes you on a journey both inward and outward, and you'll
probably come away after reading it feeling inspired and focused.
Whether you read a book like one of these or use another tool to help you find (or refine) your
purpose, it's clear to me that at end of the day knowing your purpose will help you get further.
The New Rules for Career Success
photo via Dan Schawbel
The times, they-are-a-changing. As a CEO, I've personally hired dozens of people in the last three
years without looking at a resume (I use LinkedIn!). Social media has gone from non-existent to
a vital part of most people's lives and careers in the last ten years. My parents and their peers often
stayed at the same company their entire careers; today, that is virtually unheard of.
In order to help navigate the new landscape in our careers, it's essential to use a new set of
guidelines: a new roadmap, with new rules, so to speak. To better understand these new rules, I
talked with Dan Schawbel, Gen Y entrepreneur and bestselling author of Promote Yourself: The New
Rules For Career Success. I asked Dan to summarize the six key concepts of his new research-driven
book, so that we can all use these guidelines in our careers.
Here are six actionable ways to grow in your career in today's world, according to Dan:
1. Become an entrepreneur at work.
After you've proven yourself in your current job, strive to expand your role by taking on new projects
that can benefit your company. Look for areas in your company that can be improved and think about
opportunities that your company can take advantage of. Do your research and put together a
presentation to convince your manager that you can help solve the problem and get them to invest in
you. Promote Yourself includes a new study which found that 58% of managers are either very
willing or extremely willing to support entrepreneurial employees.
2. Instead of jumping from company to company, look inside first.

Employees may get bored with their jobs and immediately try and leave their company. Instead, find
an internal opportunity that challenges you and where you can best leverage your strengths. Instead of
looking outside, look inside first. In fact, 73% of managers in the study are very willing or extremely
willing to support employees who want to move within the corporation. After you spend at least two
years at your job, ask your manager if you can have more responsibilities or to support you if you see
a new job posting in your internal job board.
3. Engage in activities outside of the office.

Once you get home from work, that doesn't mean you should shut your professional self down
completely. Join professional organizations and social groups so that you can expand your knowledge
base and network with like-minded people. Everything you do outside of work can help you become a
better employee inside of work. 63% of managers are very willing or extremely willing to support an
employee's professional related activities outside of the office.
4. Think twice before you Facebook friend your manager.

Facebook is still perceived as a "social" network, whereas LinkedIn is geared to more professional
networking. Only 14% of managers are either very comfortable or extremely comfortable being
friends with employees. Before you friend them, find out what their comfort level is and think about
how strong your relationship is with them. If you both talk about personal aspects of your lives, they
will probably be more open to being friends with you on Facebook.
5. Develop your soft skills.

Managers, and even recruiters, often value soft skills over hard skills. 61% of managers believe that
soft skills are more important. Soft skills are intangible but are crucial to career success. They
include listening and interpersonal communication, the ability to prioritize work, handling conflicts
and even having a positive attitude. Put yourself into as many situations as you can where you can
practice your soft skills, get feedback and improve.
6. Don't rush to get your MBA.

A lot of employees who are stuck, or believe an MBA will help them, jump the gun and quit their
jobs. The study found that only 10% of managers believe an advanced degree is required for
advancement. There are certain fields where you need one, such as accounting, but for the most part,
you don't. An MBA takes a lot of time, time that you could be spending gaining work experience. If
you're determined to learn new skills, try an online class or two.
Want To Be Taken Seriously? Become a Better Writer
The number of poorly written emails, resumes and blog posts I come across each month is both
staggering and saddening. Their grammar is awful. There are dozens of misspellings. Language is
much wordier or more complex than necessary. Some things I read literally make no sense at all to
me.
Writing is a lost art, and many professionals don’t realize how essential a job skill it is. Even if
you’re not a writer by trade, every time you click "Publish" on a blog, "Post" on a LinkedIn update, or
"Send" on an email, you are putting your writing out into the world.
Your writing is a reflection of your thinking. Clear, succinct, convincing writing will differentiate you
as a great thinker and a valuable asset to your team.
If you want to be thought of as a smart thinker, you must become a better writer. If you want to be
taken seriously by your manager, colleagues, potential employers, clients and prospects, you must
become a better writer.
It's not just you who must become a better writer- it’s all of us. I'll be the first to admit, I too have had
to learn to become a better writer. So here are five ways that I've become a better writer over the last
several years:
1) Practice, practice, practice.

The old joke comes to mind: A tourist in New York asked a woman on the street, “How do I get to
Carnegie Hall?” and she replied, “Practice, practice, practice.” The truth is, the best way to get better
at anything is to do it repeatedly. Write a personal blog or begin that novel you’ve always wanted to
write. Offer to write some content for your company’s marketing team. Write a short, interesting
LinkedIn update each day. The more you write, the better you’ll become at writing. That's why I write
on LinkedIn every Monday and Thursday, no matter what.
2) Say it out loud.

I read all of my articles and books out loud before I publish them, and many of my emails out loud as
well. It’s great to hear my writing the way others will “hear” it as they read. Especially since tone in
emails is difficult to convey, it’s valuable to say what you’re writing aloud, and then consider a quick
edit, before you put it out there.
3) Make it more concise.

Less is often more, so during my editing process, I’ll often ask, “How can I say the same thing in
fewer words?” People don’t have time to read a long email, or memo, or article, so out of respect for
your intended audience, practice making your writing short and sweet. I’d even argue that tweeting
has helped me a lot with this, as it obviously limits you to 140 characters. If you’re not on Twitter yet,
this is another reason to get tweeting.
4) Work on your headlines.

A mentor once told me that 50% of your writing is the headline. So, spend equal time and energy
working on your headline as you do the piece itself. Whether it’s the headline of a blog post or an
inter-office memo, or a subject line for an email to a sales prospect, your headlines will either grab
your reader’s attention, and get them interested in what you have to say, or not. Lists and questions
work very well as headlines and subject lines. Practice them.
5) Read.
Besides practicing writing, the number one way to improve your writing skills is to read great work. I
read at least one book per month, at least 20 articles per week, and countless tweets, Facebook posts
and emails per day. I know we all have limited time, but truly the best way to become a better writer
is to become a better reader.
These are my methods for becoming a better writer. We can all become better writers, gain influence
thanks to our written words, and get more of what we want in our careers and in our lives.
The Most Important Phrase You'll Ever Say in a Meeting
photo via Stock Free Images
The most important phrase you'll ever say in a meeting isn't "Please" or "Thank you." It isn't "How are
you?" to open the meeting or "What are the next steps?" to close the meeting. No, the most important
phrase you'll ever say in a meeting is:
How can I help you?
My father-in-law taught me to show your friendship first. There's no better way to show that you care
about the person you're meeting with than to genuinely, authentically ask her what you can do to help.
There are two possibilities when you ask how you can help:
1) The person will tell you, thereby giving you an opportunity to help, after which the person you
helped will feel compelled to return the favor, and help you.
2) The person won't tell you, instead politely declining, but then she will still feel like you care, and
will be emotionally invested in helping you.
Either way, establishing that you care and that you're there to help is a powerful emotional bond. It's a
paradox, I know - you're not meeting with someone to find out how you can help, you're likely
meeting to get something sold, or bought, or done. But it's through helping that you'll gain trust, and
eventually, influence.
Nine months ago, Michael Kislin, a financial advisor, met with me for the first time, and asked me,
"How can I help you?" I told him about my startup venture Likeable Local, and said I could use some
introductions to technology investors. He asked me a bunch of questions to learn more, and soon after,
introduced me to several people he thought could help me. Then I called him to thank him, and thought
to ask him to tell me more about what he did. I soon became a client of Michael's.
Three weeks ago, I met with an employee for a 1-on-1 for the first time, and asked her, "How can I
help you?" She told me how I could help make her job easier, more productive and more efficient. I
helped her, and now she's more productive than ever before.
If it seems simple, it is. It doesn't matter whether it's a customer, a prospect, or a colleague you're
meeting with - we all like to be cared about, and we all can use some help. Just make sure you're
genuine, never contrived, and ask in your next meeting, "How can I help you?"
7 Simple Steps to Reinventing You
photo via Dorie Clark
16 years ago, I was a ballpark vendor. 12 years ago, I was a radio salesperson. 10 years ago, I was a
reality TV contestant. 8 years ago, I was a middle school math teacher. 2 years ago, I was a social
media agency CEO. Today, I’m a software startup company CEO.
I’ve reinvented myself professionally at least five times over the past 15 years – some more dramatic
reinventions than others. Perhaps I get bored easily – or perhaps I’m just passionately curious about a
lot of things. Whatever the reason, I’ve been fortunate to have a wide variety of stimulating
opportunities in my career so far.
People used to work for 40 years at the same company, and then retire. Those days are almost entirely
over, and more and more people today by choice or by necessity are pursuing multiple jobs, careers,
and industries throughout their lives.
Whether you are bored or curious, a victim of layoffs or the economy, or just looking for something
new and exciting, the opportunities are limitless today in the global economy. But in order to make
that career change, you’ll have to embrace the concept of reinvention. I sat down with Dorie Clark,
one of the country’s leading experts on branding and reinvention and the author of Reinventing You:
Define Your Brand, Imagine Your Future. I asked Dorie for seven tips.
Here are seven simple steps in order to reinvent yourself professionally:
1. Understand how you’re currently perceived. Many of us think we have this down – but it’s easy
to miss something. Google yourself and specifically ask: if this were the only information someone
had about me, what impression would she get? It can also be helpful to do your own “360
interviews,” where you specifically ask your boss, trusted co-workers, and colleagues where you’re
strong and where you should be focusing more. No, they may not be transparent, but it’s a lot better
feedback than you’re likely to get without asking at all.
2. Test-drive your path. Don’t jump right into a reinvention. If you’re thinking of trying a new
career or job, take small steps to see if it’s a good fit. You can join a nonprofit board to learn new
skills (like finance or marketing), or shadow a professional for a day to see what her job is like.
3. Look for mentors. Many people look for the classic mentor archetype – an older professional
sagely guiding you – and get disappointed when they don’t find one. Instead, broaden your viewpoint
and develop a group of mentors. They don’t have to be older; it can be anyone you admire and would
like to learn from. I formed an Advisory Board of 11 mentors a year ago – and it’s been hugely
successful.
4. Don’t be afraid to go backwards temporarily. When you reinvent yourself, you may have to
downshift in the short term – maybe taking a pay cut in a new field, or having to take on additional
projects to prove yourself. Don’t stress out: if you’re moving in the direction you want to go, it’ll pay
off in the long term.
5. Use social media to build connections. Social media is the great equalizer- you can send anyone a
tweet or comment on their blog, and they’re likely to respond back. When you’re entering a new field
(or a higher echelon of your current one), relationships are everything, and social media can help you
develop them rapidly.
6. Show what you know. As “knowledge workers,” it can sometimes be hard to demonstrate what
we’re really capable of. So act like an artist and develop your own portfolio. Start a blog or find
other ways to create content (white papers, podcasts, a great Twitter feed) and let the world see what
you care about, what you know about and what your perspective is.
7. Get a wingman. Psychology research shows (no surprise) that people who talk about their own
accomplishments are viewed unfavorably; no one likes a braggart. But if someone else touts your
accomplishments, you’re golden. So find a like-minded friend or colleague and make a pact to talk
each other up. You’re likely to notice an immediate difference, as more people become aware of your
skills, abilities, and accomplishments.
Reinventing you might not be easy – but in the end, it will be well worth it to move on in your career
to something you’re more passionate about. And thanks to the Internet and social media, it’s easier
than ever to get started on the reinvention process. Start with these seven steps – and here’s to the
new you!
How to Work with a Jerk
photo via AV Club
These days, I’m an entrepreneur, so even though I don't have a boss, from time to time I've had to
work with people I don't love. In fact, recently I began working with someone that I can only (nicely)
call a total jerk. We'll call him Al to protect the guilty in this article.
Al is the kind of person who hates babies and kittens and is never happy. Al demands a lot of
everyone around him at work. Al is often if not always critical, and is never one to praise or
compliment coworkers and employees. It's always "Al's way or the highway." When I talked to
someone at his company about Al, I was told, "Get in line. Nobody can stand the guy. But he's here
because he gets results."
Do you know anyone like "Al"?
I've had the good fortune of building my own companies over the last seven years, and have worked
very hard to build a likeable, positive, fun corporate culture at both, so it's been awhile since I've
worked with a jerk. I could complain endlessly about working with a jerk, but the truth is,
complaining won't change anything, for me, or for any of you out there who currently work with or for
a jerk.
So instead, let's look at three suggestions for making work with a jerk, easier, for you and for me:
1) Seek to Understand Where The Jerk is Coming From
I studied psychology in college, and love using what I learned to better understand people. I also truly
believe in the inherent goodness of people. Maybe my jerk was constantly criticized as a child by his
parents. Maybe nothing is ever good enough for his wife. Maybe someone else at the company is
instilling these values and there's a lot of pressure on him to perform. Even if you can't understand
exactly why your jerk acts how he/she does, by simply trying to understand, you'll humanize him
more, which will help you deal with him.
2) Shower the Jerk with Positivity
It never hurts to be positive. Never. Begin and end your interactions with the jerk with a smile. Send
handwritten thank you notes. I even sent Al a box of chocolates. Being super friendly and positive
likely won't change the jerk at all, or make him appreciate you more, or be kinder to you. But it will
put you in a better mindset to deal with him/her. It will make you happier — and in the end, that's
what matters most.
3) Talk to Others and Consider Your Options
I often talk with people who are in difficult work situations, that don't see themselves as having
options. You have a mortgage to pay. You don't have other skills. You've been working there forever,
and it's all you know. The truth is, you always have options. If you're working with or for a jerk and
the situation is making you miserable, seek out other options. Talk (carefully) to other people who
work with or for the jerk and get their insights. Eventually, the jerks will be out of business, and you
will be able to rise above when you're dealing with now. But if you can't wait, seek out other non-
jerks now.
You spend more of your waking life at work than you do anywhere else, so it's important that you
work with and for people you like and respect. Ultimately, choose to work with those people, and
you'll be happier. But in the meantime, if you're stuck with a jerk - seek to understand, be positive,
talk to others, and consider all of your options.
17 Things You Should Never Say to Your Boss
photo via Entrepeneur
"Leave me alone!"
I said it to my boss at Radio Disney many years ago. I was a young, very high-performing
salesperson, and he was my sales manager. Even though I was generating huge sales numbers, I was
often late to work, or meetings, and every morning, as I passed by his office, he would look down at
his watch and shake his head disapprovingly.
I knew I was wrong to be late, but I got increasingly frustrated by his looking down at that watch, his
complaints to me, and his lack of positive recognition about my sales accomplishments. So one day,
after coming in at 9:05, just 5 minutes late, and seeing him look down at that watch again, I marched
right into his office and told him to leave me alone.
I got sent home that day by my boss. We eventually mended things, and came to an understanding
about how important punctuality was to him, and how important positive feedback was to me. But our
relationship was never totally mended.
Fifteen years later, now I am a boss, and have had my share of interesting things said to me. I believe
all leaders and managers should try to keep an open mind and encourage open communication from
all of their reports. Still, perhaps there are some things better left unsaid? To find out the answers to
this question, I asked 17 young "bosses" -- leaders from The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) --
what the worst thing they'd ever been told is. Here are their answers, or what not to say to your
boss, followed by my own personal answer to the question:
1. 'I Am Just Here for the Money'

photo via YEC
In China, it is very common for a lot of employees to work just for the money. This means they will
leave if you fail to give them a raise or if their peers start to make a lot more money than they do. Our
interview process has filtered this as much as possible but if we hear through the "grapevine" that the
person is just doing the job for the money we will let them go very quickly.
- Derek Capo, CEO and Founder, Next Step China
2. 'You Never Told Me to Do It'

photo via YEC
When something important doesn't get done, the worst thing you can say is, "You never asked me to do
it." There are few better ways to neglect yourself of that promotion, a raise, or even job security.
- Ken Cauley, President, Advanced Media
3. 'There's Something Wrong'

photo via YEC
It's easy to complain about what's wrong. It's hard to come up with solutions to fix the problem. My
former manager at LivingSocial said, "Be a problem solver, not spotter," and I've taken this advice to
heart in my everyday life. If you see a problem, don't address the situation with what's wrong; address
the situation with an answer. If you don't have a real solution, wait until you do.
- Sarah Ware, Markerly
4. 'I Want to Do What's Easiest'

photo via YEC
We have a client who had an employee literally explain that he would rather do a particularly menial
task than the task that the employer had assigned because it would be easier for him. We were
shocked. This is the most explicit way to alert your boss that you don't care about improving your
skill set without directly telling him. Never do this if you care about your career!
- Patrick Conley, Founder / CEO, Automation Heroes
5. 'That Takes Up Too Much Time'

photo via YEC
Through the years, we have had many operational restructurings that have required large amounts of
data to be filtered and edited or re-formatted in some manner. There's nothing worse than an
employee who complains about the amount of time required to move the company to the next level.
- Laura Land, CFO / COO, Accessory Export, LLC
6. 'I Could Be Doing Other Things'

photo via YEC
Bratty much? Don't complain about your job. If you hate it, quit. If there's something wrong with it,
find a way to fix it. If someone or something is really ticking you off, don't project your anger onto
others, especially not your boss. If it's a good job, be grateful for it. If you want more out of your job,
make it happen. Be diplomatic about it and make it your dream job, or leave.
- Danny Wong, Co-founder, Blank Label
7. 'I Promise to Do That'

photo via YEC
Don't ever tell your boss you're able to do something if you know you may not be able to deliver. It is
better to be honest, ask for advice and have a proactive attitude. If you fail to deliver, then it has
negative repercussions for the business, which is taken much more seriously.
- Christopher Pruijsen, Co-Founder / Partnerships, Afrostart.io
8. 'It's Too Difficult'

photo via YEC
I get fired up when someone is paralyzed and doesn’t complete a task because it’s difficult or because
few others have done it. We’re a disruptive company that has to innovate, that has to do things few
have done before us. One of my advisors here has a quote: “If it were easy, everyone would be doing
it.” We won’t win if we don’t think big.
- Marcos Cordero, Chief Gradsaver, GradSave, LLC
9. 'I Agree to Disagree'

photo via YEC
Whether it is said explicitly or passive-aggressively, this mindset has no place in startup culture.
Those who have this mindset should either found their own startups or go work in big corporate
America where this goes unnoticed. At a startup, you're either all the way in or all the way out.
- Danny Boice, Co-Founder & CTO, Speek
10. 'I Don't Have an Opinion'

photo via YEC
The people who just sit and nod their heads are the ones who are expendable. If you want to make an
impression as a valuable member of the team, offer your insights. No one ever agrees with his boss
100 percent all the time, so make your opinion known if you have something worth saying.
- Nick Friedman, President, College Hunks Hauling Junk and College Hunks Moving
11. 'I Can't'

photo via YEC
I don’t want to hear excuses ever! We focus on hiring can-do, positive, creative employees with
passion, drive and determination.
- Kuba Jewgieniew, Founder and CEO, Realty ONE Group
12. 'I'm Not Optimistic'

photo via YEC
The most important thing for any team member is to stay optimistic. Being a pessimist and doubting
the future of the company is a real downer. There is nothing wrong with being realistic; however,
people who are melancholy suck the life out of an early-stage company and cannot last long.
- Raoul Davis, CEO, Ascendant Group
13. 'I'm Clocked Out'

photo via YEC
There is nothing more discouraging to an entrepreneur than when an employee says he is not willing
to go the extra mile because he isn't "clocked in." We remind our employees that they work for a
young company and they are in control of their own careers. Acting within the status quo never gets
you to the top!
- Darren Solomon, President, Kid Ventures
14. 'That's Not My Responsibility'

photo via YEC
It’s critical that everyone feels invested in the success of all areas of the business. Everyone should
be willing to pitch in, even if what’s required isn’t part of their normal day-to-day activities.
- Robert J. Moore, Co-Founder and CEO, RJMetrics
15. 'That's Not My Job'

photo via YEC
Your responsibilities aren't limited to what was listed in your original job description -- especially at
a startup. Unless your boss is asking you to do something illegal or unethical, you should do it.
- Mary Ellen Slayter, Founder/Managing Director, Reputation Capital
16. 'I Don't Like Working for Other People'

photo via YEC
An employee actually told me that he didn't like working for other people. That person doesn't work
for me anymore!
- Andrew Angus, CEO, Switch Video
17. 'I'm Not Working Hard'

photo via YEC
I never want to know that someone who works for me isn’t working hard. People can disagree with
me, and I’m fine to hear criticism. I’ll never lose respect for anyone because he disagrees with me or
because they failed. I don’t want to know if someone is giving less than their best effort or that
someone lied. I have high expectations of people when it comes to their work ethic.
- Dries Buytaert, Co-founder and CTO, Drupal
As for me? I can actually handle, even encourage, most of the statements above being said to me,
because as long as they're honest, they'll help me build a better company and help my employees find
their place, either at one of my companies or elsewhere. I'd rather know what people really think, so I
encourage people to feel comfortable saying anything to me. The one thing I think you should never
say to me or your boss? A lie. In employee - manager relations, honesty is as important as it is
anywhere.
Always tell the truth to your boss, and never tell a lie.
Lies are too risky - not only to your relationship with your boss, but to your relationship with
yourself.
17 Things the Boss Should Never Say
photo via Nupe Magazine
"Please, Sarah, you've got to be friendlier on the phones!"
As soon as I said it, several years ago to one of my employees, I felt horrible. It wasn't so much that I
had said it- it was how I said it, in front of other employees. Sarah began to tear up, I pulled her aside
and apologized, but the damage had been done.
Leaders must be sensitive to the fact that the whole team is looking up to them. Everything the boss
says is magnified because it's the boss saying it. I just shared 17 Things You Should Never Say to
Your Boss, so now, I turned the tables, asking 17 bosses from fast-growing what they thought the
worst thing they could say to their staff is. Here are their answers- the 17 things the boss should never
say - followed by mine:
1. "That Client Drives Me Nuts!"

photo via YEC
We all experience crazy deadlines in a high-pressure environment. Passing along our feelings of
stress to our staff can cause them to feel less motivated working for a particular client. Make sure
they don't lose sight of the fact that every single client is equally important, even if you have an 80/20
portfolio.
- Vinny Antonio, President, Victory Marketing Agency
2. "I'm the Boss!"

photo via YEC
No one wants to work for an organization that doesn't respect their commitment level or humanity. If
your co-workers wanted to take orders, they would have joined the army. Unless you are the military,
avoid pulling rank. Every decision is a dialogue. Even if you do have the final say and aren't in full
agreement (which is probable), don't make "I'm the boss" the ultimate reason for any decision.
- Geoffrey Stenrick, President, SimpleRay
3. "I'm Too Busy"

photo via YEC
This statement is terse and shows a lack of empathy to the needs of your staff. It also makes your
employees feel that what they are doing is not that important. Instead of telling them you're too busy,
try asking them to come back at a specific time when you do have availability. This gives them
confidence that they have your ear, your respect, and your sincere care about the work they are
doing.
- Joshua Konowe, Founder & CEO, Uppidy
4. "What's the Latest Gossip?"

photo via YEC
When you're running a company, you set the tone for the workplace culture. If you gossip about staff
members, it tells your staff that it's okay to gossip, which ultimately sets up a toxic environment for
team relationships. Leave the gossip at the door.
- Allie Siarto, Co-Founder, Director of Insights, Loudpixel
5. "What's Wrong With You?"

photo via YEC
It's easy to get frustrated when your staff does something incorrectly but this question goes right to the
heart of their competencies. It not only assumes that they have a fundamental flaw but it conveys that
you've lost all trust in their abilities. It's only downhill from there.
- Kelly Azevedo, Founder, She's Got Systems
6. "You're the Only One Having a Problem"

photo via YEC
This will only isolate your employees. It will break your staff down and make them feel alone. I
believe that a majority of the time, if you were to google a question or problem, you will find many
others have similar issues and concerns, and are truly seeking an answer.
- George Mavromaras, Founder and President, Mavro Inc. | Praetor Global LLC
7. "I Don't Care About That"

photo via YEC
You need to care about every aspect of your business -- small or large. If you let you staff know that
you don't care about something, why should they? Treat every aspect of your business the same and
your staff will have more pride in their work.
- Josh Weiss, Founder and President, Bluegala
8. "Do What I Won't"

photo via YEC
As business owners and bosses, we need to be willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.
Never ask an employee to do something you wouldn't do yourself. If I'm assigning a somewhat
overwhelming or complicated task, I always make sure to offer myself as a helper or resource.
Follow the guideline of leading by example. Get in the trenches with your employees if need be.
- Laura Land, CFO / COO, Accessory Export, LLC
9. "Don't Argue With Me"

photo via YEC
No boss should dissuade their staff from arguing or disagreeing with them. Sometimes you may be
wrong, and it's important to get that insight from your staff. Hearing their thoughts and ideas is crucial
to building a business.
- Ben Lang, Founder, Mapped In Israel
10. "We've Always Done it This Way"

photo via YEC
Just because something's been done a certain way for months or years doesn't mean that it's the best
way to approach a problem. Empower your staff to think of new solutions. Openness breeds
creativity, which in turn breeds innovation. And startups need all the innovation they can get,
regardless of whether it comes from the CEO or an intern.
- David Adelman, Founder and CEO, Reel Tributes
11. "Just Let Me Do It"

photo via YEC
You can’t grow your company by doing everything yourself. If you feel you have to step in every time
things get hard, your staff will never learn to be self-sufficient. Give everyone a chance to succeed
and encourage management to do the same. You will build a stronger company.
- Robert Delossantos, CEO, Sky High Party Rentals
12. "You're Doing Okay"

photo via YEC
When an employee asks for feedback, never tell them they're doing an okay or fine job. Asking for
feedback is a sign of potential; a desire to grow, change and get better. We typically have a good
sense of what we're good at, but we don't always know what we can do better. Telling someone
"you're doing fine" without giving the gift of improvement is a hugely missed opportunity.
- Susan Strayer LaMotte, Founder, exaqueo
13. "This is MY Company"

photo via YEC
That may very well be true on paper, but you won't be much of a leader if you don't have any willing
"followers." Being "in charge" is like being "cool" -- if you have to say you are, you're not.
- Mary Ellen Slayter, Founder/Managing Director, Reputation Capital
14. "It's Your Problem"

photo via YEC
Maintaining an attitude of shared responsibilities with your employees is important to order to create
the best experience and generate the best work. If an employee knows you feel personally involved in
all tasks, they view their own work as being a valued part of a larger effort.
- Michael Mayernick, Co-founder, Spinnakr
15. "This is Just a Small Client / Sale"

photo via YEC
Teaching your staff to treat the high-paying clients or the big sales differently than smaller ones is a
huge mistake. This sets up your company not only for bad customer service but also for arguments
amongst your staff over who gets to work on which accounts.
- Caitlin McCabe, Founder & CEO, Real Bullets Branding
16. "We Just Need PR"

photo via YEC
Although PR is important, the staff should always be working to improve the product. Placing the
focus on only needing PR insinuates that the product is complete and success is out of everyone's
control. Never make your staff feel like anything is out of their control.
- Phil Chen, Co-Founder / Principle Systems Architect, Givit
17. "I Don't Care What You Think"

photo via YEC
This sentence can end many different ways. It could be "I don't care what you think," or "I don't care if
that's what XX does." Regardless of how the sentence ends, "I don't care" is a phrase that shuts down
conversations rather than encouraging dialogue. It suggests you aren't open to considering others or
their ideas. Exercising your role of power unnecessarily leads to a negative workplace.
- Andrew Angus, CEO, Switch Video
These 17 things may not be the best things a boss can say to their team, but to me, the most important
factor is tone, and the circumstances under which the boss is speaking. I'm a huge support of positive
public praise: the more public praise I can give to individuals on our teams, the better. But if I ever
have anything critical to say, or even anything that could possible be seen as critical by anyone in the
room, I've learned the importance of making that conversation private. Because when the boss speaks,
good, bad or ugly, people do pay attention.
The Tech-Free Secret to Business Success
As an entrepreneur in technology, I’m attached to my tech devices. You’ll rarely find me without my
iPhone, iPad, and laptop computer, and you can catch me Tweeting, Facebooking and emailing at all
hours of the day and night.
But my secret method of business communication, and arguably my most effective, is the lowest-tech
tool you can imagine:
Handwritten “Thank You “cards.
Every morning, I hand write three or four thank you cards before I arrive at work, and then mail them
out that day. I send the notes to employees, clients, prospects, vendors, partners and the media.
Essentially, I send them to anyone I met with or spoke to the previous day, or that I haven’t spoken to
in a while.
The practice began several months ago after I interviewed two CEO’s whom I admire - Cary
Chessick, the former CEO of Restaurant.com and current CEO of Positivity, and Sheldon Yellen,
CEO of Belfor. They each shared remarkable daily habits with me: Cary begins each day by writing
down 10 things and people he’s thankful for, while Sheldon sends handwritten birthday cards to all of
his employees. (And at 6,000 employees, that’s about 16 notes/day!)
Inspired by Cary and Sheldon, I decided to try writing thank you notes myself. I knew the challenge,
as with many things, would be in habitualizing the activity. So, I began by writing one card per week,
then increased to five cards per week, and finally, three cards per day.
Writing thank you cards has led to greater success for me for two reasons, one of which was totally
unexpected:
1) Writing thank you cards shows people you care about them. In today’s time-starved world, it’s
much easier to send an email thank you, or a text, or a tweet. It’s invasive to make a phone call. It’s
harder, and more time-consuming, to handwrite a note, put it in an envelope, stamp it, address it, and
send it. When employees receive the cards, they feel appreciated, and it helps us build a strong
culture. When clients and prospects receive the cards, they also feel appreciated, and it gives them
another reason to continue to do business with us. In fact, Donors Choose, a favorite nonprofit of
mine, found in a controlled study that donors who received handwritten thank you cards were 38%
more likely to give a second donation, and when they did, they gave more money on average as well.
2) Writing thank you cards makes you feel good. This was the unexpected result. As much as I enjoy
the feedback from people when they receive my cards, I realized that even if I never got that feedback
– even if the cards got lost in the mail- they’d be worth writing, because of the mood it puts me in. It’s
amazing – as I write the notes each morning on the train into my office, I feel grateful – then joyful –
then truly ready to take on the world by the time I get to work. It’s very difficult to feel both upset and
grateful at once. In fact, there’s extensive research that shows that feeling gratitude actually improves
emotional and physical health. I’d argue it leads to better productivity at work as well.
My commitment to thank you cards was recently put to the test one morning. My first company,
Likeable Media, had just lost a $500,000 client the day before – I was in a horrible mood, as you can
imagine, and I just didn’t feel like going through my thank you card routine on the train. Reluctantly, I
proceeded, and literally as I wrote the first note, I began to feel better. I wrote out five thank you
cards, and by the end of the train ride, I felt great.
Feeling great doesn’t always lead to business success. But as many salespeople will agree, it helps to
be full of positivity and energy. And that day, I ended up having a super productive, and even
profitable day at work. Perhaps it was a coincidence, but we even closed a very significant piece of
business later that day as well.
So I’ll continue, each morning, for 20 minutes, to put away all of my electronic communication
devices, turn to the original communication device – pen and paper – and write out some thank you
notes.
13 Must-Have Mobile Apps For Business
photo via CNET
I'm not sure about you, but I find myself using my smartphone more and more to conduct business, and
my laptop computer less and less. As all of us increasingly use our mobile phones for business,
mobile applications become not only helpful, but essential, to get work done fast and well. I asked
fellow members of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) what their favorite mobile apps for
business were, and these were their top 13:
photo via YEC
1. Contactually Contactually is my favorite business app. My business is all about relationships, and
Contactually makes it dead simple for me to follow up with leads and make introductions between my
clients. There have also been many upgrades to the app recently, which makes it best in sales in the
CRM class.
- Lawrence Watkins, Founder & CEO, Great Black Speakers
photo via YEC
2. Asana Asana has transformed our business. It connects the technical team with the marketing team.
It helps everyone understand the value they are contributing. It's a soft approach to holding everyone
accountable to both others and themselves. In startups, there is always more to do. Asana helps us
prioritize and organize everything we do. Both the website and mobile app are quite useful.
- Mitch Gordon, CEO/ Co-Founder, Go Overseas
photo via YEC
3. Basecamp If you use Basecamp to manage your team's projects, then the mobile app is a MUST.
On the road, you can check in on the status of projects, tasks of key team members, and even review
clients' input/approvals.
- Torrey Tayenaka, CEO / Co-Founder, Sparkhouse
photo via YEC
4. MobileDay MobileDay is an essential productivity app I use daily. MobileDay dials in and enters
your access code automatically. By pulling meetings from my calendar, MobileDay reminds me when
I have conference calls and enters them for me. What a time saver!
- Adam Lieb, Founder & CEO, Duxter
photo via YEC
5. SignNow SignNow is such a simple concept and has become my most-used third-party app. It
gives me the ability to sign documents on the go. The team can work quickly and efficiently no matter
where I am located around the world.
- Adam Cunningham , 87AM
photo via YEC
6. Square We do a full 80 percent of our sales on the road. We do this with the Square app. It is fast
and reliable, and our deposits are done daily with no monthly fees or transaction fees. It is just a set
percentage of the sale price, which works out to be much less expensive for us than what we were
paying with a merchant credit service.
- Jay Wu, Creator, Best Drug Rehabilitation
photo via YEC
7. WorkFlowy Entrepreneurs tend to be highly creative and, even when focused on a core business,
they tend to have lots of ideas and tasks in their minds! The key for me to staying organized is
WorkFlowy. It is like exporting your brain to a highly scalable, well-structured app. I keep
WorkFlowy open on my computer all day as my to-do list organizer and idea repository. The iOS
apps are phenomenal, too!
- Doreen Bloch, CEO / Founder, Poshly Inc.
photo via YEC
8. Skype I do a lot of business internationally and with TONS of freelancers. Skype is a lifesaver. If
anybody ever has questions, they just ping me. I can answer it from my iPhone whenever I need to and
from wherever.
- Travis Steffen, Founder, WorkoutBOX
photo via YEC
9. Yammer Our team members used to email each other small tasks, but at some point the flow of
conversations became overwhelming. We moved to Google Chat, but interruptions from friends take a
toll during the day as a little pop-up can disrupt your flow. Yammer allows our team to get the
benefits of quick chatting through our phones without the to-do of opening an email or the distraction
of a random conversation.
- Aaron Schwartz, Founder and CEO, Modify Watches
photo via YEC
10. TripIt Based in Seattle, life outside of the Valley and Madison Avenue is hardly recognized, so
it’s pertinent I make an effort to be present with peers, mentors and investors -- putting my company
on the map ... literally. With Tripit, I handle all of my travel details including booking, hotels and
meetings. In the spirit of a lean startup, sans human administration, this app is an employee
requirement. - Matt Ehrlichman, CEO, Porch
photo via YEC
11. Genius Scan No one could figure out how to use the "all-in-one" printer/scanner in our office,
but when we discovered Genius Scan, that all changed. From saving notes to signing legal documents,
it's simply the easiest way to scan anything. I paid $2.99 for the upgrade and can sync directly with
Dropbox.
- Ryan Buckley, COO & Co-founder, Scripted, Inc.
photo via YEC
12. Shoeboxed I'm terrible -- I mean really terrible -- with receipts. With Shoeboxed, I'm able to
take a photo after every business meal or purchase, add a note and then never worry about the paper
again. It's a huge advantage, and It has also made compliance and tax time much less stressful.
- Sean Ogle, Founder, Location 180, LLC
photo via YEC
13. HipChat We live in a virtual world today, and our team of eight is spread across four different
time zones, with one traveling in the mountains of Canada. To make sure everyone feels close to each
other and is on top of things, we've brought in HipChat as our virtual mobile water cooler and private
team rooms. Everything from chitchat to strategic discussions has its own place once we've "stepped
into the office."
- W. Michael Hsu, Founder & CEO, DeepSky
6 Secrets to Better Networking at Conferences
photo via Likeable Media
In March 2009, at the SXSW conference in Austin, Texas, I attended dozens of sessions and parties
and met hundreds of people. But it was a chance meeting with Guy Kawasaki on the trade show floor
that had the most impact for me. I saw him, ran up to him and introduced myself, and offered to help
him in any way I could to promote his latest book. We exchanged info, and since then, the uber-
successful Guy has become a great mentor and friend to me.
Many business professionals spend time every year attending conferences. I've attended and spoken at
over 200 conferences in the last fifteen years. And while it's great to be inspired and to learn at
conferences, the most valuable asset of a conference is the people you meet and the relationships you
can form and nurture. I've met dozens of people at conferences who have had a tremendous impact on
my career and life, including Guy Kawasaki, Sheryl Sandberg, Jeffrey Hayzlett, and Randi
Zuckerberg. On the heels of one of the most important conferences of the year, D11: All Things
Digital, here are five secrets to better networking at conferences:
1) Research speakers and attendees ahead of time - and reach out.

A week or two before the conference, look at the speaker list and, if available, the attendee list.
Research the people you'd most like to meet and spend time with, and then reach out via email,
Twitter or LinkedIn. Figure out how you can truly help them - and then offer your help. By showing
your friendship first, you'll be differentiating yourself from everyone else, who just wants to get
something from them. Set up a 10-15 minute meeting over coffee or a drink. That way, you won't have
to scramble and compete to get their attention once at the conference.
2) Use social media to connect with and compliment the speakers.

Chances are, you want to meet and network with speakers even more than with fellow attendees. But
so does everyone else. One of the best ways to grab a speaker's attention is to engage with him or her
on Twitter before the conference, and pay him/her a genuine compliment before or during the speech.
I'll often then send a private message on Twitter to set up a meeting, so that I don't have to fight
through the crowd after his/her speech for 2 meaningless seconds of conversation.
3) Skip a panel or two and hang out in the break room.

As valuable as the content of a conference can be, if you're there to meet people, it can be more
valuable to hang out outside the panels, in the break room, trade show floor, or by the coffee or
snacks. There, you'll have more time to meet people - a speaker who's just arrived, or an attendee
who stepped out to take a phone call, or a sponsor you might be able to partner with. Most
conferences have built-in breaks and networking time, which can be very valuable. But consider
making more of this time for yourself - you can always get the notes from that panel later.
4) Forget just giving out business cards - collect them.

The traditional thinking for conferences is "Bring lots of business cards to hand out to everyone you
meet." I bring my business cards to conferences. But I'd rather be in control of who I connect with -
collecting cards from the people I most want to stay in touch with. So, do ask each person you meet
for his/her card- and then, do connect with them on LinkedIn - either after the conference, or right then
and there. Always include a personal message when connecting.
5) Ask meaningful questions of the people you meet.

Everyone else is asking, "Where are you from?" and "Where do you work?" and other small talk at
conferences. Larry Benet taught me to ask better questions, such as "What are you most passionate
about?" and "What charity do you care most about?" and "Who at this conference would you most
like to be connected with?" That way, you get people talking about something they really care about,
and you can form a more meaningful relationship faster. Of course, the most important question you
can ask of someone is, "How can I help you?" When you ask these questions, listen well, and be
genuinely interested. This will make a difference for you.
6) Have a signature style.

I have 21 pairs of orange sneakers and shoes, and I wear one to every conference I speak at or attend.
It's noticeable, it's memorable, and it's a often a conversation starter. It was my orange shoes that got
the attention of a prominent investor at a conference recently, who ended up funding my new company.
Of course, this doesn't mean you should go out and buy orange sneakers - but you should think about
how you can differentiate yourself. Whether it's a certain color tie you wear, signature earrings, or a
blazer - having a signature look will help you stand out from the masses at conferences, meet more
people, and be remembered.
Above all else, when you attend a conference, have concrete goals in mind for your networking in
advance, be both interesting and interested, and spend time to get to know people and help them. If
you follow these simple tips, you'll be able to meet more people and get more out of each conference
you attend.
9 Networking Secrets From a Superconnector
photo via YEC
Scott Gerber is a superconnector. He knows a lot of people, and he works hard to introduce the right
ones to each other. Recently profiled in Fast Company, Scott, pictured here with co-founder Ryan
Paugh of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), is the author of Never Get a Real Job. But he's
practically made a job out of connecting others. I met Scott about a year ago, through the YEC, and
also know him through our investments together in Gen Y Capital. In just a year, Scott's been
instrumental in connecting me to an investor, to a business partner, and three times to the media.
Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point, one of my favorite books, defined "connectors" as "the
people in a community who know large numbers of people and who are in the habit of making
introductions." Scott is such a connector. In fact, he's the best networker I've ever met, so I asked
Scott for his tips about how to network.
The secrets are out, below:
1. Always be thinking about the other person, not personal gain.

Other people come first. Since most people are concerned with their own personal gain, you'll
quickly stand out. Albert Einstein once said, "Strive not to be a person of success, but a person of
value."
2. Build a network around an idea that people believe in.
They have to believe strongly enough to build trust, a foundation and a core value system. YEC is the
example for Scott. This makes it more powerful because everyone participates based on their shared
mission. It also establishes a baseline that everyone can identify with that removes small talk and the
usual 'walls' by establishing camaraderie among strangers.
3. Maximize access.
By connecting others to access, you're providing value-added service. Access is everything. And you
can then surround yourself with people that want to work with you.
4. Don't go for meaningless "numbers."

Baseball cards might be nice to collect a lot of, but fans and followers are people. Authentic
relationships are the key. (Numbers are useful for a personal brand, but not super-connecting.)
5. Systematize it.
Create a system for your contacts and review it weekly. Scott uses a list and reviews weekly to keep
what people need top of mind (but use whatever system works best for you).
6. Always be connecting.
Put yourself out there. Dinners, lunches, teas, cocktail parties and even seemingly random events are
all opportunities to connect. Be available, be visible, and be helpful.
7. Dedicate real and meaningful time.

This is not just a task on a to-do list. This becomes a lifestyle. You need to spend real time with
others, really listen to their stories, their needs, and their passions, and really care about bringing
value to others without any regard for immediate or future gain.
8. Be a hybrid.
Being able to connect different worlds is crucial, especially as business becomes more hybrid-based
(i.e. ed-tech or fashion tech). Knowing people in your own industry is great, but it will become more
common for people to need assistance and partnerships beyond their traditional boundaries and
comfort zones. Those who can connect the dots across industries will become even more valuable.
9. Above all else, be there to help people.

I've written before that, "How can I help you?" is the most important phrase you'll say in a meeting.
It's also the most important phrase for a superconnector.
This year, I attended and delivered the closing keynote speech at an excellent conference called
Social Media Marketing World. I had not one but two amazing experiences with other
superconnectors. First, the opening keynote speaker, Larry Benet of Sang Events for speakers and
authors, met me and was immediately interested in how he could help me, and who he could connect
me to for help. I particularly loved that within the first five minutes of meeting him, Larry had asked
me what charity was most important to me and why.
Then, I met a man named Ian Cleary of Razor Social. Upon meeting me, Ian asked, "How can I help
you right this minute?" He couldn't connect me to anyone right at that minute, but I thought I'd
challenge him, so I told him I could really use more followers on Angel List for my new startup. An
hour later, Ian had followed me - along with five others. But the kicker came at lunch the next day. I
saw Ian sitting down, but I was running out of battery on my iPhone, as usual, and so as I sat down to
a table, I thought better of it, and remarked, "I'll be back - let me go charge my cell phone first."
"Hold on there, Dave," remarked Ian. "Try my Mophie portable battery charger." The man had
portable battery chargers for nearly every phone model in his backpack. Now that's a superconnector!
Ian, Larry, and Scott are all superconnectors who have connected me to help and to people. Now, I'm
excited to help and connect them when they need it. And now that the secrets are out- like Scott
Gerber, YOU too can be a superconnector.
How to Turn Your Weaknesses Into Strengths
photo via American Express
We all have weaknesses, and we tend to try to work on eliminating them - on changing ourselves in
order to become better. But change is difficult- very difficult. What if instead of trying to eliminate
our weaknesses, we embraced them for what they were?
Several months ago, my friend Ben Rosner, CEO of e-home and a fellow member of Entrepreneur's
Organization, led an activity on weaknesses and strengths with my EO Forum group, based on the
excellent Freak Factor manifesto by David Rendall. I found the activity to be so insightful and
inspiring, I did the activity with my team at Likeable Local - and then with our team at Likeable
Media. I thought I'd share it with you here as well:
Think about your biggest weaknesses at work and in life. What qualities are you most unhappy about?
Of the following list of 16 typical weaknesses, look carefully and choose the three that resonate most
with you:
1) Disorganized
2) Inflexible
3) Stubborn
4) Inconsistent
5) Obnoxious
6) Emotionless
7) Shy
8) Irresponsible
9) Boring
10) Unrealistic
11) Negative
12) Intimidating
13) Weak
14) Arrogant
15) Indecisive
16) Impatient
Got your three biggest weaknesses? Great. (Don't be too depressed, the rest of this activity is more
fun). Next, look at this list, find the same three weaknesses, and look at the traits to the right of each of
your three biggest weaknesses:
1) Disorganized ---> Creative
2) Inflexible ---> Organized
3) Stubborn ---> Dedicated
4) Inconsistent ---> Flexible
5) Obnoxious ---> Enthusiastic
6) Emotionless ---> Calm
7) Shy ---> Reflective
8) Irresponsible ---> Adventurous
9) Boring ---> Responsible
10) Unrealistic ---> Positive
11) Negative ---> Realistic
12) Intimidating ---> Assertive
13) Weak ---> Humble
14) Arrogant ---> Self-Confident
15) Indecisive ---> Patient
16) Impatient ---> Passionate
The three qualities to the right of your three weaknesses are all strengths.
Hidden in your weaknesses are your strengths.
Every weakness has a corresponding strength.
The idea here is simple: Instead of trying to change your weaknesses, accept them. Don't try to fix
them - it's too difficult. Instead, be sure to leverage your associated strengths. You can look to
colleagues, direct reports, and even supervisors to fill in the gaps where you are weakest. Don't be
afraid to ask people for help- they can add value where you are weaker. But be sure to embrace your
strengths, and build upon them. After all, your strengths (even those disguised as weaknesses) - will
get you far in your career, and in life.
How to Achieve Career Independence
On this past Independence Day in the USA, I felt especially blessed, as I headed to Cooperstown,
New York with my wife to take our daughters to the Baseball Hall of Fame for the first time. (After
all, baseball isn't just a passion for me, it's a blueprint for great leadership.) Then, when we happened
to drive through Liberty, New York, I got to thinking, not only about the freedoms we enjoy as
Americans, but about the freedom I enjoy as an entrepreneur.
I've been reflecting back on the blessing of career independence- that is, not having a boss. Starting
and running your own company is most certainly a roller coaster, with lots of ups and downs. The ups
for me? Making the INC 500 list of fastest growing private companies in the US, the last 2 years. The
downs? Barely making payroll several times early on. But being an entrepreneur has also allowed me
to visit each of my daughter's classes more than any other parent, each year for the last three years -
that's priceless, if you ask me.
To better understand how anyone can achieve career independence through entrepreneurship, I talked
with my friend Scott Gerber, founder of the Young Entrepreneurs Council (YEC) and author of Never
Get a Real Job. Scott believes that the only way to secure your employment and financial future is to
start a company.
"The resume-driven society says, if we work hard and go to school, we'll get a job and be ok. That
traditional thinking no longer applies," says Scott. "Now, more than ever, you need to be
entrepreneurial to be successful; you need to create a job to keep a job."
"When you work for someone else you're putting all your eggs into one basket that you don't own or
hold. If you want to secure your financial future, you need to be in control of your own life," Scott
continued. Here is Scott Gerber's advice on becoming a successful entrepreneur, mixed in with my
experience over the last six years of my entrepreneurial journey:
1. Check your ego at the door.
"You can't build a successful business if you don't have your priorities straight and ego in check," said
Scott.
While entrepreneurs should be confident, if you go overboard, you'll get in your own way. I've
learned that it's not about me. It's about our mission, our staff, and most of all, our customers.
2. Keep it dead simple.
"If your idea is not simple, you're stupid," said Scott. "Build a business that is nuts and bolts practical
and not complex. Create a simplified product or service that sells X product to Y customer for Z
profit," he said.
As our businesses have grown, it's gotten tempting to add layers of products and services. But the
reality is, the more simple you can keep your idea, products, and processes, the better off you'll be.
Humans crave simplicity.
3. Always be prepared for the worst case scenario.
"Every decision should be thought through; plan for the worst so you're not caught off guard if it
happens," said Scott. "Come up with three alternatives for every decision so you've taken every
possibility into consideration," he suggests.
I've found a big part of this is cash planning. Have 3-6 months of expenses on hand at all times, just in
case things don't go as planned. This is as important to have in a mature business as it is in one just
starting out.
4. Consider being unoriginal.

"Too many people think they need to reinvent the wheel, but if they do, the wheel will run them over,"
said Scott. "Instead, focus on bettering an idea that already exists."
Use your creativity to better market an unoriginal idea. "Think of the guys who started College Hunks
Hauling Junk," says Gerber. "They put a creative spin on a pre-existing idea. At its core, it's just a
junk removal business."
It's all about risk versus reward. If you have an idea that's smashingly original, it may one day be huge
- but chances are against you for success. There's no market validation. If on the other hand you can
take existing successful ideas and just iterate on them or combine them ever so slightly- that's where
the magic can most feasibly happen.
5. Make sure your business is not a bottomless pit.
"Start a business that is efficient with few monetary demands in the beginning," said Gerber.
When I started out, I didn't have any money. I just focused on business ideas that could turn a profit
quicker and didn't have many startup costs. The more you can do yourself, at the beginning, the better.
Once you start making money, you can start taking more chances with greater expenses.
6. Become a cheapskate.
"If you want to start a business, you need to change the way you spend money," said Scott.
"Know the difference between a frivolous expense and a necessity that can be bartered, bargained for,
or partnered on."
When I started my first company with my wife, after our sponsored wedding, 1-800-Flowers.com
wanted to work with us - but we were an unproven entity. We offered to work for them for barter - an
entire year of consulting for $48,000 worth of flowers and gifts. Some advisors told us this was
foolish - but after giving flowers and gifts to practically every customer, prospect and staff member
we spoke with that first year, and generating nearly $1 million in revenue the following year, I can tell
you it was one of the best business decisions I ever made.
7. Choose partners wisely.
Assess if a partnership makes sense before you jump into it.
"Your friends might seem like the best partners, but they might end up slacking off and doing nothing.
Or someone who seems great and you think you can trust might put you through the ringer later on,"
said Gerber. "Make sure you evaluate what a partner can bring to the table and make sure it's worth
it."
My wife Carrie was and still is an amazing business partner, but that too was a roller coaster early on
as well. As you work with partners, it'll take time, energy and patience to get to know one another as
business partners.
8. Throw the business plan out the window.
Scott is a fan of one paragraph startup plans. Anything longer is just not necessary. "Stop thinking you
have to write a business plan for investors or dense dissertations. You don't need a traditional plan to
be a small business owner," Gerber said
"Business planning isn't a revenue-generating opportunity. Instead, get started on your business so you
can make money as soon as possible."
Gerber recommended writing one paragraph in question and answer format in lieu of a 95-page plan
that takes six months to put together.
As for me, I've built two multimillion dollar companies in the last six years, each using a 1-page-
strategic business plan, the template for which I got from my friend, Entrepreneurs Organization
founder College Hunks Hauling Junk. Those two pages have certainly worked well for us.
9. The phone won't ring on Day 1. Network, network, network.
You absolutely can't expect to launch a business and have the phones ring, or orders come in, or even
Facebook likes roll in. You've got to market yourself creatively, and network with everyone you meet.
The thing is, you can't think of networking as finding out how other people can help you and your
business. You've got to think of networking as how you can genuinely help others. Only then will the
phone start to ring, as people will want to help you.
10. Be afraid, then go for it anyway.
Starting a business is scary. Owning your our business is scary. As I grow my second business in six
years, I'm still afraid all the time. But you can't let fear stop you. As I've said before, courage is the
ability to fear and then proceed anyway. Anyway, what should you be more afraid of - failing (and
learning) or never having tried?
As Scott said, "Be afraid to wake up 10, 20, 30 years from now and be pointing your finger at the TV
saying, that was my idea!"
Many people have dreamt of being their own boss, setting their own hours, and having every minute
of work be directly beneficial. Whether you're still in college or you've been in the workforce for
many years, this dream is more possible than ever before.
Said Gerber, "If you want to secure your financial future regardless of the economy, you need to be in
control of your own life. That doesn't mean that entrepreneurship is easy, but it does allow you to
make your own destiny. Every hour of work can be for you -- that's a major change from a 9-5 job."
Career Highlights Won't Be On Your Tombstone
On a June Sunday morning, at 8:25 AM, I stood at Gate B5 in Memphis, Tennessee, tears streaming
down my face as I watched my flight home to New York take off. I had been delayed by weather on a
connecting flight from Nashville, and had arrived to the gate just two minutes after the doors had
closed. So I watched the plane leave, standing there, knowing that I would be re-routed through
Atlanta now and instead of getting home before noon, I wouldn't be home until 5PM. I would miss the
entire weekend with my family, and I was devastated.
I had begrudgingly accepted a business trip to Nashville even though it was a Wednesday through a
Saturday because it was an excellent opportunity with an important business partner. And although
weekends were typically sacred with my family, I had decided to sacrifice Daddy-daughter Saturday
morning dance class this time, knowing I'd be home Sunday morning.
But when I missed that flight, I missed camp orientation, and had lost the entire weekend with my
kids. I fell apart emotionally. I felt so disappointed in myself. I felt so out of control. I felt like I had
made a really bad decision to not be home for a weekend. I felt like the worst dad in the world.
During the next seven hours of travel, I had a lot of time to think and reflect upon my priorities. I
thought about my incredible day with the late, great Senator Frank Lautenberg, who taught me that my
greatest legacy would be my children. I thought about the famous quote from John Crudele: "How do
children spell LOVE? T-I-M-E." I thought about my priorities.
It's easy to get caught up in our hectic careers. It's easy for men and women to become "busy" trying to
advance up the ladder at work or build a successful company. It's easy to check your email, take that
meeting or call, or attend that networking event the boss invited you too. It's all too easy to skip the
family dinner in the name of helping to put dinner on the table.
Somehow, it's more difficult at times to say "no" to our client or boss than it is to say "no" to our
children. But as Senator Lautenberg taught me, your career highlights won't be on your tombstone.
Your kids' names will be.
You'll never regret time with your kids. You'll never say on your deathbed, "I wish I had worked
more."
I have a lot of career goals and dreams. I want to build meaningful companies that change the world. I
want to one day run for public office. I want to teach, to speak, to invest and to inspire. But I'm not
willing to sacrifice weekends with my kids.
That's my choice, and of course it's your choice to pursue your career and your goals and dreams as
vigorously as you'd like. But my hope is that you'll find it a little bit easier to say no to that next
weekend conference, evening networking event, or breakfast meeting. My hope is that you'll find it
easier to say yes to the kids. Just think about that eventual deathbed or tombstone, and how you'll feel
one day looking back.
By the way, while I was devastated to miss the whole weekend with the kids, I'm proud to report that
I canceled three evening work activities this week, to spend those evenings with my daughters. The
week culminated in an excellent game of RISK. And the only world I needed to take over was two
little girls' world.
Your career isn't your life, but is sure is a big part of it. So spend it doing something you love, adding
value to the world in a way that only you can. It's never too early or too late to reinvent yourself.
Read, write, interview and network your way to success. Put others first, and genuinely offer your
help, and they will be there for you when you need them.
"Two words?!" I thought. "How in the world can you summarize an entire communications strategy in
just two words?!"
I was at a marketing conference and one of the other speakers, Laura Fitton, now an executive at
Hubspot, has just begun her speech. She has argued that despite all of tools and social networks and
communication channels available today, it all came down to just two words.
This was shocking to hear, especially from the author of Twitter for Dummies and the founder of
oneforty, an app store for Twitter that was all about tools! What two words would Laura use to
summarize marketing in today's world?
"Be useful."
I couldn't disagree. In the last ten years, the internet and social media have brought us thousands of
new tools, social networks, ideas, and marketing concepts. We've also seen lots of jargon - from SEO
to social media, content marketing to retweeting. But through all of the platforms and words, and
across all verticals and sizes of organizations- if you can just be useful to your customers and
prospects, you'll have a leg up on your competition.
While I agree with Laura, and while there is clearly great value in your product's and marketing
program's usefulness, in the most marketing-cluttered world we live in, there are other concepts
worth exploring. In this section, we'll explore many of them, such as storytelling, listening, content,
word of mouth marketing and virality.
While tools do come and go, we'll also explore several current specific platforms and tools, such as
LinkedIn, Instagram, podcasts and blogs. Even though the tools themselves are less essential than the
strategies behind them, it's important to understand and use the most current, applicable tools
possible.
My goal is for you to walk away with clear, actionable takeaways about you can become a better
marketer for your organization, your ideas, and yourself. If nothing else, my hope is that you will
become a little more useful to those around you.
7 Simple Rules for Amazing Content Marketing
At LinkedIn’s Brand Connect Asia Pacific ’13 conference in Singapore, I shared the following seven
simple rules for amazing content marketing to grow your brand awareness online.
1) Be useful.
You can be consistent but if your content isn't useful or valuable, then it's a waste. How can you help
your customers? Are you there to educate them or to entertain them, or both?
We've shared so much useful content over the years, that twice, people have walked up to be at
conferences and said, "Dave, I just want to thank you for all of your useful content. I've taken it all
and started my own social media agency!"
Huh? Not only are we helping competitors, but we're actually inspiring new ones? But the reality is,
even for the competitors we've helped with our useful content, we've gotten thousands of inbound
leads from companies who know, like and trust us because of that content. I once even got a phone
call from a CMO of a large company in the US who said, "We have to do a RFP, but I've been reading
your blog for a year now, and I know we're going to hire you. I have $250,000 for our first project."
2) Be consistent.
When we launched our first blog, Buzz Marketing Daily, six years ago, early employees complained,
"But Dave, this means we'll have to post daily."
"Exactly!" I replied. We did post daily to our blog, and within a year we had become one of the most
read blogs in marketing and advertising in the world. The days of static websites are long gone. Even
if you have good content today, you've got to consistently "feed the beast,” adding and distributing
new content on a monthly, weekly or even daily basis. Every brand is a publisher today.
3) Be authentic.
Authenticity breeds trust, and trust breeds business. If you can share authentic, even vulnerable
content, it will resonate with people. Your CEO should lead the way when it comes to content
marketing and social media, and the more employees you have sharing their authentic stories on
behalf of your organization, the better.
4) Tie into your customer's emotions.

It's always been a core concept of marketing and advertising to tap into what resonates emotionally
with your audience, but now, more than ever, with so much online content competition, if you can
create an emotional connection with your customers, you'll be one step ahead of your competitors.
Take a look at this online video from Malaysian rice company BERNAS that does an amazing job
connecting emotionally. (You may need to grab your tissues)
5) Be where your audience is.
You can have all the great content in the world, but if you don't share it in the right places, with the
right people, it won't matter. If you're a retailer targeting urban men, you should be on Foursquare. A
consumer product? Facebook. A B2B company? LinkedIn. You don't have the resources to create and
share content across every social network, so pick and choose based on where your audience is. And
if you're not sure, just ask your customers!
6) Advertise, better.
You don't have to spend a lot of money on advertising to be a great content marketer. But spending a
little money to help reach the right people sure does help. Use Sponsored Updates on LinkedIn,
Sponsored Posts on Facebook, and Promoted Tweets to get your best content seen by more people.
Use the amazing targeting features on social networks to have your content reach the right people with
your advertising. You know what's cooler than reaching 1 billion people on Facebook? Reaching the
right 1,000, 100 or 10.
7) Tell, don't sell.
Nobody wants to be sold to but everyone loves a good story. Use storytelling to create content that
people actually want to share.
Ideas for "your story"?

- Your humble beginnings
- Customers who have overcome obstacles
- Employee challenges
- Inside the lives of leadership
- Community & charity partnerships
These seven simple rules will help you create and distribute amazing content marketing across social
media, to build better relationships with your customers, prospects and employees, and to grow your
business - the right way.
What Businesses Are Doing Wrong on Social Media (And 5 Tips For Success)
Over 1 billion people in the world are on Facebook, including over 175 million Americans, or 1 in 2
adults. Twitter recently surpassed 400 million accounts. LinkedIn boasts over 200 million users.
Small business owners are trying to take advantage of these trends, but few are fully reaping the
rewards.
For many business owners, the temptation is to use social networks to promote themselves and
broadcast their messages. But if you stop thinking like a marketer and start thinking like a customer,
you’ll understand that the secret to social media is in the "social" more than in the "media" - it's in
being human – being the sort of person at a cocktail party who listens attentively, tells great stories,
shows interest in others, and is authentic and honest. The secret is to simply be likeable.
Here are 5 tips for small business owners (and business people at all levels, really) to be more
likeable and ensure greater success using social media:
1. Listen first and never stop listening. Before your first tweet, search Twitter for people talking
about your business and your competitors. Search using words that your prospective customers would
say as well. For example, if you’re an accountant, use Twitter to search for people tweeting the words
“need an accountant” in your town. You’ll be surprised how many people are already looking for you.
2. Don’t tell your customers to like you and follow you, tell them why and how they should.
Everywhere you turn, you see “Like us on Facebook” and “Follow us on Twitter.” Huh? Why? How?
Give your customers a reason to connect with you on social networks, answering the question,
“What’s in it for me?” and then make it incredibly easy to do so. Note the difference between these
two calls to action: “Like my company's page on Facebook” vs “Get answers to your social media
questions at http://FB.com/LikeableMedia.”
3. Why ask questions? Wondering why nobody’s responding to your posts on Facebook? It’s
probably because you’re not asking questions. Social media is about engagement and having a
conversation, not about self-promotion. If a pizza place posts on Facebook, “Come on by, 2 pizzas for
just $12,” nobody will comment, and nobody will show up. If that same pizza place posts, “What’s
your favorite topping?” people will comment online– and then be more likely to show upShare
pictures and videos. People love photos. The biggest reason Facebook went from 0 to 1 billion users
in 7 years is photos. Photos and videos tell stories about you in ways that text alone cannot. You don’t
need a big production budget, either. Use your smartphone to take pictures and short videos of
customers, staff, and cool things at your business, and then upload them directly to Facebook, Twitter
and LinkedIn. A picture really is worth a thousand words – and a video is worth a thousand pictures.
4. Share pictures and videos. People love photos. The biggest reason Facebook went from 0 to 1
billion users in 7 years is photos. Photos and videos tell stories about you in ways that text alone
cannot. You don’t need a big production budget, either. Use your smartphone to take pictures and short
videos of customers, staff, and cool things at your business, and then upload them directly to
Facebook,Twitter and LinkedIn. A picture really is worth a thousand words – and a video is worth a
thousand pictures.
5. Spend at least 30 minutes a day on social media. If you bought a newspaper ad or radio ad, you
wouldn’t spend 5 minutes on it or relegate it to interns. Plus, there’s a lot to learn, and every week,
new tools and opportunities across social networks emerge. Spend real time each day reading and
learning, listening and responding, and truly joining the conversation. The more time and effort you
put in to social media, the more benefits your business will receive.
Above all else, follow the golden rule: Would you yourself click the “Like” button, the Follow button,
or Retweet button if you saw your business or your content here? Would you want to be friends with
your business at a cocktail party? Just how likeable is your business?
10 Podcasts You Should be Listening to Right Now
photo via John Lee Dumas
Podcasting has quietly become mainstream. Apple just surpassed 1 billion subscriptions for podcasts
via its iTunes app. As USA Today just noted in a cover story, many top podcasts — such as
the Nerdist, NPR's This American Life and Aisha Tyler's Girl on Guy, see millions of downloads on
a weekly basis. Thanks to the rise in smartphones, people are listening to podcasts in the car, on the
train, on planes, and on the treadmill.
While the most popular categories for podcasts are news, politics, sports and comedy, increasingly,
business, leadership and career related podcasts are getting people's attention. In honor of this week's
launch of my own Likeable Podcast, featuring Dick Bolles, the author of the bestselling career book
of all time, What Color is Your Parachute, (please click here to listen on itunes!), I talked with one
podcast pro and here's a list of business podcasts you can't miss.
1. EntrepreneurOnFire: John Lee Dumas, pictured above, is the Founder and Host of
EntrepreneurOnFire, a podcast that interviews today's most inspiring and successful Entrepreneurs 7-
days a week. With a lineup of Barbara Corcoran, Seth Godin, Tim Ferriss, Gary Vaynerchuk, Guy
Kawasaki, and hundreds more, your daily commute or gym session will never be the same! Every
show is jam packed with actionable tips and insights that will propel you to Entrepreneurial freedom.
Join us at EOFire.com for recaps of every interview, as well as an incredible goldmine of resources
for aspiring Entrepreneurs. Prepare To Ignite!
2. Smart Passive Income: Pat Flynn from The Smart Passive Income Blog reveals all of his online
business and blogging strategies, income sources and killer marketing tips and tricks so you can be
ahead of the curve with your online business or blog. Discover how you can create multiple passive
income streams that work for you so that you can have the time and freedom to do what you love,
whether it's traveling the world, or just living comfortably at home. Automation, outsourcing,
crowdsourcing, search engine optimization, building authority and trust, niche sites, social media,
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Podcasting, eBooks, online courses, affiliate marketing, getting things
done and everything that works (and doesn't work) to help you better understand how to crush it with
your online business.
3. Social Media Marketing: Social Media Examiner's Michael Stelzner helps your business navigate
the social jungle with success stories and expert interviews from leading social media marketing
pros. Discover how successful businesses employ social media, learn new strategies and tactics, and
gain actionable tips to improve your social media marketing. Find show notes here.
4. This is Your Life: This Is Your Life with Michael Hyatt is a weekly podcast dedicated to
intentional leadership. The goal is to help you live with more passion, work with greater focus, and
lead with extraordinary influence.
5. 48 Days: Join Dan Miller every week for the "48 Days To The Work You Love" Internet Radio
Show. Dan is the nation's leading authority on work, career and business start-up. This show
consistently sits in the top 50 under the Business category in iTunes, and is often at #1 under Careers.
6. The Marketing Agents Podcast: Discover how to increase your online visibility, drive more
qualified traffic to your site and convert that traffic into leads and business! In The Marketing Agents
Podcast, we'll interview leading marketers from around the globe to get their insider tips and tricks
on SEO, social media and mobile marketing. If you've been looking to reach more of your ideal
customers and build your business, be sure to subscribe to The Marketing Agents Podcast today!
7. Beyond the To Do List: Come meet the people behind the productivity, not just lists and techniques.
Erik Fisher talks with real people who practically implement productivity strategies in their
professional and personal lives. You'll be refreshed and inspired after hearing how others fail and
succeed at daily productivity and continue to lead successful and meaningful lives.
8. A Dose of Leadership: The Dose of Leadership Podcast is the ultimate resource of inspiring &
educational interviews with relevant and motivating leaders; real-life leadership & influence experts
who dedicate their lives to the pursuit of the truth, common sense, & courageous leadership. The
podcast will include leaders from all aspects of life; business leaders, entrepreneurs, authors,
speakers, military heroes, and faith based leaders.
9. Mobile Mixed: Greg Hickman from MobileMixed.com shares no-hype mobile marketing strategies,
actionable tips and tools to help you get started adding mobile marketing to your business to generate
leads and sales. Discover how integrating mobile marketing will allow you to connect with your
customers wherever they are. Greg has worked with fortune 500 brands, professional sports teams
and tons of small businesses implementing mobile marketing programs that generate results. Whether
it's SMS and MMS mobile marketing, mobile websites, smartphone apps, location-based mobile
marketing, QR codes, mobile SEO, mobile advertising, mobile search, podcasting, everything that
works (and doesn't work) to help you better understand mobile and leverage it to grow your own
business.
10: Online Marketing Made Easy: "Facebook Marketing All in One for Dummies" co-author and
online entrepreneur Amy Porterfield shows you exactly how to monetize your online marketing and
blogging efforts using her own tested, ACTIONABLE lead generation strategies -- so you can
successfully launch and promote a new program, grow your email list, get more leads, build your
authority, turn your customers into raving advocates OR simply find the time (and mindset!) to rock
your social media and content marketing. From creating an online course to video marketing, webinar
recording, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, new content creation (including eBooks, guides
and cheat sheets) and email marketing, Amy is going to reveal what works (and what doesn't) once
and for all.
The Most Essential Social Network for CEO’s
photo via Theme Spectrum
Facebook may have 1.1 billion users. Twitter may be a media darling. And Google+ may have the
backing of a much larger company.
But with over 240 million professionals worldwide using it, and an exclusive focus on business and
leadership, LinkedIn is not only a valuable social network for CEO’s, it's the most essential one
today. Here are three reasons LinkedIn is your go-to social network, and the three most important
ways to use it:
1) Find and recruit the best talent for your organization

LinkedIn started out as a job searching site, and today, it the single best source of job talent in the
world. You can use LinkedIn to search for the perfect candidates, reach out to people through
connections, and secure key leaders to help grow the company. You can learn more about potential
talent from the endorsements and recommendations on someone's LinkedIn profile than you'll ever
learn from a resume, because they’re from real connections of yours, or second-degree connections
you can trust. Finally, you can use your own network to source great talent--what better recruiters are
there for your organization than your own friends and business connections?
2) Find and attract prospects and partners to grow your organization

If you have a B2B company, LinkedIn is the key social network to find potential customers (versus
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. where people are hanging out to have fun rather than to focus on
their careers and work). Even if you're a B2C company, LinkedIn can help you find potential partners,
distributors, and channels. How? First, create your own amazing, valuable content, such as e-books,
whitepapers and infographics outside of LinkedIn. Then, use LinkedIn updates and targeted
advertising (sponsored updates) to get the word out about that content to the right people. Since you
can use job titles, seniority levels, and even companies in your advertising categories, you can reach
precisely the right prospect. So if you just want to reach, for instance, CMO’s of Fortune 500
companies in your region you can. You know what's cooler than reaching 240 million people on
LinkedIn? Reaching the right 2,400 decision makers who can become your next major customers--or
the right 240--or the right 24.
3) Build a reputation as the best company in your field and market

People don't think of Facebook as the place where people and companies build their professional
reputation. They don't think of Twitter, or Google+, or Pinterest that way. Though I’ve written before
that every CEO should be using social media, the truth is, most don’t have time to actively be on too
many social networks. But most CEO’s do want to build a strong reputation for themselves and their
companies. And everybody considers LinkedIn to be the go-to source when it comes to professional
reputation. Make sure your profile is complete with jobs, recommendations and endorsements. Make
sure your company page is complete with product offerings, jobs, videos and recommendations. Make
sure all of your employees are connected to your company page. All of these simple things will help
you build both your personal brand and your company’s reputation online.
You have an opportunity to use LinkedIn to make your company look great, drive leads and
partnership opportunities, and find the best talent for your organization. Just remember, whether you
take this opportunity or not, your competitors will.
Memo to CEOs: Go Social or Go Home
photo via Zimbio
This year, CEO.com published its 2nd annual Social CEO Report, examining in great detail the
social networking presence of each of the Fortune 500 CEOs. Their findings were surprising: Most
notably, 68% of CEOs have absolutely no presence on any of the major social networks (Twitter,
Facebook, LinkedIn or Google Plus). Here are a few more highlights from the report (or lowlights,
depending upon how you look at it):
1) About one quarter, or 28% (140) of the Fortune 500 CEOs are on LinkedIn, the leading social
network for business professionals. They include fellow LinkedIn Influencers Meg Whitman, Jamie
Dimon, Jeff Immelt and John Donahoe.
2) Just 7% (35) of the Fortune 500 CEOs are on Facebook, led obviously by Facebook CEO Mark
Zuckerberg, with 16 million followers.
3) A paltry 5.6% (28) of the Fortune 500 CEOs are on Twitter, and just 3.7% (19) of them have active
Twitter accounts.
So why aren’t more Fortune 500 CEOs embracing social media? The four reasons the report cites
are:
1) Not enough time
2) Uncomfortable with transparency
3) Greater risk
4) Resistance to change
I don't know the Fortune 500 CEOs who aren't using social networks personally, so I can only
speculate about why they're not going social. I'd boil it down to two primary reasons myself: fear and
lack of perceived value.
We fear what we don't yet know and understand, and Fortune 500 CEOs are amongst the last
demographic on the planet to know and understand social networks.
We don't make time for what we don't see value in - and surely these CEOs don't see value in
spending time on social networks. They think they have better things to do.
I don't think they do. The bigger value to social media for business isn't in the talking; it's in the
listening. CEOs can use social media to listen to their customers, competitors, competitors'
customers, and employees. They can discover new products, new markets, and new opportunities.
Once they start talking, they can tell their story - provide thought leadership, and attract new partners,
vendors, talent and customers. They can be the spokesperson for their companies online the same way
they are the spokesperson offline.
Said Josh James, CEO of Domo, the company who sponsored the report: “CEOs who use social
media are growing their businesses, attracting lifelong customers, generating exposure for their
companies and closing new deals. As consumers become more social savvy, so must company
leaders."
I say to CEOs: Your employees are on social networks. Your customers are on social networks. Your
shareholders are on social networks. Your nimble, startup competitors are on social networks. If
you're not on these social networks, you not only risk looking like you're out of touch, you risk
actually becoming out of touch.
Here's the thing: Fortune 500 CEOs are still afraid of going social - but perhaps they should be more
afraid of their nimble competitors going social and quickly catching up, taking their jobs - and their
spots on the Fortune 500.
I'm a CEO of one company and a Chairman of another - and I've found enormous value in using social
media personally and professionally. But I'm running social media companies, so there's an obvious,
unfair bias.
So, CEOs of Fortune 500 companies and all companies around the globe, don't take the advice to "Go
social" from me. Take it from Warren Buffet, Rupert Murdoch, Marissa Mayer , Ralph Lauren and
Meg Whitman, who'd all likely say: Go social or go home.
Content is Fire and Social Media is Gasoline
photo via The Art of Manliness
You know what happens when most companies launch a new, branded mobile application or other
content-rich marketing program intended to effectively combine information and promotion and set the
world ablaze with a viral sensation?
Nothing.
When you finish the app, or start blogging, or begin answering questions, you have not reached the
finish line; you have reached the starting line. Too many businesses break out the champagne just
because something new was created.
To get a better sense for how businesses can use content and social media together to be successful, I
talked with my friend Jay Baer. Jay Baer is the author of the New York Times bestseller Youtility:
Why Smart Marketing is About Help, Not Hype. I asked Jay to summarize the concepts of Youtility,
and this is what he told me:
"Youtility" is marketing that is so useful, people would pay for it if asked. Because this is often an
inexpensive proposition when considered in the context of the overall marketing programs of a
company, these efforts are viewed as relatively minor and thus don't receive dedicated promotional
support, even at launch. Instead, they are promoted alongside the regular flotsam and jetsam of the
brand's communication: a link here, a mention there. This dramatically curtails exposure -
counteracting the entire premise of the Youtility.
You have to market your marketing.
This concept of using marketing to promote your marketing is also the best possible case for using
social media, which far too often devolves into self-referential inanities that career employees
wouldn't even care about, much less casual customers. This frustrating scenario of brands talking,
talking, talking in social media but never saying anything of value other than "we're great, you should
give us more of your money" is the epitome of social media misuse.
On the whole, which is more inherently interesting and useful, and thus more likely to be an effective
marketing message? That Columbia Sportswear sells a variety of outdoor gear, or that Columbia
Sportswear has a mobile app that shows you how to tie knots called “What Knot to do in the Great
Outdoors?”
Remember, companies of every size, shape and description are competing pixel-for-pixel for
attention with real people whom we know and love. You break through that clutter by being useful,
not by shouting louder.
Content is fire, and social media is the gasoline.
It's not about keeping it real; it's about keeping it relevant. If your social media informs more often
than it promotes, you're on the right track. If it is deeply helpful rather than deeply promotional, you're
probably on a roll!
Here's a real example of this fire/gasoline idea, featuring back-to-back messages sent by interactive
marketing software company ExactTarget on their Twitter channel last summer:
photo via Twitter
The first Tweet is a yawn-inducing corporate message about a new version of the company's
software, made even less relevant because it's only for people seeking a German or Brazilian
Portuguese version of the software - likely a very small subset of the brand's followers on Twitter.
Total waste.
But in the very next Tweet, ExactTarget gets it entirely right. Sent during the London Olympic Games,
the message includes a link that, when clicked, accessed a very interesting infographic, showing
which Olympic sports have the most Tweets about them, the most followers on Twitter, and several
other statistical tidbits:
photo via HongKiat.com
Does the infographic explicitly provide information about ExactTarget's products and services?
Absolutely not. Instead it uses real-time relevancy to create interest and an inferred topical tie, since
one of the company's products is software that allows companies to monitor and engage on Twitter.
Your Most Important (and Most Often Overlooked) Audience.
Indeed, you can use online marketing to raise awareness of the truly helpful information you're
providing to customers and prospective customers, and smart organizations like Columbia
Sportswear and ExactTarget are successfully implementing those ideas. But there is another critically
important audience for your Youtility that is consistently overlooked - your employees.
If you are truly, inherently useful, the manifestation of that approach will be just as valuable to your
team members as it is to customers, maybe even more so. You know who is particularly interested in
an application that shows you how to tie knots? People who work for Columbia Sportswear. Many
are outdoors enthusiasts and are disproportionately likely to find themselves in a situation that calls
for just the right knot.
In a world where personal relationships and social connectivity are the coin of the realm, your
employees are your single greatest marketing engine. With the exception of huge, global consumer
brands like Coca-Cola, the collected social connections of your employees exceed the social
connections of your company, and those employees are perfectly situated to create awareness of your
helpful Youtility marketing.
What is your content and gasoline?
How to Write More Successful Blog Posts
There are a staggering 200 million blogs worldwide today, and as many as four million blog posts
published per day. Yet with so much competition, most blog posts go virtually unread. Writing a blog
is an excellent way for a professional to become a better writer, drive leads for a business, and
express oneself. But nobody wants their writing to go unread. And no matter how successful you are,
surely your blog could do better.
Just five days before the 2012 election, US presidential candidate Mitt Romney posted a blog entitled
“We Need Real Change, Big Change." To date, even with over 200 thousand followers, Romney's
post has a paltry 2,037 views.
So what gives? Why was Romney’s post so unsuccessful, while all of the posts by a much lesser
known guy (me) have received one hundred times more views and comments? Obviously, great
content for a well-defined audience is key. But if you want even more success with your blog posts,
follow these five simple rules:
1) Write an amazing headline.

The value of a powerful headline simply cannot be overlooked. It’s the only thing a potential reader
sees, it is the catalyst for social media sharing and it has power beyond any other part of your post to
attract readers. Your headline should give readers an intriguing clue into what you will be saying.
Lists, action verbs and questions are great ways to draw readers in. The best resource for headlines
that I’ve ever read is Brian Clark, better known as Copyblogger. Remember, when readers tweet your
article, or share it on Facebook, LinkedIn or another social platform, the only thing people may see is
the headline.
photos via Dave Kerpen
2) Pictures are worth a thousand words.

There’s no escaping it: humans are visual creatures. We're drawn to images and photographs. Graphs,
infographics, sentimental imagery and stunning beauty are all excellent ways to draw an audience in,
keep them there through the end of your post, and help drive more views through Pinterest and
Facebook, where images reign supreme. If you can include a pic of a cute animal or child, even
better. (Or both - say hi to my girls Charlotte & Kate and our cat Chiquita!)
3) Bullet points are extremely useful. Here’s why:
They attract the reader’s attention. You were likely drawn straight to these bullet points when
you read this article.
They make data simple and easy to understand. When you see these bullets, with their key
insights in bold, you know just what you need to read right away.
They make it easier to reference key points. When heading back to an article at a later date, it is
easy to find the most important information if it’s in bullet form.
4) Make your audience look good when they share your post.
Of course, great content with clear takeaway value in your blog post is most important. But remember,
people are ego-driven. Ask yourself, before you hit the publish button, “When people share this post,
how will they look smarter, or funnier, or more helpful, or more interesting to their networks?”
5) Call for engagement in your conclusion.

When you conclude your blog post, make sure you ask readers to share the post. Ask them thought-
provoking questions, and invite them to share their answers and thoughts as comments on your post.
The more engaged your readers are, the more they’ll want to share – and keep coming back.
Above all else, writing simple, interesting content is the best way to drive readers to your blog. But
the five tips above will make your posts even more successful- returning more value on your hard
work. Maybe if Mitt Romney had followed these tips, results would have been a little different on his
blog- and elsewhere.
7 Ways to Tell Stories to Sell Online
photo via Inc.
Consumers don't care about you. They care about what you mean to them. And meaning comes from
stories. When you tell your company story, you become more relatable. And when consumers relate to
your brand, they'll buy from you.
Social media allows you to tell your stories at scale and build powerful relationships with your
customers. In the past, storytelling to the masses was expensive and only possible via large media
firms. Now, storytelling is free, or near free, via accessible social media tools.
Here are seven simple ways you can become a more effective storyteller on social media:
1. Tell your brand's story.

While not every company was started with a wedding, every company has an interesting beginning
with a founder and a dream. Every organization's humble beginnings have the potential to resonate
with consumers. When a consumer hears the story of how your company was born, he or she can feel
an immediate emotional connection with you.
2. Tell your employees' stories.

Your brand has real people behind it, and each one has a story to tell. Maybe it's a staff member who
worked her way up while going back to school and raising a family. Maybe it's someone who always
has a smile on his face when he serves customers. Find the compelling stories and tell them through
social media. As an example, check out the story of Mary from McDonalds.
3. Tell your customers' stories.

Develop a story that helps consumers connect the dots between what they need and what you deliver.
Consider how your customers have benefited from your company. What have you meant to them? Any
successful company has many stories about happy, inspired customers. Whatever your company does,
it solves problems--you just have to figure out how to create emotional connections for your
customers around them.
4. Inspire your customers to tell stories.

The only thing better than telling your customers' stories on social media is inspiring them to tell those
stories themselves. This is the modern-day equivalent of a testimonial. It has always been a key
component of word-of-mouth marketing, but with social media it can happen that much faster and
easier. Look to your most passionate customers or those who have had the most significant
interactions with you. Then give them the tools to tell others about you. With just a little
encouragement, you can prompt customers to initiate a movement of storytelling around your brand.
Consider hosting contests. You can use a service like North Social to create an outlet for your fans to
tell about their experiences with your brand. (Full disclosure: North Social is a client of Likeable, my
company.)
5. Use images often.

A picture is worth a thousand words. It may be a cliché, but a picture really can tell a story that much
more effectively. The growing popularity of social networks like Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr
support this. When telling stories online, pictures can powerfully relay behind-the-scenes stories
about your brand, your office, and your staff. Consider using Instagram to showcase a selection of
your filtered images directly to your Facebook page.
6. Use video even more often.

A video is worth a thousand more words. Online videos ranging from 30 seconds to two minutes can
captivate online audiences just like big budget TV commercials. Try uploading short clips of staff and
customers telling their personal stories. Make it emotionally captivating so your customers can relate
on the other side of the screen.
7. Be human.
Just because you're using social media to tell stories, it doesn't mean you should act like a computer
when you do. Quite the opposite. If you're not telling your stories with an authentic personality, you
have no shot at building a real relationship with your customers. Poignant stories can humanize you
and make your company more likeable, no matter your size, or current success.
You may be the best storyteller in the world, but if you don't use your stories to convert your audience
into customers, the effort will be meaningless. Simillarly, if you have the wrong people listening to
your story, even the best story won't sell. The good news is: storytelling online is far cheaper, with
less risk, than old-school traditional marketing. So if the story you tell today doesn't resonate, tell
another one tomorrow.
5 Marketing Lessons From Lady Gaga
photo via Smash Materials
You may love Lady Gaga. You may hate her. But no matter what, it's hard not to respect what she's
done as an artist. With 23 million albums sold, five Grammy Awards, and Forbes’ distinction as one
of the world’s most powerful celebrities, at age 27, Lady Gaga is one of the most well-known pop
artists in the world. Known as much for her voice as for her over-the-top wardrobe, few people
recognize Lady Gaga for her business acumen.
And yet, Gaga has cultivated legions of loyal fans worldwide—fans who are eager to buy her music,
concert tickets, and products. Her social networking prowess is off the charts with 36 million Twitter
followers and 57 million “likes” on Facebook. Not only has she created a brand but she has built a
fanatical group of consumers, known as her “Little Monsters,” who will follow her for decades to
come.
Jackie Huba is author of the new book Monster Loyalty; How Lady Gaga Turns Followers Into
Fanatics. I asked Jackie what we can all learn from Lady Gaga about marketing in leading our own
teams, companies, organizations and communities. Here are five brand marketing lessons from Huba -
and Gaga - for building loyalty in any organization:
1) Focus on Your One Percenters:

Lady Gaga spends much of her effort on just one percent of her audience - the highly engaged
superfans who drive word of mouth. Despite her tens of millions of followers in social media, she
focuses more on the die-hard fans that make up a small but valuable part of the fan base. It’s these
fans who will truly evangelize for her and bring new fans into the fold.
Who are your one percenters- your most passionate customers and fans, who are willing to go the
extra mile to sing your praises to their friends and community?
2) Lead with Values:

Gaga differs from many of her contemporaries by standing up for issues that she cares about and for
sharing her values. She champions those in society who feel marginalized and bullied for being
different - and that has drawn many people to her. Customers feel a deep emotional connection to you
when they can identity with your values or causes that you care about.
Leading with values is not easy - and may lead to some people, who disagree with your values, not
wanting to do business with you. But when done with integrity and commitment, some customers will
also go out of the way to reward you with their loyalty.
3) Build Community:
Gaga knows that connecting One Percenters to each other strengthens their bonds not only with each
other, but with her and her brand. So she built her own social network for the die-hard fans called
LittleMonsters.com. Fans set up profiles, post fan art and photos, message each other, and find links
to concert dates. They even get their own LittleMonsters.com e-mail address, linking their online
identity to Gaga. The pop star is on the site weekly, posting special messages to fans, “liking” and
commenting on their fan art, and participating in chat discussions.
Now, you many not have a strong enough brand to merit its' own social network, but surely you can
cultivate community online amongst your most loyal customers, employees, friends and partners.
4) Give Fans a Name:

Creating a name for your One Percenters, like Lady Gaga's Little Monsters, assigns them an identity.
With that identity comes a set of recognizable behavioral or personal characteristics that everyone
with that name shares. In essence, a name gives your fans something further to join, to be part of, and
to feel connected to. The simple act of referring to themselves by the name gives customers a strong
sense of belonging.
Maker's Mark has the Maker's Ambassadors. Fiskars scissors has the Fiskateers. I'm proud to be a
member of Just Salad's exclusive VIP Pink-Bowlers. What can you name your community of your
most loyal customers?
photo via MTV
5) Give Them Something to Talk About

Lady Gaga is the queen of word-of-mouth marketing. She understands that you must continually give
your One Percenters - and everyone - things to comment about so that they have reasons to talk to
others about you. From popping out of an “egg” at the Grammys to lighting her piano on fire, to the
famous meat dress, one thing nobody can dispute is that Gaga gets people talking.
You don't need to wear a meat dress to get people talking. But you should think about what you can
say and do to get your customers and fans talking about you in a positive way. Whether it's a VIP club,
surprising and delighting customers, a color that really stands out, or something else entirely, in
general, the more you give people to talk about, the better.
Lady Gaga has set the standard for brand marketing through engendering loyalty, standing for strong
values, building community, and word of mouth marketing. The good news is, you don't need to be a
pop star, or even wear outlandish outfits, to reap the rewards of the lessons Gaga teaches us.
How to Create Word of Mouth Magic
I had an amazing experience this year, so amazing that I just had to share it with you. I received, in the
mail, a big gift-wrapped pink-box. Inside the box was a pink salad bowl, a VIP membership card, and
a letter. The sender, a New York City healthy salad-to-go restaurant chain called Just Salad,
apparently had just awarded me with number 17 of a total 100 limited edition VIP Pink Bowls.
I was excited, of course, and read the letter, which informed me that my loyalty had earned me the
Pink Bowl. More important, the letter informed me that I could now enjoy line-skipping privileges,
free toppings and other perks, as long as I brought in my Pink Bowl.
Well, obviously I knew where I had to have lunch that day. As I walked into the always-crowded Just
Salad with my Pink Bowl, I immediately felt like a VIP. I walked past a line of about 40 people,
several of which were literally ooh-ing and ah-ing at my Pink Bowl as I walked. I felt like Moses
parting the Red Sea with my Pink Bowl.
“Where’d he get that?” I heard. “I’ve never seen one!” I heard. It was incredible. When I got to front
of the long line, the woman waiting at the front said, in a typical New York City rushed-town,
“Excuse me! Haven’t you seen this line?”
I gently held up my Pink Bowl, and she said, “Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t see your Bowl.”
Apparently, Just Salad has done some promotion around this Pink Bowl campaign. Anyway, I
approached the counter, and heard the staffer say "Wow, this is the first Pink Bowl customer I've
had!" I got my free chicken topping, and I was soon on my way. When I got back to the office, within a
few minutes, 30 people at Likeable had heard the story. It soon appeared on Twitter and Facebook.
Now it’s here. I had an amazing experience with my Pink Bowl. Guess where I had lunch the next
day? And the day after that? For the cost of a bowl, shipping, and a free topping, ($20?) the small
business reached thousands of customers and prospects.
I’ve been a regular Just Salad customer for a while now, and frankly, I’m not sure whether I got the
Pink Bowl because of my loyalty or my influence. But I can tell you this: Just Salad’s Pink Bowl
campaign to me and others is a reminder of the timeless formula of word of mouth (WOM) marketing
success:
Great Product + Loyalty Marketing + Influencer Marketing = WOM Magic

Let’s dissect this formula for success and talk about how you can benefit:
1) The fundamental priority is to create a great product. A great product or service is worth
talking about to your friends. Just Salad has these cool orange and green reusable salad bowls, dozens
of different salad options, and provides fresh, fast, healthy lunches. It’s worth talking about to begin
with. On the other hand, if you don’t have a great product, no amount of marketing is going to make a
difference.
2) Reward loyal customers in a fun way. Your loyal customers are the ones most passionate about
your great product or service, and they’re the ones most likely to talk about you. So give them
something to talk about. And give them a reason to keep coming back.
3) Give influential customers something to talk about. Long before social media, you had some
customers and prospects that were more influential than others: the captain of the football team, or the
President of the P.T.A., or guy who organizes all of the golf outings. Thanks to social media, you can
now identify your most influential customers more easily than ever. For instance, you can use Klout or
Kred, services that measure how many Twitter followers and Facebook friends take action when
people post.
Here are 5 examples for how different companies and individuals can leverage word of mouth magic
with their customers and prospects:
1) A real estate agent sends a beautiful bottle of wine to an influential prospect – before the sale.
2) A software company launches in Beta with exclusive free access to a limited group of Twitter
influencers.
3) A law firm lands a new client – the biggest manufacturing company in the city – and sends out big
cookie baskets to all of the execs the next day.
4) An insurance saleswoman finds the top-connected people on LinkedIn in town, and mails them all
Starbucks gift cards.
5) A restaurant offers free dessert to all of its frequent diners.
If you have a great product, and can get your loyal, influential customers talking about it, you will
create word of mouth magic. Getting lots of the right people talking about you in a positive way is
more valuable than any advertising - and thanks to social media, word of mouth magic can spread
faster and further than ever before.
Just Salad did just that with me, and now many thousands of people know about it.
Why Your Company's Social Media is Failing
photo via Brian Solis
Recently, I had an issue with my television service. As a social media author and CEO, I did the first
thing that comes natural: I tweeted, and posted a complaint on the company's Facebook page. To their
credit, the company responded right away, apologizing and giving me a phone number to call to
resolve my service issue. This is terrific social media practice.
The only problem? When I called up the phone number they gave me on Facebook, I was put on hold
for over 40 minutes! While the guilty company eventually resolved my customer service issue, I was
left as angry and frustrated as I'd been before. There was zero connection between this utility
company's social media channels and its phone customer service.
Several years into the coming of age of social media, most companies are still paying only lip service
to the most significant communications paradigm shift in a century. Companies who spend millions of
dollars in Facebook ads don't allow their employees to access Facebook.com at work. Companies
who dedicate full staffs to Twitter don't have any C-level employees who even use Twitter.
Companies who spend a lot of time and money on distributing content across social networks don't
use those same networks to listen to their customers.
What is the root of the problem, and how can it be fixed?
In many companies, social media is still silo-ed. In order to become successful, senior executives
must go beyond social media and embrace social business.
To better explain social business, I spoke with Brian Solis, fellow LinkedIn Influencer and co-author
of the book 7 Success Factors of Social Business Strategy. Here is what Brian shared with me:
There's a difference between a social media and social business strategy. Social media are the
channels where information and people are connected via two-way platforms. Social media strategy
defines programs specific to networks and the corresponding activity within and around each. A
Social Business Strategy is one that aligns with the strategic business goals and has alignment and
support throughout the organization.
Here are Brian's seven steps to successfully champion and scale social media through the
organization and earn executive support along the way:
1. Define the overall business goals.
Explore how social media strategies create direct or indirect impact on business objectives. What are
you trying to accomplish and how does it communicate value to those who don’t understand social
media?
2. Establish the long-term vision.
Articulate a vision for becoming a social business and the value that will be realized internally
among stakeholders and externally to customers (and shareholders).
3. Ensure executive support.
Social media often exists in a marketing silo. It must expand to empower the rest of the business. To
scale takes the support of key senior executives and their interests lie in business value and priorities.
4. Define the strategy and roadmap and identify initiatives.
Once you have your vision and you’re in alignment on business goals, you need a plan that helps you
bring everything to life. A strategic social business roadmap looks out 3-5 years and aligns business
goals with social media initiatives across the organization.
5. Establish governance and guidelines.
Who will take responsibility for social strategy and lead the development of an infrastructure to
support it? You’ll need help. Form a center of excellence to prioritize initiatives, tackle guidelines
and processes, and assign roles and responsibilities.
6. Secure staff, resources, and funding.
Determine where resources are best applied now and over the next three years. Think scale among
agencies but also internally to continually take your strategy and company to the next level. Train staff
on vision, purpose, business value creation, and metrics/reporting to ensure a uniform approach as
you grow.
7. Invest in technology platforms that support the greater vision and objectives.
Ignore shiny object syndrome. Resist significant investments until you better understand how social
technology enables or optimizes your strategic roadmap. Once you do, invest in the best-fit
technology providers to help scale 'social' across your entire enterprise.
It’s time for businesses to stop paying lip service to social media and to start truly becoming social
organizations - organizations at which all employees use the incredible technologies we've come to
use and love as consumers. It's time to create a social business for your organization. Today can be
your start.
How to Sell Anything Using Social Media
photo via DOD
Three years ago, my wife and I sold our co-op apartment in New York to move into a bigger home –
and I created a Facebook page entitled Dave's House for Sale, dedicated exclusively to selling my
home. The page actually generated three leads, which led to one offer. But I got a better offer the old-
fashioned way, so despite my desire to be able to say I sold my house on Facebook, I had to take the
better deal.
This year, a client of our partner agency in Turkey, Likeable Istanbul, sold a car on Twitter. Dogus
Otomotiv’s second hand car dealing brand DOD managed to sell an automobile via its Twitter
account (@DODcomtr) with a proactive strategy and successful customer listening. It is proof that
today, no matter what you are selling, you can use social media to your advantage.
It started when Duygu Cakir, a music director and program producer for Super FM, posted a tweet
saying she wanted to buy a car. Likeable Istanbul’s social media specialist for DOD caught this tweet
by constant listening and replied to her. After Cakir’s positive answer, DOD started sharing suitable
models with her on Twitter.
After considering a few models, Cakir wanted to see a car suggested by DOD and soon after she
decided to buy it. DOD wanted to share this sale on social media; so they took a photo of Cakir and
her new car and shared it on Twitter (pictured above).
Likeable Istanbul selling cars on Twitter is just one of many examples. Reyne Haines is an antique
dealer who has sold many thousands of dollars worth of items using social media and currently has a
$22,000 silkscreen up for sale on Facebook. The Mobility Resource credits social media with
driving over $300,000 worth of sales of adaptive vehicles in the last quarter alone. Rock and Roll
Fantasy Camp credits social media with driving 25% of its $6,000-a-pop sales to its four social
media sites.
Whether your job is to sell cars, homes, insurance, antiques, camp, or widgets, you absolutely can use
social media to your advantage. But just like hard-selling doesn't work in person, it doesn't work with
social media. Here are five simple reminders about the best processes to use when selling through
social media:
1. Build relationships first.

It's always easier to make a sale when you build a relationship first. Use social networks such as
Twitter and LinkedIn to find prospects and get to know them online before you even think about
selling something. Invest your time up front in these relationships, without asking for anything in
return. Show your friendship first.
2. Listen carefully.
The most valuable business asset of social media is listening. Pay attention to what your prospects
are saying online. Monitor their social feeds. Engage when you feel compelled, especially when the
conversation has nothing to do with what you're selling.
3. Uncover problems and needs.

If you're listening well enough, you'll notice when your connections, followers and prospects say
something that's a hint that they need what you have. That's your opportunity to engage further in a
conversation that will lead to a sale.
4. Help people solve those problems.

Demonstrate your expertise and your willingness to help, using great content, great questions and
great care. This is your specialty, and whatever it is you're selling, think not of the sale but of the help
you're providing to someone whose needs you've uncovered online.
5. Ask for the sale.

Social media purists will tell you that it's all about listening and conversation. And as I said, listening
and engagement is super important at the early stages of the sales funnel. But in the end, it's essential
to ask for the sale, whether through an online link or a request to take the conversation to a phone call
or even an in-person meeting. You won't get the sale unless you ask for it.
Those are the 5 key steps to selling anything using social media. If you're paying attention, you'll note
that these are also five key steps to selling anything - anywhere. Long before social media, there was
relationship-selling: listening, helping solve problems, and closing. Now, there are lots of social
networks and technologies and tools that may overwhelm some people. But to those people who
embrace it all, it allows you to sell at greater scale and efficiency than ever before.
LinkedIn Endorsements Changes Everything. Here's Why:
photo via Business Insider
For years, LinkedIn has offered recommendations as a way to get support from fellow professionals
and businesses. If you received recommendations from other individuals, you garnered credibility,
and were more likely to show up in searches.
But now, LinkedIn's endorsements are much easier to get. It takes someone seconds to vouch for one
or more of your particular skills, versus the 10 minutes to 15 minutes a recommendation might take. In
today's time-starved world, this is a critical difference. LinkedIn hasn't released numbers yet, but if
you look at several profiles, it's clear that in just a few weeks, many users have generated way more
endorsements than five years worth of recommendations.
If you want to give an endorsement, go to the top of a connection's LinkedIn profile, where you'll find
an endorsement box you can click on, or write in skills or expertise you'd like to endorse (like
PowerPoint, writing, market research). Lower down in the profile, you can view all current
endorsements that connection has already received, and if you agree with any, simply click the plus
sign and you'll endorse that person as well. When you endorse someone (or someone endorses you),
this will show up in your LinkedIn news feed (and spread the word).
LinkedIn isn't weighting endorsements in search results yet, but it will soon. This means, the more
endorsements for your skills and talents that you get, the more often you'll appear in search results, the
more trusted you'll be, and the more leads you'll potentially generate from LinkedIn.
So how do you get endorsements? There are two main ways I recommend:
1) Ask. Send out a dedicated email asking people you know for endorsements with a link directly to
your profile. You can also send private messages via LinkedIn to your connections. Better yet:
2) Give others your endorsement. When you endorse others, they get notifications from LinkedIn, and
will often reciprocate without your asking.
If you believe an endorsement is invalid, you have the option to hide it from your profile.
Remember, the more endorsements for your skills and talents you have, the more leads you can
generate when people are looking for whatever it is you have to offer.
The 1 Thing Every Business Executive Must Understand About Social Media
photo via Rio Las Vegas
Social media is still in its infancy, and many business executives still don't understand how to
leverage it for their organizations, large or small. They're too focused on the talking, and not focused
enough on the listening.
When I speak, I often begin by asking my audience, "How many of you know at least one executive
who doesn't fully understand the business value of Twitter?"
Sure enough, the entire audience raises their hands. Then I tell them about my experience in Las Vegas
three years ago.
I had been standing in line to check in at Las Vegas’s then-trendiest hotel in town, the Aria, for nearly
an hour. I was exhausted and frustrated after a 6-hour flight from New York, and just wanted to get to
my room and rest. The last thing I wanted to do was waste an hour of my life waiting in line.
Frustrated, I did what any social media nerd would do - I pulled out my phone, and tweeted the
following:
“No Vegas hotel could be worth this long wait. Over an hour to check in at the Aria. #fail"
Unfortunately, the Aria wasn't listening, and didn’t tweet back to me. But a competitor was listening.
Just two minutes later, I received a tweet from the Rio Hotel down the street.
Now at this point, if you’re anything like most executives I’ve shared this story with, you’re thinking,
“What did the Rio tweet - “Come on over, we have no line here" or "Call us, we have a room for
you!"?
Had the Rio tweeted something like that to me, I would have thought two things: First, "Why are you
stalking me?" and second, "Why is it wide open at the Rio when it's jam-packed and happening at the
Aria?"
On the contrary, the Rio Las Vegas tweeted the following to me:
“Sorry about your bad experience, Dave. Hope the rest of your stay in Vegas goes well.”
Guess where I ended up staying the next time I went to Las Vegas?
The Rio hotel earned a $600 sale on the basis of that one tweet. But the story gets even better,
because I gave the Rio a "Like" on Facebook, and a few months later, I got a message from a friend on
Facebook. My friend Erin asked, "Hey, I'm having a family reunion in Vegas this New Year's, and I
saw you liked the Rio's page. Do you recommend them?"
I wrote back to her, "Well, the Rio isn't the newest hotel in Vegas, or the nicest - but I'll tell you one
thing - they know how to listen to customers." She booked the Rio for 20 guests that day.
One tweet from the Rio, and one "like" from me led to over $10,000 in revenue for the
company.
No executive that's heard or read this story could argue that the Rio's message was a marketing or
sales message, either. All they did was use social media to listen, and then show a little empathy to
the right person at the right time. An ad, or a push-marketing-like message from the Rio, simply
wouldn’t have worked. But their ability to listen, respond and be empathic did work.
The Rio was listening on Twitter by tracking keywords of their competitors, and of the word "Vegas."
If you work at a hotel, you can do the same. If you work at a law firm, try listening by doing a Twitter
search for the words "need a lawyer.” Or if you work for a recruitment firm, try a search for the
words "We're hiring."
Whatever your organization does, you can find your customers and prospects on Twitter,
Facebook, blogs, and everywhere on the social web, by listening for the right words.
The one thing every business executive must understand about social media:
The secret to social media success isn't in talking - it's in listening.
6 Ways to Make Your Story Go Viral
photo via Business Tips
People always ask me how to make messages "go viral."
Every business needs to get the word out; every leader wants her ideas to spread more.
So I talked with Jonah Berger, the leading word-of-mouth scientist, to get answers. Berger, a Wharton
professor and author of Contagious, gave me a six-step method to drive people to spread the word.
Here's what he told me:
1. Social Currency
People love to talk about things that make them look good. The promotion they received, how well
their kids are doing in school--or the time they got upgraded to first class. So make them feel like
insiders, or give them remarkable information, and they'll tell others in order to make themselves look
smart and in the know.
2. Triggers
Top-of-mind means tip-of-the-tongue. Ever wonder why people talk so much about the weather or
what they had for breakfast? The more people are thinking about something, the more likely they'll be
to tell others about it. So link your product or business idea to prevalent triggers in the environment--
objects, ideas, or topics that come up frequently in conversation anyway.
3. Emotion
When you care, you talk. If you're excited about a piece of news, angry about a decision, or amazed
about a discovery, you're much more likely to tell others. So focus on feelings rather than functions.
Find the strong emotions behind any message you want to take viral.
4. Public Availability
People tend to use other people for information. What restaurant is good? Which service provider
should I adopt? You look to others and assume that if many people are doing something it must be
pretty good. But you can only imitate if you can see what those others are doing. So, the more
observable behavior is, the more likely it is to catch on. If you create a campaign or idea that is easy
for people to show, it will grow.
5. Practical Value
People don't only want to look good, they also want to help others. So the more useful a piece of
information is, the more it will be "shared" on social media. Discounts, travel recommendations, or
articles about the best sunscreen to use all get passed around because they're helpful. So, highlight
incredible deals or useful tips and more people will pass it on.
6. Stories
Stories are the currency of conversation. No one wants to seem like a walking advertisement, but they
will talk about a product or brand if it's part of a broader narrative: How a new software cut billing
time in half, or how a company sent out a replacement product the next day free of charge. So, build a
"Trojan horse" story, one that carries your brand along for the ride. Make your message into an
enjoyable tale, and you can be sure it will be told.
Take into account a few of these principles as you create your marketing strategy, and you'll optimize
your chances of "going viral." Take them all into account, and you'll get as close to a sure thing as I
can fathom.
5 Keys to Great Storytelling: Lessons from Barbara Corcoran
Barbara Corcoran wore a bright red dress the day I first met her, which, combined with my bright
orange, may have looked from afar more like a fire than like 2 people. But fiery is definitely a great
word to describe her. Corcoran, the real estate entrepreneur, celebrity author and star of ABC's Shark
Tank, is full of life, energy – and stories.
In fact, after I read her book Shark Tales and heard her on my friend Tim Healy's radio show, I knew
that she was one of the best storytellers I've ever encountered in business. So when I sat down with
Barbara to interview her, we chatted about how to tell great stories in business and in life. We agreed
that great storytelling is the best way to – essential because people remember stories, and use them to
draw parallels to their own lives. Stories persuade people, and help people feel connected – two
essential skills for any leader or salesperson.
Corcoran's own success is an incredible rags-to-riches story – from one of ten children to waitress to
real estate mogul. But I'll let you read her book to hear that story. In the meantime, here are the 5 keys
to great storytelling – for better business – according to Barbara Corcoran:
1) Have a purpose
Know your audience and your story's purpose – is it to entertain, to educate, to put at ease, or to
persuade, for instance? Understanding the purpose for telling your story allows you to keep it simple
and effective. For example, in order to teach me how she became a great storyteller, Barbara told me
the story of her growing up in "a large Irish family, where everyone was always telling stories and in
order to get attention, yours had to be good!"
2) Share a beginning, middle and end

Every great story has a beginning, a middle and an end. Make sure yours moves smoothly through
each section and don't stick around too long on anything. "Delivery is important, too," Barbara told
me. "Enthusiasm is everything!"
3) Put skin on the bones

It's the details – the color, sights, sounds, smells, and other descriptive language that really bring
stories to life. "Describe what you were and the other people were wearing," said Barbara. People
want to be able to have enough details to picture the story in their heads – so the more details you
give, the more meaningful and memorable your story will be. "When I told people I sold by business
for $66 million, they shrug. When I tell them about my next visit to the ATM machine, and the smell of
the money coming out, and the sound of the receipt spurting out of the machine with my balance, then,
they get excited."
4) Be the vulnerable underdog

Of course, you might not always be the underdog in every story, and you may not always be able to be
humble or vulnerable in your recounting of the story. But whenever possible, Barbara says, include
this. "People always identify more with the underdog than with the perennial champion. And
vulnerability leads to trust and intimacy, and opens people up to what you have to say."
5) Tell your own story

This was an important lesson I learned from Barbara. My wife and I happen to have an amazing story
about a sponsored wedding that led to our first business. It's a story we often tell when introducing
Likeable Media to new clients. And, don't get me wrong, it's a great story, when we tell it. But
Barbara helped me to realize, when other employees tell the Likeable story, they need to make it their
own. People will always respond better to a story that stars the storyteller, not someone else.
If you take into account these five principles, you too can become a better storyteller, and a more
effective business communicator. As for those of you looking to meet and pitch Barbara Corcoran in
the Shark Tank, she was clear: "Storytelling is everything. Show me an MBA and your sales numbers,
that's fine. But tell me a great story about how you got started and your vision, and we'll talk."
5 Ways Social Media Takes Customer Relationships To The Next Level
photo via Medtronic
Medical device companies and financial institutions are hardly known for making waves in social
media; the strict regulation of these industries is a deterrent for most. And yet a new trend is
emerging, with organizations breaking through industry regulations to better engage with consumers
on social media. Today, companies in industries ranging from automotive, financial to medical device
companies are using social media (and particularly Facebook Pages) to build meaningful
relationships.
Beyond taking your content strategy to the next level, here are five lessons businesses across all
industries can leverage to build relationships with customers — and influence their purchase
decisions:
1. Make it easy for people to share their story.
Plain and simple: people love to talk about themselves. When businesses are able to find a way to
play a part in that positive lift, they win. Case in point: our client Medtronic Diabetes is a medical
device company. Since people are the focal point of their business, the company wanted to make its
customers a huge part of the brand. They use their “Share Your Story” Facebook app to ask customers
to submit pictures of themselves living their best life with an insulin pump or continuous glucose
monitor.
Whether it’s a family vacation to Paris or a bike ride in the park, these life moments are added to the
company’s own Facebook Timeline as milestones for the community to read and use a source for
inspiration to live a full life with diabetes. When your customers are happy, your business will be too
— so find a way to let people feel good and share their story about how your brand makes a
difference in their lives.
2. Leverage the social in social media.
Businesses have the opportunity to use Facebook as a way to provide customers not only with great
service, but a means of connecting and inspiring one another. Brands like Weight Watchers and Nike
Women have also demonstrated how valuable Facebook can be for bringing together people facing
similar daily obstacles.
Social media serves as a tool for those who may not have an outlet or support system to find one
another. When using these tools, constantly think about the social aspect: how can you connect your
audience and strengthen your relationship?
3. Make it about the customer, not about the product.
American Express’ OPEN Forum has surely surpassed customer expectations when it comes to
putting a customer first. Developed for small business owners as a place to share and exchange ideas
with one another, the forum has helped countless small business owners excel.
Instead of heavily pushing their traditional financial offerings, Amex has thought about its consumers
and what they’re looking for while providing information about their services. When you help your
customer via social media, you’re more likely to build a long-lasting relationship — which will in
turn propel your brand awareness and growth.
4. Take every opportunity to gain feedback.
Lays Potato Chips recently launched a Facebook contest asking U.S. fans to help create its next chip
flavor for its 75th anniversary next year. Lays teamed up with Facebook to change the Like button to
an “I’d eat that” button. The contest has been previously launched in 14 other countries generating
more than 8 million chip flavor ideas globally.
This is a great opportunity for Lays to gain insight into what kinds of chip flavors customers like.
Crowdsourcing isn’t just a marketing tactic, it’s an extremely easy and effective means of soliciting
feedback about your product or service. Take every chance you get to accept feedback from your
customers — on top of marketing benefits, you’ll be given an incredible opportunity to improve your
business.
5. Break through barriers.
In the medical device industry which is so heavily regulated, social media is generally shied away
from. Medtronic Diabetes was able to work within this environment; the company found a way to
follow regulation rules, while still being able to be a resource to their customers.
With over 50,000 Facebook fans since launching their page in April 2012, the company is proof that
while certain industries must be careful about the way they interact online, that is no reason to stop
your brand advocates from offering support to one another.
If a heavily regulated medical company can break down barriers and use social media to connect with
customers on an incredibly human level, then so can any business.
And the Future of Social Media Is…
In May, to celebrate my daughter Charlotte’s 10 birthday, my wife and I took our daughters and three
other 10-year-old girls on a trip to Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos in Pennsylvania. We had an
amazing time, but I’ll leave my review for Trip Advisor. Instead, I’ll focus on what all the 10-year
old girls were focused on all weekend: Instagram.
Now, as my wife and I are both social media entrepreneurs, it could be expected that our children
would be quick to explore and adopt social media networks and tools. But what about the other girls?
It’s a small sample size indeed, but every girl had an Apple device (iPhone, iPad or iTouch) and
every girl used Instagram to take and share pictures of pretty much everything we did the entire
weekend.
I already knew about Instagram’s success and growth: 100 million users in just 26 months (It took
Facebook over 3 years to reach the 100 million user mark). They also boast 45 million photos per
day, 8,500 likes per second and 1,000 comments per second. Instagram is clearly the face of the new
visual, mobile web. But to see it in action all weekend as four 10-year olds celebrated
#charlotteBdayweekend together using Instagram, really brought those statistics to life. Upon
questioning the girls, I was further impressed by two things:
The Instagram App Ecosystem
My daughter and her friends use several apps besides Instagram to support their Instagram
obsession. They use Instafan to look more closely at their followers and find their biggest fan. They
use Versagram to overlay text over photos. They use Instalikes to get more likes and Instarepost to
repost others’ photos. Basically, an entire ecosystem is developing around a social network that in
itself is just a simple mobile app.
(Side rant: hearing about these apps from my daughter and her friends was the first time I’ve ever
felt like an old parent out of touch with technology. I thought because I’m the business, I’d never
feel that way. I thought wrong. When you and I were ten, we didn’t have apps, or i-devices, or the
internet. We had wooden toys…)
The Mobile Internet

The other striking note from the kids’ behavior over the weekend was their use of mobile devices to
use the web. We all know how quickly mobile use of the internet is growing versus desktop and
laptop computer use – in fact, mobile use of the internet will take over land use of the internet by next
year. But to hear it from a bunch of ten year olds is remarkable. When I asked one of the girls how
often she uses a computer to use the internet versus her iTouch, she told me:
“I only use my computer at home to do homework – like typing a report or something. For everything
else, I just use my iTouch or my parents’ iPad.”
So, at least in this corner of the world that is 10-year old girls in Port Washington, New York, USA,
Instagram is the only game in town. Even though my daughter, a young entrepreneur herself, is on
LinkedIn, they’re too young to be thinking seriously about LinkedIn. And these kids also didn’t want
to have anything to do with Facebook or Twitter or Foursquare or even billion-dollar Tumblr. As I
said, it’s a tiny sample size, but I thought it was noteworthy enough to share with you.
The good news for Facebook? They own Instagram. Perhaps that pre-revenue billion-dollar
acquisition of Mark Zuckerberg’s from a year ago wasn’t so foolish after all. At least if you ask
Charlotte’s 4 grade class in Port Washington, the future of social media is Instagram.
No matter what you do for work today, you will benefit from improved skills in marketing, sales, and
social media. The networks and tools will continue to change at a rapid pace, but your ability to listen
better, tell stories better, and ultimately, to be useful, will determine your success.
One of my biggest regrets is not writing more, earlier. I wish I had written about my childhood
growing up with a mentally ill parent. I wish I had written about my struggles with gambling in high
school. I wish I had written about my trips to 45 major league baseball stadiums.
I didn't begin writing seriously until I started blogging six years ago. I was afraid. I was too busy. I
held back. But now, I can say I am not only an avid writer, I love it. I write at least three articles a
week and wish I could make time to write more.
Writing makes us smarter, makes us understand ourselves better, and most of all, it helps us persuade
others of our ideas.
In this section, I'll share with you some of my favorite stories and articles that don't neatly fit into any
of the above three categories. You'll read about what my father-in-law taught me, about my night with
a Grammy award winner, and about my love for New York City, great authors, and the color orange.
You'll read about my ups and downs with body image and with reality television.
The final article is a sneak preview of my next book, Likeable Influence: How to Get Everything You
Want. Seriously. Enjoy my musings, and maybe you'll muse a bit yourself, about a topic you care
about.
Always Show Your Friendship First
I married into a family full of great advice.
My father-in-law, the Honorable Steven W. Fisher, didn’t have an entrepreneurial bone in his body.
He was conservative and cautious -- not a risk taker by any means, and he was a Judge, not a
businessperson. Yet one thing he knew was people and relationships -- and he gave me the most
important advice I’ve ever received – advice that has deeply impacted my businesses and my life.
PopPop, as we knew him in the family, told me early on in our relationship, four words which
continue to resonate with me many years later:
Show your friendship first.
PopPop taught me this essential business paradox: when you want something from someone, give
them something instead, with no strings attached or expectations. Ask how you can be of service. Act
like a true friend, even before you’ve established a friendship. Are you guaranteed to be able to
leverage this later? Absolutely not. But that’s not the point – the point is that when you act unselfishly
– when you behave as you would to a great friend – trustworthy and trusting, respectful and kind –
then more often than not, good things will come in the relationship.
This advice has served me numerous times in business and in life, but one in particular that comes to
mind began several years ago. It was 2008 -- early on in Likeable Media’s business and in
Facebook’s business. I watched an interview that Mark Zuckerberg did in which he said his vision for
Facebook was that one day, small businesses everywhere would use the platform to connect with
their customers -- small businesses such as his dad, who had a dentist practice.
Intrigued by the interview, I did a little research, and learned that:
a) His dad was a dentist in Dobbs Ferry, NY, near me.

b) His dad had a Facebook page up for his business but it wasn’t anywhere near its potential in terms
of content, engagement, and size.
At this point, I could have tried to sell Dr. Zuckerberg on our consulting services. It was early on in
our company’s history and we needed the money. But I remembered my PopPop’s words: Show your
friendship first. I called up Dr. Zuckerberg’s office, told him I had seen the interview, and offered to
help him with his Facebook page, completely free of charge. I dedicated my time and staff resources
to making it not only one of the best Facebook pages for a dentist in the country, but a page that could
hold its own up against some of the largest companies on the planet. I asked for absolutely nothing in
return.
Over the years, Dr. Z and I became friends. He is a diehard New York Yankees fan, and I’m a diehard
New York Mets fan, so we always had something to talk about. I was admittedly not a big fan of going
to the dentist (ok, a bit phobic, even) and he even became my dentist.
Our company grew and grew, and last year, we decided to form an Advisory Board to bring
experienced leaders and business people with deep networks together to help continue our robust
growth. Dr. Zuckerberg was amongst the first people to agree to serve.
Then, we decided to spinoff a social media software company to serve small businesses across
dozens of verticals, and my second business was born. Likeable Local, we called it, and Likeable
Dentists became our first vertical. Dr. Zuckerberg again stepped up to serve as our spokesperson. Just
two weeks ago, when I asked our Advisory Board for help in fundraising for our latest venture, Dr. Z
made an introduction to one of the most famous and accomplished angel investors of all time – Ron
Conway.
Five years into our relationship, Dr. Z has helped me in numerous ways. But the truth is, when I first
met him, I had absolutely no expectations of getting anything back at all. I just wanted to show my
friendship first.
As for my PopPop -- unfortunately, he passed away two years ago, and while he was able to see some
of Likeable’s initial success, he was taken away from us too soon, and never did see Likeable Local
or Likeable Dentists come to fruition. But I hope he’d be proud of my wife and me for what we’ve
done. And I know I often still think about him, and the amazing advice he gave me.
7 Rules For Talking to Children About Self Image
photo via Brian Cuban
When I was six years old, a friend of my mother's told her she thought I was too skinny. My mother
called up our family doctor, Dr. Stone, and asked what to do. Dr. Stone told her to give me two
banana milkshakes a day: Whole milk, bananas and sugar. My mother complied.
By age 11, I was at Weight Watchers. I was 15 pounds overweight by then, and was getting teased by
kids at school. Over six months, I lost the weight — but I would only continue to yo-yo at different
weights. I weighed as much as 250 pounds at one point as a young adult, and lost as much as 69
pounds soon after. Even today, as a successful entrepreneur and writer, I am not totally comfortable
with my body image — I prefer to swim with my t-shirt on, for instance. The truth is, no matter what
size I am, I feel fat.
Yet I have two daughters, whom I totally adore. Charlotte (10) and Kate (6) are both amazing, healthy
girls. The last thing in the world I would want to do is contribute to their negative self-image, based
on my own fears or insecurities.
I met Brian Cuban, interestingly enough, though Twitter. Brian, pictured

above on the far left, is the brother of Dallas Mavericks billionaire and
fellow LinkedIn Influencer Mark Cuban. Brian's quite the success in his own
right: a lawyer, activist and TV host. But he's been a success in spite of a
mental disorder known as Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) in which the
sufferer is preoccupied with a distorted sense of self-image and is often
afflicted with eating disorders, depression and addiction. Brian just
published a book called Shattered Image — about his compelling story —
and so I asked him to give me tips for talking to my kids about their self image.
Whether your children are underweight, overweight, or "normal" weight, how you talk to them about
body image can make a huge difference in their lives. Here are Brian's seven rules for talking to
children about self image:
1. Remember that your child is not you. He/she is a unique individual, bringing a unique genetic
and psychological makeup to the game.
2. When talking to your child, it is important to talk to them based on their view of life, not yours.
3. Shaming words do hurt and are remembered for life.
4. It is important to understand how to speak to your child based on the specific problem. The
problem may not be what you think it is.
5. If you’re not sure how to speak to your child about it, speak to a professional first.
6. There is no shame in speaking to a professional first.
7. If your child is showing signs of a distorted self-image don’t blame yourself. Work the problem.
Focus on the solution.
Our country has so many problems with self-image, and it all starts with childhood. Here's to hoping
my daughters and your children can grow up with a healthy, not shattered, image.
11 Must-Read Authors For Every Professional
Great authors teach us, motivate us, inspire us, and make us think. For professionals, great authors can
change the way we work, help us realize new opportunities, build a business, and lead others.
This is a list of prolific, impactful authors, each of which has written at least three business books.
Below are my 11 must-read authors, along with six more up-and-coming authors worth reading:
1. Seth Godin
Godin is my favorite author and has been an inspiration to me as a writer, marketer, entrepreneur and
thinker. Permission Marketing is my favorite Godin book, but I've enjoyed so many of them, as
Godin always challenges readers to think about things in a new way. Other must-read books of his
include Purple Cow, Tribes, Linchpin, and Poke The Box. His latest and boldest, The Icarus
Deception, calls on people to look at their work as an artist does.
2. Patrick Lencioni
Lencioni is the owner of a management consulting firm and a prolific author and speaker, having
written ten books to date. He writes simple, well-told fables, all with leadership and management
lessons to take away. His most famous book is The Five Dysfunctions of a Team - and that is a great
one, as are The Advantage, Death by Meeting, and Getting Naked. But my favorite is The Three Big
Questions for a Frantic Family, because it addresses not only business, but leading a family,
something most important to me.
3. Malcolm Gladwell
Gladwell is a longtime writer for The New Yorker magazine and the author of four uber-successful,
thoughtful books which stimulate not only business professionals, but all of his readers, to think about
things in a new way. Named by Time Magazine in 2005 as one of the 100 most influential people in
the world, Gladwell's works include The Tipping Point, Outliers, Blink and What the Dog Saw.
4. Jim Collins
Collins is both a teacher and a student of great companies - having devoted the better part of his life
to studying, analyzing and writing about the differences between good companies and great ones -
companies that perish and those that endure. His books are all thoroughly researched and his theses
are data-driven. Collins' works include Good to Great, Built to Last, How the Mighty Fall and
Great by Choice.
5. Daniel Pink
Pink is truly one of the great business minds of our time. Having now authored four provocative
books, Pink was named one of the Top 50 business thinkers of the world by Harvard Business
Review in 2011. His most recent book, To Sell is Human, is particularly appropriate for salespeople.
But Pink's previous Drive and A Whole New Mind are classics as well.
6. Tim Ferriss
Ferriss is an incredibly successful author and speaker, despite apparently not working on any one
thing more than four hours a week. The ultimate "work smart over work hard" guy, Ferriss's first
book, The Four Hour Workweek, has sold many millions of copies and been translated to 35
languages. The concept for professionals has proved so popular that Ferriss followed up Workweek
with The Four Hour Body and The Four Hour Chef.
7. Ken Blanchard
Blanchard is a long-time writer, speaker and consultant and one of the top leadership experts in the
world. Like Lencioni, he writes using stories and simple, easy-to-understand language. Three of his
many books, the One Minute Manager, Raving Fans, and The One Minute Entrepreneur all deeply
influenced the way I've run our businesses and helped clients grow their businesses.
8. Stephen Covey
Covey wrote a plethora of excellent leadership and inspirational books, but the one you've likely
heard of is The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. This book single-handedly changed the way
millions of people live their lives, at work and beyond. The SPEED of Trust and The Leader in Me
are two more good ones. Covey's books are excellent reads if you're looking for inspiration beyond
your job. Sadly, Covey passed away last year.
9. Peter Drucker
Drucker, the 2nd posthumous member of this list, passed away in 2005, but he was considered the
management expert of the 20th century, authoring over 25 books. The teacher, reporter, philosopher
and consultant was perhaps best known for mentoring longtime General Electric CEO Jack Welch.
His books included The Effective Executive, Managing the Nonprofit Organization, and The Five
Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization.
10. Jeffrey Gitomer

Gitomer may have been a college dropout, but his books have helped many a salesperson make an
incredible living. His books are small, easy to read, and packed full of both inspiration and practical
advice. My favorite is the Little Red Book Of Selling, but others include Customer Satisfactions Is
Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless, Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, and The Sales Bible.
11. John Maxwell

Maxwell is a longtime leadership expert, speaker and coach who has sold a remarkable 19 million
books. His books inspire better leadership skills and communication skills. My favorite is The 21
Irrefutable Laws of Leadership; other noteworthy books include The 5 Levels of Leadership,
Developing the Leader Within You, How Successful People Think, The 360 Degree Leader, and
Everyone Communicates, Few Connect.
The above 11 are all must-read authors for professionals. Their many books have stood the test of
time and continue to sell millions of copies. As I looked for great business authors, though, I was
devastated by the dearth of women authors - plus I wanted to introduce you to a few great authors you
may not have read yet. Here, then, are six more terrific authors worth reading, including three
awesome female authors:
1. Sheryl Sandberg
Sandberg, the famous and at times controversial Chief Operating Officer of Facebook just launched
her first book: Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead. The guaranteed bestseller has already
created a lot of buzz, and is worth a read, whether you're a woman or a man.
2. Guy Kawasaki
I am proud to call Kawasaki a mentor, and he easily could have made the list above. His latest work,
APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur is a must-read for all authors and wanna-be authors. Other
excellent books include The Art of the Start, Enchantment, Rules for Revolutionaries, and Reality
Check.
3. Ekaterina Walter
Walter is a new author and a long time speaker and social strategist for Intel. Her first book, Think
Like Zuck, inspired me so much I bought copies for my staff at Likeable. I have a strong feeling
there's more to come.
4. Erik Qualman
You may not have heard of Qualman yet, but you may be amongst the 5 million people who have seen
his "Socialnomics" videos on YouTube. Qualman's first book of the same name, Socialnomics, is an
excellent read, as is his newest, Digital Leader.
5. Meg Cadoux Hirshberg

Hirschberg is the wife of Stonyfield CEO Gary Hirshberg, and writes extensively for INC Magazine
on entrepreneurship and family. I whole-heartedly recommend her first book, For Better Or For
Work, not only for entrepreneurs but for their spouses and families.
6. Michael Maddock
Maddock is an entrepreneur, inventor and innovation expert. My favorite of his three books is Free
The Idea Monkey, which is great for both the idea people and the operators who help make those
ideas actually happen.
3 Weird Truths About Business From a Night With Weird Al
photo via Wikipedia
This story is so incredible, and so weird, it’s hard to believe it’s all true. But I have several
witnesses, I assure you. And the truths I realized from this night from 13 years ago continue to guide
me today.
Before I get to the story itself, I’ve got to give you some backstory – my secret shame. As a teenager,
and even into my young twenties, I used to participate in what we called “movie hopping.” My
friends and I would buy tickets for one movie, and then we’d stay in the theater to watch more –
sometimes we’d spend an entire day just watching movies on one ticket. We got better and better at
the practice, calculating a schedule in advance based on running times and show times in order to
maximize the number of movies we could see in one day. It wasn’t right, or legal, I know, but there
are far worse things young people do. Still, I know I was breaking the rules, and so, to anyone who
cares, I'm sorry.
Fast forward to a cool Spring night in Boston in 2000. I was 23 at the time, working at Radio Disney,
and that night, we were hosting a sneak preview screening of the Bruce Willis movie, The Kid. I
didn’t have to work the event but I got passes to attend, so my friend Danny and I showed up, and
walked over to a table inside the movie theater where Radio Disney had set up.
“You’ll never believe who’s here, Dave!” said my friend Andy from work. “Weird Al Yankovic!”
I knew of the cult parody singer Weird Al of course, from his many hit songs – "Fat,” "Eat It,” and
"Like a Surgeon,” to name a few. What I didn’t know was his secret hobby.
“Nice to meet you, Al,” I said as I introduced myself to the tall, curly-haired, Hawaiian-shirt wearing
musician as if I were meeting just anyone. “What are you doing here?”
“I have a concert tomorrow and I’m free today, so I thought I’d come watch some movies,” he
answered.
I looked down and in his hand was a sheet of paper, with a list of movies playing at that theater, show
times, and running times.
“Al, are you…movie-hopping?” I asked. “Buying just one ticket and going to see a bunch of movies?”
Weird Al turned to me, lowered his head, and replied, in a low voice, “Well, I call it Movie Day. But
yes, I think it’s the same thing you’re talking about.”
I was stunned! I mean, I’d been movie hopping for years, but I was just a dumb kid. Here was a
successful, Grammy-award winning superstar, movie hopping just like I had! I had to try to join him. I
offered him an extra pass to “The Kid” and invited him to see the movie with us. He said he had
another movie to see first but he would stop in to catch as much of The Kid as he could.
40 minutes later, The Kid screening began. I saved a seat next to me in case Weird Al wanted to take
me up on my offer, but I wasn’t counting on it. The movie wasn’t very good, but the drama of whether
Al would hop on over was. Sure enough, about halfway into the movie, I saw a tall shadow coming
down the aisle, and Al sat down right next to me, whispering, “What did I miss?”
It was a totally surreal experience, but it was just getting started. After the movie ended, we had to try
to hop to another movie. I knew it would be a challenge- not only did we now have a large group of
people from my office who wanted to hang out with Weird Al, but Al himself isn’t exactly
inconspicuous. A group of about eight of us carefully and quietly walked to another theater where
Mission Impossible 2 was about to start. We sat down in the back of the theater and hoped we’d
succeed in movie-hopping with a celebrity.
Unfortunately, it wouldn’t happen so smoothly. A couple minutes later, a short, pudgy older man with
a mustache walked into the theater and came right up to us. The manager of the movie theater asked us
to show our tickets, knowing full well we wouldn’t have them to show.
“Excuse me,” I said to the manager. “May I speak to you for a minute outside?” I walked outside
theater 6 and had a quick conversation with the manager. “Do you realize who’s here? It’s Weird Al
Yankovic! He’s a Grammy award winner for god’s sake. Have you seen UHF?”
“I know who he is, and I don’t care if he’s the King of France,” the manager replied. “Nobody
watches a movie in my theater without a ticket. Now take you and your friends and get out of here
before I call the police!”
I quickly rounded up the Radio Disney posse and Al, and we left the movie theater, feeling defeated.
We were standing outside the theater, pondering our next move, when a young staff member came
outside and handed Al and me two passes, saying, “I’m sorry my manager’s such a jerk. Here are two
free passes to any movie you want.”
“Score!” I thought. But we didn’t want to get that staff member in trouble with her manager, so we
decided to use the passes at another theater nearby owned by the same company. The posse shrunk,
and my friend Danny, Weird Al and I walked over and enjoyed Mission Impossible 2 thanks to our
passes. The most surreal moment of the night was probably when Al and I shared nachos during MI2.
Anyway, the movie ended, I drove Weird Al back to his hotel room, and, Al being a super nice guy,
offered me tickets to his show the next day. I went to the concert (He’s an awesome performer!) but
we never spoke again. And soon thereafter, I ended my movie-hopping ways, I promise.
What did I learn from that truly incredible night? Here are 3 truths about life, and business:
1) Some people, no matter what, break the rules. At 23 years old, I could afford to buy tickets for
each movie I saw. And Weird Al Yankovic definitely could afford it. But we both obviously got a
rush out of breaking the rules, and sneaking from one theater to another. Is that a good thing? Maybe
not. But the point is, rule-breaking often isn’t a matter of need, but of other psychological factors. In
business, and certainly in entrepreneurship, it’s often good to bend, and even break some rules.
2) Some people, no matter what, follow the rules. The manager of the theater could have made an
exception for a celebrity and let him and a few people with them see a movie after he’s already spent
money on one ticket. Some managers surely would have. But this manager was a rule follower, and it
was important for him to enforce the policy, no matter what. Is that a bad thing? Maybe not. But the
point here is, some people will always be rule followers and enforcers. In business, it’s valuable to
know who the rule followers are in your organization and others you do business with.
3) You can find something in common with anyone. Even a celebrity with “weird” in his name
turned out to have something common with me. In the US, we have a celebrity-worshipping media and
culture, but the truth is that rock stars and Hollywood A-listers have more in common with you than
you may think. I'm also sure that your CEO, your senior manager, your colleague and your intern all
have something in common with you. In business, and in life, if you can find something in common
with someone, it goes a long way towards building a successful relationship.
A Life Lesson From Reality TV
image via Fox
Many have said this was a huge career mistake. But I learned an important life lesson from my reality
TV experience- one that’s applicable to all of us.
10 years ago, I spent my summer filming and appearing as a contestant on FOX’s cult hit reality
television show, Paradise Hotel. Though I appeared on 29 of 30 episodes, and nearly won the show, I
also embarrassed myself, was rejected on national TV, was associated with trashy guilty-pleasure
television, and was subject to ridicule by the models and hunks on the show and their fans at home.
Instead of creating real value, some would say I wasted away that summer and the three months
thereafter- months I spent in Los Angeles as a D-list celebrity pursuing Hollywood-
personality/hosting dreams.
It all started at a casting call in Boston in April 2003. I met the casting group at a bar, and after
recently having tried to get over an unrequited love for a married office-mate named Carrie, I decided
to give the show a chance. I went through a series of auditions and finally was selected to be on the
show. I truly thought I might meet the love of my life on the show, and figured either way I’d have an
interesting, memorable experience.
The premise of the show was to showcase sexy singles at a luxury resort, (and me), trying to “hook up
or check out,” or rather, partner up with a member of the opposite sex and stay at the hotel as long as
possible. My friends back home warned me, whatever I did, not to drink too much. That warning
lasted all of 6 hours, as my first day at the Hotel brought up intense nerves, which unfortunately I
solved with 13 Rum and Diet-Cokes.
That first night, I said a bunch of very embarrassing things, things that normally you’d recover from
the next day- but in this case, things that were broadcast to millions of people and talked about for
months. In the weeks that followed, I proceeded to have some good moments for sure- and some,
difficult, memorable ones. I felt at times challenged, embarrassed, humiliated, alone, and depressed. I
made it to the final scene, and nearly won $250,000. My summer also included this interesting
moment, which was named by E Entertainment Television as the 22nd most outrageous moment in TV
history.
I had some tough times, both while filming the show as well as afterwards, when the show aired and I
had access to message boards, forums, and magazines. It was pre-Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, so
people didn’t have those outlets to talk in- but they did have the message boards on Fox.com, and
many people said some really nasty, hurtful things about me. Just a few examples of what I was called
online: “homely,” “ugly,” “evil,” “a liar,” and “a ruthless bastard.”
I tried to avoid reading it all, but it was difficult. What had I done to deserve that?
I’ve always been someone who likes being liked (Who doesn’t, right?) and always had a hard time
taking criticism, but this was a whole new level of criticism, dislike and outright hatred to deal with.
Even if I was pseudo-famous, I felt absolutely miserable.
I distinctly remember calling up the show’s therapist Kris (Yes, the show had its own therapist, for
contestants to talk to) and asking him, “What do I do about all the people who post mean things about
me, or even point and whisper when I walk down the street?
I’ll never forget how Kris responded to me. “Two questions, for you Dave, “ he said:
“One: Just how many people in the world do you need to like you to be happy and then, Two: If those
people all liked you, how would you know?”
It was incredibly insightful wisdom, which not only made me feel better at the time, but which has
served me since many times.
Today, ten years after Paradise Hotel, I still love being liked, and I still have times where I crave
being liked by everyone. Heck, I even named my first two companies Likeable Media and Likeable Local.
But Paradise Hotel and my experience afterwards helped to teach me this essential fact of life, and
leadership:
No matter what you do, not everyone will like you. And that’s okay.
As a leader, I try to make decisions everyday that will most benefit our customers, our staff and our
investors. But with every decision, there may be some left unhappy. To some, I may be unlikeable, no
matter what I do. But as long as I live my life with integrity, then that’s okay too.
Was going on Paradise Hotel a career mistake? Maybe. But the real mistake wasn't going on the show
- it was thinking that I could get everyone to like me.
And in addition to the free food, drinks, luxury living and D-list celebrity status, I learned one of the
most important lessons of my life. And remember Carrie, that unrequited love I had gone on the show
to get over? Well, she got divorced to her first husband months after the show, and we began dating.
Today, we're happily married with two beautiful girls and two companies between us. So, just maybe,
it was the best mistake I ever made.
Why Orange is the Best Color
image via Dave Kerpen
If you know me, you know I always wear orange shoes, and I usually carry an orange backpack,
wallet, phone cover, business cards, pen, and any other orange items I can get my hands on.
Yes, it’s true: My name is Dave and I’m addicted to the color orange.
It wasn’t always this way. I did grow up a huge New York Mets fan – so I was always partial to blue
and orange. But it wasn’t until our first company, five years ago, that my love of orange took off – and
even then, it was an accident.
We were creating the logo for Likeable Media, and our designers had drafted a beautiful blue “thumbs
up." My wife and business partner, Carrie, took a look at it with me – and we loved it – but we were
afraid the logo looked a little too much like the thumb from a little social network you’ve probably
heard of. A designer recommended the complementary color orange, the new logo stuck, and I was in
love. It didn't hurt, of course, that orange is also the color of my beloved favorite baseball team, the
New York Mets, as well.
While our company logo is a great excuse to wear and carry orange, the truth is, I love the color for
how it makes me feel as a leader and how it affects others. I believe orange stands out in a positive
way, and makes people feel positive, energetic and full of hope. But don’t take my word for it – after
all, I’m an addict. Let’s ask the experts!
The Examiner writes:
“The color orange evokes strong emotion and is a color that people seem to either love or hate. Color
experts agree that orange radiates warmth and energy, and it’s also the color of our sacral chakra,
which stimulates our sexuality and emotions. The color orange stimulates activity and our ability to
socialize.”
Author Michael Patrick Shiels writes:
“Orange, it seems, may be the best color choice for the competitive player. Though rare in golf
apparel and only the seventh most popular color among American consumers, orange is jovial, warm,
energetic, forceful, and has a subjective impression of exuberance. It is associated with fruitfulness,
adventure, vigor and wholesomeness.”
Frank Sinatra once said, “Orange is the happiest of colors.”
Color expert Kate Smith writes, “Fun and flamboyant orange radiates warmth and energy.
Interestingly, some of the tones of orange such as terra cotta, peach or rust have very broad appeal.”
Color psychologists write: “The color psychology of orange is optimistic and uplifting, rejuvenating
our spirit. In fact orange is so optimistic and uplifting that we should all find ways to use it in our
everyday life, even if it is just an orange colored pen that we use. Orange brings spontaneity and a
positive outlook on life and is a great color to use during tough economic times, keeping us motivated
and helping us to look on the bright side of life. With its enthusiasm for life, the color orange relates
to adventure and risk-taking, inspiring physical confidence, competition and independence. Those
inspired by orange are always on the go.”
Wow. I didn’t even know there were color psychologists before I sat down to write this article, but
that sure sounds a lot like me.
Of course, as with any addiction, there’s a downside to orange. Those same color
psychologists write, “Orange is also stimulating to the appetite.”
No wonder I’m always trying to lose those last 10 pounds.
So there you have it – I love to wear and carry orange, and I’m not afraid to admit it. Hmm… What’s
for lunch?
5 Reasons NYC is the New Technology Capital of the World
photo via National Parks Service
I was born in Manhattan, grew up in Brooklyn, and except for a stint in Boston and a much shorter
stint in Acapulco, I’ve always lived and worked in New York. So I’ll be the first person to admit, I’m
totally biased about my love for NYC. I have traveled all over the world, and while I’ve visited some
amazing cities, there’s just no place like New York City. It’s hard to dispute that New York’s the
theater capital of the world, the media, publishing and advertising capital of the world, or even the
financial capital of the world. But for decades, when it came to technology, NYC lived in the shadow
of Silicon Valley, San Francisco, and even Boston.
But just as quickly as technology changes, so can a city’s technology footprint. Here are five reasons
New York is now the technology capital of the world:
1) Startups
Over the last ten years, technology startups have increasingly built their homes in New York. Notable
ones include Etsy, Kickstarter, Foursquare, Buddy Media (acquired by Salesforce), Buzzfeed, The
Huffington Post (acquired by AOL), Mashable, Livestream, Fab, Timehop, Rebel Mouse, The Fancy,
AppNexus, Local Response, GetGlue, and of course our startup, Likeable Local, to name a few. Plus,
the amazing nonprofit Girls Who Code is here. Every successful startup reminds the world as well as
thousands of budding entrepreneurs, technologists and engineers, that NYC brings great opportunity.
2) Tech Companies
Major technology companies based in other cities have realized how important it is to have a New
York presence, and in the last few years have built sizable offices in NYC. The household names
building out their teams in New York include Google, Yahoo, Adobe, Facebook, Twitter, and
LinkedIn. By the way, LinkedIn, through its LinkedIn Today product and Influencers program, has
quietly built a publishing business-within-a-business that will be extremely disruptive. Linkedin has
editors all over the world, but where is that business-within-a-business based? That’s right, New
York.
3) VC’s & Angels

The venture capital community was once confined to Silicon Valley and Boston, but today, there are
dozens of prominent VC’s and angel investors based in New York, including Founder Collective, IA
Ventures, Venrock, Lerer Ventures, Union Square, FirstRound, and First Mark. Major VC firms based
in Northern California have also set up shop in NYC. Finally, Gust, the game-changing platform for
entrepreneurs to set up their pitches and investor information for potential investors, is based in New
York. As my friend Jeffrey Finkle, of angel group Arc Angel Fund and VC firm Odeon Capital
Partners said, "New York City offers the ideal environment for innovative tech companies to begin
and grow their businesses - and the capital to help make it happen."
4) Government Support
Mayor Michael Bloomberg has made technology entrepreneurs a strategic priority in his final term in
office. First, he hired the city’s first Chief Digital Officer in Rachel Sterne Haot. Now, the city has put
its resources behind a major We are Made in New York campaign, highlighting hundreds of tech
startups via an interactive map and assisting technology startups with recruitment, mentoring,
networking and other support. The Mayor and city agencies appear determined to support the city’s
thriving startup community in any ways they can.
5) Location
I’m reminded of the old real estate adage about the three most important aspects of a property:
Location, location, location. New York has a whopping eight million residents and is situated right
in the middle of a megalopolis that includes over 40 million people, between Boston and Washington
D.C. And, NYC is a 5 hour plane away from both the US west coast and Europe, giving tech
companies easy physical access to the world, when they’re not accessing the world through the
internet.
One 6th bonus is the NYC attitude. If you’ve ever lived in New York, you know that people here are
decidedly tough but decidedly ambitious as well – the perfect attitude to build a game-changing
technology company. For this reason as well as the five above, I’m proud to call New York City both
the new technology capital of the world, and my home.
How to Build a Culture of Innovation
photo via Mike Maddock
Innovation is the application of new solutions that meet new requirements, inarticulate needs, or
existing market needs. Organizations, and the people who lead them, love to think of themselves as
innovative. Entrepreneurs pride themselves on their ability not only to be innovative themselves, but
also to breed a culture of innovation in their businesses.
But the truth is, the larger an organization gets, the harder it gets to maintain that culture of innovation.
Cultures that once supported fresh thinking fall victim to supporting safe thinking. Companies that
once thrived on risk (think they) can no longer afford to take risks.
Even in my own case, I can tell you that innovation is more difficult today at Likeable Media than it
was five years ago, when we were just a husband and wife dreaming up big ideas. It just gets harder.
In order to better understand how leaders of organizations of all sizes can better support innovation, I
turned to my friend Mike Maddock, arguably one of the world's greatest experts on the topic. Mike is
the CEO of Maddock Douglas, an internationally recognized innovation agency that helps leading
corporations invent and launch new products, services and business models. Mike is also the author
of three bestselling books on innovation. When it comes to innovation, nobody knows more than Mike
and his team.
These are the seven simple steps to create a culture of innovation, according to Mike Maddock:
1. Assess your current culture.
What are the current levels of the following: desire to be innovative, know-how to be innovative,
empowerment/support to be innovative? Realistically understanding how prepared and ready for
innovation your organizational culture is will help you know how easy (or difficult) it will be.
2. Determine the significance and role of innovation in your company's future.
Will it be smooth sailing ahead? Or rapid change, consolidation, new entrants, commoditization,
pricing pressures? Are you in an industry where innovation is required, or one in which it's rarely
seen?
3. Declare an innovation mission or vision aligning the role of innovation to the company
strategy.
Until this is truly integrated, on paper, to the company mission or vision, innovation will be only a
buzzword. The more people that are involved, of course, the better.
4. Specify metrics for your innovation mission.
Percent of sales, percent of profits, and percent of company with the desire, know how, and
empowerment to be innovative are three potential metrics. The key issue is making sure you can
measure and track your innovation.
5. Organize to support innovation.
Avoid "ivory tower" dedicated teams who are off on their own - they may come up with great ideas,
but it won't help your ability to build a culture beyond them. Also, avoid the other extreme of
"voluntold" committees, overwhelmed by the tyranny of the urgent. There is an important distinction
between what's urgent and what's essential.
6. Create a roadmap of cultural "interventions" to shift the culture.
Four key areas to explore are creativity, risk taking, collaboration and customer focus. Make sure
these interventions are measurable and tie in to the greater innovation mission.
7. Intervene, measure, repeat, win.
By organizing for innovation, you can turn it from a buzzword to a fundamental, ongoing part of your
business strategy, whether you are leading a team of one, one hundred or one hundred thousand.
It's Easier To Be Honest
photo via Wikipedia
Four college students missed an important exam. They went together to their professor the next day,
and said, “We’re so sorry we missed the exam. We had a flat tire on the way to class. Is there any way
we could possibly take a re-test?”
“Sure,” replied the professor. “Come on in tomorrow, and you can all take a retest. It’ll be Pass/Fail
though.”
The four students arrived the next day to take the retest, and all of them sat down in their seats. Before
handing them their exams, their professor told them, “I’ve got good news and bad news. The good
news is, there’s only one question on the test. The bad news is, if any of you fail, you all fail the test.
The students sat there, a bit worried from this professor’s strange introduction to the exam. Then the
professor handed out the four exams, and each student stared down at their papers, which contained
just one simple four-word question:
“Which tire was it?”
Lying Makes Life More Difficult; Transparency Makes Life Easier
We all know that it's right to tell the truth, and wrong to tell a lie. And yet, somehow, so often, in
business and in life, we end up telling "little white lies." Or omitting the complete truth. Or even
telling outright lies. Corporate lies and secrecy has been going on since corporations have existed.
My argument here isn't that you should be honest and transparent because it's the right thing to do
(although obviously it is). My argument is that it's the easier thing to do - even if doesn't always feel
that way at first. When you're honest and transparent, you never have to worry about what you said to
whom. You never have to worry about keeping secrets. You never have to worry about getting caught
in a lie. You never have to worry about your integrity or reputation. It's freeing and more comfortable
to tell the truth. It's easier to be honest.
Our companies use Verne Harnish's 1 Page Strategic Plan to guide our business planning and
execution. Transparency has always been a core value of Likeable Media. But three years ago, we
took the concept to a new level when we began posting an enlarged copy of our strategic plan and
financials on a specially-designed whiteboard n the office wall- where all could see it - employees,
interns, clients, prospects, and the janitorial staff. I even posted a copy of the plan in my last book.
Many people questioned this - couldn't competitors find out details about our financials? Did
everyone at the company really need to know our strategy and each manager's accountability? Dozens
of employees personally told me how much they appreciated our openness. It helped to build a more
positive working environment (Crains Top 30 place to work in New York!) It made recruiting easier.
For me, it came down to this: Honesty and transparency breed trust. And trust makes it easier to build
a business.
photo via Likeable Media
Of course, transparency around this particular strategic plan ended up being a bit more challenging
than usual. You see, each quarter we have a theme, a team challenge, and a reward. That quarter, we
had a sales challenge, and each time someone made a sale, money was put into a pot, which we then
planned to use to host a party at the end of the quarter. And if you look closely at the photo above, on
the bottom right, you'll see our reward in print: "Pot Party." That picture ended up in print, for many
thousands to see. But it was just a party, from a pot of money earned by sales. I swear. Honest.
The Risk To Your Brand Isn't Worth Being Dishonest
Three weeks ago, I was taken out of a management meeting when my assistant came in and said,
"There's a guy calling from Aflac who says he has an appointment with you."
I didn't recall an appointment, but I begrudgingly left my meeting to take the phone call. I put the guy
on the phone, and asked, "Did we have an appointment?"
It was a salesperson who then replied, "No, but I just wanted to ask you a few questions."
The guy had lied to both our receptionist and my assistant in order to get on the phone with me. I
called him on the lie, and he promptly got off the phone, in order to go after his next victim.
Now, I'm in the process of building an inside sales team for Likeable Local, and I must admit, as
horrified as I was, there was a part of me that thought, "He must make a lot of sales this way, if he's
still lying to get in front of a decision maker. Could it be worth it?" I asked my sales coach what he
thought, and he told me,
"This guy might occasionally get through using a lie, and it might even (less) occasionally lead to a
sale. But what about the risk of brand damage to Aflac he does with ever lie? And to his own
personal integrity?
It's easier to be honest. It's easier to be transparent.
It's easier in the short term because of how you'll feel. It's easier in the long term because integrity
and trust are everything, and both breed business.
We all are tempted to lie occasionally, or hold back from telling the complete truth. That's okay. But
next time you're tempted, just take the easy way out, and be honest.
How LinkedIn Quietly Built a Massive Media Empire
photo via Getty Images
Imagine an online publication with over 200 million readers. Now imagine that this publication's
writers included Barack Obama, Richard Branson, Deepak Chopra, Jack Welch, Tony Robbins, Mark
Cuban, David Cameron, Arianna Huffington, Sallie Krawcheck and 300 other global thought leaders.
Finally, imagine that each article written for this publication generated over twice as much
engagement (in comments, likes and shares) as any other publication in the world. Imagine the
media empire that could be created if a publication like this existed.
You don't need to imagine, as LinkedIn has quietly created just this with their Influencers program.
How LinkedIn's Media Empire Began

Two years ago, in March of 2011, LinkedIn launched LinkedIn Today. The idea was to deliver
professionals relevant news and features based on their interests and what people in their network
and industries were reading and sharing. It wasn't until October of 2012 that LinkedIn began
distributing "original content" though the Influencers program.
The program launched with 150 thought leaders and has since grown to 300 - corporate giants such as
Branson, world leaders such as Obama, and authors such as Daniel Pink. Each person writes as much
or as little as he/she wants, and LinkedIn users can subscribe to their articles, and comment on them
or share them with their own professional networks. Many write about broad topics such as
leadership and careers, while some write about their own specialized areas of expertise.
A Disruptive Media Model

I was fortunate to begin writing for LinkedIn Influencers in January. It was during my introductory call
with my editor that I realized how disruptive a business model this program is. "I'm so excited to
write for you guys, because as a former teacher, I'm really passionate about educating the world about
social media and leadership," I told my editor.
"That's great," he replied. "By the way, since you were a teacher, if you want to write about
education, we can publish those articles to the feeds of the teachers, principals and school
superintendents on LinkedIn."
It was then I realized how amazing a model this is. Offline newspapers and magazines are facing
staggering declines in readers and revenues. Online publications churn out as much content as they
can in order to attract readers to their sites and now mobile apps. And yet LinkedIn already has 200
million users across the globe, to whom they can feed the most relevant original content each day.
Page Views and Engagement, By the Numbers

In the past, I've written for Inc, Forbes, and Mashable, and I've been happy when any of my articles
generated a few thousand views, a few hundred shares, and a few dozen comments. I've written two
posts per week for 38 weeks now on LinkedIn, producing over 75 articles. Those 75 articles have
generated over 15 million page views, a staggering number by any standard. But even more
interesting are my engagement numbers: The 75 articles have received over 100 thousand comments
and over 800 thousand shares! That's an average of over 1 thousand comments and over 10 thousand
shares per post.
If these numbers persist, my content on LinkedIn will see over 15 million page views and 150
thousand comments this year. I may be generating more engagement than some influencers - but I'm
obviously no Branson or Obama. So let's say, conservatively, I'm average amongst this group. Even if
they don't add any more writers, LinkedIn's 300 influencers may generate over 4.5 billion page views
and 45 million comments this year - an average of over 12 million views per day.
For comparison, when the Huffington Post was purchased for $315 million, it was averaging 15
million page views per day and just 43 comments per article. Back to LinkedIn- Do you think any
advertisers might want to be affiliated with that massive scale of high-quality content from and
engagement with world leaders?
The Future of LinkedIn as a Media Company

Those numbers are compelling, but LinkedIn will surely add more Influencers across a wide variety
of industries and countries, so that its' 200 million professional users have great content to consume,
regardless of their jobs or locations. They may even open up the platform to all of its users, so that
professionals could easily create their own blog and distribute posts to their own networks.
LinkedIn just launched a beautiful and highly functional new mobile app, with increased focus on
news consumption. And they acquired newsreader application Pulse for $90 million, which brings
business news and LinkedIn's original Influencers content to people on their smartphones - where
we're all increasingly consuming content, and spending time.
Hundreds of business leaders, writing for 200 million readers in a well-designed mobile app and
delivered with relevant social and professional context? Sounds like a pretty good media company to
me.
How to Get Everything You Want. Seriously
photo via Inc.
Getting what you want in your career and in life isn't as difficult as it may seem. I mean it.
I've been very fortunate, both professionally and personally, and along the way learned seven key
ways to help make it happen. In essence, I work to put others first, and to be more likeable, to end up
with what I want in everything I do. I'll be writing about this in far more detail in my fourth book next
year.
In the meantime, here's a sneak peek at how you can be successful in everything you do, too:
Listen First and Never Stop Listening
Listening is the single-most important skill in professional and personal relationships. Ernest
Hemingway said, "When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen." It's sad, but true:
Most people have their own agenda and are too busy talking (or waiting to talk) to listen to you. So
here's the paradox: If you, unlike most people, can truly listen with empathy, then people will like
you--and eventually help you get what you want.
Help Others
It's perhaps another paradox, but it works: When you want something from someone, instead of asking
for it, help that person get what he or she wants. If you don't know what he or she wants, then simply
ask, "How can I help you?" Since so many people are out to only help themselves, when you
genuinely seek to help others succeed in their goals and dreams, you'll stand out. And those people
you genuinely help will in turn fight to help you succeed and give you everything you want. Help
others first, without expecting anything--and the returns will be enormous.
Be Yourself: Authentic, Transparent, and Vulnerable
Oprah Winfrey stated, "I had no idea that being your authentic self could make me as rich as I’ve
become. If I had, I’d have done it a lot earlier." Professionals, especially of an older generation, tend
to have a tough time with authenticity and transparency in the workplace. People, especially men, tend
to have a tough time being vulnerable, especially with people they don't know well. Many also aren't
sure how much to reveal online, or at work, or to people they've just met. But, hard as these choices
may be, authenticity, transparency, and vulnerability all breed trust. And when people trust you, they'll
do anything for you. Open up to people, and take a chance, and you'll be rewarded.
Tell, Don't Sell

As important as it is to listen and help others, in order to get what you want, eventually you've got to
tell people what that is. But nobody wants to be sold to. So whether it's a product, service, idea, or
yourself that you're trying to sell--give up on "selling." Instead, focus on telling a great story--
captivating your audience, bringing to life what the future will bring, and painting a great picture of
what will happen if you get what you want. When you get good at storytelling, people want to be part
of that story--and they want to help others become part of that story too.
Inject Passion Into Every Interaction

Passion is contagious, but so is lack of passion. If you're not passionate about what you're talking
about, why should someone else care? If you want something, you must be more excited and
dedicated to it than anyone else. If you're not passionate about it, maybe it's not really that important
to you. Not everyone is super high-energy and extraverted, though these qualities can help convey
passion in many cases. Passion and energy alone put me through college with my first job. But
ultimately, you don't need to be bouncing off the walls to convince someone of something. You just
need to reveal your true passion, in the way that's genuine for you.
Surprise and Delight Others

You know how when you walk into a casino, there's always a slot machine going off somewhere in
the background, telling the world that another person just hit a jackpot? This is what social
psychologists call variable rewards. You don't know when you're going to win; you just have enough
positive experiences that you feel excited, even when you're not winning. When you surprise and
delight others, not only do you make them happy--you remind them that you're the type of person who
might surprise and delight them soon again. Some classic examples: bringing home flowers to your
wife for "no reason;” telling a customer his order will arrive next week but then overnighting it; and
now, tweeting to a random prospect that she's won a free prize. If you go out of your way to make an
experience with you special, especially when people least expect it, you will get huge results over
time.
Use The Four Most Important Words in Business and Life

Say "I'm sorry" when you make a mistake and "thank you" as much as you can. These words are so
simple, yet so often people overlook the importance of saying them. Everyone makes mistakes, and
everyone knows that. It's not when you make a mistake that's a problem; it's when you make a mistake
and are too proud or embarrassed to be vulnerable, fess up, and apologize. Just say "I'm sorry" and
let another person forgive you, so you can move on, and eventually get what you want. Conversely,
sincere gratitude to people is a powerful emotion to convey, and opens up many doors. I send three
hand-written thank you cards every morning. I send them to staff, customers, vendors, the media, and
friends, and not only do I find people love receiving cards, but writing "thank you" puts me in an
incredible mindset to start my day. This is not just about sending cards, though. It's about having a
deep appreciation for and wonder about the people and world around you.
Can you really get everything you want by following the simple concepts listed above?
I'd love to hear your thoughts, reactions and questions! Please let me know
Conclusion
None of the principles of Likeable Leadership are complex, or even that difficult to execute. And yet,
so many people struggle with them. Not enough people really listen, or put others first, or feel passion
and gratitude throughout their days.
Not enough people think about their legacy early on. Not enough people see themselves as leaders, no
matter their job titles. Not enough people think critically about their careers on a regular basis. Not
enough people actively look for daily inspiration, lessons, and great stories to tell. Not enough people
write.
You can be different from everyone else. You can be a leader. You can find and share inspiration in
the little things. You can thoughtfully determine where your passions lie, and what job and career will
be most fulfilling for you. You can use social media to listen and learn and improve, rather than just to
talk. You can bring a positive attitude and spirit of gratefulness to everything you do.
I hope this collection of stories and articles has given you some food for thought, and I hope that you,
as I do, see this not as the end, but as the beginning of our journey together. I hope you will continue
the conversation with me and with other likeable leaders online.
Thank you for beginning this journey with me, and here's to your success and to your happiness!
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
Those of you who know me well know that there are literally thousands of people I’d like to thank
here. But since that wouldn’t make for very good reading material, I’ll summarize by key categories.
If your name isn’t listed, but you’re amongst my extended group of friends, family, colleagues, and
supporters, please know how appreciative I am of you and your impact on my life. I am so deeply
grateful for you all.
My Loveable Family
To Carrie, my partner in marriage, business, parenthood and life, for you I am most thankful. You
continue to believe in even when I don’t believe in myself. You are my friend, my lover, my business
partner, and my coach. I love you so much, I am so proud of the likeable leader you have become, and
I look forward to continuing to be #inittogether with you.
To my girls, Charlotte and Kate, thank you for continually impressing me with your smarts, talents,
and ability to care so much about the world around you. I am so proud of you both and love you so
much. You are turning into very likeable young ladies and leaders in your right.
Thanks to my mom, Rayni Joan, and my dad Peter Kerpen for all you have done for me.
Thanks to my Aunt Lisa and Uncle Mark for being a steady positive family and business influence, to
my Da for her unconditional love and support, my brother Phil, his wife Joanna, and their kids Lilly,
Daisy and Freddy, my brother Dan, and my brother-in-law Danny, his wife Erin and their kids Sophie
and Will. You are all an inspiration to me.
My Likeable Friends
Thanks to my World Tour friends, Steve Evangelista, Kevin Annanab, Tad Bruneau, Danny
Morgenbesser and Andy Kaufmann for allowing me to take a break and talk baseball during the crazy
writing process. Thanks to my college friends, Marvin Dunson III, Rishi and Nisha Lulla, Sarah and
Dan Trout, Hilary and Michael Wall, Danika Whitehouse, Meg Simione, Chad Flahive, Alyssa
Malaspina, David Pimentel for always making me laugh. Thanks to my Port Washington friends for
helping make my life in town so full. Thanks to my agent, Celeste Fine at Sterling Lord, a likeable
agent who continues to help me navigate the crazy changing waters of publishing.
My Likeable Work Family

I am so incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by an amazing team at Likeable Media and Likeable
Local. Thanks to all of you for your support: Hugh Morgenbesser, Ben Wasser, Kurt Schwanda,
Megan McMahon, Daniel Brice, Stefanie Peterson, Phillip Morgan, Gaby Piazza, Ricky Ryan,
Eufemio Infante, Ryan Malone, Alexa Pfeffer, Nicole Kroese, Pedro Suarez, David Jolly, Jonathan
Greenberg, Ben Lieblich, Tim Healy, Candie Harris, Brian Murray, Michele Weisman and all of our
Buzz Builders and part-timers. Also, thanks to our incredible Likeable Advisory Board: Christian
McMahan, Robb High, Peg Jackson, Chris McCann, Ed Zuckerberg, Julie Fenster, Craig Gibson,
Michael Lasky, Jeffrey Hayzlett, Mark Roberge and Nihal Mehta. Finally, thanks to our investors,
Tom DiBenedetto, Shai Goldman, Craig Reinstein, Barbara Morgenbesser, Tom Meusel, and Jean and
John Dziewit. You – and the whole Likeable team – RULE.
My Likeable EO Family
Thanks to my Forum –Andy Cohen, Ben Rosner, Ce Ce Chin, Vinnie Cannariato, Kevin Gilbert,
Jennifer Busch and Jeff Bernstein. You guys are all amazing, and I’m so lucky to have you in my life.
My Likeable Publishing Family

Thanks to Dan Roth, Chip Cutter, Isabelle Roughol, Florencia Iriondo, John Abell, Amy Chen, and
Francesca Levy, my editors at LinkedIn, and to LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner, for your dramatic effect on
my life this year. Thanks to my editors at Inc Magazine, Allison Fass and Laura Lorber and to my
editor at CEO.com, Mark Adams. You all help me to become a better writer.
My Likeable Online Family

There are dozens of LinkedIn influencers and social media and business thought leaders who have
influenced me, taught me, shared with me and inspired me. Some I’m close friends with, others I’ve
never met, but all of you on this list (and beyond) have had a profound impact on my view of the
world. Thanks to Richard Branson, Jack Welch, Bill Gates, Tony Robbins, Deepak Chopra, Sallie
Krawcheck, Arianna Huffington, Grethcen Rubin, Lou Adler, Steve Faktor, Chester Elton, AJ Jacobs,
Adam Grant, J.T. O’Donnell, Ilya Pozin, Jonah Berger, Claire Diaz-Ortiz, David Katz, Linda Coles
and Shane Snow. Thanks to Seth Godin, Mari Smith, John Bell, Jason Keath, Peter Shankman, Chris
Brogan, Scott Stratten, Jay Baer, Guy Kawasaki, Peg Fitzpatrick, David Kirkpatrick, Scott Monty,
Erik Qualman, Brian Solis, Aaron Lee, Tony Hsieh, Josh Bernoff, Nick O’Neill, Justin Smith, Amber
Naslund, Liz Strauss, Sarah Evans, Todd Defren, Charlene Li, David Berkowitz, Geno Church, Jeff
Pulver, Leslie Bradshaw, Jesse Thomas, John Jantsch, David Meerman Scott, Rohit Bhargava, Jackie
Huba, Brian Carter, Shiv Singh, Ashton Kutcher, Greg Verdino, Bonin Bough, Andy Sernovitz, Pete
Blackshaw, BL Ochman, Mike Maddock, Jim Collins, Barbara Corcoran, Mark Cuban. Brian Moran,
John Warrilow, Frank Eliason, Scott Gerber, Srikumar Rao, and Verne Harnish. THANK YOU all,
and keep up the amazing work.
My Likeable Book Team

Thanks to all of the amazing, likeable people who helped Likeable Leadership get to your Kindle:
Ness Pacheco, I appreciate your illustrations. Sean Cowie, your work on design and layout was
incredible. And most of all, thanks to Meg Riedinger, who project managed the book from start to
finish while managing at least two jobs at Likeable Local and also co-leading Likeable Radio and
managing my speaking gigs. Meg, I am so grateful for you and your tireless efforts in making Likeable
Leadership a success. You rule.
Appendix: Recommended Books
7 Success Factors of Social Business Strategy
APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur
Careerealism
Earn It. Don't Buy It.
For Better Or For Work
Freak Factor manifesto by David Rendall
Free The Idea Monkey,
Good to Great,
Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success
How to Win Friends and Influence People
Launch: How to Quickly Propel Your Business Beyond the Competition
Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead.
Little Red Book Of Selling,
Loyalty 3.0: How to Revolutionize Customer and Employee Engagement with Big Data and
Gamification
Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success
Mobile Influence: The New Power of The Consumer.
Never Get a Real Job
One Minute Manager,

Permission Marketing
Promote Yourself: The New Rules for Career Success
Reinventing You: Define Your Brand, Imagine Your Future.
Return On Influence: The Revolutionary Power of Klout, Social Scoring, and Influence Marketing
Sins and CEOs: Lessons from Leaders and Losers That Will Change Your Career
Smart Customers, Stupid Companies: Why Only Intelligent Companies Will Thrive, and How To Be
One of Them
Socialnomics
Social Marketology: Improve Your Social Media Processes and Get Customers to Stay Forever
Social Media Is A Cocktail Party: Why You Already Know The Rules Of Social Media Marketing
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
The 24-Carrot Manager: A Remarkable Story of How a Leader Can Unleash Human Potential
The Carrot Principle: How the Best Managers Use Recognition to Engage Their People, Retain
Talent, and Accelerate Performance
The Effective Executive,
The Fusion Marketing Bible
The Social Media Bible: Tactics, Tool & Strategies For Business Success
The Four Hour Workweek
The Orange Revolution: How One Great Team Can Transform an Entire Organization
The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family,
The Tipping Point,
The Tao of Twitter: Changing Your Life and Business 140 Characters at a Time
Think Like Zuck
To Sell is Human
What Color is Your Parachute?

More Praise for Likeable Leadership
"In Likeable Leadership, Dave Kerpen provides you countless doses of inspiration that will help you
lead at work and in life."
-Michael Stelzner, Author of Launch and CEO of Social Media Examiner
"Dave Kerpen practices what he preaches: as one of the warmest and most generous people in the
business world, he's uniquely qualified to help you become a more likeable leader. Read this book
and you'll learn how to build better relationships, master social media, and turbocharge your career -
by sharing your authentic self with others."
-Dorie Clark, Author of Reinventing You: Define Your Brand, Imagine Your Future
“Dave's passion for inspiring people to improve their careers, coupled with his incredible insights
are what make his books so relevant and worth reading. His newest book on leadership showcases
what's really working today. My favorite thing about Dave as a subject-matter expert is his
authenticity. He speaks from personal experience and never fails to provide the kind of validation we
need today from our thought leaders. Read this book and you'll see why so many people follow him in
the digital space!”
-J.T. O’Donnell, Founder and CEO of CAREEREALISM.com, Bestselling Author of CAREERALISM
“Dave Kerpen is the rare combination of a great writer, an optimist and an entrepreneur who is the
most encouraging author out there today. For any one who wants to be a better leader or needs a dose
of encouragement, Dave's stories are the answer. He is an "Influencer" in the best way.”
-Rich Moran, Fan, CEO of Accretive Solutions, and Bestselling Author of Sins and CEOs
“Dave Kerpen digs into the characteristics, motivations, and personal goals that elevate ordinary
people into extraordinary leaders. He takes complex thoughts and makes them easy to apply in real
life. I know for a fact that his ideas are helping a lot of people become better and more authentic
leaders. Likeable Leadership is like vitamins that taste like candy; really fun to read, but also
important to your well-being in a deep way.”
-Dan Sanker, President and CEO of CaseStack, Inc.
"Dave continues to lead the way with honest and progressive business thinking."
-Mark W. Schaefer, Bestselling Author of Return On Influence and The Tao of Twitter
“Dave is an outstanding writer. His thought provoking articles about leadership, inspiration, social
media marketing and culture have impacted many leaders around the world. He critically analyzes our
everyday experiences and helps us relate them to the business world. Dave has a positive and grateful
approach to work and through his writings, he allows readers to learn and adopt this likeable
leadership method. This book is a must read for any entrepreneur or leader.”
-Randy Rayess, Co-Founder of VenturePact
“At a time when so many people are writing so much about absolutely nothing, Dave's book stands
out as quite unique. It is packed with actionable information and entertainment, wonderful things to
find together in one book!”
-Mary Pat Whaley, FACMPE, CPC, President of Manage My Practice, LLC
Dave Kerpen epitomizes the entrepreneur-leader, with a strong dash of the spirit of the student. He
shares his wisdom and foibles equally with his trademark spirit of paying it forward. In Likeable
Leadership, Kerpen has woven his worldview in a collection of inspiring stories and practical
advice for leadership, career, marketing, social media, and the very essence of life – not as disparate
parts of life, but as pieces that hang together as drivers of a life well-lived. When you buy the book,
you’ll want to grab a handful of sharpened pencils; make annotations, notes, underlinings, and
marginalia. There is knowledge and wisdom here that can inspire and guide both the veterans and
beginners amongst us.
-Ric Dragon, author Social Marketology
“From interviewing for a job to starting your own business, Likeable Leadership has all of Dave's
best advice on how to build a successful career from the ground up.
- Dan Schawbel, New York Times Bestselling Author of Promote Yourself and Me 2.0
"My best leaders motivate the team by understanding the deep personal goals of their people and
finding synergies between those goals and our company mission."
-Mark Roberge, SVP of Sales and Services at HubSpot
"Likeability is a key factor in the success of history's most admired leaders. Master storyteller Dave
Kerpen shows how being likeable can pave the way to the pinnacles of leadership in his highly
inspirational and entertaining new book "Likeable Leadership". A must-read for aspiring and
practicing leaders alike!"
- Harrison Monarth, New York Times bestselling author of The Confident Speaker, bestselling author
of Executive Presence.

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Dedication

SECTION 1: LEADERSHIP & INSPIRATION

What a 5-Year-Old can Teach You About Courage

What Makes a Likeable Leader?

You Can Be a Leader, No Matter What

21 Songs to Inspire You at Work

Every Mistake is An Opportunity to Surprise and Delight

Leadership Lessons from the World's Religions

The 1 Thing a Business Leader Must Do to Succeed

9 Timeless Leadership Lessons from Baseball

8 Simple Ways to Inspire Yourself at Work

9 Business Books That Will Change Your Life

25 Quotes to Inspire You to Become a Better Leader

3 Leadership Lessons From a Total Loser

The Secret to Happiness in Life

3 Amazing Life Lessons From a Chance Encounter

What Inspires Me: My Children

SECTION 2: YOUR CAREER

The 1 Thing You Must Do In Every Job Interview

How to Dress for Success Today

How Successful People Think

3 Essentials to Landing Your Dream Job Using Social Media

Every Day Can Be The First Day

The 2 Most Important Days In Your Life

The New Rules for Career Success

Want To Be Taken Seriously? Become a Better Writer

The Most Important Phrase You'll Ever Say in a Meeting

7 Simple Steps to Reinventing You

How to Work with a Jerk

17 Things You Should Never Say to Your Boss

17 Things the Boss Should Never Say

The Tech-Free Secret to Business Success

13 Must-Have Mobile Apps For Business

6 Secrets to Better Networking at Conferences

9 Networking Secrets From a Superconnector

How to Turn Your Weaknesses Into Strengths

How to Achieve Career Independence

Career Highlights Won't Be On Your Tombstone

SECTION 3: MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

The Most Essential Social Network for CEO’s

Memo to CEOs: Go Social or Go Home

Content is Fire and Social Media is Gasoline

How to Write More Successful Blog Posts

7 Ways to Tell Stories to Sell Online

5 Marketing Lessons From Lady Gaga

How to Create Word of Mouth Magic

Why Your Company's Social Media is Failing

How to Sell Anything Using Social Media

LinkedIn Endorsements Changes Everything. Here's Why

6 Ways to Make Your Story Go Viral

5 Keys to Great Storytelling: Lessons from Barbara Corcoran

5 Ways Social Media Takes Customer Relationships To The Next Level

And the Future of Social Media Is…

SECTION 4: MISCELLANEOUS MUSINGS

7 Rules For Talking to Children About Self Image

11 Must-Read Authors For Every Professional

3 Weird Truths About Business From a Night With Weird Al

A Life Lesson From Reality TV

Why Orange is the Best Color

5 Reasons NYC is the New Technology Capital of the World

How to Build a Culture of Innovation

How LinkedIn Quietly Built a Massive Media Empire

How to Get Everything You Want. Seriously