Creative Warriors

Sometimes I have concerns about technology and the impact it is having on society. Whether positive or negative, it has become an integral part of our lives, both professionally and personally. With the advances we’ve made in technology, there are still some significant questions about its impact. Will it lead us to a perfect or a dystopian future? Is it possible to merge technology and humanity in a positive, constructive way? In many ways, technology has the power to improve our current social conditions. With the right intentions, it can lead to solving critical social issues like eliminating cancer and cleaning our oceans. The possibilities are endless, and we’re just beginning to understand the potential of technology in our lives.   To dive deeper into the impact of technology and artificial intelligence on society, I’ve brought on keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and author Kate O’ Neill. Incredibly optimistic and amazingly intuitive, Kate is a thought leader who has a history of utilizing technology and

We all strive to provide the best customer service possible. But what if good or even exceptional customer service isn't enough? Excellent customer service is too easy to replicate so it's still hard to stand out. What could be better than serving people? Seeing them. Really seeing them and all that is important to them. Feeling seen, heard and understood are some of the most important feelings we can have. Making customers feel seen will stand out! The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and share your feelings and continue the conversation. Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share!  Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website and are all your marketing materials speaking the rig

If you want to attract business you must have a story that is interesting. Business owners often miss out on opportunities or cannot close a deal because they didn't make a lasting impression. Many think that it's luck, but it's not. It's important to spend time molding, crafting, and perfecting your story; it can change your future. Success depends on the stories we tell about ourselves and our business. Even as I advanced in my career, I had to reevaluate and craft my story. It was important to differentiate myself from my peers and make a name for myself among other speakers. The benefits are amazing. A strong story resonates with people long after you have left the room. Everyone wants to be attractive to other people; creating a personal account is one of the best ways to do it.  To dive deeper into the art of storytelling for business, I've brought on sales keynote speaker and author of "Best Selling Through Storytelling," John Livesay. As a speaker, he shares lessons from his award-winning sales career

Could it be that we're becoming more positive? That marketing pain and negativity is no longer what people need to see before they seek a solution? It seems so! Or at least negativity is not all they want to see. Find out how to market aspiration and paint a picture of all that's possible! The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and share your feelings and continue the conversation. Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share!  Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website and are all your marketing materials speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Often it's not which is why you're not converting traffic and leads to clients and attracting your most profitable customers. Fil

A lack of clarity can severely hinder the life of a creative professional. You can have a bunch of daily tasks and plenty of work to do, but without clarity, you don't have a clear idea of why you're doing it and how it will benefit your overall goal strategy. With clarity, you can stay flexible on the path to achieving each goal. Clarity of purpose, clarity of direction, and clarity of identity are vital to business and personal success.  Clarity helps you find your foundation and positively reach your desired destination. When we approached our 500th episode, I had to gain new clarity about the direction of the show and how I planned to serve this community moving forward. That re-focus and shift led me to develop a new philosophy which was to help people who needed creative solutions. A mindset that led me to develop 'business with a soul.' To dive deeper into clarity in business, I've brought on author, strategist, business advisor, Founder, and CEO of Deutser Brad Deutser.  Brad is the Founder and CEO of

There are three months left to 2019. So I'm challenging you with a series of things you can do for the remaining three months to change your life. Three daily practices for three months. Three things you're going to start doing for the next three months. And three things you're going to stop doing for the next three months. This combination of threes is practically certain to change your life in just three months!  The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and share your feelings and continue the conversation. Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share!  Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website and are all your marketing materials speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? O

Procrastination gets in the way of creative professionals in different ways. We can have too many projects that we’re working on, jobs that don’t feed our bigger goals, and even too many tabs open on our computer. But you’re able to get further if you can focus on one goal. If you have to think about what to work on, you’ll suffer from decision fatigue which leads to procrastination. I tackle this feeling by “environment shifting.” When I was writing my book, for example, I would go to the rooftop pool of my building. By doing certain work at different desks, I give my brain cues to focus in on a project. To dive deeper into honing into our creative purpose without distractions, I’ve brought on comic book writer, author, and coach Jessica Abel. She is the author of Growing Gills, Out on the Wire, La Perdida, and two textbooks about making comics. Abel's latest work of fiction is the Eisner-nominated Trish Trash: Rollergirl of Mars. She is Chair of the Illustration Program at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine A

I used to eat out for almost every meal. I rarely cooked, and my body, skin and bank account were suffering. But then, I changed my eating habits because I wanted to look good. As I got older, my mindset shifted; I realized that how I felt was more important than how I looked. Now, my motive isn’t how I look or how healthy I am, it’s how I can optimize my life. If I can feel better, I’m able to spend more time with kids and be more effective while working. As entrepreneurs, we all need to take control of our health because it has a huge impact on our business. To dive deeper into optimizing our life, I’ve brought on serial entrepreneur and author David Hauser. David co-founded Grasshopper, which was acquired by Citrix Systems for $170 million, among many others. His book is called Unstoppable: 4 Steps to Transform Your Life. David has questioned conventional wisdom about health to find out what worked for him. To find out how you can approach your health with an entrepreneurial mindset, download this episode

Whether you are transitioning from a corporate job to another field or to becoming an entrepreneur and going out on your own, it's a unique experience. Or perhaps you've been an entrepreneur all along but there's something else you'd like to be doing that's more meaningful to you. Transition has its challenges while also being incredibly exciting. I offer some common experiences and tips to expect as you transition from one thing to another. The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and share your feelings and continue the conversation. Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share!  Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website and are all your marketing materials speaking the right LINGO

There are aspects of modern technology and AI that could make us fearful. Companies and governments are using our data to influence us commercially and politically. Even scarier, we often aren’t aware of these actions because they are invisible. However, the new data-driven frontier gives us a lot to be excited about as well. Technology used to be available to a select few until it became accessible to the masses. The same thing is happening with marketing data: its abundance is leveling the playing field. As a small business, you can use it to personalize your message to your clients, connect the dots between advertising and purchases, and even create a movement.  To dive deeper into harnessing the power of data, I’ve brought on renowned technologist William Ammerman. He has a master’s from the UNC School of Media & Journalism and has completed post-graduate work in artificial intelligence at MIT. He currently serves as the Executive Vice President of Digital Media for Engaged Media where he manages digi

A continuation of last week's Talking Stick episode, this week we get more specific on three ways customer's behavior using technology has changed and how we need to adapt. In summary, they want to stay where they are, one size does not fit all, and they want to feel like one in a million. Listen in to understand the strategies you'll need to keep up and be ready for the future. Until it changes again. The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and share your feelings and continue the conversation. Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share!  Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website and are all your marketing materials speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Often it's not

The Creative Warrior community is made up of misfits; we’re people who think differently than our peers and often feel like outsiders looking in. It’s common to want to change the traits that make us different, but it’s precisely those special qualities that will make us the most successful in business and life. So how can we learn to embrace our imperfections? There is no step-by-step guide to success. In fact, following a guru or guidebook can stifle the gifts that we have to offer the world. To uncover your unique traits, you’re going to have to think outside the box. Look at the things that other people consider weaknesses, and see if they’re the things that set you apart. To dive deeper into figuring out your “Rare Breed,” I’ve brought on author and brand expert Sunny Bonnell. Sonny was named GDUSA “Top 25 People to Watch” and is an Inc. columnist. She’s also the co-founder of Motto, one of the top branding and digital agencies in the country that works with disruptors and innovators to build the next ge

One of the biggest challenges businesses face today is keeping up with changes in customer behavior. Never is this truer than the gap that is created between how customers are behaving on technology and how businesses are using technology. In this two-part series, I will address this problem. In this episode, Part 1, we focus on websites and how mobile-user behavior is having a major impact on marketing your business. The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and share your feelings and continue the conversation. Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share!  Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website and are all your marketing materials speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers

Figuring out your life’s purpose can feel like a daunting endeavor. It’s such a big question, and we often confuse purpose with career.  We can get lost in our thoughts when we try to answer the question, “Why am I here?” But if you’re out of alignment with your purpose, it can throw your whole entrepreneurial “ecosystem” off. Your purpose is not something that will box you in or keep you small- it will make you feel expansive. I’ve always had an innate sense of my own purpose: to take my soul on a hell of a journey. I have a vision that I will be on my deathbed laughing at where I ended up. The more I accept and embody my purpose, the more it grows and attracts others. To dive deeper into finding your purpose, I’ve brought on author and “edutainer” Sashka Hanna-Rappl. Sashka is the creator of Soul Brand Marketing® and Brand Your Soul® where she awakens leaders to re-connect and fulfill their life purpose and leave their mark in the world. To find clarity about why you’re here on this Earth, download this epi

A fun week of travel and several unplanned visits leads me to understand a valuable lesson about having a diverse business model. My hope is that you will be empowered to be true to yourself to build a diverse business model that can open up your world in ways that you can't imagine right now. The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and share your feelings and continue the conversation. Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share!  Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website and are all your marketing materials speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Often it's not which is why you're not converting traffic and leads to clients and attracting your most profitable customers.

We live in a “hustle culture” that praises getting little sleep, sacrificing everything, and working nonstop. If you watch Shark Tank, you’re familiar with their advice to work 90 hours a week if you want to be successful as an entrepreneur. But putting so little priority on personal relationships and self-care is ultimately toxic and unsustainable. We have to redefine the American Dream. It isn’t about acquiring material possessions; it’s about the right to be happy now. Establishing boundaries in your professional and personal life to protect your health and happiness and the ability to prioritize relationships is necessary to living an abundant life. Instead of a work/life balance, we should be focusing on work/life boundaries. To dive deeper into the idea of being successful in your professional life and your personal life, I’ve brought on author, speaker and 25-year business veteran, Carlos Hidalgo. Carlos co-founded his first company in 2005 leading it to two consecutive Inc. 5000 Awards before departin

Many people think PR is either going to get you on the Today Show, or get you in magazines which hardly exist anymore. It feels like a mystery that couldn’t possibly work for them. As a result, they don’t attempt to engage in media relationships at all. But it’s time to reset our minds regarding PR. We can all benefit from it, and it’s not limited to an article written about you. How you appear on social media is part of PR. It’s your image and reputation. PR needs to be a part of your company from the ground up as it can both give you legitimacy and open you up to new opportunities. To dive deeper into the idea of utilizing PR as a creative entrepreneur, I’ve brought on author and venture capitalist, Heather Burgett. Heather is an award-winning publicist and host of "The Shine Strategy" Podcast. She is also the founder and CEO of The Burgett Group & PR Stars. To learn how to be a PR Star, download this episode now. THE CALM WARRIOR   “Press begets press.” - Heather Burgett Highlights - Recognition is a

So much of our success depends on what’s going on inside and how we react to the challenges along the way. If you don’t work on your mindset, you’ll end up giving up when facing adversity. You might even be too afraid to start. Unless you spend time figuring out your ultimate goal, visualize that goal, and take action to accomplish it, you’ll find yourself spinning your wheels. Your path to your goals likely won’t be a straight line. For example, I wrote my book Lingo for creative entrepreneurs, and now I’m being hired by companies to work with their HR departments. I would have never thought I’d end up working in these areas, but if I had never started I would have never found this new path. I had to have the confidence to begin writing my book and the belief that I could follow through. To dive deeper into the idea of changing the inside to affect the outside result, I’ve brought on author and venture capitalist, Kenneth Aldrich. He is the cofounder of the International Stem Cell Corporation, a publicly-tra

You know the common term to level up your business? In this episode, I lay out the 4 levels of business development from zero to $1 million to everything in between. It's only important that you reach the level YOU want to. You'll gain an understanding of each level, what it may feel like to you at this level and how to level up if you chose to do so. The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and share your feelings and continue the conversation. Mentions- Dorie Clark article Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share!  Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website and are all your marketing materials speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Often it's not which is why you're

We often think of wisdom as flowing downhill, but that’s not the case. Young workers and more seasoned employees have so much to offer each other, especially with the fast-paced changes in technology today. Instead of judging different generations, turn those feelings into curiosity so that you can learn. The world needs a different perspective on aging. We are going to be younger longer; it’s time to think of middle age not just as a time to “wind down” but as a new opportunity to grow. By continuing to try new things and explore perspectives, the aging generation can avoid becoming “elderly” and instead be a “modern elder.” To dive deeper into the idea of creating a new narrative around age in the workplace, I’ve brought on rebel hospitality entrepreneur and New York Times bestselling author, Chip Conley. At age 26 he founded Joie de Vivre Hospitality (JdV), transforming one inner-city motel into the second largest boutique hotel brand in America. After running his company as CEO for 24 years, he sold it an