“I’d rather have spiders crawl all over my body than speak in public.” “A pit of slithering snakes is more appealing than walking onto a stage in front of an audience of even twenty people.”

These are the kind of comments I’ve heard people say when I so much as suggest that in order to fulfill their destiny and their mission, they are going to have to learn to speak in public. I can relate to their fear. I used to dread presenting. I was fine in the conference room, but the minute I had to take a stage, my knees would shake, my voice would quiver and my heart rate would accelerate to the point of palpitations.  But before you call 911, read on. This article is how I overcame my fear so you can too.

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If you have to work eight or ten hours a day I would hope you get something more out of it than just a paycheck. Studies show that money isn’t everything when it comes to happiness in the workplace. It takes much more to feel fulfilled. Read the rest of this entry »

To the President of First Solar:

This short note is to ask you and your company to work faster. My name is Kathy Heasley and I am the founder and principal of HEASLEY&PARTNERS in Scottsdale. Thirty-two years ago this month, my world was rocked by the Three-Mile Island nuclear disaster. I was a high school senior then and during those frightening days, I didn’t know whether I would live or die. Today, I am watching history repeat itself, only worse, in Japan. My heart goes out to the people there. Read the rest of this entry »

A while back I asked the folks on Twitter to submit their biggest marketing problems. One tweeter wrote, “How do you convince the C-suite that word of mouth works, i.e. spending $ on customer gifts & special attention.” Well, getting support from the top is a problem most marketers can relate to, particularly if you work in old guard companies that haven’t seized new methods and ideas.  What do you do?  Read the rest of this entry »

Who says you can’t deliver a product or service from the heart no matter who you are, where you work or who you work for? Building a brand with heart starts one person, one day at a time. Meet this TSA (Transportation Safety Administration) worker. I met him passing through security on my way to give a speech on branding in London, England last month. There I was, standing in a long line, the lone American in a sea of foreign exchange students from Korea, parents and children from the countries of Europe, Asia and Africa and business people from South America, Australia and everywhere else in the world. My ears were filled with a collage of languages, few of them English. Read the rest of this entry »

Have you heard? You better go to the bathroom before you get on a RyanAir flight or have a little pocket change on hand. That’s right, the British budget airline brand is making headlines around the world as the carrier that is now charging for using the toilet. They will also be eliminating two out of three of their on-board facilities—replacing them with more seats—leaving one bathroom for up to 189 passengers. Guys, be sure to take your Flomax, and gals, well, never mind, you’ll probably be okay.

Can you believe any company, even one known for no-frills flying would want this kind of buzz associated with their brand when it could simply charge an extra pound or two per flight per passenger and be done with it? But that’s not all, RyanAir will be charging for carry-on bags too. I wonder what’s next. How much will a seat belt cost? Or a flotation device? Sorry no air for you until you cough up two euros for that oxygen mask. Read the rest of this entry »

Randy, Ellen, Kara, Simon.  Every week millions of TV viewers across America welcome them into their homes for the most popular music show on the tube: American Idol.  But is it really a music show, or is a branding show? Think about it.  Marketers and business owners can learn a lot from the music world, a place where great brands crank out products that make a bundle.  If you sing it they will come?  Not really, unless you’re a brand. Read the rest of this entry »