Do the Opposite of What the Industry Leaders Do
When people dig for gold, don’t pick up a shovel and dig with them; instead, sell shovels.
The best way to stand out above the crowd is to do the opposite of what everyone else is doing. But for companies and professionals, it doesn’t make sense to blindly go against the crowd. Instead, it’s best …
Reducing Friction: Too Many Minds
There’s a scene in the movie “The Last Samurai” that I absolutely love; in this scene, Tom Cruise keeps getting beat by a swordsman in training. His friend approaches him and says, “Please forgive; too many mind… mind the sword, mind the people watch, mind enemy – -too many mind.”
The lesson learned: when you …
If I Were to Start Over, What Would I do Differently?
Nothing can take the place of experience, but there have been a few hurdles that I’ve experienced in my startup career that I’d love for others to avoid. A startup career is not a sprint, rather, it’s a slow and steady race on an obscure, unforeseen path. The less obstacles that you run into, the …
The Parent Dilemma
Parents want what is safe and secure for their children. Growing up, my mom and dad told me to get good grades, go to a great university, and get a high-paying job after I graduate. They also encouraged me to get my MBA and work hard so that I can climb the corporate ladder.
But …
Lack Experience: 3 Rules to Nail Your Phone Interview
Note: This post is for college freshman and sophomores who are looking to secure their first internship.
Over the past week, I’ve phone-interviewed 7 college students for the position of Social Media Intern at Minted Republic. I’ve been so completely underwhelmed by the candidates that I decided to write a post to teach college undergraduates …
From Idea to Reality: How to Take the First Step
I told my cousin today about my goal of traveling the world.
“I’d love to do that too, but we can’t just leave the job. How would you survive out there, become a bartender?” she said sarcastically.
Although I’m sure bartenders have a ridiculously fun time at their job, I have no plans of needing …
How To Build A Solid Startup Team
I’ve built at least 8 teams throughout my start-up career. The teams have ranged from unpaid college interns, to friends from college, to contractors from elance. I’ve learned something new each step of the way as I’ve hired and fired professionals. These are the top lessons that I’ve learned while building teams.
1. Money cannot…How Andrew Bynum Hurt His Personal Brand During Game-6
The Lakers huddled together, listening to their coach in hopes of making a 20+ point comeback. Kobe was sick with the stomach flu and needed the support of his teammates to help him close out the Nuggets.
And there Bynum was, 8 feet away from the huddle, staring blankly into space while his teammates drew …
How To Get Clients From A Conference Or Trade-show
Over the course of a year, my company spent over $25,000 on conferences and trade-shows. Quite a lot of money for a start-up, but something that we found to be absolutely necessary to generate enterprise-level client leads and expand our pipeline. To see a return on our investment, we would need to generate over $25,000 …
Utilizing Your Non-Existent Network To Get The Interview
Every job posting has a requirements section glaring back at you, telling you that you aren’t good enough. It’s easy for a young professional to get intimidated by a job posting that requires 4-5 years of experience in a specific field and an MBA in a related field.
The question then becomes: “How do I …