Back in August, my husband and I stumbled upon a small microwinery and tasting room in downtown Healdsburg, Calfornia, Garagiste, which is a joint venture for two wineries, Cartograph and Stark. Thinking we’d just grab a quick taste and leave, we ended up enchanted by Alan Baker, Cartograph’s wine maker and owner. Alan’s entrepreneurial story is fabulous: He’s a public radio engineer, turned … [Read more...]
Why I kicked my Bucket List
This is an excerpt from my new book, Rebooting My Brain: How a Freak Aneurysm Reframed My Life (2012, Avail in Kindle and Paperback). I invite you to apply this to your life...and your business. Enjoy! It seems “bucket lists” are all the rage these days, and the trend cropped up even more in the year following my aneurysm. Coincidence? I’m not sure if this term had been around for a while or … [Read more...]
How to spring clean your brand, business (& life)
It’s that time of year again, when the trees bud, the air warms (at least if you’re not in Seattle) and we start to shed our winter cloaks in lieu of open-toed shoes and lighter fabrics. Freeing ourselves from the unwanted weight of heavy parkas and wool mittens feels pretty darn good. And with that, we also crave shedding some of the crap in our lives with a healthy dose of spring … [Read more...]
How to Parlay Your Personal Brand into Your Business Brand
This is the number one brand challenge I hear from small business owners. “But so much of my business is tied up in my own personal reputation and who I am. How do I ensure the company builds its own brand, independent of me, so I can expand?” Take a tip from Warren Buffett, who announced his heir for Berkshire Hathaway as an unknown 39-year old named Todd Combs. He is quoted in the WSJ as … [Read more...]
The brand strategy “recipe” plus thoughts on the personal branding gold rush
Two juicy audio nuggets for you, loyal readers. One is a great interview with Amber Singleton Riviere of Upstart Smart Radio (a fab resource for entrepreneurs) on what exactly is included in a brand strategy. We also discuss the all-important difference between a brand strategy and brand and marketing tactics. The second is our frank audio discussion on the new personal branding gold rush. Seems … [Read more...]
