The ‘One’ That Got Away
Everyone’s had one. Whether they’d like to admit it or not, everyone remembers the ‘one’ that got away. Although the pronoun ‘one’ is commonly in reference to a girl or boy, I am not just talking about relationships exclusively. Rather, we widen the scope and apply ‘one’ to every event, person, and opportunity we let get away from us.
Musicians have written songs about them, writers have written novels, and directors have made movies. It is a classic story and one that we never tire of. Not because we like hearing about how someone chose a job over another and regretted it, or the girl they decided to leave for what seemed like a life changing opportunity, but because we sympathize and see a bit of ourselves in each situation. No matter the story, one central theme is consistent. In each situation, there was risk involved. Specifically, what makes us remember the ‘one that got away, is that the risk was great. (more…)
The Importance of Creativity & Innovation
In every career track, there are certain characteristics that can help you stand out among the rest. Someone who pays careful attention to detail and numbers may be well suited at finances, while someone who has great personal skills may succeed as a publicist. Still, regardless of what career path you choose, a common denominator that often determines your careers runway is your creativity and innovation.
Often we become enamored with memorizing numbers and facts that we forget that we are all studying and reading from the same textbook. No matter how much knowledge you learn, creativity and innovation is the one thing that you can’t learn from a textbook. If you look at the hierarchy of workplaces, more often than not, those at the top got to where they are because they became a vital part of the company because of their creativity and innovation. In the big picture, you can always find someone that can memorize facts and follow orders, but individuals that consistently create and innovate are hard to come by. (more…)
WWCD? What Would Craigslist Do?
Meet Craig Newmark. You may not recognize him if he walked past you, but you’ve probably heard of the website he started. Craigslist. With an estimated 48.7 million people visiting his site a month from the U.S. alone, Craigslist is in a league of its own.
While it continues to climb in traffic, one thing continues to stay consistent: the lack of change. Unlike sites like Apple, where the main page seems to change every other day, Craigslist has had the same bland user interface that everyone has now become accustomed to seeing. Aside from minor changes here and there, Craigslist has made little change to their website for the most part. With no future plans to change the site nor many of its policies, with online engagement and social media on the rise, the question now becomes: What Would Craigslist Do? (more…)
Great Work Ethic Versus Great Potential
Whether it’s sports or business, the word ‘potential’ is a dangerous word to throw around. The reason behind this is because it’s purely based on instinct and assumptions. No matter how much data you want to throw at it, once the word ‘potential’ is included, it’s anyone’s game. The dictionary likes to define ‘potential’ as “the inherent capacity for coming into being,” but a better definition might be: “it might happen and it might not.” Too often are we caught up talking about the ‘potential’ of an individual that we forget about a little something called hard work.
Perhaps the best way to understand the dichotomy between hard work and potential is to look at sports. (more…)
Carpe Diem: Riding The Wave To Success
In 23 BC, Horace first introduced to us the idea of Carpe Diem. Carpe Diem, or “seize the day,” has since become a way of life for some, and for others, a constant reminder of the importance of ‘living’ each day. In the business world, carpe diem can be seen all around us. For entrepreneurs, carpe diem not only serves a motto, but also a beacon for new opportunities.
Seize The Day
When Horace first mentioned carpe diem, it was part of a longer message from Odes Book I.
In full, Horace writes: carpe diem quam minimum credula postero.
In translation this means: Seize the day and place no trust in tomorrow.
Is Your Business The ‘Popular Girl’ At School?
Do you remember high school? If so, you probably remember the ‘it’ girl. She was the girl that every guy wanted to date and that every girl wanted to be. While high school maybe over, we are still chasing the popular girl at school. In the business world, being the ‘popular girl’ comes with the same perks as being in high school. People still open doors for you and asking for help on ‘homework’ is still easy. While not everyone will like you, in one way or another, most will either want to be you or be associated with you. As a business, one should ask themselves if they are the ‘popular girl’ or if they are the ones chasing then.
Meet The ‘Popular Girls’ At School
In each ’school’ or market their is a different ‘it’ girl. In the entertainment industry for example, one could argue that Disney is ‘it,’ and when it comes to information and technology that Google is at the head of the class. While their are plenty of businesses that feel that they deserve a piece of the pie, what it comes down to is who is sitting at the head of the table. (more…)
