Right now I’m busy running kids to activities, shopping for presents and going to holiday gatherings. Let’s face it – it can all be a bit much! While this time of year is about giving to others, I wonder when, if at all, we give ourselves permission to give to ourselves. Now I’m not talking about going for coffee with…

When I worked for a corporation, we had a corporate training department that offered a long list of in-person and web-based courses and trainings for employees. About once a month I’d scroll through the training calendar looking to further develop my skills (and resume). While there was lots of health and safety, Microsoft office, and IT training, soft skills training…

I was recently at a networking event and came away frustrated and upset. As I reflected on the evening, I thought about how many people are lacking core listening skills. Despite talking to many people, I left not ever feeling heard. In the majority of conversations, people are waiting for the opportunity to talk versus actually listening to what the…

Did you know 27 million Americans fear public speaking? What’s more surprising is the impact this fear can have on your career. Despite the fact that fear of public speaking has a 10% impact on wages and 15% impact on getting promoting (who knew?), only 8% of people with this fear will ever get professional help. Wait. What?? As someone…

Those of us who have worked in public relations for a long time assume (and often pull out our hair) that people know the difference between public relations and marketing. These two terms are often intermingled and used incorrectly. So what is the difference between public relations and marketing? Well it’s simple (and complicated). Public relations is often focused on…

Have you ever gone to a business networking event, ate cheese and crackers, handed out business cards and come home exhausted? Aghh. I know I have. So how do you grow your business network in an authentic way that resonates with you and your business? You need to harness the power of referrals. This process starts with you referring clients,…