amy rocks, okay?

<digging this out of archives from my tumblr in 2012 > I found myself more than once now doing a bit of market research for a business colleague of one fashion or another looking to up their social media efforts. I haven’t yet made a profit off of such ventures/projects, but it’s all the same to me because I’m having quite the enjoyable time doing it. Within a few hours (that’s Amy time - I’ve been absorbed for probably 5) I can get a solid grasp of a market, its competitors, what they’re doing and how my “client” can get ahead. I love it. I LOVE IT. I get to sneak around and pick apart information and approach and apply critical thinking and experience based knowledge to suggest how you can sweep the market and impress the customer. If you show that you know your stuff online through a variety of channels, your customer, the one that’s shopping and you don’t know it yet, will be impressed with you and most likely you’ll be the first they’ll look to fo...

“I’ve noticed that some of the most effective leaders don’t make themselves the center of attention. They are respectful. They listen. This is an appealing personal quality, but it’s also an effective leadership attribute. Their selflessness makes the people around them comfortable. People open up, speak up, contribute. They give those leaders their very best.” Sam Palimisano, Chairman and CEO, IBM, on the Best Advice I’ve Ever Got

"But, what am I going to do in Florida ?" I asked Adam as I could feel it begin to sink in that we would live there someday. Someday soon. We were on a house-hunting, property discovery trip with my father after he had returned from the Philippians and was feeling like it may be a bit too far for him. And a bit too lonely with the language barrier and the area he was most interested in living. But the sun, he said. And the fruit. All his aches and pains subsided and he looked younger than I can recall seeing him in my entire life. There was new life in his face and that giddy goofiness that cause all who meet him to quickly have an affinity for his company. So, when Adam and I were visiting Florida over the holidays, enjoying the sounds of the ocean and wrapping up by the fire in merely a blanket or optional hoody, my dad crossed my mind. I got it. I love that life, too. And I could imagine it being mine, and why couldn't it also be his? It's no secret the old...

Individual traits and circumstances have to be taken into account. Making it up is not winging it.   It’s being innovative. So take a look at the tried and tested methods.  See what has worked for other people.  But really keep your eyes open, don’t just follow the steps.  Think about what aspects you can take and build upon for yourself.  And if there isn’t anything plausible out there, make it up. Or someone else will.