Tell us a little something about your business…
I titled my new book, “SELLING THE TRUTH: A ‘Semoir’ with Insights for Life & Business” for a few reasons:
1. As we endeavor to build strong brands, the truth is all we really have to offer;
2. For Entrepreneurs, Innovators, and Thought Leaders – my audience – Life & Business are inextricably linked; and
3. This book is indeed a “Semoir” – a semi-memoir, sharing anecdotes from my life as they pertain to lessons in business.
I’ve worn many hats – publicist, screenwriter, standup comedian, creative director, personal branding consultant – and the throughline has been communicating. However, my superpower isn’t communicating, or writing. It’s LISTENING.
Knowing that, I’ve been able to build a practice around listening to my clients, translating the key information into a language their intended audience will understand and appreciate.
A business is built with many stones, however, and my own Personal Brand comprises all the things I love to do:
Strategize
Write
Speak
Communicate
Entertain
Engage Audiences
Champion the Missions of those I like and admire
When was your lightbulb moment?
The word YES changed everything.
Several years ago, I envisioned a boutique creative agency called YES, BRAND. Based on the “Yes, and” rule of improv, the idea is that we always “accept the offer” of our scene partner, and build on that. My client is my scene partner, and their brand is built on their personal truths.
YES, BRAND itself was not the epiphany.
In fact, I didn’t pursue the agency idea in earnest, because during the pandemic, I had the real lightbulb moment:
The world was pretty bummed at the time. For all we knew, the human species was endangered, for realz. Because, as I like to say, “Truth tastes funny,” we had to use humor to help digest the reality around us. And to further avert disaster, or deal with it, and to avoid doomsday scrolling, I found a word that was shorter than Supercalifragilisticexpealodocious, but worked as well or better: YES!
YES! to great ideas. YES! to threats of the apocalypse and the realities of climate change. YES! to any challenges I must accept in the pursuit of my mission.
Each of us has the freedom, the right, the liberation of YES!
My next book, which I’ve already begun writing, is titled, “THE INEVITABLE YES!: The Most Positronic Book Ever Written.”
What are your three words of advice?
One winner is too few: make sure that every win is a win-win.
Sell the truth with humor and humanity. This matters because kindness is not a weakness; in fact, it’s the superpower we all share.
The only thing you should 10x for its own sake is empathy. Transactions are the least sexy part.
Three words of advice…
Go. Do. Be.