How broad is your mind?

Dawn of a New Decade

We are about to put closure to one of the fastest changing decades fueled by technology. At the beginning of this decade if I was to tell you everyone from your past and future would connect with you on a daily basis without email or a phone call, you couldn't imagine how. Yet now people couldn't imagine living without Facebook, Linkedin, MySpace, YouTube...the list goes on. How many of you texted someone a holiday wish or joy? Just a decade ago that would have been email or page to a pager to call your number.

This coming decade is time for people to start fresh with an open mind to the possibilities. Possibilities of how to jump start the economy, deliver new products without utilizing resources outside of the US or develop stronger trade agreements to bring non-US work here. People will have to discover what is more important to them: smaller quantities with higher prices or larger quantities for discount prices. You are smart enough to know how each answer would effect your fellow American.

What is the legacy you want to leave behind? How did you touch someone's life? What did you create? Did you follow your dreams or the footsteps of others?

I look forward to seeing what the next decade brings and what people make their mark on the lives of others. Will it be you?

Social Giving is a Social Learning

Everyone is jumping on the social/interactive media train. Some with eyes wide open and others with eyes wide shut. The eyes wide open have created a strategy and know their expected outcomes from the dedicated involvement with people at this personal communication level. Eyes wide shut are diving in creating identities in all formats available and have no clue what the next steps are or expected return.

A lot of non-profits and community forums/businesses fit in the eyes wide shut area. After years of having high level donors and businesses contributing, not much emphasis has been put on the next generation of contributors. Educating them on values, mission and the most important piece of the pie "what is in it for me?" The next generation coming into the work force raised in the social/interactive media era of reality TV are raised to focus what is in it for me.

To adjust for this non-profits and community forums/businesses are going to have to educate and touch out to this next generation in the social/interactive forms on a regular basis. Closely linking all the different medias to feed the messages. Posting videos of recipients from donations or people who have donated and the feeling it gives will be just one sliver the pie. Some organizations will have to open up to mass quantity of donations formats vs. smaller large donations of the past. In most cases a dedicated person will need to be assigned to keeping the new media formats updated on a moments notice. It will be a key element in survival amongst the many charitable organizations around the world.

People want to have the feeling of directly connecting with recipients of their hard earned money. Just like knowing a celebrity, but in this case the celebrities are the benefactors of donations. So if you are the social/interactive media person, don't forget to also include a little drama to keep the interest.

Kick it up!

Big trend coming to life is western cowboy boots, booties and mules. Not the plain type, but styles that have detail cuts, embroidery and embossed patterns. You don't have to listen to country music to appreciate these beautiful pieces of craftsmanship. Enjoy the comfort of cowboy boots while showing off your personal style. Not only do they look great with jeans (tucked in or out), spice things up with a short dress/skirt and tights for ladies.

Make sure to pay attention to the sizes and recommendations by stores. Due to narrow toes, your size could be anywhere from 1/2 size to full size larger for a comfortable fit.

Art of giving this Holiday Season

Over the last several years during the holiday season gift giving it had become about what the gift was or amount spent. This year gifts are going to be more about a thought behind the gift and the creativity used. I thought a neat thing I heard recently is how some charities are having parents work with their children to learn the art of giving to other people in need. Depending on the charity, children are taught to shop for others, create crafts, wrap gifts and most importantly giving the gift directly to another person to feel the joy of giving.

This season think about a gift that you can give someone that will touch their soul vs. just giving a gift without thought.

Leadership in Social Times during a Economic Low

Lately I have heard a good amount of discussions about bosses or company leaders and how they are positively or negatively affecting their employees. The reason I hear more than ever before is due to how social everyone has become as a reflection of their online social adaption to connecting with people. I always knew that people where affected by their leadership, but I think some leaders at some point have forgotten the big impact they have just walking by in a hallway.

Leadership makes or breaks a company more than ever before with the impact they have on their employees. You can even tell if a company/brand will do well based on how the employees talk about their leadership. Every employee is a walking advertisement for their company with or without them knowing it.

I remember one time at a party over hearing a lady talking about a "GM" person working on an Chevy car they just met while talking with others about stores to get things at. The "GM" person stated they only shop at Target, Costco, Nordstroms..etc. Basically, higher end stores. The next thing the person I was listening to said, "No wonder GM is missing sales, not everyone shops a high end stores. Do they even relate to their targets?" Now they have a bad taste in their mouth about the brand and all it took was a conversation about stores.

The same thing happens with leadership. Here is some of the simple things leaders can do keep employees on their side and engaged:

• Acknowledge people in the hallway by say "hi" with a smile (Name or No Name..it still makes a difference)
• At the end of the year (or quarterly) thank employees for their work and dedication
• Let employees know what the companies goals are and how they can be involved/support
• Celebrate the small successes and post them for everyone to see
• Thank the families of the employees for the support they give your employees

More than ever in this economic low people want to feel like they are acknowledged as part of the team and that you can give a moment of your time to show you are real. This will make the difference in your company having a good or bad social status in a viral world.

All that Glitters

Holiday season is about to come full swing with Thanksgiving right around the corner. Indulge in ending the year on a bright note. Just in time for the holiday parties and gift giving, fashion labels are providing accessories and clothing that can let you get your sparkle on.

If you are on the timid side you can add an rhinestone or sequin encrusted accessory to your outfit.

For those of us that think a light sprinkling of sparkle is good for day and a heavy dose is for evening there are plenty of shirts, jeans, slacks, leggings, dresses...etc to choose from.

The key is to only wear as much sparkle as you want to radiate at that moment. The more you wear = the more people will stare like fish to a sparkly lure. So pick your head up, pull back your shoulders, straighten that back, find your confidence walk and strut your stuff in style with this holiday's wide variety of all that Glitters.

*Above items were found at: Nordstrom

Support & Recognition

I would like to applaud all the people right now stepping out of their set of norms to expand their social wealth. Not everyone finds it easy to walk into a room of strangers and introduce themselves to a group, even if it is a casual setting sitting at a table. Yet more people are having to learn the art of networking and recognize importance of creating a support group of individuals that can help you in discovering your next social/career moves.

Luckily the growth of technology has made it easier for us to connect to new people and create forums for people to connect base on interests, common goals or the need to connect with the outside world. I was at a event last night (Detroit Digital 313) where the topic about creative brought up the importance that FEAR brings to push people into using their creative thoughts to move forward. Which I couldn't agree more that Fear helps expand our thoughts to all the possibilities and actions that need to take place prevent or soften the impact of the worst that could happen. This Fear for a lot of people has encouraged them to engage in learning emerging technology to keep head of the curve. For interactive marketing people this gives us a greater platform to reach a larger group of people as a friend or supporter with our brands.

It has always been said that with someone's loss comes another person's gain. This couldn't be more true. Brands are now paying forward to help with people's difficulties to gain long-term brand supporters. "Who was there and helped me when things were going bad?"

As you develop your corporate or personal brand, think about what you are doing to help those around you to build a personal relationship and lasting impression. Every once in a while everyone deserves a pat on the back/token/recognition or reward for stepping outside of their norms to better themselves.

Future of Social Media

Social media does sound better and more personal than interactive media, either way they connect people, products, brands, geography and the world in more ways than we thought was going to be possible even 5 years ago. Thanks to innovative minds and emerging technologies the world is changing around us faster than you can hand write a letter and place it in an envelope.

Practice your hand writing to make it legible, find stationary (dust it off), learn how to spell without spell check or type it first than hand write it, place the finished product in an envelope and seal it (hope the sticky part still works) and buy a stamp to send = 2-3 hours if you are a computer based person

I know this is an exaggeration, but for some people it is reality and really shows how fast the world around us is changing. Now instead of picking up the phone to get your friends or family decision on a product, you can research it online and have input from your online network. Plus, with the multiple online marketing tools brands can directly connect and engage people with their products and their brand values.

House Party Video: Jeff and the Machine

I believe the next step will be where people can rate other people's feed back to products and brands giving them a point value. When you see a person with high points for good honest feedback, the more reliable/trustworthy that person is. The higher the points the more visible their comments are in the feedback stream as well. The more real the feedback person is will help too..Can you contact them? What is their background? Do they fit your needs and values segment?

If you are looking for ways to engage with products directly, check out some of these sites where you can be hands on and help brands engage your network of friends:

House Party

Global Opinions Panels

P&G Everyday Solutions

vocalpoint

The Power of Colors

Do you have a signature color or a color you gravitate to? Either you wear the color or it is part of your signature personal branding (stationary, pen ink when signing, business cards, website, blog..etc.)? If you haven't figured out what your color is, you just might want to consider finding one that expresses you and start implementing it into your personal style. Here is a quick color information review:

Light red represents joy, sexuality, passion, sensitivity, and love.
Pink signifies romance, love, and friendship. It denotes feminine qualities and passiveness.
Dark red is associated with vigor, willpower, rage, anger, leadership, courage, longing, malice, and wrath.
Brown suggests stability and denotes masculine qualities.
Reddish-brown is associated with harvest and fall.

Dark orange can mean deceit and distrust.
Red-orange corresponds to desire, sexual passion, pleasure, domination, aggression, and thirst for action.
Gold evokes the feeling of prestige. The meaning of gold is illumination, wisdom, and wealth. Gold often symbolizes high quality.

Dull (dingy) yellow represents caution, decay, sickness, and jealousy.
Light yellow is associated with intellect, freshness, and joy.

Dark green is associated with ambition, greed, and jealousy.
Yellow-green can indicate sickness, cowardice, discord, and jealousy.
Aqua is associated with emotional healing and protection.
Olive green is the traditional color of peace.

Light blue is associated with health, healing, tranquility, understanding, and softness.
Dark blue represents knowledge, power, integrity, and seriousness.

Light purple evokes romantic and nostalgic feelings.
Dark purple evokes gloom and sad feelings. It can cause frustration.

White means safety, purity, and cleanliness.

Black is associated with power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery.

Once you establish your color, it will be come apparent when people will remember you by your color without you even telling them. My color at GM in engineering was pink..I left notes on pick note paper, signed in pink and even wore pink. If I left a note and forgot to sign the paper, people knew where it came from without asking around.

Now days my signature color is my unique "Red" hair color. In today's interactive media channels it is a quick way for people to find me based on my pictures. I tend to wear colors around that make my hair color pop and not blend in. People that have only met me once remember me for my signature color.

What is your signature color?

Home Businesses

Over the last several months more and more people around me are becoming involved with developing a home business around things they enjoy. It is neat to see people taking their passion and develop it into a career or side business. Here are some entrepreneurs that are taking the leap:

Fashion:

STELLA DOT - http://www.stelladot.com/sites/elizabethcurran

BOWUTIFUL GIRL - http://www.bowutifulgirl.com/

SILPADA - http://mysilpada.com/sites/barbara.hagan/private/content/home.jsf

MARY KAY - http://www.marykay.com/jenjsigety

Green Living:

ONE SHADE GREENER - http://www.oneshadegreener.com/One_Shade_Greener/Home.html

Document Output & Management Reduction:

CLEAR ADVANTAGE GROUP (Diane Creel Elarde) - http://www.clearadvantagegroup.com/

Video/Website Production:

AAR 1 Pro - http://www.aar1pro.com/

Personal Coaching:

Jill Jordan - http://getaheadbygettingknown.com/

Michele Wilke - http://www.velocitycoachingservices.com/

Christine Klisch - http://www.christine-klisch.com/

Think Twice About Personal Brand Image

Today I went to a event where the guest speaker was talking about putting your best face forward to build your business, contacts and personal brand. However, I only heard half of what she was talking about as her mid-drift was starting to get more exposed as she spoke. Here she was in front of a crowd of 50+ people in a nice suit, but a fitted shirt that was slowing exposing her into an non-professional image.

In the past people might have over looked this as a wardrobe miss function, however as the environment is becoming more competitive little things stand out as not having well thought out all the details to be precise. More than ever brand image is important both at a corporate and personal level. In companies the employees need to reflect the image the consumers expect to interact with or would be involved with the brand they are touting. For individuals they need not only think about what their corporate image is, but personally what is their image and does it fit me both in business and in social environments? I personally have gone through some growth in the area over the last year and have seen a huge difference in how people respond to simple changes.

Personal image is what people will remember long after you have left a company or stopped promoting a brand. Employees and students need to assume now days they are part of the companies/schools face to consumers. So the question goes both ways: Is your brand reflected in your personal image?

Website with suggested Dress for Success Tips: Click Here

The Power of Networking

Nothing really has changed regarding networking. People have been doing it for years. However, over time while life became busy and focus changed some people lost interest in continually building their personal and professional network.

Now people are reinvesting in themselves and others by building their networks. People are realizing everything can not be done alone and the support of others bring the best out in themselves. It also has become easy in the social media age through Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Plaxo..the list goes on.

Plus, there hasn't been a day that goes by I haven't seen a class or seminar on how to effectively network to build your business or reach your goals. You know something is "hot" when the world is trying to cash in on it. I personally believe if you stay true to yourself and follow a few simple tips, your network will reflect you and not what others say you need to be.

Tips:

- Always be polite to everyone

- Give a smile

- Engage in eye contact

- Create your own opinion (filter out what others say they are)

- Request a card (if they choose not to give you one, then that is a sign)

- Follow-up with a nice to meet you letter/e-mail

- Think of your network when opportunities or ideas arise that can help them

- Discover your personal image and ensure others see you in the same light (Ask & Reflect)

Find the Inner Child

Last week I wrote about finding laughter, which was much easier as a child. Well, we are about to be smack dab in the middle of the best day ever to find your inner child...Halloween! It is the one day of the year that everyone (ok, almost everyone) is given a free pass to relive childhood. Dress up in a costume of your favorite character and set out to have fun with friends. The best is to do a group theme. Not only would the group stand out to win prizes, it makes it easier to find each other at a Halloween event.This year the popular group/couple characters will be from the following movies:

• Alice in Wonderland
• Flintstones
• The Jetsons
• Wizard of Oz
• Popeye
• Muppets

Re-Learn to Laugh

Now days everyone's minds are filled with the latest drama and as we all get older it becomes harder for some to regain the ability to laugh. We have been told time and time again that laughter is medicine for the soul. Doctors have even suggested in studies that laughter has helped ill patients recover faster by watching movies that make them laugh or surrounding themselves with individuals that are so positive you can't help but smile.

When is the last time you had a good dose of laugher, the kind that makes your whole body shake and leaves an endless smile on your face? I thought it was clever in the movie "Finding Neverland" they highlighted sprinkling children in a theater of adults to ignite the inner child and laugher back into the adults. Also, I just read where some companies are even adding theme days or competitions where the employees have to dress up in costumes to bring out the inner child/creative thought.

Why do we have to wait for Super Bowl Sunday to see some of the most funniest commercials of the year? (YouTube Link) I think the brands that will be able to bring some laughter with smiles back into peoples lives will win new consumers. At the end of the day, each one of us has an smile wanting to come out. We may not just know it.

Personal Branding

The market has become flooded by the masses and over time personal branding has been something people have been talking about, but less have done. Over the last 5 + years you have seen courses popping up about creating Brand You or Developing Your Personal Brand. Almost everyone knows it only takes 6 seconds to develop a first impression, so what does your look, smell, physical movement and voice say about you?

I know that as I get older it is something that comes to mind a lot more than in the younger years where it was more important to start thinking about what your image says about you. Now days people bring up social media and what it says about a person, however just getting back to the basics would help clear the path for everything that evolves from a person (including social media).

• How do you want people to see you?
• What lasting impression do you want them to have in mind? (Visual..was your outfit put together, were you tugging on your shirt, were you well groomed, who were you with, what were you doing, what were you saying?)
• What is your signature? (Not hand writing, what are you known for?)
• Are you dependable? On time? Polite?
• How do you want to be treated by others?

The list goes on, but you can see what I'm getting at. Overtime we as individuals get used to being whom we are, want to add some changes and forget sometimes your personal brand is an attribute that others rely on. It is time to take note of whom you are and how others see you. While the world is growing, you want to stand out as the individual that you are.

Fall Colors

It is official Red, Purple, Forest Green, and Orange are the accent colors for Fall 2009 with the standard primaries of brown, black and gray. Every store now has all their Fall 2009 fashion lines out for everyone to purchase and it is a good time to pick up some good steals as most stores are offering discount coupons or sales.

Remember to use the primary colors as the core colors for your wardrobe. Core = Suits, slacks, turtleneck, under shirts, tights, socks, or skirts. The accent colors allow you to mix in new color trends without having to overhaul

your whole wardrobe. Accent colors = Ties, scarfs, belts, ladies shoes, bags, jewelry, jackets, nail polish, lipstick or dress shirt.

Back to Basics

Fall is in the air with the leaves changing, children going back to school, cooler nights and less amount of daylight for the northern states. A lot has changed since a year ago and spending habits is one of the most visible that has hit home. Sales are soaring at discount stores/chains and at fast food restaurants. Restaurant chains have developed dinner specials for two that allow there to still be money left over for a babysitter. However, this trend of spending less is going to get old school thoughts of how people enjoyed life in more simpler times.

When is the last time you had a group of friends over for a pot luck dinner with board games or video games? Movie night? In a fast pace world sometimes it take going back to simple times to bring out innovative fun entertainment on a budget.

When was the last time you looked up your heritage and the traditions/food related? Or maybe it was a trip you took to another country? Ever think of sharing the knowledge, pictures and food with friends. In a few weeks you could travel the world from the comfort of neighborhood homes.

Taking a moment to recharge with friends and family will help in grounding you in what will be always there for you: Friends & Family.

Who knows with the money saved you might be able to take another trip to share in the future?

Fall back into Suiting

Businesses are getting back to the basics and buckling down to strategically map out the future. These are serious times and in serious times adding structure helps add focus. One of the basic structures in a corporate organization is people and people are influence by image. They want to be lead or work with people that present a professional image. This brings back the basic staple in a corporate closet "The Suit." This explains why one of fall/winter '09 trends is suiting.

The classic suit is a reliable choice for new comers into the corporate world. Now days there is

a wide range of options in colors, but the basics should always be sticked to: black, black or navy white pinstriped, navy and gray. The best way for a women to leverage the look is to buy a suit in three pieces (jacket, skirt & pant) when available.

If your adding to an existing wardrobe of suits, take

advantage of this season's fabric textures, detailing and collars. The collars add focus to the face and best to wear when presenting or at an important meeting where your want what you are saying to be heard. Textures are a nice addition to soften hard lines or enhance a look to go from day to evening.

You will find plenty of options to choose from this fall that will enhance your work image.

Tips:

• Suiting should be fitted, but not so fitted you can see panty lines or look like your about to break the seams.
• Add a scarf or medium size necklace with small earrings for accessories.
• Wear skin tone to dark hosing. Leave the fancy stuff for time away from the office, business associates and co-workers.
• Utilize belts as an accent, but not as a statement.

Deep Thought

As time has evolved, so has the amount of depth society has put into a simple thought. Now days it is not just I want that car it looks good or I will go to this hospital because it is close with great doctors.

Now the thoughts are:

• Cars - Who builds this car and what do they stand for? How is it built and what are the plant emissions (not to mention the car emissions/gas mileage)? Does the build of the vehicle support US jobs?
• Hospitals - What is the waste produced by the hospital? Are they utilizing green build standards for new sites? What do they provide the community? Is their staff personal?

In any industry the list goes on and now the thought process becomes complex for a buyer whom used to rely on trusting the companies to do this for them. So as a response to this void that has been happening over time, companies are going to have to become better marketers and communicators. Social media is a step in the right direction by making it a personal "friend" connection to consumers, but more needs to happen. Getting back to the basics personal face to face interactions will be coming back to instill trust. Public newsletters that not only have personal content connecting consumers with consumers, but also showcasing certifications and new processes that showcase what companies are doing.

Gone is the mentality of resolving issues and not highlighting people what you have done so they don't have to focus energy on what is your job. Now is the time to resolve issues and make it "known."

Embrace Drape

Drape in a item of clothing is the gathered look normally from the sides that allows the fabric to "drape" across the body. Depending on the type of gathering and fabric usage the drape across the garment can be loose or fitted.

The best part about garments with drape is they give the eye movement across the body allowing a slimming illusion. Drape garments that are well done can help mask body flaws and enhance body curves.

This fall you will find a slew of dresses and tops with drape. Find the right type of drape that is the most figure flattering. This style feature comes and goes, but as the general public bodies are becoming more curvy the drape feature in clothing will become a staple as the seasons progress.

If you have a body feature that you would like enhanced or hidden, take a moment and search out draped garments in this falls fashion collections.

Key things to know:

- Drape across the chest can enhance a bust line.

- Drape across the middle can hide bulge.

- Drape across the middle and hips will enhance or create an hour glass shape.

If you look back in time of the top actresses you will see that the sirens embraced drape in clothing. (Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren, Jayne Mansfield...etc.)

A Brand that is fit for a horse

I sat down the other week at the hair salon and picked up the August 2009 issue of Vogue. I was please to discover that someone added Rachel Alexandra to the ranks of innovators, artists, super models and fashion designers within the pages. It was at the Oaks that I first laid eyes on the beautiful horse named Rachel Alexandra and watched her come from complete last to fly by the pack of horses.

I found it interesting in the article that Rachel was referenced as the "Cadillac" of horses. She does fit the vision of what I think a Cadillac was created to be: beautiful, strong, sculpted, reliable and top of the line. However, she also represents the many women whom have either worked on Cadillac or owned a Cadillac: strategic, smart, beautiful, strong, grounded and a leader in their bodies of work.

The owners of Rachel are smart in making her a image of strength for women by giving donations to breast cancer research and also not retiring her for profit. Allowing Rachel to do what she enjoys and is good at also sends a signal that we will be hearing more about Rachel and the causes that are associated to her. A smart brand would welcome the opportunity to be associated to a true star that embodies the essence that even people can associate with.

Vogue Article Overview: http://therail.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/rachel-alexandra-in-vogue-really/

Rachel Website: http://www.nyra.com/rachel/index.html