“Yuck” – These 3 Phrases Make You Sound Stupid!

Here is the thing, I hate when people don’t use words and phrases properly. Not only is this ineffective, it makes them look stupid.  I go to many meetings. Here are three phrases I would encourage everyone to stop using right now because they are worn out and make you look dumb.

Let me start with “synergy”, which is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines as "the increased effectiveness that results when two or more people or businesses work together.” Duh! This means anyone who works together on a project possesses synergy. I know plenty of people who work together and results of a project are increased but have no synergy. In fact, they backstab and claw at one another.

Second is “peel back the layers of an onion”. Are we working at Outback Steak House? What onion? What layers? If we need to remove layers to identify a goal or an outcome then the problem isn’t the onion- the problem is the people wanting to “peel back”!  There is no onion.  Call a duck a duck and start moving forward.

Finally, “can I be honest”. This basically means that anything else you say without this phrase in front of it is either a lie or a horrible exaggeration. People should always be on the receiving end of honesty – especially in business. Don’t use this phrase. It makes you look stupid and like a liar!

Do you have a business phrase that gets under your skin? Share it with me. I can’t wait to read your comments.

Coco the CEO

Are You A Perfectionist?

I have a problem. I expect things to be perfect. I expect myself to be perfect. I expect business days to be perfect and always in my favor. Guess what, the world isn’t perfect! Like many other entrepreneurs, I lean towards perfection and this isn’t possible- at least not 100% of time.

If you want to grow, you have to let of perfectionism.  Here are my top two tips for avoiding the “being perfect” scenarios that hold back growth.

1.       Play nice with yourself.  We perfectionist are hyper critical of others and even worst on ourselves. Well, don’t be.  Be unpredictable at times.  Did you know the Queen of England doesn’t eat breakfast on fine China. Nope. She eats her cereal out of a plastic bowl. This is her treat to herself. It seems simple, but she does it to remind herself that she is human.  Give yourself a daily reminder that you are not perfect or above anyone else.

2.       Manage the mundane. Create a list of 5 tasks that will not ruin your life if they are messed up or not done perfectly. Next, hire an assistant to do these tasks. Trust me, your life and professional existence will not end.

It is hard to let go of tasks and it is even harder to embrace the concept that we are not perfect.  I like to think of this as always growing in God’s Grace.  So, today – go out an grow in God’s Grace and accept that not everything in business will be perfect.

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO

Learning from Branding Disasters

I tell all of my clients to learn from the branding mistakes of others. Why? It is less costly. There is always something to be gained from failure, regardless if it is your own or someone else’s. 

Pepsi unveiled the latest company logo redesign, which simply meant rotating the iconic circular logo and adjusting the tilt of the white stripe. The entire rebranding effort cost the company $1.2 billion over three years. Yes, that is over a billion dollars for a tilt and a rotate. Do you think people cared? No. Do you think Pepsi’s investors and stockholders cared? Yep! This wasn’t money well spent and the story on the money spent was a public relations nightmare.  The slight change in brand meant nothing to customers and everything to the media. 

Capital One added a "swoosh" to its logo hoping to capture the attention of people who love Nike. Why? Was there some large number of sneaker wearers seeking to change banks? The cost to add the “swoosh” was millions and customers didn’t care.  Why? The superficial real doesn’t get customer attention – at least not at first. Customers worry about experience, sustainability, price point and then branding. Yes- in this order! 

Learn from the branding mistakes of others. Your image is important. It, however, is not as important as substance. 

Until tomorrow, 

Coco the CEO 

Learn to be More Creative!

It is possible to learn to be more creative. However, being creative isn’t something that can be learned, truly it is a gift.  If you find yourself working in the creative field then there are some things you can do to become inspired.

First, give your brain a jolt. Take an unexpected break or head into the office late, after a nice stroll through the park. Small changes and unexpected changes redirect the brain and creative juices out of ruts.

Next, do what many great leaders do- draw! Many of history's greatest thinkers, from Steve Jobs to John F. Kennedy, have been avid doodlers. These quick sketches help unlock creativity, enhancing recall and lighting up neural networks that allow for cognitive breakthroughs.

Finally, understand creative blocks happen. Walk away from the pressure of a deadline, yes- easier said than done- and your creativity will come back.

Until Monday,

Coco the CEO

Sins of the Entrepreneur

 Not everyone is going to make it in business- no matter how hard one tries. Why? Well, either you are born with the entrepreneur spirit or you’re not. It is this simple! Below are 5 Sins of “entrepreneurs” that real business leaders use to identify the wanna-bes from the real deals.

1.       They aren’t trying to be something they aren’t. Yes, real business leaders have faith in their own ideas. They don’t spend their time copying the ideas of others.  They either take a concept and make it better or they promote their own vision.

2.       Money is an afterthought. Real business people know money will be a point of stress forever, regardless of how much is in the bank.  Business owners focus on growth, often working under their value, to create a customer base and then keep it.

3.       They have no day job. No one can run a business while working for someone else- at least not effectively. If a business owner has a day job, they’re fake. They aren’t making it and they have no idea how to make it.

4.       They don’t care about fear. Sure, they may be afraid at times but they don’t let fear stand between them and success.

5.       Mentors- Yeah Right.  Business owners will seek our professional advice. Hey, we don’t know it all. However, mentors are not for the mighty or the visionary. Mentors help people find their way out of the maze when they can’t see the exit in front of their faces. Business owners know where there is no exit- that one must be created.

Until next time,

Coco the CEO 

Talking At or With Your Customers?

Do you talk at your customers? Do you talk at your vendors? The majority of challenges within the workforce or business industries result directly from poor communication skills. As a publicist, I have to deal with communication issues day in and day out. 

How do you talk with your customers and vendors and not at them? The answers are pretty simple.

You have to start with identifying your pitfalls. Do you use the same words over and over again? Do you use words that aren’t words but simply poor grammar that distracts the other person? Do you language that is foul, slang or too quick to comprehend? All of these factors can put you at risk for talking at customers and not with them.

The key to talking with customers and vendors is primarily listening. When you do speak, your tone should reflect what you are trying to convey. Speak politely or with interest. Use professional jargon and proper words.  Speak using a calm and easy-to-understand pace.

Communication is hard and mostly unsaid. However, it is not only what we say but how we say it that does matter when words come into play.

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO

The best business advice…. ever!

Many people ask me about business. They sit there, staring at me, waiting for a pearl of gold to come out of my mouth to ignite their instant success. I wish it was this easy- both for me and the person asking me about business.

The truth is business is hard work. I follow Sir Richard Branson online because he is a genius, pure and simple. He keeps it real, too.  Someone recently asked him a question about becoming a millionaire. Here is his honest response, “there's a lot of work to be done, and during that long journey, qualities like determination and gumption will be just as vital as enthusiasm and optimism. Having an end goal in mind is a great thing; now you have to decide on the smaller, more achievable steps that help you work toward it, and then carry them out.  The day your arrogance or ego kicks in, it's all over. Always remember, no matter how big you become you will still always be a drop in the ocean in the grand scheme of things."

What an amazing reply! Ego can and will kill your business. Dreaming about the future instead of planning milestone steps for now limits your growth. I have been guilty of both these traits in the past, but I’ve learned from my mistakes and moved on. The key to business is to move on from your mistakes. If you practice what Sir Richard Branson preaches, and incorporate what I just said about moving on and learning, you will be well off in all your business ventures.

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO