A Little Bling Goes a Long Way

Every now and then, I hear from people who attended my keynote presentations. My favorite email this month?  Laurie, we LOVED you Wednesday at our corporate event.  Everyone is still talking about you and your awesome lessons. Thank you!  Diane, Associate Manager Kind words never get old, do they? In appreciation for this glowing comment,…

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Three Secrets Successful Event Hosts Need to Know

One of the recent events I spoke at ended with a standing ovation, that’s how good the five-minute speech was on a hot summer day in August. No, it wasn’t the speech I gave. It was the closing address presented by a former student at Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. The gathering was…

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Theme Living: Better Than a Resolution!

For a decade now, I’ve been living each year according to a theme. It’s different from a resolution (which we never keep anyways), and I love how it sets the tone for the next 12 months of my life. Watch to hear what my Theme for 2019 is, and share with me if this is…

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Ready to Laugh? My Conversation with Heather Land

Have you heard of Heather Land? Maybe not, and that’s OK. Allow me to introduce you: she’s a comedian who made a splash with YouTube videos that make me laugh out loud every time. Here’s one of my favorites: Isn’t she hilarious? All her videos are short and sweet—and full of hard truths that, if…

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A Winning Campaign – Meet Bob the Bridge

Earlier this month, the Upper Midwest Convention and Visitors Bureau (or UMCVB to its friends) held their annual Fall Conference. I was lucky enough to be the afternoon keynote speaker. As you probably know, one of my favorite parts of attending conferences like this is what I get to learn from the people I’m speaking…

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Changing the Rules of Tug o’ War

If I said, “Let’s play a game of tug of war,” but gave you no other instructions, what would you do as soon as I handed your team the rope? Of course, you would pull as hard as you could against the other team and try to drag them to your side. That’s because the…

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Boardgame Behaviors That Build Business

Building business is not easy. If it were, everyone would do it. Consider four behaviors that build business, all based on one of my favorite things: boardgames. Each is simple to understand, but may not always be easy to deliver. Read up and do your best! When I was a young girl I asked my…

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Learning How to Handle “The Overs”

Learning how to handle “The Overs” is a skill. What do I mean by “The Overs”? An “Over” is a guest who is over-friendly, over-researched, or overbearing. The Over-Friendly Although it doesn’t sound bad when you first mention it, many people may feel uncomfortable with over-friendly guests in the workplace. I find it especially true for…

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Dealing with Angry Customers

Nobody wants them, yet we all have them: angry customers. It doesn’t matter what position you hold in the office, knowing how to handle the dissatisfied consumer is crucial. Let’s take a look at the twelve steps to best handle the angry customer you’re sure to encounter someday. 1. Stay Calm. Most of the time…

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Creating Fun in the Workplace

How do you create fun in the workplace? When it comes to a business environment, fun is a relative term. You might be part of a team where boisterous laughter or lots of teasing is appropriate while other industries may require a very serious environment. Some places might even fool you because they are so…

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