Category: career


The myth of discipline — a repost from Zen Habits

The myth of discipline — a repost from Zen Habits

Zen Habits is one of my favorite blogs, and the author offers full permission to share his content. So today I’m reposting one of Leo’s recent articles that really got me thinking, about what discipline really is. Enjoy. The Myth of Discipline Post written by Leo Babauta It’s one of the most prevalent myths of our culture: self discipline. The…

Guy Laliberté driving Cirque du Soleil to $1 billion empire

Guy Laliberté driving Cirque du Soleil to $1 billion empire

Timed to Cirque du Soleil bringing its new show, Zarkana, to New York this summer, the New York Times offers up a lengthy profile of its creative force, who is described as a “very nice bulldozer.” With the caveat “analyzing his character is challenging since he has few close friends, and even his longtime associates say they hardly know him,”…

Crowdsourcing the next step in my business — would love your input

Crowdsourcing the next step in my business — would love your input

Earlier this year, I launched Newvine Growing as a marketing communications consulting firm, with offerings including media training, social media coaching and strategic planning. One of my next steps is providing coaching to those who don’t have the budget for one-on-one consulting but would benefit from a cookbook with guidance on press releases, marketing materials and email newsletters, for example.…

How do you achieve what you want?

How do you achieve what you want?

I’m a big fan of setting goals but writing down what I want is not the same as achieving it. My friend, Sara, and I have agreed to hold each other accountable for moving forward on our high-flying aspirations, since creative types often excel at using our creativity to procrastinate in new and interesting ways. That’s why I loved this…

Why do we fear failure so much?

Why do we fear failure so much?

My piano teacher has instructed me that I’m to have a glass of wine before I practice piano. He’s constantly reminding me that it’s OK to make mistakes, that as a beginner I need to make mistakes to learn, and he wants me to give myself permission to be imperfect. Thus the wine, to chill out a bit about whether…

New York tourist tips gleaned in my five years in NYC

New York tourist tips gleaned in my five years in NYC

Five years ago, I packed up and moved to Manhattan for my first post-MBA job. John followed about a month later, after managing a speedy sale of our house, thanks in part to our fortuitous timing before the real estate crash. I think five years is long enough to consider myself a real New Yorker. Obviously not a native, but…

The Good, the Bad and the Freelancer (via Lorena's Epiphany)

The Good, the Bad and the Freelancer (via Lorena's Epiphany)

I got my first job when I was 16, and before that, I’d been babysitting since middle school. Working for other people is something I’ve had decades of practice doing. Working for myself is new. So I was glad to stumble onto Lorena’s Epiphany, a blog by a Lebanese freelancer with good pointers on how to be successfully self employed.…

Cases of the Mondays doubled in US since 2008 (via Cassie Behle)

Cases of the Mondays doubled in US since 2008 (via Cassie Behle)

I stumbled onto this satirical post recently on Cassie Behle’s blog. It says in part: Because the onset of case of the Mondays’ symptoms almost always appear like clockwork Sunday, some workers often confuse a stubborn hangover for the disease. Doctors nationwide have seen a rash of workers coming into the office and mistaking the two, and are urging workers…

Inspired by Zen Habits: Surround yourself with passionate people

Inspired by Zen Habits: Surround yourself with passionate people

When I recently returned from South by Southwest Interactive, I couldn’t quite put my finger on why the 20,000-person tech festival fires me up so much. Sure, there’s a lot going on — compelling speakers, rockin’ parties, huge crowds on the sidewalks. But for a woman who lives in New York, it’s not like I couldn’t access those things any…

Some overlooked posts on Newvine Growing

Some overlooked posts on Newvine Growing

A few days ago I offered a list of Newvine Growing’s greatest hits — the posts I’ve written in the last two years that have gotten the most traffic. Today I’ll do the opposite and serve up a list of some of the least-read posts. I’m curating these to look for posts I actually liked that never got traction, as…

Greatest hits of Newvine Growing

Greatest hits of Newvine Growing

I’ll be in Austin for the next several days at the geek spring break known as South by Southwest Interactive — all manner of people interested in the Web, mobile, social media and video games, among other things, descend on a city with the unofficial motto “Keep Austin Weird.” It’s an excellent experience because you almost can’t help but have…

Focusing on farming and the American food supply

Focusing on farming and the American food supply

  This has been a week of a deep dive into farmers, farming and the food supply — I spent Monday-Friday in Baltimore at the North American Farmers’ Direct Marketing Association convention, then Saturday watching the live stream of TEDxManhattan, an all-day seminar called “Changing the Way We Eat.” This is all education in support of launching my new marketing…

Feel the fear and do it anyway

Feel the fear and do it anyway

“Feel the fear and do it anyway” ~ Susan Jeffers I’m blessed to have some fabulous people in my life, including career coach Kim Ann Curtin. Kim met with me recently to help me strategize about where my career is headed and how to get there. As we talked about various possibilities, Kim asked what I was afraid of. My…

Musical role models in strong, soulful ladies

Musical role models in strong, soulful ladies

Now you have to know I’d love a story that starts like this one in the Brooklyn Paper recently: Mavis Staples is the queen of reinvention. The Chicago-based singer and civil rights icon has been a staple on the gospel circuit for over 50 years, making her name foremost in spirituals with her family’s group, the Staple Singers, who added…