Tag: entrepreneurs


What should I be when I grow up? How do you know?

What should I be when I grow up? How do you know?

I’ve pretty much worked in the same field since high school — I got a job pasting up newspaper pages using X-Acto knives and hot wax when I was 17 and I’ve earned my paycheck from something related to writing or media ever since. This week I met a friend of a friend who is studying criminal justice after getting…

Meet me halfway, local businesses

Meet me halfway, local businesses

I feel strongly about supporting local businesses — they contribute to the character of my community so my job is to financially contribute to their success. Their job is to make that possible. If you make it hard for me to spend money in your shop, depending on how much I like you and your establishment, I might try try…

Stories of reinvention in today's NY Times business section

Stories of reinvention in today's NY Times business section

We now return you to our regularly scheduled programming … I’ve been blogging about gratitude for the last month and now it’s time to shift back to writing more broadly about reinvention and transformation. Apparently the New York Times knew I might need some help with blog topics, since the business editors packed three good stories of reinvention today: Wines,…

Life after newspapers, by my old editor, Maria Stuart

Life after newspapers, by my old editor, Maria Stuart

My second job after college was at the weekly South Lyon Herald. We covered a small town in southeast Michigan like a big, wooly blanket — as the education reporter, I did a two-page spread on prom, for example. My editor there was Maria Stuart. It feels like ages ago for me, as I’ve moved numerous times, both my home…

Rick picks a new career with Rick's Picks

Rick picks a new career with Rick's Picks

Rick Field, founder of New York pickle concern Rick’s Picks, recently taught a dill pickle making class at farmers market in Prospect Park. As he waited for the brine to heat up in a kettle on a propane burner, Field talked about his unlikely transition from television producer to artisanal pickle maker. As the New York Press reported: Field wasn’t…

Rob Pasick coaches leaders on finding balance

Rob Pasick coaches leaders on finding balance

I met Rob Pasick years ago, when I was business editor at the Ann Arbor News and he was an interesting local character — a psychologist and executive coach and who was working the media not about his day job but about his book “Conversations with My Old Dog.” We’ve stayed in touch off and on over the years, and…

Follow up to "Is it true you can't work harder than your clients?"

Follow up to "Is it true you can't work harder than your clients?"

My post earlier this week, “Is it true you can’t work harder than your clients?” got people talking — but since some of that conversation happened over on Facebook, I thought I’d copy it into the blog so more people can benefit from the commenters’ wisdom. Julia Collins, owner of Fitness Chick personal training service, said: I want my clients…

Kickstarter offers micro-patronage of the arts

Kickstarter offers micro-patronage of the arts

Some people don’t pursue their dreams for very practical reasons — they have to pay the rent and they worry that being a musician, artist, filmmaker or writer won’t make any money. A story in the New York Times this week introduced me to Kickstarter, based in our back yard here in Brooklyn. Earl Scioneaux III is not a famous music…

An idea worth stealing: Sponsor A Day

An idea worth stealing: Sponsor A Day

MediaPost recently had an article about a Florida guy named Jason Sadler who is making money from a simple but compelling idea: The idea was simple, if sartorially limiting: Sadler, 27, decided that on Jan. 1, 2009, he would wear a company’s logo t-shirt all day, broadcasting video and photos of himself on various social media, including ustream.tv and Twitter…

Is it true you can't work harder than your clients?

Is it true you can't work harder than your clients?

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about a blog post I stumbled onto headlined You can’t work harder than your clients. Diane Sieg, an emergency room nurse turned author and life coach, writes on her blog: As I start my second month of Life Coaching at the Wellness Treatment Center, I am reminded of a very important concept: You can’t…

Ben Jaffe interview started but not finished

Ben Jaffe interview started but not finished

For anyone waiting to hear the story of Ben Jaffe, director of Preservation Hall, apologies but you’ll need to wait a bit longer. Ben and I got started on a fantastic interview but technology was not cooperating. He was on his cell phone at a French Quarter theater, preparing to shoot video of a Terence Blanchard show the next night,…

The 3/50 project aims to support local businesses

The 3/50 project aims to support local businesses

Hip Slope Mama, a Brooklyn-based blogazine led by a friend of ours, turned me on to the 3/50 project with this recent post from contributor Mark Caserta. Since last September, business along Park Slope’s commercial streets has fallen off significantly and my store, 3r Living, has struggled to stay afloat in these difficult, uncertain times. Of course, many of our customers are feeling…

My favorite endorsement, from Eleanor Traubman

My favorite endorsement, from Eleanor Traubman

A friend of ours who is active in the Brooklyn blogging community recently sent me an e-mail that gave me a real boost of excitement — hey! what I’m doing is reaching someone! Eleanor Traubman wrote: I am a big fan of your blog.  I like the combo of personal/professional development.  Thoughtful without being fruity/crystal-waving. (speaking of fruity, remember Jack…

Selling your services retail instead of wholesale: becoming your own boss

Selling your services retail instead of wholesale: becoming your own boss

I’ve already seen numerous takes on the “laid off workers decide to pursue new path” story. I blogged about it a while back, linking to a few versions the Times had done, including focusing on white-collar professionals deciding to become disc jockeys. (Why that career and not massage therapists or sign-language translators? Who knows.) A story in the Washington Post…

"Editing Letter" becomes YouTube hit

"Editing Letter" becomes YouTube hit

Lara Zielin is my sparkly, cute author friend. I think that’s a big part of why her silly YouTube parody, Editing Letter, has become such a hit — she’s just doggoned likeable. Lara’s first novel, Donut Days, is due out this summer. She worked hard on lengthy revisions to get it ready for publication and poked fun at the writing…

Letting the economy nudge you into chasing your dream

Letting the economy nudge you into chasing your dream

I’m a big believer in the silver lining — that what initially looks negative can turn out to be a real positive. You might just need to be willing to accept that disguised gift. The New York Times recently ran a story headlined Weary of Looking for Work, Some Create Their Own. Part of the story says: Plenty of other…

Reinventing your career without leaving your job

Reinventing your career without leaving your job

Previously on Newvine Growing (read that in the Battlestar Galactica opening sequence voice) I’ve profiled people who’ve reinvented themselves by changing jobs and starting down a new career path. That’s all well and good, you think, but when unemployment is hitting double digits in some states, maybe this isn’t the best time to make that big switch. Not only are…

The evolution of Joel Peterson, founder of Ravenswood

The evolution of Joel Peterson, founder of Ravenswood

You might not think of Joel Peterson as a transformation story — he grew up in a wine-loving family, and he started Ravenswood in his 20s then stuck with it until he made millions from a wine that’s become a household name. But I think the way it happened speaks to evolution and passion. And since it’s my blog, I not only get…