What is success?

Success by aloshbennett via Flickr

What is success?

This question has been at the top of my mind lately.

When determining success for marketing clients, the process is fairly easy. This is because most businesses have some fairly cut-and-dried goals: We want to increase our sales by X% over last year; We want to achieve $X in revenue by a certain date; We want to increase traffic to our site by X% over the next 6 months; etc.

If we take a 10000-ft view, the method of determining success is the same in our personal careers as it would be for setting up a business or marketing plan. First, you determine where you want to be versus where you are now. You determine the method to take the path (Do you drive a car? Walk? Fly?) and map out landmarks along the path and when you expect to reach them (aka, setting how you’ll measure your achievements). Then, you take the path via the method you’ve chosen and check your navigation along the way.

The problem with personal and career goals is that “success” means different things to different people. We might take personal pleasure in what we’re doing. But others looking might think that we’re not measuring up to someone else in our field who had completely different personal goals.

What it boils down to is that for personal/career success, unless we’re at the top of our field, lauded by all, it often feels as if we’re viewed as a failure.

Consider this: a person goes in for an interview at a new company or a progress review at the place they work and they’re asked the typical “Where would you like to be in 5/10 years” question. Most interviewers won’t view, “Doing what I’m doing now, but better, and for more money” as a good answer. Why is that? This answer shows they like what they’re doing, they want to improve at it, and they want more pay (which everyone wants). What if the employee’s answer was, “In 5/10 years, I’d like to be seen as a truly integrated part of the company – someone who could be counted on to do whatever work needed to be done, so that I could feel secure in my position”? This shows someone loyal to the place they work, someone who wants to feel important, but who has a realistic view of the world. Ah, but they “lack ambition,” because they don’t want to move up the corporate ladder?

What I’ve noticed lately is that most people believe that if you’re not ambitious, you’re inherently less valuable. You have to want more, to do more, more power, more money, more fame. And while it’s understandable to a point – you want your employees to be hungry and work ever harder – do we really want people to constantly feel unsatisfied? Is it healthy?

In reality, not everyone is going to be a CEO in their lifetime. Why should it be an unwritten rule that people should desire this? Who knows whether those who DO become CEOS have even come close to reaching their personal goals?

The question of “What is success?” is something that each of needs to ponder separately. And then, once we’ve decided, we need to throw off the shackles of public opinion and work toward our individual success, forgetting about what anyone else may think.

Just removing those shackles may be the truest benchmark of being on your way.

The Truth About Networking Myths (for those of us between the Boomers & GenX)

Nature Network drinks at the Lamb by Matt From London via Flickr

Networking. I can’t even begin to tell you how that word rubs me the wrong way. Oh, wait. Yes I can. In fact, it’s the point of this post.

There’s a whole generation of us out here in the business world today that are… well, we’re not quite Boomers, and we’re not quite GenX. We’re kind of the middle between them. And I doubt that I’m the only one of this group who was raised to think that “networking is for people who can’t actually do anything on their own, people who network rely on who they know, not what they know or what they can do to get ahead.”

I think that may have actually been a direct quote from more than one conversation in my formative years. Which has led to an immediate CRINGE factor whenever I hear the word.

And this has hindered my growth. Because when you don’t try to network, you aren’t actively trying to meet more new people. You become isolated. Back then, it was called being “private” and was regarded well. But today, it makes you seem anti-social.

As I’ve been pondering how I can solve this dilemma in my own life, I thought others might benefit from my review of some myths I was raised with about networking, and the truth that counters those myths.

delicious Network Explorer by iconolith via Flickr

Myth #1: People who get jobs through their networks are unqualified.

Truth: If someone is referring you through a network, it’s because you ARE qualified. Okay, sure, there are instances of nepotism out there that end in disaster. But that’s just it: they end in disaster! Would you recommend someone you didn’t trust? Of course not – it would make your judgment look suspect. LinkedIn is built on the fact that people are cautious enough about not wanting their judgement to appear suspect that they won’t link to people they don’t actually know. And it works for all the other social networks out there.

Myth #2: Asking people you know for a referral makes you look unprofessional.

Truth: Businesses use testimonials, and you should too. In fact, you’re probably asked to provide references. Why not find the best ones you can by asking everyone you know and picking the ones that represent you best?

WIT Grad. Bus. Xmas 2007 Networking by witgb via flickr

Myth #3: If you’re going out just to meet people to get ahead, you must be inherently unsatisfied with your own life or you’re a sneaky weasel looking for an “in” you probably don’t deserve. Or both. Probably both.

Truth: Meeting people is good. There is nothing wrong with wanting to know more people. It doesn’t mean you don’t value the friends you have – it just means you’re greedy for more. And that greediness is okay because it also means you have more to give. Relationships go both ways or not at all. Even if your brain goes to that one“friend” who only calls when s/he needs something and is never there when you need help, you’re not likely to refer that friend, are you?

I know that in my mind, the first thing I picture is the slimy new kid who doesn’t know anything being introduced through the friend of his father to someone who’ll give a position he doesn’t deserve because he’s friends with his old man. (Kinda like what I think when I see the picture to the left.) But that’s just in my head.

In truth, it’s not finding a sneaky “in,” it’s helping the person who needs your help find you. From the perspective of the person who needs what you offer, the person actively seeking the type of solution you’d provide, would you rather sort through business opportunities from hundreds of people you don’t know who could be scamming you, or ask the opinion of someone you know and trust ?

Myth #4: Some people are good at networking and others just aren’t.

Truth: Networking – like any other task – takes practice. Are there some people born with an innate talent? Sure. But that doesn’t mean you can’t learn. You may have to stretch out of your comfort zone to do it. But that means growth for you as a person. And that’s always good.
Not everyone will network the same way, either. Some are great at going to random functions and just talking with any and everyone. Some are better at meeting and connecting online. Some are better at one on one situations. (Like me. That’s why I did the Fast Friends experiment this summer (idea borrowed from Cheryl Harrison), and will do it again – probably quite soon, too.) Figure out the way you connect best with people. And like Nike, just do it.

Taste of Bexley 2009 – Tastecasters Review

Tastecasters was invited to join in for the first ever Taste of Bexley, and boy were we glad to be there.

26 Bexley restaurants were scheduled to attend, but unfortunately, not all of them showed. Too bad for them. There were lots of hungry visitors, and we enjoyed the heck out of everything we tried.

Taste of Bexley - Chihuly Glass at Franklin Conservatory

The venue was a delight and the display of Chihuly Glass only added to its charm.  By the size of the crowd I would think this was a huge crowd pleaser and did a lot for Mid Ohio Food Bank.

Since there were so many restaurants, I’m going to try to break the reviews up by type – just for some semblance of order. I didn’t manage to get pictures of everything, which is a shame because it was all delightful!

Casual Eateries

Brueggers sesame seed bagel sandwich

Entering, the first booth we came to was Bruegger’s Bagels. They offered herby turkey sandwiches, chicken salad, chicken spaetzel soup and roasted tomato soup. I tried the chicken salad and it was as good as my home-made, which – since I’m truly a chicken salad snob – is quite the compliment. I know where I’ll go next time I crave chicken salad, that’s for sure. I also tried the chicken spaetzel soup, which would be perfect with a bagel on a cold day.

Panera bakery was also there. If you like REAL bread (not the crap we Americans use for sandwiches on a regular basis – no, I mean the stuff that’s got crust and some heft to it!) you can’t go wrong at Panera. They provided samples of many of their breads and some spinach dip. Yum.

Katzinger's sandwiches

The next booth we stopped at was Katzinger’s Deli. Katzinger’s is located in German Village, but a proud supporter of all things Bexley. Anyone who’s ever eaten there knows there’s not a bad thing on the menu. I tried the smoked salmon and the veggie sandwich with roasted red peppers. There was also turkey and corned beef, but I wanted to leave some for other people to try. Yum.

At the Cosi stand I tried the Chicken pesto, and my husband tried the buffalo chicken sandwich. There were pepper chips on the side. They also had cream cheese on bagels, but we didn’t try them. When we picked up the sandwiches, I said, “Hey, we’ll each pick a different one and share!” But once we started, we couldn’t stop. We each ate our whole sandwich, and when we went back to try to get more, the line was so long. We thought we’d come back later, but everything was gone by the time we got there again. Sigh.

Old Bag of Nails - Fried Pickles

Old Bag of Nails was a treat. I’m originally from Detroit, and I’m kind of a fried fish snob – there’s some GREAT fish places in Detroit, let me tell you. The fish that Old Bag of Nails brought was right on par with what I’m used to eating. I can’t tell you how happy that made me. I know where I’ll go for my next fish and chips craving! There was also a pumpkin roll, with a super cream cheese filling.

Rusty Bucket grills Quesodillas

We then made our way over to the Rusty Bucket. They didn’t bring their fried pickles – it would have been difficult to have them hot and fresh, I imagine, since there was no onsite cooking available there at Franklin Conservatory. And while that is the one thing I always order when I’m there, I have to say that the chicken & corn quesodillas are now also likely to become a staple for me. They were perfectly spiced and the guacamole matched it perfectly.

Flavor's Eatery Chicken & Dips

Flavor’s Eatery is a restaurant I had never heard about before, but definitely want to go back to. On display were some lightly breaded chicken bites that served as a vehicle for some amazing home-made dipping sauces. The Thai sauce was a favorite. Just a hint of spice, sweet, and peanut, and it really delivered. Also nicely done was the barbecue sauce, that was a slight bit runny but had a great tang to it. The white chicken chili was a wonderful soup though. The consistency was more like soup – I typically view chili as a bit thicker – but the broth was wonderfully seasoned and had big chunks of vegetables in it.

At Aladdin’s Eatery, we sampled some Mediterranean fare. As always, it was delicious. Aladdin’s really knows how to create a vegetarian meal that makes you not miss the meat at all. I tried a lentil & rice dish called Mujadara – absolutely delicious – where just the lentils & rice themselves would have been flavorful enough, but they topped it with fresh vegetables (a Lebanese salad) that just brought the whole thing to life. I also recommend, when you eat there, to try their hummus and anything they serve with feta.

Bexley Natural Market

Up near the very front, we found Bexley Natural market. Organic vegetables. Carrots, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese. It was all fabulous. And best of all, hormone free. I seriously have to start shopping there.

Dessert Fare

Jeni's Ice Cream

Right next to the Rusty Bucket was Jeni’s ice cream. Okay, could there be any more of my Columbus favorites under one roof? Jeni’s ice cream is a unique treat. Their salty caramel is something you won’t taste anywhere else. The dark chocolate is actually dark – a must for those who prefer a higher cacao content (although, I find their cocoa-zin – which they didn’t bring to the event to be even darker). The heirloom pumpkin 5-spice was like pumpkin pie in a cup. I didn’t get to try their apple cider sorbet, to my chagrin. But luckily, they brought samples of the Seattle-based natural soda they sell at their stores. It was a lavender soda, and it was delightful. The lavender wasn’t overpowering, there was a lemony undertone. It cleansed the palette beautifully.

Johnson’s Ice Cream, which was on the other end of the Taste, is a more traditional, and just as delicious, ice cream provider. They offered their own pumpkin spice ice cream and the spices in it were perfectly blended – even as full as I was by the time I got there, I couldn’t stop eating it.The French Butter Fudge was also amazing. Rich, creamy, buttery ice cream with a thick river of fudge running through it. It was a sundae in and of itself – the only thing missing was whipped cream and nuts, and I didn’t really miss it.

Cherbourg Bakery Brownies

Oh, then there was the Cherbourg Bakery. Everything they brought was gluten free. Now *THAT* is a feat. For those who aren’t bakers, gluten is found in flour made from wheat. You know, the white flour that is used in almost EVERY SINGLE baked good most Americans think of as populating a bakery. But you’d never know they were gluten-free from the taste. YUM. The lemon cookies were delicious. And there was a cookie made with rice flour. I love everything Japanese, so I was kind of expecting it to be mochi-like. Nope. Tasted like a sugar cookie to me. Very good.

Beverages

At Starbucks, I tried the Pumpkin Spice Latte. This is a seasonal drink – you can only get it in the fall, and I, for one, look forward to it all year. The spices are perfectly blended and it’s not overly sweet, which I really like. They also had samples of their new instant, Via, which they handed out for people to try at home. Haven’t tried it yet, but I’m really curious, I’ll have to admit. And giving away samples at this event was pretty smart.

Mona Vie

Mona Vie was a surprise for me. This is a bottled health drink that uses a blend of fruits to create a premium health kick. And it tastes delicious! Plus, they offer an “energy drink” version – it comes in a can that is somewhat Red Bull-esque, but instead of giving you a bad lift that leads to a bad crash, this stuff energizes you naturally. And the carbonation just adds a little something to the flavor. I could so see me drinking this regularly.

Fine Dining

Bexley Monk - Duck confit, and macaroons

One of the most highly regarded restaurants in Bexley, The Bexley Monk, brought a duck confit with truffle oil. Not too delicate, not too hearty – just right. And their macaroons with blood orange buttercream – heavenly. I’ve never eaten at the Monk before, but it was obvious that they’re at least 4 stars.

We looked everywhere for Giuseppe’s Ritrovo. They were nowhere to be found. I asked around and found out that they hadn’t been able to attend. I was seriously bummed. I’ve had this restaurant recommended to me repeatedly and was really looking forward to it. Giuseppe’s Ritrovo, if you’re listening, be sure to come next year, okay?

Caryn's Cuisine's brownies

Caryn’s Cuisine provided a truly complete offering. A large, fully stuffed mushroom that had a nice bit of spice to it started things off. The star of the show was a merlot-braised tenderloin that was amazing. Served on a bit of crostini with an amazing herbed horseradish sauce, this bite was a little bit of heaven. Caryn’s finished with a pair of desert offerings. First up was a cheesecake bite with a little strawberry on top. The cheesecake was wonderfully creamy and the graham cracker crust was spot on. Topping that though was a peanut butter and chocolate ganache brownie. It was exactly what you hope for when you hear the phrase “peanut butter and chocolate ganache brownie.”

The fare at The Top was the tops. It won best of show – both Judge’s Choice and People’s Choice. It’s no wonder they were one of the first providers to run out of food. In fact, by the time I made it back to the top, they had run out of their potatoes. However, the jumbo shrimp and pan-seared filet more than made up for it. Just one shrimp could easily feed a family of four. They don’t mess around when they say jumbo. The taste was clean and fresh, with a satisfying cocktail sauce. And the filet was amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever had a more tender piece of filet. You could have almost spread it with a knife, which you absolutely would not need to cut it.

Parkhurst Caramel Apple Pie

Capital University’s Parkhurst Dining was a surprise. From the name, you can’t help but think cafeteria food – but that mental picture couldn’t be farther from the truth. They offered little spoonfuls of salad that were perfect – feta cheese mixed with the vegetables and spices wonderfully. The Sirloin Beef wrapped around enoki mushrooms with a creamy sauce was a treat. And their desserts! Oh, man the desserts. The buckeye peanut butter parfait and the fudge brownie were  great and the carmel apple pie parfait was even better. This isn’t campus eating – this is fine cuisine.

Catering By Scott - Salmon Mousse Tartlet with Creamy Pesto

Catering by Scott was also amazing. I was expecting them to be part of the Casual Dining category, but with what they brought, I have to put them under Fine Dining. Chefs proudly offered a delightfully tasty salmon mousse tartlet with creamy pesto. The light mousse was served on toast points with the pesto to the side. It was a great appetizer selection with a mouthwatering mixture of savory flavors. They also offered a unique buffalo chicken tartlet with spicy aili: the flavor of buffalo wings taken to a new level with elegant presentation and a mix of tastes (buffalo & aioli). Both items would be very popular at a party.

Entertainment

Pizza acrobat

Along the way, we tried to take the time  to enjoy the provided entertainment. There was a jazz trio, a guitarist and singer… actually, I think I might have missed a lot of it. But we made sure to see the Pizza Acrobat. My only complaint was that there were so many people watching, and he wasn’t on a high enough platform for us all to see everything over their heads. It was so FREAKIN’ COOL! My husband caught one of the crusts that he threw into the audience like a frisbee. We carried it around like a trophy the rest of the night.

One of our Tastecasters made a video of the night. Take a look and you’ll see the acrobat in action!

Pizza

And speaking of pizza, there were three pizza providers there.

Bexley Pizza Plus

Bexley Pizza Plus’ pizza brought many of their specialty pizzas. I don’t know if you’ve read my review of them that I posted earlier this year, but their crust is amazing. It’s perfect for households that are split between liking thin crust and a thicker crust – it combines the best of both worlds. I highly recommend their Ultimate pizza.

Anthony’s was also there – another of my favorite pizza joints. Anthony’s has a wonderfully crispy thin crust, and they use some of the tastiest mozzarella I’ve ever had on a pizza. If you visit their restaurant, they also serve stromboli – and I recommend their vegetarian stromboli, I think it’s called meatless magic. MMm. Just writing about it is making me hungry.

Rubino’s, which is right next to Bexley Pizza Plus in Bexley, decided to shake things up by not bringing their pizza. Instead, they offered up samples of their spaghetti for everyone, so that people could get to know them for more than just pizza. They also served salads, which was a nice touch.

Asian Cuisine

Moshi Sushi - Spicy Tuna Roll

Moshi Sushi was a delight. There was a very unique, somewhat crunchy spicy tuna roll. So delicious and unlike any other tuna roll I’ve ever tried. Oh, and words cannot encompass the bliss of their ginseng braised short ribs. HEAVEN! Nice and sweet with a little spicy flavor. And I don’t think the meat could have been any more tender.

Peking Dynasty - Lo Mein

Peking Dynasty is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants. They didn’t bring it with them, but I highly recommend their hot and sour soup – some of the best I’ve ever had. Everything I’ve ever had there has been phenomenal. (Hint: General Tso’s chicken is some of the BEST EVER.) What they did bring was a yummy chicken lo mein, and their flavorful eggrolls. They also have a sushi chef on staff and brought some of that to the Taste.  Some of what they brought: the tiger roll, spicy tuna roll, and an eel roll.  All were great. The tiger roll was good “beginner’s sushi,” and the eel was also great. Both had great sauces that let the natural flavors come through as well.

Wings salmon cakes with corn & edamame

Finally, there was also Wing’s Restaurant, who served salmon cakes with mayo on a corn & edamame salad. The salmon cakes were an unexpected delight, and the corn and edamame had a light citrus-y thing going on. I couldn’t stop eating it. They also served us ruby (and port) glazed corned beef over stir-fried cabbage, with mustard. I’ve never even seen corned beef at a Chinese restaurant, but this was delicious. And my husband, who won’t ever willingly eat cabbage tried it (grudgingly) and said, “That’s good! It doesn’t even taste like cabbage!” It was flavorful, but not overpowering.

All in all, we had a great time. I like trying new restaurants, but usually am stuck with the conundrum of what to try. Usually, you pick one item and hope you made the right choice. Sometimes it’s just what you wanted, and sometimes you leave thinking, “Man, I wish I would have tried that OTHER dish.” That’s the great thing about the Taste. Where else can you sample so many different foods and leave pleasantly, but not overly, full. It was perfect.

How YOU Should You Be? – Part II, Multiple Personalities?

Back in May, I asked the question “How YOU should you be” in business.

And most of the responses I got agreed that you should just be yourself and let the chips fall where they may. I’ve also been reading some posts about this (Example), and they seem to concur: just be yourself.

But I’m not convinced it’s that simple. To me, it seems we need to develop multiple personalities – facets of ourselves, if you will – so that we can display parts of what is truly US, and yet keep other things hidden.

The best example I can give is a personal one. I have a somewhat childlike approach to life. I try very hard to retain a sense of innocent curiosity and display my interests as plainly as a child. But in business situations, this can be perceived as a lack of experience and viewed poorly. I need to click off this aspect and click on my ability to be focused on solutions (I’m a puzzle solver – which is still something gained from childhood, but can be applied to adult/business situations). This gives me the personality I need to garner the respect necessary to form partnerships.

If I let my guard down too soon and display my full, youthful demeanor too early in a relationship – before the other person has seen enough of my capabilities to understand that this part of my personality is a benefit – it can create in their minds doubt, which will sour the whole deal. And there are even some people who will NEVER be able to see it as a benefit, regardless of how well we’ve worked together in the past, because of their own interpersonal communication needs.

If we don’t create alternate displays of our personality, we run the risk of offending people, refusing to be in a relationship with them because of a personality conflict. Of course, by developing different facades, we run the risk of occasionally coming off as stiff or phony – say, for example, when you have to pull back on your personality in front of someone used to the looser you because the two of you are in front of someone who needs you to be more circumspect.

It really is a philosophical question, and I wonder what everyone thinks. Which route do you think is likely to be more beneficial – both in terms of generating viable partnerships and in terms of self-satisfaction? Please share your thoughts and stories.

2009 Pumpkin Carving Results

So, based on your feedback, I’m going ahead and posting my weird hobbies.

Today’s weird hobby is pumpkin carving. I’ll post the inspiration picture as well as the final result. Let me know what you think.

And if you have ideas for NEXT YEAR’s pumpkin(s) send ‘em my way!

These two images are the original and my carving of Light Yagami aka Kira from Death Note – which some of you may know from Adult Swim on Cartoon Network.
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And these two are the original and my carving of Alice Human Sacrifice. For those unfamiliar, Alice Human Sacrifice is a little animation project that was created to accompany a creepy Japanese vocaloid that you can find here.

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So, these are the pumpkins this year. Let me know what you’d like to see next year, please!

Is anyone interested in my weird hobbies?

I am a person who creates things.

I cook things from scratch. And when I say from scratch, I don’t mean what most people mean. For example, when I make lasagna, I start with wheat berries that we scoop out of the combine from a friends farm. We grind those into flour and make fresh noodles. Then, I take several gallons of milk and make my own fresh ricotta and mozzarella. Get the idea?

I sew. Several of my regular wardrobe pieces are self-made and my goal is to someday have the bulk be self-made.

I do unique pumpkin carvings.

Basically, if I get it into my head to create something, I just go ahead and do it.

Is anyone interested in me posting these things here? I can post tips and techniques and OMG-don’t-do-this-like-I-dids. But I don’t want to waste anyone’s time if they’re not interested.

So please comment and let me know.

Ch-ch-ch-Changes

There are so many quotes about change that I don’t know which to use here.

Image by Pardesi* via Flickr

“Change is the only constant”

“Change is inevitable – except from a vending machine.”

“Change is the essence of life.”

“Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by discomforts.”

“If nothing changed, there’d be no butterflies.”

At the company where I work, People To My Site, we’ve just had a change in CEO.

This change is making people a little nervous. And that’s understandable. Todd built the company from the ground up. It’s kind of strange to not have him wandering around and checking in on everyone. He’s a great guy. Very charismatic. Very driven. And most of us in the trenches responded to the news with, “What?”

When you look at it closely, though, the questioning that’s going on is on a personal nature. We like Todd, we care about him. But at the end of the day, we’re all still coming to work and doing our jobs. And this change doesn’t really affect that at all.

Our clients are still getting the same great service – possibly even better since they’ll be going to the people doing the job instead of going to Todd. (Let me tell you, going to the CEO with your concerns is typically not the best solution. CEOs are busy people who delegate in the first place. Talk with a manager on the floor if you want a solution.) Our products haven’t changed. Our mission hasn’t changed.

Our goal is still to increase our clients sales.

And our new CEO has been here for two years, working at Todd’s right hand – not just filling in his gaps, but also directing the company internally and increasing our efficiency. So, with Jennifer Ridenour steering the ship, we can feel confident that we’re on course for success.

So at the end of it all, I’m left with just one quote:

“The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

1st Music Post – Calling Funky Columbus Musicians

Some people reading my blog may know that before I got wrangled into the wondrous world of marketing, I was a professional singer. (Look me up on Wikipedia if you want to know more.)

And, while I do enjoy the challenge of figuring out a marketing strategy and seeing it bear fruit (in the way of SALES for my clients!), it would be unrealistic for me to deny the longing to make some sweet music.

Lately, the bulk of music that I’ve been listening to is Japanese. (I know, how absolutely BIZARRE that one who has the word “Manga” in the title of her blog would like Japanese music – could I be more predictable?) There really is a wide range of genres available in Japanese music today. From the J-death-metal stylings of Maximum The Hormone to the J-rap of Home Made Kazoku and Typhoon24, from the bubblegum Jpop of Round Table and Gumi to the sensual landscapes of Ali Project and Yoko Kanno – you can find just about anything.

What I’ve found most recently is Suga Shikao.

There isn’t much written about him – just that he started in Marketing and left to become a Japanese music STAR, and that he is heavily influenced by the funk of the 70s like Sly and the Family Stone.

So first, I’m going to share some of his stuff with y’all. Sorry that WordPress.com won’t let me Embed the stuff. These are all links.

19sai by Suga Shikao(スガ シカオ)
19sai is the first track I ever heard from this artist and is the one that sucked me in.

Koko Ni Iru Koto by Suga Shikao (スガ シカオ)
Koko Ni Iru Koto is softer, more easy listening than funk. But I’d still like to do a cover.

310 by Suga Shikao (スガ シカオ)
This song is a good example of why I’m so drawn in to his music. The funk is undeniable – until you get to the chorus, where the Jpop smothers it. It makes me want to just strip away the Jpop lacquer coating so we can get back to the basic funk! This song needs to be covered!

Himitsu (Secret) by Suga Shikao (スガ シカオ)
So does this one. In fact, I think this might be the first song I’d want to cover. Oh, the chorus kills me. It NEEDS to be redone!

Sofa by Suga Shikao (スガ シカオ)
This is a softer funk, but I still really enjoy it. Still has the Jpop coating that needs to be removed. Another good one to cover.

38分15秒 by Suga Shikao (スガ シカオ)
Okay, there’s nothing wrong at ALL with this song. In fact, Everything is right with it. I just love this song. Through the whole damned thing. This is the exception to the rule. I don’t want to cover it to fix the parts that could be better. I just want to perform this song because it seems like tons of fun!

And now for the challenge:

Columbus-area musicians who would be willing to participate in remaking these songs, CONTACT ME! This isn’t something to make money – it’s just for the love of the music. My goal is to record them, put them up on YouTube, and teach them crazy music industry people in Japan that you can just create GREAT funk without the extraneous crap. I’m planning to create them both in Japanese (yes, I can sing in ANY language, thank you) and translate them into English. Because to ME, this type of thing sounds like FUN.

Want to join me? For one song, or more? Let me know.

And if you want to hear more of the varied musical stylings of Suga Shikao, I’ve compiled a Suga Shikao playlist here.

Here’s hoping you enjoy them 1/2 as much as I do.

An SEO Seminar where you’ll actually LEARN something

Being in the marketing world, with all its latest “hot marketing trends” and technological advances, I have attended my fair share of seminars. Each one purports to teach me something new about the wonderful world of marketing.

And typically, I leave each seminar thinking, ‘What a complete waste of my time. There was nothing in that presentation that I haven’t already figured out for myself just using common sense.’

So when I see a post for a seminar with a price tag, I become even more skeptical.

But THIS, is a seminar worth every penny. I’ve been through the trial run of the presentation and am thoroughly impressed by how little I knew going in and how much more I knew coming out.

$399 gets you into the seminar – and gets you a thorough SEO audit of your site, telling you what you’re doing right and what you need to improve. So if you want to leave afterwards and do it all on your own, you’ll be armed to do it. But, if you want to hire PTMS to help with your SEO efforts, they’ll give you half of the seminar price back as credit toward their services.

And it’s taught by seo-agent.com blogger Jake Stoops. This is someone PASSIONATE about SEO.

So, sign up. Learn something. Get more traffic to your site.

Corporate Speak vs Straight Talk

photo by gurdonark, via Flickr

I just received an email promoting a webinar on effective leadership. It referenced and recommended a business book called, “Why business people speak like idiots,” and went on at great length about the difference between “corporate speak” and “straight talk.”

Here’s the example they gave for how ludicrous it is to use corporate speak and expect people to understand: “Children, I surveyed our home’s regional territory to evaluate how effectively the lawn-cutting was executed today. I think we need to re-align our expectations about yard responsibilities and re-calibrate performance. We’re going to install KPIs for better accountability.”

Honestly, in this day, in this economy, are there really still companies out there that think that anyone SHOULD talk that way?

Seriously. I’m asking.

Does anyone hear someone speak like that and think, “Wow, that person must really know what he’s talking about because I didn’t understand a word he just said”? Really? Is there anyone left who doesn’t believe that people who speak that way are charlatans trying to hide something and confuse the issue?

One of the most effective CEOs I’ve ever met made it a practice to try to stay away from any words that were more than two syllables.

It’s about communication, people. It’s ALL about communication. That means you have to be understood.

Criminy! Speak plainly.