Blog Author Mellissah Smith - Page 66

Well for starters, if everyone is walking in one direction, turn around and run in the other.

That's according to experts, who admit that yes - creatines often do their best work over a game of ping pong.

Mark Held from www.thinksalot.com.au says the key to good advertising is keeping the message simple.

"You're essentially telling a story," the award-winning creative director tells news.com.au.

"So the story should always appeal to its audience, and be delivered in the right tone of voice.

"It's about finding something interesting and truthful about the product or service, then giving it a pinch of wit and charm so it becomes more easily palatable to the people you are talking to.

"Be the best you can be" campaign by Children of America is being launched on Wednesday officially in the US market, by childcare company, Children of America, tells children and parents that "if you want to run, run as fast as you can. Don't worry if you fall over - just get back up and keep running, running, running."

Children of America hired Australian headquartered marketing agency newcomer, Marketing Eye, to establish the company's social media presence while at the same time inspiring children, parents and even teachers to be the #bestyoucanbe.

The marketing campaign will run for three months and will entail all facets of the social media mix along with a campaign to encourage people of all ages to inspire other's on how they are being the best they can be.

edMost founders and entrepreneurs have their heads stuck so far up their you know what, to actually take the time to truly learn something from the young guns in their offices.

Another gross generalization, but the reality is that too many of the Gen-Xers who have started businesses 5 years ago, are working their butts off and are not spending the time needed to lessen their load by giving the young, up-and-coming executives the chance to really make a difference.

Here's my experience. I was sharing a glass of wine with Maikayla Desjardins, a Marketing Executive at Marketing Eye Atlanta yesterday and I asked the question, "why did you leave your job in New York and come and work for me in Atlanta?"

Her first response was: "You sold me on Atlanta as this awesome place to live - but let's face it, it's not quite New York!"

Today I was asked the question, "what inspires you to come up with blogs?"

The answer is simple: "things that happen in every day life often inspire me."

If the truth be told, the blogs have been few and far between of late because inspiration is being cluttered with real life work, legals and end of financial year in Australia.

Jackson, a talented young guy on a 3-month internship with Marketing Eye asked the question and then followed with, "what do you think of tattoos?"

I had to think - not much. I don't have one myself, but many people do. They don't offend me, nor do I think that it would affect my decision in hiring someone or giving them a promotion, but this is not the case with all organizations it seems.

Hopping on another plane and all I can think about is the future. You know that thing that is going to happen, but hasn't quite happened yet?

The road as an entrepreneur is hard enough, without having to be a woman on top of that, nearing the ripe age of 40 years. I am without doubt in the most uncomfortable position I have ever been in in my entire life - and you know what - it's exciting.

I met a guy at the bar at Treetops Restaurant on Peachtree Road in Atlanta a few months ago. He had a hint of an Australian accent and in no time at all was talking to me about how we both derived from Australia and were embarking on business expansion.

Quite a smart man, he was fascinating in so many ways; his knowledge of the world, people, psychology, business and his story on how he had grown up and started doing what he does today. I would imagine him to be a highly successful businessman who commands the attention of everyone in the room.

This morning I was a little shocked. Someone who I had never had a conversation with, who is an indirect competitor of my business, said something that was defamatory about my character.

12-months ago, I would have fallen in a heap, so devastated by someone actively going around (in this case internationally) to deliberately try and ensure that an opinion was made of me that is not only incorrect, but is made to ensure that others have the same opinion.

It's never nice to hear something being said about yourself, but after years of growing thicker skin, it now takes a bit more to stop me in my tracks. I now "get" that not everyone is going to like you, nor are they all going to think you are good looking, interesting, smart or that your business is anything to write home about. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Where this becomes grey is what they do with that opinion.

The once applauded "Tiger Mom" has taken a fall from grace in the past few years, receiving criticism from psychologists around the world.

It's a parenting style that is all too familiar for anyone over the age of 40 years, and still exists in some countries that continue to support this method of parenting.

For those who are not familiar, the Tiger Mom has come under scrutiny and criticism, due to her stricter parenting styles and the authoritative voice of the parent. It promotes conformity over creativity and the child does as they are told.

Why do people say that things happen in three’s and then when you have passed that magic number, and it keeps happening, your whole being takes a dive and you have to crawl back to where you were before it all happened in the first place?

The world is a tough place. There are so many obstacles that are put in front of us, that sometimes, we want to stop and take a deep breath and it takes every ounce of will to start back up again.

I don’t profess to know the answers, nor will I ever. It is not possible to know it all and for that matter, to have it all.

2013 has been a monumental year in so many ways. Things have happened in five’s and six’s and while many things have been good, even great, it’s not all positive.

Today, I arrived at the airport. I woke up at 3am in the morning, jet lagged and in desperate need of some sleep. I stayed awake, responded to a few emails and then I prepared myself for the day ahead.

Stuck on a plane somewhere between Chicago and Los Angeles, I pulled out a magazine I had bought at the airport. It's one of my favorites and is always full of stories that inspire, educate and enlighten me on topics that are interesting.

Inc Magazine is an entrepreneurial stable. It is one of the most popular magazines in the world for entrepreneurs and people who run businesses. One of my good friends Kevin Daum, a guy that I met way back in 2002 in Sydney, Australia, is a New Yorker who submits regular articles to Inc Magazine that are read by thousands of people.

As I read the article, "I thought I knew you - Entrepreneurship changes people - and not always for the better", I reflected on my own experiences.

Has entrepreneurship changed me? Is it for the better?