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Success takes time

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True Success … for most of us … takes time! 🏅⏰

“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.” Vincent Van Gogh

This is not a brag fest email–just sharing a personal success story. It’s about being consistent and constant, while focusing on things bigger than yourself.

For 30 years, I’ve been building my knowledge, skills, and experiences in business improvement. For 16 of those years, I’ve been following a personal 20-year strategic plan.

Three years ago, I had great conversations with a company that was doing incredible things and was faced with incredible opportunities. Our timing wasn’t right.

However, I followed this company for the past three years, watched their progress, and stayed in touch.

Two months ago, the company reached out — they had been watching me on LinkedIn too. Our conversations three years ago made more sense now — they were ready.

This week, I started working with them on a strategic engagement and it is so incredibly exciting! My 30-years’ experience is coming to bear on a company that truly appreciates me and what I have to offer.

I am looking forward to huge successes with them!

#success #incubator #business #coaching #consultants
Crosscutter Enterprises
www.crossctr.com

What’s going on here?

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⁉️ Why don’t more people employ a content marketing strategy? 🧐🤔

If content marketing is so effective, why doesn’t everyone use it? 🙉🙈🙊

⏰ Time!

🏋️‍♂️ Work!

📜 Knowledge!

Let’s face it…content marketing takes a lot of time, work, and knowledge!

Someone can easily put together a sales AD LinkedIn message in about the same amount of time it takes me to craft this one LinkedIn update.

Then, they can cut and paste this advertisement, sending it to 100s to 1,000s of connections on LinkedIn in the amount of time it takes me to write another couple content pieces.

The AD route was simple. This is why people do it.

Content Marketing requires:

1️⃣ A great deal of time. Providing great content that engages an audience is built over several months of consistent and constant sharing.

2️⃣ A great deal of work. Every week or every day, you’re continuing to build and share valuable content and you’re engaging with your audiences.

3️⃣ A great deal of knowledge. Let’s face it, if you’re going to provide a lot of great value, you need to really know what you’re talking about.

It’s no wonder why so many people choose the quick and easy route over the hard.

#success #incubator #business #coaching #consultants
Crosscutter Enterprises
www.crossctr.com

Connections on Social Media

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🧐 How do you grow your connections 👥 professionally on social media? 🤔

What do you mean, “professionally?”

Not all social media connections are created equal. Aside from friends, family, and coworkers, you should pick and choose wisely when building your network.

Often, we simply start adding connections from the recommendation list the platform provides us. It’s easy, but not the best way.

You want to be connected to people that actively use the social media platform. These are the people that engage on topics that you like to talk about.

Find a person, business page, or group that has a lot of connections, is active on the platform, and is aligned to your train of thought.

Find a post from them with a lot of engagement (Likes and Comments). These people obviously like the same thing you like and they are active on the platform.

These are the people you want to send connection requests to.

Chances are they will also engage with you. And, that’s the kind of professional connections you really want.

How do you connect with the right people on social media?

#success #incubator #business #coaching #consultants
Crosscutter Enterprises
www.crossctr.com

Winner Takes It All!

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Does winning matter … sure. I can’t dispute that. But how? 🙉🙈🙊

‼ This update is going to piss a few people off that I know. 🤬 Oh well…

People, who don’t want you to win, care how you did it.

People, who want you to win, don’t care how you did it.

Those, who don’t want you to win, see how you’re winning, how you’re getting away with it, and also how you’re being recognized for it.

So, they start doing it as well.

Case in point: “Amazon Best Seller” 🔖

This garbage started before 2010. Forever, I thought it meant that your book simply out sold every other book in its category and was number one on Amazon … for a day or so.

That category could be very obscure. But, it doesn’t have to be. Because, I learned the many ways authors were convincing a lot of people to buy their book (often a $0.99 ebook) in one day — they game the system.

I have been told many times, by both authors and friends, I should do it too.

Recently I learned that some authors are calling #2 on Amazon a Best Seller … as is #14. Basically, if someone says it’s a Best Seller, then it is. Mainly, because there is no way to disprove it.

This is what people consider “Winning.”

Not me…

Crosscutter Enterprises
www.crossctr.com

Never Forget

In Your Face Friday Life Meandering Genius Stuff

I didn’t post anything anything yesterday in remembrance if 911…and I’m ashamed. 🙁

One of my connections, Jake Bjorseth, had a profound post this morning about growing up in a world where terrorism is a norm. He was 17 months old when 911 occured.

See, as a 21-year veteran, I was deeply involved. I’ve seen the impact and lost friends to 911, the bombing of the USS Cole and Khobar Towers. Even more in Desert Storm I and II and the many wars fought since then.

I was stationed in Germany on 911. A Public Affairs officer from down the hall ran into our office and told us to get down to their office immediately. We walked in as the second plane hit the towers.

Once we realized it was real, the base–all bases across the world were mobilized. The United States was under attack on U.S. soil!

I was to fly to DC the next day, but all flights were grounded and I didnt fly out until the 21st.

I remember the patriotism felt across the nation and the support from the world.

Being someone deeply impacted and who painfully remembers the impact of 911, it is my responsibility to make sure you understand and never forget.

I’m sorry I let you down. Lest We Forget!

#success #incubator #business #coaching #consultants
Crosscutter Enterprises
www.crossctr.com

It’s time to smile

Leadership Life Meandering Genius Speaking Stuff Thoughtful Thursday Tips

What’s in a smile? 🙁❓🙂

I never smiled!

In 1988, I entered the Air Force and spent the first 10 years of my 21 as a cop. 👮‍♂️

For about five years, I was unapproachable. There I would be, at an event, crossed arms, dark eyebrows, and a “Don’t you dare talk to me,” look on my face. I never smiled.

In fact, I had taken the Myers-Briggs Type Assessment several times and always came out as a strong Introvert.

I noticed that no one ever talked to me, but could see others that were always approached by others — the life of the party, so to speak.

I made a bold move…I started to smile.

The effect was almost immediate. Not only was I approachable, but now I test as a strong Extrovert.

Do you smile? Are you approachable? Try it…

www.crossctr.com

Distracted Much?

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🤦‍♂️ Do you get easily distracted from work? 🐶🐱

Our new kitten likes someone to be in the room when it eats. Otherwise, it wants to be wherever you are playing. It’ll get back to the food, eventually, but by that time, the Cleaning Service (aka dogs) will have taken care of the issue.

So, I locked our kitten in the bathroom with me as I got ready for the day. However, distractions loom around every corner for this little kitten. Not sure if the dog wants to play with the cat, be with me, or clean up the leftovers, but both of us became distracted!

Are you easily distracted from the task at hand?

What distracts you? Phone calls? Text messages? Emails? The kitten walking on your keyboard? 🐈

www.crossctr.com

Steps to Writing & Publishing a Book

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Interested in writing & publishing a book? Don’t know where or how to get started?

Successfully writing & publishing is much like starting a new business. The steps are essentially the same and having a plan & a coach really helps.

Many people think that publishing is expensive and difficult, but you can publish for very little money. It does require a lot if work to do it right. Here are my suggested 13 high-level steps to get you there:

1. Define your Purpose for writing.
2. Assess if you are ready to write & what you can write about.
3. Define the Audience.
4. Determine how you plan on writing your book (ways to get it written).
5. Ideation, research, brainstorming, and testing.
6. Outline.
7. Draft – edit – draft – edit – draft – edit – final draft.
8. Publishing determinations.
9. Cover design (and illustrations if required).
10. Draft reviewers and Foreword.
11. Pre-release marketing.
12. Format, Publish, and Release.
13. Post-release marketing.

If you are interested in writing & would like help, let me know.
Crosscutter Enterprises

Share Your Toxic Examples

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We’ve been discussing toxic leadership and cultures this week. The military is not immune to this environment — in fact, it can be the worst.

During one of my assignments in the Air Force, I worked as a flight sergeant with a hand-picked unit. There was one senior NCO and one officer that oversaw the unit — we were lean and mean.

The officer was absent, simply put. He was more focused on school and getting ahead, so he was never seen — never interacted with the unit personnel.

Thus, the SNCO, ran everything. Everyone called him The Dragon. This guy invented “toxic.” His goal was to break down each NCO in the unit to the point where they would in turn break down everyone that worked for them.

He ran everything like a cult. He referred to people as “in his camp” or “not.” He would hold “camp” meetings at a bar off base (so he could get drunk and not busted) and he would give his sermons over whiskey and beer chasers.

The stories I could tell about The Dragon. See, in the military, you can’t quit your job to get away from a toxic culture. You just have to endure.

This needs to be solved … this toxicity needs to be eradicated from business and out life!

What toxic examples do you have?

Reset Your Funk!

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Ever have one of those days where you feel in a funk and, regardless of what you’ve got done, you feel like you haven’t accomplished anything?

You don’t want to carry that feeling and funk into tomorrow.

How you you hit the reset button and start out a new day with a positive outlook on the rest of the week?