After much deliberation, I have decided to make a big change to the focus of my blogging.
As you know, Small Pond recently launched our new website and part of that includes a blog. I will be posting all of my content there - starting today. The new blog is called "Investing in People" and will focus specifically on relationship building, developing partnerships, and growing business. I will not stop writing about producing entirely, but as my business has changed so must the blog.
I hope you'll check out the new blog and update your email subscriptions. There are already a few blog posts up from, both myself and other contributors. For the rest of this week, I'll be posting links to the new blog here but, after that, while this blog will remain live, there will be no new posts here.
I know that this is a big change for me and I hope you'll join me as I enter a new chapter in my business and my blogging.
Excelsior!
I get introduced to a lot of people.
I also make a lot of introductions. There is one rule I always follow when I am considering connecting two people:
I ask myself, "Am I wasting anyone's time?"
It may sound harsh but this is a question that needs to be asked and honestly answered. Many times we are out there "networking" for networking's sake and taking meetings that don't make sense. The main question that should always be asked is:
Does this person actually want the introduction you are offering?
I always ask if the person already knows the person I am about to introduce. If not, then I reach out and ask if they feel that an introduction would be a good fit. If they tell me that it will be then I know to make the intro. I will also check in with the person I want to introduce and make sure it is an introduction that makes sense for them as well. It takes a little more time, but usually works out much better than just haphazardly connecting people.
So the next time you are about to send an email or make an introduction, stop and ask if it makes sense and find out if both parties are interested.
This leads to less time wasted and more time for win/win meetings.
Excelsior!
This week's retro post is about a topic near and dear to my heart: Saying Thank You. Have a look and be sure to say it today if you've forgotten!
Excelsior!
P.S.- The PLAE application deadline is coming up! Make sure to get your application in!
I'm sure to many folks this seems like the simplest of statements, but I am amazed every day at how easy it seems to be for people to forget about it.
A perfect example: Yesterday I get an email from an organization that I am a part of forwarding an email from some one who I introduced to the organization. I took time out to find this person during another event, tell him about the event the other organization was hosting and in fact, bring him to that event. At the end I also took the time to introduce this individual to someone at the event who could be helpful to that person's producing career.
So guess what the email was about? It was thanking the organization for introducing him to that individual who he has worked with on numerous occasions. No mention of me taking the time out of my schedule to help connect him. Kind of makes you not want to do that kind of introduction again doesn't it?
There's a big lesson in here today for producers at all levels:
Look carefully at who helped you get where you are today. If you haven't thanked them, take the time to do so today. If you've gotten donations even if they were smaller than you hoped for, say thank you. If you were invited to a party that you might not have been able to go to had it not been for a certain person, say thank you and finally, if you have volunteers who are working for you for free, say thank you.
The more people feel appreciated, the more likely they'll help you in the future and as much as it sucks, the opposite is also true.
So look through that address book today. Is there anyone you forgot to thank?
Let the whole world see it. Thank them here in the comments below. Use fake names if you want, but let them know you thanked them. That is what keeps the relationships going in this business.
I'll start:
Dear Readers,
Thank you for subscribing to my blog and being willing to get my posts in your email daily, thank you for re-tweeting the posts that you enjoy, and thank you for your insightful comments. You all are the reason I keep writing this blog and the reason that I have gotten more readers and become better known over the time this blog has started and I am grateful for that. Thanks also to those who get my info by Rss feed or some other method that is not email. The fact that you still find a way to read and respond to my posts is greatly appreciated. You all are the reason I write this and keep writing it and your support means the world to me.
Sincerely,
Mike
There. Now your turn:
Excelsior!
Imagine you went to a great lunch with everything you could ever want.
Now imagine that after finishing that lunch, you went to another meeting and found out they were serving lunch.
You would most likely either politely decline or attempt to stuff yourself further. In both situations, you are uncomfortable and usually wish that the person had notified you ahead of time about the fact that they were preparing lunch.
Similarly, in one on one meetings when you're given things you didn't ask for and it leads to dozens of wasted folders, scripts, headshots, tchotchkies, etc.
So here's the way to look at this:
If you have a one on one scheduled find out if the other person already ate.
You probably have a whole bunch of material you could share with them. It could be folders, graphs, a PowerPoint, etc. but if they are not interested in seeing or taking any of it, you are wasting time and attention. Ask before you meet with them if they are interested in receiving any of your materials. Remember, nothing is more aggravating than carrying around a folder or a binder that you didn't even want to begin with.
If you avoid giving others stomachaches, they are more likely to tell their friends about you and your work.
If you give them a bad stomachace, they'll be sure to tell everyone to stay away from your house.
The choice is yours.
Excelsior!
P.S.- PLAE applications are still being accepted. Be sure to apply HERE.
Those four words have stopped more innovation than any other. It's very easy to focus on the things that we don't have and get into a funk over that. Also, when we can rely on the statement that we are missing certain parts, moving something forward suddenly becomes the fault of someone or something else. This is a comfortable place to go, because we can squarely place the blame on the missing item and no longer have to figure out a way to make it work.
This is great from a comfort standpoint but certainly not from the standpoint of entrepreneurship. Imagine if someone at Apple had said that they were not building the iPhone because they didn't have an important piece of hardware. They'd be told to build it or find it or they'd be fired.
Chances are these four words have made it into your life at some point as well. They appear whenever things get difficult.
So today, I challenge you to decide how you are going to solve the problem. If you don't have time, how will you find more? If you don't have money, how will you make it? If you don't have connections, how will you find them?
I have been thinking about this recently because some folks have mentioned being worried about signing up for PLAE because they don't have a business idea ready to go. Some of the best business ideas that came out of PLAE came from people who came into the class without an idea.
Today is your day to stomp out those four words.
Make it happen.
Excelsior!
Many of us live in a world that has been carefully constructed for us. We have a job in which we have specific tasks to complete, a set number of hours or days that we work, and a system that we use day in and day out.
The appeal of this lifestyle is that it is relatively predictable. We know what we will do tomorrow and the next day, we know where the money to pay our expenses will come from, and we know what we have to do to not rock the boat.
10 years ago we had systems that we could follow fairly easily and that worked, for the most part. I know because I lived in one of those systems.
The issue in the present is that many of those systems are no longer working. As a result, some of those who relied on the system are experiencing a very painful time right now. There is a switch that has been flipped for them and they are not sure how to flip it back.
The switch I'm talking about is the one that tells us that we need to work for someone in order to make money.
Is there anything wrong with believing in this? Not at all, but it is important to be aware that this is not an absolute truth and that anyone can flip the switch.
I have had many conversations with artists, writers, directors, and producers in which I told them to find one thing that they could offer the world that someone would be willing to pay for.
It doesn't matter how much, as long as they actually pay.
This flips the switch. Once you make money from something you have created or something that you alone offer, you won't feel the same about the system. You'll recognize that you choose to be a part of it; you do not have to be a part of it.
This is one of the main reasons I started PLAE. I wanted to show artists that if you have a good idea for a product or a service, that there is nothing that says you can't build a business around it. There are still some slots left for our Free Info Session. I hope you email us and join me for the session.
I also hope that you'll take the time to flip the switch, because the interesting thing about that pesky switch is...
You're the only one who can flip it.
Excelsior!
This week's retro post is all about looking at the context of your situation when networking and starting conversations. Have a look!
Excelsior!
P.S.- PLAE applications are still being accepted. Make sure to apply today!
So last night we had the first PLAE class and it was really great. We started by talking about networking and I thought I'd share a little tidbit that we all discovered.
Every place you are is a chance to make connections. Most people think that the only place to do business is in an office, but the fact of the matter is, you could find business in a restaurant, on the sidewalk, or in a bar. As long as you don't let the context of the situation take over.
What do I mean by this?
If you're in a setting that doesn't encourage mixing or mingling, that is the context. If you accept that, you could be sitting next to a huge investor and not even know it. If you create your own context, then you can have a conversation and perhaps make a connection with that new contact. So the ultimate question:
How do you create your own context?
Think of something interesting to say and break the ice. Some people may think you're weird and not talk to you, but most will and you'll be in control. Remember that to break into a conversation, you always have to interrupt. If you worry that interrupting is too rude, you lose. End of story. Of course, don't be rude, but do find a way to break in. My personal favorite is "So sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your talk" ---Now I've created a context for that person and the people they are talking with to include me in that conversation.
Does it always work?
Of course not.
Creating context is much harder than following the rules of the room, but if nobody broke the rules, we'd be in a very boring business.
So get out there and start some conversations!
No, this isn't a personal finance blog post. You can find that type of info HERE.
This post is about giving credit as opposed to using a card.
When you're getting something off the ground, you are usually scarce on resources. There is never enough money to pay your people, enough time to get things done, or enough connections to move things forward. In these instances, much like someone who uses a credit card to pay for things and then pay them off later, the only way we can thank the people who help us is to give them credit for their work.
The main difference is that unlike a card, credit that you give to others has no limit. You can say as much or as little as you like about the people who you work with and often it has a significant impact on them.
So how do I feel about it?
I think that you want to give credit where credit is due as often as you can. I think that if people work hard for you, they should always be recognized for that work. This is especially true if you are in a leadership position.
So here's something I'd like you to try today:
Give those who are working with you or for you credit. You can do it via Twitter or Facebook or any other public platform you like, but let the world know how much they mean to you.
Use the #Creditisdue
I'll start:
Thanks to @norahturnham for all of your hard work on the rebranding and launching of @SmallPondEnt #Creditisdue
Thanks to @RittOnTwitt for being a beyond amazing summer intern #Creditisdue
Now you give it a shot.
Every day tons of people do a ton of work and receive no credit. Let's not let today be one of those days.
Excelsior!
The other day I sat down with someone and we had a really great conversation about good and bad conversations. As we were digging into this topic, I realized what is so important to me in terms of a solid meeting with someone and it is something that harkens back to my childhood:
Sharing.
Anyone who has had a brother, sister, or best friend has had to deal with the concept of sharing as a child. You get a box of crackers and there's only one left, you are asked to share that box with the other person. This means less food, but it also means that you get to enjoy the food together. The main lesson that you learn as a child is that if you take everything for yourself you'll probably end up with an angry friend and a stomach ache. The same principals can be applied to a good conversation.
When you sit down with someone, imagine you have a single box of crackers in front of you. That box is like time. Your 30 minutes to 1 hour is the time that you have and there are two ways that you can go about spending it:
You can hog the box of crackers (talk about yourself, pitch your services, try to sell someone and ignore everything they have to say) and end up with a stomach ache (the person doesn't ever call back).
OR
You can share the box of crackers (ask the other person what they do and what they are passionate about, engage and ask questions to better understand how you can help, and provide just enough of your story for them to reciprocate) and end up with both of you feeling full (wanting to see each other again and work together).
So the next time that you are out at a meeting, take a second to check in with yourself about how you are spending that time. Are you sharing?
Or do you have a face full of crackers?Excelsior!
