Let’s be honest. It may be different than you’re expecting. brave adjective \ˈbrāv\ having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty: having or showing courage Currently, there is a consistent message coming from both the private and professional arenas: Be Brave. Have the courage to do that thing, be that person! Use your bravery to speak up, speak out, be loud, make your voice heard! Be bold and unafraid, it’s okay to fail! You must try and take risks or you’re not really living! There is most certainly some truth here and encouragement is so important, especially for the quiet, less adventurous among us. While…

Pointlessly imagining the progression of societal change. Many vocations have a “catch phrase”. Not necessarily a motto or company policy, but an ad hoc subtitle that bluntly captures the essence of the field. In journalism, that phrase is, “if it bleeds, it leads.” Becoming a gumshoe reporter was once an exciting career prospect: finding leads, holding clandestine meetings to siphon details from secret sources, compiling research into captivating prose, getting a byline and, who knows, maybe a date with Superman? Heck yeah, journalism is where it’s at. Through it all, the journalist was aware of the catch phrase, looming. Regardless of heart, dedication, worthiness or any number of factors, the…

Opendoor: One Realtor’s Perspective As it happens, the ability to opine is unilateral and the internet is open to all. I am no exception. To be clear, these ponderings are a result of seeing Opendoor appear more frequently in industry articles and headlines, becoming a more frequent topic of conversation and, today, appearing on stage at ICNY. I have no stake in the company’s success or failure, this is not a plug and I can’t even six-degrees-of-Kevin-Bacon my way into knowing anyone who works there. This company is staking a claim to a corner of my industry and I find it’s evolution to be very interesting -almost as interesting as…

Sorry, Beyonce. The answer is simple and gender neutral. . Who runs the world? Kids. Much of our economy is, in some form or fashion, driven by real estate. Not necessarily the standard buy/sell transaction, but the peripheral industries that are inherently tied to the process. This means everything from a family owned pest inspection company or local artisan, working from home to make gift baskets, to insurance or mortgage companies and, ultimately, The Fed. This spiderweb of services exists only with consistent patronage, brought about by the decision of one person to sell and another to buy. Consumers don’t generally make these major financial decisions and commitments on a…

  . You Don’t Have To Reinvent the Wheel. Have you ever heard someone say this? This discussion usually takes place when someone is looking for a Great Idea or the Next Big Thing or trying to hard to be a “Disruptor”. (An aside: Please stop using any form of the word “disrupt” in relation to business. We’re over it. Seriously, we had a meeting. Stop it. Love, Everyone.) The reality is, you don’t need to come up with something that no one else has ever thought of, you simply need to do a particular thing better than everyone else, or solve a current problem. Not sure where to begin?…

Crafty Calendar! My biggest fan (read:my tween daughter) has consistently informed me that more people would pay attention to my YouTube videos if I would just post something interesting. “You know, like a make-up tutorial or a craft.” I hadn’t come up with a way to impress her, until now. Here is a transcription of Mash The Button: Home Ec Edition, where I teach the viewer how to make good use of those old 2016 magnet calendars, now that the new year -and new calendar- has arrived. If you’d prefer to just watch the video and not read through the nonsense, click here. Hello, everyone! This is Laura Fangman with…

Don’t be a half-assed marketer. If you’re going to do something, do it with your whole ass. When you get lazy or bored or busy or disinterested, all those feelers you put out there are still… out there. All of those activities meant to generate interest don’t just stop. When you don’t follow up with leads or inquiries or clients, it makes people unhappy. They feel irritated and disappointed and unimportant. The ire of the public will then turn on everyone in the industry, as we share the blanket of unprofessionalism. It’s sweeping generalizations, it’s not fair and its absolute fact. If you’re going to market, do it. Do it…

A follow up to “Where to Begin? Business Planning 2017” . Your peeps. Your circle, friends and family, sphere of influence, funnel-filler, pipeline… these are the folks who will contribute to your success. Some of us have a larger pool to draw from than others, but everyone has a pool. With our population becoming more transient, it is common to find yourself starting over in a new place and feeling like you have no human resources from which to draw. There are tons of resources available, if you’re researching ways to connect and grow your sphere. For a list of great ideas to get you started, click here. Take note…

You’re Late It’s January 9th. If you are still researching articles on business planning, you’re doing it wrong. More specifically, you’re late to the party but, better late than never, right? If you get a handle on things now, next year will be a breeze, in comparison. This is a very basic overview to get you started. Sometimes, too many intricate details can create confusion, so let’s step back and look at the basics of planning a successful year. Here’s a little timesaver tip: Regardless of your plan, the key will ALWAYS be consistency. If you’re not committed to getting off your ass and working hard, don’t bother reading the…