The Secret to Serenity:

Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.

-Dostoevsky

Fear is a funny thing. When we’re kids it serves a paramount purpose; to protect, warn, and guard. And then, somewhere after age 10, the need for self-preservation and protection arise and fear becomes an sheathed excuse for a myriad of programmed behaviors.

I was thinking the other day, wondering really, why it took me so long to sell one of my businesses; one that I’d long since tired of. The truth is, I didn’t want to let go. What would the new owner be like? Will I get a fair price? How will this impact my reputation?

So many fears. When the deal was finally done, not only was I relieved that my venture was in competent hands, I wished I’d sold it sooner.

This made me ponder: Are there other areas in my life where fear is at the reigns, tugging my head from one direction to the next? The next few days were spent in evaluation. Why did I live in my city? Why did I chose this career? If I truly believe that limits are boundless, am I spending my life the way I want to?

Sadly enough, I only answered a partial “yes” on the last question. When I decided to shine light into the places fear kept dim, I knew that the only career truly interesting to me in this moment is writing. Not just any writing, creative writing. I’ve started along that path by finding an agent, submitting to studios and even getting work here and there, but I’ve resisted by not clearing my day of incidentals. Making my schedule too full to focus my time was an excuse; it was fear manifested.

I’m now writing a book called “90-Days Without Fear.” The book will chronicle my change in thought process over the next three months and hopefully inspire others to not be afraid of living life outside of fear’s cloud.

Making decisions based in truth instead of a hundred What Ifs and Am I Sures is already proving challenging for me. It was only when I’d made a conscious decision to do otherwise that I’realized everything from why I spend time with some friends, to my work hours were impacted. I’ve also realized how fantastic I am at lying to myself. The line between rational fear and constructed fear seems thin at times and I am quick to use that as a crutch in sticky situations.

There is hope in the fact that no matter what spin I apply to a situation, my heart always penetrates my intent. If I’m trying to wiggle out of an opportunity for growth, I can feel it. I’ve heard it said that writing a book is as much a spiritual journey as it is literary. I look forward to every experience it will bring me.

“I have almost forgot the taste of fears.
The time has been my senses would have cool’d
To hear a night shriek, and my fell of hair
Would at a dismal treatise rouse and stir
As life were in’t. I have supp’d full with horrors;
Direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts,
Cannot once start me.”
—- Will - Macbeth

“Look at them, Smithers. Goldbrickers… Layabouts… Slug-a-beds! Little do they realize their days of suckling at my teat are numbered.” -Monty Burns, The Simpsons

Quoting from an animated series, no matter how successful the run, would probably seem juvenile to many people. Now that The Simpsons movie has grossed $132,029,148 as of today, juvenile doesn’t seem half bad, now does it?

Mr. Burns, the owner of Springfield’s nuclear power plant, is complaining in the above quote the laziness of his workers. His frail, corrupt, little form stands as a monument against mediocrity.

I was thinking about the “M” word this week. I was going to post about “winning attitudes” and the sort, but honestly, it all sounded too cliche and saccharine to bear. Most people know by now that their thoughts dictate their behaviors which lead to their situations. Enough said.

Back to the big M. Mediocrity. Procrastination. Corner Cutting. All spawn of the same condition: Laziness.

During my college commencement ceremony, the valedictorian gave a speech about excellence. While the speech itself was contrived and peppered with predictable quotes (like most of the sort), I probably should have paid more attention.

Since I was a child, my work ethic could be described as lofty ambition with a touch of half-ass. Whether it was a 7th grade cardboard rendition of the Spanish missions or my literature review on the correlation between autism and thimerosal in children’s vaccinations for Statistics 301, I never really gave 100 percent.

Hell, I didn’t even give 60 percent. 50, on a good day.

And I still did well. My teachers would always make some comment about paying closer attention to formatting or instructions, or they’d scribble a comment about “unused potential,” but it didn’t matter to me. I still made A’s and B’s. In college, I even developed a formula (composed of Red Bull and Skittles) that allows crammed study material to enter one’s long-term memory (patent pending).

Fast forward to real life.

Last week I was preparing to submit a script of mine to a producer. This wasn’t just any submission. I was submitting a script of a TV show to the producer of said show. I knew it was a big deal.

The comedic script was pretty good. Everyone who read it laughed, or LOL-ed, if you’re under 30. But deep down inside, I knew that I’d cranked it out in my typical fashion. While it wasn’t a first draft, I knew it wasn’t tight. It wasn’t fine quality. It wasn’t the best I could do.

In that moment I confronted the mediocrity that I’d let rule for so many years and said simply, “Sorry, you’ve got to go. The stakes are too high.”

We’re not talking gold stars or pats on the back from professors anymore. This is my career. I knew it was time to care.

I spent the next 72 hours analyzing scripts of the show surrounded by the scripts of the show I had in my posession. I made outlines. I counted jokes, scenes and transitions. I wrote, deleted and rewrote.

It reminded me of how I feel when I’m in the dead center of a grueling spinning class; silently cursing the peppy little waif instructor and hoping she chokes on her headset.

And just as every exercise class must dismiss, I was done. In front of me was a completed project that I could be proud of. Probably not perfect, but it was good.

Yesterday I spent an hour on the phone with an award-winning screenwriter who’d read my work. He told me how to improve and none of his tips included anything “speedy.” He emailed me a few of the scripts he’d been working on and as I read them I thought, “So this is quality. I can do this.”

It took 24 years, but I finally realized that I’m not above the work. It’s possible to get a 4.0 and even a good education in college without breaking a sweat. I did it. Life is different. There are times when being a quick study pays off well and times it does not at all.

That is one of the reasons that I’ll only do what I passionate about. If I’m going to put in blood and tears, it has to be for love.

“The only difference between where you are right now, and where you’ll be next year at this same time, are the people you meet and the books you read.� — Charlie “Tremendous� Jones, author of Life is Tremendous

Networking is one of those buzz words that means different things to different people. For some, it means packing into a mid-level hotel banquet room over Evian and crackers and for others it means typing feverishly on message boards (being sure to always use the correct emoticons).  I’ve even met people who gauge their networking abilities by how many business cards they’ve passed out in a week.

The terms is probably astutely defined in a dictionary out there, but I have my own definition.

I’m networking when I’ve given someone who has the power to assist me with my goals, the desire to do so. Simple.

My short and sweet definition has saved me time and energy. I used to wholeheartedly believe that networking was when I made a connection with anyone; meeting, greeting, and getting my name (or my businesses name) out there.

Now I put my interactions into three categories:

1. Networking: Connecting for the purpose of establishing a symbiotic relationship that helps me reach a goal

2. Support Team: Connecting with individuals with similar goals for the purpose of mutual support and cheerleading

3. Intimate Network: Friends and Family

The problem with not knowing what category you’re in or should be at any given time, is that you’re not meeting the people that can make the difference between your career/business accelerating or stagnating. My mistake was that I thought I was networking when I was really making friends with people who didn’t have the resources or connections I needed.

Making friends is fun, and I make time to nurture relationships that are valuable to me, but effective networking can make or break your business.

If you haven’t read Jeffery Gitomer’s Little Black Book of Connections, get it on Amazon today. He breaks down networking to a “T”.

This year has been a big one for me in terms of making connections. One thing that I’ve learned through trial and error is that in any situation, when asked the age old question, “What do you do,” take four words to explain where you are now, and six to explain where you want to be.

People can only help you reach your goals if they know what they are. As fabulous as applause feels for where you are, think of the future when connecting.

Last month I was talking to someone asked me about my business. Instead of going into detail about the sale of a couple of them, I told them about my new focus: my writing career. Well, people know people who know people and in less than a week I had a literary agent. That is networking.

Before I attend any event I evaluate the purpose. Going to a mixer for the sake of mixing and chatting, isn’t a good use of my time. That’s what movie night with the girlfriends is for.

If there is one thing that I know, having a packed schedule and being busy is not an indicator of productivity and upward movement. You can break a sweat from digging trenches just as fast as from making true strides. Leave the trenches behind!

Last week I had the pleasure of interviewing Kim Tannenbaum, co-creator of The Tannenbaum Co. and executive producer of many television shows including Notes From the Underbelly and Two and a Half Men, the highest rated comedy series on the air. 

Kim and her husband/business partner, Eric have recently ended their contract with Warner Bros to form a new production company based at Sony Pictures. The venture will include an additional business partner, Emmy winning producer, Mitch Hurwitz who is best known for creating the television show Arrested Development. 

Industry media sources are hailing the venture as one the biggest TV pairings of the year. 

Kim served as executive vice president of Creative Affairs for Artists Television Group and was the senior vice president of Comedy Series Development at Columbia TriStar Television.

All of the experience under her belt has made for a seemingly natural transition from employee to business owner. I hope you enjoy the interview. The topic is television…so I’ll let it unfold like a drama. Grab a snack!

Adventures in Century City

My Interview with Kim Tannenbaum

12:00 p.m. I left early for my interview with Kim. We weren’t scheduled to meet until 2:30, but if you’ve ever been to southern California and seen the wreckage that is our freeway system you’d understand. 

1:00 p.m. I’d gone 6.32 miles and made good headway. As I drove, I wondered what exactly I was going to say. I wasn’t unprepared. Like any good interviewer, I’d maxed out Google, Wikipedia, and every other stalkish website in the name of research. Combined with what I already knew about Kim Tennanbaum, there was plenty of material to cover. But did I really want it to be a fact checking session? Example:

            Me: So, I read that you were with Artists Television Group for five years…

            Kim: Yes. 

            Me: And you own a monkey?

            Kim: No. 

Boring. I remembered hearing a successful motivational speaker say that he rarely prepares his speeches. Instead he asks questions and gages what the audience needs. I decided to shelf the idea of impressing Kim with my web searching abilities and instead learn by engaging her in conversation like a normal person.

1:45 p.m. I pulled into the parking garage at Sony Plaza. So this is where the big shots park, I thought. I quickly learned that it is normal for luxury cars to take up two spaces.

2:00 p.m. I walked up to the large amusement park-esque Sony lot. I should rephrase that. You just don’t waltz past the security box. After a full body search and retinal scan, I was in. It was quite a surreal experience to stroll around the grounds. It looks like a bunch of movie sets converted into office space. 

2:20 p.m. Upon entering the office it was obvious by the boxes that everyone was still getting settled from the Warner Bros move. Despite the packing supplies, the atmosphere was light and professional.

2:30 p.m. Kim is as pretty as her images on Google Photos. It only took a few minutes of us talking for me to appreciate her communication style. Not many people can manage the art of casual professionalism. 

The interview was full of insights that any entrepreneur can draw from.

On Getting What You Want: When Kim was pitching the quirky, baby-centric comedy Notes From the Underbelly to the studios, they didn’t “get it� initially because no one had kids! Eventually a combination of Kim’s persistence and Mother Nature pushed the project forward. When bundles of joy began appearing in the lives of people who had said “no�, suddenly a show about couples navigating through parenthood became a little more interesting.

Lesson: Don’t give up on your vision just because you’re hitting brick walls. If you’re confident that you have something of value to offer, keep knocking on doors until you get a yes. 

On Being a Working Mom: As any entrepreneur mom knows, there is no compartmentalizing in our lives. The breast pump in Kim’s office is evidence. She assured me that there have been days when the diaper hits the fan and she considers what life without the work/life juggle would be like. Those moments are always fleeting. 

Lesson: Don’t beat yourself up for not being a perfect super-person. Everyone is taking it day by day and doing their best. Entrepreneurs have good days and bad ones so when you’re winning, right it down so the rainy days don’t feel so wet.

On Being Innovative: One of the goals for the new production company is to nurture television writers in a way that hasn’t been undertaken before. The Tannenbaum-Hurwitz trio has plans to serve as advocates for the writers as well as foster creativity through group interaction and a collective work environment. 

Lesson: There is always a new way to deliver a tried and true concept. In your business, separate yourself from your competition by brainstorming news ways to transform your industry.

On Loving What You Do:  When I asked Kim about her goals and future career aspirations, she answered clearly. “If you’d asked me a long time ago I would have said that I wanted to run a studio or network. (But) I wouldn’t want to do anything else. I’m working for myself.� Spoken like a true entrepreneur.

This week I also have to make a decision regarding a business proposition I was approached with recently. An entrepreneur I have a great deal of respect for has given me the opportunity to work with him on a venture. My position would be one of publicity and PR (ironic considering my blog below). The company is new, but the platform and technology have been well hailed by the business community.

The position would be paid of course, but what I’m really interested in is equity in the company, profit sharing, and the experience. I’ll get to my point: I haven’t worked as an employee since I was 16. I love the freedom of being an entrepreneur and while I’d operate my business, I wonder how the paradigm shift would affect me.

Can I switch between boss and employee mentality? Can I answer to someone other than myself and my clients? I read From Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Other’s Don’t a few months ago. One thing I took away from the book was that the CEOs of the tried and true companies were always serving; the business, their employees, and their stockholders. I think my associate is this kind of CEO. How awesome would it be to learn from him?

The good thing about working with the company is that I’ll be fairly independent and work remotely. No Office Space memos.

I’m not sure what I’m going to do. I love the company and how the’ve created a communication platform that is unifying people around the world…but can I have a boss? The one I have right now is annoying sometimes, but I love her (ha, get it?)

We’ll see…

News

All of you know I like to keep new content flowing with this blog. I have some posts lined up that just need to be edited and then they’ll go live!

What’s coming? I drove out to L.A. this week to do an interview with television producer Kim Tannenbaum. Kim is the executive producer of Two and a Half Men, the highest rated comedy series on the air. She was surprisingly candid about her work and life.

Minutes after that interview, I found a quiet Starbucks and recorded a podcast with Women Entrepreneur’s Senior Projects Editor, Francine Kizner. Our show was Women Entrepreneur’s version of Best Week Ever in the word of business. We talked about the upcoming release of the iPhone, new malware/virus alerts, the new president of Women’s Business Enterprise National Council and more. The podcast will be published as soon as possible…stay tuned!

Paris Hilton was released today. Phew! I’m relieved. Now I can go on living. I’m so glad that Michael Moore was bumped from CNN so that she could speak to America about her ordeal. I mean, the rapidly collapsing health care system can wait. I need to hear Paris.

In all seriousness, the last 24 days the heiress has been in jail have truly changed how I do business.

Last night I got an email from a business associate asking me about a press release I sent out awhile back. I used to have regular releases sent out putting an interesting spin on every move my business made. My goal was to get press, and it worked. Every now and then a magazine or online publication emails me asking for a quote and of course I happily comply.

The highest form of press right now is Oprah. Oooh! Now if I go on Oprah, that will really mean I’m big, right? Wrong.

It wasn’t after Ms. Hilton began to appear regularly on the nightly news (right in between war updates and fire warnings) that I began to ask myself, “When did being famous become a reason for being famous?” which led to “Why do I want press?”

I sat and thought. I couldn’t come up with a reason so I reviewed my one-year, five-year, and ten-year plans. No dice. I went over my business and personal purpose statements to find clues. Still nada.

Nothing in my plans are dependent or even helped by media coverage. My real estate portfolio, my business financials…neither of those seem to care how many people know about them. I recently leased out two of my ventures, but even when I still operated them I noticed that press coverage led to a large wave of new people. The people only stuck around whenI had something truly of value to offer them.

I came to the conclusion that I’ve been indoctrinated into thinking that being noticed equals success. It has been easy for me to “play business” because journalists never know what questions to really ask. Revenue? Sure I can tell you that and you’ll be impressed by what a 24-year old can do. Accolades? I’ll tell you that too. But what would a serious, seasoned entrepreneur ask of me to really know where my business stood. They’d want to see my assets, my debt, my liabilities, my future projections, my payroll, my financial records…yikes.

I’ve been too easily flattered. It’s easy to get applause when you’re in front of the wrong audience.

This week I made a decision to not play around anymore. My goals have changed. My audience has really changed. When I want to know if I’m doing a good job in my business I’m not going to comfort myself with an empty list of press mentions. I now imagine showing the core of my ventures to a panel who could ask me the hard questions. What Would Michael Gerber say? or WWMGS?

While meeting Oprah personally would be great, being on her show is no longer on my list right now. When I’m 35, retired (that’s the plan folks) and have benefitted the world through my endeavors…then I’ll go. I’ll go to inspire someone to do the same.

While I don’t think there is anything wrong with press mentions regarding my biz, I’m not going to use them to gage my success. The Paris in me has left the building.

PS. In response to emails from readers who think it is impossible for someone to invest in California, New York, or anyone other relatively high priced market….then start somewhere else! Long before my husband and I could buy a house in California we were able to find real estate in more reasonable markets. Plus, investing doesn’t always mean outright buying of a property. You can “bird dog” (find properties for investors and get paid a fee) or look into assignments (getting a property under contract and finding a buyer). Find someone in your area who is on the path you want to be on and ask for help. Go to the library. Talk to agents, brokers, and loan officers.

I’m pleased to say that I’m finally getting a copy of Kim Kiyosaki’s book Rich Woman: A Book on Investing for Women. I was in college when I read Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad, Poor Dad and If You Want to Be Rich and Happy Don’t Go To School.

It was reading his books (along with No Money Down, by Robert Allen) and an interest in passive income, that led me to fall in love with real estate. My first step was to study for my real estate license in order to feel competent. I passed the Department of Real Estate test, but never registered my license in order to avoid the liability that having “higher knowledge” can bring. When you have your license, you also must state that on every offer you make. Instead I signed up for every real estate workshop I could find.

No seminar in the world could have prepared me for what becoming an investor is really like. When I made my first offer on a duplex in Ohio, I must have made 8 mistakes on the form. I’m sure the seller’s agent knew I was an amateur. When my first offer was accepted, the process of finding a lender (oh the joys), getting an inspection, knowing what to do with the inspection report, and the 1,000 pages of closing documents left me wondering if real estate was even for me.

When my propety management company sent me the first rental income check…well that made it all worth it.

Now I can’t pass a For Sale sign without collecting a flier. I find potential deals through out of state agents, websites like craigslist, and investment group meetings.

Investing is not just a man’s game, but many women seem to shy away from it. There is nothing special about me, I just dove in after getting educated. A person can read all the books they want, but nothing substitutes running the numbers and making offers.

I’m so excited about the idea of women becoming more involved in real estate investing. Instead of talking just about TV and movies, it would be awesome to discuss lease options, shelf corps, and assignments with a group of my closest gal pals.

My real estate goal for 2007 is to add a property to my portfolio every three months. My 5 year goal is to have a diverse portofio that includes commercial property and subdivided raw land for development. Because of the disturbingly high foreclosure market, I just started looking at REOs and short sales in California. I think it is entirely possible for a diligent investor to pretty much own a neighborhood with how things are going.

It is interesting to see how men and women invest differently, which is why I’m so interested in Kim’s book. My husband does his deals with a partner, while I prefer to work alone. He is always willing to talk to seller’s agents, while I will play detective to find out how to contact the seller directly. One thing we have in common is that we are excited about exploring real estate in other countries. It seems smart to not have all your eggs in one economy.

I encourage all women reading this to buy Kim and Robert’s books and start investing in real estate. Nobody can (or wants to) work forever. The tax implications and passive income make it worth the initial tears and fears. It is more than possible. If a 24-year old who ditched class in high school (and college) can do it, why can’t you?

P.S. You don’t have to be rich to start investing! My first deal was a “no money down” deal!

Resources:

http://jamesorr.com/ - great site, taught me to “run the numbers”

Cashflow - amazing game! Have some friends over, open some wine, and avoid the doodads!

http://www.robertgallen.com/ - Robert Allen, author of No Money Down and Multiple Streams of Income

If you’re at all concerned about the price of organic lemons or FTC dealings, read on.

Amidst much controversy, Whole Foods has announced an agreement to buy Wild Oats for $565 million, or $18.50 per share. Well, Wild Oats and Whole Foods can kumbaya all they want, but the champagne will remain uncorked indefinitely. Even though the deal seems amicable, the FTC has put up a huge stop sign by filing suit on antitrust grounds.

Only someone living under a rock could deny how fast the natural foods/organic sector has been growing over the past few years.

I read somewhere that it went up approximately 22% last year. Living in California, I’m in the heart of the “go natural” phenomenon and have created an organic household for myself. And because I buy what I live, I’m a Wild Oats stockholder as well as a patron.

Back to the FTC. Government lawyers are accusing Whole Foods of not playing fairly and in essence trying to rule the playground by buying the sand. Whole Foods claims that Wild Oats is just one small fish in a large natural pond and that because major chains like Wal Mart are going semi-crunchy, they have plenty of healthy competition.

In my opinion, both sides have pretty lame arguments.

First, the FTC. Is buying your competition really a no no? The 1,400 Cingular- the new AT&T commercials I’ve seen today indicate otherwise. And what about Microsoft (okay, they’ve been in the naughty corner) and Oracle? It boggles my mind that the FTC would care about these two companies merging.

“If Whole Foods is allowed to devour Wild Oats, it will mean higher prices, reduced quality and fewer choices for consumers.� - Jeffrey Schmidt, director of the FTC’s bureau of competition.

Wow. Those are strong words. Whenever a public figure uses colorful words like “devour”, I feel like they’re trying too hard to sell me on something or sway me with emotional verbiage. It isn’t possible to know exactly what the outcome of the merger will be so I’m not sure why Schmidt is speaking in such definitive cause and effect terms. That’s so 1984.

I feel like I’ve heard that exact quote before, just with Whole Foods and Wild Oats replaced with the names of other companies with proposed mergers. Weird.

What is the FTC really worried about? A out of control Whole Foods monopoly wherein people are forced to smuggle organic apples in from Canada? Seriously? Yahoo! reported that a Whole Foods/ Wild Oats merger would make up 11% of the natural foods sector-11%! That’s less than I tip at The Coffee Bean!

Next up, Whole Foods. Their main argument is that they’re not “gobbling up their competition” because of how many other (much larger) grocery store chains they have to compete with.

“The FTC has failed to recognize the robust competition in the supermarket industry, which has grown more intense as competitors increase their offerings of natural, organic, and fresh products, renovate their stores and open stores with new banners and formats resembling Whole Foods Market,” says John Mackey, chairman and CEO of Whole Foods.

I giggled when I read “new banners”. A billion dollar corporation is afraid of some Kinkos generated 25′ by 25′ banner? Muahahahaha!

C’mon now. The people who walk up and down the textured marble at Whole Foods to buy $4 lettuce are not the same ones buying Earth’s Best Organic Baby Food at Walmart. Whole Foods is pretending not to understand that there is an entire culture and value system that goes along with the shopping experience. Every CEO worth his or her Rolex knows that people are never buying things, they’re buying feelings.

Yes, Albertsons has bought some earth-toned paint and stripped their linoleum flooring, but do you really think Whole Foods shoppers are banging down their doors? No. There are three main natural foods stores in my neighborhood, Trader Joes, Henry’s (owned by Wild Oats) and Whole Foods. I am a little nervous about about the implications of the merger. I think Mackey should acknowledge the power his company has and not hide behind “Oh, but we’re so tiny compared to the big box stores.”

I like Greg Mays’ quote much better.

“While we disagree with the FTC’s position and believe it is without legal and factual merit, we are confident that, once presented with the facts, the court will agree that this merger is pro-competitive,” said Wild Oats CEO Greg Mays in a statement.

This is what it comes down to: Where is Whole Foods’ home? Do they play in the larger food industry, or are they an exclusive citizen of “All Natural” town? Can the two ever be truly separate? Are they regulated by the same entities/watchdogs?

Perhaps the FTC should do a poll. They should set up a booth outside of every Whole Foods and ask people how often they go to mainstream chain grocery stores. After, they could do the same at Ralphs.

So who should win? I don’t know, but it’s fun to watch.

In all seriousness, I think the deal will go through with some penalty or price cap attached. The yard monitors don’t want people to stop playing, they just blow whistles to let you know they’re watching.

Dear Pepsi Co.,

I love advertising and marketing.

One morning when I about 12, I opened the Sunday paper and the Target CO. insert fell out. When I saw the spacious, color-coordinated layout, so different from the current “pack in on the page” trend that their competition (Wal Mart and K-Mart) were using, I knew they were onto something special. Today Target has managed to create an image unlike any other discount retailer. Through inventive and artistic advertising, they defined cheap chic.

A few weeks ago I was watching TV and saw your newest commercial for Diet Pepsi. I feel bad actually using the word “commercial”, “cartoon” would be more appropriate because commercials actually sell things. I was disappointed.

You can do so much better.

Stick figures moved. Words flashed across the screen. A voice over with a snotty Frasier Krane-esque voice declared that, “56% of people say Diet Pepsi has more cola taste than Diet Coke.”

56%? You just spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to tell me and millions of people across the U.S. that Diet Pepsi and Diet Coke are pretty much the same. Wow.

Seriously?

And on top of that, Pepsi, you didn’t say that 56% of people preferred Diet Pepsi. You referred to the cola taste. What is cola taste? Is that like licorice? What if I don’t like cola taste?

I don’t know about most people, but I drink soda for the bubbles and high fructose corn syrup.

I suppose in your defense it was The Omnicom Group, not Pepsi who came up with the campaign. But as any business owner knows, before you write the check, you check the goods.

Don’t feel too bad. You’re not the only company struggling with using their TV time wisely. A couple of days ago I saw a commercial for a California casino. The departing words from the main actor was, “Who cares what happens in Vegas?”

I thought my ears had failed me. Did a company really think it was a good idea to end a commercial by mentioning the name of their competition? That goes right up there with the child-like illustrations that drug companies use to illustrate how their products work.

“Oh, so the blue dots floast over to the pink square and that’s why Paxil makes me happy. Now I get it. Thanks.”

Why do I care? Because I love advertising and I like Pepsi. In same way that I’d pull a tipsy friend aside at a party before they did something they’d regret, this is your intervention. You’re drunk on power, Pepsi, and you’re getting sloppy. Tighten it up. Give me a reason to buy

I was in high school when pre-KFed Britney Spears danced around with the red and blue can singing, “Pepsi, for those who think young.” Go there again. Not with Britney of course (that ship has sailed…), but with the emotional approach. I won’t buy because you’re clever or cool, I’ll buy because you make me think I am.

There are countless entrepreneurs out there who look a the corporate giants and say, “I’m going to do that one day. I’m going to create an empire.” Don’t let us down. Be an example.

The night I saw your ad I couldn’t sleep. I left my sleeping husband and went into my daughter’s room. As I looked at her sweet, peaceful face, I thought about her future. I want her to live in a world where commercials are strong and advertising is edgy and effective. I want her to walk into stores and be so drawn to convenience items that she can’t help but make a purchase.

Today if we’re in a toy store and she even smells Elmo, I have no choice but to buy. She has no idea what sex Elmo is or what the red furry doll is saying, but she loves him. That is great advertising.

So, let’s call this one a learning experience, a growth opportunity and move on. We’re rooting for you.

xox, Bunmi

I had an email conversation with Nina, our lawyer blogger, this week that was truly eye opening. We were discussing our businesses, success, and woman entrepreneurs when she shared something with me. As it turns out, women don’t seek out angel investors as often as their male counterparts.

Anyone who has run a business for more than three seconds knows that underfunding is one of the #1 reasons that businesses go under. Why then would women not seek capital as from willing investors at the rate of men?

I was at a networking meeting last week. A woman mentioned to me in passing how much she charged for her consulting services: $150/hour. She was a bright, articulate, talented woman and a leader in her field. I asked her why she was charging so far below market and she just smiled.

There is a lot of talk in the woman business world about the trials of competing in a “man’s environment”, and I think it is all crap.

The greatest problems facing entrepreneurs today are the ones they create themselves. A lack of vision, a lack of creativity, a lack of focus, a lack of integrity…those are what cause businesses to fail. If anything, I feel as if being a woman business owner is a huge advantage. The SBA makes grants specifically available to me, many large corporations set aside specific numbers of contracts to award woman business owners every year, when I succeed I’m given a high five for “beating the odds”. I’m lucky.

This month I switched gears from my current ventures (which I’m leasing out) to my writing career. In a matter of one week of diligently concentrating on my intentions (and faithful networking), I was offered a great writing contract in L.A.

Every piece of energy wasted complaining about circumstances , real or imagined, is a missed opportunity to move one step closer to your goal. When I find myself seated at a pity party for one, I just say three really simple words: Get over it.

Everyone, I mean everyone has an example of being treated unfairly in business. I’m grateful when sharks expose their true intentions by acting ruthlessly. It gives me clarity so that I’ll know not to do business with them in the future. If they are with a company I need or really want to work with, I’ll just go above their head and find someone else to deal with.

When I examine individuals who have truly done very well over time in business, they always have two things.

1) Competency within their industry and about general business practices (ability to read financial statements, hire great people, etc.)

and-

2) A strong sense of personal responsibility/ An internal locus of control

What happened to the whole “hear me roar” mantra?

PS. This week I’m reading Prophecy by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter. It’s an amazing book and far more important than the series finale of The Sopranos or Paris Hilton’s next move.

I’ve been avoiding blogging because the idea of creating a post for the remaining four principles seemed so tedious. But then I thought, “Why not just list them, Bunmi? It’s your blog.” Wow. Sometimes I blow myself away.

Success Principles 2-5

5. Create Systems: Recognize the difference between creating a business system that can work independently, or semi-independently from you, and a job. E-Myth by Michael Gerber is the best book on the market for learning this.

4. Do What Makes Money First. I was in Kinkos one day and saw a book entitled Never Read E-Mails in the Morning or something to that effect. I didn’t buy the book (who buys books at Kinkos?), but I understood the gist of it. Our days are full of opportunities to waste time on seemingly productive activities like pushing papers and emails. Business owners who don’t make sales calls, or whatever else brings in the cashola, first will suffer money crunches.

3. Prevention and Planning. This principle sounds boring and it is. There is nothing sexy and fun about planning, but so many business owners are operating without mission statements or a long term strategies. Prevention has to do with nipping emergencies in the bud by not ignoring warning lights. Just as your toner will run out just as you are printing materials to present to your biggest client, the things you ignore will punish you. If you feel tension in your office, don’t look the other way until your best employee walks out. I lost the best graphic designer I ever had because I didn’t take his little hints that a better paying employer was wooing him. I would have happily paid the difference and more, but I was slow to the punch.

2. Remove Your Ego. Entrepreneurs have a tendency to make their business a reflection of their self-worth. This works out wonderfully when things are going well, but the second they don’t, the results can be traumatic. When I ran an online magazine my freshman year of college, I had a very hard time delegating tasks to my team because of how I internalized the success and failures we experienced. My do-it-all solution ended up burning me out leading to the sale of the business. Once I learned that my businesses are lifeless entities that I can emotionally separate myself from, I felt more at ease to be creative and take risks.

That’s it! I operate by these principles every day and they’ve served me well.

I’ve condensed the lessons that I’ve learned from my panel of mentors into five concise principles. The first one is clear: Care about It.

We’ve all seen someone like Flailing Fiona. She’s itching to start a business, but can’t decide what to do. She grills you about your own venture at every opportunity and hops from MLM to franchise and back to the drawing board.

“Nothings working!” she complains and has the balance sheet to prove it.

Sound familiar?

The biggest problem this fledgling entrepreneur has is that she’s chasing the money, the pot at the end of the rainbow, instead of monetizing her dream.

In choosing a business to invest your time, money, and energy in, it is vital that you have a passion for what you are creating. If children don’t interest you, don’t start a daycare just because you “see a niche”. Somewhere between child-proofing your space and wiping snotty noses, you’ll crack.

Our psyches interpret hard work done out of love and hard work done out of obligation differently. The latter leads to exhaustion much faster.

As I’m writing this, Cathleen Black, the president of Hearst Magazines and the queen of the publishing industry, is being interviewed on The View. One of the first five sentences out of her mouth was, “Do what you like.” I’d take it a step further and say, “Do what you love.”

The reasoning behind this principle is simple. As any business owner knows, it takes a level of persistence to be successful. There are up days and down days, skinny years and fat ones. During the lean times, the only thing that keeps your morale up is that fact that while your bank account may be starved, your spirit is fed and content.

Sometimes the only difference between failure and success is the time. When you don’t really care, the first sign of rain is reason enough to to abandon the playground. Before PayPal was acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion, it was losing $10 million dollars per month. I’m sure co-founders Peter Thiel and Max Levchin would have jumped ship during the perilous times if not for their hearts being in their venture.

Being your own boss is fabulous and it takes work. My goal has long been to wake up feeling lucky, and I do. I get to teach, talk and write everyday and get paid for it.

When you’re deciding what business direction to go in, take time to silent your urgency and listen to yourself.

This isn’t to say that once you write a business plan, you’re committed to life. If you’re in business and, as fellow blogger Michelle Anton put it to me, “Have too many ’stick it out’ days in a row”…it’s time to change something.

Life is too short to spend a significant amount of time wishing you are doing something else. Care.