Rob Biesenbach 
I haven’t seen much of Joss Whedon’s work, but there’s no question he’s a prolific writer and creator, so I loved these tips of his on the writing process. Make Writing Fun For me, the big theme here is the idea of making the work of writing fun. For instance, he rewards himself — not just … Read more
Eleven years ago I started on a strange journey, fulfilling a long-held desire to perform by signing up for classes at Chicago’s famed Second City training center. That led to improv and sketch shows, theater performances and national commercial work. But a funny thing happened on my way to becoming an actor. I discovered these … Read more
If you’re a professional and you’re serious about your work, you need a professional business headshot that communicates who you are and what you’re about. You’ll need it for your LinkedIn page and other social media profiles, your website or bio and any time you’re invited to speak or serve on a panel somewhere. Understand … Read more
In the wake of every national tragedy, from shootings to natural disasters, it happens like clockwork — celebrities and companies and everyday folk tweet their thoughts and prayers to the victims. There’s an interesting debate over “tragedy tweeting” at Arik Hanson’s Communication Conversations blog, and I admit it amounts to somewhat of a “damned if you … Read more
Today I’m guest blogging over at the estimable Spin Sucks blog. So click on over for the story of Estela and the Candy Factory and my Easy Formula for Unlocking the Power of Stories. And if you’re interested in marketing, communications and social media, it’s a great blog to add to your feed!
It’s hard to visit the Grand Canyon without thinking of that scene from Vacation where Chevy Chase runs over to the rim, gives the canyon a quick once-over and dashes back to the car. (The only link I could find is dubbed in Spanish, but fortunately the language of comedy is universal.) Of course, he’s in … Read more
Perhaps the only thing worse than sitting through a dull, lifeless PowerPoint presentation is being the person at the head of the room delivering that presentation. Poor speaking skills can be a career killer, making it harder to get your ideas and programs approved, more difficult to close a sale, and unlikely you’ll be invited … Read more
A colleague the other day expressed hope that all the attention to TED talks would inspire people to become better presenters. I hope so, because I still see a lot of people making the same old mistakes in their presentations. They fail to take into account the needs and interests of their audience. They inundate … Read more
Five million people come to the Grand Canyon every year and a handful don’t make it back alive. This is the story of one of those deaths, and what it can teach us. Grand Canyon visitors get into trouble in all kinds of ways. They don’t carry enough water or food, they underestimate how strenuous … Read more
On Sunday night I got home from a short vacation and found our very old, very dear cat in a terrible state. After a rush to the animal ER and a diagnosis from our specialty vet, we made the difficult decision the next day to let her go. It had been a long time coming, … Read more