Category: Newsletters

Spotify Could Go Away Overnight And No One Would Care

Kelli Richards November 9, 2015

1Although Spotify was able to get its foot in the door early, the presence of companies like Apple Music, Amazon Prime, and others means that the historically un-profitable streaming service either needs to find away to differentiate itself from the competition or risk crashing and burning.

 

Op Ed by Kelli Richards

Before Apple Music was ever announced, it had already sparked controversy. Word on the street was that Apple wasn’t just trying to create a killer product — it was going for Spotify’s jugular.

Reports spread quickly of Apple working hard behind the scenes to convince record industry executives to kill the freemium model upon which Spotify has essentially built its audience.

…

Spotify Could Go Away Overnight And No One Would CareRead More »

What’s the Difference Between a Coach and a Mentor?

Kelli Richards November 2, 2015

Business - Besprechung in einem BüroWe hear a lot about coaching and mentoring — for good reason. As Zig Ziglar famously said, “A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could.” The words “coaching” and “mentoring” are often treated as if they’re interchangeable, but they’re not.

No matter your stage, both mentors and coaches can be valuable resources. What’s the difference between the two? How do you know which is needed? …

What’s the Difference Between a Coach and a Mentor?Read More »

Cynthia Kersey, the Unstoppable Woman

Kelli Richards October 26, 2015

­­Cynthia Kersey IISo few people really take the risk to live their dreams, play full out with passion & commitment, and create true impact and legacy during their time on the planet. Cynthia Kersey is definitely one of those rare individuals. Cynthia is the Chief Humanitarian Officer of the Unstoppable Foundation (https://unstoppablefoundation.org) whose mission is to ensure that every child on the planet receives access to the life-long gift of education. Just read that sentence a few times and stand in awe, right? That’s a mission worth getting out of bed for each morning!

You can imagine how honored I was when Cynthia invited me to be on the Host Committee of Advisors after she & I connected at a weekend learning intensive for coaches led by our mutual friend, Rich Litvin. …

Cynthia Kersey, the Unstoppable WomanRead More »

Influencers on a Plane: 3 Ways to Strike Up Great Conversations

Kelli Richards October 22, 2015

3While some entrepreneurs may view hours or days spent in transit as unwelcome downtime, business travel can offer unusual opportunities to create powerful professional connections.

Whether you meet people who end up providing new business opportunities, find great new friends, connect with someone influential, or simply reconnect with established colleagues, with the right mindset, you can improve your business just by striking up a conversation on the road. …

Influencers on a Plane: 3 Ways to Strike Up Great ConversationsRead More »

3 Signs It’s Time for a (Professional) Breakup

Kelli Richards October 19, 2015

The truth is that not all relationships–professional or personal–are good investments of your time and energy.

For entrepreneurs especially, partnerships require a lot of energy, focus, and commitment. A certain sense of calm clarity and mutual respect is necessary to make these relationships–and your business–function successfully.

But when partnerships turn toxic, objectivity is compromised, perspective is hard to find, and any mutual or company progress becomes virtually impossible. Instead, a leader is more likely to feel weighed down by professional negativity and anxiety, which can lead to a loss of self-confidence and reduced productivity–and can even bring the business to a grinding halt.

That type of energy is lethal to the success of an entrepreneur. Ask yourself: If a business relationship is toxic and having these effects on your work, is it really worth it? …

3 Signs It’s Time for a (Professional) BreakupRead More »

Wearable Technology – Where Fashion & Fitness Converge

Kelli Richards August 6, 2015

Screen Shot 2015-08-06 at 12.14.11 PMWe’ve been watching “wearable tech” come on like a force of nature over the last couple of years. It’s the convergence of ever shrinking technology that shows up in everyday lives everywhere  –  on our bodies, in our hands, in our cars  –  and information  –  and fashion. Yes, fashion.

Think of the obvious first, like fashion electronics. Whether it’s FitBit or the Apple Watch that just hit the scene, or Jawbone, or any of these things that are now considered fashion accessories – but they are primarily fitness accessories that give you information in real time about what’s happening with your body and your activity level. …

Wearable Technology – Where Fashion & Fitness ConvergeRead More »

Why Advisors Are Worth Your Equity (and How to Find a Good One)

Kelli Richards July 25, 2015

ID-10046002In today’s landscape–where startups are sexy–founders can sometimes become hoarders. They might hoard capital because they don’t want to spend it unwisely or give it away foolishly (which makes sense). Or they may tend to hoard equity to keep control of their company.

This can be a big mistake. Handing out equity early to qualified advisors might be one of the smartest things you do. Strategic advisors can provide a wealth of value right from the start. They exist to provide the expertise that your startup needs but doesn’t have the money to acquire.

Think of these advisors as business sherpas: people more experienced than you who help you navigate and climb the startup mountain. …

Why Advisors Are Worth Your Equity (and How to Find a Good One)Read More »

4 Expensive Mistakes Your Startup Could Make — and How to Avoid Them

Kelli Richards June 11, 2015

ID-10098760As a startup owner, chances are that you have little time to yourself. You’re constantly running from task to task trying to do everything you can to keep your head above water and get your startup off the ground. But it’s during busy times like these that crucial mistakes–some that could be highly detrimental to the fate of your business–are most often made.

In business and in life, there are certain dos and don’ts. Here are four common (and costly) don’ts I often see first-time entrepreneurs make and how to avoid them: …

4 Expensive Mistakes Your Startup Could Make — and How to Avoid ThemRead More »

Video Marketing Lessons Small Businesses Can Learn From Big Brands

Kelli Richards May 7, 2015

Video marketing is one of the best tools that businesses have at their disposal today. For starters, a high-quality or clever video has the potential to go viral, which can get your brand in front of the eyes of millions of people in a single afternoon. Video also can be inexpensive and therefore cost effective, provided you know what you’re doing. If your company is ready to start making videos, learn these marketing lessons from the big brands that you can apply to your campaign:

Apple

Apple may be one of the most successful companies now, but it wasn’t always that way. Much of this company’s recent success can be attributed to the high-quality products it makes and to the unique video campaigns it conducts. Apple’s TV spots are brilliant in their simplicity — many of them feature simple music, stark white backgrounds and little more than the product on display. Apple isn’t attempting to distract the viewer with loud music or flashy graphics — instead, it lets the products speak for themselves.

Video camera operatorLay’s Potato Chips

Lay’s has been experimenting with hugely successful videos in the last several years. The company launched a video campaign called “Do Us a Flavor,” which urged people to visit a specific URL to submit ideas for new potato chip flavors. This campaign was successful because it leveraged the power of the Internet and social media to the company’s advantage. By inviting the audience to participate in the campaign, Lay’s was essentially putting the viewers on display.

While the chance to win $1 million dollars certainly didn’t hurt, Lay’s campaign was successful because it embraced emerging technology in a simple yet effective way by letting those who viewed its videos get in on the fun. It also went a long way towards showing customers that their opinions really did matter.

LifeLock

LifeLock is an example of a big brand that knows how to use successful video marketing for the good of its organization. LifeLock, which offers a full line of identity theft protection services, has won numerous Editor’s Choice awards with leading publications, such as PC Magazine, NetNanny and Geeky Reviews.

LifeLock’s video marketing campaigns have succeeded largely because they stick to a few tried-and-true rules. Each TV spot is packed with information, but still manages to only be around two minutes long. Each spot doesn’t try to cover too much, either. They all pick a single buyer persona and focus on the individual needs of that person. For example, one video focuses on the worries of the online shopper and a separate video focuses on someone who may be using public Wi-Fi in a cafe. This is a successful tactic because the company isn’t trying to tell the whole story in any one video, but rather is creating a series of videos that all work together to sell the same product.

When creating your own video campaign, remember these three examples. Making it simple, engaging your audience and keeping it short are easy ways to help your videos find success.

To your best success,

 

Stephen, Guest Blogger for the All Access Group

PS: Subscribe to my FREE All Access Group Newsletter https://bit.ly/AAGNewletter

PSS: Listen to an entire library of intimate discussions with industry visionaries https://bit.ly/AllAccessPodcastSeries (Priceless)

Stephen earned his Bachelor of Arts in Film and Video Production at the University Of Toledo College Of Performing Arts in Toledo, Ohio. In addition, he also worked for a big box electronic retailer for three years specializing in high definition audio and video equipment as well as computers and software. He has created almost ten thousand pieces of SEO-driven content for various online clients on topics ranging from the entertainment industry, electronics, computer operating systems and general technology.

 

 

 

 

 

Is It Time to Spring Clean Your Business? Here’s 4 Ways on How to Do It!

Kelli Richards April 30, 2015

It’s spring! As signs of life begin to reappear outside, you might feel the urge to swing open the windows and tackle that growing pile of clutter that you ignored all winter.

That’s the same feeling that motivates so many people to do some spring cleaning every year. By applying this mindset to your business, you can gain a fresh perspective on your company.

documents-moving-one-folder-100251816Every year, I try to do some in-depth spring cleaning, and I use the same process each time. Although your needs might vary from year to year, this time-tested approach is sure to return your business to a healthier, livelier, and more profitable state in no time:

  1. Take inventory of your mindset. The year is 25 percent over. Are you where you want to be with your business goals?

To get your business back on track, take inventory of your mindset and beliefs. Are you operating from a clearheaded, peaceful state of mind and making progress toward your day-to-day goals? Or are you falling into negative habits in your comfort zone that could be impeding your progress?

Chances are you know this stuff intuitively. But taking the time to think through these answers mindfully and proactively will help you steer yourself back on course.

  1.  Get in touch with the right resources. After your personal leadership assessment, consider the business as a whole. Do you need additional resources to help you make necessary changes?

One of my recent goals was to revamp and relaunch my website. I don’t have the skills to accomplish this myself, and it wouldn’t be the best use of my time. So I hired experts to do it for me.

Similarly, be mindful of the fact that your staff might need help attaining their goals or decluttering (and staying decluttered). Consider bringing in outside professionals to get the job done quickly–and correctly–the first time. Make sure to create systems and structures that you can use to stay organized and streamlined.

  1. Rid your team of physical and mental clutter. It’s amazing what working in a clean, uncluttered workspace can do for your creativity and productivity. Are there external distractions keeping you and your team from working at peak capacity?

If you’re removing physical clutter, knock out one section at a time so you don’t overwhelm yourself. Ask whether an item serves you or is just taking up unnecessary space, and part with it if it doesn’t have a clear utility. You can also create filing systems to contain and conceal items that you don’t need on a daily basis. This way, you can easily retrieve them without taking up valuable real estate. Consider scanning as much paper as possible to conserve even more space.

  1. Make it a team effort. If you’re making more substantive changes to operations, solicit input and ideas from the team members who stand to benefit. Explain why the process will help them do their jobs better, collaborate more effectively, and be more productive.

Team members who take an active role in the process and feel valued will be more likely to adopt the solution after the cleaning bug passes. To incentivize employees even further, establish a system that rewards them for maintaining the new approach or making suggestions for ongoing improvement.

Spring cleaning is about starting fresh. But you don’t have to wait for spring to sweep your company clean; applying this process any time during the year will yield the same benefits.

Don’t let your efforts to spring clean wither away come fall. Make a conscious effort to rid your company of clutter, negative thoughts, and inefficiency for good so everyone can remain organized and stay focused on the business objectives that really matter.

This article was previously published in Inc.com magazine

 

To your best success,

Kelli Richards, CEO of the All Access Group, LLC

PS: Subscribe to my FREE All Access Group Newsletter https://bit.ly/AAGNewletter

PSS: Listen to an entire library of intimate discussions with industry visionaries https://bit.ly/AllAccessPodcastSeries (Priceless)

 

 

 

Search Resources

Topic Areas & Guests

Categories

Join our mailing list

For insights on industry trends, and for details on special projects/events. We respect your time and your privacy.