Resources
Trend Towards Borrowing vs Buying Books
In the digital age, many have turned to reading books on Kindles, iPads, and Nook devices among others. Others (including myself) like the feel and smell of reading physical books, folding the corners of meaningful pages to refer back to at a later date, which I often do. However there are several practical challenges when doing so: a) the first is that books have gotten increasingly more expensive (unless you buy them on Amazon and/or used, both of which I often do); b) the second is that you’ve got to have room to store those you want to keep, and c) they’re heavy to carry when you travel, especially if you don’t check bags, which I haven’t done for 20 years.
…
Another Slant on Purging Clutter (Digital)
By now, you must be living under a rock if you haven’t heard about Marie Kondo’s innovative KonMari Method to help people clear out clutter in their homes (and offices); she’s published two best-selling books on the topic, and now has a wildly popular series on Netflix entitled “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo”. Studies have shown that reducing clutter in our homes and environments leads to reduced anxiety levels, enhances relationships, and even increases productivity. But beyond throwing out books, clothes, furniture and other sentimental items you’ve been hanging on to in your living space, have you considered the psychic weight of the clutter that lives in your computer and on your smartphone? …
Exploring the Rivalry and Respect between Paul McCartney & Brian Wilson
A guy named Jeffrey Stillwell has put together a great video essay focused on the so-called “rivalry” between the Beach Boys and the Beatles; and in particular the relationship between Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson. They were most certainly inspired by each other creatively and each wound up bringing out the best in each other as both are quick to confess. When “Pet Sounds” came out, it blew the minds of the Beatles, and that was a big catalyst to what would become “Sgt Pepper” in terms of musical experimentation — both are still such iconic albums that it’s hard to believe it’s been 50 years (on average) since each was released. This video biopic also chronicles the relationship and interactions between Paul and Brian over the decades, and ultimately the deep respect they have for each other —and it’s worth investing the 20 minutes to watch it.
There’s also a personal tie for me here in a couple of ways. …
Exploring the Rivalry and Respect between Paul McCartney & Brian WilsonRead More »
The “Happy Money” Movement
LinkedIn.com, August 2019- Two years ago, I was attending a gathering of my advanced coaching graduate alum with our mentor, Alan Cohen, in Hawaii. Alan often invites colleagues of his to join us via Skype as guest contributors. That year, he invited Ken Honda from Japan who had been a successful entrepreneur in Japan — and then went on to be one of the best-selling authors in Japan (selling over 7 million copies of his books worldwide.) I resonated with Ken’s style, demeanor, approach and message immediately. He told us about a book he was working on called “Happy Money” — and I couldn’t wait to read it.
Read the entire article here- The “Happy Money” Movement
Anagrams (and Alliteration) Abound
LinedIn.com, August 2019- And now for something completely different. I’ve been noticing intriguing anagrams popping up all around me lately. An anagram is a word or phrase created by re-arranging the letters of another, such as cinema formed from iceman. Many people are familiar with these in doing the Word Jumble in their newspaper. But the ones that have been showing up for me lately are ones that have a little more significance — almost like sign posts that encourage me to slow down and ponder their meaning in my life. Here are a couple of examples that have crossed my radar recently — perfectly normal, and yet (!).
Read the entire article here- Anagrams (and Alliteration) Abound
The Title Says It All — This Book Delivers on the Promise
LinkedIn.com, July 2019- I’m recommending a book recently published by a colleague entitled: “Mastery Under Pressure: All that stands between you and your goals…is YOU!”
This small but mighty book packs a lot of powerful tips, tools and resources into its 100 pages (!). Author Tina Greenbaum delivers insights and practical strategies to move you out of your mindset and limiting thoughts into high performance and action. We can be our own worst enemies and sometimes we lose our compass along the way. This book is like a roadmap to guide you gently but firmly back onto your path to find (or re-claim!) the success you seek. The principles that are outlined are easy to relate to and while the exercise are ‘simple’, they’re also profound IF the reader is willing to put them into active practice. This book will remain close at hand anytime I need reinforcement.
Read the entire article here- The Title Says It All — This Book Delivers on the Promise
Waiting for the Harvest in Business
As an entrepreneur and/or a self-employed professional, have you ever been in a situation where a game-changing opportunity presented itself to you in business? Something that could “overnight” propel you to a different level of success and financial freedom? Only to find that the brass ring was further away than you thought? And while the opportunity seemed to be realistic and close at hand, it remained elusive for a long period of time; sometimes years at times? I’ve been in such a situation with not one but several ‘big deal’ business opportunities over the past few years. I won’t lie; it has been a trying experience, ranging from being annoying, frustrating and even gut-wrenching — waiting for the dominos to fall and for the scales of justice to be balanced in my favor. Holding my breath and waiting to exhale. …
The Simple Pleasures of Summer
Summer always seems to be a season everyone universally looks forward to. Plenty of fresh air, longer days, warm sunshine, family time, time off for vacations & travel, summer camp, picnics, fireworks, concerts and so much more that’s unique to each person. And of course how we spend time changes throughout the course of our lives. Here are some reflections of how it’s been for me and what it’s meant over the years. …
When You’re at a Crossroads: Reinventing Your Life and Your Impact
Atherton Living, June 2019
Los Altos Hills Living, July 2019
When the Magic Questions is: What’s Next? Reinventing your life around your values, passion and what matters most…
Read the entire article here: https://x.com/kellirichards/status/1925699275415011576
The “Happy Money” Movement
Two years ago, I was attending a gathering of my advanced coaching graduate alum with our mentor, Alan Cohen, in Hawaii. Alan often invites colleagues of his to join us via Skype as guest contributors. That year, he invited Ken Honda from Japan who had been a successful entrepreneur in Japan — and then went on to be one of the best-selling authors in Japan (selling over 7 million copies of his books worldwide.) I resonated with Ken’s style, demeanor, approach and message immediately. He told us about a book he was working on called “Happy Money” — and I couldn’t wait to read it.
The basic premise behind Happy Money is that most of us have arrested development when it comes to finances. We hold deep-seated beliefs that we adopt from a young age based on our parents’ attitudes towards money — and we’re not typically conscious that we’ve taken on those messages as we get older. As a result, the vast majority of adults struggle with money and finance-related issues. …
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.
5 Reasons Developing Confidence Is Critical to Your Success
“This article was originally posted on the Huffington Post.”
Confidence is essential to your success and that of your business — in fact, it’s vital to everything you do in life. In my own career, confidence has been a pivotal skill and strength I’ve needed every step of the way, especially in the male-dominated tech and music industries.
Operating from a confident stance is absolutely essential for women serving — or aspiring to serve — in any kind of leadership capacity. It’s a personal and professional trait that will serve you well, and it’s certainly not selfish to aim to become more confident. When you work with confidence, you’ll find that you’re more effective and efficient — and so is everyone you work with.
Yet confidence is a result, not a prerequisite or a requirement. In other words, you probably won’t have it until you’ve done something to develop it — and it builds on itself over time. This is good news: You can learn to be confident with each success.
Channel the Confidence Your Business Needs
There are plenty of benefits to being a strong, confident woman business leader. Not only are confident people listened to more deliberately and taken more seriously, but they also tend to handle business dealings more effortlessly, with greater ease and better outcomes.
Beyond that, your confidence will make both employees and clients more comfortable. It’s reassuring to deal with someone who can take a stand and make decisions. Because confidence is a psychological motivator, it keeps you going during challenging times, enabling you to take risks and try new things without second-guessing yourself.
When you’re confident, you’re more relaxed and focused; therefore, you’re able to make better decisions and act on them promptly. Speed matters in business. And second-guessing yourself often leads to hesitation, mistakes, and lost opportunities.
A confident physical presence comes across in the way you carry yourself, and it spurs improved outcomes more consistently. It’s like a visible sign of success that says, “I’m going places and I’m clear on what I want to achieve, so follow me.”
So You Weren’t Born With It
However, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s natural for confidence to ebb and flow at times. When you’re frustrated, disappointed, or coming off a failure, it’s easy to allow anxiety, fears, and negativity to creep in. They can be temporary distractions, or they can create a vicious cycle that takes you out of your game for a longer time. The goal is to avoid the doom loop entirely.
We all have the capacity to develop confidence. Just like a muscle that’s flexed and strengthened over time, it grows with each success. As you learn to believe in yourself, your confidence increases; before you know it, “confident” is your new normal. Follow these suggestions to move in the right direction and restore your confidence level when it wanes:
- Start with an ounce of prevention. Find a mentor who can determine where your negative thinking stems from and identify distracting fears and anxieties as they crop up in your life. Often, a little insight and a shift in perspective from someone you trust can be the catalyst you need to alter your perception and move on.
- Think before you speak — to yourself. Experts in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), the field of psychology that studies self-talk, agree: What you think of and say to yourself is extremely important. If you’re being negative in your self-talk, deliberatively flip the switch to more positive language to shift into a more confident and optimistic mode.
- Channel past successes. Let memories of past successes fuel your next achievement. Think of a time when you were confident and had a successful outcome. Recall the steps that led to positive results then, and apply a similar technique now to get back on track.
- Be ready for anything. Things will go wrong; that’s life. Prepare for potentially adverse circumstances by thinking ahead to what scenarios could occur in any given situation, and envision how you’ll use the strategies at your disposal to navigate them so your confidence remains intact, no matter what happens.
- Keep your ego in check. Overconfidence is rare, especially among women. But it can happen, and it’s just as detrimental as a lack of confidence. When you aren’t willing to listen to other people’s input or perspectives, you’ve crossed the line from confident to arrogant. And arrogance doesn’t work in business (or personal) situations, where cooperation and support are absolutely vital.
Every step of my career path has been possible because I channeled the confidence that I needed — from navigating corporate America to starting my own business. That’s not to say that confidence was all I needed.
Certainly, without essential qualifications and experience, confidence can be misplaced. However, in addition to having the skills and experience you need, confidence is a critical — even vital — component to your success, and it can benefit you personally and professionally. Don’t leave home without it!
To your continued, highest success,
Kelli Richards,
CEO of the All Access Group, LLC
Just Because You Have 500+ Connections Doesn’t Mean Your Network Is Healthy
January 9, 2015,
Inc.
Just Because You Have 500+ Connections Doesn’t Mean Your Network Is Healthy
The best way to build solid connections is to earn a reputation of being a person who adds value for others in virtually every interaction you have with them.
You may run a profitable, fast-growing startup, but without an active network of trusted and influential connections, your business probably isn’t living up to its full potential in terms of sales, profits, and growth.
Referrals and connections are the currency of the business world, and taking the time to build and nurture your network really pays off in the form of new leads, personal opportunities, and good old-fashioned social capital.
Even if you have 500+ connections on LinkedIn and a Klout score that’s through the roof, there’s really no way to know how strong your network is without actually testing it.
Here are three ways to assess your network and ensure your connections are happy and healthy:
1. Perform a network audit. To check that your network is thriving, set aside some time each month or quarter to ask yourself several key questions about the state of your community interactions and relationships:
- Who’s in your circle? Ideally, you should … to read the rest of this article, please visit this article in it’s original publication space on INC. Magazine: https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/just-because-you-have-500-connections-doesn-t-mean-your-network-is-healthy.html
To your continued, highest success,
Kelli Richards,
CEO of the All Access Group, LLC
12 Affirmations For The Struggling Entrepreneur
“This article was first published in LinkedIn”
Entrepreneurs are an optimistic lot. Naysayers might say “naïve.” But they have to be. Odds are against their success, but those who do succeed will provide for their families, solve customers’ problems, and possibly change the world in a big way.The best entrepreneur, therefore, has a healthy confidence that “I’ll be the one person in a thousand who makes it big.”
Still, even the most optimistic of entrepreneurs can have a bad day. Maybe the customers aren’t coming fast enough, or investors remain uninterested. Or maybe you’ve just been working for 24 hours straight and need to sleep. Whatever the reason, it’s important for entrepreneurs to get back on the positive side quickly, especially if they have employees looking to them to set the tone.
With that in mind, it’s helpful to have an arsenal of optimistic thoughts handy for those pessimistic moments.
12 Affirmations for the Entrepreneur
1. Go for it. Having something half done is worse than not having it all. Commit to doing everything you can to make it work.
2. There’s always a lag between doing something new and seeing results. Don’t be discouraged if things don’t look up right away.
3. If Plan A doesn’t work, there are 25 more letters in the alphabet.
4. Ambition is good, but don’t always live for the ending. Enjoy the process of building something from nothing, meeting customers’ needs, and providing jobs for your employees.
5. Do you need to look at the situation from a new perspective to find the solution? A coach, a friend, or a walk in the park can sometimes help you see new options.
6. When you fail, you’re one step closer to success.
7. If you’re not failing, you’re not trying hard enough or pushing yourself enough. What would you do if you had no fear? Go do that.
8. Believe in yourself and your vision. Some days, that will be all you have.
9. Related to that, trust your gut. Your instinct can be more instructive than a million books on entrepreneurship. Don’t ignore the small, nagging voice when it wants your attention.
10. Don’t rely only on yourself, though. You can’t do everything. Find a great team and do whatever is necessary to keep them close. The road to success — or failure — is more fun with people who believe and trust one another.
11. Listen to the naysayers just long enough to hear what you need to refine your business. Then, tune them out. It can be helpful to hear criticism, but you should surround yourself with people who want to help fulfill your vision.
12. Be in love with the problem more than you are with the solution. In other words, care more about solving the problem than solving it the way you think it should work. Sometimes, your first hypothesis is simply wrong, and you need to be open to trying new things.
It’s a challenge to start and run your own business. You won’t even imagine most of the obstacles you’ll face until you see them. But, success is 50 percent attitude, and if you give yourself a little pep talk when you’re struggling, you can keep your attitude in check.
Truly creating change requires a lot of work — and just the right amount of optimism.
What reminders have helped you get through the tough times as an entrepreneur? Share them in the comments. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Until next time,
Kelli Richards, CEO of The All Access Group.
PS: Subscribe to my FREE All Access Group Newsletter https://bit.ly/AAGNewletter
The right mentor will also have the right CONNECTIONS to move any effort forward. Be sure to ask who they think they can bring to the table around advisorship, possible collaboration and even funding.
4 Things You Can Do to Personalize Your Brand Like the Celebs
“This article was originally posted in the Huff Post Business”
Between Google and social media, it’s become simultaneously easier and more difficult than ever to maintain your brand image. With a few keystrokes, anyone can learn just about anything about you. On the other hand, if you can cultivate what your audience will find, you can influence your brand image and how others perceive you.
Whether you’re seeking a career change, a promotion, or new clients, this is a powerful tool, and perhaps no one knows this better than A-list celebrities.
Control Your Image Like a Pro
The most successful celebrities know that getting their name out there is about more than just being seen. It’s about imparting a personalized concept of who they are.
If you want to brand yourself like the stars, focus on these four tactics:
- Use media to your advantage. Whether that means effectively utilizing social media, public speaking, or establishing your brand’s platform by publishing articles and books, you need to become known and trusted as a thought leader. Leverage media to give people a sense of who you are, what you stand for, and what you’re doing to change the world. Don’t be a best-kept secret!
- Be authentic. Celebrities who express their fears and vulnerabilities honestly are more likely to create tighter bonds with their audiences. Think of when Princess Diana expressed her sadness over her crumbling marriage on global television or how Roger Ebert continued his work while visibly battling a crippling disease. When celebrities show they’re human, they’re much more relatable.
- Craft the image you want others to perceive about you. By consistently sharing your thoughts and message, you have more influence over what others think of you than you realize. Decide how you want to be perceived, then maintain a consistent tone and presence in your marketplace.
- Take a stand. Think of Matt Damon’s clean water advocacy or Angelina Jolie’s involvement with the U.N. Nearly all celebrities have causes they’re committed to, and their public advocacy galvanizes others to take action. By taking a position on something that matters to you, you extend your brand and image leaps and bounds in showing people who you are, what you stand for, and what you’re committed to.
Build Your Team
As a business professional, you have a lot on your plate, so how do you find the time and focus to accomplish all this? The trick is building a support system. Depending on your goals, include any (or all) of the following people on your team:
- Social media strategist/publicist: This is someone with whom you can discuss how you want to be presented and who will help co-create your brand. She’ll provide feedback and develop strategies for shaping your image online and off.
- Trusted advisor/mentor: Connect with someone who can help you identify your authentic self to ensure you’re living in alignment with your values. Ideally, this is someone who’s walked in your shoes. This will help you remain consistent, authentic, inspiring, and powerful when expressing yourself.
- Visual artists: Whether this means photographers, videographers, or graphics and web designers, it’s important to include people who are skilled at crafting a digital persona that’s consistent with what you want to project to the world about you and your contributions.
- Personal stylist/image consultant: It’s helpful to hire someone who can pay attention to your physical persona to ensure it highlights your best attributes in professional and social contexts.
- Colleagues, friends, and family: Never forget the people who know you best. They’re your
- cheerleaders and evangelists — always on hand for support and reinforcement.
With the right support team and tactics, you’ll be equipped with everything you need to blur the lines between business professional and business celebrity. Consider Richard Branson. Between his commitment to espousing pro-employee ethics, his authenticity, and his carefully crafted brand image, he’s known and lauded as much more than a successful businessman. He’s someone we admire as a thought leader and values-driven global ambassador who lives his passion and gives back to others.
In a world where brand, image, and reputation are key professional attributes, it’s critical for any professional to manage how she appears — whether that’s online or off. So get to work building your image and sharing your ideas. A whole new level of success awaits.
A highly sought-after consultant, super connector, trusted advisor, celebrity wrangler, and thought leader, Kelli Richards is the CEO of The All Access Group. She facilitates strategic business opportunities in digital distribution among innovative technology companies, talent and media companies, and brands to foster new revenue streams and deliver compelling consumer experiences. As a trusted advisor, she transforms the quality of people’s lives. Kelli is also the author of the bestselling e-book “The Magic and Moxie of Apple: An Insider’s View.”
Until next time,
Kelli Richards, CEO of The All Access Group.
The right mentor will also have the right CONNECTIONS to move any effort forward. Be sure to ask who they think they can bring to the table around advisorship, possible collaboration and even funding.
12 Affirmations For The Struggling Entrepreneur
December 15, 2014,
LinkedIn Articles
Entrepreneurs are an optimistic lot. Naysayers might say “naïve.” But they have to be. …
How to Create Your Own Industry to Fit Your Strengths
“This article was originally published on LinkedIn”
“Super connector” and “celebrity wrangler” may sound like fictitious superhero names, but you don’t have to wear your underwear over your pants to have your own cool identity. These crazy names have become part of my unique job description, and I wear them with endless pride because they represent the twists and turns of my career path.
By leveraging my core strengths and skills and combining my backgrounds in entertainment and tech, I’ve molded my own brand and carved a unique career path for myself. Having been a talent producer for award shows, cause concerts, and celebrity fundraising events for three decades, I’ve developed a very large network, connecting musicians, actors, comedians, and tech innovators with the corporate world to create performances and campaigns.
This is just one facet of my identity as a celebrity wrangler and a super connector, but there’s a thread that ties everything I do together: my skill for connecting people to create value for both parties, forming catalysts for collaboration and creating networks where amazing work can flourish. The reason I’m so in love with my work is because it all comes from my unique skill set and my own personal passions — and you can create that perfect match for yourself as well.
Here are five ways you can leverage your strengths and skills to define your unique niche:
- Turn work into play. Work that comes from your areas of expertise and your passions will be more enjoyable. When you’re able to follow your instincts, ideas flow from you organically. And when you love your work, problems become opportunities to spend time with your passions, and your workplace becomes your playground. Freedom and enjoyment will make you happier, more fulfilled, more confident, more energetic, and more productive.
- Appreciate what you lack. When you’re working from your strengths, you also become aware of the aspects of your business that you’re not so skilled at or don’t enjoy doing. It’s important to recognize where your experience falls short, spot the learning curve, and be able to delegate or collaborate to solve the problem. That way, you can stay focused on doing what you most enjoy — and that plays to your strengths.
- Individualize your brand. Building a winning brand is all about differentiating yourself from the competition. But how can you differentiate yourself when you’re not being true to your unique strengths? Allowing your own individuality to shine through and shape your work will help your brand story stand out in a big way.
- Collaborate powerfully. The only way to achieve powerful collaboration is to know the strengths and passions of everyone involved. If you stay true to your strengths and capitalize on them, you empower your team and colleagues to do the same. What’s more, you enable yourself to find other employees with complementary skills. That way, your project can be fueled by expertise and passion, not compromise.
- Tell the world. Once you know who you are and identify and claim it, you’ll find that expressing that identity becomes easier. You’ll feel more genuinely connected to those around you because you’re coming from a clear and energized place where you share what you do with others. Things like social media, networking, and interviews will become more enjoyable and effective because every word you put out will be authentic and meaningful.
For me, my key strength is my network of connections. Knowing I had a passion and a talent for connecting people, I’ve been able to create a successful career that I love. Your new identity could be anything — your own version of the super connector or the celebrity wrangler. But above all, it has to reflect you because whether you’re a “collaborator genie” or a “green-energy explorer,” you’ve got all the makings of becoming your own unique brand of superhero.
Until next time,
Kelli Richards
CEO of The All Access Group, LLC
PS: The right mentor should also have the right CONNECTIONS to move you forward. Be sure to ask who they think they can bring to the table around advisorship, possible collaboration and even funding. Visit: https://allaccessgroup.com
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
How Writing a Book Can Advance Your Career
December 12, 2014,
Inc.
The 4 Most Important Reasons You Need to Become a Mentor
“This article was originally published on Inc.com”
Fifty years ago, a fourth-grade teacher in rural Mississippi noticed something special in a little girl in her class. The teacher knew the little girl could achieve great things, but something was holding her back.
So the teacher asked her to read aloud in class to help her overcome her nerves. She spent time with the little girl after school and allowed her to choose books and help grade papers. Her influence helped the little girl see past poverty. Today, that girl has become one of the most influential women in the world: Oprah Winfrey.
Mentorship has obvious benefits for both the mentee and the mentor. You’ve probably read articles that talk about the knowledge, connections, and personal growth that mentorship can provide.
But one day, someone might reach out and ask to be mentored. Or, like Mary Duncan, you will come across someone who has potential she hasn’t yet reached.
What will you do in this situation? If you’re struggling to see the value in becoming a mentor, consider these additional advantages that mentorship can help you realize.
1. Achieve personal career gains. Mentors are people who will go the extra mile to help others and exert a positive influence on their lives. And that can lead to huge career opportunities.
Don’t believe me? Sun Microsystems did a study on the career progress of more than 1,000 employees over a five-year period. It discovered that both mentors and mentees were 20 percent more likely to get a raise than people who did not participate in mentoring. Mentors were also six times more likely to be promoted than employees who didn’t mentor. To that end, you can ask your mentees for testimonials–videotaped or written–to validate your experience when applying for positions in the future.
2. Enhance your leadership skills. When you teach someone, you truly become a master on that subject. You not only reinforce valuable leadership lessons, but you also question and refine your own thinking and approaches.
You’ll find yourself working harder to live up to the expectations of your mentee. After all, you can’t advise her to work hard and do things you aren’t willing to do yourself. With the mentee’s spotlight on you, you’ll push yourself to grow.
3. Help shape the leaders of tomorrow. Mentees will often (but not always) be younger than you. It’s easy to think the next generation needs more education while you have it all figured out.
But the truth is that Millennials are the ones creating the workplace of tomorrow. They understand trends and technology that may escape you. If you watch your mentee closely, you’ll almost certainly pick up some information or habits that are new and beneficial to you.
4. Gain the intrinsic rewards of helping others. This is the reason you hear most often, but it’s a powerful one.
I was recently working with a client who was struggling with her self-perception. Her negative thoughts were holding her back in many areas. When we peeled back the layers together, we found the root of the problem, which helped her begin to heal. That aha moment completely changed her trajectory, and she’s now taken her business to new heights.
She might not be the next Oprah Winfrey, but just knowing I had an impact on her life is a great feeling that makes the time and effort completely worth it.
Mary Duncan didn’t know the little girl in her fourth-grade class would go on to become one of the most famous and successful women in history. But Oprah credits much of her success to those afternoons with her teacher.
When you decide to mentor someone, you really have no way of knowing how far she’ll go. Whether you shape the next great entrepreneur of our time or help someone achieve her dreams, you’ll make a difference–and that’s all that matters.
Until next time,
Kelli Richards
CEO of The All Access Group, LLC
PS: The right mentor should also have the right CONNECTIONS to move you forward. Be sure to ask who they think they can bring to the table around advisorship, possible collaboration and even funding. Visit: https://allaccessgroup.com
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Ann Wilson
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.
Living and Working in Separate Cities: The Good, the Bad, and the In-Between
July 5, 2017, Inc. When you split work and play between two cities, you can have the best of both worlds — if you make it work for you. Read the entire article here: https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/living-and-working-in-separate-cities-the-good-the.html
Taking Care of Business (cash flows & taxes)
Do you ever notice how one day can flow into the next, as can the weeks/months/years if you’re not careful? If we’re not mindful, we can get into the drift and ‘check out’ as a slave to a routine and habits we’ve created that may at one time have worked for us but no longer do. As responsible adults who seek to go beyond ‘getting by’ and instead ‘thriving’ in our lives, it makes sense to stop and re-assess what’s working for us and what isn’t periodically. This applies to our own personal health and well being, and that of our business as well. I’ve been running my small business for nearly two decades now. There are plenty of joys in running your own business — and I can tell you without a doubt that the most challenging aspect of it, in my experience, is managing cash flows and working capital. What do you do when clients make commitments (or suggest that they intend to), but either don’t come through as you had planned or are delayed (sometimes for extended periods)?
The True Meaning of Freedom (at least for me)
For many of us here in the US, we’re celebrating our country’s Independence Day this week (on the 4th). A lot of people gloss over the real meaning of the day…how many lost their lives to ensure we have the many freedoms most in this country take for granted, but which are responsible for us being a global leader. I think it’s worth taking a few minutes to pause and reflect on that as we’re spending time with family and friends this week. That’s an external orientation. There’s an internal view as well, and that is we’re halfway through the year. It’s a great chance to pause and take stock of whether your year is on track, and whether you’re making progress towards the key goals you outlined at the beginning of the year.
Dave Jaworski Shares Microsoft Secrets
With over thirty years of experience in sales, technology, and executive management, Dave Jaworski currently serves as CEO of Meta Media Partners, which leverages technology, techniques and processes to help people and organizations achieve their dreams and potential. Previously Dave held positions as VP of Sales and Marketing at NetSteps; CTO of Intero Alliance; and founder and CEO of PassAlong Networks, which was the first company in the world to implement micro-payments with PayPal.
A Conversation with Ken Kragen, Legendary Organizer of “We Are the World”
Among his many other achievements, Ken Kragen is the legendary organizer behind “We are the World”, with an illustrious career that transcends the music and entertainment industries where he has managed several notable entertainers including Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie, Olivia Newton-John, The Bee Gees and Burt Reynolds. Ken was a recent guest on my podcast show, All Access Radio, and I thought I’d share some of my favorite parts of our talk.
Thought Leadership as a Differentiator
First of all, what is a thought leader and why does it matter in the business world? A thought leader often refers to an individual (or sometimes a firm) that is recognized as an authority in their unique business niche and whose expertise is often highly valued and sought out within that business niche. The reason this matters is that it’s important from a branding and repute standpoint to be stand out as a credible industry expert with rich knowledge and curated opinions of value on select topics to contribute. This allows us as entrepreneurs to stand out, differentiate ourselves in an otherwise crowded marketplace, and to be sought after as experts and authorities with value to offer clients, the media, and our peers. You don’t typically call yourself a thought leader; it’s an acknowledgement that others grant you. Bottom line: someone who rises above the din and is probably worth listening to.
Beatles Fans Rejoice — Plenty of Reasons to Celebrate!
Many people in my world know that the Beatles are far and away my favorite group of all time; in fact, I’m known as a “Beatle-ologist” given my vast knowledge of far too much trivia having to do with the band. Like so many others, they inspired me to pursue my career in music from a very young age (I can recall being very deliberate about that choice as early as when I was 8 years old as a direct result of the Beatles). The Beatles have never really gone away (well their music hasn’t anyway), and to that end Beatle fans have a couple of reasons to celebrate of late including the following:
4 Ways to Elicit Invitations to Private Business Events
June 5, 2017, Inc. No matter who the titans are at your industry’s luminary events, you need to be there.
Jim Messina, Musician, Songwriter, Singer, Guitarist, Recording Engineer and Record Producer
Jim Messina reflects on his dynamic career, collaborations and 2017 tour. Jim’s legacy of musical prowess spans five decades, three acclaimed rock super groups, a vibrant solo career, and a dizzying array of game changing producing and engineering credits, including Lee Michaels and Kenny Loggins.
Serendipity at Airports and on Flights
Those of us who fly often have learned that it pays to stay observant and opportunistic when you’re on flights and in airports. Most people are in their own little world — focused on their laptops, Kindles or iPads, or immersed in their smartphones. I enjoy looking around and experiencing what’s going on around me — you never know who you may bump into.
3 Ways VR and AI Startups Are Alleviating the Isolation Mentality
May 22, 2017, Inc. The smartest VR and AI startups are already targeting this market — besides being good business, it presents an opportunity to actually improve people’s lives. Read the entire article here: http://3 Ways VR and AI Startups Are Alleviating the Isolation Mentality
“Supermensch” Shep Gordon on Creating the “Celebrity Chef”
Shep Gordon is the visionary Hollywood manager, agent and producer responsible for building some of the biggest careers in entertainment, and has been named one of the “100 most influential people” by Rolling Stone magazine. The subject of the acclaimed Mike Myers-produced documentary Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon, Shep came to Los Angeles in 1968 and landed in the heart of rock and roll, instantly (and by sheer coincidence) falling in with Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and, a short time later, Alice Cooper, whom he continues to manage today.
Observations from the set of “The Voice”
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past several years (or just don’t watch network TV), you’ve probably heard about or watched the wildly popular TV show, “The Voice” on NBC; where aspiring singers compete for a recording contract with the help of four successful artists as coaches. Having been an A&R exec at EMI Music in my past, my role was to scout, sign and develop artists for the label — so I’m intimately familiar with the process that these aspiring artists are going through in an attempt to become a star in the music industry For awhile, we had “American Idol” and “The Voice” on air at the same time — but since Idol wound down, “The Voice” has reigned supreme in this category. The current celeb coaches are Blake Shelton, Alicia Keys, Gwen Stefani and Adam Levine. Recently I was invited to take a tour of the set and watch a taping of the show as a member of the studio audience. I’ll admit right upfront that I’m a bit jaded as I’m in the industry, and it wasn’t my first taping of a show; whereas nearly everyone else participating was a tourist where this was a first time event and a really big deal for them. Having been a talent producer as well for decades, honestly I couldn’t stop myself from wearing my ‘behind the scenes’ glasses.
Ken Kragen, Legendary Organizer of “We Are the World” with Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie
Ken Kragen Shares His Best Tips on Career and Cause Marketing A graduate of Harvard Business School Ken Kragen’s illustrious career transcends the music and entertainment industries where he has spent many successful years and managed some of the world’s most important entertainers, including Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie, Trisha Yearwood, Olivia Newton John, The Bee Gees, Burt Reynolds, The Smothers Brothers and many others.
Get Out of Your Own Way — Allow Things to Flow Easier
Have you ever noticed how we can make things more difficult than they need to be? Either by overthinking something, making it more complicated than it needs to be, getting worked up in a way that doesn’t serve us, or otherwise being fixed on things having to be a certain way in our lives? That’s how we sabotage the good things that want to come our way. We can actually stop our good from getting to us because we don’t allow it in when it shows up on our front doorstep! Conversely, when we take time to ‘pause’ and reflect on a situation (and what we most want to have happen), when we trust our hearts over our heads to make the choice that will serve us best, and trust that the Universe is doing its best to deliver us what we say we want — things can flow to us more readily and with much less struggle and strife.
Slow Down to Speed Up
Many of us move, work and live at breakneck speeds, often to our detriment. We create or participate in accidents, we make mistakes, we create stress in ourselves and others, we create tension and illness in our bodies, and we simply don’t do our best work in that state. It’s true that my favorite business magazine ironically is “Fast Company”, but I’m also a fan of the Slow Food movement which started over 30 years ago now. The truth is we do have enough time and we can get everything done
Why It’s Time to Buck the 24/7 Work Trend
April 11, 2017 Ellevate Network Americans are still working too hard and too long. The average American puts in 258 more hours per year than the average European. Read the entire article here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-its-time-buck-247-work-trend-kelli-richards/
What Entrepreneurs Can Learn About Monetizing Their Brands From Musicians
April 10, 2017, Inc. Like musicians, entrepreneurs can embrace the power they have to connect with a wider world.
The Power of Collaboration
One of my mentors, Alan Weiss, is about to come out with a terrific new book called “Lifestorming” co-authored with Marshall Goldsmith who is himself one of the most sought after executive coaches on the planet. This veteran author duo have collectively published nearly 100 books on human behavior. Neither needs the other, but they opted to come together to create something of value to their shared audience. This collaboration between two very successful juggernauts in the business world should produce a pretty powerful result given what each of them has achieved on his own. We’ll find out when the book comes out on May 1st! I’ve always been a big believer in the power of collaboration — to harness and leverage the gifts of two (or more) talented individuals to create an outcome that’s even more valuable and impactful than if each was crafting something on their own. John Lennon and Paul McCartney are another great example of this; there would have been no Beatles (or arguably they wouldn’t have been nearly as successful) if those two hadn’t come together — pun intended.
Why AI and VR Startups Should Be Targeting the Music Industry
April 3, 2017, Inc. Despite meteoric growth, one industry has been curiously left out of most VR/AI discussions: music.
Embracing Serendipity: Seizing Opportunities as they Arise
Have you ever stopped to notice how things are always working in our favor? It may be time to start doing so. A chance encounter turns into the creation of a new friend or collaborator, a flight delay turns into creating a client, and a flash of intuition can even save our life by avoiding an accident or some other mishap. Maybe you’ve experienced some of this for yourself, and almost certainly you’ve heard of others who have. In my own case, a dramatic example is that I avoided getting on Flight 93 on 9-11 (the one that crashed over PA) simply because I had a very strong intuition that led me to abort my trip to NYC to participate in producing a big Michael Jackson event — and I’d been booked on that flight to return home afterwards.
3 Leadership Secrets I Learned From Steve Jobs
March 1, 2017, Steve Jobs believed that the people you choose to surround yourself with affect the whole ecosystem of your business. Read the entire article here: https://www.ellevatenetwork.com/articles/7979-3-leadership-secrets-i-learned-from-steve-jobs
Honoring the 48-year “Marriage” of Shep Gordon and Alice Cooper
Earlier this month the annual Pollstar Live event took place in LA; if you’re not familiar with it, this is the largest gathering of concert industry professionals in the world. It’s a chance for colleagues to come together and exchange best practices, get current on the latest goings-on and network with each other. I’ve been co-producing the annual Awards Show that caps it off for over 15 years. The Keynote at Pollstar Live is typically one of the highlights of the whole event and this year was no exception. It was Shep Gordon (aka “SuperMensch”) and his longest client, Alice Cooper, coming together to share stories about their 48 years of working together.
How I Manage a Large Network Spanning Two Industries
February 20, 2017, Inc. In every interaction, you want to add reciprocal value so you’re working toward a mutually beneficial proposition. Read the entire article here: https://www.inc.com/author/kelli-richards
Talking with Uber Drivers
You know how when we used to take cabs and you’d never make eye contact with the driver let alone have a conversation with them. I’m not sure what’s changed in the transition to Uber, but I’ve noticed that in virtually every ride I’ve taken via Uber, I find myself having fascinating conversations with the drivers. Maybe it’s just me, but the ones I’ve had rides with inevitably have surprisingly interesting stories and backgrounds. It’s easy enough to hide behind your smartphone and detach, but I’ve come to enjoy engaging with my driver more often than not.
Add Accountability to Adopt New (Improved!) Habits
This is a time of year when many decide to shift habits with the best of intentions, but unfortunately good intentions alone won’t do the job. Ingrained habits need more than a nudge to bust through in favor of replacing them with those that will support us with where we want to go. One powerful tool that will help you go the distance is accountability. The acronym SMART comes to mind — Specific, Measurable, Action, Relevant, and Time-based; and all that is true. A way to manage all of that is by creating a simple accountability matrix that you review and track daily; it only takes a few minutes.
Jessica Mastors, Speaker, Story-Teller, Writer and Creative Coach
Jessica Mastors is a dynamic speaker and storyteller, teacher and writer, artist and entrepreneur, creative coach and consultant specializing in helping founders, free-thinkers and change-makers “make magic” with their stories – where magic is defined as “the art of changing consciousness at will.”
A Conversation with Beth Harrington, Producer, Director, Writer
I met Beth Harrington at the Portland Creative conference last year where we were both honored to be speakers, and we clicked immediately. I knew she would make a great guest for my podcast, and last week I had the pleasure of interviewing her on All Access Radio. Beth is an independent producer, director, writer, singer, and guitarist. Her love for American history, music and culture has led to a series of award-winning and critically acclaimed films including her most recent film, The Winding Stream, The Carters, The Cashes and the Course of Country Music.
Beth Harrington, Independent Producer, Director and Writer
Beth Harrington is an independent producer, director and writer, whose fervor for American history, music and culture has led to a series of award-winning and critically acclaimed films. Beth’s most recent works, The Winding Stream – The Carters, The Cashes and The Course of Country Music and the Grammy-nominated Welcome to the Club – The Women of Rockabilly, reflect her long-standing love of music.
Resolutions — Time for a Different Approach?
Each year at this time many of us sit down to make a list of resolutions for the new year. And then that list gets filed somewhere, not to be re-visited, and we go about our lives throughout the year mostly status quo. By February the gym returns to its normal flow of truly committed fitness mavens vs those who are merely well intentioned. The thing is, resolutions require new habits to be adopted; taken on with commitment and consistency. And that takes a little rigor and grit, especially during the first 30 days — after which science shows the new habit has taken hold. So this year, what can you do to ensure that by the end of the year your intentions are in alignment with your results?
Wrapping up the Year
Each year about this time, as we wind down the year and get ready for the next one, many start to think in terms of goals and resolutions for the New Year. What you’d like to have happen next year that didn’t happen this year. And that’s fine, but I’d like to offer a few thoughts to consider.
How I Leverage My Presence at Networking Events (And You Can, Too)
December 19, 2016, Inc. The challenge is to stand out from the crowd and leverage your unique voice to draw those opportunities to you. Read the entire article here: https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/how-i-leverage-my-presence-at-networking-events-and-you-can-too.html
A New Lens On “When One Door Closes”
We’ve all heard the phrase “when one door closes, another opens” — but there’s more to it than meets the eye. Certain doors close on us with respect to jobs, relationships and opportunities — and they’re meant to close and stay closed because they weren’t right for us (even if we didn’t see it at the time).
Marshall Goldsmith, America’s #1 Executive Coach
World-renowned business educator and coach Dr. Marshall Goldsmith is the leading expert in his field and the author of three New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling books – Triggers, MOJO and What Got You Here Won’t Get You There.
Put on the Spot? Here’s How to Own Your Response
December 12, 2016, Success Magazine No one likes being put on the spot, but it teaches you to anticipate the unexpected, a lesson forever useful in life and in business. Read the entire article here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/put-spot-heres-how-own-your-response-kelli-richards/
How Steve Jobs, Jerry Seinfeld, and Being a Super-Connector Boosted My Brand
December 12, 2016, Inc. The benefits of connecting with influential people can work for anyone, no matter where you are in your career. Read the entire article here: https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/how-steve-jobs-jerry-seinfeld-and-being-a-super-connector-boosted-my-brand.html
Athena of BlissQuest Shares Her Vision for Creatives – No Longer Needing to Sacrifice Their Passions!
Last week’s guest on All Access Radio was Athena, CEO and Founder of BlissQuest Publishing, and author of Pillars of Dawn and Murder of Crows. As you know, I work with creative people who have big visions and Athena’s vision is certainly no exception. At the cornerstone is her company BlissQuest, which she founded after receiving multiple market-based rejections from traditional publishers for her book, Murder of Crows. By self-publishing she gained more control over her work, and more royalties in her pocket, and she hasn’t looked back since. Fair trade is her passion and a large focus of BlissQuest –which is a publishing house in concept and will be the first ever anywhere to offer healthcare benefits and retirement planning to artists and writers — including a 50/50 royalty split.
Athena, CEO and founder of BlissQuest Publishing, Author of “Pillars of Dawn”
Athena is the CEO and founder of BlissQuest Publishing, an online publishing house concept which when funded will be the first publishing house in the world to offer healthcare and retirement planning to artists and writers, as well as 50-50 royalty splits. Her first novel, a fantasy called “Murder of Crows,” was published in 2012 as the first installment in a trilogy called “Pillars of Dawn, which follows heroine Fable Montgomery on a treacherous, magical journey through the mythical land of Aria. Listen to the full podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/2016/12
How Podcasting Can Help Grow Your Business
December 5, 2016, Inc. Podcasting is the new blogging — everybody’s doing it. And if you do it well, you’ll see massive benefits for you and your business. Read the entire article here: https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/how-podcasting-can-help-grow-your-business.html
Harvest Summit 2016
Earlier this month I had the privilege of attending the Harvest Summit — an outstanding intimate invite-only event (its first year) — held at a private estate in Sonoma County. The event was the brainchild of Jessica Kilcullen, whose husband John Kilcullen used to run Billboard Magazine (where we first connected), and it was designed to bring together innovative thought leaders in a variety of fields from tech, entertainment, sustainability, food and wine, and a host of forward-thinking authors and visionaries. The goal was to foster inspiring conversations about trends and issues shaping our future — by those who are leading the charge (all of us present). Examples of some of the intimate conversations included:
Vanity Fair’s New Establishment Summit 2016
Last month I had the privilege of attending a fantastic relatively intimate invite-only event. The third annual Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit was held in San Francisco. This event brought together some of the most successful and influential philanthropists, thought leaders from technology, politics, business, media and the arts for truly inspiring conversations about trends and issues shaping our future. Examples of some of the intimate conversations include:
An Intimate Chat with Greg Kihn
NBC has described Greg Kihn as Rock’s True Renaissance Man” and I could not agree more. With a career that spans the dawn of punk and Indie rock, to the disco of the 70’s, to the glory days of MTV, you may know him best for his worldwide #1 hits “Jeopardy” and “The Break-up Song”, and for those of you local to the SF Bay Area, you likely tuned in to DJ Greg every morning on KFOX Radio during his 18 years with the station. He’s also a published author of four novels, the most recent being Painted Black, a mystery/thriller about the death of Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones. I interviewed Greg recently on All Access Radio to discuss his career, his life philosophy and what he’s up to these days. I’ve been a colleague, collaborator and supporter of Greg’s for many years so it was great to have him in the hot seat for a change to catch up, and to be able to share with you insights from someone I think is one of the greatest success stories in music — a true renaissance artist.
The Launch of Amazon Music Unlimited
This past week saw the launch of Amazon’s foray into an unlimited music streaming service to rival Apple Music and Spotify — it’s called “Amazon Music Unlimited” (AMU). It’s designed to add more value to Echo users offering “tens of millions of songs and thousands of hand-curated playlists and personalized stations” according to Amazon. It’s effectively an upgrade from Amazon’s Prime Music offering. Prime is now the basic service, Unlimited is the full one. This is a really strategic move for Amazon
4 Steps to Landing the Sexiest Projects
October 24, 2016, Inc. In my experience in the world of creative entrepreneurship, two types of projects and clients exist: sexy projects and cash projects. Read the entire article here: https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/4-steps-to-landing-the-sexiest-projects.html
Thinking of Steve (Jobs) — Five Years On
Many people in my world are aware that in addition to my years as an Apple employee (music & entertainment), I was also very fortunate to have been able to call Steve Jobs a personal mentor. The things we discussed and the insights he shared with me over time are an indelible part of my DNA. Steve often crosses my mind, but even more so last week as we hit the 5 year anniversary mark of his passing. I can hardly believe it’s been that long! So I thought it would be fitting to share a few of the lessons and insights I cherish the most:
Coping with Demands When on the Road
These days many of us spend a good portion of our time on the road — whether for business travel or personal time away. It can be a real challenge to deal with demands from others when you’re away from the office. But it’s important to manage your time and priorities as much as possible — and to set healthy boundaries. For myself, when I’m at a multi-day training or just taking a couple of days of business meetings in another city, for example, I do my best to ensure my clients know that I’ll be away and slower to respond during that time period.
Lessons I Learned From Being A Woman In Tech In The Heart Of Silicon Valley
October 10, 2016, Forbes While women held 57% of all professional positions in the U.S. in 2014, they filled only 26 percent of tech jobs. Nonetheless, being a woman has never held me back — and it doesn’t have to hamper your career, either. Read the entire article here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ellevate/2016/10/10/lessons-i-learned-from-being-a-woman-in-tech-in-the-heart-of-silicon-valley/
Vacations and Business Can Co-Exist — Here’s How
October 10, 2016, Inc. There are lots of ways to recharge, even though most of us think of lazing on the beach when we hear the word “vacation.” Read the entire article here: https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/vacations-and-business-can-co-exist–heres-how.html
“Renaissance Man” Greg Kihn Talks Fun, the Creative Life and Rock n Roll
NBC has called Greg Kihn “Rock’s True Renaissance Man.” His career stretches from the dawn of punk and indie rock to the discos of the 80’s to the glory days of MTV. As a pioneer with the legendary Beserkley Records, he helped write the book on revolutionary west coast rock and roll. Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/renaissance-man-greg-kihn-talks-fun-the-creative-life-and-rock-n-roll
James Wallman, Trend Forecaster and Futurist, Journalist, Speaker, Activist
James Wallman is a noteworthy trend forecaster and futurist, esteemed journalist, keynote speaker and activist, as well as the author of the groundbreaking book Stuffocation: Why We’ve Had Enough with Stuff and Need Experience More Than Ever, which has been described as the intersection of “The Tipping Point and Freakonomics, but with a huge idea at its heart” by the Sunday Times. Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/james-wallman-on-stuffocation
4 Creative Secrets I Learned From Influential Music Artists
September 26, 2016, The Huffington Post Why do we idolize and celebrate famous musicians? It’s simple: They’ve achieved greatness, a certain “glow” we wish we had. Read the entire article here: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/4-creative-secrets-i-learned-from-influential-music_b_57e9733ce4b00267764fcaba
Learning From the Best: What Guy Kawasaki Taught Me About Evangelism
September 25, 2016, Inc. A few of the biggest takeaways about being a great thought leader and influencer.
How to Prioritize What is Important…And Get it Done!
We are all juggling so much, and we each have the same 24 hours each day. One of the ways we suffer is that we have so much on our plates that we can easily get overwhelmed, and we forget that we have control over how to structure our days around the most important things that we need/want to make happen in our lives. It comes down to prioritizing our day ahead of time (ideally the day or night before) — so that we make progress on just the three or four things that are most important to us. When we accomplish those tasks we feel great. Then there are the things that we need to make happen but that we don’t want to do or that don’t light us up. Those are tasks we tend to procrastinate around and push off for another day/week/month/year. I recommend the following approach…
The Serenity of Surrender
As I write this, today marks the 15th anniversary of 9-11; a day that is especially important to me, not only in terms of honoring those who were lost — but also in gratitude for avoiding being one of the victims myself. A near-miss because I was booked as a passenger on United flight 93 that morning headed to SF from Newark; one of the planes that was directly impacted among the flights that were taken over by terrorists on that awful day. Trusting my intuition and surrendering to that little voice in my head saved my life.
Barbara Newman, Creative Director/Writer
You Don’t Need a Horse to Be a Cowgirl – A Creative Director/Writer for over 25 years, Barbara Newman’s iconic work has left an indelible mark on contemporary brand culture. She’s written award-winning campaigns that have been featured at Cannes, and has developed content across multiple media platforms for global brands around the world. Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/you-dont-need-a-horse-to-be-a-cowgirl
4 Ways to Align Yourself With What Really Matters
Are you focusing on what really matters in your life? Or are you just going through the motions jumping from one distraction to the next and being tossed around like a row boat in rough seas? If you want to experience a life well-lived, then it’s probably a good idea to pause and reflect on how aligned you are with the things that carry the most meaning for you on a regular basis — ideally once a week, minimum. Here are a few suggestions you may want to try on for size:
An Offer You Could Refuse (But Shouldn’t): Trusting Your Trusted Advisers
August 28, 2016, Inc. There are three key things you can do to enhance your ability to take advice.
Re-ignite Your Passion!
A topic has been brewing in my mind over the past couple of weeks that I wanted to touch on today; and that is the power of enthusiasm, energy and vitality. I think what sparked it was going to a couple of concerts during the past couple of weeks — Rick Springfield and Earth, Wind & Fire — both of whom have been performing for over 45 years each (and the lead members all in their mid-to-late sixties). Same thing when I saw Herb Alpert and Lani Hall play a show last Fall (he was 80 at the time). None of these guys has to work or tour any more. But all of them exuded passion, vibrancy, energy and vitality. They love what they’re doing, they get high on the interaction with their audiences, and clearly they’re still having a great time performing and entertaining. It’s inspiring and infectious to watch… But you don’t have to be an artist to experience the same level of energy and enthusiasm; you can cultivate it for yourself. And when you do, it creates an upward spiral that fuels you, makes you feel alive and is contagious; others want to be around you and engage/collaborate with you in whatever ways make sense. It comes down to your attitude about yourself and about your life. If you want to feel this energy boost (and experience all of these benefits), here are some things you can do to encourage it:
3 Ways to Succeed as a Woman Entrepreneur (They’re Not What You Think)
August 21, 2016, Inc. There have been challenges along the way, of course, but being a woman has never held me back. Read the entire article here: https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/3-ways-to-succeed-as-a-woman-entrepreneur-theyre-not-what-you-think.html
Lori Stoll, Celebrity Photographer and Filmmaker
Lori Stoll is a notable photographer, writer and director who quickly became a sought-after celebrity and advertising photographer in the late 80’s. Her photographs of popular icons Al Pacino, Anthony Hopkins, Ray Charles, Michael Jackson and MC Hammer were ubiquitous at the pinnacle of their careers. Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/get-behind-the-scenes-with-celebrity-photographer-and-filmmaker-lori-stoll
Jared Cohn, Award-Winning Writer, Director and Producer
Jared Cohn is an award-winning writer, director and producer – specifically in the sci-fi and horror genre – with such credits to his name as Atlantic Rim, Buddy Hutchins, 13/13/13, Jailbait, Born Bad and the last Sharknado movie. This year alone Jared has released five new films – all very different in style and tone. Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/serial-filmmaker-jared-cohn-on-why-invest-in-your-own-movies
The Power of Your Voice: 3 Steps to Finding and Embracing It
July 21, 2016, Inc. Follow these three steps to discover and celebrate your voice as a female entrepreneur.
Sherry Cagan, Equestrian, Artist, Founder of Stand4Lyme
Sherry Cagan has had great success in her past both as an award-winning equestrian & a talented bronze sculptor. These days Sherry is a patient advocate and facilitator, a leading voice and a driving force for the millions debilitated with Lyme disease. Her near-death experience from Lyme disease, and her daughters and mother being infected with it, catalyzed her passion for Lyme research – initiating the Stanford Lyme Working Group at the Stanford School of Medicine. Listen to the entire podcast here: https://cl.ubook.com/podcast/367156/kelli-richards-presents-all-access-radio
A Grammy Winner, A Circus Master, And An Apple Veteran On Career Reinvention
July 15, 2016, Fast Company Stewart Copeland cofounded The Police. Kelli Richards grew up where her Apple office later stood. These are their career-change tips. Read the entire article here: https://www.fastcompany.com/3061833/a-grammy-winner-a-circus-master-and-an-apple-veteran-on-career-reinvention
Taylor Swift and Other Top Artists Stand United Against DMCA & YouTube
In the past couple of months things have been getting more heated as a coalition of over 180 top musicians have aligned to complain about the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The 1998 law governs the way big internet companies can use material uploaded by their users. As technology has progressed over the past two decades, the artists’ stance is that their royalties have been diminishing relative to the many new devices and services that have sprung up in that timeframe. And in tandem as they’re making their voices heard about concerns suggesting that the DMCA is broken in today’s terms, they’re taking aim squarely at YouTube as a primary example of how this structure no longer works for artists (if it ever did).
Oprah’s Real Secret to Success May Not Be What You Think It Is
July 7, 2016, Inc. Oprah Winfrey came from nothing and built a media empire, but her most impressive quality worth emulating is her EQ (emotional quotient). Read the entire article here: https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/oprah-s-real-secret-to-success-may-not-be-what-you-think-it-is.html
Mark Silverman, Coach, Consultant, Author
Mark Silverman is not a Coach or a Consultant per se, although he has Coaching and Consulting Clients. For him, every engagement is unique, with the common thread being a leap forward towards the intended result. Mark has generated over $90 Million in sales and received numerous awards over his 15 year career at fast moving, fast growing companies like NetApp, VMware and EMC. Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/ditch-your-lists-access-your-flow-intuition-and-creativity
4 Things Successful People Don’t Do
July 1, 2016, Inc. Follow these steps to utilize your own storytelling narrative and be more authentic with your audience.
Life Gets Easier When You Operate in the Zone
Many of us run our lives off “To Do” lists — and have issues managing time, priorities, and eliminating distractions. We’re all over the place and our attention and mood is scattered, stressed and we’re inefficient. It doesn’t have to be that way! We can increase our productivity and save our sanity when we operate ‘in the zone’ more of the time. When you are in the zone, you are focused, firing on all cylinders, getting things done, accomplishing your goals, meeting expectations of yourself and others, all while staying in a calm, neutral place emotionally. You feel good because you’re taking care of what you need to and are honoring your commitments to yourself and others; you’re doing what you said you were going to do. There’s no greater sense of satisfaction than that! I know that’s been my experience. Here are a few tips for getting in the zone:
Becoming the Person You Want to Be is Simple but It’s Not Easy
I had the rare privilege of spending time with Marshall Goldsmith a couple of months ago courtesy of my mentor Alan Weiss at an event that Alan hosts annually called the Million Dollar Consulting Convention. Marshall was the Keynote speaker at Alan’s event this year, and is in high demand as one of the most successful executive coaches on the planet. He’s the author of many terrific and insightful books like “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There”, and he was delightful and very generous in his time with us. Marshall was kind enough to provide us all with copies of his latest book “Triggers: Creating Behavior that Lasts & Becoming the Person You Want to Be”. I read a lot of books on self-improvement and personal growth, and Triggers offers fresh insights that I haven’t come across elsewhere to this point.
Lorenzo Lamas, Actor, Author
Lorenzo Lamas is an American actor well known for playing Lance Cumson on the 1980s soap opera Falcon Crest (Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor), Reno Raines on the 1990s crime drama Renegade, and Hector Ramirez on the daytime soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/what-i-learned-about-donald-trump-from-celebrity-apprentice
3 Ways to Keep the Art of Storytelling Alive
June 16, 2016, Inc. Follow these steps to utilize your own storytelling narrative and be more authentic with your audience.
Creel Price, Serial Entrepreneur, Author, Speaker
From scaling some of the highest mountains in the world, to working with Richard Branson on the future of philanthropy, exiting his business for over $100m and captaining Australia in the World Elephant Polo Championships, Creel Price is the high-octane adventurer at the forefront of what he now calls “The Entreprenaissance.” Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/the-1-magic-ingredient-for-joining-the-entreprennaissance
Libby Gill, Consultant, Author, Speaker
Libby Gill is the founder and CEO of executive coaching and consulting firm Libby Gill & Company. The former head of communications and public relations for Sony, Universal, and Turner Broadcasting, she is an international speaker, bestselling author, and former Dallas Morning News columnist. Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-qa-with-bestselling-author-libby-gill
Carolyn Elliott, Entrepreneur, Author, Coach, Super-Connector
Carolyn Elliott is an entrepreneur, writer and author, coach, super-connector, and modern-day magical person. She is the host of the Superconnectors Podcast, which interviews top Superconnectors from around the world who share the tools, attitudes and resources they use to grow and nurture their world-class social networks. Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-carolyn-elliott
The Importance of Taking Regular Breaks
You work hard; we all do. But at the same time, I’ll bet you don’t play hard; most of us don’t. We live and work in a culture that would happily take all we choose to give and more — and often does. AND we have a life beyond our work – really and truly!
These 4 Books Are an Entrepreneur’s Best-Kept Secret
June 6, 2016, Inc. The truth is, many of the most successful people in the world are–and will always be–avid readers. Read the entire article here: https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/these-4-books-are-an-entrepreneur-s-best-kept-secret.html
May the Force Be With You
You know that old saying by Woody Allen that “Showing Up is 80% of Life”. Well I’d argue that the other 20% (maybe more!) is HOW you show up that really determines whether you’re going to be a ‘hit’ or a ‘miss’ in terms of the impact you have on others. Leadership is more than about showing up, and it’s more than just a mindset — it’s your presence, your intention, and the energy you bring to your interactions.
2016 is Not the Year the Masses Pick Up Virtual Reality
May 14, 2016, VentureBeat. Mark Zuckerberg (along with many others) believes that virtual reality will change the way we live, work, and communicate in many ways. Zuck may be right about the long term, but the truth is, VR isn’t quite ready for mass-market adoption. Read the entire article here: https://venturebeat.com/games/2016-is-not-the-year-the-masses-pick-up-virtual-reality/
4 Daily Habits of Exceptionally Well-Connected People
May 12, 2016, Inc. The reality is that the more influencers you know, the better your chances of realizing greater success.. Read the entire article here: https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/4-daily-habits-of-exceptionally-well-connected-individuals.html
Close Encounters with Prince
We lost a unique legend and pioneer last month in Prince’s passing. The man was multi-dimensional, and though he was revered as an artist by many, he was so much more — and I think the other facets of who he was and his contributions will be revealed as time goes on. I was fortunate to have interacted with Prince on several occasions during the past couple of decades, and I’ve been reflecting on those experiences over the past few days. I never really shared much ’til now about these interactions because he was fiercely private, and I respected and honored his desire for that.
Deborah Perry Piscione, Entrepreneur, Author, Speaker
Deborah Perry Piscione is a serial entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling author, speaker and innovation process expert. She is a Principal and Co-Founder at Vorto Consulting, a Silicon Valley-based boutique-consulting firm dedicated to enabling companies to innovate and grow. Deborah is the architect of the new innovation methodology, Improvisational Innovation™, which engages all of the organization’s talent in bottoms up innovation. Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-deborah-piscione
Four Female Entrepreneurs Who Have it All (and How You Can, Too)
May 6, 2016, Huff Post Women Recently, I’ve observed a growing trend: Young female entrepreneurs launching ventures, creating social impact that matters, winning awards, and starting families — all at the same time. Read the entire article here: https://www.ellevatenetwork.com/articles/7321-four-female-entrepreneurs-who-have-it-all-and-how-you-can-too
Conscious Entrepreneurship: Lessons From Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg
May 5, 2016, Inc. Incorporate these four habits into your daily life to produce better work from a healthier mindset.
How to Achieve Success by Connecting 2 Seemingly Different Worlds
April 21, 2016, Inc. Harness multiple interests and translate them across industries to build a larger network of connections, stronger relationships, a unique brand position, and greater impact. Read the entire article here: https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/how-to-achieve-success-by-connecting-2-seemingly-different-worlds.html
Sexy vs Cash Projects
For those of us who work for ourselves (and for those who aspire to), there’s a phenomenon that people don’t often talk about because it’s assumed that we’re intended to be performing and achieving high levels of success at all times. However, sometimes there are periods of feast and famine in our businesses, especially for those of us in creative professions. My colleague Rich Litvin has shared his observations on this with a nod to Hugh McLeod’s “Sex and Cash Theory of Creative Work” — and I really resonate with this. The basic notion is that the creative person has two kinds of jobs — the first being the fun, sexy kind (those projects and clients we love to work with), and the second one is ensuring that we have enough cash flows that the bills get paid each month. Sometimes the task at hand covers both bases, but not all the time. So there can be a tense duality between the need to make a living and the need to follow one’s passions. You can’t run a successful, thriving business if you have no money and your only thought is “I NEED money!”.
Guy Kawasaki, Evangelist, Author, Speaker
Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist of Canva, an online graphic design tool. He is on the board of trustees of the Wikimedia Foundation, a brand ambassador for Mercedes Benz USA, and an executive fellow of the Haas School of Business (UC Berkeley). He was also the chief evangelist of Apple. Guy is the author of The Art of the Start 2.0, The Art of Social Media, Enchantment, and nine other books. Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-guy-kawasaki
Three Lessons On Innovation I Learned During My 12 Years At Apple
March 28, 2016, Fast Company As one veteran of Apple’s early forays into digital music explains, nothing slows things down like seeking consensus. Read the entire article here: https://www.fastcompany.com/3058271/three-lessons-on-innovation-i-learned-during-my-12-years-at-apple
The Chief Reason to Become a Trusted Adviser: The Ripple Effect
March 28, 2016, Inc. Through helping others, advisers can unlock different opportunities for their own careers.
3 Ways You Can Benefit From Serendipitous Run-Ins
March 14, 2016, Inc. Are you making the most of your chance encounters?
The Quiet Passing of a Giant
The music industry has experienced what seems like an unprecedented string of losses since the year began. Add to that list, a legend in Sir George Martin who passed a few days ago at the age of 90, and was considered by many to be “The Fifth Beatle”. Sir George was perhaps among the most talented record producers, music arrangers, and A&R men of all time. He was a true master at his craft — he pioneered all mann er of unique things artists could do in the studio — and truly co-created with the artists he worked with to amazing results.Unusual things like running the tape backwards to create new sounds as in “Tomorrow Never Knows” or adding in unique instrumentation like strings over “Eleanor Rigby” and “Yesterday” or weaving a mellotron into “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite”. And as gifted as he was and a master at his art, equally important is how well-loved and respected he was by all who had the chance to meet and work with him. I’ve never heard a bad word said about George by anyone throughout his career which is telling; quite the contrary.
4 Basic Skills Entrepreneurs Still Can’t Seem to Master
March 7, 2016, Inc.
Andy Cunningham, Strategic Marketing and Communications Expert
Andy Cunningham is the Founder of Cunningham Collective, an innovation to market firm that helps enterprises and start-ups through challenges of traction, transformation, and turnaround. An entrepreneur at the forefront of marketing, branding, positioning and communicating “The Next Big Thing,” Andy Cunningham has played a key role in the launch of a number of new categories including video games; personal computers; desktop publishing; digital imaging; RISC microprocessors; software as a service; very light jets; and clean tech investing.
Zeeshan Zaidi, Ticketmaster
Zeeshan Zaidi is the General Manager of Artist Services at Ticketmaster, a division of Live Nation Entertainment, where he works with artists, managers, agents, promoters and labels to help make tours more successful through leveraging Ticketmaster’s marketing reach, data insights, and commerce opportunities. He’s also the lead vocalist, songwriter, guitarist, and founder of alternative rock band The Commuters. Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-zeeshan-zaidi
Carolyn Elliott, Super-Connector, Interviews Kelli Richards
As a super connector, I was recently interviewed by Carolyn Elliott on her Super Connectors Podcast where I shared how I create authentic, trust-based relationships, and my favorite strategies for nurturing a high-powered network the intuitive dimension of super-connecting.
How Apple Can Improve Its Watch And Boost Sales
February 8, 2016, TechCrunch Apple isn’t releasing exact sales numbers, but some expert digging has led many to believe that sales of the Apple Watch haven’t reached expectations since its launch in spring 2015. Read the entire article here: https://techcrunch.com/2016/02/07/how-apple-can-improve-its-watch-and-boost-sales/
Tammi Leader Fuller, CAMPOWERMENT
Tammi is the Chief Empowerment Officer of CAMPOWERMENT, a transformational weekend sleep-away camp for grown women hailed by Oprah and MORE Magazines, the TODAY Show, FOX News, the NY and LA Times as THE place to reboot your life in just 72 hours. Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-tammi-leader-fuller
The 4 Tech Trends That Will Explode in 2016
January 25, 2016, Inc. These cutting-edge, scalable trends are attracting not only lots of investment, but also great talent — which are two of the key drivers behind any successful startup.
Klayton of Cell Dweller
Klayton is the artist behind the acclaimed one-man musical project Celldweller, and is a multi-instrumentalist, artist, producer, songwriter, performer, programmer and remixer. Listen to the entire podcast here: https://allaccessradio.libsyn.com/kelli-richards-interviews-klayton-of-celldweller
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.
Kelli’s monthly newsletters are her direct line of communication to clients and friends. Each edition includes a personal note, an overview of recent activities, book recommendations, and more.
Some past newsletters are included on this page. To become part of this community, and to receive the most current communications from Kelli, you can sign up by clicking the button below.
We’re thrilled to have you join us!
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.