stevebuelow.com
"I've got a guy I'd like you to meet... " a friend told me. "The two of you have got to get together... you think so much alike... you have so much in common. You know, he's a self-made millionaire!" "Self-made...! Well, that certainly DOESN'T describe me," I said. "Oh c'mon, Steve. I know what you've done in your business career... don't be so modest!" Well, the truth is that honesty IS NOT modesty... and I was just being honest.… 
Every once in a while, we all need to get a second opinion... or maybe a third. An outside, objective perspective can sometimes bring real clarity to situations, and options and answers that we would otherwise overlook. Okay... okay... maybe we don't ALL need it... MAYBE it's just me. Wow... what if it IS just me? Anyway... I digress; so let me rephrase. Every once in a while, I really need to get a second opinion... and often a third. An outside, objective… 
Every ninety days or so, I get together with several of my mentors... along with a number of those who view me in the same light. The way it usually goes is that we converge on some great American city for the weekend... immerse ourselves in the exercise of personal growth and leadership... and forget all about everything we can't do... aren't doing... or haven't done. Last fall it was Denver... last weekend, Minneapolis/Saint Paul. Now imagine for a… 
I've made a lot of mistakes in business over the years. Most were pretty minor... but several were... let's just say, significant learning experiences. One of the biggest was that as we grew... and we added staff... there was a period of time where I allowed certain details to get away. After all, I had people who could handle those things now... so I moved down the hall. Previously, I had my office right up front... in the mix.
No doubt we're all familiar with the Golden Rule which states that we are to do unto others what we would have done unto us. There is also a counterpart, often described as the Platinum Rule, which advises that, when possible... do unto others what they would have done unto them. Of course, the first one we can always do... we know what we want. The second one, however, requires knowledge of the other party's wishes... which, of course, can get… 
Okay, quick... what was the first thought that came into your mind when you read that title? A) Peace B) Joy C) Happiness D) Excitement What... you say? You don't like the choices? Well, then... how about an incredibly professional and friendly staff... or a relaxed, caring, customer-centric environment? How about a dental office that is so on-time at 2 o'clock in the afternoon that the patient (me) never felt the fabric of a chair in the waiting area.… 
This past week, I had the opportunity to speak with an individual who was, to use his words... totally stressed out. Anxiety, pressure, fear, insomia, and anger... all were mentioned inside of twenty minutes. Oh, yeah... and freaked out was in there too. It seems the economy was threatening his job and that was threatening his finances which then threatened his attitude which spilled over and threatened his relationships and that was… 
So, yesterday I laid out seven reasons why so much of my time goes into thinking, writing, and teaching about Leadership and Marketing. I'll expand on the first two of those here, and pick up a few more in the next day or two. Like many others, there was probably a time when I thought they were two unrelated, totally distinct skills... although… 
Because I don't believe in putting all my eggs in one basket, I am involved in leadership roles in several ventures, and have had multiple irons in the fire since... well, pretty much forever. But one thing never changes... my focus on Leadership and Marketing. Recently, I was approached by someone who had spent a fair amount of time reading the articles here at stevebuelow.com. He stated that previously, he had never really put the two… 
So, a while back I attended a mini-seminar by an expert (consultant) on the internet, and it's effect on turning your product or service into a commodity... whatever it may be. Yes, he said... you are no different than anyone else in your industry... and all he had to do to prove it was to go online and spend eighteen and one half seconds on google. There are twenty-nine million others just like you, he said... and you better be on page one,… 
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