Find Your Nerve

What a Year it Has Been

Find Your Nerve — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 05:00:55 +0000

Invigorating. Challenging. Frightening. Exciting. Discouraging. I wouldn't be surprised if everyone in business experienced all of those emotions (and more) over the past twelve months (fifteen, really. Okay, eighteen). Few of us want to see a repeat of 2009 anytime soon.

Finding the Nerve to Walk the Walk

Find Your Nerve — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 05:00:05 +0000

This past year, the frisson of entrepreneurial terror has chilled us on a daily basis, driven by pessimistic news reports, reduced budgets, imploding marketing departments, disappearing client CMOs, evaporating opportunities and more. The talking heads entreat us to save our nickels, cut every corner and hunker down until the deep freeze is past and the economy thaws. But what to do in the two-year interim?

Values-Based Nerve

Find Your Nerve — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 05:00:40 +0000

The great thing about having rock solid core values is that you have them to fall back on in challenging times. At Luck Stone, our four values are: Leadership, Integrity, Commitment and Creativity.

Never Turn Back

Find Your Nerve — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:00:31 +0000

In the summer of 2008, Merrimack Valley Habitat for Humanity, an independent affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, made the largest investment in its history, purchasing an empty, one-hundred-year old former convent to be converted into affordable housing for 12 struggling families.

The Nerve of Understanding Value

Find Your Nerve — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:00:27 +0000

Part of why I think we experienced continued growth through the downturn — approximately 40% growth in 2009 — was because we retained our focus on continuous improvement. We weren't sitting idly by awaiting what might happen to us; we were placing bets on important new services that were in demand and on technology that could reduce our costs.

The Nerve To Live The Life You Want

Find Your Nerve — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 05:00:58 +0000

I remember the moments as though they just happened. The first occurred following a 25-mile bike ride with a friend.

I was enjoying a very successful career at Merrill Lynch and had reached the point where I could go on autopilot and my practice would take care of my family and me in an economic fashion that I could have only dreamt of. At the time I was in the midst of deciding if I should leave to start a new business. Could I take such a risk with a wife, a six year old son and a three year old daughter?

No Such Thing as an Overnight Success

Find Your Nerve — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 05:00:06 +0000

In April of this year (2009), the financial services company I worked for declared bankruptcy. It was sad to leave the team I had built and to deconstruct the great work we had done together, but what a time to Find Your Nerve.

Finding Your Nerve After You’ve Lost It

Find Your Nerve — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 05:00:37 +0000

I didn't think it would happen to me. But, six months ago, I found myself on the outside looking in. I was a casualty of Microsoft's decision to reduce its global workforce by 5,000 employees. I was now counted as one of the millions who never thought that they would be unemployed, who never thought they would be standing in an unemployment line, who never thought twice about losing their nerve.

Weather the Storm Together: Associate with others to find and keep your nerve…

Find Your Nerve — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 05:00:44 +0000

When sea kayaking in rough waters, paddlers spread out and struggle to stay in their boat. It is human nature to hunker down in a storm, but the experienced paddlers understand the value in staying close and are always looking ahead to understand the now and spot the next.

Building a Marketing Asset (take the red pill)

Find Your Nerve — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:00:20 +0000

Assets are good.

Stocks that you sell high and buy low. Home prices that grow year after year. A Mickey Mantle rookie card.

Can you tell an asset from a liability?

Rebuilding Confidence

Find Your Nerve — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 05:00:23 +0000

I've never been a good student. I've never felt smart and I've often felt like I have no idea what I'm really doing. I suspect that I must be doing something wrong otherwise how could it be so easy? My mind spins with thoughts of "How could someone that was always told by the education system they were a C or D student actually be smart enough to really teach CEOs how to grow companies?"

The Nerve to Fail Harder

Find Your Nerve — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 05:00:19 +0000

In my experience nerve is something that propels you forward rather than a defense that you rely on in the face of trouble. Obviously you may still be fearful of the risks you take, but fortunately nerve compels you to keep going. As such, it’s the key to untold possibilities.

Nerve

Find Your Nerve — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:00:30 +0000

Sometimes I think people, companies, and entire industries lose their nerve to innovate, to push the envelope. As a bestselling novelist, I've seen such stagnancy within the book publishing industry. It's a billion-dollar industry that has been around for more than a century. It has enormous clout and advantages within the world of retail. And yet, sales are flat and many people in the industry seem to believe that books are doomed.

The Nerve of Commitment

Find Your Nerve — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:00:17 +0000

Getting my nerve has meant maintaining my confidence and commitment to my vision. During these times it has been extremely difficult, yet at the same time, extremely imperative. I don't think I can point to a single successful company or person that has lacked confidence or commitment. More days than not, they are the only things that get you through to the next day.

Nerve and Faith

Find Your Nerve — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 05:00:07 +0000

National economic trends tend to hit New Mexico about four to six months after they hit the east coast.

Our "recession" didn't really start in earnest until the summer months. As planned, I diversified our exposure by servicing clients in different sectors. Joke was on me, they were all impacted!