how to be an entrepreneur

Office Party Etiquette: Drinking Like a Fish

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Today we continue advising you poor souls still walking the corporate halls on how to nail office party etiquette. Sad, but true, you must get along with your co-workers and you must wear more than a bathrobe to work. I feel for you, I really do….

So . . . you’re known to enjoy a beverage or two from time-to-time. Okay….

You’re known to enjoy a beverage or ten . . .

OUCH!

What you do at your holiday office party is strangely treated as “typical” behavior. And unfortunately for many careers, much of this behavior is somehow caught on film. It used to be that people used cameras. Now everyone and their monkey thinks it’s clever to video . . . everything.

You can’t stop the YouTube monkeys.

The consequence of all that footage is a surprising glut of material. The unintended consequence is that a future employer can google you, which he/she WILL DO, and he/she will find the ONE time you were a total jack-a** at your company’s holiday party. You will be forever labeled as a drunk/idiot/out-of-control wreck, etc.

Don’t believe me? Read the Financial Times Career column, this question comes up all the time from potential employers. It goes something like this:

I googled our best candidate for the new position and found a picture of her in a leather outfit. Everyone in the office saw her photo and they now call her the S&M girl. Now everyone is talking about her. I’m afraid if I do hire her that she won’t be taken seriously. What do you recommend….

No kidding, that was a real one from 2008, maybe 2007. The responses form other employers made it so memorable to me that I share it here. The reality is, that candidate just got the smack down because of a Halloween photo. THAT IS TOTALLY UNFAIR, but that’s the way it goes. Everyone recommended that she not be hired. Even though she was the top candidate prior to the photo discovery.

We are human beings, not logical creatures. If we were based on logic, we wouldn’t watch sports and we wouldn’t buy 99% of the junk that gets sold to us. Men and Women alike.

So, acknowledge that you share this planet with other human beings and all of our glorious frailties. When you are tempted to have another drink at your holiday party . . .

nike_swoosh_tattoo_MM

Stop at 2 for the ladies, 3 for the gentlemen. You’re being watched by your bosses and your bosses spouses. Remember, the losers have nothing better to do than to talk about your transgressions later and if one of them is feeling left behind (usually a corporate wifey), watch your back.

See the ridiculous tattoos that your mother warned you against….

Office Party Etiquette Gem from the Past

Put on those party shoes, but leave the drinking liver at home. Remember you’ll be judged not just by your behavior at the party, but by your behavior leaving the party. If you are wobbly, call a friend or CALL A CAB. Seriously. Please. To save your precious tush and your career.

XOXO,
-Miss Mentor

Behind the scenes with entrepreneurs – April Braswell

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It’ finally here! – A one-on-one interview with April Braswell, relationship expert and online dating coach.  In this first part, we’ll hear how she was able to develop herself into the entrepreneurial woman she is today. This will be a 7-parter, so if you enjoy please keep checking back for more.

Also a little side note, this is my first video. So please be kind 😉 . Any suggestions to improve the video are welcomed. To begin the video, click on the link below.

Behind the Scenes with Entrepreneurs

Behind the scenes of being an entrepreneur

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I recently interviewed April Braswell – Dating Expert and Online Dating Coach – as well as lost my IPOD. These may seem like 2 unrelated events, but with the loss of my IPOD I’ve been consequently listening to music less. I really do miss having a soundtrack to my life, but with less music blaring in my ears, my brain has made room for more thoughts. Substantial thoughts -thoughts that I had previously pushed to the back of my mind so I could blast more CSS in my ears and work out.

The main thought has been planting seeds.

Not the farming kind, but the figurative kind. Seeds that you plant today (mini-wealth building projects, acquiring new skills, building relationships with others, etc..) that will one day lead to bear fruit or not. In my interview with April, I aimed to pick the mind of an entrepreneur and see how she viewed herself as well her path to success. Her humble and warm nature made her easy to relate to, and she really showed that the word “CEO” or “President” are just words for people who’ve failed constantly but kept going.

She also emphasized the benefits of sowing many seeds. Plenty of seeds give you more chance of bearing more fruit, and like farming, not all seeds will turnout worth while. The ones that do will be the wealth builders, and the ones that don’t will be the learning experiences.

I love this philosophy, but applying it is a different thing. Her words definitely gave me some lingering thoughts. For instance, after I’ve chosen my “seeds” and planted them, how do I know when to keep going and when to see that the seed just won’t produce? I can be too persistent at times, but I guess that is part of the learning process.

I think I may just wait a bit longer to get a new IPOD. One because I am allowing myself a proper mourning  for my music. And two so that I can keep these thoughts growing and come up with a formula to success which will work for me. In the meantime, keep a look out for April’s interview and her advice on how to be an entrepreneur and her path to success – coming Tuesday, October 6th!