A friend send me a link to an article from Forbes Magazine about Corporate Cliches today that really hit home for me. I spent 15 years working in the corporate environment, much of that along side Accenture consultants, so I literally knew and probably used about all of them! Which makes me laugh and is a great reminder of how glad I am that I am no longer in that environment of corporate blah, blah, blah. I always enjoyed (actually enjoyed making fun of) the crazy excessive use of these cliche’s that nobody uses anywhere except corporate america! I used to call them the “comfort food of corporate america,” but upon further thought I’ve decided to call them “Corporate Porno.” Why did I change it? Well, I felt it needed to be a stronger statement and I really think “corporate porno” is more accurate. Here’s the thing:

“Neither really serves any purpose except to make us feel good when we’re not getting what we really want.”

Corporate Porno is just amazing in how it actually works. It just plain makes people feel good! Whenever someone hit’s play on the corporate porno, everyone just feels better. It does not matter (one damn bit!) what is being discussed, it simply gives everyone common ground and makes everyone feel like they are all “on the same page.” Well, OK, yeah, I just used some corporate porno.

What does this have to do with anything?

Well, as I was reading all 89 of those little ditties, it made me think about one fo the decisions I made that allowed me to launch my dream life.

I decided to be myself.

Unfortunately, in the corporate world, you can’t always be yourself. That may be one of the reasons people tend to be so unhappy there. However, as an entrepreneur, you MUST be yourself. You have to be relaxed and genuine. It’s the only way to build trust.

And with all the NOISE and chatter going on with social media, everybody and their chiropractor having a blog and the 600 digital cable channels, you damn well better be exuding some personality!

My company is about building brands around PEOPLE. People have personalities, they have idiosyncrasies, and they are not perfect. That’s what makes them people and that that’s what makes people like them. So, you absolutely MUST be yourself! That is your biggest asset.

Your personality sets you apart from big, corporate giants and that is a very good thing. It’s not easy to be yourself publicly, trust me, it’s been one of my biggest challenges. But the fact remains that people like, trust and want to work with me way more when I’m myself. Right now, that is the single biggest advantage I believe I have going for me.

Yes, being yourself will indeed scare some people away and that’s OK. I’m sure just putting the word “porno” in the title of this blog post will scare some people away. But I truly believe that more people will be attracted to the genuine nature of what I’m saying here.

So, put away the porno, relax, be yourself and say what you really mean. It’s cool. Chill. 🙂

What is your favorite corporate cliche?

Image Credit: Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash

There is a huge misconception out how you start up a business. I’m going to unveil it right now. The misconception is this:

“If I’m going to start up a business, I have to quit my job, invest my life savings, take a second mortgage on my house and ‘hope like hell’ that it works.”

If that’s true, it’s no wonder our economy is suffering and there are so many people working in full-time jobs that they don’t like and aren’t fulfilling them.

But it is absolutely not true. Today is different. This is how you start a business in 2012:

1. Build a passionate and engaged following of people around your expertise.
2. Ask them what they need help with.
3. Sell it to them.

I believe so strongly in that principle that I built a company around it.

I love to run and the other day, I was running through an industrial area near my house in St. Louis, Missouri. The area I was running in is very industrial and most of the large warehouses and buildings were built around the turn of the century. I love running around there because I find the history and architecture to be so wonderful and inspirational. It always makes me think about what it must have been like to build a business in 1895. Did they Google, “how to start a baby carriage factory?”

I am, however, certain they did research before starting their companies. They probably asked other business people what they wanted and needed. They probably asked local people what products and services they had to travel the farthest for. They probably did this by polling people on the street, asking them at church, or maybe worked with owners of similar or complimentary businesses to get access to their customers. Maybe they asked people who purchased certain products what they felt could be improved about them and set out to improve them. Who knows? But I’m sure they did some research about what products or services were needed in the area.

Back in that day, in St. Louis, and most major industrial areas, you didn’t travel far for your groceries, hardware, ice cream, or to get your shoes fixed. You did it in your neighborhood. So, if you are researching what business to open in a neighborhood, you simply started the business that was desired there.

Now, it’s 2012. Geographic barriers are gone. You now have the ability to create a community of people around your knowledge and expertise. Give them lots of great information and value and they will keep coming back for more. Then, all you have to do is ask them what they want. They will tell you. Then, you create it and sell it to them.

That’s actually quite the opposite of the myth! And furthermore, it’s not really a new concept. Successful businesses have been born out of people communicating their desires and businesses stepping up to fill the need for years. You can do the same.

So, I think we can put that old myth about dumping your life savings into a business to rest, cool?

Image Credit: Photo by Mohammad Rezaie on Unsplash