The holidays are coming. You know it. I know it. I see Christmas lights going up faster that lightning strikes, and people have started asking me, “Bought your kids any gifts yet?” I have. But before I planned what I’d buy for my family, I thought of what I’d buy for myself. This goes against [...]

It’s the end of 2011. Smart people are already making plans for the coming year. (The lazy and stupid are getting complacent for the holidays.) I’ve got news for you: The coming year? It’s YOUR year. Introducing the Men with Pens Insanity Sale – a one-time event now extended to January 2, 2012! You might [...]

Ladies and gentlemen, I have done it. I have found the ultimate secret to success. The magic bullet, if you will. It’s a precise method that takes you from where you are now (nowhere) to where you want to be (pool side, surrounded by beautiful individuals and sipping on something that’ll get you very intoxicated). [...]

Everyone’s heard they need an elevator pitch. This pitch is supposed to be less than ten seconds, but it should be so compelling that your elevator companion immediately goes wide-eyed and captivated, clasps your hand and declares that they’ve never needed anything so much as they need you and your services, right now. In an [...]

You probably read that title and thought of your most recent vow of commitment – a course, or your business, or your marketing, or that thing you’ve been putting off. And you probably thought, “Hell yeah! I’m definitely committed!” I’m sorry to say that you’re probably not. Think of all those New Years’ promises people [...]

There are days I get tired of hearing about all the techy stuff I’m supposed to learn – and keep in mind, I’m already pretty savvy. It’s not that I don’t like to learn – I do. But it seems there’s so much we’re being told to learn… and each day, something new is added [...]

Remember kindergarten? For every goal you reached, like writing your name or finally spelling C-A-T, you got a gold star or a new pencil. In grade school, there were Principal Awards and End of Year Prizes. In college, you earned certificates of merit, achievement prizes, and academic scholarships. Even in the nine-to-five grind, it’s still [...]

Launches are a nightmare. I’d heard this from peers who’ve been through them but only actually discovered it firsthand when I recently opened the doors to Damn Fine Words, my writing course. I was confident. I was ready. Everything was all set… And then it all hit the fan. Not that anyone noticed. In fact, [...]

The common cold. It’s unavoidable and inevitable, no matter how many precautions you take. One morning, you’ll wake up feeling stuffy, achy and just plain rotten, and you’ll wish you could stay in bed while someone cares for you with hot tea and soup. But you’re self-employed. Work’s waiting. Clients have emailed you. They’re expecting [...]

This week, my kiddo had her first day of school, and we both were feeling a touch emotional knowing she was headed off to Grade One (albeit for far different reasons). It was a big change and a great unknown. And as I waved goodbye at the bus stop, I thought about how much facing [...]