Control Your Personal Brand by Haney Sweda

Yes, you have a personal brand.  Everything you do or do not do has an impact on your brand image.  Take control of our personal brand, if you do not, you risk the peril of others defining the who, what, why, where and how of your life.  


Remember you are the brand, be confident, positive and all ways present yourself professionally.  You never know who may be watching and listening.  That person you impressed at the grocery or the department store may be a potential client, job interview or your child's future teacher or principal.   The fact that you held the door for others to enter; or that you gave up a parking space; or how you introduce yourself; or your reaction to an adverse public situation, all of these define you as a brand.


With the internet and social networking, everything, regardless of location or setting, will impact you personally. Start by Google-ing your name and review the results, you may be pleased or shocked.  Anything posted to the internet or social networks about you is there forever, so be careful in what you post, say, do or what other people post say or do with your name or photos.  Stephanie Fierman's  class and the summary of the class at The CMO Site on personal brand guarding, detail specific actions to take to control and guard your on line brand. 

Be you, but remember you are the BRAND!

Reflecting on Steve Jobs' Words of Wisdom - Jeff Dyer and Hal Gregersen - Harvard Business Review

Reflecting on Steve Jobs' Words of Wisdom - Jeff Dyer and Hal Gregersen - Harvard Business Review

Great discussion on Jobs' philosophy, on life and what it takes to succeed.

Content marketing, its not science or a heal all, its simply good business. by Haney Sweda

 Define - Content marketing is an umbrella term encompassing all marketing formats that involve the creation or sharing of content for the purpose of engaging current and potential consumer bases. Content marketing subscribes to the notion that delivering high-quality, relevant and valuable information to prospects and customers drives profitable consumer action. Content marketing has benefits in terms of retaining reader attention and improving brand loyalty

Historically we delivered the marketing message via some sort of advertising, TV, radio, print, which can get pricey or via a free media press, with no real control over the broadcast message.  This type of message was "pushing" the information to the consumer.  Once the message is broadcast the business, hopes and prays that the message worked and that the consumer whether B2C or B2B will respond,  then we measure the results, determine adjustments and do it over and over again changing the message per our measurement results.

Content marketing, takes information,  that all businesses have in inventory, leverages that information to the consumers advantage.  By providing the information the business "pulls" the consumer in, gains trust and a level of expertise, thus the business develops a relationship to that consumer.  A relationship that will bear fruit laterally and in the long-term.

Funny, but I get asked over and over again, when consulting with clients, “Where will we get the content?”. Its as if the business owners have lost site of their own business, like content marketing has caused them some kind of amnesia. The majority of the content exits within the business. Yes, it may need to be packaged or rewritten for content marketing delivery.  But the content or message is not magic, its the content or messages you have been telling your good loyal customers, your staff and your friends.  It is content that all good and savvy business people know and teach about their business.  

I spent years owning/operating in the food and beverage industry. I can recall countless times speaking to my staff(s) and customers, regarding their happiness or contentment with our place. If I were still in that industry, there is a significant portion of the content that I would use to market my business.  

Content marketing allows the small, medium or large business to spread the word the word that for a long time was shared only in staff meetings or with the bestest best customer or with your friends.  Content marketing spreads the word about your good business practices. 

The Golden Ticket to Personal Financial Responsibility by Haney Sweda

Today, with our economy in disarray, it is vital to arm yourself with the tools for financial responsibility.  The dynamic process of monitoring and evaluating your financial position can be achieved through five easy steps;

1.          Assess – know your current position.  How much do you have; how much do you owe?  A balance sheet – lists all your assets (home, car(s), belongings, bank accounts, stocks, other real estate, etc.); list all your debts (mortgage, auto loan(s), credit cards, other loans, etc.).  How much do profit or lose? An income statement – lists all your income (salary, interest, dividends, other, etc.); list all your expenses (payments mortgage and car loans, groceries, utilities, insurance, clothing, entertainment, households, etc.).
2.          Set goals – Know where you are going? Both short and long term.  Examples – Short term; increase savings account by a required amount each week/month; reduce monthly expenses.  Long term; buy a house; trade your car; have a certain amount saved by a specific age or for your child’s college.
3.         Create the plan – Get from current position to your goal!  The plan should detail the route from the assessment to your short and long term goals.  How are you going to afford the new house/car; the amount you will save on a weekly/monthly basis; the additional income from a second job or new job; the sale of items you own, etc..  This plan is your budget.
4.         Stick to your plan – Discipline, consistency and perseverance.  Once you complete steps 1-3, the hard work starts, you will encounter situations that tempt you; deals on financing a house or car that may seem attractive, but require you to adjust your goals; sales on “wants” – a new LCD TV or other electronics; and many other obstacles, if you did not plan on it have the discipline, consistency and perseverance to follow your plan/budget. (Note, emergency’s happen, that require a plan budget adjustment, emergency’s are medical, death, or  maybe a major purchase not expected new HVAC or car repair, these you will have to adjust your plan/budget)
5.     .    Monitor /reevaluate – As you execute your plan to achieve your goals, watch look and listen.  Things change, the key is to have a plan and incorporate these changes, therefore no surprise. 

There is no Golden Ticket to financial responsibility; there is common sense and hard decisions.  It can be made easier with the use of personal accounting software; most banks that offer on line banking will supply you with free personal accounting software like Quicken.   

Cautious Investing. by Haney Sweda

The economy had been growing robustly.. It was a technological boom as innovations of the new industries dominated the economy. Companies that had pioneered these advances, saw their value soar. Financial corporation’s also did well as Wall Street bankers floated companies. Investors were infatuated with the returns available in the stock market.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average stood at a level that all analysts’ said was low as compared to corporate profits. Then it became clear that the economy was contracting and the stock market went through a series of volatile declines. These declines fed investor anxiety and events soon came to a head. Then in a matter of 2 days the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell approximately 25% and would lose 40% in a matter of two weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average would not regain the high levels for 25 years.

This is a general description of financial affairs, but it is not of the occurrences of the past two weeks, it is of the affairs leading into October 24th, 1929 BLACK THURSDAY.
Will history repeat?

Real Product for Restaurants, Bars and Nightclubs? by Haney Sweda

The menu may include appetizers, salad, sandwiches, seafood, chicken, pork, steak, beverages both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, desert, etc.,  reality is these are the indirect products, for restaurants, bars and nightclubs.  Memories! that is the real product.

The customer's choice to utilize your establishment to record a date, birthday party, team function, prom night, family event, etc., results in a memory.  It is the responsibility of the establishment to ensure that each customer has a memorable experience.  Selling memories is a difficult proposition and each member of the staff must realize that a memory is subjective.

The moment the customer arrives in the parking lot the experience begins; Is the parking lot well landscaped, lit, clean; Is the front entrance attended with smiles and greetings; Are the restrooms clean, not just picked up but thoroughly clean;  Is the establishment organized, prepared and operating efficiently?  The small items matter! And the consumer notices them.  The consumer wakes up the next day and they have two things to recall the experience at your establishment a receipt and a Memory!

Power of Optimism by Haney Sweda

As a husband, father, friend, business owner, employer, coach, motivator; the power of optimism is the key to achievement.  I am reminded of a quote by Helen Keller - "Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement." 




The confidence you can instill in others through optimism is contagious.  Hope regarding the future; success is forthcoming; this will be sopped up like gravy on a biscuit.  Even in the worst of situations find one thing, item or thought to be optimistic.  That one optimistic thread will fester and bloom into good.  That good will grow and prosper.  


Your family, friends, employees, co-workers, team  will be invigorated by your optimism which will lead to achievement.  Achievement that can only be brought about with an optimistic outlook.