Yes, it’s true, and the gist of the story is here on Being Latino. Hindsight is said to be 20/20, though for some it often remains a little fuzzy, in that endearing, oh-well kind of way.
What’s your life’s work?
You can find more Global Misfitry on the Global Business Examiner column. Should be fun times. See you there!
I was inspired to think about my entrepreneurial roots earlier this week, after meeting fabulous Broadway producer, Steven Chaikelson. Clearly speaking from personal experience (do you remember his musical stage production of the popular Tom Hanks film, Big?), Steven wisely reminded us that all entrepreneurs will have flops and the trick is to learn how to bounce back. Continue reading
This evening I attended my first theatre class at Columbia. The professor is a producer. Of course, not just any producer but an absolute rockstar producer that also happens to have a law degree and experience ranging from Les Miserables to the Lion King. Continue reading
For more years than I’d like to admit, I’ve been telling my staff, my clients and anyone that would listen, that nothing is more important in business than the ability to craft and tell a good STORY.
After a mini-digital fast this weekend, I came back online this morning and noticed a slick new Facebook feature. On the upper right hand side of my screen I spotted an interesting post that served as a reminder of how happy I can sometimes be when I navel-gaze. Why call it navel-gazing? Because it turns out the witty post was my own, from this day in 2010, and in it I said…
“Be your own messiah, girl.” Continue reading
Do Crowdsourcing, SEO and Social Media mean THE END?
I know, I know, the end is near! But last month I gave a talk on how the world of translation is going through big changes with the advent of crowdsourcing, search and social media…and let me give you a hint, we’re all probably going to survive this rapture too.
But make no mistake, the picture isn’t all roses and loveliness. In fact it’s easier than ever to get caught with your pants down online, which means it’s more important than ever to partner with people who will watch your back for you. Here’s the rough transcript of the talk for anyone who agrees with my friends who say I speak too fast and can’t hold a microphone to save my life:
I’m a glutton for punishment, so here we go again…the lovely folks at Ignite will be letting me on their stage once more for the next Ignite in NYC, on June 8th. Come and geek out with me and the other fab speakers during Internet week!
The topic will be new, focusing instead this time on Translation 2.0…hoping to give some insight on how not to get caught with your proverbial pants down by covering the brave new world of translation in this world of social media, crowdsourcing and search marketing (SEM). You can have a sneak a peek at some of the thinking here in my latest Lionbridge blog post.
Yesterday I attended a workshop called Influencing the Headlines in Silicon Valley with the rather fabulous people at NewsCertified Exchange, I could (and may) write ten different pieces on the experience, but for now I’ll start with something I was pretty intrigued to learn existed.
In my struggle to explain what I do concisely, I sometimes simply say “I help people do business abroad,” which more than one person has assumed meant etiquette training. I’m always amused by that reaction because it tends to result in the telling of some comedy of errors that the person either lived through or witnessed when traveling. Reliably fun (at someone else’s expense, good times).
Then of course comes the disappointment of explaining that, in fact, no, I don’t teach etiquette and sadly – given many of my experiences with people in big business – I don’t think anyone does anymore.
Or so I thought. Yesterday I met a business owner (in business for 17 years) who teaches what she calls “Advanced Etiquette,” have a look at Syndi Seid on CBS News.
Woah…how fabulously retro is that? Or is it?
On the flight back last night I got to thinking of Syndi and her business; debating with myself about how relevant something like etiquette really is these days. The term came into fashion during the Victorian age, a time and set of values that I confess I regard with about as much respect as foot binding. Yeah, not so much.
But then a few hours later as I walked my pup to the nearby dog park, I think I’ve decided I’m a believer.
You see, at the dog park we all follow a long list of unwritten rules, whether it’s carefully entering the park through the double doors (always keeping one closed to avoid escapes), gently removing the enthusiastic cocker spaniel from whatever it happens to be mounting or politely pointing out when someone missed a poop that need scooping…we follow dog park etiquette. And as a result, we all get to live notably less smelly, chaotic and more peaceful dog park experiences. Yay us.
Until someone doesn’t.
We had one of those moments today, when a newbie thought he was being polite by holding the inner gates open as someone with three dogs was entering through the exterior gate. He couldn’t figure out why everyone around him suddenly stopped, and the guy he was being ‘polite’ to retreated and frantically closed the exterior gate, with one dog inside and the other two outside. It was momentary chaos, I swear I think all the dogs in the park went silent. The poor guy got some good glares, a couple audible sighs and lastly, the newbie was told to “close the gate! You’re not supposed to open both, that’s why we have them!”
So he quickly closed it, the barking resumed and the moment of collective panic ended. I’m pretty sure his dog filed his tail between his legs in embarrassment. Then they both quietly scurried away, as if they’d just been voted off the island.
The thing is, just like any non-dog owner reading this post, I doubt the poor guy left with a clear understanding of the gross breach of etiquette, which means he’s likely to do it again or maybe he’ll change doggy parks to avoid further shame.
Doesn’t seem like a great way to learn rules (and yes, I concede, doggy folks can be a little dramatic)…and it leaves me thinking that we have just as many rules as the crazy Victorians did, they’re just different now. Furthermore, I suspect there is just as much room in the world for a few rocking etiquette coaches, they just need to be different now too.
I wonder if Syndi’s down with dog parks?
My friend Michaela Murphy, a world-class storyteller and brilliant creative talent in the space of audience engagement, told me once about her “aha” moment about social media and the internet. After struggling with the technology aspect for many years, she had a breakthrough one day when it hit her that this was all just another stage, and that the secrets behind engaging people online are no different from the ones for engaging an audience when you’re on stage.
I keep going back to Michaela’s moment when I see people making painful (and costly) mistakes. And this is not to make anyone look bad (in fact, go see this play if you’re in NYC!) but instead to remind us all that it’s never good to get caught with your pants down, online or off.
I was (and am still) very excited to learn through the Hedgebrook network that this brilliant play’s run in NYC has been extended through June, especially as my April calendar is already bursting at the seams. But upon heading straight to the ticketing website I found that I can’t actually buy tickets 
A brick and mortar art Gallery owner wouldn’t think of posting signs about an opening today if she didn’t have something ready to show this evening, right? We’re so busy preparing for the bad stuff, we sometimes forget to prepare for the best case scenario. In this case, everything worked as you’d hope…great news breaks, people spread the word and an excited theater-goer wants nothing more than to go buy herself some tickets! But she can’t.
Which leads me to another important reminder that more or less negates everything above. If you’re good enough, people (like me) will wait for you to get your storefront ready. Which of course means, if you’re doing good work, your mistakes will be forgiven (and perhaps used to spread the word farther). Even impatient people like me.
