When Is The Right Time To Invest In Advertising?
A lot of business owners ask, “How do I know if it’s a good time to spend money on advertising for my business?” The answer can be complicated, but my rule of thumb is simple: it’s time to invest when your funnel is solid. What does it mean to have a “solid funnel”? First, let’s break it down. A marketing …
AI Won’t Replace Today’s Marketers, But Marketers Who Use AI Will
I have been following the explosion of conversations lately on whether AI will replace marketers. As marketers, we’re no strangers to change, but the impact of AI on our field is nothing short of revolutionary. Whether you’re in healthcare, legal, cannabis, or the wine and spirits industry, AI is reshaping how we connect with audiences, create content, and measure success. …
The GPT-4 Revolution: Exciting News For Marketers, but with a Human Caveat
If you have played around with GPT-4 for your marketing, you’re likely pretty excited about its capabilities. This advanced language model promises to revolutionize how we create content, engage with clients, and streamline our marketing efforts. The GPT-4 revolution is poised to transform the industry, but as with any groundbreaking technology, there’s a fine line between embracing innovation and losing …
How A Podcast Can Be Part Of Your Marketing Strategy
Are you thinking about integrating a podcast into your business’s marketing strategy? Let me tell you, it’s a decision worth making. Over the past several years, I’ve been hosting my own podcast, “Entrepreneur with Diane Moura,” and I have seen the benefits firsthand. Recently, my team had the pleasure of assisting one of our clients in launching their podcast, which …
The Importance Of Meeting IRL When You’re A Virtual Team
After 11 years of running a virtual company with my agency, ZenChange Marketing, I’ve learned a thing or two about the benefits and challenges of having a remote team. I’ve seen how being virtual can offer flexibility, diversity, and efficiency to both our team and our clients. But I also know that being virtual doesn’t need to mean being isolated. …
How Building a Website is Like Building a House
I am about to go down the path of buying a home and giving it a complete renovation. It’s a bit overwhelming, I must admit. But you know what’s funny? This whole process got me thinking—building a house is a lot like building a website, and I’m excited to share how these two seemingly different worlds are more alike than …
Have You Switched To ChatGPT As Your Search Engine?
In my opinion, 2024 is the year when generative AI will become embedded into most of our systems and tools. While last year, we may have all played around with ChatGPT, it was working off of old data and could not search online. With the integration of ChatGPT and Bing, that all changed. Now, as someone who has spent over …
From Bootstrapping To Fostering a Culture of Innovation With Platinum DJ & Tech CEO Peter Schroeder
Entrepreneur Peter Schroeder is a DJ with over 20 platinum records, 40 gold records, and a triple nomination for the Danish DJ Awards. He has played in front of audiences as large as 180,000 people. On top of that, Peter has over 20 years of experience working in leading-edge technologies for companies like Facebook, Samsung, and Airbnb. He is now …
Improving Organizational Performance With Dr. Margie Oleson
In the world of improving organizational performance through leadership and development, one name that stands out is Dr. Margie Oleson. With an impressive background working with notable brands like Target, Cargill, and Lockheed Martin, Dr. Oleson has dedicated her career to designing, delivering, and facilitating learning and development programs to improve team and organizational performance. In this blog, we engage …
10 Business Lessons We Can Learn from NCAA Football
Chad Price is an entrepreneur who translated his lessons from college football into a multi-million dollar exit from a Fortune 5000 sports startup, and is now coaching other startups on the keys to overcoming life’s challenges, unlocking your full potential, and building a successful business brand. In this blog, we dive into inspiration from the locker room, kettlebells, and building …
How To Build A 7-Figure Business Without Working In It
In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, entrepreneurs and professionals are constantly seeking innovative ways to streamline operations, reduce overhead costs, and gain a competitive edge. One powerful solution that has gained traction in recent years is the use of Virtual Assistants (VAs). These remote professionals can handle a wide range of tasks, enabling business owners to focus on strategic growth …
What is an Entrepreneurial Operating System?
Have you heard of a business running on an Entrepreneurial Operating System, or “EOS”? Discovering the right framework to drive business growth is a journey every entrepreneur embarks on. There are many operating systems used by successful businesses, but the one I use for my companies and for my clients is : the Entrepreneurial Operating System®, or EOS. This comprehensive …
What The Heck Is SEO?
As a business owner, you may have heard the term SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, and wondered, “What the heck is SEO?” In this blog post, we will demystify SEO and break it down into simple, actionable steps. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of what SEO is, why it matters, and how you can leverage it to …
Preparing Your Business For Web3: Embracing the Future of the Internet
As a business owner, it’s likely you’re thinking about preparing your business for Web3. The evolution of the internet has reached an exciting phase. As a business owner, it’s crucial to understand and adapt to this new paradigm. Web3 represents the next iteration of the internet, moving beyond the centralized control of Web2 and offering decentralized ownership, blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies, …
What is a Fractional CMO?
In today’s fast-paced business world, companies face numerous challenges when it comes to marketing their products or services effectively. The need for expert guidance and strategic direction is crucial to achieve growth and success. However, not every company has the resources or the requirement to hire a full-time chief marketing officer (CMO). That’s where the concept of a fractional CMO …
Content Marketing vs. Marketing Thought Leadership: What’s The Difference?
As a CEO, you’re typically expected to be the face of your company, setting it’s strategic direction together with your leadership team. You need to be on top of the changes in and threats to your industry, and optimally a little ahead of the curve. You’re ideally positioning yourself as a thought leader, and you’re putting out content, knowing that …
Key Takeaways From eMerge Americas 2023
Over the past couple of days, I attended the eMerge Americas 2023 conference in Miami. Having spent most of my past corporate career working on the marketing and business side of tech, I always love to nerd out on tech innovation, so this was definitely the place to be. Aside from the keynotes, the participation from every tech college and …
Revolutionizing Your Marketing Game with Web3: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide
Web3 marketing has become increasingly popular in the past couple of years as companies from all industries have begun exploring ways of doing business in this next generation of the internet. It has also given rise to new types of businesses. Some companies are still figuring out how to make the most of it, while others have earned returns that …
The Role of Empathy in Client Service and Customer Satisfaction
Over the course of my 35 years as a marketing and leadership consultant, I have witnessed the transformative effects of empathy firsthand. In recent years, business leaders have turned their attention to Emotional Intelligence, or EQ, often as it relates to managing a team. But it is an equally important trait when working with clients, and I have several thoughts …
The Benefits of Diverse Perspectives in the Workplace
Diversity is not just a buzzword or a box to check; it is a crucial ingredient for innovation and success in today’s complex and rapidly changing business environment. I have seen firsthand the benefits of diverse perspectives in the workplace over the years, in Fortune 500 companies, startups and small businesses. I have made it my mission to create a …
The Importance Of Marketing
Running a business is no easy feat. It takes a level of dedication, hard work, and patience that most aren’t ready for. Managing your business comes with many challenges, including one of the most critical factors that will help your business grow and flourish, marketing. Often we’d like to take the reigns in all areas of our business, but in …
Are You Neglecting The Middle Of Your Sales Funnel?
Are you neglecting the middle of your sales funnel? Many people neglect this area because they feel they have already laid down a good enough foundation by getting prospects to inquire or buy something on the front end. But what if I told you the middle of your sales funnel is not only important, it’s the most critical stage of …
Which 2022 small business trend predictions are proving true?
Curious about which small business trend predictions are turning out to be true in 2022? Read on! Although the greater societal challenges such as supply chain issues and The Great Resignation had a significant impact on the entire business environment, there are other predictions that we are seeing prove true for small businesses this year: Rise of data …
Supporting Black-Owned Businesses
There are thousands of small, diverse businesses that people run from all walks of life, including Black-owned businesses. We honor these businesses across the nation, not only during Black Business Month but throughout the year. Around 10% of enterprises in the United States and 30% of all minority-owned firms are owned by people who identify as black. The U.S. …
Blockchain 101: What Is It And How Does It Work?
What is blockchain? Blockchain technology is a digital ledger that stores data in an encrypted, decentralized network. It’s used to record transactions between two parties without the need for a third-party intermediary. It’s most commonly associated with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, but it has uses across many industries. Blockchain is essentially a decentralized database that allows users to store information without …
Crypto 101: Things You Need To Know
Cryptocurrency, or “crypto” for short, is a digital currency that operates on a decentralized network. It’s created by a series of computers solving complex math problems in order to create new coins and verify transactions. Crypto is a digital asset, or a form of money that exists only online. Meaning, it’s not physically tangible, like most traditional currencies, but it …
DAO 101
A Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) is an organization without a central leader. It is a self-organizing entity with no top-down control. This means that it’s governed by a group of people, working together to make decisions that are made by the community. Decisions are made from the bottom-up and run on a blockchain, which stores information that is tamper-proof and …
DeFi 101
Decentralized finance (DeFi) is a decentralized version of traditional finance. It allows users to borrow and lend money without relying on third parties. By eliminating the need for a central bank and clearinghouses, DeFi uses blockchain technology to enable peer-to-peer transactions. DeFi allows users to create and manage their own decentralized applications, which differ from traditional banking, where you need …
Metaverse 101: Why You Should Care
The Metaverse is a blockchain-based virtual reality platform where you can create, experience, and monetize your own unique virtual world. It allows users to create their own virtual space, called an Avatar Hub, where they can interact with other Avatars and even make money. Users can create their own avatars and decorate their hub with items they purchase from the …
NFT 101
NFT stands for Non-Fungible Token, which is a type of digital asset designed to ensure ownership rights and transferability of unique assets. They are also called digital collectibles. A fungible token is one in which the value of a given asset is determined by its unique identity, as opposed to a non-fungible token, in which the value is derived from …
Web3.0 101: Some Fundamentals You Need To Know
Web3.0 is the next generation of web applications, where the user experience is built on open-source APIs. It allows for the development of decentralized applications, which are software programs that run on the blockchain rather than a centralized server. It is an architectural approach to building applications that allows developers to use a standard set of tools and protocols to …
Why I’m bullish on marketing in the metaverse?
Technology is rapidly evolving and changing. We are witnessing previously unimaginable innovations. Metaverses impact the internet as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) become more popular. In 2021, it was expected that approximately 85 million users would engage in at least one AR or VR experience per month. What are its implications for social media, PR, and digital marketing? …
What’s All The Buzz About Web 3 Marketing?
In the world of tech, media, or marketing, you’ve probably heard about Web 3. When sorting through all the hype about future versions of the internet, it can be difficult to distinguish between myths and reality. More importantly, you may be wondering, “How could Web 3 impact my business?” This post will look at the questions companies are starting to …
Networking Muscle Memory
I just spent the past ten days on a beach tour road trip with my family, dog, and all. It was incredibly relaxing and very much needed after keeping ourselves locked inside for so long. A couple of weeks before we left, I had started a power zone training program on Peloton that was designed to improve my fitness. It’s …
What If We Dropped The BS In Our Feedback?
Last week I was on the panel for a pitch competition hosted by CIC and Blue Tech. Think of a pitch competition like Shark Tank only without the money. But this one was a little different. We still had several founders pitching their startups as though they were going in front of VCs, but after some preparation, we were instructed …
Authenticity: The Secret Sauce To Business Growth
Miriam-Webster defines authentic as “true to character, real and worthy of belief”. The urban dictionary, which my teenage daughter tells me she would prefer I keep away from, defines authentic as “being true to your own nature in the face of pressures to conform to local norms”, or “being all real and not about the fake stuff”. You probably feel …
Time Saving Tips For Entrepreneurs
Back in 1989, Steven Covey published the seminal work, “The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People”. Working in corporate America at the time, we were all sent to Covey training in order to embrace the 7 habits. Having suffered from being a workaholic my entire career, to be honest, the only thing I remember from that class was the quote, …
What Does Freedom Mean For An Entrepreneur?
We just celebrated the 4th of July which is about our country’s independence and freedom. As entrepreneurs, we celebrate freedom every day. I know we tend to feel stressed and overworked a lot so it’s important to remember and appreciate why we chose this path. Today I’d like to reflect on the many freedoms of an entrepreneur. Freedom to …
Growing Your Business By Simplifying Your Processes
If you’re like most small business owners, your typical day is spent delivering the services that make money for your company, fighting fires, answering emails, trying to make it through your “to do” list, and then mindlessly scrolling through social media reading updates when your tired mind turns to mush at the end of the day. You know you should …
Efficiency Tips For Entrepreneurs
Back in 1989, Steven Covey published the seminal work, “The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People”. Working in corporate America at the time, we were all sent to Covey training in order to embrace the 7 habits. Having suffered from being a workaholic my entire career, to be honest, the only thing I remember from that class was the quote, …
Are You Drowning In Busy?
I have a simple reflection for you today. Are you drowning in busy? Here are three questions to ask yourself in case you’re not sure: When do you cross a task off of your list? When it’s done? When do you feel satisfied with the work you’ve done? How do you feel about multitasking? Multitasking is your best friend You focus …
The Worst Networking 1-1s
With the increasing availability of vaccines, I think we’re all starting to see a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, it will soon be possible to once again connect with people in person. Hopefully, that will mean a return to more social happy hours with colleagues. But after working virtually for all this time, we’ll likely end up with …
Is It Possible To Clone An Entrepreneur?
If you’re like most entrepreneurs I know, you’d like to be more efficient. You know that if you’re able to free up more of your time you’ll be able to grow your business, find ways to reduce cost, and increase your sales. Heck, you might even get to see your family now and again! Today I’d like to talk to …
A New Look At Vision For Growth
The Oxford dictionary defines vision as “the ability to think about or plan the future with great imagination and intelligence”. In business, we often talk about vision as the north star, or direction we want to head. At some point in our launch journey, we likely wrote a vision statement as we thought about the future of our then tiny …
COVID Just Accelerated Small Business Darwinism
Three years ago, Tom Goodwin wrote an interesting book titled, “Digital Darwinism: Survival of the Fittest in the Age of Business Disruption”. A student of the digital impact across industries, Tom coined the now famous quote, “Uber, the world’s largest taxi company, owns no vehicles. Facebook, the world’s most popular media owner, creates no content. Alibaba, the most valuable retailer, …
How Will You #ChooseToChallenge?
My grandmother and an aunt I was quite close to were born in the early 1900s. When they were growing up, it was only ok for women to work until they got married, after which time they quit to take care of their husbands and ultimately raise a family. I remember my aunt telling me that a working woman back …
Building Business Endurance
There are a lot of lakes around where I grew up in Ontario. I had friends with family cottages on lakes, and one summer I worked as a camp counselor on a lake. One thing I loved to do back in those days was swim the length of the lake. Depending on the size, sometimes I would go it alone …
Marketing Nerds Watch The Superbowl For The Ads
Last year’s Superbowl was an inspiring, come-from-behind story of a team who had not won the championship in 50 years. I remember featuring on my podcast the leadership of coach Andy Reid and his message to keep believing in yourself, even when you’re down. This year, although it was impressive that the Chiefs once again made it to the Superbowl, …
How To Deliver A Killer Presentation
At some point when selling your services, you will likely be asked to deliver a formal or informal presentation, whether in person or on Zoom. Perhaps you will be invited to speak at a conference as an expert, or more informally at your local networking group as an introduction. This naturally raises the question, “should I use visual aids?”. To …
The Science Of Tilting Purchase Decisions In Your Favor
I was scrolling through some TED talks the other day and came across a few interesting videos that covered various aspects of the science behind how we make decisions. Since we all rely upon prospects making decisions to select our business over their other choices, I thought you might find this interesting. The first talk was an old one by …
How On Earth Are We Supposed To Make New Year’s Resolutions?
Just for fun, or perhaps to torture myself with the freedom of our past, I decided to listen to my old podcast episode from the first week of January 2020. In retrospect, it felt like the age of innocence, before all Hell broke loose. I remember the excitement of a new decade, and how cool it felt to write the …
Magical Lessons To Grow Your Business From Harry Potter
OK, I’ll admit it. I took the online test, and I’m a Gryffindor. At Hogwarts, Gryffindors value courage, bravery, competitiveness, and nerve, which, when you think about it, are pretty much what it takes to be an entrepreneur these days. And since Halloween just passed, it seems like the right time of year to reflect on the magic it takes …
What Your Dog Can Teach You About Entrepreneurship
Last March, we lost Casper, our little 14-year-old Maltese. As anyone who has had to make the most difficult decision possible about their 4-legged friend knows, it was rough. After a couple of months, my family and I decided to open our hearts to a dog once again. A few days ago, after months of waiting, we received the exciting …
Media Training Class Lessons Applied To Zoom
I was cleaning out some old files over the weekend and came across a spiral-bound notebook that triggered a bit of PTSD. It’s dated February 24, 1998, from Ketchum Public Relations. That was the day a friend and I from a consulting firm we worked for flew up to New York City for a day of media training. After spending …
Jumping on the Shop Local Bandwagon
Google is running some heartwarming ads right now with stories of small businesses that have been saved through COVID by people like us, specifically searching online to shop locally. Each year American Express runs its Shop Small campaign and features local merchants on a map, offering rebates to members to shop from this list. Shop Local has been a trend …
Networking In Our Alternate Reality
Fast forward to the year 2040. My grandchildren are sitting at my feet, begging me to tell them a story of the “olden days.” I remember doing the same with my grandparents as they obliged me with stories of what it was like to live through the Great Depression. It was fascinating yet utterly unrelatable as we sat in our …
Entrepreneurship Lessons From Aerosmith
Not everyone thinks of musicians as entrepreneurs, but they start their journey as small businesses just as much as the rest of us. They have a product, they have a target market, and they want to grow. Aerosmith is an excellent example of a group of entrepreneurs with the right stuff. The band formed in Boston in 1970 and became …
How To Have An Effective 1-1 Networking Meeting (COVID Edition)
Isn’t it funny how even though most of us are saving a ton of time not being in traffic, each time Friday rolls around, we wonder where the heck our week went? Remember the days when we managed to work in business lunches, coffees, and the occasional happy hour despite the traffic? A few weeks ago, I talked about the …
The Importance of Tenacity For An Entrepreneur
Last night I went to Home Depot with my daughter to buy a power drill she could use to work on her robot. By the way, I’m happy to say that we are breaking gender stereotypes and that is a typical day at casa Moura. Anyway, I’m not sure if you’ve been to the Home Depot on SW 8th but …
Ethical Online Marketing
I’m old enough to remember working before Microsoft Windows, before the Internet became popular, and before social media. When I was a teenager and wanted to talk to my friends, I had to pick up the phone and call them. Likely one of their parents would answer and would either bring them to the phone or I’d have to leave …
How To Make Your LinkedIn Business Page Work For You
Last week I shared some tips on improving your LinkedIn personal page, but as a business owner, you also need a LinkedIn business page, so let’s talk about that today. I’ll preface this by saying that the entire LinkedIn platform is built around the idea of professionals connecting with other professionals, so your personal page will always be your number …
How To Make Your Profile Stand Out On LinkedIn
After several months of locking ourselves in our homes and suspiciously eyeing anyone who comes close to us, it seems that we’ll need to adjust to what is now “the new normal.” And that new reality applies to how we network. It’s been almost six months since I handed someone my business card, but it’s probably been 6 minutes since …
How To Have Meetings That Don’t Suck
This weekend, while enjoying our two-hour time slot at our condo pool, I listened to a podcast hosted by Stephen J. Dubner. In case you don’t remember Stephen, he’s the co-author of one of my favorite books, Freakonomics. Now I must admit that Economics was probably my least favorite subject in business school, so to go from dreaded classes using …
What You Need to Know About Email Marketing
You may have noticed more emails in your inbox lately. But unlike pre-COVID days when you spent half your day fighting traffic, and you actually had a social life, if you’re like most people, you may have also noticed that you’re opening more emails lately. Yesterday, while procrastinating about something that had been on my to-do list for several days …
Intelligent Disobedience
I’m not sure how many of you are checking out LinkedIn Learning videos, but if you sort through them, you’ll find some pearls that are worth sharing. I especially like that I can click around to view only the short segments I’m interested in, and then fast forward until I get to the meat of the message. Hey even when …
July Marketing Updates
A little over a month ago, I provided you with an overview of the latest marketing trends, including what people are searching for on Google. But with this crazy COVID rollercoaster ride we’re on when one week we’re getting ready to open everything up, and the next week we’re shutting down with no idea when we’ll be able to get …
Asking for Help
This week one of my favorite authors, Simon Sinek posted a quote on LinkedIn that really caught my attention. “True strength is the courage to ask for help.” It’s an interesting statement that got me thinking, so I decided to do a little digging. Not being the type of person who typically asks for help until I’m absolutely drowning, …
How To Manage “COVID Time”
There are several fun idioms we use to express the passing of time. When it’s passing quickly, we say that time flies. When we’re due to take action, we say that it’s high time. When we’re rushing we try to beat the clock. When we get something done just before the deadline, we say that it was at the eleventh …
How To Develop A Killer Message To Attract More Clients
Today is part 3 of our 3-part series on using psychology to improve your marketing. In part one, I talked about how to use psychology to get attention and make a good first impression. One component of getting attention is having a tagline that both catches attention and makes it clear what you do. For ZenChange, our tagline is “The …
Marketing In A Post-COVID World
March 16th. That was the last day I physically left my home to visit a client. I remember feeling nervous at the time because they are a retailer and the CDC guidelines were just starting to hit the press about COVID. That was before we knew exactly how the virus spreads. Since then, we have learned that being in contact …
The Psychology Of Targeting Your Message
A couple of weeks ago I talked about how you can use psychology to make a good first impression, and how to create a tagline for your business that will capture attention. So now let’s assume that your target audience is listening, at least digitally. What do you say next? Well, clearly that depends on who you’re speaking to. …
Failing Your Way To Success
These past few days reminded me of that famous quote from Charles Dickens, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Protesters around the country took to the streets after yet another unarmed black man was killed by police, this time in Minneapolis. Floyd George gasped for air and begged for his life as a police …
Using Psychology Make A Good First Impression
In the old days, as in a few decades ago when I began my career, marketing was all about branding and advertising. He who had the prettiest logo and the biggest bankroll for TV ads and billboards won the race. Marketing was about looking as beautiful as the Mona Lisa and getting as many eyeballs on your work as possible. …
How To Network Virtually Without Spamming
When our face-to-face networking events became Zoom calls, several networking organizations coached members to reach out across geographic boundaries to join meetings they wouldn’t normally attend, and connect with people they wouldn’t normally meet. True, with so many people working from home these days there really is no reason for us to remain within our geographic area when it comes …
Crystal Ball – Business Life After COVID
Miami-Dade is slowly starting to re-open and we’re hearing that some non-essential businesses will be allowed to open as early as next week, but life as we know it will be far from normal. Reopening is somewhat disturbing since our infection curve is only starting to trend down slightly and according to the Yale School of Medicine, we are likely …
Life After COVID For Small Business?
Florida is slowly starting to re-open and we’re hearing that some non-essential businesses will be allowed to open as early as next week, but life as we know it will be far from normal. Reopening is somewhat disturbing since our infection curve is only starting to trend down slightly and according to the Yale School of Medicine, we are likely …
Actual Marketing Data On What’s Working During COVID-19
Over the past few weeks of COVID-19 I have talked about how to pivot your business, how to pivot your message, leading through crisis, and even how to add a little humor to your workplace. Today I’d like to get very real and share some insights on what the data is telling us about what is working to at least …
How Humor Helps Our Work Relationships
Another week of quarantine. While we may be getting into more of a rhythm, for many of us it’s becoming a lot. While the introverts among us are having the time of their lives getting to focus on their computers without anyone bugging them, those of us who are extroverts could really use a good happy hour with actual crowd …
How To Focus While Working At Home In Chaos
In the past few weeks while on business Zoom calls I have witnessed half dressed kids running in front of the camera, cats jumping up on a desk, dogs insisting that it’s time for a walk, loud Disney music as kids have clearly been asked to watch a video and stay quiet while mom or dad has a business meeting, …
Leading Through A Crisis
Our country hasn’t seen a crisis that has generated this much fear and uncertainty since World War II. People are concerned about having adequate supplies, they’re concerned about their jobs, and they’re worried about healthcare. As a business leader, you’re probably at least a little worried about your company. You may have a team who can easily transition to working …
The Power of Connections
It’s the holidays, so I thought today I’d talk about a feelgood topic, and that is the subject of human connections. As a marketer, I’m keenly aware of how much more we’re able to get through our day without making any human connections. Over 20 years ago, when my husband and I were first dating and he lived in Brazil, …
Adapting Your Business To COVID-19
As Coronavirus becomes a pandemic, business owners are working on assessing their risk, response and next steps. Quarantines seem to be happening left and right. If you’re the owner of a small business, you might feel like freaking out right now. COVID-19 is serious, and the effect that it is having on businesses across the nation is real. So …
2020 Vision and Your Strategy
Happy New Year everyone! I couldn’t possibly start off our educational moments this year without using what is probably the most overused phrase this month and that is, “2020 Vision”, or in everyone’s favorite words of Barbara Walters, “this, is 2020”. But what does entering a new century mean for your business? To put things into perspective, let’s take a …
Making It Right
I started my first business when I was 13. I sold personalized stationery and wrapping paper from a catalog door-to-door. Yes kids, that’s what we did before the internet. I still remember my first customer. She was a really nice lady who bought a pack of pencils from me with her name stamped on them. Honestly I have no idea …
Women in 2020: Why We Aren’t Further Ahead
This International Women’s Month we have a lot to celebrate as women that our grandmothers didn’t. We can vote. We can study whatever we want in college. We can compete for any job we want. And, at least for the moment, we control what we want to do with our bodies. When my mom wanted to go to college to …
Will Your Business Outlive You?
Over the weekend I attended a funeral for a friend’s mom. I had never met the woman who died, and honestly my friend and I aren’t super close, but I lost my own mom when I was around her age and I still remember who attended her funeral and how much it meant to me, so I just wanted to …
Pulling The Trigger
“Pulling The Trigger”. It’s an expression we use to describe taking an action. But what if we pull the trigger too early? Recently I watched a non-profit pull the trigger on assembling a group of volunteers prior to establishing a clear direction and mandate. As their leader struggled with the direction, the once eager volunteers fell away. I witnessed a …
Entrepreneurs Have No “Off Button”
I was interviewing a founder for my podcast last week and we were talking about how difficult it is for entrepreneurs to stop thinking about their business. An entrepreneur simply doesn’t have an off button. It took a long time for my family to give up being frustrated with me for being glued to my computer most of the time, …
Leadership Lessons From Superbowl LIV
I couldn’t possibly write about leadership without referencing Superbowl LIV. Even if you weren’t happy that Kansas City won, you have to respect coach Andy Reid. This is a team that had not won a Superbowl in 50 years. Imagine holding onto a goal for that long, failing each year and disappointing the people around you, but still coming back …
Telling Your Business Story
Last week I talked about how we need to be prepared for our businesses to change over the next decade when Gen Z, now high school and college students, become our clients. One of the traits of this generation is connecting with brands who tell a positive story, so today I’d like to share some tips on how to tell …
2020 Vision: 5 Key Marketing Trends To Dominate This Year
I’m even more excited about 2020 than I have been about past New Years, partly because it’s a new decade, but mostly because in the world of digital marketing I’m keenly aware of how change accelerates. So if today we look back on the digital marketing innovations of the past decade and marvel at how antiquated they seem, we can …
Calling BS On New Years Resolutions
How many of you make at least one New Years resolution each year? I’m assuming you’re nodding your head right now. How many of you keep them? That’s what I thought. This is why they’re bullshit. The Statistic Brain Research Institute found that only 9.2% of humans ever keep our resolutions and break free of bad habits. Sure we have …
Women Empowerment: My 4D’s of Career Success
When I began my career over 30 years ago, I was truly a woman in a man’s world. I worked in sales and marketing for a large tech company who was IBM’s largest competitor at the time, and the founder was overheard saying that he saw no reason why a woman should ever be in a senior management position. Despite …
VoyageMIA Interview
This month I was honored to be interviewed by VoyageMIA Magazine as part of their Local Stories series. Below is the content of the interview. Read the full article here. Today we’d like to introduce you to Diane Moura. Diane, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so …
The Power Of Connections
It’s the holidays, so I thought today I’d talk about a feelgood topic, and that is the subject of human connections. As a marketer, I’m keenly aware of how much more we’re able to get through our day without making any human connections. Over 20 years ago, when my husband and I were first dating and he lived in Brazil, …
The Importance Of Tenacity For An Entrepreneur
Last night I went to Home Depot with my daughter to buy a power drill she could use to work on her robot. By the way, I’m happy to say that we are breaking gender sterootypes and that is a typical day at casa Moura. Anyway, I’m not sure if you’ve been to the Home Depot on SW 8th but …
4 Key Business Lessons From European Entrepreneurs
I recently returned from a family vacation in Europe and having previously lived and worked extensively there I was once again struck by the distinct cultural differences in business from which American entrepreneurs could learn a thing or two when contemplating business change. And so I present 4 key business lessons from European entrepreneurs. Lesson 1 from the Italians: Be …
Entrepreneurial Success Advice from the CEO: Dr. Ivan Misner, BNI Founder
Today I had the opportunity to be part of an intimate “ask the founder” question and answer session with BNI founder and the father of networking, Dr. Ivan Misner about his recommendations for entrepreneurial success. Founded in 1985, BNI (Business Networking International) is the largest business networking organization of its kind, with over 200,000 members worldwide and generating over $11 …
Thought Leadership Strategy: How to Influence in 4 Steps
A thought leader is someone who uses their expertise in a given field to help others. But it’s also more complicated than that—having a good thought leadership strategy doesn’t mean you can just decide one day that you are a thought leader because you know a lot about your craft. You must first gain credibility with your audience. You have …
Business Marketing Psychology: Is Your Message Relevant?
In marketing, we always say that your message needs to be relevant to your intended audience. If it’s not relevant, nobody you want to sell to is even going to watch or read your advertisements, let alone buy from you. Business marketing psychology shows us why. The New Car Phenomenon Do you remember the last time you bought a new …