The other day I challenged you to tell a compelling story in one sentence. In our Mastermind Book Club meeting, David Garfinkel told us the Hero’s Journey doesn’t work in copywriting. Create precision strikes, not epic sagas. This hit me hard. I’ve been writing copy for 20 years, and I’ve always thought longer, more elaborate stories were better. More emotional. More More…
Yesterday we had an incredible mastermind book club session with David Garfinkel, Bond Halbert, Kim Krause Schwalm, and several other book club members. We were discussing David’s book, The Persuasion Story Code, and the conversation was so engaging that we talked for an hour and 42 minutes (when our bladders said “Uncle”) I’ve been writing copy for More…
At first, we thought it was just a bus or semi truck rumbling by. We were finishing the final inspection on our soon-to-be home with a contractor and two realtors. Everything looked great and we were ready to close escrow. I headed home to pick up my daughter Alicia at daycare then watch the World Series. The San Francisco More…
You’ve got the credentials. The track record. Thirty years in the industry, multiple certifications, and a client list that would impress anyone in your field. So why does the 35-year-old across the table seem more compelling in five minutes than you do in thirty years? The answer lies in something I read in David Garfinkel’s The Persuasion Story Code:. Your More…
Ever wonder why some people can tell a story that instantly gets you to say “yes” while others ramble on without making any impact? Join us for an exclusive conversation with David Garfinkel, best-selling author of “The Persuasion Story Code” (I’ve known David for years, and he doesn’t do many public appearances). About “The Persuasion Story Code” David’s More…
When I got laid off at 55, I expected the anger and financial anxiety. What I didn’t expect was the grief. Not the kind you feel when you lose someone you love. But something just as real and disorienting. I was grieving the loss of my identity. The Identity Crisis No One Warned You About Here’s what nobody tells you: You’re not More…
Quick question: When someone asks what you do, do you rattle off your credentials like a resume? “I have 15 years of experience…” “I’ve worked with over 100 clients…” “I’m certified in…” Here’s the problem: Nobody cares. Well, that’s not entirely true. They want to care. They just can’t connect with a list of achievements. That’s why I’m excited about our upcoming Mastermind More…
A career transition after age 55 can feel like an unexpected and unwelcome event. One moment, you occupy a corner office. The next, a brief meeting concludes decades of corporate tenure, leaving you with a box of personal items and a sense of displacement. At 55 or older, the world can make you feel unnecessary. Perhaps you have lived More…
Last week, I caught myself snapping at my wife over something trivial, a misplaced glass. I felt embarrassed and said to myself, “This isn’t me!” But Chapter 24 of Modern Wisdom, Ancient Roots explained exactly what was going on and offered a path out of it. Dr. Rao reveals that anger and fear aren’t triggered by what’s happening More…
I’ve lived through three career arcs so far, and each one followed the same pattern: Master a skill. Become the expert. Then watch the world move on. In the 1980s, I was an award-winning field engineer in Silicon Valley. Back then, fixing computers meant using voltmeters and oscilloscopes. Real diagnostic work. You had to know what you were doing. But by More…