How To Get Rich Making Mardi Gras Floats

“”Growth itself contains the germ of happiness.”” – Pearl S. Buck On a weekend trip to visit NOS (number one son) LF in New Orleans, we took the ferry to Algiers, the poor cousin neighborhood that is located just across the Charles, to see something called Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World. A ramshackle guide bus…

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The 3 Most Important Elements Of A Direct-Marketing Campaign

““Advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket.”” –  George Orwell  The rule in direct marketing is this: Media first. Offer second. Creative third. This means that: 1. The selection of media – what newspapers you advertise in/what mailing lists you rent/what time slots you run your commercials in – is the…

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Giving Thanks

Of the many unpleasant things that happen to you when you approach 50, the recognition of mortality is the worst. You can’’t avoid facing it. People you know –even friends and family members –are seriously sick or dying. In the past several months, I have “been through” (a) the motorcycle death of someone I had…

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How To Avoid “Senior Executive Syndrome”

“If your income doesn’t exceed your outgo, you go!” – Chuck Otterson Are you a senior executive? Do you employ one? If so, watch out. You/he may be dangerous to your company’’s bottom line.The problem is Senior Executive Syndrome (SES): the tendency for a senior executive – someone who has climbed to the top of…

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You Haven’t Found Your Protégé Yet?

““Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly and they will show themselves great.”” – Ralph Waldo Emerson I understand how hard it is to find the right person. Someone as good as or better than you. Someone who can replace you someday. (See Message #107.) But if you don’’t find…

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What’s Wrong With Coming In Second?

“Creativity is a by-product of hard work. If I never have another really new idea, it won’t matter.”” – Andrew A. Rooney Too many self-help books tout the virtues of marching to your own drummer, beating your own path, or building your own mousetrap. Let’s talk today about being more like everybody else. In the…

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Failed? Join The Club

“Flops are a part of life’s menu and I’’ve never been a girl to miss out on any of the courses.”” – Rosalind Russell When I talk about success, people sometimes get the idea that I have had nothing but. The truth is I am constantly failing. In small things and in important ones. One…

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A Moneymaking Formula That You Can Easily Duplicate

““What is popular is not necessarily vulgar; and that which we try to rescue from fatal obscurity had in general much better remain where it is.”” – William HazlittI saw Beach Blanket Babylon today in San Francisco. It’’s the longest-running theatrical comedy in history –or so the marquee says. More than a show, it’’s a…

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Book Review: “I Can See You Naked,” Part 1

““Ivry gr-reat orator ought to be accompanied by an orchesthry or, at worst, a pianist who wud play trills while th’ artist was refreshin’ himself with a glass iv ice wather.”” – Finley Peter Dunne Today (and tomorrow), let’’s take a look at “I Can See You Naked,” Ron Hoff’’s book about speaking in public…

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Is The Way To Success One Or Many Paths?

““The lame man who keeps the right road outstrips the runner who keeps the wrong one.”” -American proverbToday we’re going to talk about something very important – a key question about wealth. Is it better to spend your time on one moneymaking activity or many?Many success gurus argue that the surest way to wealth lies…

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