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Chris Brogan

Three Words for 2011: Crayons and Contradictions

by Daria Steigman on January 3, 2011

Business, Entrepreneurship, Workflow | Independent Thinking | Steigman Communications, llcFor the second year in a row, I’m taking a page from Chris Brogan. He annually identifies “three words that will be my guiding pillars for what I will focus on in the coming year.”

My three words for 2011: velcro, abandon, and crayons. I’m going to use them, hopefully wisely, to guide my business.

  • Velcro–I’m good at coming up with ideas, but sometimes I need more focus to see them come to fruition. I have some business projects planned for this year that I’m really excited about. Now I just need to keep the velcro handy to keep me locked in.
  • Abandon–Here’s where the contradiction takes form. I use abandon in the sense of surrendering to the ideas, as permission to go back to my Independent Thinking roots and take real risks again.
  • Crayons–I recently reread Harold and the Purple Crayon, which is about a boy who creates the world by drawing it. For me, crayons represent fun and creativity. This year, I want to keep my crayons front and center.

What are your guiding principles for 2011?

Photo by woodley wonderworks (Flickr).

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Is Your Brand Limiting You?

by Daria Steigman on September 30, 2010

Branding, Business | Independent Thinking | Steigman Communications, llcI read this interesting post recently about the difference between building your name and branding your business. It looked at Chris Brogan (who’s arguably more recognizable for his personal brand than for his company) and Jason Falls (who is perhaps better known via his company, Social Media Explorer, than as a brand personality).

Of course both guys, like most savvy small business owners, are branding both.

What resonated in this post was this paragraph:

Another very real concern is that things and names change.  Social Media Explorer might be the right name at the right time, but if things continue to evolve, it will be far easier for Chris Brogan to pivot. Proving that you are a person of ideas and that you have the ability to execute is far more important than having a catchy brand that people can remember.  It also lets you reinvent yourself as the world changes around you.

You see, this happened to me.

My first company name, Policy Writing and Reporting Services, was both accidental (it was the title page for my first brochure) and very descriptive of what I did. But then I expanded my services, and it was too limiting. So I re-branded to capture two elements: the broader scope of communications services and the fact that people trusted me–knowledge, capabilities, expertise, reputation.

Is your brand working for you or limiting opportunities for your business to grow?

Photo by Ray Phua (Flickr).

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Chris Brogan, Day Rates, and Value

by Daria Steigman on March 9, 2010

I was a little surprised last week by all the attention surrounding Chris Brogan’s day rate. A little of it reminded me of when I started my business and a few (former) friends decided I was really sitting around eating bonbons and cashing trust fund checks. Mostly it reminded me that too many people don’t know how to value their work.

My day rate may not be $22,000, but I do not allow organizations to pick my brain by the hour. My hourly strategy rate is primarily used to establish a retainer or a project fee–both of which build in start-up, research, concepting, and so forth. Not to mention intelligence, know-how, and expertise.

Why would anyone walk into a room and discount that?

Photo by Esparta (Flickr).

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Three Little Words

by Daria Steigman on January 5, 2010

I’m taking a page from Chris Brogan this year. He annually identifies “three words that I use as guidance for how I should conduct my efforts in the year to come.”

My three words for 2010: incubate, endorphins, and endurance. I’m going to use them, hopefully wisely, to guide my business.

  • Incubate—While I’m not particularly rash, I am prone to scattering my efforts and trailing off in new directions. This year, I’m resolving to let my ideas take form before I take action. After all, there’s not much sense in digging in before you’re ready.
  • Endorphins—I’ve described being a solopreneur as needing to be innovative, to know how to identify and seize opportunities, to be a risk taker, and—of course–to be independent. For me, this works best when I’m forward-focused. Endorphins give you a natural high, and I’m resolving to keep them flowing to keep me on track.
  • Endurance—Owning a successful business requires being committed for the long haul and accepting that it requires hard work every day. Now that I’ve hit 20 years, I’m targeting 25. I have a mantra when I’m running any significant distance. It’s forward motion, and it’s all about understanding that if you keep going, one step at a time, you’ll find your success.

What are your guiding principles for 2010?

Photo by Son of Groucho (Flickr).

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Why I Don’t Watch Videoblogs

by Daria Steigman on February 23, 2009

Have you ever wished you could skim through a video post?

I have a secret. I don’t like watching videos. Send me a link to a 5,000-word article and I’ll dive in. But send me a video link and odds are high I’ll click it off in a few seconds.

There are some notable exceptions. Videocasts that break out the discussion into timed segments are okay, because I can move to exactly what I’m most interested in. Chris Brogan‘s force of personality occasionally lures me to watch him–but only when the video posts are short. And Ike Pigott has a wonderful series of 12-second videos that speak to the audience and give you that hmm moment that spurs further discussion.

For the most part, however, I’ll stick to print. Written posts put me in charge–of my time, and how I consume the information.

What about you? I’d love to hear why you do–or don’t–like videoblogging.

Have you signed up to receive the Independent Thinking newsletter? Now’s the time! Once a month I’ll send you exclusive, subscriber-only content highlighting interesting articles I’ve found, as well as tips on marketing, social media, and how to grow your business. Sign up today!

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