I listened to this song on loop while I wrote this entire post.
I suggest you listen to it while reading:

Do you know why your presentation is going to fall flat on its face? It’s not because you have horrible presentation skills… it’s actually because you don’t know how to present your ideas in an impactful way.

You can learn the basic presentation skills but if no one is interested in the content or you, there’s no point in getting on stage.

Some people will tell you that it’s easy to present when you have something worth talking about, and this is true to some extent, but in most cases it isn’t the reality.

You see, it’s easy to build a research paper filled with great information or develop a detailed plan filled with insights and strategies. But it is really hard to tell a story through presenting if you do not understand the art of presentations and basic social dynamics.

So how do you give an awesome presentation even if you have a boring topic? Well first off, make sure you have understand what goes into giving a great talk. Once you have that, just avoid these mistakes like the plague:

Over populating your slides with text

A lot of professors and bad presentors fill their slides from top to bottom with information. In many cases these presenters get so caught up with the text on their slide that they simply read right from it. In theory, if you have a lot of information, you should put it in front of your audience, but lets be honest. Anyone who is listening to you speak can probably read your slides in their head than you can out loud.

Instead of filling your slides with text, focus on the key message you’re trying to get across and use that on your slide. A good way to improve your slide to text ratio is to simply keep it like a Tweet; 140 characters or less.

Lack of Presentation Prep

Whether you are writing a short speech by hand or putting your deck together in keynote; practicing your presentation is important to the success of it. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen people “wing-it” and completely bomb their presentations or ramble because they didn’t actually time how long their presentation would be.

Before you get on stage to present make sure you’ve put in at LEAST 5x the amount of time it will take to deliver the presentation into building it. When I’m not put into a last minute situation, I usually put at least 15 hours of work into my presentation prep. Not only do I use this time to rehearse my presentation but also to make ongoing adjustments until my story is tight and jokes (when I have them) are worth telling.

Tacky Animations & Creative

Lecturing instead of storytelling

I’m a big believer in storytelling. Whether it’s remarkable storytelling or reactive storytelling; it’s the best way to connect with an audience and to get your points across. Too often do speakers get caught up in highlighting the bells and whistles of their presentation instead of telling an attention worthy story.

When told properly, stories are always more engaging and exciting then a boat load of facts and supporting stats. Now, storytelling isn’t easy. I’ll be the first to say, it’s tough. But that doesn’t give you the right to bore people to death with your presentation. Tell a story that has high-stakes, has a main character, a twist and a conclusion that someone couldn’t guess as soon as you start talking.

What many people don’t know is that my obsession with social media and technology all started with Football. It was my first year of University and because things like Facebook didn’t exist, I procrastinated by writing a daily Fantasy Football blog for SportingNews.com. In fact, my blog brought quite a bit of success and generated a loyal following. After about a year of blogging about Football and helping people all over the world win their first championship, I decided to start a business from it.

I integrated my blog with an eCommerce platform selling Football Memorabilia and had enough to cover tuition for two more years. To be blunt, I’ve been a Fantasy Football junkie ever since and have learned a lot along the way. Many of the lessons I learned through this journey I’ve applied to my marketing and entrepreneurship career.

Here are some of the most important insights and tips I’ve learned over the last few years from playing Fantasy Football. Use these insights wisely and take your business to the next level while start getting closer to achieving success.

Know When to Hold’em, Know When to Fold’em

In Fantasy Football you go through a draft before the season begins to build your team. You instantly feel a connection to these players because you chose them over hundreds of other players in the league. For me, I put a lot of effort into my pre-season and make sure that my choices are well thought out and always strategic. Once in a while however, you draft a player who doesn’t live up to your expectations and you have to make a decision:

1. Wait and let them shake the rust or
2. Trade/Drop them before the damage is done

More often than not, it’s easier to just keep the player and keep your fingers crossed. In business, the stakes are a lot higher and thus, waiting on something that might not pan out could result in the loss of dollars and/or your business. If you have an idea that you’re pouring your heart and soul into and are simply generating no traction, no revenue, no results and no interest – It might be time to fold’em. If you have any of the above then you’re in luck cause there’s a reason to hang on. The same issue arises with talent, if you’re trying to build something amazing you need not worry about your team – If there isn’t a good fit, cut them. Trust me, it’s definitely worth it.

Never Bench Your Studs

When you’re looking for a win do you put in a no name on a hot streak or a future hall of famer who hasn’t played well the last two weeks? Always go with the latter. It’s more likely that your overnight celebrity puts up a goose egg than it is to see a repeat of a disappointing week from a top caliber player. Often in Fantasy Football we’ll play too much attention to the media and match-up and as a result bench our first round draft picks. Very rarely does this approach not bite you in the backside.

In business you do whatever it takes to keep your passionate, top talent. In fact, once you’ve given everything but the kitchen sink for this talent you need to identify the importance of keeping them motivated and excited to play. A star will perform best when (1) she’s challenged (2) is given freedom and (3) is surrounded by people who are just as, if not, smarter than they are. From there, you never bench them. The studs on your team need to be celebrated and rewarded. Will this cause the C-Players or B-Players to get upset? Who cares. Focus on your studs and cut the fat.

Remove All Personal Bias

I’m a huge Philadelphia Eagles fan and when I have an opportunity to draft an Eagle, I draft an Eagle. I once almost traded my entire team for Donovan McNabb (Former Eagles QB) simply because I’m such a fanboy. In Fantasy Football you really do come up against an internal battle especially on weeks when your starting QB is up against your favourite NFL team. I can remember one year having Tony Romo on my team and making the decision to bench him solely because he was playing the Eagles (See Rule #2). That game Tony Romo scored three touchdowns and would have put me into the Fantasy Football Playoffs.

In business you also come across conundrums where internal conflicts arise. For example, you will often find situations where you must put personal feelings towards an individual aside and put the business first. Whether you hate someone you need to work with our like someone you need to fire – business is a place where very often, personal opinions and relationships must be put on the backburner in the name of good business and success.

Smack Talk Must Be Used Sparingly

The gift of gab is definitely something I have used on a regular basis to get in the head of my opponents in Fantasy Football. In fact, the gift of gab has been something I’ve used throughout my entire life when it comes to sports or any type of competition. The thing about smack talk is that there’s a thin line between being funny or poking fun and taking mean jabs and sparking fights. Not going to lie, in Fantasy Football ~ it’s no hold bars. In business however, smack talk should be minimal.

There are many organizations, CEO’s, and professionals who think it’s cool to berate and rip into colleagues or competitors. While we can look at Ari Gold for Negotiating tips, he’s far from someone you would look up to for inter-office relationship advice. He’s built his reputation for being an asshole and that’s far from an attribute you should strive to develop.

Identify Potential Issues Before They Arise

The NFL Season is 18 weeks long as a whole but 17 weeks long for an individual player (injuries and suspensions excluded). Each team is provided with a week off and this can cause big problems for Fantasy Football if you have 5 players with the same week off. It’s actually the recipe for a disaster week and one that can quickly lead to a line chalked up in the “L” column.

Beyond the fact that players get time off, there is also the Fantasy Football playoffs. The Fantasy Football playoffs just so happen to be during the winter and are in week 14, 15, 16 and 17. If your players are up against (1) Tough teams or (2) teams that play in horrible conditions – This is something that should lead to a red flag. When situations like these come to the surface you need to be able to plan and make trades and moves that put you in a situation that won’t hurt your season.

This idea links back to the importance of planning. At the time of this post, I’m working on a start up dedicated to bringing unique social experiences to awesome people looking for things to do in Halifax. We’re essentially in the business of developing, designing and delivering unique events. When you run outdoor events in Halifax you always have the risk that the weather will make a list minute decision to change on you. Thus, we’re always thinking 10 steps ahead to ensure we have our basis covered.

At the same time, the importance of planning can be seen in a variety of other industries. In the communications industry far too many businesses focus on right now rather than next week. That is, they don’t plan for the fact that a huge marketing initiative could increase the amount of traffic to their site by 500% and exceed the power of their servers. Often times companies don’t plan ahead and are caught by surprise when they realize their contest can easily be manipulated to damage their brand.

Every Week is a New Week

While it’s important to plan ahead, you most certainly need to focus on each week and never take your opponent for granted. There are many times when you will feel relaxed because your team has been on a roll and your opponent has been doing horrible. As soon as you feel relaxed over an upcoming week, you need to start to panic. Every week you know your password is a week you have a chance to win and furthermore is a week you have a chance to make your team better. This is how you need to look at your Fantasy Football team and at your business.

The moment you become content with your own skills is the moment you will start to settle. I don’t think I’ll ever settle. I believe that the majority of people don’t reach their full potential and highly doubt that even I will be able to reach mine. Thus, I’m striving to constantly push myself to learn new things and build my skills so when I take my last breath I can say it was time well spent. Every day is a new opportunity to be better than the person you were yesterday and it’s our choice whether or not we want to take strides to make that idea a reality.

Conclusion

As you can see from the insights above, Fantasy Football really is more than just a little game NFL fans play to waste valuable time. The insights above can be applied to any Fantasy Football looking to become successful. In fact, these insights can be applied to any business, organization, non-profit or startup looking to find success.

I do want to point out that another part of success for fantasy football is taking a risk. Sometimes you need to ignore all the traditional rules of the game and do things your way. You need break rules, make people made and have them call you nuts. Only then will you truly be able to find great success and come out the champion.

Know any Fantasy Football tips that can also be applied to business? Or maybe you think you have what it takes to be in the same league as me? I’d love to hear from you below.

Generation Y is called by many, the Facebook Generation. Well, I’m on a professional mission to get more of my generation on social networks like Twitter and Linkedin as well. While I recognize that Facebook presents my generation with connectivity and entertainment – There needs to be a recognition of the potential found on twitter and linkedin. I often find myself asking Gen-Y’ers if they have heard of Linkedin and the common response is: “Yeah, I have been meaning to set up an account for that.”

The time to set up an account is now. It’s time for us to start taking control over our lives and careers. Linkedin presents a great opportunity to connect with people in business and further build your personal brand. Not only that, it gives you another channel to further take your online relationships to the next level.

Below is a great infographic that I think Gen Y and everyone can learn from:

Brands that want to be relevant to someone in Generation Y needs to take a long look in the mirror. Many brands have tried, many brands have failed. Some have failed to such a degree that if they were to ever show their face in a Generation Y setting they just might get laughed out of the building. That said, not all brands have to suffer and be deemed un-cool. All it takes a deeper understanding of what makes Gen-Y tick and a balance of cool topped off with an appreciation of their values.

To ensure that your brand doesn’t suffer from a horrible and humiliating experience when attempting to connect with Generation Y. I’ve put together a list of rules that you should follow if you don’t want to be “That Brand”.

Rule #1: Don’t Facebook for the sake of Facebooking

Ever since the movie, the social network, brands have become more and more obsessed with the idea of Facebook. Yes, we enjoy social networking and yes, Facebook just so happens to be the number one network in the world. That said, please don’t put a guy on Facebook in your commercial just to make your brand seem more relevant. It’s tired. Played out and unoriginal. Show us why we want to use YOUR product, not reiterate that Facebook is everywhere we look.

Facebook can be a great tool to connect with us as we spend more time on this site than any other on the web. If you’re looking to build a deeper relationship with us and turn us into fan-boy’s this is where you could start. That said, when you enter this space you need to understand how we use the channel. We use it to connect with our friends – Brands are not our primary reason for being there. If you post too often, you’ll be removed – If you share content that isn’t relevant, you’ll be removed.

Rule #2: We Party. Yes. We Party.

We’re not a generation that believes in working our whole lives just to grow old and have a few years on a beach in the Dominican. We recognize that we’re at a stage in our life where it’s crucial to live life to the fullest as our bodies will never be in the shape they are now again. Sure technology could change this but at the moment, the one that we live in, we’re embracing the idea of working hard and playing hard. If you want to be cool, make it easier for us to party or send us somewhere to do so. The beer companies have caught on, hence the increase in promotions giving us a chance to go somewhere cool and party with our friends.

If you’re looking for a deeper understanding of why we enjoy partying and why we don’t see it as a time waster just listen to our University Anthem: I love college. Sure, the type of partying may change but we most certainly see the ROI in Partying whether it’s professional or personal.

Rule #3: We like to think we’re individuals.

No one in this world is exactly like me. No one in this world is similar to me. A few people like a couple things I like but at the end of the day, I’m an original. Well, at least that’s what the majority of us think even if it’s not necessarily the truth. In fact, you can probably divvy up the majority of Generation Y into a few neat little baskets of psychographics and demographics. However, no matter how you look at it, in the perception of a Generation Y’er were are the celebrities in our own life. Call it ego. Call it entitlement. Whatever you call it just understand that we believe we’re important.

The world of Facebook and Twitter don’t make it any easier. The idea that now our entire lives are being placed in the public eye is new way to grow up. In many ways, our Facebook profiles and Twitter accounts represent who we are in the eyes of our circles. If you know anyone who sucks at Facebook, I’m sure your opinion will consciously or subconsciously be altered because of it.

Rule #4: Tell us a story that will give us the chills

We run high on emotion and tend to wear our emotions on our sleeves. If you can show us a story that is not only compelling but also remarkable; you will have us at hello. Your brand as a whole should tell us a story. A story that allows us to create a dream of what it’s like to use your product or service. A story that tells us why we want you and what kind of impact your brand can have on our lives.

Rule #5: Music is our Weakness

If you can’t speak to us in words, photos or text. Speak to us through music. Music touches our soul in a way that cannot be described through simple text. It’s powerful and the right song can quickly transform your brands essence from something mediocre to something that will speak to us in ways dialogue cannot imitate or replicate. If you’re looking for a bit more insight into the type of music that this group enjoys, check out the site 8tracks.com. It has a wide range of everything from Hip Hop and Jazz to Classical and Indie. If that tells you anything, it should tell you that when it comes to music it’s still different strokes for different folks.

Rule #6: Never Underestimate the Power of our Friends

When Burger King launched the Friend Sacrifice campaign they didn’t have a clue what they were getting into. When it comes to Facebook, we only defriend people who are (1) Spamming our stream (2) Are no longer friends or even acquaintances or (3) Ex-Girlfriends/Boyfriends. If you think that your brand can get in between us and our friends, we’ve got news for you. It doesn’t work like that. We’re more connected than the generations before us and believe that we can stay connected for the rest of our lives. Our friendships are like currency, you have a lot of nickels and only a few loonies. No matter how great your brand is, if you damage or lose my money – I just may end up going to another bank.

Baby Boomers have been the most attractive market as consumers for the last 20 years. Their over consumption and excessive disposable income has made them a marketer and business owners dream. Sadly though, the times of Baby Boomers being the kings and queens of marketing are simply coming to an end. There is a new generation in town who is spending more and slowly becoming the largest and most attractive consumer market in the world. This is the group of consumers born between 1978 and 1992 also known as Generation Y.

As a marketer and a Generation Y’er myself, I often wonder how much power this generation truly has. Generation Y makes up over 100 million people in North America. This group of consumers is the largest generation since the baby-boomers, undeniably defined by the numbers – the social and economic impact cannot be underestimated. The following are a few key insights to keep in mind when developing marketing strategies to tap into this market.

Narcissism Ain’t Easy

Generation Y isn’t the only name for this group of individuals. We’ve also been labelled Generation Me due to research showing that our generation is more narcissistic than prior generations. By definition, A narcissistic person generally has a high opinion of his or her competence and innate superiority to others, regardless of whether that opinion is validated by outsiders or any actual achievements. Narcissism has some correlation to self esteem, which should be no surprise, since Gen Y — the Boomer’s kids, born between about 1978 and 1992 — have been bathed in self-worth since they were infants.

While the importance of “personal branding” has always been important for people in their twenties and early thirties – Their lives have never been so largely on display. Today, Facebook makes it easy for friends and family members to stay up to date with each others lives and see how far they’ve come. Many years ago, the idea of catching up with someone after High School wouldn’t happen until the 10 year reunion. Now, people can keep track of their former classmates relationships, careers and overall character behind the screen of Macbook. This notion of openness has increased the pressure that this generation has to do well and as a result they have become more individualistic than any generation before.

Generation Y is Impatient

In a world where technology has always been at the ends of our finger tips we’ve quickly developed a need for speed. This is important for any marketer developing a social media campaign or even a business owner with a customer service program. If this generation contacts your business with a complaint or request – we expect a response with 24 hours max.  Some will call it needy, others will call it a feeling of entitlement – We call it a demand for quality service.  If you’re not willing to step up and meet the demand, don’t worry – your competitor will.

Generation Y Loves New & Shiny

Technology is our friend. In fact, technology is more like an older sibling who we adore. It’s something we embrace and get excited about as we see technology as a way to change the world for better. As much as we love the idea of innovation and new things however, we’re not big fans of people changing our current technology. Don’t get me wrong, we’re more than happy to learn about the changes and will learn how to use them quickly but happiness isn’t necessarily the emotion we’d associate with the change.

Feel Over-Educated and Under-Paid

The truth is, this generation is the most educated generation since the beginning of time. The reality of life however, is that a college education is no longer something only available for the elite and is becoming the norm. According to a recent study, 64% of women and 60% of men go to college after graduating high school and 85% of these individuals attend full-time. With this increase in enrollment however, many generation Y’ers are not linking this to the simple concept of supply and demand and are shocked that they cannot find a job after graduation.

The lack of job availability for this generation can be attributed to a variety of different factors but more and more generation Y’ers are pointing fingers at the Baby Boomers. This generation thought that the Baby Boomers would begin leaving their jobs earlier opening up doors of opportunities for them. This would in turn, give our generation a faster track to better jobs unlike Generation X who have been stuck behind the Boom for their entire lives.

Generation Y is Skeptical & Curious

While we understand the concept of paying your dues – we also understand that the economy is in the toilet. The combination of these two understandings have resulted in our generation doing things that give us a reputation of being disloyal to the organizations we work for. The reality is however, we just don’t trust that the system is going to be able to take care of us for the rest of our lives. Thus, we have taken a different approach than the generations before us where our loyalty is not based on the future but instead based on the present. Call it short-term thinking but in a world where instability is something we’ve grown up around – It’s clear that our outlook is going to be tainted.

This skepticism is also found when Generation Y is being met with promotions and advertisements. They are less likely to trust an ad then any other generation before them and more likely to take their friends word as gold. This piece of information demonstrates and shows why websites such as Foursquare and Yelp have become so successful and popular with this demographic. We’re looking for the truth and we don’t believe what your organization is going to tell us – What we do believe however, are those who experience your product or service and tell us what they think.

hustler: n. someone skilled at turning a profit no matter what the enterprise.

[The following post is a revised version of my answer to a question re: Career Advice: "How do I become a Hustler?" on Quora]

There is a fundamental disconnect between the way most people see a hustler and what a hustler sees when she or he looks in the mirror. On a bad day, a hustler sees themselves as someone who needs to improve drastically. On a good day, a hustler sees themselves as someone who could have done something different to improve their hustle. The consistency is the fact that a hustler always strives to be better.

The Art of a Hustler is not simple. In fact, it’s quite complex and the combination of a variety of different attributes are what truly make a hustler in the modern sense of the word an outstanding professional and the key to many organizations success and growth.

The first piece to recognize is that there is key difference between wanting to be a hustler and becoming a hustler. This is an issue sweeping North America as young professionals are sitting back watching others live life to the fullest without making the steps to achieve a lifestyle that they truly want. Many of these individuals have amazing and inspirational aspirations but that’s all they have. They don’t have the results or the resume to support the fact that they are actually out there chasing these ambitious goals.

As a result of having unfulfilled goals – These people find themselves in a depressing and an often anxious state. From here, they begin to make excuses on why they are unable to achieve the goals and dreams that they truly want. A true hustler however, doesn’t make excuses. They show up. And by showing up I mean they make the effort and put in the hours to get closer to achieving the life of their dreams. As Abraham Lincoln said,

Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.

The combination of aspirations and ambition is truly the fuel that drives a Hustler. A hustler has a vision (although often blurry) of what they want their legacy to look like when they leave this world. In this scene from the movie, Pursuit of Happiness we find a father providing his son with hustler-esque advice regarding ambition and aspirations:

Hustlers also strive to achieve excellence in negotiation. I won’t highlight this point in detail here but click here for more information on how to negotiate like a pro.

Value Hardwork

The opposite of a hustler is someone who doesn’t give their 100%. Unconsciously these people don’t put in 100% because if they fail their talent can be questioned. However, by putting in 80% and failing they can look at those around them and say: “If I would have worked harder, I would have succeeded.” This is not the mentality of a hustler.

A hustler takes personal responsibility for failure more often than they will take responsibility for success. A hustler puts in the blood, sweat and tears with one intent – success. They don’t see failure as an option and will do all they can to achieve their goals. This determination is the driving factor behind their obsession with working hard. A hustler strives to perfect their craft daily and doesn’t flinch when someone tells them their idea is crazy.

An example of the hustler mentality when it comes to hard work can be seen in NFL Linebacker Ray Lewis:

Be like a duck. Remain calm on the surface and paddle like hell underneath - Michael Caine

Understand Smartwork

A Hustler is not a mule. (See: What is a “mule” in a start-up company?) A hustler believes and recognizes that they have a core advantage over any one else. This advantage is not in their ability to work hard but instead in their ability work smarter. For years, there have been books published and seminars given promoting different methods to persuade and influence people. A common suggestion found in these recommendations includes the idea of “Make 500 sales calls and sell 5 of product X”. Meaning, if you’re willing to work harder than everyone else you’ll have a slight advantage. And by slight, they mean one additional sale. What these guys are missing is something called Smartwork..

Smartwork is the ability to understand the dynamics of a conversation. It’s all about frame control and understanding the cues that people give off unconsciously that provide you with an opportunity to control the frame. A Hustler is a lifelong student of Social Dynamics and Negotiation. They enjoy the company of people but enjoy analyzing their interactions so they can become a better communicator. See below for an excellent example of a hustler in action:

Love your Hustle
If you are honestly not obsessed with your hustle then you will not achieve hustler status. A hustler loves the product or service they are offering and believes that it is solving an issue for those around them. At the end of the day, to do something well you need to enjoy doing it. Hustlers have found what they enjoy doing and wake up every morning excited to get closer to fulfilling their aspirations and goals.

Today, I raise my glass to the hustlers. Those who are willing to stay up until 3AM fine tuning their craft. The ones who consume more coffee per day than the average employee does in a week. To those who are referred to as being ruthless. Here’s to you. Keep on hustling.

In this post I write not about advertising, marketing, business or social media. Instead I would like to dedicate this post to the former leader of the NDP party – Jack Layton. A noble and sincere Canadian whose life was cut short after a long battle with cancer. While I never met Mr.Layton, I have followed his career since my early days of university and recently watched his party shock the nation during the recent election.

Upon his death Jack Layton left Canada with one final message in the form of a letter. After addressing different groups of Canadians; he finishes:

” My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.”

From this piece comes a message of Love, Hope and Optimism. Upon reading Jacks letter and listening to him speak it has become clear to me that Jack believed that hope and optimism should be at the heart of politics in our Country. Political views aside –  this message is something that we can each take and embrace as we go through our own daily lives. We need to spend more time doing things we love, while having hope for those who ache and being optimistic about our future in a world closer together.

In University, I once had a debate with a friend and told her that I was a realist and not an optimist. She went on to correct me by telling me that a part of being optimistic is understanding the problem well while being cynical enough to never be considered a fool. This way, if things don’t necessarily go as planned – You cannot be disappointed.

When I read the letter left by Jack Layton this conversation from 4 years ago resurfaced in memory. In that moment I realized that optimism is really built on our perception of others and our own ability to overcome obstacles. An optimist wants to know the facts of every situation before creating their own opinion. Thus, if anything, an optimist is a realist.Whether the facts are good, bad or even ugly. They want to hear them so they can arm themselves and those around them with the knowledge they need to overcome the obstacles that lie ahead.

Yet that word obstacles is not how an optimist would describe it. Instead, they don’t see obstacles, walls or even barriers. Instead they see possibility. The possibilities of reaching goals and dreams. The possibility of making things right. The possibility of being a better person. The possibility of changing the world.

I leave you with a paragraph Jack Layton directed to young Canadians everywhere. I believe that if my generation no matter their political views can strive to do better and chase the dreams that Jack describes below – That our future will be brighter than our past. And most importantly, we’ll have an optimistic outlook on the possibilities that lie ahead. Farewell Jack.

To young Canadians: All my life I have worked to make things better. Hope and optimism have defined my political career, and I continue to be hopeful and optimistic about Canada. Young people have been a great source of inspiration for me. I have met and talked with so many of you about your dreams, your frustrations, and your ideas for change. More and more, you are engaging in politics because you want to change things for the better. Many of you have placed your trust in our party. As my time in political life draws to a close I want to share with you my belief in your power to change this country and this world. There are great challenges before you, from the overwhelming nature of climate change to the unfairness of an economy that excludes so many from our collective wealth, and the changes necessary to build a more inclusive and generous Canada. I believe in you. Your energy, your vision, your passion for justice are exactly what this country needs today. You need to be at the heart of our economy, our political life, and our plans for the present and the future.

I’m a believer that things can always be improved upon.

No matter how well you did in school last year or how great your business is going, there is always room for improvement. If you think last year was great and you don’t need to further improve, then settle. If you’re not willing to settle for what you’ve already accomplished, here are ten things that you can start doing IMMEDIATELY to ensure that this year was better than the last.

Speak at a Conference

No one is born a great public speaker. It takes a lot of time, effort and mistakes to become great. If you’re willing to put yourself out there and speak often, by the end of the year you will see a significant improvement. By putting yourself out there you will have an opportunity to learn from mistakes you make along the way while also building your personal brand. Early on, don’t worry so much about getting paid every time you speak, instead speak with the intention of providing value to your audience and blowing them away.

As you develop yourself as a leader in your industry or on a specific topic, you’ll start being looked to and sought after by brands, organizations and people all over the world. It’s definitely going to take time but if you push yourself to do public speaking more than 5 times this year, I’m confident that you’ll reap the benefits from it. Speaking is a great way to connect with a large audience and share your thoughts. The more I speak at events and conferences, the luckier I get with business and opportunities. Take it from me and  be sure to avoid some of the most frequently made presentation mistakes by everyone from professors to CEOs.

Increase your Physical Activity

It never fails, every January the gym sees huge surges in attendance given all the New Year’s Resolutions. It’s mind boggling to think that every year the same thing happens and a few weeks later you start to see who stuck with their resolution and who gave up. Some people are able to push through the pain and make a true commitment while others slowly begin making excuses for why they deserve a three day break.

Push yourself to lift more than last year. Make a goal to run an extra mile every two months. Whatever it takes.

Go See the World!

Did you spend the last year in your own basement tweeting, blogging and working? Well, it’s time to switch things up. There is a huge world out there just waiting to be explored and there is no reason for you to only visit it using Google Maps. If you can’t afford it right now, start saving and take a trip at the end of the year that you’ve always wanted to cross off your bucket list.

Make a Few new Friends

Why not make new friends? It doesn’t matter if you make them in “real life” or on a social network. The point here is that you should make an attempt to build relationships with some new people who you can honestly call friends. Sure, this one is tough for some of us and for the most part you will never get from acquaintances to friends but there will definitely be one or two that you really connect with. Trust me, this year I made several new friendships and it was worth every second. Building a long-lasting friendship is most certainly worth the risking rejection or potentially wasting some time.

Start Making what you’re worth!

It’s not rare that Social Media consultants under-charge for their services just to get a contract over the next guy. Whether you’re a social media strategist in the entrepreneurship world or living the agency life, it’s very common to be undervalued. This doesn’t only apply to those specializing in social media though, it goes across all levels of digital work. If you look at the pay-cheque of someone working at a digital agency compared to a full service agency the gap will surprise you.

I’m not saying go out there and make demands that you should be paid like Chris Brogan. I’m saying determine how much you think you are worth and start making it. We go through this world once and there is no reason for you to be undervalued by clients or employers. If it means negotiating for a higher salary so be it, do what it takes to get what you deserve. Just be sure that you can back up your price tag.

Release Your Creativity!

An old friend of mine used a journal as a creative outlet for many years. They wrote in this journal day in and day out until University and the workload forced them to walk away from their passion. What they didn’t realize was that they were walking away from something bigger than just a journal. They were walking away from something that had become a creative and emotional outlet. One day, I asked them why they stopped and they couldn’t figure it out. They had no excuse, instead they just reiterated the fact that it was something they loved and walked away from. After hearing this I decided that for their birthday, I would give them a journal – They were ecstatic.

Humans are born to be creative. Whether or not you enjoy creating literature like my friend or creating four course meals – it’s all about creation. This year you should look into finding something you truly enjoy. Whether it’s photography, videography, cartoons, literature or even cooking – whatever will take your mind to a creative place.

Smile and Make Others do the Same!

To sum this one up in two words: Be Nice. If you’re nice to people, people will generally be nice back. If they aren’t they aren’t worth your time anyways. Happiness is one of the most powerful emotions in the world and if you can make someone laugh or smile then you will be a bright-spot in their day. Push yourself everyday to brighten someones day in one way or another. It will make them feel good and make yourself feel great.

Pick up the Trash

Almost every city suffers from a few bad pears who have decided to become litter bugs. If every day you take a second to bend over and pick up that piece of trash instead of walking over it, others will notice. They will then in turn start picking up trash around the community and sooner or later hundreds of people will start doing their part. Before you know it, the entire city will be filled with people who are subconsciously doing their part to help keep your city clean and the environment healthy. Every little bit helps – The ripple effect just makes it more powerful.

Wake up Earlier!

Waking up early is not a simple change. This isn’t just a new habit, waking up earlier than usual is a change in lifestyle. You need to wake up earlier not just for your own personal gratification but to actually get things done that you normally wouldn’t. Waking up early gives you an opportunity to do things that you wouldn’t had you slept in an extra hour. Whether that’s a morning run or a hearty breakfast, the morning is a great time to be productive and start your day off on a good note.

Stop Faking it!

Do you find yourself doing or saying things you don’t really mean? Do you often question things you do or say? If so, it might be worth re-evaluating who you are as a person and truly figure out who you you are. Keeping it real is one of the best things you can do for yourself this year. No reason to hide your faults and pretend to be interested in things you’re not. Be yourself, it’s good for the soul.

Give, Give, Give!

While receiving feels great, giving often times feels much better. This year you should look at what you have that others would benefit from. When I say this, I’m not only speaking in terms of monetary value but instead I want you to think outside of the box. If you donated money this year to a local charity, maybe this year you can you save a life by donating blood. Or maybe donate an entire cart of groceries to a local food bank. Or donate something as simply as the clothes off your back to a clothing drive.

Whether you donate to your own community or to someone overseas, giving is a great way to make this year better than last.

Learn a new Talent

As a person with limited talents, learning a new one will take a lot of time and effort. That said, putting the time and effort into learning something new is always worth it when you accomplish your goal. This could range from learning how to play the trumpet to learning how to do pottery. If you’re able to set aside time to learn a talent this year, you will definitely not regret it.

Forget your Haters

Year after year new people will enter and new people will leave our lives. Some of the people who stick around really should be cut off but for some reason they stick around like a bad rash. You need to understand that for the most part these people are sticking around because they want something. Whether they want the satisfaction of making you miserable or opportunity to see you fail, these are some people your life can do without.

Tim Ferriss gave a few great tips on how to deal with Haters – Definitely worth a read.

Inspire the Youth around You

We live in a time where role-models are scarce. More and more boys are growing up without fathers and more and more females are growing up idolizing celebrities who are nothing more than sex-symbols. It’s important that you take a look at the youth and realize that these are the faces and voices of the future. We should not only strive to inspire these younger generations, but also foster within them the quest for a brighter future.

You can do this by volunteering at a local Scouts/Guides club or even offering up your spare time to speak at local schools about your profession. There are tons of organizations looking for volunteers, ranging from tutors to actual mentors, the opportunity for you to change a life is there. While looking to make a positive impact we must also remember this demographic. Understand that they are young and different, their lives are compared to even mine ten years ago.

Join/Create a Group!

The opportunities available to join some type of group are endless. Ranging from dodge ball to toast-masters, there are tons of things to get involved with. If you don’t think your community has any opportunities for groups, go out and make one! Whether you start a monthly tweet-up or start a mastermind group, these types of groups or events will definitely help ensure that you have a great year personally and professionally.

Take a course that will challenge you

Overcoming a challenge is one of life’s greatest gifts. The satisfaction of accomplishment is one of the greatest feelings in the world. If you’re able to challenge yourself while gaining knowledge in something that you’ve always wanted to learn about, it’s a win-win situation.

Create something GREAT!

You have to start with a vision. Your vision should be something like, oh I dunno…Change the world!

If you have a vision of this magnitude then you’re on the right track. Think Mark Zuckerberg or Julian Assange. If you’re able to do something that is this special then your year will most certainly be better than the last. If you try and don’t succeed guess what? You’ve still done what 90% of people in this world are unwilling to do. Take a chance and try to do something that they are passionate about. A wiseman once said,

Those who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try to do nothing and succeed.

Spend a Weekend with Nature

Camping isn’t for everyone but it’s definitely something you should do at least once in your life. Personally, I’m a camping fanatic and absolutely love the idea of sleeping underneath the stars with nothing but the earths natural elements. When you go camping you have an opportunity to live in a very simplistic manner and gain a new level of respect for what you take for advantage on a daily basis.

Share tea with someone over 70

Old people are funny. If you have an opportunity to sit down and chat with one of them for a few hours you should most certainly do it. They give you a fresh perspective on a variety of things while also giving you an opportunity to gain some wisdom. If you can’t get either of those things you’re sure to be entertained with a few quirky comments or hilarious reactions. Not to mention, it could be the most exciting part of their day.

Play more games!

Parents are told to encourage their kids to play and use their imagination as it has been shown to improve social skills and spark creativity. For some reason our culture has decided that play is something that should be associated with childhood instead of adulthood. This year, challenge yourself to participate in some form of play more frequently, whether it’s playing a video game or fooling around on an artsy, cultural date thing. Get out there, have fun and play physical, socially and mentally. Not a believe that play is good for the soul? Watch this video:

]]> http://rosssimmonds.com/2011/01/03/how-to-have-a-great-year/feed/ 3 http://rosssimmonds.com/2010/12/28/surviving-agency-life/ http://rosssimmonds.com/2010/12/28/surviving-agency-life/#comments Tue, 28 Dec 2010 11:53:17 +0000 Ross Simmonds http://rosssimmonds.com/?p=2635

Advertising is an interesting and dynamic industry. It’s a place where individuals are categorized as suits and creatives. It’s a place where these two different categories meet under one roof to do right for their clients. As a young suit in the industry, I have quickly realized that the turnover rate in this industry was not exaggerated. Every month I’ve heard of someone, somewhere leaving the industry to join the client side or join the competition. Some say it’s due to burn-out… I’m a huge fan of the advertising world and have loved the first few months of my time here. I’ve been waiting to write this post as I wanted to get a few projects under my belt before sharing some thoughts and insights. Specifically, I’ve quickly realized that this is a tough business that requires some tough people. Luckily for me, I work at a place with some of the cities brightest, toughest and most creative individuals I’ve ever met work on a daily basis. While I’m still young in the industry, I think I can provide some insight on how to survive within it. If you’re a seasoned veteran then please. Feel free to share some of your thoughts in the comments…Here goes nothing…

The Morning Routine of a Modern Ad Man

For me, everyday I wake up is a new opportunity to do some great work. That said, I’m not going to pretend that everyday I wake up I’m super excited to go to the office and make magic happen. It just doesn’t work that way. There are some days when you’re excited to get to work and there are others where you wish someone would carry you to the office door. If the majority of your days are the former, you’ve passed the first test. The morning is one of the most important times of the day because it can really make or break the next 12 hours (billable and non-billable alike). Understanding that sometimes you really cant shake a crappy mood we have to understand that we can definitely influence  how the rest of our day goes. Here are a few things that I’ve done in the past few months that have made my days in the agency world less stressful and more enjoyable.

• Make Your Bed: This is a quick and easy way to start your day with productivity. When your bed is made, everything in your room looks a bit neater. When I make my bed in the morning I feel immediate satisfaction as not only am I being productive but also effective and well disciplined. If things are going to be crazy when you get too work, why not ensure that when you get home your bed looks nice welcoming.
• Grab some Grub: As many times as we hear it, not often do we listen. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and needs to be skipped as little as possible. With a hearty breakfast you will be able to fill yourself with the nutrients and and energy you need to start your day. Not a breakfast person? Well here are five of my favourite breakfasts that you’re sure to love if you want to cook’em.
• Feel the Burn: There’s nothing better than a morning work-out to get the blood flowing and adrenaline pumping. Waking up and going for a quick jog to get the heart rate up or doing a few sets of push ups is an easy way to wake up the body and feel productive. The quicker you can get the blood rushing the sooner you will feel the sleepiness disappear.
• Chug some H2O: Not only are there health benefits to chugging back a tall glass of H2O on an empty stomach, it’s a quick and easy way to wake up. If you’re going to be hustling your butt off all day at the agency you might not get a chance to drink a lot of water throughout the day. Understanding the importance of H2O consumption, the taller the glass in the AM the better.

These four things have essentially become my morning rituals. While they’ve been key to getting up on the right side of the bed the day doesn’t end on the commute to the office.

The Productivity of a Modern Ad Man

Productivity has become a blurred concept across the advertising industry as many of us struggle to productivity. Generally, the debate is between effectiveness and efficiency or quality and quantity. While many people have their own opinion on what matters most to them and what their agency actually values, I believe a solid mix of all four with emphasis on quality is the best bet. My idea of being productive is focusing on a task until it is complete and doing it to a standard I’m proud to put my name on. While multitasking is encouraged at most advertising agencies, multitasking is known to decrease productivity. As technology makes it easier to do multiple tasks, Generation Y is more likely to not be overwhelmed with a long to-do list. That said, it doesn’t mean that their productivity will not decrease just the same as someone who is overwhelmed. Here are a few things I’ve done to manage my tasks…

• Handle the Important Tasks First: Before you get into the office you should know what your most important task is for the day. When I get to the office I never go straight to my email but instead I spend an hour working on what I already know needs to be done. Once that’s taken care of I go to the in-box and begin scheduling my time for the rest of the day.
• Ignore the Panicked: Some people will believe that everything that involves them is high priority. These people are difficult to work with but are found in almost every office setting. If I’m working on my highest priority task, I’m probably not answering an email while doing it. Typically, the people who are always panicked are the ones who are unable to manage time or clients effectively. While it’s great to help out a colleague, it’s always better to take care of the things that directly impact you first.
• 15 Minute Prep: A schedule is a beautiful thing if used correctly. Most schedules allow you to place a reminder on each event and you’ll get a ring or a buzz to let you know what’s coming up. It’s never a good feeling to get a call from the receptionist saying that a client is here to meet you when you forgot all about it. Placing a reminder on your calendar for events and tasks is a great way to prepare yourself for the the next thing on your plate. I have a reminder set to go off 15minutes before hand to ensure I have time to do any administrative work I may have forgot about.
• Be Willing to Unplug: The most visited website at the average office is Facebook. Sure, it’s a part of the job for some but for others it’s simply a distraction that slows down productivity. Whether you waste time on Tumblr, Twitter, YouTube or Facebook – You’re still wasting valuable time. When I have a tight deadline that relies solely on what I can put down on paper, I turn off the internet and make magic with hundreds of keystrokes and a little thing called Word. The first few times you do this you will find yourself minimizing word and opening up firefox to be surprised with a 404 message which immediately reminds you to stay on task. Unplug and you’ll see a significant difference in your work habits.

Communication is Essential

You would think that in the communications business that everyone would be great communicators. While I don’t want to paint the industry with one brush, there are tons of people who have great difficulty communicating with clients and colleagues. When I was running my own digital shop I quickly realized that I had to rethink the way I wrote emails to clients and partners. When trying to get to the point in emails, the recipient would sometimes call back wondering if I was upset because they took my tone as being assertive. This was never the case. I’ve since tried to adjust the way I get to the point and it has resulted in happy clients and colleagues. Email is typically the most frequently used communication tool at an Advertising Agency. On a daily basis you can expect more than thirty emails in your inbox, minimum. If you are receiving more than that then you’re simply having an average day. Writing countless emails can be a bit exhausting and even drain on your effectiveness to do your work (See #2 Under Productivity). With this type of communication being the primary method of dialogue here are three things that I found useful after reading ways to get better at dealing with emails.

Email Communication

• Write A Better Subject Line: Not everyone in advertising is a copywriter, leaving many of us to struggle with headlines or subject lines that can grab attention. As Penelope discusses in here post, I like to use descriptions in my posts to ensure that the recipient knows immediately what I want. For example, If I’m writing a client about a deadline that is creeping up I would use a subject like; REMINDER: Deadline for Project X. A subject like this makes it clear for the recipient and sometimes doesn’t require opening to understand what’s inside.
• Use Headlines for Long Emails: Similar to what I would do when writing a long blog post, I use headlines for long emails. This makes it easier for the reader to scan through the email instead of spending twenty minutes deciphering line by line for the key messages. It’s also important to ensure that the headlines are descriptive enough to summarize the key points in the copy that will follow them. Now you don’t want a 200 character headline but one that nails the point of the following paragraph is ideal (Similar to what I’m doing here).
• Don’t use Email for Everything: Dealing with a sticky situation is about as fun as a bad rash. Especially if you think the other party is the one responsible for the sticky situation. Instead of sitting at your desk and crafting up the PERFECT response with the hope that they will miraculously take the blame – Give them a call. And if they’re in your office, walk over and talk face to face. At most, it will be a five minute conversation where one of you accept a damaged ego and thus resolve a minor misunderstanding.

This last point about not using email for everything is extremely important. And while it’s extremely important it’s one that many people don’t do throughout their career. I see people who have been in the industry for twenty years in stickier situations than before simply because they didn’t pick up the phone to call. In theory, this is probably the best communication advice I can give you. It works. But even though I’m reiterating this fact to you in this post, I don’t always turn to the phone over the reply button. It takes a lot of effort and most importantly, self control to be able to change your behavior. If you are self-disciplined and are willing to make the effort you will slip up once in a while but gradually see great improvement not only in the number of calls you make but your relationships within and out of the office. Another thing I feel is necessary in an advertising agency is an act called OVERcommunication. Tom Peters said that this was the act of reiterating a reiteration of a reiteration. This is the act of ensuring that colleagues and clients are always in the loop when a hiccup takes place in the process. If you’re slowly finding some budget creep on a project, wave a red flag. Communicate this with stakeholders, clients, partners and anyone who could benefit from this information. The sooner you can do this the better, waving a flag early presents you with the best opportunity to make an educated and well thought out decision.

Avoiding Burnout at an Agency

You will quickly realize that at an  agency, you are expected to work a lot of hours. It isn’t rare that you will find an ad man working 60-80 hour work weeks. It’s easy to burnout and find yourself stressed or simply overworked. Some of the brightest in the business end up leaving simply because they can’t find that perfect work-life balance. While it’s important for the people above you to be aware and manage overwork, you need to do the same.

• The Power of No: If you’re already working on so many projects that your bandwidth is running low, the word no will be your best friend. At a certain point, you have to begin taking and not taking projects strategically. If you feel a project could be done by anyone in the agency then it might not be worth taking. If a project comes along that requires some strategic thinking and will help further your career, take a lesson from Sir Mix-A-Lot and jump on it.
• Stay Active: Reading does for the brain what working out does for the body. If you’re stuck at your desk all day for 8-10 hours and don’t take time to get exercise, sooner or later your health is going to take a hit. While a brown paper bag lunch is key to a healthy diet, exercise is key to keeping your sanity and preventing long term health problems. Whether you stay active by going to the gym or playing Ultimate Frisbee, these recreational activities will keep you sane. Also, realize that sometimes you’ve got to skip the peanut butter burger and go for something healthy. A healthy body is is a great way to keep a healthy mind.

So there you have it. That’s my personal Guide to Surviving life in an Ad Agency. I still have a lot to learn but these are a few things that have kept me trucking and doing some cool work over the past few months. If you have any suggestions or advice I’d love to hear them and I’m sure others would just the same. Just comment with your response and if you want to share this post, by all means, feel free.

It’s not rare that I get an odd look when I speak in front a crowd of business owners. With the majority of them being double my age, I’ve quickly learned the importance of gaining their trust as a marketer and their respect as a professional. Sure I could easily “fake it” with a beard and moustache, that type of transformation would take months of preparation for me and I really don’t see the point. While I have been in many situations where my age has overshadowed my skills, I still embrace it. I mean, why not? A fellow blogger once said, Age only matters if you let it. And I couldn’t agree more.

I saved her life, she nearly drowned...

For many young professionals it’s becoming ever-so difficult to differentiate the “professional” from the “young”. Establishing an identity in the business world is quite complicating as there are still several things you want to do as a young person and many things you want to do as a professional. The only problem is, some of these activities and opportunities don’t exactly fit both sides of the story. It’s become common for many of us make the decision that were at a point in our lives where we no longer need our old friends. Instead we seek out new friends who can present us with “exciting” and more polished opportunities. While its always great to enhance your network – turning your back on your entourage could be a decision you regret forever.  As young professionals we need to embrace our youth and realize that many would kill to have theirs back.

I recently caught myself thinking about how great it was to wake up excited on Christmas day and find an N64 game under the tree. I went on to tell myself that “those were the good old days” when in fact, I’m still living, “the good old days.” We all are. The question is whether or not were going to make them as good as we can or let our days be mediocre.

He showed off, splashing around...

Just the other day I met a lady who was in her late sixties and her daily routine would push the endurance of Usain Bolt to the limit. Her schedule included biking from one end of the city to the next, walking four neighbourhood dogs, monitoring recess at a local elementary school and then biking back home to play with her two grandkids when they got off school. It reminded me of a quote;

We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.

Somewhere along the road to success many of us young professionals forget to take time and play. In a sense, many of us take the easy way out by abandoning our youth. Instead of seeking balance between being young and being a professional, we choose one or the other. When in fact, we could easily decide that we want to balance the best of both worlds.

You see, many of us have forgotten the importance of a true belly-laugh and the adrenaline before a night on the town. We forget these feelings all because were afraid to be judged unfairly. Were afraid that our older colleagues will judge us for being “young.” Our drive puts us in a position where we forget what it felt like to be excited about something other than work. We ignore opportunities that would lead to great memories for opportunities to further our careers. We put our heart and soul into our work while forgetting to give our heart to someone else. And while doing this, we not only forget who we are but we forget what it means to be young.

These are some of the best days of our lives. When we look back at our own personal stories and remember our youth, will we remember a time when we were overworked and underpaid or a time when we embraced the little things and lived everyday as if it was our last. I leave you with a video about youth, along with a quote from Jay-Z…

Fear not when, fear not why,
Fear not much while were alive,
Life is for living not living up tight,
See ya somewhere up in the sky,

- Young Forever, Jay-Z

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