Posts by David Shriner-Cahn
STP003: Why People Choose Some Products Over Others with Carly Fink
Carly Fink has been fascinated with marketing since she analyzed why people favor certain brands of bottled water for a grade school project. Since then she has turned her obsession into a career that bridges advertising, research, and academia—all with the aim of getting to the bottom of the mystery of what causes people to buy.
In this interview, we talk about…
- How to turn flaws into benefits through skillful marketing
- Why more sales is not an acceptable business goal
- How people walk differently than they used to and why that matters to your business
- Irrational distinctions people make between similar products and services
- What market research really means and how to use it to your advantage
- Why Millennials may not necessarily be the best people to handle your social media
Carly Fink is an owner of the brand consultancy and market research firm Provoke Insights. Before starting her own business, she worked at JWT and Grey Advertising. Carly is also an Adjunct Professor of Advertising, Strategic Planning, Marketing, and Market Research at Baruch College MBA program.
Be sure to review us on smashingtheplateau.com/itunes.
Go here to get new episodes of Smashing the Plateau delivered to your inbox (FREE).
0Shares
Our Favorite Blog Posts of the Week
Part of helping small business owners to stop feeling overwhelmed about their daily tasks is curating some amazing content from around the blogosphere. Each week we assemble what we think are the top posts, and ones that are particularly relevant for you. Each post reflects a core component of being a SBO. We’re confident you’ll…
Read Full PostSTP002: Redefining Partnership with Patty Soffer
Patty Soffer had a career that most people would have envied…until it came crashing down around her. In this interview, we talk about Patty’s quest to uncover the hidden causes of her company’s collapse, what she discovered, and how she ultimately built herself up even stronger.
Topics include…
- Why every business is a partnership no matter how it’s structured
- The most common reasons partnerships hit the skids
- Why profits always follow people, not the other way around
- The true meaning of accountability and why it matters
- Why business and personal always go together
- How to prevent partnership problems from sinking an otherwise healthy business
Patty Soffer started her career as a top fashion model and went on to found one of Florida’s largest and most successful ad agencies, Soffer Adkins. Today she is the bestselling author of Partnership or Partnersh*t: You Decide and founder of a Human Foundation, among many other ventures.
Go here to get new episodes of Smashing the Plateau delivered to your inbox (FREE).
0Shares
Our Favorite Blog Posts of the Week
We understand you may not always have enough the free time to catch up on the week’s goings on. That’s where the TEND blog comes in handy. Each week, we scour the Internet for the best articles small business blogs have to offer. Here are this week’s picks: 1. The Revolution Will Not Be Monetized…
Read Full PostSTP001: How Building a Community is the Key to Innovation with Blaine Graboyes
Blaine Graboyes has lived at the crossroads of business, technology, and creativity for his entire career. In this interview, we talk about the main differences between ideas that turn into massive successes and those that stall.
Topics include…
- Why strong personal relationships hold the secret to reducing risk
- How so many businesspeople neglect the details of execution
- Best places to seek help for the most difficult problems
- Why unconventional education is better than business school
- Why it’s never too late to break traditional ways of thinking and connecting
- Avoiding the most common challenges of bringing on new people
- The benefits of getting rid of your smart phone
Blaine Graboyes is the CEO of GameCo. He has produced 4,000 digital and transmedia projects for clients such as Dreamworks, Mattel, Sony Pictures, Nickelodeon, DirecTV, and Warner Bros. Blaine has founded multiple successful startups and was a pioneer of DVD technology in its earliest days.
Go here to get new episodes of Smashing the Plateau delivered to your inbox (FREE).
0Shares
Our Favorite Blog Posts of the Week
Hopefully you found some time between World Cup matches to stay on top of the latest business blogs. If you didn’t, no matter. We did. Here are our favorite blog posts of the week, which we think offer tremendous value for small business owners.
Read Full PostThe Starting Lineup
Here’s a sneak peak at our upcoming podcast “Smashing the Plateau,” which premiers next Monday, July 28. Below are brief descriptions of the show’s first three guests. Blaine Graboyes – Blaine has held the titles of CEO, Executive Producer, Game Designer, and many others in the digital entertainment industry. He has worked with brands and…
Read Full PostOne More Week
It’s finally here…well, almost! After a whole lot of hard work and preparation, the first episode of our new podcast “Smashing the Plateau” goes live next Monday, July 28. Over the next few weeks and months you’re going to hear from a top video game designer-entrepreneur, the guy who signed the Red Hot Chili Peppers,…
Read Full PostOur Favorite Blog Posts of the Week
Summer is in full swing, and the year is right around halfway through. (How is that New Year’s Resolution coming along?) If you’re like most people, the heat of summer pushes you back indoors. Here are three articles we think will keep your brain sharp and focused on the tasks at hand.
Read Full PostHow Do You Make Your Mission Statement Happen?
You’ve probably picked up by now that while we certainly care about big ideas, we’re far more interested in how they’re successfully implemented. That’s why a recent Fast Company article (they’ve done it again!) is so fascinating to us.
Read Full PostOur Favorite Blog Posts of the Week
We at TEND like to serve up our favorite blog posts each week so that you, our dear reader, will have something to discuss on Monday. To email to a colleague. Or simply just to ponder. Here are this week’s posts. Happy discussing/emailing/pondering.
Read Full PostThe Relationship Between Habits and Genius
We spend a lot of time here talking about how to build systems and processes to help businesses run smoothly (and profitably). But like everything else, systems are run by people. And when it comes down to it, the best systems are powered by strong habits. For those who doubt the power of the almighty…
Read Full PostOur Favorite Blog Posts of the Week
The business blogosphere is full of great content. Finding all of it on your own takes time and effort, which we are happy take off your plate each week. Here are three posts from around the web that struck us as important. We’re confident you’ll feel the same.
Read Full PostWhat Is Smashing The Plateau?
You’ve waited long enough, so here it is at last…the full description of our new podcast. It’s called Smashing the Plateau and it’s the podcast for people looking to get unstuck in their businesses and their lives. Here’s the story.
Read Full PostForget Blogging. It’s Time For Something Even Better.
We’ve been blogging for a while now, and it’s been a fun ride. We’ve love sharing our thoughts and opinions with you in print, and you’ve responded in kind. That’s why we’re doubling down. We’ve decided to go multimedia. We’re expanding the blog into a full-fledged podcast.
Read Full PostOur Favorite Blog Posts of the Week
As small business owners, we all know it’s important to keep up to date with the industry’s ecosystem. Personally, we like to scour the Internet for the best blog posts each week. It’s our way of relieving the pressure a little; think of it as one less fire to fight. Usually there are too many…
Read Full PostHow to Succeed in Business: Tips From a Superstar Planned Giving Advisor
Tony Martignetti and I first met through a mutual colleague. Through his radio show, which he hosts in conjunction with his Planned Giving company, Tony publicizes valuable content that has routinely attracted me. Tony’s business is very focused, and it’s a specificity that has allowed him to corner a market. I think it’s a lesson…
Read Full PostWe’ve Got Big News!
Thanks to you we’re expanding our blog in a big way! When we started featuring interviews on our blog a few times a week, they quickly became our most popular posts. If there were any complaints, it was typically that 5 questions aren’t enough to give our fantastic guests the time and space they need…
Read Full PostHow to Succeed in Business: Tips From a Superstar Executive Coach and Leadership Strategist
I first mane Jane Hyun while planning a series of events called Cross-Generational Conversation Day, founded by Phyllis Weiss Haserot. Jane is an internationally renowned consultant to Fortune 500 companies, but also a small business owner herself. Her experiences are broad, which means she can speak intelligently about a number of challenges business leaders face.…
Read Full PostThe One Trait the World’s Richest Business Owners All Share
How do people get wealthy? It’s a question entrepreneurs who are new to the game are itching to answer. Maybe it’s a relentless bulldog approach, or possibly an irresistible charm. You hear the word “hustle” get thrown a lot, too. Suddenly, you find yourself neck-deep in advice that, really, all seems pretty good. But the…
Read Full PostOur Favorite Blog Posts of the Week
Keeping up with one business blog after another may be effortful, but even the most careless owner can recognize the importance of keeping your finger on the pulse. If you need better information, faster, look no further. We rounded up the best posts of the week so you don’t have to. Happy browsing.
Read Full PostHow to Succeed in Business: Tips From a Superstar Forensic Accountant
David Zweighaft is a forensic accountant, which means he brings a very specialized skill to companies as an external resource. His success depends on developing trust with his clients, a challenge I’m sure all business leaders face at one time or another. David’s perspective on trust has broad implications for how to navigate the working…
Read Full PostHow to Succeed in Business: Tips From a Superstar Merchant Services Entrepreneur
President and CEO of Progressive Payment Solutions Jonathan Kramer is an expert business networker, and that is how we met. Jonathan is a small business owner and service provider, which means he knows firsthand the importance of being a resource and smart decision maker. He knows how to see a market opportunity, create differentiated value…
Read Full PostHow to Succeed in Business: Tips From a Superstar Career Guidance Specialist
Andrea Eisenberg and I first met many years ago when she provided outplacement services for one of my employees. As an expert in offering career guidance, at her business Preferred Transition Resources, Andrea knows human capital is a company’s most important asset. Andrea shows us that people skills can be measured both qualitatively and quantitatively.…
Read Full PostSecrets of Crossword Puzzle Champions: How to Always Win at Business
I’ve always loved crossword puzzles. But it wasn’t until many years into my foray with the hobby that I learned a sobering truth: I was doing them all wrong. See, I began each puzzle the way I thought it was meant to be started. One-Across? Check. Five-Across? Check. And so on, in chronological order, from…
Read Full Post
