A Childhood Business Lesson from the 1970s: Regarding a Real Pink Castle and Some Guy Named Andy

 

A Childhood Business Lesson from the 1970s:

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Regarding a Real Pink Castle and Some Guy Named Andy

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It was our yearly winter pilgrimage when I was a kid growing up in Pennsylvania. Every January, as the frigid winds blew and the skies hinted at snow, or the snow already blanketed the ground, my mother would yank me and my sister out of school for a week.

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A note to the principal always promised that she would make our vacation "educational." She promised that we would visit museums and other cultural sites. But that part was bullshit. It was always a week of fun in the sun in Florida: Disney World or some other type of cool resort.

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1973 was the first year that we stayed at the Don Cesar Resort Hotel (pictured above) in St. Petersburg Beach, Florida. Built in 1924 by Thomas Rowe with the dream of creating a magnificent "pink castle," it proved to be a wonderland for me. Nerdy, scrawny, wearing my coke-bottle glasses, and bright-red with my lobster-like sunburn, I enjoyed days upon days at the beach, playing shuffleboard and trying to hit a tennis ball. It was paradise!

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Yet one memory, both in terms of my childhood, and now as a businessperson myself, remains etched in my mind more than any other.

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There was a magical place within the confines of that great big pink castle: Uncle Andy’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor (and yes, it’s still there). It was a place of the sweetest most decadent aromas; I can still smell them more than three decades on. Exquisite flavors of ice cream, sumptuous cakes and flaky pastries, salt-water taffy, all mixed with the smell of a freshly waxed floor, leather seats and the salty scent of the Gulf of Mexico beyond the parlor.

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And at the center of it all was Uncle Andy. Nope, not like today: no corporate entity with a cleverly-crafted symbolic "Andy" to perform Marketing and Advertising magic. He really was Andy. And I remember the first time I ever approached the counter to order a cone:

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"What’s your name fellow?" asked the teddy-bear like figure from behind the counter.

"Jonathan!" I answered from behind my crazily thick lenses.

"Well," he replied, "I’m gonna call you Jonathan Livingston Seagull!" And for the remainder of our wonderful vacation, that’s exactly what he called me. Always bearing a great big smile, he greeted me as if I was his best friend in the world!

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The intermittent five-or-so Januaries were spent at other locales. Disney World twice. Bermuda once. Miami.

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But in 1977, we made our way back to the pink-castle. I was now ten years old. Following check-in, I persuaded my mother and sister to forgo the beckoning beach and swimming pool. There was a more-important place to see. It was straight to Uncle Andy’s that I ran, practically dragging them behind.

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My mother had warned me several times…"Jonathan, please don’t be hurt if he doesn’t remember you. You have to keep in mind that he probably meets thousands and thousands of kids every year."

"Nonsense!" I replied a final time, undiscouraged, and proceeded into the parlor, the same plethora of dreamy aromas now filling my nostrils.

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I waited patiently in line and when my turn came I looked up at Uncle Andy and spoke. "Andy, it’s been five years and you probably don’t recognize me…" After a brief pause during which he studied my face, he blurted out…

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"Jonathan Livingston Seagull!"

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Childhood experiences in Florida’s "Pink Castle" taught me a very valuable business lesson:

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I’m a realist; I know businesspeople can’t remember every person whose ever walked through the door…

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But deep-down inside, every customer is an individual…

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Who hopes to be treated like a king or a queen!

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THANKS UNCLE ANDY!

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Image Credits:  Don Cesar Hotel: www.cache.boston.com; Sun: www.webweaver.nu; Sundae; www.garnetvalleyschools.com; Hourglass; www.images.all-free-download.com  

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Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.

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Future Blog: Glimpses of the Business and Blogging Worlds in the Year 2047!

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Future Blog:

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Glimpses of the Business and Blogging Worlds in the Year 2047!

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An original Business blog article by Yonatan Maisel exclusively at JobShuk

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Last night while bringing our two Canaan dogs in from a walk in the chilly Jerusalem night, I slipped. My feet were still wet from puddles left over from the afternoon drizzle. I slipped, hit my head HARD and felt myself losing consciousness.

 

And while out, I had the strangest dream:

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What a night it was! And boy did I drink way too much! Dom Perignon 2035 was flowing…nothing like a good 10 year-old bottle of the stuff!

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Anyhow, welcome to the final installment of my Business blog! Final? Yes. Tonight after all, with the Dom and all, was my retirement party!

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And no, I never thought I’d reach my 80th birthday which is now the standard age of retirement. What, with all of the fiscal irresponsibility in the first and second decades of the 21st Century (spend, spend, spend), something had to give! Quadrillions, then quintillions of dollars in debt they raised the age. Seem high? Well with cancer conquered in 2031 and fast-food banned two years later, the average lifespan is now 115.

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Okay, to all of the boos and hisses, my final post is on my PC. I know I promised my blog readers I would finally make the leap to "hologram" blogs before I retired but I still disdain most forms of modern technology.

 

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In the 1980s (could it really have been over 60 years ago?) I never wanted to give up my rotary-dial phone for a cordless, at the turn of the century I shunned a cellphone and now I say no to holograms! Who needs this new-fangled technology? Find another sucker Sony!

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The one allowance I have made, however, is a new PHC (Personal Hover-Craft), though I had no choice.

 

With good old pavement roads finally voted out of existence in ’42, first in the U.S. by President George Bush IV, and more recently in the rest of the world, I had to make the leap. Which brings me to the crux of this blog post, though it is more of a rant than anything else!

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Dear Chevrolet:

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My name is Yonatan Maisel. Your records, if updated, show that I am the owner of a 2046 model-year Neutro Personal Hover-Craft.

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I’ve owned Chevy’s all of my life. An Impala in the 80s. I bought the Galactica in 2019. The MegaQuark in 2033. Yup, I’ve always been satisfied with your brand. You’ve always represented the highest industry standards.

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Until now that is!  I’ve gotta admit, since the first moment I laid my eyes on the Neutron in your fancy-shmancy ad, I was hooked!

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But boy do I feel like a "shmuck" now! You may think I’m just a number, one of the nineteen billion humans who now inhabit this planet. But I’m not! I’m an individual. And an individual who is mad as hell! 

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I shelled out 280 grand for your new Neutro and have had nothing but problems since the moment I flew off the lot!

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First of all the gull-wing door doesn’t close properly. Do you have any idea how cold it can get in a PHC at 18,000 feet on a January day?

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Secondly, your hyper-fusion-cadmium/vanadium-injection system is still knocking and pinging despite three trips to your service center. If you can’t fix the damn thing, I demand a replacement!

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Finally, your new XXC Navigation System isn’t worth shit! Yesterday I programmed the damn thing for Tel Aviv, took a nap while the auto-pilot was on, and ended up over Greece! I was three hours late for my last day at work!

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In closing Dear Chevrolet Representative:

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Since beginning my business blog back in 2010…

 

…I have always used it for advertising and marketing my business. It has proven a hugely successful tool for gaining clients and customers. With tips, advice, acumen and relevant content, it proved a winning proposal. I actually got to the point in early 2011 where 80-90% of my new clients were hiring me after reading one or more of my posts!

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There were many throughout the years who said "Blogging is a fad; it will never last!" But it has. Not many things have stood the test of time like a good old-fashioned blog.

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It’s just too damn bad that in my final posting I had to turn into a raving, ranting lunatic! And it is you I have to thank!

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With no gratitude whatsoever,

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Yonatan Maisel

Sky-Tower West

192nd Floor, Residential Pod #2C

Jerusalem, Israel

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Image Credits: Future City: www.th03.deviantart.net; Exit Sign: www.tomorrowstrends.com; Hovering Car: www.enconcepts.com; hologram: www.sciencefriday.com; Blog: www.manuinfosolutions.com  

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Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.

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Lessons on Building a Business Portfolio and Expertise from 18th Century Corpse-Stealing Physicians and Anatomists!

Lessons on Building a Business Portfolio and Expertise

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From 18th Century Corpse-Stealing Physicians and Anatomists

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An original Business blog article by Yonatan Maisel exclusively at JobShuk

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I’ve just finished reading one of the most fascinating historical works that I’ve ever read: The Knife Man: The Extraordinary Life and Times of John Hunter, Father of Modern Surgery (Wendy Moore; Broadway Publishing, 352 pages, 2005).

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The book centers on Scottish-born surgeon John Hunter (1728-1793), a little-known figure from history, but one to whom every modern Medical practitioner and patient owes an enormous debt of gratitude.

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The purpose of this blog article is not to write a biography of Hunter: many exist online which can be read. Nor is it to review the amazing work by Wendy Moore: many reviews have already been penned.

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Rather, it is to look at Hunter’s amazing life in a modern Business context. In a macabre sense, it will focus on two concepts: grave-robbing and corpse-thievery!

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Medicine in the 1700s:

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It was a time when Medicine was NOTHING like it is today. A warship’s surgeon was usually its carpenter…skilled with a saw, he was very adept at amputation. The guild which oversaw surgeons was the same one which oversaw barbers! Doctor’s had no idea of bacteria and the origin of infections: there were no antibiotics and surgeons didn’t prep by washing their hands. Surgery was performed without anesthesia. And the most widespread treatment of ailments was "bleeding" with leeches.

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The survival rate of surgery was abysmal. Doctors were encouraged to follow the "old ways" which had been in practice for thousands of years. Those who experimented or sought advancements were labeled as "quacks." How dare you doubt Hippocrates! 

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John Hunter was truly a man ahead of his time. He knew that in order to advance medicine from its primitive, deadly state, he would need to widen his view of anatomy; he needed an inner look at the wonders and machinations of the human body. And dissecting animal corpses had its limitations.

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Hunter knew he had to turn to the educational tool which is now the mainstay of every modern Medical student’s hands-on education: the corpse. He needed cadavers!

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As far as I’m concerned, one of the most intriguing aspects of the book is how he got the cadavers. Hunter and his colleagues organized regular raiding parties to go to the cemeteries where unfortunate people, mostly homeless and indigent, had just been buried. It proved a rich supply.

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However, when pressure from the authorities mounted and the penalties increased, the anatomists turned to another source: executions! Yup, they attended hangings. This the government allowed. As soon as the criminal was declared dead, a fight would ensue between the rival groups of anatomists and surgeons. First-come-first-served, it was a free-for-all battle to rip down the corpse from the hangman’s noose and claim the body as theirs!

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It was through dissection of human corpses that the medical knowledge we now take for granted came into existence, and useless, "quackish" practices that often expedited death were discarded. John Hunter truly was the pioneer of modern Medicine! His methods raise countless moral and ethical dilemmas, but his discoveries saved millions of lives.

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Hunter became a Fellow of Britain’s Royal Society and eventually personal Surgeon of King George III. In 1789 he became Britain’s Surgeon General.

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Modern Business Lessons:

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No, I don’t advocate grave-robbery or breaking laws, though in Hunter’s case it proved highly-useful.

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But as businesspeople there are principles we all can utilize:

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1) Building a Portfolio: Whether becoming a freelancer as I did, or beginning in any profession anew, a solid portfolio is an essential tool for Marketing and Advertising. In the tradition of Hunter, it demands perfecting skills and presenting excellence. Hunter’s ideas were initially met with skepticism and derision by colleagues, societies and patients alike, but soon, as his techniques proved life-saving, the wealthy and famous were knocking on his door!

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2) Utilize all of the Tools at Your Disposal! Seek out every bit of prevailing knowledge and wisdom that you have at your disposal to build your expertise and experience!

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3) Experiment! Textbooks and theories are often great initial ways of learning, but almost every profession has at its core hands-on means to deepen learning. Play around! Experiment! Dissect things. Perfect means and methods. Learn through trial-and-error! Turn mistakes into learning tools to increase efficiency and bring about positive outcomes.

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4) Dare to "Swim Against the Stream!" Call it bucking conventionality. Call it being original, inquisitive or pioneering. Whatever you call it, look for new angles. Seek to gain insight. Examine things from a new perspective. And most importantly, don’t believe that just because things have always been done a certain way that it is the best way to do things, or the ONLY way!

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Experimentation and Examination are the hallmarks of Entrepreneurship and Discovery!

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A fact proven by…

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John Hunter:

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The pioneer of modern Medicine!

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Dear Reader, if you’ve enjoyed this original blog article please consider giving it a Re-Tweet. It would be most graciously appreciated!

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Image Credits:  John Hunter: www.electricscotland.com ;  Textbook and Tools: www.sciencemuseum.org.uk ;  World: www.imba.nccu.edu.

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Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.

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The No-Reason-to-Take-a-Day-Off-of-Work Reason to Take a Day Off of Work (Approved by Sigmund Freud!)

  

The No-Reason-to-Take-a-Day-Off-of-Work

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Reason to Take a Day Off of Work (Approved by Sigmund Freud!)

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The thought hit me…this morning as I was getting ready for another day of work. I happen to be a freelance writer and my office is in our home.

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The dogs were walked, my wife was getting ready for her 9-5 shift in a more traditional workplace.

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I was preparing to make eggs for myself and was going to mop the muddy prints from the floor which the dogs had brought in from the backyard after a morning of drizzle in the Holy City of Jerusalem.

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I reached for the floor cleaner and the oil for the pan. I poured the floor cleaner into the sizzling griddle and dumped the cooking oil onto the floor! A second later as the house began to smell of boiling cleaning solution I realized my mistake and thought to myself in exasperation:

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"Holy SHIT Yoni, you need a day off of work!"

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It was then that my mind drifted back…many years. Just about fifteen to be exact. I had finished my Master’s Degree at West Virginia University (WVU) and had finished my internship at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Maryland.

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I was hired thereafter as a full-time employee in Sinai’s Department of Rehabilitation. It was while while I was in the Personnel Department filling out my employment papers that I noticed something strange. There was a form with a list of days off. The regular vacation days. Sick days. And…

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PSYCHOLOGICAL Days Off:

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I asked the clerk in the Personnel Office what these days were. Vacation days, she explained. Though not just any vacation days…

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Whereas sick days were days in which a note was needed from a doctor, "Psychological Days" required no such documentation. They were reserved entirely for those five or six days a year when each employee felt , whether due to stress, tension or whatever…that he or she was simply not in the right mindset to report to work.

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No excuse from a doctor needed; no bullshit "Ferris Bueller" excuse needed when making the phone call. No advanced notice needed. Simply: "This is fill in your name calling…I’m taking a psych day today!"

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Taking a Psych Day Today!

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I have work to do today. Research. An abstract. A speech to finish for a CEO’s retirement gala…

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But when I pour floor cleaner in an egg-pan and get ready to mop the floor with cooking oil, something tells me I’ve been working too hard.

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I’m getting the dog’s leashes on at this moment…the clouds have given way to sunshine…we’ll be going for a picnic lunch at "the Tayelet," a woodsy promenade which overlooks the Old City of Jerusalem. Lots of trees and nice hiking trails. And I’ve told my wife to take the afternoon off…we’ll be going out for an early dinner and a walk downtown.

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The truth is, I’m a freelancer. I have only myself to answer to. If I had strict deadlines with my current projects, I would plow on, clients and customers do come first. But the fact is tomorrow is another day.

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Today I’m taking advantage of a concept I learned many years ago. It’s about refreshing the proverbial batteries, clearing the head of cobwebs, resting and relaxing…

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And getting back the energy and focus for the long-haul!

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Next time you feel the pressure getting to you…

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Give yourself a day off…

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Consider it approved by Sigmund Freud!

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Image Credits:  Vacation icons: www.photoshopessentials.com; Man at Desk: www.weblogs.asp.net; Freud: www.nndb.com/people; Man with Dog: www.www.diomedia.com

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Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.

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A Business Blog Nursery-Rhyme: Jack and Jill Climb the Corporate Ladder While Fetching That Pail of Water!

 

A Modern Business Blog Nursery-Rhyme:

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Jack and Jill Climb the Corporate Ladder while Fetching That Pail of Water

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An original Business blog article by Yonatan Maisel

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A slightly different twist, Business that is, to the classic childrens’ nursery-rhyme:

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Jack ‘n Jill went up the hill

To fetch a pail of water,

Jill said "Hey Jack, let’s start a blog"

"The competition we shall slaughter!"

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His laptop he did remove

and the two began a post,

Value and acumen they did provide,

They gave it their utmost.

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A blog, Jill had heard, was the way to become

A modern Business ace,

She clicked the mouse and sent the post…

Into Cyberspace.

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A moment later they got a reply,

The e-mail did inspire,

From the bottling company Evian,

"Will you be our new supplier?"

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The two wrote "Sure!" and hit reply,

And gave a big fat grin,

The response arrived a moment later,

"When can you begin?"

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Jack and Jill are now entrepreneurs

Marketing water is their mission,

For every bottle that you buy

They earn a nice commission!

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Dear Reader, Thanks for visiting. Hope you enjoyed this post on the value of blogging for business!

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"Evian" is a registered trademark of Danone Group

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Image Credits: Jack and Jill: www.nurseryrhymesonline.comHands; Water Drop: www.freeclipartnow.com; Laptop: www.imageenvision.com

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Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.

 

5 Steps I’ll be Taking in 2011 On the Road to Corporate Responsibility! (From the No-Brain to the INSANE!)

 

5 Steps I’ll be Taking in 2011…

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On the Road to Corporate Responsibility!

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(From the No-Brain to the Insane)

An original business blog article by Yonatan Maisel exclusively at JobShuk

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 1) As the owner of a small one-person writing business, I will stop accepting African "conflict/blood" diamonds as an alternative to cash payment. Starting today, carat’s and clarity are out and PayPal is in.

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 2) I will stop outsourcing resumes (CVs) and corporate bios to the same Southeast Asian sweatshops where workers produce Nike sneakers for payment of less than a dollar a day.

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 3) I will stop importing tusks from endangered elephants to grind up and use in my printer cartridge to make the white ink look really white.

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 4) I will stop making the following claims "Yonatan’s writing services will help you lose weight, quit smoking and will help you regain the sexual energy and virility of years past (proven by university studies to be more effective than Viagra)."

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 5) I will give up my yearly vacation to the Brazilian rain-forest where I select prime trees to personally cut down for use in my printer. Perhaps I’ll try the beach this year instead. 

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Okay, I’m a writer…

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And my style is often tongue-in-cheek, satirical, allegorical, metaphorical and whimsical.

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But the message is serious. As business people, from the corporate giants to the smallest businesses among us, we all have a responsibility.

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There are steps, even small steps which each and everyone of us can take. To make the Earth a cleaner place. To bring honesty into a world whose newspaper headlines scream every day of greed and corruption. To appease Al Gore and make him stop ranting!

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I myself am just starting on the road to becoming a responsible corporate citizen.

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Actually it began this morning right after I drove our car to the neighborhood convenience store for a gallon of milk.

 

The store is only half a block away. Then I came home, checked my inbox for payments to my latest Ponzi-scheme. Yes, more suckers wanting a piece of the pyramid-pie. Then I took a shower and used shampoo which is tested in the eyes of little unfortunate critters (well, anyway the bottle didn’t say it wasn’t) –Humor folks: We own two lovely dogs!

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I’m feeling guilty…

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I must make changes…

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I’m out of paper for the printer and for the first time I think I’ll ask the clerk at Office Depot if they have the re-cycled.

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What suggestions do you have?

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Thanks for stopping by! If you’ve enjoyed this original article please consider giving it a Re-Tweet!

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Image Credits: Earth in Hands: http://www.greensavingsco.com/; Diamond: www.bwog.net/uploads; Sneakers: http://www.fotosearch.com/; Elephant: http://www.imageenvision.com/; Empty Promises: http://www.1.bp.blogspot.com/; Lumberjack: http://www.wausaukee.com/; Earth: http://www.freeclipartnow.com/

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Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.

 

 

Business World Perceptions, Mis-Perceptions and Judging Books by Their Covers: The Curious Case of Dolph Lundgren!

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Business World Perceptions, Mis-Perceptions and Judging Books by Their Covers:

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The Curious Case of Dolph Lundgren!

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An original Business blog article by Yonatan Maisel at JobShuk.com

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He’s Dolph Lundgren.The Swedish-born, muscular behemoth best known for playing the "evil" Soviet boxer, Ivan Drago, opposite Sylvester Stallone’s "Rocky Balboa" in Rocky IV.

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He’s been retired for several years now, having given up playing the action-hero and villain for the quiet life.

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But let’s pretend for just a moment that he’s looking for a job again. Not in Hollywood…he’s done with that scene.

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Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that you’re looking for an employee to fill a vacancy and he applies to your company. Perhaps you own a Law firm, perhaps it’s a Marketing agency…or let’s say for the sake of argument that it’s a Pharmaceutical company.

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Your first reaction will probably be to Google "Dolph Lundgren." And here is what you would find:

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-6 ft. 5 in., 250 lbs.

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-Star and co-star of over 40 action-hero movies

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-3rd Degree Black-Belt in Kyokushin Karate

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-European Karate Champion in 1980 and 1981

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"Now what?" You might ask…

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"Could a muscular, monstrous ex-Hollywood actor like Dolph Lundgren possibly be able to contribute to my company?"

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"Maybe he could beat up my competitors? Maybe he’d be great at lifting heavy furniture when we move our office?"

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"Why he’s just a stupid, muscle-bound jock with a bicep where his brain should be!" 

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Why don’t we take a closer look at Mr. Lundgren’s bio. And rest assured, all of the following facts and statistics are very well-documented:

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-Graduated from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden.

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-Holds a Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Sydney in Australia.

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-Has an Intelligence Quotient (I.Q.) of 160. For comparative purposes, that was Einstein’s exact score. It is the upper level of "genius" and a score attained by perhaps 5 to 10 out of every million tested.

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-Was offered a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship for advanced research and a Ph.D. at the Massachusettes Institute of Technology (MIT). He ultimately turned it down to pursue acting.

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-Speaks Swedish, English, Spanish, German and French, and is conversational in Japanese and Italian. 

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The World of Business…

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Is one in which we are in danger of letting perceptions, conceptions, mis-perceptions, stereotypes and other forms of pre-conceived notions cloud our vision.

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They can easily blur the lines of reality when it comes to people, places, customers, truthfulness, ability, image, reputation, marketing, advertising, branding and more.

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Yup, I too have been guilty on many occasions of judging books by their covers.

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I wasn’t aware until a few short days ago when I stumbled upon an article that one of Hollywood’s most intimidating, frightening, most muscular and "deadliest" stars happens to be one of its most intelligent and educated.

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So, remember when I asked you to imagine that you were looking to fill a vacancy at your Pharmaceutical company? And you got that CV from Dolph Lundgren? Think you might give this big, dumb-old stereotypical muscle-head a chance?

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I hope that next time the Business World…

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 presents me with a proverbial book…

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 that I take the time to get past the cover…

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 and judge it by its contents! 

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Dear Reader, Thanks for stopping by! I hope you’ve enjoyed this original Business blog article. If so, please consider giving it a Re-Tweet!

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Image Credits: Dolph Lundgren: http://www.th125.photobucket.com/; Help Wanted: http://www.blog.adaptiveblue.com/; "?": http://www.servitokss.com/; Just the Facts: http://www.census.gov/; Eye Chart: http://www.1.bp.blogspot.com/  

 

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Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Business Blog Galaxy: 30 Tips to Transform Readers Into Customers!

 

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The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Business Blog Galaxy: 

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35 Tips to Get Readers and Transform Them Into Customers!

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So I’ve been Business blogging for 16 months now. 156 articles and closing in on 150,000 hits (said humbly).

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I’m no genius…let’s get that out of the way from the start. Due to a learning disability in Math, my IQ is actually slightly below average. I’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way. Much of what I have learned has been through the process of trial-and-error. A LOT of errors. But I have tweaked and refined a system that has worked for me. Perhaps you will find it useful.

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There are two aspects of a successful Business blog as far as I’m concerned.

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The first is finding readers in the vastness of Cyberspace…and keeping them coming back. There are tens of thousands of Business blogs out there. It’s about finding an angle to make yours stand out from the crowd; carving out a niche, so to speak.

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The second is getting a good Return on Investment (ROI). It entails turning blog readers into paying customers.

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I’ve decided to spill ALL of the beans in this article. Here is the sum-total of all that I have learned in my 16 months of Biz-Blogging. 35 things to transform a business blog into a client-magnet:

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1) Great Content: It goes without saying, if you want readers to read your posts, provide great, insightful, thought-provoking content!

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2) Business! Yup, it is a business blog you’re writing of course. Offer plenty about doing business, starting a business and surviving and thriving in business. But include non-business thoughts and ideas. Keep in mind…business is inherently boring. Make your blog posts about more!

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3) Insight into You as a person. That’s right, if you want readers, especially readers who turn into paying customers, reveal some aspects about you as a person. People do not want to do business with robots, they prefer living, breathing human beings!

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4) Insight Into You As a Businessperson. Who are you? how did you succeed? What are your systems and methods? What are your strengths? Your abilities? And most importantly…why should I read your articles and consider giving you my business?

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5) Self-Promotion! You are good. You are an expert. You are experienced and wise. You have great products and services to offer. DON’T BE SHY! Don’t be SELF-DEPRECATING! SELL YOURSELF IN YOUR BLOG! PROMOTE YOURSELF!

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6) Value. Yup, you gotta make people feel they are walking away with something of value. It’s also what keeps ’em coming back!

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7) Tips. Yes, people are seeking information. Provide consistent sources of information and how-to and they’ll value that which you provide.

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8) Advice. It’s about giving something back. All that you have learned through study, research and trial-and-error…provide it to others. It establishes a lot of good-will and what comes around goes around!

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9) Expertise! A great way to attract others to yourself is by establishing yourself as an expert in your field of endeavor. Make yourself the go-to person in your field!

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10) Energy and Enthusiasm! Liven things up. Be spontaneous. Do the inane and insane from time to time. Bend rules. Break rules. Take risks. Put some "umph" into your writing and your thinking!

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Pardon me as I take a break to walk our

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11) Creativity! Come up with novel ideas. Express them creatively. Think of things, concepts and ideas that are new, unique and refreshing. Express your thoughts in rich, vibrant language. Boring your readers will generally not result in them hiring you.

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12) Great Titles! A great title is the "welcome-mat" to your article. Choose a boring one and people might likely pass over it. Choose a great, unique and thought-provoking one and chances are you’ll attract visitors. Writing a post on Social Media? Forget about titling it "How to Use Social Media in Your Business." Try something like "The Magical-Mystery, Psychedelic, Social Media Guide to the Internet Galaxy!" Take my word…it works!

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13) Proofread! Bad spelling and mistakes in grammar and punctuation can make the best article look mediocre at best!

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14) Edit! Finished your great article? DON’T post it right away. Walk away from the computer…give your eyes a rest. Now give it the once-over, check for errors, make sure everything sounds okay and make last-minute changes.

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15) Humor. People love to laugh. You don’t need to do a stand-up routine or a Conan O’Brien-style monologue in every post. But tickle peoples’ funny bone. Give ’em a reason to smile!

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16) Slices of Life. Don’t just talk about business in your business blog…that’s pretty boring! Relate life’s experiences. Humanize yourself. From a shitty experience in a store to the best salesperson you’ve ever dealt with, talk about it and relate it to your readers.

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17) Values and Morals. Looking to do business with someone? Would you do it with a two-timing drunkard who cheats on his wife? Me neither. Interject some of your values and morals into your writing…without preaching. Show that you are trustworthy, honest and a mentsch. Assuming that you are of course!

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18) Current Events. I can’t tell you how many blog posts I have built around items from the news. Turn on the TV or pick up the newspaper. You will find no shortage of interesting items to relate to a great post!

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19) Sports. Yup, it’s a microcosm of life itself. It’s about challenges, victory, overcoming adversity and giving it all you’ve got. Sports stories are great to blend into your blog articles. From soccer to baseball, the Olympics to basketball, give it a try!

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20) Pop-Culture. From Lady-Gaga to the Beatles, Art-Deco to Warhol, Rubik’s Cube to Tickle-Me-Elmo, pop-culture knows no bounds. Woodstock? A classic marketing lesson about getting 500,000 people to show up at a small farm in upstate New York!

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21) Movies. Wall Street. Batman and Robin as a business partnership. Star Wars and "the force." JAWS. Blade Runner. From almost any movie a great business lesson can be gleaned. And great films are something which everybody can relate to!

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22) Books. Catcher in the Rye. Animal Farm. Catch-22. Salinger. Steinbeck. Hemingway. How about To Kill a Mockingbird with Atticus Finch, Gem, Scout and Boo Radley? Books have more Business-related lessons than you can possibly count. Read…and write about it!

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23) Music. "Taking Care of Business." "In the Midnight Hour." "Step Into My Office Baby." "Take This Job and Shove It!" From a song title to great lyrics to your favorite artist…build a blog article around it!

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24) History. History is a great subject to write about. Use a great chapter from any event in history as an introductory section to a blog post. I’ve done it successfully with the Civil War, the American Revolution, Oscar Schindler, Harley-Davidson, the Cola-Wars of the 1980s, business scandals, and many, many more. Use historical context related to your subject and capture your readers’ attention!

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25) Images. Yup, choose a great, eye-catching, relevant image to head your post. All words make a very bland article! A great image catches the reader’s eye and imagination.

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26) Video. Embed a great video which is related to your post. It greatly enhances your writing and can help get the message across in a dynamic way. Don’t produce videos? Me either. YouTube has a plethora to choose from. Start searching now!

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27) A Sales-Pitch. Your reader has read your great article. Now it’s time to make the sell. You’ll need a sales pitch where you speak briefly about what you do and what you have to offer. My advice? Put it at the end of the article so as not to turn the post into an advertisement!

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28) A Photo of Yourself. Article. Content. Sales-Pitch. AND PHOTO. People want to see who is writing and who they are considering doing business with. Show ’em who you are. In a dress, suit and tie or holding the 250 lb. marlin you’ve just reeled in. Let ’em see you. It humanizes you!

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Sorry, time for another break:  🙂

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29) Links. Yup, to your website. To your portfolio. To your testimonials. To your pricing. Once your reader has finished reading give him or her an easy way to check out what you have to offer. Don’t make it easy for them to click over to CNN or FaceBook. Make it easy for them to check out you, the businessperson.

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30) A Re-Tweet Button. I still see blogs out there without them. If a reader enjoys your article or finds the content useful, make it easy for him or her to pass it on to others. Without the Re-Tweet button, it ain’t gonna happen!

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31) A Thank You! Your readers are taking time out of their busy day to stop by for a ‘peruse.’ A Simple "Thanks for stopping by, hope you enjoyed!" is a great way to thank them. Remember, readership is a privilege not a given. A gesture of gratitude instills good-will on your part.

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32) Comment Responses. Nothing gets my goat more than leaving comments on a blog and having them go unanswered. If your visitor takes the time to read, take the time to respond!

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33) Keywords. In order to get found in the search-engines, you’ll need to choose keywords wisely. Before you’ve even started writing, choose dynamic, popular sought-out words to include in your post!

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34) A "Hit-Counter." Written an article that has gotten a great response? One with a shitty response? I’ve penned a few with almost 10,000 hits. And those with barely 150. The only way to know what you are doing right, and what you might have done wrong, is to see how many visitors each and every post has attracted.

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35) CONSISTENCY! A great business blog can be had with two great articles a week. At 1-2 hours per-article (conceptualizing, writing, proofreading and editing) it’s a great investment. But keep at it. Be consistent! A week or two of missing posts will leave your readers believing you’ve been abducted by Martians!

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Thanks for stopping by!

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Hope you’ve enjoyed!

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Image Credits: Galaxy: http://www.mrbarlow.files/; Helpful Tips; http://www.motherandinfant.co.uk/; Coffee Break: www.davisjunctiononline.com; Wink: www.esp.ritsumei.ac.jp; Toilet: www.1.bp.blogspot.com

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Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.

The P-51 Mustang: Business Lessons from the Legendary Fighter-Plane That Helped Win WWII!

P-51 Mustang flying bomber-escort
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The P-51 Mustang:

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Business Lessons from the Legendary Fighter-Plane That Helped Win WWII!

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An original Business blog article by Yonatan Maisel

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WWII: The Nazi invasion of Europe. The British evacuation at Dunkirk. The Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor. Then "Operation Barbarossa," the German invasion of the Soviet Union. Savage fighting. Cruelty on a global-scale.

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A world in turmoil!

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The hope of the free-world rested on the military and industrial might of the United States of America.

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And with the intervention of the United States, troops, tanks, artillery, warships, submarines and planes were unleashed against the Axis powers.

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And as American power came to bear, her heavy bombers and those of the Allies, flew ever deeper into Germany on missions to pound their targets. The goal: Destroy the German war-machine and prepare the ground for a land invasion of Occupied Europe!

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Consolidated B-24 Liberator

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But these bombers were decimated by fast and agile German fighter planes. Unprotected, American bombers and their crews suffered unbearable losses.

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Something was needed. That something was a long-range, durable and deadly fighter plane with the range necessary to escort and protect the bombers deep into enemy airspace.

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Enter the P-51 Mustang!

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North American Aviation P-51 Mustang

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Designed and manufactured by North American Aviation, the long-range P-51 provided hellish cover for American bombers.

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Powerful, maneuverable and with intense firepower, they devastated German fighter planes which came up to challenge the heavy American bombers under their escort. The "D" version, equipped with a supercharged, British-manufactured Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, and armed-to-the-teeth with six .50 caliber Browning machine-guns, truly was the king of the skies!  It was the P-51 which helped the Allies to achieve near complete air-superiority of the European skies.

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The World of Business…

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…is one fraught with many difficulties and challenges. The economy. Recession. Inflation. The abysmal and disheartening rate of business failure. And cut-throat competition for the next customer, client or project.

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Sometimes in business, flying solo can be a detriment.

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In the dog-eat-dog world of business, partnerships and alliances can help us to network and tackle challenges with "strength in numbers."

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There are conferences, seminars, business lunches, forums, Chambers of Commerce and all sorts of places to meet.

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But business partnerships, more and more can be formed and nurtured without ever leaving the home or office. Social Media is a great place to start. Tools like Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook can make forming professional and business bonds easy.

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They can result in cooperative and joint efforts and the sharing of ideas. In these venues, tips and advice are there for sharing. They are excellent forums for those two hallmarks of promotion: Marketing and Advertising. And people who can enhance and help to strengthen our businesses are just a mouse-click away! 

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If navigating the "skies" of business…

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Is proving difficult by yourself…

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Perhaps what you need is…

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A good wing-man!

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_______Image Credits: Bomber and Escort: www.audiosparx.com; Bomber: www.johnmacneill.com; Mustang: www.flightglobal.com;  Pilot: www.t3.gstatic.com 

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Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.

My Interview with Donald Trump’s Identical Twin Brother Dillon: The Business Scoop of 2011?

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My Interview with Donald Trump’s Identical Twin Brother Dillon:

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The Business Scoop of 2011?

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Yes, it’s one of the best-kept secrets of the Business world!

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Donald Trump, billionaire  business-maven and perhaps the most famous Real-Estate mogul of our generation has…

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A TWIN BROTHER (pictured above). His name is Dillon, he’s older than Donald by a mere four minutes and twenty-eight seconds. Their appearence is so similar it is freaky! And he keeps a VERY low profile. Low, not only on his accord, but on the accord of the family of which he is somewhat of a black-sheep.

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It was in an old restaurant in a small American town which shall remain a secret…

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That the Interview Took Place:

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Q: "Sir," I asked, shocked  to see ‘The Donald,’ his face covered in ice cream, putting his work-smock back on and heading over to the grill…"Aren’t you…"

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A: "Actually, if you can keep your voice down, No…I’m not HIM. The name’s Dillon. I’m HIS  twin brother." 

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Q: "I…I… didn’t know he had a twin brother," I stated as he took out a spatula and flipped a sizzling burger onto the raw side.

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A: "Not many people do and I’ll thank you for keeping quiet about this. Next thing you’re gonna be asking, judging by the surprised look on your face is ‘How is it that your brother is building skyscrapers in Manhattan and South Beach and you’re here in a small-town diner flipping burgers?’"

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Q: "Well Dillon, to be honest I answered," pausing briefly as he turned to the broiler to remove a batch of French-fries…" I was kind of wondering…"

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A: "Well the short answer is this: The entrepreneurial spirit bit my brother Donald early on. While he was playing Monopoly and building ever upward with his Erector Set, I was playing "war" with a plastic Tommy Gun and flipping baseball cards…"

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And while he was studying Business at…was it Harvard or Yale?…I was out late at frat-parties binge-drinking and sleeping until noon."

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"While he was developing a Business plan and seeking investors, I was content to do a 9 to 5 in one of those offices with zero chance of upward mobility. Sure I had high hopes, dreams and aspirations, but I never followed them. Become an entrepreneur? Always ‘tomorrow’ I would tell myself. Or the economy’s no good. Or I listened to those detractors who said ‘it’ll never work’."

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Q: "So you never went into business on your own?" I asked perplexed…" You never followed those dreams of reaching for the sky like your little bro’ Donald?"

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A: "Well, I actually tried again last year. You know, genetically speaking I have the same I.Q. as ‘old what’s-his-name.’ It should have worked out, but…"

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"My vocational counselor was actually able to shed some light on the subject. ‘Lack of motivation’ she called it. You see Donald is a risk-taker whereas I’m content to wait and hope for the best. While he was out actively seeking clients and customers I was content to sit back and wait for them to find me. They didn’t. ‘Blog‘ they would tell me. ‘Blog?" I would answer. Who has time to blog? Four hours a week writing and posting articles?"

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"Develop a great Business Plan they told me. Do some research, marketing and advertising. And an email newsletter? guess I never got around to it. I waited, waited and ‘caput.’ The business went under. And here I am back at…"

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Q: "B-But why didn’t you try harder?" I asked, utterly confounded. "you could have made it work. There’s inexpensive forms of advertising and marketing. You’ve got Social Media to connect with clients. Facebook. Twitter. LinkedIn. And that blog? Hey, two to four hours a week of writing is nothing for all of the rewards you could reap! Why?…"

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A: "Great question!" he answered with an audible sigh.

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Q: "Well what about asking "The Donald" for a job? There must be something you can do in his organization."

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A: "Do the words ‘YOU’RE FIRED’ mean anything to you??? Yup, good-old-Donald! And speaking of fired, that’s exactly what I’m gonna be if I don’t get these orders out. Listen buddy, the interview’s over. If you want to order I can recommend the tuna-melt with fries and a side order of corn…"

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Image Credits:  www.hecklerspray.com; Diner: www.stadiumtravelguide.com; Trump Tower: www.t2.gstatic.com/; ?: www.ethicalitrecycling.co.uk

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Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.