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In this episode, I share a proven framework for crafting emails that close deals with hesitant recruits. Using a real-world success story, I reveal how moving from abstract promises to concrete specifics can make the difference between a signed offer and a lost opportunity. Episode Breakdown [00:00] Introduction - The challenge of closing recruits when competitors enter the picture and how communication plays a critical role. [01:30] The Hail Mary Email - A coaching client's experience with a recruit who was at the finish line but started to ghost. [03:00] The Problem with Abstract Messaging - Examples of vague language, like "additional support," and why it fails to resonate. [05:30] Coaching for Clarity - Strategies to turn abstract ideas into tangible, actionable specifics: Clearly define the support you offer. Differentiate your value from competitors. Specify how your leadership will tangibly impact the recruit's success. [07:30] Why Clarity Wins - People gravitate toward specific, well-defined opportunities, not vague promises. [09:00] Tools for Refinement - Tips on simplifying and improving email clarity: Use Hemingway App to keep readability at a fifth-grade level or below. Leverage AI tools like ChatGPT to refine and adjust messaging. [10:30] The Results - How the refined email helped secure the recruit and why specificity was the deciding factor. Key Takeaways Clarity Drives Action - Replace abstract statements with specific, detailed examples of the value you bring. Specifics Create Influence - Defined, concrete promises inspire confidence and encourage recruits to move forward. Simplify for Impact - Make your message easy to read and actionable using tools like Hemingway App. Invest Time in Tailoring - A well-thought-out email can make or break a recruit's decision. Certainty Wins Deals - Recruits want leaders and organizations they can trust to deliver on clear commitments. Closing recruits often comes down to how effectively you communicate your value. By refining your messaging to include concrete specifics and simplifying your language, you can influence hesitant recruits to take action. Use this framework to write emails that not only resonate but close deals with confidence. If this episode inspired you, share it with your team and leave a review. For personalized coaching or help refining your recruiting system, schedule a session at bookrichardnow.com. Subscribe to my weekly email at 4crecruiting.com for more insights and strategies.
Welcome back to Recruiting Conversations! I'm Richard Milligan, and today we're talking about one simple shift you can make in your communication style—whether through social media, text, or email—that will drastically improve how people respond to you. This simple tweak will help you engage your recruits and audience more effectively. Episode Breakdown 00:00 - 01:00 - Richard introduces the episode, emphasizing how vital social media and clear communication are to recruiting success. He stresses that complex communication often diminishes engagement. 01:01 - 02:30 - Richard shares how simplifying your communication can increase engagement by up to 400%. The key is to write at a third to fifth grade level, making it easy for people to respond quickly without much thought. 02:31 - 03:30 - Richard explains the concept of “responding in kind.” When you write simply, people can respond easily. Writing complex thoughts makes it harder for people to engage, reducing overall interaction with your content. 03:31 - 05:00 - The benefit of writing simply on social media: when more people engage with your post, algorithms promote your content to a broader audience, creating a cycle of increased visibility and interaction. 05:01 - 06:30 - Richard introduces the Hemingway App—a tool that helps simplify written content by highlighting complex sentences. He shares how he uses it to break down lengthy or difficult text, making communication more digestible. 06:31 - 07:30 - Richard demonstrates a live example, taking a complex post from social media and simplifying it using the Hemingway App. He shows how bullet points and numbers can make information clearer and more engaging. 07:31 - 08:00 - He encourages leaders to apply this method not only to social media but also to internal communication like emails, as simpler messages are more likely to be read and responded to by team members. Key Takeaways Simplicity Drives Engagement: Writing at a third to fifth grade level makes your content more accessible and easier for people to engage with. Algorithms Favor Simplicity: More engagement leads to better algorithmic promotion, increasing your content's visibility. Hemingway App for Simplification: Use tools like the Hemingway App to break down complex sentences and make your communication clearer. If you simplify your communication, whether in emails or on social media, you'll notice a big difference in how people respond. Simple content drives engagement, and engagement leads to more success in recruiting and leadership. Need more Recruiting Resources? Subscribe to my weekly email at 4crecruiting.com. Need help refining your recruiting system? Book a session with me at bookrichardnow.com. #SimpleCommunication #EngagementStrategy #SocialMediaRecruiting #RichardMilligan #RecruitingLeadership
Today's incredible case study is all about the power of LISTENING, with the guiding force behind Mission Partners, Carrie Fox.First, we're going back in time as Carrie reveals the rebranding genesis of the Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC) during the pandemic, shifting from a COVID-19 centric initiative to a broad-based community platform. We're covering all things public health messaging and tales from the trenches—the challenges they faced, campaigns led, and how they built trust and inspiration, bridging divides and bridging gaps.We also reflect on a national survey Carrie orchestrated that got over 600 responses from just two questions, spotlighting an urgent need for digital proficiency.Tune in to discover how Canva Pro and Hemingway App can help you craft messages that resonate with diverse audiences, and how strategically using LinkedIn's boosted messaging can amplify your reach.You're going to have SO many takeaways as we shed light on the essence of simplicity and the courage to embrace new challenges.Resources & LinksLearn more about Mission Partners on their website and tune in to the Mission Forward podcast. Connect with Carrie on LinkedIn or email her at carrie@mission.partners. You can also learn more about her book, More Than Words: Communication Practices of Courageous Leaders.Check out the tools we recommended in today's episode: Hemingway App and Canva Pro.Want to make Missions to Movements even better? Take a screenshot of this episode and share it on Instagram. Be sure to tag @positivequation so I can connect with you. Don't miss DonorPerfect's Community Conference SPARK on June 4 & 5! It's for any fundraiser wanting to excel in donor management, program innovation, community engagement, and organizational growth. Register for FREE! RSVP: https://bit.ly/DSSPARKWant a donor acquisition plan tailored to you? All you need to do is answer 5 simple questions. Get your personalized growth plan: https://bit.ly/DonorGrowthQuizLet's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show! Head to YouTube for helpful digital marketing how-to videos and podcast teasers Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!
En el episodio 2.7 os hablamos de qué es ser Senior Program Manager, del mundo del Advocacy, de las nuevas IAs terroríficas, de las historias de “terror” a mano de Vercel y Shopify, del día de los proyectos muertos de Google, de la era web de Photoshop, de lo que pasó en la conferencia Grace Hopper, de las webs ICodeThis, VideoTap, Hemingway App; de cómo NO postular a una oferta de empleo, entre otras muchas cosas
Copywriting tools can help you with the confidence to hit publish on all the incredible content you're creating. Especially if you have a small team! Using these tools can help you streamline your process and ensure it stays within you voice and style. What you'll learn: → tools for editing. → AI tools. Want to skip ahead? Here are key takeaways: [3:50] Grammarly. This tool is great for editing your content. You can even download a Chrome plugin so that you get the edits in whatever page you in, your email software, website, social media, etc. [5:38] Hemingway App. This app gives you tips as it relates to readability. If you're thinking about how people can scroll your content and get the most out of it then this is the best app to use. [7:47] AI can help you with repurposing your content. Once you have your content written, AI is great to help you with creating social media posts, email subject lines, or even to tweak headlines or titles for the post. Find the platform that you like and use so you can figure out how to use it best. [11:40] If you need help writing long form content, try Content at Scale. This platform is more than an AI generator because it pulls posts from keywords, YouTube videos, podcast episodes and more. It also gives you all sorts of SEO feedback. Check out the blog on H & E Marketing Solutions to see it in action. Resources [quiz] Should You DIY Your Website? EP 221 | Creating a Language Guide Grammarly ChatGPT Canva ClickUp* Answer the Public Content At Scale* *This is an affiliate link. Should you purchase we may receive a commission. We are only affiliates of products or services that we use ourselves. Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-first-click Learn more about The First Click: https://thefirstclick.net Schedule a Digital Marketing Therapy Session: https://thefirstclick.net/officehours
In today's show, we'll discuss a few of our favorite writing tools that can help new and experienced writers. Touring The World Resource Guides Check out our country resource guides to help you with your around the world journey: https://gumroad.com/homeschooltogether Consider Leaving Us A Review If you have a quick moment please consider leaving a review on iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/homeschool-together-podcast/id1526685583 Show Notes Microsoft Word - https://www.office.com/ Google Docs - https://docs.google.com/ Reedsy Editor - https://reedsy.com/write-a-book Scrivener - https://www.literatureandlatte.com/ Grammarly - https://www.grammarly.com/ Pro Writing Aid - https://prowritingaid.com/ Hemingway App - https://hemingwayapp.com/ Writers Inc - https://amzn.to/3OE2kMJ Connect with us Website: http://www.homeschool-together.com/ Store: https://gumroad.com/homeschooltogether Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/homeschooltogether Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/homeschooltogetherpodcast/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/homeschooltogetherpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/hs_together The Gameschool Co-Op: https://www.facebook.com/groups/gameschoolcoop/ Email: homeschooltogetherpodcast@gmail.com
How to edit my self published novel is necessary to help you have a winning manuscript.. Check out these six programs. Creating a manuscript requires a whole lot of hours of work and dedication. While nothing can replace a human editor, there are grammar checkers and manuscript editing apps that can benefit you and help you work on your manuscript, polish it and make it ready for publication. 1. PROWRITINGAID – FREE TO $70 PER YEAR ProWritingAid is the first on my list because it's popular for non-fiction and fiction writers. In addition, this online editor and plugin detect grammar errors and spelling mistakes while you are writing. 2. GRAMMARLY (MY CHOICE) – FREE TO $139 PER YEAR Grammarly works as a grammar checker and a proofreader. GRAMMARLY IS A TOP-NOTCH SPELLING, GRAMMAR, AND PLAGIARISM CHECKER. It'll help you locate and fix errors quickly and works simply everywhere. It's trusted by millions upon millions of writers for a reason! 3. AUTOCRIT – FROM FREE TO $80 PER MONTH 4. HEMINGWAY APPLICATION – PRICED FROM FREE TO $20 PER MONTH The Hemingway App, like MS Word, scores your writing based on readability and assists you in finding areas to improve. The Hemingway App is a style checker. It gives you a score of your writing based on readability and helps you find places where you can improve. With this application, writers can reduce their wordiness and create a cleaner and easier-to-read manuscript. • Self-Publish Your Own Novels at Draft2Digital - https://www.draft2digital.com/sidneys... • Get More Subscriptions from YouTube – with TubeBuddy - https://www.tubebuddy.com/sidneystjam... • Convert Audio Podcast to Video Podcast for YouTube - https://repurpose.io/?aff=48660 One of the largest Seller of books will have my novels: https://www.tkqlhce.com/click-1007704... Love Stephen King. Go HERE: https://www.dpbolvw.net/click-1007704... On a Health Journey. Great Health Supplements HERE: https://www.kqzyfj.com/click-10077046... Great Christian Audio Books Found HERE: https://www.dpbolvw.net/click-1007704... Doctors Weight Loss Program. Info HERE: https://www.jdoqocy.com/click-1007704... New and Used Books. Go HERE: https://www.jdoqocy.com/click-1007704... All of my Christian Paperbacks HERE: https://www.jdoqocy.com/click-1007704... Interested in the Optavia 5 & 1 Plan to Lose Weight Write: sidneystjames@yahoo.com A Certified Health Coach! Join Sidney St. James on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Go Directly to Draft2Digital for Uploading Your Novel: https://www.draft2digital.com/sidneys... Do you want to convert your audio files into video files to post on YouTube? The program I used for the last four seasons is: https://www.repurpose.io/?aff=48660 • Mystery & Suspense Romance, “Belem Towers” by Sidney St. James o https://books2read.com/u/mdGL8w • Detective Murder Mystery – “Ace of Spades, Part I” featuring Vincent Gideon by Sidney St. James o https://books2read.com/u/mBOr8N • Christian Novel, True Story from Memoirs. First Ordained Woman Minister in Louisiana, “FAITH” o https://books2read.com/u/bw29eZ • Fantasy Romance – “Nevaeh – Lost City of Nemea” by Sidney St. James o https://books2read.com/u/3JVqNX • Creative Historical Nonfiction – “Mary Elizabeth Surratt” – First Woman Hung by Federal Government o https://books2read.com/u/mdG2el • Science Fiction Thriller – OMEGA – The Lost City of Altinova o https://books2read.com/u/3npBl5 • Texas History – Sam Bass and His Horse Marines o https://books2read.com/u/4Ax59J CHAPTERS FOR THIS EPISODE SEEN BELOW: 00:00 Introduction to How to Edit My Self Published Novel 00:23 Grabbing the Attention of the Reader in the First Three or Four Pages 05:23 First on List to Discuss in ProWriting Aid 08:11 Secondly, My Choice, Grammarly 12:45 The First Editing Software I used, AUTOCRIT 16:13 The Hemmingway Application for Editing 18:19 Smart Edit Software for Editing 22:09 National Writers Month Every November 24:44 Final Words on Novel Editing Software --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sidneystjames/message
Heidi Karino is a native of the UK who has just returned to her home country after spending twenty-four formative years living and working in Japan. She currently runs her own business as a Japanese to English translator specializing in transcreation for content marketing, where she works with clients to ensure that their Japanese content really resonates with their English-speaking customers. Topics discussed in today's interview include: -transcreation, how it differs from translation, and what makes it valuable -strategically using social media to educate and find clients, as well as cultivate a community of professionals -differences between freelance and in-house translation work Heidi's Links: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/heidikarino Website (Japanese): www.kotonohabloom.com Related Episodes: Gained in Translation: Interpreting Design in Japan and Beyond with David Tonge: https://anchor.fm/businesssuccessjapan/episodes/Gained-in-Translation-Interpreting-Design-in-Japan-and-Beyond-with-David-Tonge-e117ji8 Learning the Dance of Effective Cross-Cultural Communication in Japan with Kevin Crowell: https://anchor.fm/businesssuccessjapan/episodes/Learning-the-Dance-of-Effective-Cross-Cultural-Communication-in-Japan-with-Kevin-Crowell-e153r78 The Power of Self-Reflection, Storytelling, and Finding Authentic Balance in Japan with Tim Sullivan: https://anchor.fm/businesssuccessjapan/episodes/The-Power-of-Self-Reflection--Storytelling--and-Finding-Authentic-Balance-in-Japan-with-Tim-Sullivan-eul6jr Mentioned in the Episode: Blog on Transcreation: https://www.transcreationexperts.com/ Hemingway App: https://hemingwayapp.com/ Want to support the podcast? Check the podcast's ko-fi page to help keep me well-caffeinated: https://ko-fi.com/businesssuccessjapan Be sure to follow or subscribe for more Japanese language and cultural insights. And if you enjoy the podcast, please leave a review so that other people can find it as well. And of course, if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes, please email me at businesssuccessjapan@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you! Leave me a voice message here: https://anchor.fm/businesssuccessjapan/message --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/businesssuccessjapan/message
Billy Gene Shaw delivers practical advice on how to grow your business online. He shares why it's important to prioritize entertainment in your marketing material and how to sell anything using his C.R.A.C.K. framework. Topics Include: The one marketing strategy that's left to try The importance of making people smile in your marketing material Using gifts in your marketing The importance of clarity in your message How to ask people to buy Why you always need to be entertaining on social media Biggest marketing mistakes businesses make in 2022 Marketing hack to improve your sales pitch Best tools for better social media content Why good content isn't enough on social And other topics… Billy Gene Shaw is the founder and CEO of Billy Gene Is Marketing Inc., a top-ranked agency and educational hub for digital advertising and customer acquisition. His personal ads have been seen over 800 million times across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Billy's online marketing courses have enrolled over 115,000 students in 75 countries. He has worked with several of the largest franchises across the globe, and he's been featured in some of the leading publications like Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Huffington Post. Resources Mentioned: Facebook Ads Library: https://www.facebook.com/ads/library/?active_status=all&ad_type=political_and_issue_ads&country=US&media_type=all Handwrytten: https://www.handwrytten.com/ Hemingway App: https://hemingwayapp.com/ Every Door Direct Mail, USPS: https://eddm.usps.com/eddm/select-routes.htm Google Trends: https://trends.google.com/trends/?geo=US PINNACLE GLOBAL NETWORK If you're a CEO or Founder and you're ready to build a scalable company that can thrive without you, join Allison for a FREE masterclass to learn the 5 Critical Phases You MUST Know in order to scale to 8-Figures and beyond. Head over to https://www.scalemasterclass.com/podcast to secure your seat today.
The Writers Journey is back! Today we're shooting the breeze with the one and only Ellen Campbell. From editing shenanigans to what we've been up to and everything in between. Join us live! Hosts: Lauren Moore, Kalene Williams Special Guest: Ellen Campbell 00:00 Opening remarks and introductions -Discord server is up! https://discord.com/invite/t96CVRD -Keystroke Coffee is live! https://keystrokemedium.com/product/keystroke-coffee/ -Use Plottr! https://plottr.com?ref=190 01:30 Weekly Updates -Lauren: Is now editing for Galaxy's Edge. -Kalene: Now editing for Aethon Books and gives some advice to editors. -Ellen: Doing lots of work for Aethon and regular publishers. All things about dogs! 16:07 Main Event – What's Up, Writers? | TWJ Season 4, Ep. 1 -Tools to help you with editing. Ex. Ellen's love of PerfectIt. https://intelligentediting.com Pro Writing Aid is solid. https://prowritingaid.com/ -Kalene's hate for blinking and pausing. -Thoughts on Hemingway App. -Don't worry about plot armor (or reviews). -Sanderson's huge Kickstarter! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dragonsteel/surprise-four-secret-novels-by-brandon-sanderson -The thoughts of knowing who the author is or the publisher for readers. -Are there still traditional publishers you trust? -Building your brand as an author and connecting with fans. -If you write it, they will come (with a little help in marketing). -Kalene Reads! https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/an-excerpt-from-a-fantasy-novel-written-by-an-author-who-thinks-he-made-up-doors -Ellen pontificates on stage direction and trivia! -Focus on the story and character instead. -Filter words are the difference between kissing your girlfriend and kissing your sister. -Ellen's author notes! -Dump filter words and stage direction and expose your voice and style! 1:02:30 Closing remarks *** Coffee and Concepts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRuoHj6opw0 Keystroke Medium Live! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1qSwdjsN9Q The Writer's Journey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydLaFFntB4Q Storytelling https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYRzwuQeK9Q *** Try out Rob McClellan's Mod Farm for your website building needs. Use the link for a KSM discount! https://modfarmdesign.com/keystroke/ Become a Medium today! https://keystrokemedium.com/mediums/ Don't forget to Like and Subscribe and get involved with the mayhem and shenanigans in the live chat! http://www.youtube.com/c/keystrokemedium If you have any thoughts or ideas for show topics or if you have authors you'd like to see on the show, let us know. Visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KeystrokeMedium For all the latest and greatest KSM Gear, check out our store at: https://keystrokemedium.com/ksm-store/ Also, subscribe to Sci Fi Explorations for the best discounted and free books we come across through our contacts: http://www.scifiexplorations.com *** Keystroke Medium Anthologies Kingdoms of Iron and Stone – https://amzn.to/2GjbE6I Horizons Beyond – https://amzn.to/2SrJ6uX Farthest Reach – https://amzn.to/2UZINeo The Writing Dream – and How to Make it to Happily Ever After – Keystroke Medium's first non-fiction book. https://amzn.to/2UZINeo If you enjoy this podcast, please leave us a review and rate the show on iTunes, Podbean, Stitcher, or wherever else you found us!
We are back for Season 3 and this week we have Abby Reimer on the podcast to talk about the importance of creating content that both search engines (eg Google) and humans love. Resources from the episode: Hemingway App - https://hemingwayapp.com/ (https://hemingwayapp.com/) Thruuu - https://app.samuelschmitt.com/ (https://app.samuelschmitt.com/) Article - https://searchengineland.com/creative-ways-to-source-content-ideas-from-ugc-for-seo-350277 Where to find Abby: Twitter: https://twitter.com/abbyreimermpls LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abby-reimer/ --- Episode Sponsor This season is sponsored by Screaming Frog. Screaming Frog develop crawling and log file analysis software for the SEO industry, and wanted to support the WTSPodcast as listeners to the show. They've just released version 16 of their SEO Spider software, which includes - improved JavaScript crawling to help you identify dependencies, such as JavaScript content and links, automated crawl reports for Data Studio integration, advanced search and filtering, and the app is now available in Spanish, French, German and Italian. You can check out the latest version at Screaming Frog's website (screamingfrog.co.uk). Where to find Screaming Frog: Website - https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/screaming-frog/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/screamingfrog YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/ScreamingFrogSEO Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/screamingfrog/ --- Episode Transcript Sarah McDowell: Hello, and welcome to the Women in Tech SEO podcast. I am very excited that we are back for season three. I am Sarah McDowell, an SEO content executive and your host for today. Joining me, I have Abby Reimer, SEO manager at Uproer, to talk about creating content that humans and search engines love. Hello, Abby. Abby Reimer: Hi, Sarah. Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here. Sarah: Thank you very much for joining. How are you doing? Abby: I'm fabulous. I'm ready for fall, crazy enough. I have my fall candles and a sweater on. I'm ready to go. Sarah: Ready for the autumnal? Is that the word? Is that the right word? Abby: Yes. I am very ready especially being from the Midwest. That's wild. Usually, summers are too short. No one wants them to end. This year, I'm ready for the smell of fall, ready for the seasons to switch. Sarah: To kick things off, I think a good place to start is if you can give our audience a brief overview of yourself and how you got into this wonderful world of SEO. Abby: Yes, absolutely. I am an SEO manager at Uproer, which is a search marketing agency in Minneapolis. We focus on e-commerce and tech companies. How I got here is a little interesting. As you probably know, if you're in SEO, it's something you stumble into. There's no degree for it. It's just interesting how many different paths there are. I graduated with a PR and writing degree and got a general marketing role. It was through that that I was working a lot on a blog. I'd worked a lot with email and social and promoting it on different channels. I noticed one week that one of our blogs was doing really r traffic. I was like, "I didn't promote this. What is happening here?" I was so confused. I looked at analytics. I saw that Google organic was the top channel that week. That question that I typed into Google, it's very meta, but I googled, "How do you show up in Google? How do you get traffic?" I was so fascinated with what I found. I had no idea that it was how you structure web pages and the actual queries that you target. That's how people get found among many other reasons. I went down that rabbit hole. I started following Moz and Brian Dean's Backlinko, followed a lot of those types of sites. I fell in love with it. Six months into my role or eight months or whatever it was, I was like, "I want to work on SEO and content full time." I ended up going to a content marketing...
Do you want to improve your writing?Writing is one of the fundamental ways we persuade people to take up our ideas, meet with us, or buy the thing we are selling. Want a snappier headline or to make sure you are communicating to the right audience. Want to find those pesky grammatical errors before you send your email? What if you see a nice font you like, but don’t know how to find out which one it is?Text analyser Hemingway, writing assistant Grammarly, headline improver CoSchedule and font finder MyFonts are four writing tools I couldn’t work without. Become a better writer with these four easy-to-use writing tools: Hemingway App: https://hemingwayapp.com/ Grammarly: https://www.grammarly.com/ CoSchedule (Headline Analyser): https://coschedule.com/headline-analyzer MyFonts: https://myfonts.com/whatthefont CREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberSound Engineer: Martin Imber See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Are you a freelance writer looking to save time, get inspiration and make use of some of the brilliant digital tools out there (if you only knew what the best ones were)? In this episode - a follow-up to our 10 Essential Writing Tips episode a few weeks before - details some great tools we use in our own writing work. Resources we talk about in this episode Hemingway App https://hemingwayapp.com/ ContentBot https://contentbot.ai/ Cheese Ipsum http://www.cheeseipsum.co.uk/ Otter Ai https://otter.ai/ The Phrase Finder https://www.phrases.org.uk/ Plain English Dictionary https://sandralmuller.com/plain-english-dictionary/ oTranscribe https://otranscribe.com/ Word Hippo https://www.wordhippo.com/ Calendly https://calendly.com/ RhymeZone https://www.rhymezone.com/ Later https://later.com/ The Most Dangerous Writing App https://www.squibler.io/dangerous-writing-prompt-app Our interview with the creator of The Most Dangerous Writing App https://www.rachelslist.com.au/blog/we-chat-to-the-creator-of-the-most-dangerous-writing-app/
Let's talk Tech! Today we are taking a look at the Hemingway App Editor. It's a great support for those of us who may love to speak, but are not the best writers. It loves to point out your flaws, and for once that's a good thing!
Jak zrobić najlepszą dokumentację? Ustalamy wewnętrzne standardy i się ich trzymamy, a potem sprawdzamy czy dokumentacja spełnia swoje cele. Następnie weryfikujemy standardy, żeby nasza dokumentacja spełniała założone cele coraz lepiej. Wydaje się proste, ale diabeł tkwi w szczegółach. Z Rafałem Pawlickim zastanawiamy się jak utrzymywać wewnętrzne standardy jednocześnie ucząc ludzi pisania dobrej dokumentacji oraz w jaki sposób mierzyć efektywność dokumentacji. Rozmawiamy o tym jak stworzyć model oceny dokumentacji pod kątem jakości i dojrzałości, a następnie jak wykorzystać te informacje do planowania pracy dokumentacyjnej. Przyglądamy się też zbieraniu danych od użytkowników oraz wykorzystywaniu ich do wdrażania zmian w organizacji. Które metryki najlepiej sprawdzały się dla nas do tej pory? Które działają najlepiej osobno, a które w połączeniu? Które elementy może sprawdzać automat, a które powinny być weryfikowane przez człowieka? Posłuchajcie, a potem dajcie nam znać jakie Wy macie sposoby i pomysły na mierzenie jakości dokumentacji. Informacje dodatkowe: Hemingway App: http://www.hemingwayapp.com/ LanguageTool: https://languagetool.org/ Readability indices: https://www.analyzemywriting.com/readability_indices.html Konferencja Write the Docs 2020 w Pradze: https://www.writethedocs.org/conf/prague/2020/ "Organizing a Confluence hoard, or, does this page spark joy?", Abigail Sutherland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrGCWTxeA94&list=PLZAeFn6dfHpmRWZJaUwQzsdagW2TtRI2x&index=3 "The Importance of Using Analytics and Feedback for your Documentation", Karissa Van Baulen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkPU2afWPDA&list=PLZAeFn6dfHpmRWZJaUwQzsdagW2TtRI2x&index=13 Google Analytics: https://analytics.google.com/analytics/web/provision/#/provision Google Tag Manager: https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/tag-manager/
Show Notes: https://outdoorsonline.co/025 Prerna Malik describes how she first got into copy writing after moving over from her first Mommy blog. She is now one of the leading copywriting experts and shares the steps to up your game and help your audience take action. We find out the difference between good and bad copy. Prerna helps your audience see themselves in your product. She breaks down the exact steps to creating a survey that serves your business. Show Notes with Prerna Malik - We talked about crypto currency and one of prerna’s recent clients. Here's a little background on Crypto Currency. - Prerna created surveys for Pat Flynn at Smart Passive Income. - Joanna of copy hackers is the OG and has certified Prerna. - CopyHackers.com has a great resource to show you how much to pay for a certain project. - The copy Writers club podcast is a great place to find people. - Grammarly and Hemingway App. are two great resources for improving your writing. - Ready to Sell is Prerna’s new program that is coming out in September. You can find Prerna at ContentBistro.com Resources Noted in the Show Connection Conversion Framework Right Message will help you with feedback Videos and/or podcasts Noted in the Show How to create an evergreen funnel Conclusion with Prerna Malik Prerna Malike share her best tips for improving your copy writing today on the podcast. Sales and email copy is what Prerna specializes in. She talks about the user journey and how this helps guide the number of emails you should be using. Evergreen funnels are discussed and how you can find a great copy writer for your business. We talk about a number of great resources including Right Message which will help you serve your audience. Show Notes: https://outdoorsonline.co/025
Donald Trump may not be the most obvious of role models for the Liberal Democrats. But there's a lot about effective communication the party can learn from him. After all, he won a national election, defying political establishments and seeing off unfriendly media along the way. So in this episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, I talk about him with Rob Blackie. I used to work with Rob at Lib Dem HQ many years ago when he was the maestro of costing manifesto policies. He has since carved out a very successful career in marketing and communications. Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it. Show notes The wonder of brevity. The Hemingway App. Yoast Search Engine Optimisation tools and advice. The Lincoln Project's targeted advert which trolled Donald Trump. Ducks and potholes. Rob Blackie as a womble. Donald Trump in Home Alone 2. Yes!: 60 secrets from the science of persuasion. Rob Blackie's Twitter thread on Donald Trump. Photo by History in HD on Unsplash. Enjoy the show? Spread the word Follow the show on Twitter. Like the show on Facebook. Subscribe, rate or review via your favourite podcasting platform - links here.
I've been reading Steve Krug's excellent book about Web Usability called “Don't Make Me Think” and it's got lots of excellent info in it about how to make your pages achieve their objective more efficiently, and to also keep the user at the other end happy as well. One of the chapters is titled “Omit Needless Words”, and the whole premise of this chapter is about his observation about most words on pages just taking up space. He has a certain law that says removing half the words is actually a realistic goal, without losing anything of value. The idea is be ruthless with your sales copy. Here are some of the benefits of getting rid of words that nobody is going to read: It reduces the noise level of the page It makes the useful content more prominent It makes the pages shorter, allowing users to see more of each page at a glance without scrolling The information on your page must be useful and straight to the point. People don't have time to waste on text that waffles on. While the saying “a page can never be too long, it can only be too boring” is true... I would still say in general a shorter page is better than a long page as a rule. But a lot can depend on the type of market, and also how much the product is selling for. Obviously a $10,000 motorbike would need a lot more sales copy than a $17 e-book would. But here's an excellent example from the book where Steve condenses a 103 word paragraph into just 34 words, and still get the same message across As you can see the original version is way too wordy and I'm sure I bored you to tears reading it out. But the edited version gets straight to the point and is super easy to read. So now that I've made my point, the question is how can you write in a way that is succinct and not too wordy... the answer is by using the Hemingway Editor App. The Hemingway App works points out: Adverbs Uses of passive voice Phrases that have simpler alternatives Sentences that are hard to read Sentences that are very hard to read It also works out what grade level the writing is, with the lower the grade the easier to understand.
*** Join us for a Sensory Design Workshop ran by previous podcast guest Alastair Somerville Sensory Design Workshop Oct 30, 2019 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/m-somerville-sensory-design-workshop-ultra-human-centered-design-theory-and-practice-tickets-73227097219?aff=ebdssbdestsearch Here's Alastair's article discussing the event:https://medium.com/@acuity_design/emotion-thru-design-losing-the-hard-soft-skill-divide-ac6fd1e05fe9 *** Ramblings of a Designer podcast is a weekly design news and discussion podcast hosted by Adan Zepeda (twit: @adanzepeda, insta: @adanz.designs) and Terri Rodriguez-Hong (@flaxenink, insta: flaxenink.design). Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Ramblings-of-a-Designer-Podcast-2347296798835079/?modal=admin_todo_tour Send us feedback! ramblingsofadesignerpod@gmail.com, Support us on Patreon! patreon.com/ramblingsofadesigner This week we talk about: Creative Cloud on Your Desktop: A Portal To Your Creative World https://theblog.adobe.com/creative-cloud-on-your-desktop-a-portal-to-your-creative-world/ macOS Catalina is the End of the Road for InDesign CS6 https://indesignsecrets.com/macos-catalina-is-the-end-of-the-road-for-indesign-cs6.php Hemingway App http://www.hemingwayapp.com Image Hues https://imagehues.com/
Richard Pettitt wanted to be a scriptwriter until he was reminded how much he loves to make people laugh and the value and fun of surprising your clients. Nicola’s been out and about with brother Alex, and musing on how clever she is having completed one of her current projects in just three weeks. Judith returned from Luton via Trowbridge and met a surprising couple for whom she’s housesitting in October, one half of which has had over half a million hits to his guitar playing on YouTube. What’s Fuelled Their Fire? Judith has been planning her future during a couple of sleepless nights and it was well worth it as her visions have gone from blurry to much clearer. Nicola is discovering the joys of the Hemingway App and she and J debate where to put a full stop! Focus Of The Week Richard Pettitt originally wanted to be a scriptwriter until Morning Pages reminded him how much he loves to make people laugh with his jokes, videos and cartoons/webcomics Oojo and Bink, Drizzle Cake and Think vs Say. He talks to Judith and Nicola about taking yourself lightly and both vow to do more of that, and he reminds the listener about the value and fun of surprising your clients. Richard on Patreon Richard on Facebook Richard on Twitter Words of the Week Nicola chooses Cloudy and Judith picks Assertiveness. Project Updates Nicola reports that Own It! has risen to #73 in the iTunes chart and is keeping company with some very big players. Judith consults with Nicola about how best to celebrate their 200 th show, coming up in just three weeks’ time. Who or What’s Impressed? Nicola loves Glenn Warner and the tales of his life on a narrowboat with wife Lisa. This week Glenn completes the new bathroom. A Life Full of Meaning – subscribe on YouTube. Judith is impressed by the two guys, Kevin and Mike, who created Instagram eight years ago, sold it to Facebook two years later and this week left to create something new. Of course they did. And she’s also discovered Facebook Watch, live streaming free TV straight from FB. Thanks for listening! To share your thoughts: Leave a rating and review via your podcast app Ask a question in our Facebook Group To help the show: Subscribe via Radio Public, iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube, TuneIn, Libsyn Please share on Twitter, Facebook or whatever social media platform you love to use and tag us if you can - we love to read your comments! Website: OwnItThePodcast.com
When I ask folks what they think the most common reason content projects fail is, typically they say it's the actual content creation step is the culprit. While it’s true that a lot of projects end up needing to dump their proverbial Starship Enterprise Warp Core due to some sort of failure in the writing of the words department, one of the most insidious and more common reasons content projects fail is also the one that's most often overlooked. Content workflows. Literally the “who is responsible for what and when” order of operations for a content project. Why are workflows such a big problem? Well, there is no single answer to that question. In some cases, marketers think their content project is so simple, they don’t need to define one. Someone just needs to write it and then someone else will approve it. The end. Other times, you might end up with a too many cooks in the kitchen scenario, due to an overcrowded and overly clunky workflow. So, how do you tell if your content workflow is broken, and what are the most common mistakes people make when creating one? How do you create a killer workflow that gets your project done on time, and how do you get people to actually follow it? These are questions every content manager and marketer should be able to answer, so I’ve invited Rob Mills, content strategist from GatherContent, to join me to today to help me do just that. Enjoy! Resources & Articles Produce high-quality content at scale with GatherContent My (now on-demand) webinar with GatherContent on content frameworks for agencies One Thing: Shortcuts Are Bad Looking back on my conversation with Rob, it was chock full of great advice on content workflows. But there’s one thing he said that’s been rattling around my brain since we spoke -- how one of the most common mistakes people make with their workflows is to over-simplify or skip necessary steps so they’re seemingly more concise at the outset. Which brings me to this week’s one thing. Cutting corners is so tempting when it comes to content creation. Not doing as much research as you should. Not outlining a blog post before you write a draft. Skipping an extra interview because you totally have enough. Not having a key stakeholder look at content earlier in the process, because they have a tendency to upset the apple cart with their demands and high expectations. Not reading through your work one last time to make sure you didn’t miss any glaring mistakes. “What’s the worst that could happen, right?" Look, I get it. Content creation feels like homework for a lot of people, and there are already so things you need to do to get a piece of content across the finish line. That said, here's my one thing for this week: As tempting as it may be to skip steps in creating content -- whatever those steps may be -- don't. Whether you’re talking about "tightening up" a content workflow or nixing that last read-through of a draft before it goes live, you're only going to end up hurting yourself. Whatever time you may think you'll save with that shortcut now you’ll probably need to make up later when you have to go back and redo the work you couldn't be bothered to do correctly the first time around. (Or worse, you may not realize something’s wrong until someone points out that obvious error you made after you’ve already hit publish. And by then, it's too late.) Trust me, I’ve learned this lesson the hard way more times than I’d care to admit. So, when it comes to content, follow the right process the first time, no matter what that process might be. You’ll save yourself a lot of heartache in the long run. Weekly Awesome: HemingwayApp Okay, I may be biased because Ernest Hemingway is one of my favorite authors, but trust me when I say the Hemingway App is deserving of the award of this week’s Weekly Awesome. Hemingway App is an editor with a free web-based option and a downloadable desktop application. But it’s not just any editor. Instead of skimming your work for the usual spelling and grammatical errors, it measures the complexity and readability of your writing. It tells you the grade level of your writing. It highlights overly complex sentences, you can break them down. It also tags passive voice and when you use too many adverbs -- two of the most common ways to diminish the strength of your writing. So, go to HemingwayApp with your next draft and start making your content better right now. Check Out GatherContent's Book, Content Delivery! This book will help teams put content-first and arm them with techniques and know-how to deliver content on time. From upfront planning, to getting a team and process in place and implementing your plan, this book shares advice for every step of the way. Whether you’re part of an in-house team or an agency working with clients, this book is for those who are responsible for websites with dozens, hundreds, or thousands of content items. Get the book for free at GatherContent. Connect with Rob Mills You can find him on Twitter, but he says he also loves getting email, so shoot him a message! Subscribe to the Content Lab Monthly Newsletter Once a month, I'm going to send you an absurdly useful newsletter will tons of insights, tips, and tools for you to make your content amazing. It's that simple. So, what are you waiting for? Go to this page and sign-up. Connect with Content Lab Okay, first, you've gotta subscribe to Content Lab on Apple Podcasts. That way you'll never miss an episode! Content Lab: Twitter, Instagram Liz: Twitter, Instagram Or you can comment on this episode below! I'd love to hear from you.
If you want to improve writing skills, try Hemingway App. This tool help you write bold, clear copy. Use "Voice Instead" to hear the text read to you. This post explores both.
Дима удивляется заумным объявлениям в метро, и они вместе с Вячеславом обсуждают откуда берется канцелярит и как с ним бороться. * Kyiv CTO Meetup #2 (https://www.facebook.com/events/252064148607571/) * Дима жалуется на объявление в метро “Для избежания порчи личного имущества не ставьте ваши вещи на ступени эскалатора” * А Вячеслав жалуется на security тренинги * Канцелярит (https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Канцелярит) * Предупреждение в лондонском метро “Watch the pick pockets” хорошее или плохое? * Профессиональный жаргон в коммуникации с непосвященными * “If it was hard to write, it should be hard to understand” * Книга “Как писать хорошо” (https://kniga.biz.ua/book/marketing/27/4020) * Hemingway App (http://www.hemingwayapp.com)
Intro You can now start your own podcast and get your first two months of hosting. Go to libsyn.com/amy for your discount code. Get that in your purse: Check out the Hemingway App. Concerned about your skills as a writer? Want to make what you write sound more polished, professional, and easy to understand? You should try the Hemingway App. Speak the Lingo: Today's Leadership Lingo Term: RICH The RICH Framework depends on understanding the word. Rich means living in abundance, plenty of resources, and high value. This is the entire goal of the RICH Framework. Habits of Excellence: This week's Habit of Excellence: Quick walks for freshness. Use the FitBit app to remind you to take a breather. They say, "Sitting is the new smoking." Get up, quick walk and get back to work. Today's focus: The RICH Framework, how to make your day & life the paradox of big picture & intentional daily living. R is for Refresh. To Refresh yourself: Set daily routines. Consider your micro-routines. Deliberately create a daily routine that creates a regular day of success. Eliminate decision fatigue from your life. "Strenuous thinking leaves your body exhausted," according to Mark Wilson at CoDesign. Gets you off the roller coaster ride of, "What's next?" Write down the daily routine, create a daily docket. Auto-pilot magic. This allows you to BE in the moment. The roller coaster of great and mini slopes of life. These first few steps are how you'll be able to determine business concept. Take time to Refresh yourself today. Set yourself up for a Rich life. Let’s connect! On Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.
Marketing School - Digital Marketing and Online Marketing Tips
In Episode #133, Neil and Eric list the 7 things to assess when your content marketing is failing. Tune in to discover how Neil and Eric use different tools and websites to understand their viewer engagement and the effectivity of their content marketing campaign, Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:30 – Today's topic: 7 Things to Assess When Your Content Is Failing 01:31 – Find the cause of why your content marketing is failing through analytics 01:44 – Analyze quantitatively 02:29 – The data will tell you what's wrong with your blog post 02:54 – Get feedback from people asking them what needs improvement 03:03 – People want something that is actionable 03:26 – Find the basic metrics of your site 03:43 – Install Google Search Console 04:10 – In the Google Search Console dashboard, click “analytics”, and search for the “impressions box” at the top left corner 04:45 – Use Hemingway App – a desktop application 05:01 – Hemingway App is the more advanced version of Docs and is best for writers 05:28 – Use HelloBar as an email tool 05:49 – Email out who shares your content to competitors 05:57 – Find your competitors at BuzzSumo 06:08 – You can find the email of the people who are tweeting your content through Hunter 06:11 – Neil shares a sample email that you can send 07:10 – Share it on social media and compare with your other posts to have an average engagement rate 07:40 – Pair it with paid advertising, too! 08:11 – Look at your content as a funnel and work on your headline 08:39 – Search for CopyBlogger Headline Formula 09:07 – That's it for today's episode! 3 Key Points: Analyze your data well and find the real cause for why your content marketing is failing. Reach out to people to share your content – this will measure the quality of your content and tell you the number of people who share it. Headlines can draw people to your content – make it interesting and appealing! Leave some feedback: What should we talk about next? Please let us know in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with us: NeilPatel.com Quick Sprout Growth Everywhere Single Grain Twitter @neilpatel Twitter @ericosiu
Marketing School - Digital Marketing and Online Marketing Tips
In Episode #133, Neil and Eric list the 7 things to assess when your content marketing is failing. Tune in to discover how Neil and Eric use different tools and websites to understand their viewer engagement and the effectivity of their content marketing campaign, Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:30 – Today’s topic: 7 Things to Assess When Your Content Is Failing 01:31 – Find the cause of why your content marketing is failing through analytics 01:44 – Analyze quantitatively 02:29 – The data will tell you what’s wrong with your blog post 02:54 – Get feedback from people asking them what needs improvement 03:03 – People want something that is actionable 03:26 – Find the basic metrics of your site 03:43 – Install Google Search Console 04:10 – In the Google Search Console dashboard, click “analytics”, and search for the “impressions box” at the top left corner 04:45 – Use Hemingway App – a desktop application 05:01 – Hemingway App is the more advanced version of Docs and is best for writers 05:28 – Use HelloBar as an email tool 05:49 – Email out who shares your content to competitors 05:57 – Find your competitors at BuzzSumo 06:08 – You can find the email of the people who are tweeting your content through Hunter 06:11 – Neil shares a sample email that you can send 07:10 – Share it on social media and compare with your other posts to have an average engagement rate 07:40 – Pair it with paid advertising, too! 08:11 – Look at your content as a funnel and work on your headline 08:39 – Search for CopyBlogger Headline Formula 09:07 – That’s it for today’s episode! 3 Key Points: Analyze your data well and find the real cause for why your content marketing is failing. Reach out to people to share your content – this will measure the quality of your content and tell you the number of people who share it. Headlines can draw people to your content – make it interesting and appealing! Leave some feedback: What should we talk about next? Please let us know in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with us: NeilPatel.com Quick Sprout Growth Everywhere Single Grain Twitter @neilpatel Twitter @ericosiu
Have you ever been introduced to someone via email? I know, I know... it happens all the time. But how about a 400 word essay on why said person is the most highly recommended guest you could possibly have on your podcast? Well, that's exactly how I was introduced to this week's guest, Jason Sabo. After meeting Jason, I can understand where that enthusiasm came from. I now share the same enthusiast in introducing him to you. Just a few years older than myself, Jason has assembled an impressive collection of professional achievements and built a remarkable career in the healthcare field. He has held a number of notable positions in his field, and is now a Senior Consultant with DHG Healthcare, the healthcare industry practice of Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP. So how did he do it? How did he reach such a remarkable level of success in so short a period of time? That's exactly what Jason is here to teach us. In this episode you will hear how being actively engaged in every opportunity along his journey has catapulted his career to extraordinary heights. Jason sheds light on an array of Millennial-relevant topics including: Networking tips for young professionals The power of saying "No" Servant Leadership philosophy Being a Super Connector Communicating with your manager Managing your mentor relationships The importance of public speaking and writing skills, no matter what your job Links: Jason on LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jasonsabo Servant Leadership information from the Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership - https://www.greenleaf.org/what-is-servant-leadership/ The Hemingway App - http://www.hemingwayapp.com/
Tim, Tony and Patrick are discussing Trademark and intellectual property issues in schools and the WriteLab service that helps improve student writing. Check out the talking points below. Intellectual Property and Schools a. Link: http://hackeducation.com/2015/01/14/openness-and-ownership/ by Audrey Waters of Hackeducation b. Link: http://www.theverge.com/2016/2/1/10883856/fine-bros-entertainment-react-world-licensing by Vlad Savov of The Verge c. The Fine Brothers trademarked "React" and YouTubers lost their minds d. Update: They abandoned their attempts e. Should schools go about trademarking units/lesson plans? f. Should teachers/students be worried of this trend? g. Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/ h. TES: https://www.tes.com/us/ Write Lab – AI and the path to better writing a. Link: http://hechingerreport.org/robo-reader-redux-can-a-curious-computer-improve-student-writing/ b. Is this a threat to teachers? Are we becoming obsolete? c. How long until something like this is widespread and accurate? Acquisition opportunity for Google/Apple/Microsoft d. $5 Per Semester, Per student – Current Promotion e. Hemingway App: http://www.hemingwayapp.com/
The SuccessLab Podcast: Where Entrepreneurs Collaborate for Success
Matt Griffin, or “Griff” as everyone refers to him, is a military veteran turned entrepreneur. Which, as it turns out, is a path many former military follow. In fact, it's been the focus of numerous studies - researchers wanting to find out if veterans are more likely than their civilian counterparts to become entrepreneurs. Studies have found that they are. But why? Is it the training, education or psychological qualities like self discipline, leadership, and mental fortitude, the military instills? Perhaps. James Bogle, program director for the Master of Business for Veterans program at the University of Southern California, said he has seen an increase in the number of entrepreneurs in their program - and that's just in the two years since the program has launched. James, who served more than 20 years in the military in various capacities and on various assignments all over the world, also said among the entrepreneurs in the program, he has seen two common traits: creativity and confidence. “There's a real creativity,” James said. “I think it starts in the military. There's not a lot of things you do new. A lot of what you do is prescribed by regulation or by field manuals. So I think a lot of people who have that creativity then have a hunger to get out and do something on their own. The other part is I think you develop a real tremendous sense of self confidence in the military.” Another school of thought is most veterans exit the military having taken on so much responsibility and making such a massive impact, they want to continue it. And usually the corporate environment doesn't afford that. “They were having such more impact and such a large amount of responsibility that they don't think they don't think they can go work for someone else,” said Scott Fussell, founder of Command Your Business, a podcast and online business focused on military veteran entrepreneurship. “I think that's why we're seeing a lot of veterans go into entrepreneurship. They want to have an impact and a lot of them are finding entrepreneurship is a way they can have that impact.” Scott, a military veteran, has interviewed more than 70 veterans on the subject of entrepreneurship, and has seen time and time again, that impact is one common reason many vets set out to start their own businesses. That was certainly the case for Griff. Several years after returning stateside, Griff who served three tours in Afghanistan and one tour in Iraq, had the idea for Combat Flip Flops, a company that would have a social impact, while on a business trip in Afghanistan. But it wasn't until a few years later that he would officially launch the company with co-founders Andy Sewrey, his brother in law, and Donald Lee, his brother in arms. “My intent was to keep those guys in that factory, employed, once the war ended,” Griff said. “From that moment forward that was my purpose.” Training for Entrepreneurship But what about those skill sets obtained in the military? Do those make veterans better candidates for entrepreneurship? Maybe. Maybe not. But it certainly primes them for it. “If you've been around enough startups you see that same team, professional, mission-driven mentality, and you see that same thing in the military,” Griff said. “ The ability to fail, come back, learn, regroup, and go out and execute better the next day is something that has really helped us in the startup mode.” Scott has certainly seen similar traits in himself and among the veterans he's interviewed - the ability to learn and solve problems with limited resources. “You have to be able to learn and pick up things quickly [in the military],” Scott said. “Our veterans are very much entrepreneurs and have entrepreneur mindsets. They're given very limited guidance and given very difficult missions and they're able to go out and accomplish them. I think that's what makes many veterans suited for entrepreneurship.” One other trait Scott has noticed, is the ability to iterate on the fly. Though the military plans very well, these plans often go out the window once the first round flies in combat. Scott said having a “commanders intent” or in the case of a business, a strong vision, is key. This ensures everyone knows the end goal and can figure out a way to get there even if the initial roadmap is derailed. The Early Days of Combat Flip Flops In the early days of Combat Flip Flops, how did these trained military skills help Griff and his co-founders? “People thought we were crazy, so we couldn't get any money to invest in the idea,” Griff said. “We guerrilla'd it as much as possible because we had no time, no money and no experience, but we knew we wanted to start this company.” The question remains, can regular civilians pick up those same skills without having to serve in the military? “I think so, it just takes a little bit longer to do,” Griff said. “Because of the fact that the military has specific programs to instill those personality traits in people. But I've met and worked with guys who've never served a day in the military that have the exact same traits and skills, or better traits and skills than guys we saw in the military or special operations unit.” Many entrepreneurs are already innately programmed with these traits, but for those of us who don't come pre-wired with all of the skill sets necessary to entrepreneurship, Scott believes one way to develop these skills, without serving in the military, is to practice getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. Something the military does quite well. For Griff, it was getting comfortable with failure. Something that happens frequently to anyone gutsy enough to start a business, challenge the status quo, or disrupt an industry. While the military certainly primes you to be resilient, it certainly doesn't make you immune to failures, setbacks and challenges. When I asked Griff, ‘If you could return to those early days, when you were just starting out, and knowing what you know now, is there anything you would do differently?,' he gave a chuckle and said “patience.” A characteristic that is foreign to most entrepreneurs. “We executed daily on 60 percent solutions, so I think we would have been a little bit more patient and executed with a little bit more restraint,” Griff said. “We failed early and often, but we recovered. But if I were to do it all over again, I would plan more and execute more deliberately.” Patience is not a virtue you see much among entrepreneurs, but that can often be a good thing. As Griff mentioned, however, deliberate execution is a skill every business owner should strive to master. While that was a challenge during the early days of Combat Flip Flops, today their biggest struggle is supply. The company has been sold out of product for three years. “In the last six months we had another veteran-owned investment group fund us, so now we're able to ramp up the scale in our factories and deliver regularly, so we can turn up the marketing machine and deliver the product. Starting March we'll have our first full season of deliveries.” Links: Griff and the Combat Flip Flops Command Your Business and Scott Fussell The Master in Business for Veterans program at USC Biz Hack: Hyper-Caff from Ranger Coffee, a veteran-owned business. This is super caffeinated coffee that come with a warning: “Not for the weak or faint of heart.” For writing, if you want to check your work before you publish it, check out Hemingway App and Slick Write. Both are free tools that allow you to copy your text into the field, the site will review it and spit out a grade. It also offers up ideas for improvement. Quote of the Week: “Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It's quite simple, really: Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn't at all. You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it, so go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because remember that;s where you will find success.” ~ Thomas J. Watson. Next week's episode is all about scaling a business. We'll hear from Laura Curtis Retana, founder of Malvi Mallow, and Dean Heckler, founder of Heckler Design. Thank you to Griff for sharing his story, James Bogle from the Master of Business for Veterans program at USC and Scott Fussell of Command Your Business for his insights and making the connection to Griff. Be sure to check out the Command Your Business podcast for some amazing veteran entrepreneur stories.