But I want to be straight forward, there is no “silver bullet” or magic pill that will instantly get you to the top of the best sellers lists. It takes work. It takes time. It takes lots of prayer. You have to: Be clear on your message. Have a mission, a calling – deliver that passion via blogs, videos, podcasts and by speaking to group and organizations. Package your brand. You can’t be haphazard about it. Be very strategic. A brand is more than a logo, it is your vision, mission translated in various forms so your audience “gets you” and knows what to expect when they experience you. Know your audience – inside and out. Beyond what they are, but what problems do they have – and how you can help them. Know where they are hanging out online and offline. What media do they consume and who do they admire. How do you gain their trust.

All that glitters ain’t always gold. I learned that lesson BIG TIME. I felt like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. Dorothy wasn’t in Kansas anymore – she had entered a new land and was searching for the Yellow Brick Road. yellow brick road Her adventure led to discover that there was no “Wizard of Oz” that could help her. What she realized was she already had everything she needed – it was already inside of her. Dang! What did I miss? Somebody should’ve told me. I had the answers with me all the time.

Social media is about many things: engagement, story-telling, and relationships -but mainly, as of today, SEO. It’s all about the SEARCH. Can you be found – out of all the clutter and messaging, is your content optimized where your ideal audience (and those who are interested in...

If someone had asked me 20 years ago what my life would be when I turned 50, the answer wouldn’t be the life I’m living now.   I was living in Los Angeles with husband #1 (yes, this is #3 for me), going to school to become a cosmetologist and enjoying the California life. That was 1992,...

Sometimes when I come back from family reunions…I feel, well, sad. Oh, I love my family…. it’s just that I want so much more for them.   From year to year, not much changes for folks. They are still “broke, busted and disgusted” and talking...

Do you worry about whether your blog offers quality content that your target readers will love? Remember the movie, “Julie & Julia?” She was so excited when she got a comment!  Yes, it’s a good feeling. You’ve got fans! Lady Gaga calls herself “the luckiest girl on...

Know this scene:  You just got in from work. You haven’t taken off your shoes or gone to the bathroom. The kids are home from school or daycare or camp, you’re trying to cook dinner, the phone won’t stop ringing, and mail is in overflowing… No, this is not a test. This...

It’s bold. It’s vibrant. It’s eye-popping. It’s cool. It plays nicely with camels, browns, and black. Style recommendations: the boldness of this blue can be scary and overpowering if not done correctly, so our recommendation is to start small and balance the...

Remember when we needed shoebox after shoebox to store our pictures? I would spend hours putting my pictures in order and using index cards to create dividers. Now that many of us have digital cameras, we need to take control of our digital picture organization. I decided very early on that I...

I always tease my single and childless friends about working out. I often say, “Man, if I didn’t have any children, a husband and just a job you couldn’t tell me anything! I’d have the flyest body around because there would be no reason I couldn’t workout and treat my body right!”...