She looked at me with worried eyes. “Do you really think my business is going to be great?” she asked, clenching her hands together. That’s when I knew what she needed. Not more advice. Not more brand strategy. Not more discussion on what she’s selling, and how she should position it. “J,” I said, turning […]
Know the way you work best. If you hate email, ask your clients to Vox you, instead. If you hate being that accessible, ask them to set up a call. If you never want to answer another Facebook message again, don’t. If you don’t ever want to work another Monday in your life, design it […]
“Let’s hop on a call” strikes VAMPIRE-LIKE-TERROR into the heart of new business owners and experienced ones alike. When I took a survey asking why, here were some of the answers: Just puhleezze buy it…don’t make me ask!! The first 10 seconds are so awkward! I hate small talk but never know how to start […]
I have a theory about money, and it goes like this: If you were selling hot dogs at a hot dog stand, and some guy walked up and asked you how much a hot dog cost, would you hem and haw and say to the guy: “Uh, well, let me see…usssssuually I charge between one […]
“Why don’t you tell me what you think would be appropriate?” Useful language for handling complex situations like: A customer is unsatisfied. An employee is complaining. A friend is upset. Your sister is angry you don’t see her enough. A gorgeous Italian man is holding a very serious grudge because you denied his advances as […]
My first sales call was the most disgusting thing I’d ever done. I mean, I don’t even like talking on the phone with people I know, let alone people I don’t. My love for the phone ended after the 7th grade, when boys stopped calling and AIM instant messenger sank its teeth into our corsage-donning […]
Boundaries in business are important. I’m obsessed with them. I talk about boundaries a lot. Probably because when I was young, I was very, very horrible at setting them. Girlfriends would nag me into doing whatever dumb thing they wanted me to do that weekend, like crochet. Or sneak out bedroom windows at 1 o’clock […]
I used to tell my mom everything—from my (entirely uneventful) thoughts on men, to my idealistic views on the world (ignorant conservatives should have their bibles switched out for a Spanish-only edition as punishment for being cruel to immigrants), to the many “what do I do?!” moments one has while attempting to be an adult. […]
You know when… …you hear somebody speak who’s obviously nervous and they’re talking a million miles a minute and you kind of wonder if they’re even breathing and you sort of kind of feel bad for them because you can tell how nervous they are so now you sort of feel nervous FOR them—and you really hope they […]
Last week, I gave you three must-have client scripts to gracefully navigate the holidays. But why stop there? Awkward client conversations will always happen, whether you’re jingling bells atop a mistletoe-adorned dumpster or…fatefully not. ALAS. Here are 21 responses you’ll want to memorize the next time your (well-meaning) client balks at your prices, ignores your deadlines, […]
(Hopefully they didn’t drink TOO many mimosas.) Let’s move the conversation over there!
Look for “Yo, It’s Ash” – and check your promotions and spam folder. Once you find the email, drag it into your primary inbox, if you have one, so that way you won’t miss the one idea that could change everything. Together, we’ve got this!
