Before starting my company, Winning Proof, I had been downsized three times in nine years. As far as I can tell that makes me a downsized diva and qualifies me to write the golden rules. Kidding aside, I am familiar with the situation and I’ve made a few mental rules of what to do during…
Michelle Hill
Author Archive | Michelle Hill
Now Hiring: National Football League Head Coaches
The unemployment line continues to grow for NFL fired coaches this season. Locker room epitaphs might read something like, “his players gave up on him”, “he took the hit that player personnel should have taken”, or maybe even, “he deserved it.” With the firing of Brad Childress, Wade Phillips, Josh McDaniel, and most recently, Mike…
Networking in Business Beyond Social Media
The explosion of social media has expanded our sphere of influence and connections to the farthest parts of the world. We’re able to do business with anyone in any country with the click of a button and a twist of the mouse. PayPal has made it possible to receive payment and pay our vendors within…
How to Gain an Edge Over Your Competition
Every athlete knows, without a shadow of a doubt, that daily practice of his/her craft is essential to gain a winning edge over the competition. Just as important though, is mental toughness; the ability to overcome challenges and setbacks. Having a psychological edge that enables you to cope with higher-than-average demands from team owners, coaches,…
How to Find Your Sports Agent
This article is for all the young athletes who depend on Sports Networker to provide resourceful tools for your future sports career. You’ve got hustle, talent, and on your way to the pro level. How do you find a sports agent who has your best interest in mind? Here are some tips to help you…
LeBron James Is Coming To Town
On July 8, 2010, LeBron James announced a decision – a decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers as a free agent and join the Miami Heat for the next six seasons. Lebron has never made it a secret that he wants to win and win badly. Aren’t we all granted the freedom of choice to…
How Twitter Impacts Tiger Woods’ Brand
It’s been a year of Tiger Woods stories. After he officially lost the title of ‘number one ranked golfer in the world’, he has decided to join Twitter in an attempt to save what’s left of his brand. If I were Tiger and my secret life of indiscretions had become a public spectacle, I would go…
Marketing Resources for Pro Athletes
When a pro athlete retires for whatever reason, he is often in his 20’s or 30’s, and faced with a career crisis. The pressing question is, ‘what do I do with the rest of my life?’ Many retired athletes become motivational speakers, taking their powerful presence to the stage. Some apply their financial prowess to…
Interview with Retired NFL Player Levar Fisher on Business and Family
Levar Fisher is a retired NFL player for the Arizona Cardinals and New Orleans Saints. He now travels the country as a motivational speaker for youth, business, churches, and sports venues. While working with Levar and his wife Jacinta as their copywriter, I have observed how beautifully supportive they are of each other and how…
Demise of the Dallas Cowboys
What’s wrong with the Dallas Cowboys? Why can’t a team with extraordinarily talented players get it together? Maybe several reasons pop into your head but I simply want to give my perspective since I’m a lifelong, die-hard Cowboys fan. Never mind what you’re thinking…I take a lot of guff when I mention ‘America’s Team’ but…
Who Ya NOT Gonna Call?
Pro football offensive line players know which opposing team defensive guard will clobber them with a vengeance on every play. They know the dirty players with intentions of delivering late hits or even career-ending blows.
Pro players also know who their ‘go-to’ people are – the ones who have their back. The teammate who will defend them with everything they’ve got. The coach who guides, instructs, and corrects. The family member who is at every game, cheering them on.
Entrepreneurs, much like pro players, know who their “go-to” people are; the friends who will give us a verbal shot-in-the arm. We gravitate to people who share our extreme need for continual motivation. It’s important to know who to call for guidance, instruction, and correction along our path to success.
What’s even more important is who we DON’T call in times of discouragement, distress, or failure.
We’re all familiar with the famous question in the Ghostbusters movie…”Who Ya Gonna Call?” I propose to ask the question differently…Who Ya NOT Gonna Call?
Top 5 ‘Back to Business’ Basics
Remember the Rocky III movie in 1982 when Rocky goes back to Apollo Creed’s “old” gym to train for the big fight with Clubber Lang? Of course you do. Apollo takes Rocky back to basics to polish his fighting style and prepare him for the “big” match in which he knocks Clubber out in the third round.
The same thing happens in the NFL. The hours of mindless, but necessary, stretching, drills, and weight training. The team meetings pouring over playbooks. Sports massages and physical therapy. These are the basics that teams and their players positively need to do regularly to prepare for the “big” game. It’s in the crucible of basics that we poise ourselves for victory.
If the fictitious Rocky Balboa, and the NFL, benefit from the basics, then as business owners and entrepreneurs, we absolutely need to do the same.
Here are my top 5 ‘Back to Business’ tips that will take you back to basics and will set the tone for future success: