Advisory Email – Mar 2023

In the view of transparency, below is an excerpt from an advisory email I sent this month:

UPDATES 🎉
Pivot #4: Sales for Social Ventures
Read the full post here (6min read) for insights on how the Law of Category and the Double/Triple Threat discussed in Tim Ferriss’s book Tools of Titans were applied in this pivot.

Generational Dinners

• Takeaway Lessons from the Topic: Negotiating a Promotion/Raise (10min read)
• Event planning & design lessons (8min read)

Startup Fuckup Podcast
Lots of upcoming content on HR/Team/Culture/Leadership. Backlogged on release as I await more details from our recent guest to finalize the episode.

LESSONS🎓

• Selling ethically + Manipulative Sales Tactics to avoid (7min read)
• The Greet – Establishing Rapport, Trust, and Credibility with your Prospects (10min video)
• The Definitive Guide to Powerful Storytelling (17min read)

GRATITUDE 🤝

• Leslie Barrows for sharing her recruitment wisdom at the recent Generational Dinners event.
• Everyone else who attended and made it a great evening. A perfectly planned event isn’t worth anything without the right people who bring their energy, wisdom, and diversity of opinions to enrich it.
• Murphy Liu and the team at BlackBoxMyCar for having me come back for another session on upselling, cross-selling, and dealing with demanding customers/de-escalating customer complaints.
• Laura Barreca for having me at the BCIT Peak Leadership kickoff event.
• Vincent Chiu for sharing interesting insights on using metaphors and schemas to help communicate complex concepts/services.
• Tanya Abbey for sharing her time and lessons in this month’s podcast episode.
• Eva Yin for exploring collaboration on our monthly discussion-oriented dinners.

WORDS OF WISDOM 🤓
Buridan’s ass: [per Wikipedia] Refers to a hypothetical situation wherein an ass (donkey) that is equally hungry and thirsty is placed precisely midway between a stack of hay and a pail of water. Since the paradox assumes the donkey will always go to whichever is closer, it dies of both hunger and thirst since it cannot make any rational decision between the hay and water.

Reminded of this in Tim Ferriss’s book where he interviews Derek Sivers. Paraphrased with my interpretation: 

As entrepreneurs, we’re often pulled in many directions with different opportunities, ideas, and ambitions. Lack of focus leads to lackluster progress. Don’t think short term, realize that you can pursue one thing for a couple of years, then pursue another. First drink the water, then go eat the hay. Prioritize what’s urgent/aligns with the right timing/best serves you and be patient.

ASKS 🙏
Working for, or know of a social venture that’s looking to implement ethical and non-manipulative sales training? Open to suggestions and recommendations!

Next: Apr 2023 Advisory Newsletter