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On October 20, 2015, Consumer Reports pulled their recommendation of Tesla's Model S, Elon Musk's electric car. Once touted as the best-performing car they ever tested, now it has a "worse-than-average" reliability rating. Actually this might not be that big of a blow to Tesla, yet. Typical Model S customers are folks who own two, three or more cars. The Model S is a novelty. If it doesn't work, they have something else to drive.

But Tesla is making a huge bet that their upcoming Model 3 will strike it big in the mainstream market with a price target of $35,000. That's a market where drivers often rely on a single car as their sole means of transport. One that would be less forgiving of reliability problems. If Tesla can't get it right now, can they satisfy an even more demanding crowd? Tesla's stock dropped 7 percent.

***

In 2004 at Burning Man, a yearly gathering in the Nevada desert, someone erected a 30 foot wooden pole with a dancing platform on top. Dozens of people failed to climb the pole. And then there's another who gives it his try. He doesn't look like someone who could climb it. And as he's trying, suspicions are confirmed. He's terrible and looks like he's about to fail. He hugs the pole the whole time as he squirms and inches his way up. With sheer determination he reaches the top of that platform.

Who was he? Elon Musk.

That's one of many stories you can read in Elon Musk's recent biography from Ashlee Vance. And if you read some of these stories, like how he battled through getting fired from Paypal or survived a close-to-death case of malaria, you might come to the conclusion that it's his perseverance that will help him see Tesla out of this current predicament. But you'd be missing a key ingredient that makes Elon who he is.

***

My daughter is 17 months old. One of my favorite books we read to her is: This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers. It's a funny tale of a boy named Wilfred who finds a moose and declares the moose is his pet. He names him Marcel. Wilfred gives Marcel all sorts of rules on how to be a good pet. And Marcel does some of them very well. Marcel helps Wilfred stay dry in the rain, and helps him get to hard-to-reach places like apple trees. But Marcel is very poor at following most of the other rules. For example, he doesn't stay close to home. So Wilfred leaves a trail of string behind them as they play to help him find his way back.

One day, Wilfred and his moose happen upon a lady in the forest far from Wilfred's home. The lady starts calling the moose to her: Rodrigo! She thinks the moose is her pet. Wilfred is shocked. This isn't her moose. It's his and his name is Marcel! But the moose happily joins the lady to eat an apple she has for him despite Wilfred's protests.

Wilfred fumes and storms off home. But on his way, in his anger, he gets tangled into the string he left behind. Now he's stuck, lost in the woods, and it's becoming night, where all sorts of terrible things could happen. The outcome looks grim.

But along comes the moose who helps Wilfred out of his predicament and carries him back home. Wilfred begins to realize he never really owned the moose. So he and the moose reach a compromise:

The moose would agree to all of Wilfred's rules... whenever it suited him.

Wilfred realized the bigger goal was having a relationship with a wild moose at all. So instead of persisting at a myopic goal, Wilfred had to learn to adapt. First he adapted his surroundings to fit his predicaments. Marcel wouldn't stay close to home, so he used string to help retrace his steps. But even that wasn't enough.

Wilfred couldn't bend the moose to his will, so instead of persisting, he quit being so narrow sighted, took a step back to figure out what he truly wanted, and adapted himself to achieve it.

***

A lot of people are also now familiar with one of Elon Musk's other businesses: SpaceX. Making rockets, Elon has his eyes on sending humans to Mars. Many folks don't realize SpaceX originally started with a goal of sending mice to Mars to watch them procreate.

When Elon realized the high costs and the minimal practical value of the experiment, he adapted. He came up with a new idea to send a greenhouse to Mars to study how to grow things in the harsh environment. So he set out trying to get a rocket to ship the greenhouse. But then he bumped into a new obstacle.

Russia was the only place to buy a suitable rocket, and the Russians knew it. And, just like any monopoly, they were going to milk him for as much money as they could.

So he took a step back from his narrow sighted goal, realized what he truly wanted was to get humans into outer space again on a regular basis, then he quit the project all together, and adapted. He decided to just build his own rocket. But rockets cost a lot of money, a lot more money than even Elon has. He decided that SpaceX needed to become the go-to company to help folks launch small objects and satellites to space.

Except, one more wrinkle. Turns out, there isn't enough money in the launching-small-stuff-to-space business to keep SpaceX afloat.

I was emotional about it and disappointed. I'd anticipated a flood of orders but, after eight years, they just did not come.

So they had to adapt. They started making bigger rockets. And now SpaceX is getting into the business of making their own telecommunications network in space.

On and on they adapt. Elon Musk doesn't just persist at a tiny goal. He creates big, large goals, and he adapts everything else around him and himself to reach them.

***

Guppies are one of the most popular fish in freshwater aquariums. Makes sense. They look gorgeous and come in so many colors. They are also found all over the world in wild habitats.

But you might wonder, how could these beautiful fish even survive in the wild? These aren't big fish. They aren't poisonous. They don't have any defense mechanisms that make them vicious fighters. Wouldn't their bright colors actually attract predators who'd destroy their populations?

Getty images

John Endler, an evolutionary biologist, made an interesting discovery in the 1970s as he examined guppy populations in Trinidad, an island off the coast of Venezuela. Endler found that guppies, even living in the same exact body of water, had remarkable variety.

As he studied them closer he noticed that many of the guppies upstream who were protected from predators via a waterfall barrier, were shiny, and beautifully colored. Downstream though, below the waterfall, where predators were more prevalent, the guppies were drab, and had coloring that closely matched the muddy environment of the water.

He was seeing evolution play out in a single body of water. That's unusual. Evolution usually plays itself out over many years. So he and others followed his discovery with numerous experiments using guppies to show how evolution works in a laboratory. He would recreate these conditions, and as soon as he introduced predators in a pool of guppies who were beautifully colored, the guppy population would quickly become drab and their scales would begin to match whatever was the material the laboratory pool was made of.

But if you think a little deeper about evolution, that's actually a bit depressing. Because it wasn't an individual guppy that was adapting. That's not how evolution works. Guppies, by the luck of who their parents were and what DNA they had, were either born shiny and brightly colored or drab. It's just that if a predator was eating beautiful guppies, the drab ones lived on, procreated, and made more drab guppies. It was the population that was adapting.

***

It's too early to call Tesla's fate. But if you've watched them already, they aren't just making cars. They sell their batteries to consumers and businesses. They sell their car parts to other large car companies like Toyota and Daimler. They're making their own "gas stations" of the future. And before you know it, they might even have the energy company of the future -- turning their factories into giant energy stores and supplying electricity from solar energy.

Elon will figure out how to adapt the company to get back their reliability. But I also wouldn't be surprised to hear one day if Tesla gave up selling their own car altogether and focused instead on moving other car companies over to electric. Because that's a bigger end goal.

Elon persists through obstacles. But he's also a quitter. He changes. He adapts. If something gets in his way, instead of plowing through it, he steps back to look to see if there's actually something much more worthwhile to attack. And he adapts himself to go there. He gives himself more opportunities. Because here's the thing. In this story...

We aren't the guppies. We're the scientist.

This post originally appeared on Medium.

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I don't know of anyone (including myself) who can't wait to do their weekly review. But I do know the discipline of a weekly review gives the freedom that we all experience once it is complete. And often it just plain saves our butts.

I put something on my calendar that I fully intended to do and then I skipped my weekly review and two weeks later found that "timely" call I needed to make buried on a Monday. If not for the weekly review I would have lost it. In this case the consequences were financial so it was a good catch.

I was grateful and relieved and aware that as much as I might rebel, freedom does live in the discipline. And the discipline is a great way to honor and value myself and others.

Here are some disciplines that keep me operating with a lot of freedom:

Writing down everything as it comes into my head and processing it.

Looking at my calendar at the beginning and end of the day.

Weekly reviews.

Appreciating myself often and out loud.

Listening to my intuition before moving forward.

Here are some of the disciplines I am still working on:

Observing more and speaking less.

Not answering the phone just because it rings.

Regular focus time without interruption.

A body stretching routine.

Choosing the freedom makes the discipline easier.

Martha Invitations:

Is there a specific area of your life where discipline could be helpful?

Practice acknowledging yourself often?

If you haven't been doing consistent weekly reviews engage the habit.

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One of the biggest challenges CMOs face is ensuring that their teams continue to deliver fresh thinking for their brands.

Though many brands lean heavily on their agency partners for great creative, this is a skill that should never be entirely outsourced. Even if the extent of the creative skills you want in brand managers is for them to simply recognize great creative when they see it, they will be ill-equipped to do so if they aren't regularly flexing those muscles.

Depending on the size of your team or company culture, these strategies can help shake things up and set your team on a path to greater creative thinking:

1. Inspiration missions: Doing the same thing day in and day out can breed complacency and stale ideas. Encourage time away from desks and screens with inspiration missions. Each mission should have a purpose with the outcomes either formally or informally shared.

These can happen individually or as a group and include anything from taking in a new art exhibit to attending the launch of a pop-up store. Just taking an hour to walk the streets of a new city during a business trip can inspire new ideas. Cultivate curiosity and a seeker mentality by embedding the continual search for inspiration into your team's culture, and commit the time and resources to ensure they know it is a priority.

2. Disrupt patterns: Some of the best ideas can spark when our bodies are in motion, allowing our minds to wander more freely. Weather and space permitting, grabbing a pad of sticky notes and heading outside can break groups out of a rut. Even going to a different part of the building or another conference room can help shift thought patterns. If none of those options are available, at the very least people can resist the urge to sit in their typical seats, which humans are prone to do with everything (for evidence, check out any yoga or fitness class) and take in a different view.

Change up the order of how things happen as well. If the same person always leads, encourage another team member to step forward. Or have people initially come at a challenge from a different angle, perhaps starting with the retail experience first (if that is not the norm) and then expanding out to the other brand touch points.

Regardless, the goal is to help your team members disrupt their current pattern. Give them ownership of ways to do that as well so everyone is bought in.

3. Invest in the new: Lifelong learning for the brain is like exercise for the body, keeping it fit and flexible, which is essential for creativity. Curiosity begets curiosity and helps to shift perspective, allowing us to be more open to possibilities.

Consider providing each team member with a personal growth fund with the only string attached being that it must be used to learn something new. Photography. Improv. Wine tasting. Italian. Encourage them to share these experiences with each other either one at a time or at another site where everyone can put his or her new skill into play.

4. Engage all six senses: Human beings are highly visual, and it is often the de facto sense we rely on when generating new ideas. But what if we started with sound instead? Composers are hired to score movies for reasons beyond just creating a soundtrack. They are setting a mood, one that can be every bit as important as the visual on the screen. (If you're skeptical about the impact of sound, just watch the infamous shower scene from the movie Psycho on mute).

What about scent or touch? Each of our senses can trigger different emotional responses, and sometimes starting there and letting the visuals follow can open up a completely different approach.

While you're at it, don't let people neglect their sixth sense -- the one they should bring to every creative endeavor -- the gut instinct that unfailingly tells us when we're on to something good.

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COPENHAGEN -- Physical objects, such as an engine, a river or even an entire manufacturing plant, can be equipped with sensors that measure physical characteristics of the surrounding environment -- the location, temperature, vibration and flow rate, to give some examples. And low-power networking technologies allow these "things" to share this data with other "things" across networks and data centers.

The cost of these technologies has fallen dramatically in recent years, as Jeremy Rifkin makes clear in his WorldPost series on the Third Industrial Revolution, so that now virtually any aspect of our environment -- natural systems, human systems and physical objects -- can connect and interact. This increased connectivity is going to change the way we communicate and do business.

The Power of Actionable Insight

What's driving this new level of awareness in the "Internet of Things" is a convergence of three key technology shifts that are accelerating IoT deployments:

The explosion of data generated by devices. The number of connected computing devices around the world is growing -- several billion connected devices are already in use today, with many more expected in the near future. These devices -- smart meters and appliances, radio-frequency identification tags, connected cars, wearables and more -- are producing massive amounts of data about the environment around them.

Cloud as a growth engine for business. Businesses are able to respond to changing market conditions with agility and flexibility using the cloud. New solutions can be deployed quickly and cost effectively to open cloud platforms that connect to people and devices around the globe.

New ways to engage the business and its customers. Mobile and social networks are enabling people to work in a smarter way by putting more real-time information and decision-making power in the palms of their hands, with everything integrated securely in business processes and workflow.

IBM, where I am the general manager of the Nordic division, recognized the potential offered by the IoT many years ago and aggressively helped clients tap into its potential. Launched in 2008, the IBM Smarter Planet initiative introduced the idea that the world was rapidly becoming more instrumented, interconnected and intelligent. Here's how:

Instrumented -- through low-cost smart sensors and mobile devices that turn the workings of the physical world into massive amounts of data points that can be measured.

Interconnected -- where different parts of a core system, like networks, applications and data centers, are joined and "speak" to each other, turning data into information.

Intelligent -- with information being transformed into real-time actionable insights at massive scale through the application of advanced analytics.

A container ship in S. Africa. The Internet of Things will transform advanced shipping, transport and communication infrastructure. Kevin Sutherland/Bloomberg via Getty Images.

The IoT links the physical and digital worlds. The massive amounts of data that instrumented devices collect provide businesses the opportunity to learn about the environment in which they operate, gleaning insights that can be turned into actions. These insights can help formulate new delivery models and fundamentally change how a business operates.

Unfortunately, 90 percent of data created in the IoT is never captured, studied or utilized. Furthermore, up to 60 percent of that data almost immediately loses its value. So, most of the data is never turned into insights. And that is where the true potential of the IoT lies. It's not just the devices that generate valuable data, but also the intelligence that is built to consume that data, analyze it and generate actionable insights.

Digital Transformation of Industry

The Digital Age has brought with it a new way of thinking about manufacturing and operations. Labor rate changes in emerging economies, coupled with challenges associated with logistics and energy costs, are influencing global production and associated distribution decisions. Significant advances in technology, including big data and analytics, the Internet of Things, robotics and additive manufacturing, are shifting the capabilities and value proposition of global manufacturing. In response, manufacturing and operations require a digital overhaul: the value chain must be redesigned and retooled and the workforce retrained. Total delivered cost must be analyzed to determine the best places to locate sources of supply, manufacturing and assembly operations around the world.

Allowing devices to communicate has many benefits for the manufacturing industry, including improved decision-making, increased productivity, more efficient energy management, better inventory management and lower cost product individualization. Intelligent IoT systems enable rapid manufacturing of new products, dynamic response to product demands and real-time optimization of manufacturing production and supply chain networks through interconnectivity of machinery, sensors and control systems.

IoT systems also extend to asset management via predictive maintenance, statistical evaluation and measurements to help increase reliability. Smart industrial management systems can also be integrated with the smart grid, thereby enabling real-time energy optimization. In addition, IoT and cloud-based GPS solutions can help increase the visibility of goods in transit. These solutions make it possible to track individual items via chips that "talk" to each other, transmitting data such as identification, location, temperature, pressure and humidity.

It's not just the devices that generate valuable data, but also the intelligence that is built to consume that data, analyze it and generate actionable insights.

IBM's strategy on analytics, mobile, cloud, security and social allows manufacturing companies to implement industry solutions. For example:

Business leaders can transform their business by shifting to new, disruptive business models -- moving value creation toward revenue models that are services-based.

Business operations and plant and facilities managers can optimize the operation of old and new systems -- now integrated with intelligent things to become interactive, reactive and adaptive. The cost of running buildings and the resources they consume can be reduced, asset utilization can be increased -- as can the revenue they generate -- and asset maintenance costs can be reduced through condition repairs instead of time-based maintenance.

Product engineers and designers can accelerate the development of smarter, connected products that redefine every industry with innovative new capabilities that improve functionality, reduce costs, manage complexity and deliver new value. Insights gained from the operational performance of products can be used to improve products and product development processes.

The adoption of an open platform would ensure that all players (people, Internet of things, etc.) can communicate and have access to the latest game-changing technologies, ideas and services.

IBM's IoT digital innovation platform, industry solutions and services are enabling manufacturers to act on the digital transformation of industry, by designing and building new connected and data-rich products and machines, embedding intelligence into manufacturing operations to make a smart factory and engaging with customers and employees in new ways by utilizing mobile and social to obtain insights on their needs.

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There are two parts to the talent puzzle

Developing Talent

Demand for Talent

They operate like the two sides of the same coin.

1. Developing Talent

The dictionary definition of talent is -- "natural aptitude or skill." Don't be misled by the word "natural" here, as you and I know that talent can and should be developed. There are cases where someone is born with some amazing talent (child prodigies) but they are exceptions rather than the rule. The rest of us have to work on our skills throughout our lives.

2. Demand for Talent

Developing talent in vacuum will lead you nowhere. A gold mine that can never be discovered has zero value. It's a best kept secret that has zero upside. Demand for your talent rarely happens organically. That's why they use a term called "starving artists." They are good at what they do but they are not good at telling the world about how good they are. You better not be one of them because it's painful to say the least.

An Approach to Unlocking the Talent Puzzle

Opher Brayer of Swing Management, who I work closely with and have deep respect for highlighted the talent puzzle. I am outlining the approach to unlock the talent puzzle based on reflecting on a series of conversations with him over the last few months.

1. Develop Talent with Value and Relevance as the Foundation

The playground for professionals is the marketplace. The marketplace will pay a premium for your talent as long as it is:
a. Relevant | meaningful to what's happening in the marketplace
b. Value | delivers measurable returns better than available options at a comparable price point.

Marketplace is always shifting so to stay relevant, you need to keep upgrading yourself.

There are new players in the marketplace and the existing players keep upgrading themselves. So ensure that you provide the right value, you need to keep upgrading yourself.

2. Design the First Demand Engine

Your first demand engine is where the rubber meets the road. It is the where the marketplace pays something meaningful in exchange for the relevant value. If you are a writer, it could be hefty advance for a book deal. If you are a speaker, it could be an opportunity to speak professionally on a big stage. If you are an entrepreneur, it could be that venture funding you were looking for or better yet, winning that big deal with a marquee customer you were courting for a while.

3. Expand the Number of Demand Engines

The name of the game is leverage. Jim Rohn said it right -- "Every disciplined effort has multiple rewards." Developing talent is your disciplined effort and designing the first demand engine is the first reward. If you stop at the first demand engine, you generally have a demand to effort ratio of 1. The way to make that ratio better is to design and activate multiple demand engines.

The Balancing Act

As you unlock the talent puzzle, you are on a fine balancing act -- all the time. On one end, you need to keep developing your talent with the foundation of value and relevance. On the other end, you need to go about designing, developing and deploying various demand engines to match the talent.

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TOKYO -- As Shinzo Abe sat down this week in Seoul with South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, he did so as the leader of a country that many people around the world now seriously underestimate. That dynamic certainly was felt during the three Northeast Asian powers' first summit since 2012.

Three decades ago, many erred in the opposite direction in their assessments of Japan. Many Americans feared being overtaken after Japanese per capita income surpassed that of the United States; Japanese manufacturing set the international standard; and some books even predicted an eventual war with a Japanese nuclear superpower. Such views extrapolated from Japan's impressive postwar economic growth; today, after more than two decades of malaise, they simply remind us of the danger of linear projections.

That danger remains with us. In response to China's rapid rise and the assertiveness of its Communist Party leadership, the current conventional wisdom portrays Japan as a country of secondary importance -- which is equally mistaken.

Despite its economic slowdown, Japan retains impressive power resources. It is a democracy that has been at peace for 70 years, with a stable society and a high standard of living. Its per capita income is five times that of China, and Beijing residents can only envy Tokyo's air quality and product safety standards. Its economy remains the world's third largest overall, sustained by highly sophisticated industry.

In response to China's rapid rise and the assertiveness of its Communist Party leadership, the current conventional wisdom portrays Japan as a country of secondary importance -- which is equally mistaken.

While China has nuclear weapons and more soldiers, Japan's military is better equipped in some areas (and obviously has the technological capacity to develop nuclear weapons very quickly). Moreover, Japan's culture (both traditional and popular), overseas development assistance, and support of international institutions are impressive sources of soft power.

Yes, Japan faces severe demographic problems, with the population projected to shrink from 127 million to below 100 million by 2050. The current birth rate is 1.4 (well below the replacement rate of 2.1), and the Japanese are resistant to accepting large numbers of immigrants.

When Abe became prime minister almost three years ago, he vowed to restore Japan's standing as a "first-tier country" by implementing an economic stimulus package, dubbed "Abenomics," and reinterpreting Japan's constitution to stiffen the country's defense posture. But, whereas Abenomics was enacted quickly, the Diet enacted the defense legislation only recently -- and after more than a year of effort.

Many in Abe's Liberal Democratic Party would have preferred fundamental reform of Japan's defense doctrine, by removing the constitution's limits on the country's armed forces. But public opinion and Abe's coalition partner, Komeito, did not allow it.

japan

The leaders of South Korea, China and Japan met for their first summit talks in more than three years. Jung Yeon-je/Pool Photo via AP.

Nonetheless, Japan's interlocutors at the Seoul summit, China and South Korea, which suffered enormously from Japanese aggression in the last century, have protested loudly. Both are suspicious of Abe, who exacerbated tensions with nationalist rhetoric and a visit to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine early in his current administration. Indeed, Chinese President Xi Jinping has resisted meeting with Abe, as has Park, who did so for the first time at the Seoul summit.

On the other hand, Abe has repaired the strained relations with the U.S. that Japan had under his predecessors, and President Barack Obama reiterated the strength of the bilateral alliance during Abe's state visit to the White House last April. Under the new defense guidelines, U.S. and Japanese forces are able to plan and exercise more effectively, and the alliance is in its best condition in decades.

Abe has thus been relatively successful in terms of foreign and defense policy. But the situation on the economic front is more mixed. Inflation and unemployment are low, but growth is largely flat, and few experts I spoke with in Tokyo recently expect it to accelerate significantly.

The first two components (or "arrows") of Abenomics -- loose monetary and fiscal policies -- helped to restore demand. But the third arrow of structural reform has remained in the quiver. Since his success in the Diet election last year, Abe has talked about liberalizing electricity markets, improving corporate governance and undertaking tax reform. In addition, he hopes to use the recently concluded Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement to force reform of the inefficient agriculture sector.

Japan's a successful, comfortable society, which has much to contribute to the world. The danger is that it's so comfortable that it'll look inward and prove the conventional wisdom right.

One important constraint is labor supply. Abe has proposed relaxing visa conditions for expatriate workers; but immigration on a scale that would make a major economic difference is unlikely, given the homogeneity and insularity of Japan's traditional culture. The difficulty of loosening limits on immigration will require Japan to mobilize its underused female human resources.

But that effort, too, must overcome formidable cultural obstacles. Abe has spoken frequently (including at the United Nations) about opportunities for women, and has called for women to make up 30 percent of Japan's managers. But today they account for less than 10 percent of managers and about 1 percent of senior executives. The World Economic Forum's index of gender inequality gives Japan a low rating. Government measures like family leave and more nurseries for working mothers can help, but traditional attitudes change slowly.

Unless it is addressed, the labor constraint implies that Japan will not reach its full potential economically -- and thus in regional and global affairs as well. Japan is a successful, comfortable society, which has much to contribute to the world. The danger is that it is so comfortable that it will look inward and prove the conventional wisdom right.

© Project Syndicate

Earlier on WorldPost:

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The winter holidays often have a bad reputation as the most budget-busting time of the year, but with proper planning, they don't have to be.

No matter how you celebrate during the season, putting all holiday expenses under the microscope is a good idea, and not just for gifts. The winter holidays are also a peak time for spending on travel, events, entertainment, energy, clothes and meals out.

Financial advisors recommend you use no more than 1.5 percent of your annual income on holiday spending. Consider the following suggestions to make the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day a little more affordable.

Create a list - and a budget. Start by making a list of all the potential spending based on everything from the kids' gift wish lists to dates on the calendar for parties and get-togethers. Gather all prices you can find for the essential items. Keep in mind that the Practical Money Skills for Life website offers a comprehensive holiday budget planner to help organize your information and track your spending.

Be honest about financial reversals. If you are facing financial difficulties during the holiday season, try not to spend to hide the problem. Don't be ashamed to adjust your spending and tell friends and family members that you'd like to temporarily downsize until conditions improve. You may find loved ones appreciate their own spending reprieve. Friends and family members can always draw names to buy gifts for one person instead of a group, host potlucks or find other low-cost ways to share time and make memories during the holidays.

Share the work. To save time and money, call in reinforcements. Let friends and family know you're looking for particular toys, gifts, foods or decorating items and volunteer to do the same for them. Save and share coupons. To save time and money, encourage your friends and family to share shopping questions, cost-saving tips or discounts they have spotted via social media. Results can come back in a matter of minutes. Also, creating a Google Alert for a particular item you need with the word "price" or "discount" might unearth affordable resources you weren't previously aware of.

Don't waste trips. Shopping is a fun part of the holidays, but constant runs for one or two items waste time, personal energy, gas and expensive parking fees. Keeping an eye out for free shipping deals for discount merchandise is one way to dodge rising transportation costs during the holidays. Consolidating errands in specific locations can save time and lower stress. To save on delivery, ask friends with large vehicles or trucks to help transport oversize items and utilize car pools or public transportation for events and entertainment.

Leverage your creativity. If there's something you make or do really well that receives compliments, consider making it a gift. Making cookies, candy or a recipe everyone looks forward to each year, designing clothes or jewelry, offering lessons or even pitching in with work around the house can be a worthwhile and personalized gift.

Build a year-round stockpile. If there are gifts or specialty food items you can buy on sale and keep for a while, you'll have a ready source of thank-you gifts for hosts, teachers or co-workers. If you have an eye for bargains - and an idea of what people on your list might be able to use and appreciate - a small stash of gifts you can grab and wrap in an instant may be a good approach. Set aside an area for cards, gift tags and wrapping paper that is easily accessible. Keep in mind that many retailers put holiday-themed items on sale before the holidays are finished. Take advantage of this by purchasing them at a discounted price for future gift giving.

If you don't have a gift fund, start it now. There is never a wrong time to start a holiday fund. Establish your gift budget and commit to putting aside 5 to 10 percent of each paycheck you receive around the holidays, If you exercise diligence, your holiday fund has the potential to develop into a savings account for additional goals such as emergencies or retirement.

Investigate charities in advance. Organizations like Guidestar, Charity Navigator and CharityWatch provide independent ratings on the effectiveness of various charities and how efficiently they use donations. It is always important to research organizations prior to making a donation to assure that your check is going to make a difference in supporting the cause.

Take notes for next holiday season. Create a paper or computer file where you can collect ideas for next year. Gifts and other items can be bought at lower prices throughout the year, so check resources like Consumer Reports and mark such opportunities for discounts on your calendar.

Bottom line: Keeping the holidays enjoyable - and affordable - is a matter of planning, sharing information and personal creativity. It can also be an opportunity to build savings for the future.

Nathaniel Sillin directs Visa's financial education programs. To follow Practical Money Skills on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PracticalMoney

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One of the biggest challenges CMOs face is ensuring that their teams continue to deliver fresh thinking for their brands.

Though many brands lean heavily on their agency partners for great creative, this is a skill that should never be entirely outsourced. Even if the extent of the creative skills you want in brand managers is for them to simply recognize great creative when they see it, they will be ill-equipped to do so if they aren't regularly flexing those muscles.

Depending on the size of your team or company culture, these strategies can help shake things up and set your team on a path to greater creative thinking:

1. Inspiration missions: Doing the same thing day in and day out can breed complacency and stale ideas. Encourage time away from desks and screens with inspiration missions. Each mission should have a purpose with the outcomes either formally or informally shared.

These can happen individually or as a group and include anything from taking in a new art exhibit to attending the launch of a pop-up store. Just taking an hour to walk the streets of a new city during a business trip can inspire new ideas. Cultivate curiosity and a seeker mentality by embedding the continual search for inspiration into your team's culture, and commit the time and resources to ensure they know it is a priority.

2. Disrupt patterns: Some of the best ideas can spark when our bodies are in motion, allowing our minds to wander more freely. Weather and space permitting, grabbing a pad of sticky notes and heading outside can break groups out of a rut. Even going to a different part of the building or another conference room can help shift thought patterns. If none of those options are available, at the very least people can resist the urge to sit in their typical seats, which humans are prone to do with everything (for evidence, check out any yoga or fitness class) and take in a different view.

Change up the order of how things happen as well. If the same person always leads, encourage another team member to step forward. Or have people initially come at a challenge from a different angle, perhaps starting with the retail experience first (if that is not the norm) and then expanding out to the other brand touch points.

Regardless, the goal is to help your team members disrupt their current pattern. Give them ownership of ways to do that as well so everyone is bought in.

3. Invest in the new: Lifelong learning for the brain is like exercise for the body, keeping it fit and flexible, which is essential for creativity. Curiosity begets curiosity and helps to shift perspective, allowing us to be more open to possibilities.

Consider providing each team member with a personal growth fund with the only string attached being that it must be used to learn something new. Photography. Improv. Wine tasting. Italian. Encourage them to share these experiences with each other either one at a time or at another site where everyone can put his or her new skill into play.

4. Engage all six senses: Human beings are highly visual, and it is often the de facto sense we rely on when generating new ideas. But what if we started with sound instead? Composers are hired to score movies for reasons beyond just creating a soundtrack. They are setting a mood, one that can be every bit as important as the visual on the screen. (If you're skeptical about the impact of sound, just watch the infamous shower scene from the movie Psycho on mute).

What about scent or touch? Each of our senses can trigger different emotional responses, and sometimes starting there and letting the visuals follow can open up a completely different approach.

While you're at it, don't let people neglect their sixth sense--the one they should bring to every creative endeavor--the gut instinct that unfailingly tells us when we're on to something good.

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High Performing Teams

It's unusually simple: High performing leadership teams have a deeper sense of responsibility and commitment than average teams. The deep sense of responsibility is to the long-term success of their relationships with each other. The greater commitment is toward fulfilling a shared vision.

Commitment and responsibility are tied to the ability to direct attention and keep it focused.

Attention training is generally not talked about in management literature, nor within teams. This brief post is designed to help clarify the connection between self-directed focus and team performance.

Busy customer environments distract and disrupt awareness. Fractured attention leads to small, in-the-moment thinking. The intermediate and long-term cost to leaders is heavy. Without mastery of where we place attention our very human reaction is to protect ourselves. Consistent commitment to the team and to long-term vision then becomes spotty. A downward spiral into narrow territorial thinking begins.

It really is that straight forward.

www.c3corp.com

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"A culture of asking questions -- the really big ones and the seemingly small, incremental ones - is critical for innovation."
- Karl-Ludwig Kley, CEO of Merck

The great physicist Richard Feynman once described how you can spot a real expert versus a phony. Look for three little words, "I don't know." The phony will have all the answers, while the expert will be willing to admit what they don't know. Real experts are relentlessly curious, even assertively curious -- that is, they will demand explanations for things that many others simply accept as rules.

Creativity consistently ranks among the most sought-after and valued characteristics of workers today. Executives know that the next killer app, product, service or innovation is going to come from relentlessly curious and creative people. The most desirable professionals today are happy, collaborative and have hustle, but above all are relentlessly curious and creative.

In a recent study from September, 2015, Merck surveyed over 2600 people on both the value of creativity in the workplace, and the ways in which their company encouraged (or stymied) creative practices.

While a staggering 90 percent agree that the best ideas come out of persistent and curious behavior, including constantly questioning company practices, less than 25% of those working today describe themselves as curious people. We are more likely to call ourselves "organized" or "diligent" or even "friendly," than to call ourselves "creative". If anything, it's swinging the other way. Over 80% of us say the pressure to be more "productive" is increasing in intensity.

As work pressure builds to be more productive, our work environments increasingly stifle imagination.

Here's an interesting fact about people who describe themselves as curious and creative. These people are also assertive. Curious people are decision-makers. They are influencers. In interviews, they often say they have direct influence over the outcome of decisions and change. If you think of the people in your company and community who consistently drive change, I bet you will be thinking of inquisitive people -- people willing to ask the hard questions.

That may seem counterintuitive. After all, if we are busy questioning the world around us, aren't we in a listening and receptive mode, and not in a decisive action-taking mode? But these two behaviors of deeply questioning, and then taking action, are reinforcing levels of creative engagement. This is because highly creative people also tend to also be fearlessly persistent. They often describe themselves as "adventurous" and "risk-taking."

Another characteristic of highly curious and creative people is that they are generally less affected by peer pressure. They tend to follow their values, even when it may run counter to what the group is doing.

Stay assertive, curious and follow your values.

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Shawn Hunter is President and Founder of Mindscaling, and the author of Out•Think: How Innovative Leaders Drive Exceptional Outcomes. It's about how to lead joyfully in life, and also to lead cultures in your company to drive great results.

Twitter: @gshunter
Say hello: email@gshunter.com
Web: www.shawnhunter.com

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Ambitious people have drive. Drive is a deep motivation to have a better life, do bigger things and achieve all you desire. Drive makes you do stuff. And that's good. You make progress by doing stuff.

But here on planet Earth, you've surely discovered by now that stuff doesn't always work out how you want it to. But you have to keep doing stuff anyway because doing stuff is how you get a better life, do bigger things and achieve all you desire. You even have to keep doing stuff that doesn't work. Not the same things (that would be insanity), but different things; all along knowing many of the things you do may not work out how you want. This part stops a lot of folks.

When folks hit those roadblocks (things not working out), they either:

Become angry and frustrated.

Quit.

Quitting is no good, so let's talk about how to deal with those things that inevitably will go wrong without getting frustrated or angry.

1. Just be cool with things going wrong

Things go wrong. They just do. People who accomplish things don't live in some alternative universe where nothing goes wrong, they live here on planet earth just like you (well, most of them) and they too deal with things that don't go the way they wanted. It's just pretty much how it is, so be OK with it.

2. Push past the obstacles

This one is simple, yet it's not easy. But nobody has ever figured out who to deal with obstacles other than to put your shoes on and march over, under, around or through them.

Be aware that your action in this moment right now -- staring down that big, ugly obstacle in front of you is where your success or failure is determined. Whether you figure out a way past it, or let it defeat you is the determining factor. So, when that obstacle is staring you in the face, be excited about getting an opportunity to defeat it.

3. Commend yourself

Congratulations. Whatever that obstacle that arose was, you pushed past it. Great job. It sucks that you didn't get to do the other things you would have rather done while you were pushing past that obstacle, but you did something better. You got over an obstacle, which is how all successful people become that way. Remember they live in the same world as you do.

When things go your way, it's easy. When they don't, it's a crossroads. How you deal with the obstacles you inevitably face in life determines your ultimate result. There aren't many guarantees in this world, but if you like promises, here's one: Things are always going to go wrong and obstacles are always going to arise.

How you handle the obstacles will always determine your result. So get out there and get over some obstacles.

For more free video training on this topic, click here or watch below:

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There is an affliction that threatens the livelihoods, as well as the very lives, of a great many people. I exaggerate not in the slightest when I assert, as a scientist and as a writer, that the fear of public speaking is the enemy of progress, the foe of education and the opponent of success in general.

Picture an economist with a breakthrough theory about reducing poverty, an academic who is too wary and timid to present his proposal to a major conference sponsored by the World Bank.

Imagine, too, a doctor with a novel concept about molecular biology and eliminating the risk of hospital-acquired infections, who is too nervous about revealing his findings before a packed auditorium.

Consider also the entrepreneur or established executive with critical insight about green energy or customer loyalty, who is too anxious to stand before a lectern and discuss ways to apply his recommendations.

In each of these instances, individuals lack the benefit of listening to—and the public at large loses a chance to learn from—the work of those respective pioneers referenced above.

So great is the fear of public speaking, and so grave are the stakes concerning the triumph of this aversion to taking the stage, that this problem (in addition to the diagnosis and treatment of related anxiety disorders) costs $42 billion a year.

That figure is one of several statistics from a variety of top-tier sources, including but not limited to the National Institute of Mental Health, Harvard Business School, Gallup, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, and the Journal of Experimental Psychology.

Awareness of this problem is critical to overcoming this crippling mindset. But, inasmuch as this challenge is a matter of substance, solving (or significantly alleviating) this phobia is a question of style.

All of which brings me to Dave Ratner, an author, independent retailer, and sought-after speaker on a multitude of topics.

By reading about Dave's story, which is the culmination of having run a Google Search for Business Speakers, a seemingly straightforward process that yields an incomprehensible 305 million results, I now can attest to several things.

First, there are many self-described "Business Speakers" who are not, in my estimation, good communicators: They fidget or fumble, or they speak too quickly or too slowly, failing to capture the attention of the viewer and elicit excitement from the listener.

Secondly, many of these same speakers cause the viewer (at least this viewer) to wince, in embarrassment and pity, as these men and women attempt to summon some rhetorician's dream candidate; a combination of Julius Caesar, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

And thirdly, it is this failed effort to be an orator—it is the mistaken belief that all public speakers must deliver public speeches—that (partially) explains and worsens this phobia. For there is a profound difference between speaking publicly and speaking to the public.

The former is what a business speaker should do, which is what Dave Ratner does so well, while the latter is the responsibility of presidents and prime ministers, and of vainglorious generals and itinerant preachers.

Do, in other words, as Dave says . . . without him ever having to explain what he says, or why he says what he does.

Be a conversationalist by chatting with your audience rather than talking to your audience.

This point is not some otherwise unimportant semantic distinction because, when you listen to how a speaker performs and when you then pay attention to how storyteller behaves, the two are worlds apart.

The lesson this writer derives from this fortuitous happenstance, a thunderbolt of online good luck (with ample scrutiny by yours truly, too), is the following: You can overcome the fear of public speaking by being yourself, by sharing anecdotes (both funny and inspiring) with an audience, by talking about what you know—by sharing what you love—with those who have a genuine interest in listening to, and asking questions (at a designated time) about, what you have to say.

I can, therefore, vouch for what I have seen because of what I have heard; that a master of conversation, a professional of Dave's caliber and modesty, earns your trust and deserves your applause because he is real.

His sincerity is his greatest asset, and his avuncular style is his strongest rhetorical device.

By conversing with people, and by the sheer act of repetition, you can become an effective public speaker.

You need not speak for the ages for listeners to know you are a sage about business, law, medicine, technology or any other discipline.

By showing up, without showing off, the conversation that ensues will be a personal victory and a professional accomplishment.

Let that conversation begin immediately.

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There's a ton of research showing that a happy employee is a more engaged employee (and more productive, too), and technology can play a big role. As I've mentioned previously, the future of work is here. Companies operating with a 21st century mindset know that technology and work culture are interlinked, with one driving the other.

Apart from the typical communication tools, technology goes much further, even allowing us to reward workers in the moment. Gamification, intra-company social networks and external applications all play a role when it comes to maintaining the health and well-being of employees.

Gamification and Employee Engagement

Gamification refers to programs where employees compete for points or achievements with game mechanics. Just like playing a video game or using a mobile gaming app, players are rewarded according to pre-determined rules. These games activate psychological triggers, which lead to positive behavior changes. Gamification is gaining a foothold in business due to contributions from insights in behavioral economics and other disciplines studying human interactions and motivation.

There isn't an out-of-the-box or one-size-fits-all solution to gamification at work; it needs careful thought and design. Plus, even though gamification helps engage employees, there are several issues that can make this type of engagement less effective:

Habituation.Employees felt less rewarded for achievements over time. New elements need to be added to refresh the gaming mechanics.

Intrinsic motivation. While cash prizes are nice, they are not as rewarding as simple recognition. People want to be recognized for their skills and job acumen. Using a gamification program doesn't necessarily mean more money, but does mean creating personally meaningful rewards.

Getting employees to care. Thoughtful consideration is important when designing your program. There is a chance that you may create bad incentives. The last thing you want is for employees to focus on earning points over doing their job properly. Nor do you want them becoming fatigued from the need to "level up."

For obvious reasons, injecting gamification into your work culture requires careful planning and monitoring for it to be an effective tech tool.

Intra-company Social Networks and Employee Engagement

Tools like Jive, Slack and Yammer allow for transparent conversations between employees. At a glance, one can view what is happening in any department and contribute, allowing for open and seamless collaboration.

At its best, an intra-company social network lets communication flow without having to navigate through the hierarchy. It also eliminates unnecessary meetings because employees are able to communicate via a messaging platform without having to meet in person.

For internal social networks to work though, it is vital that company executives commit to also using the platforms. Research by the Altimeter group shows that less than 50 percent of employees are using their company's internal communication platforms. Employees revealed to Altimeter if the company's leadership wasn't using them, they wouldn't either.

Supervisors may feel threatened by the closing of the gap between themselves and the employees that report to them. However, they need to view the company social network as an opportunity to motivate and inspire, and open up lines of communication.

Engagement Begins with Praise and Lasts with Tech

Harvard Business School research revealed the one action which will, on its own, lead to better behavioral outcomes: well-timed praise. They found that when individuals are given compliments after successfully completing tasks, they experience "best-self activation." This means they connect the act with the perception of working at their top performance and it reinforces their self-image in a positive way.

It's why Stark President Todd Vande Hie eschews performance reviews at his high-end fitness company. "I don't do employee reviews. I look for opportunities; when you have conversations with people that are impactful the timing is extremely important because it adds to the emotion and it creates situations they never forget."

When you offer praise at the right moment, you provide employees incentives to repeat those actions. You also reinforce their positive self-regard by reminding them of their capabilities to impact others and boost their abilities for resiliency. It is a simple concept with far-reaching results for employee engagement and retention.

Project management tools like Basecamp and Asana will keep supervisors apprised of their team's actions, allowing them to focus on and congratulate both individuals and teams for successes and accomplishments of the day.

To make this even more transparent, tools like IDoneThis tracks team activities across various platforms and the entire team can see what they accomplished together. Teammates are also able to offer up their own compliments and show gratitude for others.

Improving work culture begins with awareness and transparency, and ushers in a new era of employee engagement. Harnessing technology will drive better communications between employees and lead to more meaningful work, whether it is through game mechanics, internal communication networks or tools that track and reward accomplishments. Keeping employees engaged and happy in their jobs is the most cost-effective way to improve productivity, employee retention and ultimately, a company's success.

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A few months ago, I was talking to Hamdi Ulukaya, the founder of Chobani, who had attended an entrepreneurship event earlier this year. He joked that the most entrepreneurial guy at the event was the person setting up the audio-visual equipment, as he was running a business and getting stuff done. Most of the other people there were attracted to the idea of entrepreneurship, but less the ins and outs of actually gutting it out and building a business.

Hamdi would know -- he bought a defunct yogurt factory in rural upstate New York and worked for months developing yogurt recipes. Eventually, he came up with something he was happy with, and in the next 10 years the company grew into a billion-dollar company with hundreds of employees. Hamdi got the original money to buy the plant from an SBA loan -- proof that sometimes the government is there to give private industry its start.

Hamdi started something decidedly unsexy and it led someplace profound.

What is Unsexy Entrepreneurship? It's the unglamorous, obscure, brick-and-mortar business with an unclear ceiling. It's a company you start, not with a desire to be huge, but because there's a problem you're driven to solve. You work with normal people, like the folks in upstate New York. If you create jobs, they tend to get filled by other normal people.

How do you know if you're sexy or unsexy? Here's a Key:

Sexy - Based in San Francisco or New York because that's where the money is.
Unsexy - Based in Detroit, Baltimore, St. Louis, New Orleans, Providence, Cincinnati, upstate New York or wherever you happen to live.
Sexy - Raise tens of millions of dollars. Stalk venture capitalists on twitter.
Unsexy - Get money from early customers, your savings, credit cards, maybe take out a loan. Bootstrap.
Sexy - Disrupt
Unsexy - Build
Sexy - Hobnob with name-brand entrepreneurs and investors at a top-tier accelerator
Unsexy - Spend time alone and with customers.
Sexy - High technology, winner-takes-all, scales way up
Unsexy - Block and tackle, Brick-by-brick, one customer at a time.
Sexy - Get covered in Techcrunch and other blogs.
Unsexy - Your customers don't read blogs.
Sexy - Your business addresses a billion-dollar market opportunity.
Unsexy - It's not clear how big the opportunity is, but you're solving a problem that your customers seem to care about.
Sexy - Unicorns.
Unsexy - Animals that exist.
Sexy - Hire software developers and compete for high-end talent
Unsexy - Hire people who will stick with you even though no one knows who you are.
Sexy - Hit the next big benchmark for the next funding round in 18 months.
Unsexy - Grow organically over 5 - 10+ years.
Sexy - Get acquired or acqui-hired, get more investment, resist going public
Unsexy - Keep reinvesting in the business. Over time build something meaningful.
Sexy - People want to work with you to get rich.
Unsexy - People want to work with you because you treat them well.
Sexy - On to the next thing.
Unsexy - Stick with it. Recognize that things take time.
Sexy - Ignore the folks in the community around you, they're pointless distractions (unless they're important and can help the business).
Unsexy - Try to help the community, you live there too.
Sexy - Talk about how hard you work.
Unsexy - Talk about your family.
Sexy - Change the world.
Unsexy - Change the neighborhood.
Sexy - Hard-charging, outwork the competition, sleep under your desk. Culture of Efficiency and Strength.
Unsexy - Go home to your dog, girlfriend/boyfriend, family. Call your Mom. Culture that acknowledges struggle.

I love and admire Sexy Entrepreneurs -- who doesn't? But it's important to bear in mind that only 1% of new businesses receives Venture Capital (and would be appropriate for it). It's the other 99% of businesses that create most jobs, employ most people, put yogurt in the fridge and make the world go round. Their founders are great role models too - and we could use a lot more of them.

I'm glad to say that Venture for America Fellows are building companies in Detroit (and elsewhere) that provide chickpea pasta, property management and shirts for short guys. One of them even has a factory. Makes me proud!

As in the real world, most of us are Unsexy. Let's bring Unsexy back.

Originally appeared on Entrepreneur.com

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There are so many messages floating around on how to get the best out of your social media marketing.

Messages that sing the praises of fan engagement, social media platforms, tools, trick and tips. However, many Entrepreneurs are finding that for as much effort and these days money; that they pour into their social media campaigns, there still seems to be something missing.

The return on investment just doesn't seem to add up and many are left to wonder, "What I could possibly be doing wrong?" Is it that marketing on social media is simply a waste of time, effort and money? Do I need more training, more conferences, more staff? Why are my efforts failing?

What many of the proponents of social media fail to tell you, is that marketing and the eventual sale of your product or service, is not a one size fits all event and although social media marketing, is a very necessary tool in the arsenal of how you do business today, there is for many a missing puzzle piece and surprisingly, it's very simply, the relationship with the customer!

Now you might say, Katyan you're crazy, everything I do is with the customer in mind and I would ask, if that's so, why you are struggling to find, engage and sell to them online?

I recently spent a full 30 minutes listening to a business owner talk about his plans for restructuring his business. He spoke about staffing, new equipment, the list went on and on. However, not once did he mention how all of this actually related to what his customers were asking of his company. He had no real analysis of his customer's wants or needs. He assumed that because he provided a required service, they would want it and want it from him.

He had never taken the time to analyze his mailing list, to reach out to his subscribers with a "getting to know you" survey. Everything he was planning, changing, adding, was from a self-centered place that did not take into consideration the needs or desires of his customers.

You might be saying that's crazy, but if you're honest, how many of us truly take the time to do any of the things listed above? How many of us see the importance of getting intimate with our customers? How many of us take the time to understand what our customers are passionate about, what motivates them to purchase. To choose us and when they do choose us, how do we encourage them to keep choosing us again and again?

Are we just hit and miss, happy if we get a sale, bummed when we don't? How many of us work at being able to sell to the same customer over and over again, making us their brand of trust, the first person or business they think of when the need for a product or service arises? How do we keep them coming back?

The answer is relationship marketing and the lack of it could be the very thing that's causing your social media efforts to sputter.

Relationship marketing is a system that is designed to build customer loyalty, interaction and long-term engagement. It's designed to help you connect with your customer and in order for it to really work, you need to connect with them on a number of different levels. You must be able to answer the question of "What's the thing that really moves your customers to purchase?

If you jump into social media without a clear understanding of who your customer is, what they want and how you can engage them, you will be sorely disappointed with the results and you can't blame the tools or the platforms, the blame will lie solely with you.

So take the time to look at your business from the eyes of your ideal customer, answer the questions of why, when and what. Why, would or should they buy from you? What problem are you solving and what value do you bring? Take a moment to define your ideal customer, what motivates them and how can you connect and build the right relationships.

Coca Cola blew us away with their *Share a Coke campaign, they tapped into an emotional need, the need to connect. Sources say that the internal name of the project was actually "Project Connect." They even created a new font and called it the "You" font "because it's was about you, the consumer, not Coca-Cola!" They tapped into our emotional need to connect, to share. The message was relatable and it worked!

You can do the same and you don't need a million dollar budget, that's the gift of Social Media, so embrace it. All you need is a better understanding of your customer.

So before you start jumping on platforms, Tweeting, "Facebooking," "Instagraming" or Pinning, start by defining the type of relationship you want to have with your customers. How do you want them to perceive your brand and what can you do to connect with them on a deeper level, then build on that.

You can do it!

What are your thoughts on Relationship Marketing? I would love to hear them.

*Share a coke Campaign

Originally Posted on Linkedin Pluse Mar 1, 2015

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Business is going exceptionally well and you're starting to see your company's financials trending in a positive direction. As a young founder whose business is your "baby," it can feel like a well-deserved reward to start paying yourself a better salary.

You must also consider, however, how this decision will impact your company's cash flow and whether you can really afford to do so at this time. Here are six things to think about:

A. Think about your exit.

I can only speak for myself, but since my goal is to exit the business with a good payout, every penny I make goes towards that goal. Every quarter I re-evaluate how much I will need to live comfortably and I will pay myself that amount, not a penny more. My standards of living haven't evolved much with the success of my business, but I'm willing to sacrifice in the short term. - Tim Grassin, Candy Banners

A. Invest in yourself and your business smartly.

When finally making some good money with your business, most people will try to pull out as much as they can. My personal recommendation is to pour your money back into the company, while taking enough out to keep yourself comfortable at the same time. Business isn't easy and neither is paying your mortgage. Find a medium between the two, but be careful not to base your salary on your ego. - Zac Johnson, How to Start a Blog

A. Pay yourself enough that you don't have to worry about money.

If your business is doing well, chances are that you're working your butt off. Make sure that you pay yourself enough so that you aren't constantly worried about money and can live a comfortable lifestyle while still being able to invest significant cash in growing your business. -Lisa Curtis, Kuli Kuli

A. Determine your opportunity cost.

Try and measure what your potential raise in pay could be used for in the business. A new piece of tech? A new hire? Even if you're profitable, you may discover the extra money would be better spent solving current growth issues. Deploying free cash to new opportunities or improving your product may very well advance your company and valuation beyond what the extra compensation would bring in. - Julian Flores, GetOutfitted, Inc.

A. Weigh the costs/benefits.

You have to ask yourself what is the cost of you not paying yourself enough, versus not investing enough back into your business for the next employee, contractor, piece of equipment or whatever resource that will help you grow your business to the next level of success. Pay yourself enough to handle the bills and so that you're not stressing over debt all the time, but invest enough to grow the business. - Steven Newlon, SYN3RGY Creative Group

A. Invest in quality of life.

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Quality of life comes from building a work/life style where you can effectively care for yourself, loved ones and your business -- and that takes priorities. Today, look for low-risk, high-return investment opportunities within your business to reduce risk and operational overhead, or to increase capabilities and throughput, so tomorrow you can reward yourself with better owner withdraw terms. - O. Liam Wright, True Interaction

These answers are provided by members of FounderSociety, an invitation-only organization comprised of ambitious startup founders and business owners.

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By Teddy Nykiel

It started as a mix of desperation and creativity. Claudia Lucero was up to her ears in student loans, and she needed some extra cash to make her payments. So in 2009 she took her hobby - making homemade cheese - and launched an Etsy business selling cheese-making kits.

Her goal was humble: Earn $100 a month to put toward her student loan repayments. But within months, she was able to repay her loans completely and had enough left over to take a much-needed vacation. By 2011, her Portland-based business, Urban Cheesecraft, was strong enough that she left her job to run it full time.

Lucero, pictured above, and hundreds of thousands of other female entrepreneurs have launched successful businesses on Etsy. Below are a few money-making secrets from some seasoned Etsy shop owners. If you're a woman who needs business financing, check out this list of small-business loans for women.

1. Small-business loans can give you a leg up

Lucero's business grew fast, with national brands including Whole Foods and Williams-Sonoma approaching her with big orders. Although grateful for the opportunities, she didn't have the upfront cash to fill monthly orders of 5,000 and 10,000 kits. A $75,000 line of credit from her local bank gave her the capital she needed.

"It has just taken all the pressure off," says Lucero, who previously relied on credit cards, which have higher interest rates than bank loans.

If you don't qualify for a bank loan (you need to be in business at least two years and have good credit), online small-business loans are another option. Online lenders charge higher rates, but they offer funds quickly and conveniently.

2. Smart purchases build the business

Kaitlin Anderson, left, and her mom, Kerri Anderson. Kaitlin and Kerri co-founded Treat Dreams. Credit: Treat Dreams.

In the excitement of launching her homemade dog treats business, Treat Dreams, Kaitlin Anderson (at right with mom and co-founder Kerri Anderson) was tempted to buy a computer and a new desk. But she stepped back and considered: Would those purchases directly lead to sales? She decided they wouldn't and put the money toward a camera to capture high-quality photos of her decorated dog treats instead.

She needed pictures to draw customers in, she said: "Etsy is all about pictures."

3. Negotiating terms can help cash flow

Lucero, of Urban Cheesecraft, was thrilled when Williams-Sonoma wanted to sell her cheese kits. But the upscale home goods retailer typically pays vendors in 30 days, and Lucero couldn't afford to wait that long for payments. So she asked them to pay her within two weeks instead, and they agreed.

"That has been extremely helpful," she says.

4. Zero-interest credit cards are your friend

If you decide to use credit cards instead of small-business loans, look for a zero-interest business credit card. You'll be able to carry a balance without paying interest throughout the introductory period, which typically lasts six to 15 months.

Anit Hora, founder of the Brooklyn-based beauty products company Mullein and Sparrow, used several zero-interest business credit cards when she needed to buy supplies to fill a large Etsy order. She was confident in her ability to pay down her balance before the introductory period ended because she had pending invoices she was ready to collect.

5. Sales goals can help you live your dream

Victoria Allison sells her homemade jewelry at a pop-up event at West Elm. Credit:

Victoria Allison sells her homemade jewelry at a pop-up event at West Elm. Credit:

Victoria Allison, owner of Victoria Allison Jewelry, has been a full-time entrepreneur since she graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco in 2010. She's reluctant to take on small-business loans, so she lives and works within her means.

"I've basically been growing it steadily as it progresses," she says.

Allison's income has supported her and her husband throughout his time in college studying mechanical engineering. She reviews the family budget and her business finances yearly, and sets monthly sales goals to make sure she earns enough to live comfortably. Any extra goes to savings.

6. Free classes can make you business-savvy

Hora, of Mullein and Sparrow, has a design background and was taking classes in herbal medicine when she launched her business in 2012. Her company sells herbal skincare products. But despite her other qualifications, she didn't know the basics of running a business. A quick Google search told her that her local Small Business Administration office offered free business classes, so she took one to learn how to use the accounting service QuickBooks.

Anit Hora's company, Mullein and Sparrow, sells herbal skincare products. Photo Credit: Matt Coch

Anit Hora's company, Mullein and Sparrow, sells herbal skincare products. Photo Credit: Matt Coch

You can find your local SBA office here - there are hundreds around the country. The SBA also sponsors hundreds of Small Business Development Centers nationwide. Each offers free one-on-one business counseling to help business owners do market research, write business plans and assess small-business loan options.

7. Remembering your passion can keep you inspired

No matter how creative or driven you are, every creative entrepreneur hits a rut. To resist burnout, find a way to keep yourself motivated. For Hora, that meant incorporating her business right away, even when it was a side gig.

"It made it seem more real to me," Hora says.

When Allison, of Victoria Allison Jewelry, is feeling uninspired, she reads customers' positive feedback.

"I remember that I love what I do," she says.

Photo credits from top: Sarah Eischen, Treat Dreams, Victoria Allison, Matt Coch

Teddy Nykiel is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website. Email: teddy@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @teddynykiel

To get more information about funding options and compare them for your small business, visit NerdWallet's small-business loans page. For free, personalized answers to questions about financing your business, visit the Small Business section of NerdWallet's Ask an Advisor page.

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"I don't belong here. I have no idea what I'm doing. They're going to figure out I'm a fraud."

Have you ever believed you are not deserving or worried people will reveal you as a fraud? Have you ever thought someone else could do your job better, or thought you got that bonus or promotion by luck?

Have you ever been in a hurry to leave before someone finds out you don't know what the hell you're talking about?

Olivia Fox Cabane teaches at Stanford. Each year, she asks her incoming group of freshman this question: "How many of you in here feel that you are the one mistake that the admissions committee made?" Each year, over two-thirds of the students raise their hands.

It's human nature to compare. In any given situation we often look around and make comparisons. And these comparisons make us feel inadequate. We know that the less we focus on comparisons, the happier we will feel about ourselves, but we can't help ourselves anyway. Someone else is smarter, prettier, funnier.

Dr. Margaret Chan, Chief of the World Health Organization, once said, "There are an awful lot of people out there who think I'm an expert. How do these people believe all this about me? I'm so much aware of all the things I don't know."

The immensely talented and brilliant Maya Angelou authored 11 books in her lifetime. She once said, "but each time, I think 'Uh-oh. They're going to find out now. I've run a game on everybody and they're going to find me out."

Kate Winslet won an Academy Award for her role in Titanic. After receiving the award, she said, "I'd wake up in the morning before going off to a shoot, and think, 'I can't do this. I'm a fraud.'"

Why compare yourself with others? No one in the entire world can do a better job of being you than you.

The interesting thing about Imposter Syndrome is that the more successful you become, the greater the likelihood of encountering more bouts of self-doubt. The reason is because as you enjoy greater and greater success, you encounter increasingly successful people for you to compare yourself against. Here's the secret: They don't know what the hell they are doing either. They're just winging it too.

Social media doesn't help. We all get to see the happier, more beautiful side of everyone else online, instead of the moments of doubt, sleeplessness, and insecurity. Sure, they know something about something, which is what got them there in the first place. But when under the influence of a self-doubt attack, you begin to believe those around you must be brilliant.

Try to remember these truths: You do deserve to be here. It wasn't luck. It was your tenacity and hard work. Ambition is a good thing. Strive for more. It's OK to ask. And stop comparing, it's self-defeating.

You are a better version of you than anyone else.

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Black Friday traditionally marks the start of the holiday season sales, but more retailers are now choosing to stay open on Thanksgiving Day itself for the first batch of eager shoppers. Data from last year shows that more of the shopping done over Thanksgiving weekend is now moving online, as consumers place orders from the comfort of their homes and arrange to pick up their purchases in-store. Check out our infographic above for more of the holiday shopping trends.

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My name is Mark Wayman, and for the last eleven years I have owned an Executive Recruiting firm focused on gaming and high tech. Compensation starts at $100,000, average placement is $250,000, last year I placed eight executives north of a million dollars.

This article is geared towards Human Resources professionals. For the last eleven years as an Executive Recruiter, I have hustled 24x7. In my business, if you don't sell you don't eat. Literally reviewed 100,000 resumes and thought it would be interesting to share a few of my completely unscientific findings about candidates you do NOT want to hire. There are exceptions to every rule, however in general, after 11 years and 700+ high level placements, here is my insight.

The Unemployed - There are very few good reasons for a candidate to be unemployed. Again, there are always exceptions, however for the most part the best executives are NEVER unemployed. They foresee issues and/or layoffs and proactively manage their way out of it. Layoffs are a great excuse to drop non-performers. Never saw a company layoff a good sales guy! The economy is strong right now, so if someone is unemployed, there is probably a good reason for it.

You Know People Can Google You, Yes? - When a candidate sends me a resume, the first thing I do is check their LinkedIn profile. Then Facebook. Then Google. You would be amazed what I find. EEOC and workman's compensation law suits, pictures of the candidate half lit at a nightclub, tax liens, DUIs. With regards to off color items on Facebook, some candidates have "an obsessive need to be me." They don't care what anyone thinks. I know a CEO who fills his Facebook page with pictures of him at nightclubs with young girls. While I don't judge anyone, that is not going to make a good impression with employers. One last note on this topic. How about the candidate that used the email address mymommasuckseggs@aol.com. Maybe they should use something more professional. How about first initial and last name?

Job Hoppers - Executives that change jobs frequently typically come in two flavors. First (and most likely), they don't play well with others. When I start checking references on a job hopper, invariably I hear the person was not well liked and could not get along with anyone. Specifically, his/her boss! Second, job hopping gives the impression that the executives is not terribly loyal. Who wants to invest in an executive that may not stay around for long? I rarely represent a candidate that has not been in their current role for three or more years.

Education - I have seen some great non-degreed candidates, mostly in high tech, when technical people rush to the workforce for the big dollars. That stated, most companies require a college degree for management level jobs. Does it make you smarter? Maybe not, but it shows you had the self-discipline to spend four years of your life becoming more educated and worldly. There are many valid reasons for an executive to not finish college. I'm not judging. The ones that REALLY concern me are the candidates that list a college on the resume, but don't have a degree. They only needed a "few more credits." That's even worse! Why would you drop out with a semester to go?

They Don't Price Their House to Sell - When people sell their house, they have a propensity to get emotionally attached and price it WAY too high. In a like manner, when folks consider new career opportunities, many price themselves out of the market. They are unrealistic about compensation. I can read a CV in 60 seconds and tell you a candidate's market value. Why? Because I do it all day and every day. Also because I know how much everyone makes, so I can compare education and experience between executives. One of they stories I frequently tell is about an executive making $275,000 that was fired. He asked me for a job at $350,000. My response was that $225,000 was the right number. He declined. He was unemployed for a year, got a job at $225,000 (I hit that number right on the nose!) for six months, then moved to a job at $160,000. Again, not judging, but in general candidates that are disconnected from reality on compensation...and not good candidates.

Needy and High Maintenance - Be wary of desperate candidates! If someone has no rainy day fund and needs a job today to make their mortgage payment...that is a MAJOR issue. Top performing executives don't place themselves in that position. Also beware the candidate that "is not looking", but rides you like Secretariat. My experience is that any executive that leads with "I'm not looking" is desperately looking. And in probably 50% of those cases, I find out the executive was terminated within a week or two thereafter.

They Read Their Own Press Releases and/or Lack Integrity - How many resumes have you seen with two paragraphs of "I'm king of the world!" at the top? Top executives don't need to trumpet their success. Others do it for them. My preference is candidates that stick to the facts. Give me company, title and tenure. Follow that up with several bullet points on how you improved revenues or reduced costs. The biggest issue I see with candidates, even at the million dollar level, is INTEGRITY. It is absolutely shocking how many executives lie to me. You can call it "spin" or "not forthcoming" or "not straightforward", however candidates that are dishonest are a total deal breaker for me. As one CEO told me, "If they don't have integrity, I don't care how brilliant or talented they are." Amen!

Bad Life Choices - Regardless of your feelings about drugs, they are illegal in most places. And I have a saying, "If you can't pass the drug screen you can't get a job." Only had one candidate in ten years fail the drug screen, a $300,000 CFO. Or should I say a $300,000 CFO with no common sense? Other areas of concern are criminal record, DUIs, tax liens and financial trouble. Executives that make bad life choices also have a tendency to make bad professional choices.

Leaving Las Vegas - Name the Casino President that broke two Las Vegas casinos in less than two years, was unemployed for the next two years, and then was hired by a Native American casino "after an exhaustive search." If a gaming executive cannot get a job in Las Vegas, THERE IS A REASON. Usually because they burned all their bridges or can't pass a compliance check.

Counter-Offers are Never a Good Career Choice - A client called me for a $250,000 search. Apparently a VP emailed in his resignation. Who does that? After an extended search, we were down to two strong candidates. Meanwhile back at the ranch, the guy renegs and wants to stay. Translation, the wheels came off his new job. The CEO decides to keep him. Seriously! Let me tell you how this story is going to end. That guy won't last another year, and to my mind showed a total lack of character by quitting, then reneging. At the end of the day, the CEO is at fault, and the story will not end well. Never, ever extend a counter-offer to a candidate.

Salary Surveys are BOGUS! - This is my bonus tip. I have to smile when I see salary surveys. Let's face it, the candidate is worth whatever you offer them. I have seen $200,000 executives take $100,000 offers due to desperation. Also seen $80,000 technical candidates get $150,000 because they have a rare skill set. The funny thing about the gaming industry salary surveys is that typically the companies sending them out have no way of knowing how much anyone makes. Why? Because they place $50,000 individual contributors. How would they possibly know what a CIO, CFO or VP makes...they never work on those jobs. And you have to love the candidates that don't believe cost of living is a factor. A $250,000 job in San Francisco pays $100,000 in Las Vegas. California has a 13.2% state income tax, and for $5,000 a month you get to live in a shoebox. Some companies have open checkbooks and can hire the best people; some pay below market and the get the leftovers. Money is not everything, but anyone that tells you it does not matter....doesn't have any.

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