The Tools to Make Breakups Easier
Breakups are hard, and they can be even harder if you’ve left clothes in the closet, toiletries in the bathroom, and your favorite mug in the kitchen cabinet. In this episode of Leverage Your Spark, I’m talking about how to use technology, tools, and processes to make breakups easier so no one has to awkwardly…
Read MoreCase Study: Stories of Parting Ways
All good things must come to an end, and parting can be such sweet sorrow. However you put it, when working with experts and external agencies, whether the experience was great or terrible, nothing lasts forever. In this episode of Leverage Your Spark, you’ll hear two stories of parting ways with clients. Listen to Season…
Read MoreYou’re Fired! Handling an Unexpected End to a Client-Expert Relationship
In life and in business, there often isn’t a happily ever after. People change roles; companies evolve, get bought, and go out of business; and experts get fired. In this episode, we’re tackling the uncomfortable topic of the unexpected end to a client-expert relationship. Listen to Season 2: Episode 22 Breaking Up Is Hard to…
Read MoreWhen the Project Ends: How to Ensure a Smooth Hand-off
You hired the right expert, they were a great fit, they did the work you needed, and now the project is done…. What now? When the project ends, there are still some things to consider. Compared to ongoing consulting or retainers, the end of a project is the easiest and most natural close to an…
Read MoreDon’t Schedule Unnecessary Meetings; Do This Instead
Unnecessary meetings and excessive emails are personally offensive to me because efficiency and effectiveness are two of my top values. You can avoid pointless emails and meetings when you do this instead. Your colleagues will thank you. Listen to Season 2: Episode 20 Unnecessary Meetings: The Bane of My Existence One of the reasons I…
Read MoreHiring the Right Expert (A Case Study)
Transformation is hard and uncomfortable. Sometimes, in the middle of the journey, we aren’t sure we still want to end up in the destination we set out for. It’s even more challenging if we’ve hired someone to help us. This case study is about a pet-focused brand with big aspirations and highlights how hiring the…
Read MoreHow to Work with Experts: The Value of Experts
In our last episode, we discussed how to avoid hiring an expert steamroller. You know, someone who comes in, hijacks the project, and leaves you with something you didn’t even want in the first place. In this episode, we’re talking about the other side of the relationship, when the client steamrolls the expert. It’s important…
Read MoreHow NOT to Hire an Expert: The Steamroller
Sometimes when we hire expert help, we don’t end up getting what we wanted and are left with something we don’t even know what to do with. This is fairly obvious when the expert is a personal stylist or decorator (anyone remember the straw wall on Trading Spaces?), but what about in your business? What…
Read MoreWays to Work with an Expert
If you’ve ever wondered how to engage with someone to solve a problem, you’re not alone. Even with websites, it can be really unclear if you need a designer, developer, SEO expert, or something else entirely. That’s why it’s so important to know how to work with an expert to get the most out of…
Read MoreHow to Avoid the Wrong Experts — But You’re Not Going to Like It
There are a few things in my industry that I get really fired up about. Near the top of that list is a sneaky little question that clients get asked all the time. And it’s actually the hallmark of an amateur. The question is: “Do you like it?” If you want to avoid the wrong…
Read More