The Competition

7/24/2024–Who are you competing against? Wrong. Most of the time, whether in business, entertainment, or romance, we misidentify who the opponent is. Let’s start with romance. Take the hypothetical of a high school guy trying to win over a high school girl. He...

In praise of editing

Oct 11, 2023–Anyone who writes does so in dread of editors. Rearrange my words that I have so expertly placed on paper? How dare you! However, I have come to realize that ruthless editing–in all aspects of life–is what makes it, if not more interesting, at least more...

Minding your business

April 13, 2022–I finally became that guy–the stranger telling a youngster how to run his business. It all started when I tried to buy a ticket to see a show. Even though I knew there was a matinee scheduled, when I went online to get a ticket the day of the event, it...

Name That Ranch

April 28, 2021–If you inherited a ranch, what would you name it? This question was recently posed, along with the suggestion it might make an interesting column. It struck close to home, because coming up with names for things is something I’ve spent an inordinate...

De-tweeting

Nov 25, 2020–For someone who makes a living writing and posting online, it has been a slap in the face to spend the past few weeks avoiding social media. It’s like being in a 12-step program. With the runup to the elections, emotions were high. Throw in the...

The Marketing Arts

Nov 18, 2020–I have a shameful secret. Over the years I’ve dabbled in “the marketing arts.” This is a field filled with exuberant claims, arcane metrics, and secret phrases whose sole function is to persuade unsuspecting marks to buy your pricey chotchkes, attend your...