Is gratitude lost in todays society, never to be found again? Am I jaded in thinking that younger professionals want things handed to them without first working for it? It would seem the self-worth of millennials is much higher than others perceive it to be. Is this anyone else’s experience?

I want to share a few pieces of advice for young professionals from an old 38 year old.

1. See a need and fill it. Don’t wait for your boss or work buddy to ask for help, offer. If they need something and you are able to help, then do it. Think of others before yourself. This doesn’t mean you become someones doormat, it means you make yourself irreplaceable. A well-rounded professional is self-aware and observant of those around them.
2. Say thanks. I don’t care if it is the minuscule thing, say thank you. A server takes you order, say thank you. You are praised by a colleague, boss or whomever – say thank you. Those two words are so powerful and should be the most used in your vocabulary.
3. Self-reflect. Recognize and acknowledge the opportunities that have been afforded to you. It is so hard as human beings to not take things for granted. Some of the worst bosses I ever had, taught me the most valuable professional lessons. Really reflect on where you are in your career, the culture you exist in and the other individuals around you. Being reflective and thoughtful can save you a lot of headaches in the future.
4. Learn by example. Who in your company or professional circle do you admire or wish to emulate? What has been their career path? Find out their story, the hard work they put in to get where they are and then learn from it.
5. Be patient. You will not know everything overnight and you are not going to be a leader by saying you are. That isn’t how it works, wouldn’t that be nice if it was? I have spent the last 10 years of my life growing 834 and I failed a lot and pretty spectacularly, if I do say so myself. Before 834 I had 2 great jobs and 2 really terrible jobs. I learned from both and better understood my capabilities and weaknesses.

What is most important for young professionals is perspective. Your first job out of college is your opportunity to prove yourself and work your ass off. You will not be handed anything, you will not be coddled and there will not be “safe places” where you can feel feelings.

Regardless of how great you think you are, it isn’t your opinion of yourself that matters. It is how other professionals and management see you and that, is completely up to you.

Hello everyone seeking a job, connection, friend, mentor, advice – stop bugging everyone. Make it happen yourself.

No one owes you anything. They certainly don’t owe you their time, an introduction or advice.  This past week, I have received numerous emails from individuals relocating to the area. Apparently they googled and I came up, lucky me.

This blog isn’t to discourage you from reaching out and connecting with business owners or leaders in the community, but it is to tell you to develop a better strategy.

If you are moving into a new city and need to find a job or build a network, here are a few tips:

1. Research organizations and groups to join. If you’re in marketing look at the American Marketing Association or the Public Relations Society of America. Google exists for a reason, so use it. Google “Networking events in Grand Rapids, MI” or “Professional associations in Grand Rapids, MI.” I just literally gave you the search terms, stop being lazy.
2. Use LinkedIn to connect to professionals in your new city. Are they involved in the orgs that you want to be involved with? If they are on the board of the association, then ask to sit on a committee or volunteer. Be useful, if you can offer value to another professional they will be willing to assist you.
3. Attend events. Go to local young professional or old professional gatherings. Join a hall and meet your neighbors, drinks help pave the way to great conversations.

These are just a few ideas, because you are capable of thinking of additional. Subscribe to the local business publications so you know who the major players are in town and get cracking.

Quitters never prosper. Don’t be a quitter.

We’ve all heard it before, but when is it time to throw in the towel?

As a small business owner, when do you know that you have done enough? When do you determine it is time to part ways with a client,  difficult colleague, or an employee? We make these decisions more often in our personal lives than we do in our professional world. Why is that?

Small business owners are very solution-focused, we have to be. You can’t cut and run at the first sign of an issue, we think things to death until we develop a plan to move forward. Just ask our significant others, they love this about us.

I am here to tell you – sometimes shit just isn’t going to work and it is ok to quit. I feel like there is a reason shit rhymes with quit. Maybe they are meant to go hand-in-hand.

You will know in your gut the decision you need to make. Here are a few reminders on why quitting is important.

1. Your health is affected. Sleep is f**ked up. If you are tossing and turning all night long and having dreams about whatever the situation is, it is affecting your health. Apparently sleep is necessary – who knew? Is your Anxiety off the charts? Constant burning in your stomach? Headaches? Pressure on your chest? Let’s just say I have been there and it doesn’t go away by ignoring the situation. If anything it gets worse over time.
2. You’re miserable. Do you dread interaction with this individual? Does your stomach do a flip just thinking about it? Why keep that in your life? What good is that doing you or anyone else?
3. The wrong reasons. Are you trying to make the relationship work for the wrong reasons? Many of us will keep at it because we don’t want to be labeled a quitter. If you are having a hard time defending or finding reason, then it is a sure sign it is time to move on.
4. Priorities or vision has changed. If you have a client that doesn’t fit where you are headed as a company, then it is time to part ways. Don’t drag it out, rip off the band-aid.
5. The future is uncertain. Can you honestly see the relationship going anywhere? Plenty of relationships run their course over time, such as college or high school friends. Why should this be any different?

It’s cool to be a quitter. Don’t let anyone tell you differently, small business owners will never be known for taking the easy way out.

This time of year, a lot of companies will reach out to us in an effort to incorporate marketing into their strategy for the new year. Prior to forming a relationship or hiring a communications agency, work to define your needs.

Pull together your team for a quick brainstorm and map out the below:

What were the biggest marketing challenges we faced in 2016? This could be anything from creative, content generation and email marketing to media relations and more.

Read the full article at GRBJ.com.

One of the biggest issues I have struggled with as 834 continues to grow is culture. How do we maintain our existing culture when adding new employees into the mix? Have we really defined culture? I mean, in my head it is perfectly clear…but isn’t that something every business owner struggles with? Are you actually communicating the shit that is swirling around in your head in a concise and clear manner?

Culture originates from the founder, entrepreneur or business owner…that means you demonstrate what the culture is every single day.

Here is 834’s core values that feed our culture:

Be Nice.

• In the way you communicate with one another, with a superior and with a client.
• No gossiping. We take care of each other and approach issues head on.

Don’t be a jerk.

• Negativity can infest the culture of a company, by choosing to be positive, you set the foundation for success.

Get shit done.

• If a client, employee, team or the firm has an issue – how can we solve it? Not sure how? Pull another employee in and brainstorm together.
• If there is an issue, develop a solution. Complaining to complain will not be tolerated.

I thought all of this was a given, was clear to all employees…but had I every really said it? Put that shit in writing, discuss it as a team and make sure everyone has a clear understanding of what will and won’t be tolerated…oh and communicate. As a leader you need to take full responsibility for your shortcomings. If your employees are confused, you only have yourself to blame.

Craving more words of wisdom? Check out this article from Entrepreneur.com.

Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, networking is a necessary evil, unless of course you work in a cave and are required to stay in said cave and never leave. Most of us in the professional world need to attend lunches, evening soirees and breakfast events to grow our network and to build mutually beneficial relationships, this is also referred to as business development.  It isn’t that hard right? You just show up, have a couple drinks, make conversation, and BOOM-a great relationship is born. Wouldn’t it be great if it was really that easy?

For most of us, not anyone at 834 of course, attending a networking event takes you away from your to-do list and almost always includes some sort of awkward interaction, avoidance of that person you forgot to call back and the handing out of a lot of business cards.

Here are a few tips to prepare you for that next breakfast, lunch, dinner, program, baseball game, etc.

1. Get a clue (or at least a business card)

Ask yourself this: what is the point of these events? What do you want to get out of it? Do you want to meet new people? Business develop? Make connections with people in your industry? Or do you want to hold up the bar on the far side of the room? Not that we are against an adult beverage or two at a networking event, but if you are going to go, then talk to people. Do some research and don’t be lazy about it. Check the Facebook event, who is going? Connect with them before the event and share via your social networks that you will be attending and are ready to mingle. Also, don’t show up to networking events without your business cards. These are one of your main tools, along with your personality, for people to remember you. You want others to follow up and connect with you after the event, so hand these bad boys out like candy at a parade, just be sure not to throw them at people.

2. Hello, may name is…Slim Shady?

We get it. It’s not always easy to approach people you don’t know, everyone feels like an idiot approaching a perfect stranger and saying ‘hello, my name is…’ Honestly who wouldn’t prefer to be at home in their sweats catching up on the latest Breaking Bad? The good news is that you’re not alone. Believe it or not, there are many others who share the same anxiety, some of them are probably at the same exact networking event as you (check the bar). Here is what works for us 1) If alcohol is available, get a drink. Then buy the person next to you  a drink…boom you just started a convo; 2) Bring a friend, approach groups together and introduce yourself and your ‘colleague’; 3) If you are running solo, walk up to a group and say ‘hello, my name is such and such and I like unicorns or turtles’ (okay, that last one is a joke but say something memorable or funny – does anyone remember the turtle kid? : – ). Everyone is at an event to make new connections, so don’t stand there staring at a wall.

3. Get a drink or two; not 10 

Often times there is an open bar at networking events (the evening ones, that is…although who wouldn’t want a screwdriver or mimosa at 7:00 a.m.) as they often take place after 5 p.m. and people are winding down after a long day of work. It’s totally kosher to casually have a few drinks and be social, but be conscious of how much alcohol you ingest; no one wants to be ‘that guy’. If you don’t feel like drinking, that’s fine too…grab a club soda on the rocks with a lemon or lime garnish and you will still “fit in” without the alcohol factor.

4. Just shut-up already

When meeting new people, you want to talk about yourself a little bit, but don’t over do it. Balance out the conversation and let everyone around you talk, too. Show a sincere interest in what others are talking about by asking questions, even if you really don’t care what they are saying…fake it.  Refrain from being a ‘one-upper’, you know the guy that has to top everything the guy before him said. That guy is annoying, don’t do that. Listen, say something funny, listen some more, hand out your card and then walk away.

5. “Stalk”

Want to avoid the awkward? Get in a little “stalking” before the event you plan to attend. Find out who RSVP’d via Facebook, EventBrite and connect with them on LinkedIn. Send them a message and let them know you are going to be at the event and look forward to meeting them. Now, you know someone. Do that multiple times and you have multiple people to talk to. It is like a good math problem, one + one + one = multiple connections.

6. It is called mutually beneficial

We thrive off of mutually beneficial relationships at 834. I mean, if you do something nice for someone else (it is called the golden rule), such as connecting them with someone, or inviting them to attend a lunch with you or just sending them a thank-you note…they will often return the favor. Be helpful, humble, and giving. Believe it or not; it feels good to help others and nice people finish first…at least in the 834 book.

7. Don’t over think it

I know we provided you with multiple tips to consider before going to a networking event; but our best advice is to not over think it. Know where you are going (kind of key), purpose of the event; then grab a drink or a cup of coffee and approach someone. If you are uncomfortable, open with – “Hey, this is my first time at one of these things; so I am awkwardly approaching people and saying hello. Hello.” Be funny, it is your best offense.

It really is all about who you know. So know people. Lots of people.