Inc.com

Some firms have had success, while others say the social network does little for them. Inc.com talks to Facebook's small business director to learn more.

Facebook marketing? A must according to many companies. Not worth the trouble to some. But most of the voices you hear are in the business-to-consumer space. After all, people go onto Facebook for fun. But what if you're trying to reach other businesses, making the seemingly reasonable argument that the users don't stop being involved in business just because they're taking a break?

Someone in a technology company selling to other businesses recently argued that Facebook is a social media tool that doesn't work, at least for companies selling computers, networks, and other technology solutions. Bob Hebeisen, former head of partner marketing for a software company, argued that Facebook "is just not gaining widespread traction in the B2B world."

What Facebook Says

That is a "misconception," according to Dan Levy, director of small business at Facebook. "We think marketing for all businesses can work on Facebook and we're starting to see examples of it." Marketing software vendor HubSpot ran a campaign that saw a 71 percent increase in sales during a campaign "with clicking coming off Facebook back to their blogs or websites," Levy says. And VendorShop Social, which offers software services to create e-commerce stores on Facebook, the regular Web, or via mobile, started its business with a Facebook focus.

And yet, those examples are unusual ones. Both sell marketing software and Levy says that Facebook doesn't have general results for the efficacy of B2B marketing campaigns. He did offer some statistics, though they ought to be taken with a big grain of salt.

For example, the number of business pages on Facebook has increased 40 percent year over year and the number of businesses with local pages that have also tried advertising campaigns doubled. And yet, that could be simply due to Facebook's expansion and companies experimenting. It also refers to all businesses, whether B2B or B2C. In the first six months of promoted posts, 300,000 businesses used it with 75 percent being repeat customers. However, according to Facebook, repeat literally means that an advertiser tried it more than once, and two tries could easily be part of a test.

All that said, it is true that Facebook users often are in business, and it is possible to target SMB-affiliations with the self-serve ad tools. According to Levy, the SMB category includes 7.4 million people on the social network. No information on their geographic distribution. That could mean a business that depended on physical proximity to service customers, like a distributor or HVAC firm, would have to see how many prospects might be in their territory.

Can Facebook work for B2B? It appears to be working for some. But you will have to run tests to see if it does for you.

When the work is hard and the hours are long, these are the reasons founders keep doing what they do.

I recently asked fellow members of the Young Entrepreneur Council--an invite-only organization made up of the world's most successful young entrepreneurs--just what it is that makes them work so hard. Money? Success? Autonomy? Or do entrepreneurs just have big egos?

Being an entrepreneur myself, I wanted to know why others work with such persistence and dedication. I know that for me, it's not about money. Money is just a byproduct. So is it the same for others?

Not one of the entrepreneurs I spoke to mentioned money as the motivator.

Surprised? Don't be. When I write about company culture, I often note author Daniel Pink's philosophy that once money is off the table for people--meaning it's no longer a stress point or constantly on their mind because they're paid enough--they become driven by autonomy, mastery, and purpose.

So what are entrepreneurs driven by, if not money? I got more than 20 responses from the entrepreneurs at YEC. Here's what they had to say:

1. Opportunity

Susan Strayer Lamotte, a leader in talent acquisition and HR, says she's motivated simply by "doing great work. That's the difference," she explains. "All the other stuff is gravy, but as an entrepreneur, I can decide what the work is like. What I get to do. And that's the mecca for me."

2. Autonomy

Some entrepreneurs simply want to avoid the daily grind that comes along with a career that isn't self-sustaining. Says Aron Schoenfeld, founder of Doitinperson.com and DreamArtists Studios, "Fear of failure is what motivates me to keep going. [I'm] scared of going back to corporate and being a robot again."

3. Freedom

Aaron Pitman, president and founder of API Domain Investments, agrees. "Freedom is my driver," he says. "I always wanted to be able to call my own shots, be in charge of my destiny, and have the ability to set my own life."

4. Responsibility to society

For other entrepreneurs, there are bigger societal issues driving their work. "For me, it's also about an alignment of story," says Josh Allan Dykstra, a consultant, author, and speaker. "As entrepreneurs, we are always analyzing the state of the world, examining the larger stories that are playing out on a macro/global level. While we strive to make sense of these big-picture stories, we are also searching for the places our personal strengths and passions can make a larger impact on the world. We make the most difference when we find where the intersection point of the thing that makes us feel alive also lines up with the bigger story, allowing us to improve society in some meaningful way."

5. Impact

Justin Beegel, founder and president of Infographic World, explains: "[I love] knowing every action [I] take truly has a direct impact on the outcome of the business. When you're an employee...what you do has limited impact. When you're running the company, each and every thing you do can make or break it."

6. Family

Ari R. Meisel, an entrepreneur, author, inventor, and triathlete, says what drives him to entrepreneurial work is simple: "[I love] being able to spend as much time with my family as possible."

7. Change

Trace Cohen, founder and president of Launch.it, says what drives him is seeing change. "My current and previous company have all been about providing value to our users to enhance what they are currently doing to either make it better or more efficient."

8. Legacy

Forging a lasting legacy is important for many workers. Both Dave Kerpen, CEO of Likeable Media, and Lewis Howes, lifestyle entrepreneur, noted that leaving a personal legacy is a huge motivator in their decision to do entrepreneurial work.

9. Accomplishment

"That is what truly makes people happy, a sense of accomplishment," says Pablo Palatnik, CEO at ShadesDaddy.com. "That's why I do what I do every day, to accomplish my goals, and that [means] building a successful company."

10. Control

Some entrepreneurs are driven by the sense of security that comes along with being in full control of their work. Joey Ricard says control of his own destiny--"or as some people like to call it, security"--drives his entrepreneurial efforts.

I'm a big believer that money is not what drives people to work hard. If you want successful, happy workers, take a cue from what drives you. Freedom, flexibility, social responsibility, the ability to do great work? Provide your workers with opportunities to thrive in these areas, and you won't have to deal with workers who are motivated only by money.

Office bullies don't just make life miserable for their victims, say a pair of new studies, they also infect a wider circle of colleagues with their nastiness.

This time of year viruses carry health misery around offices, but according to the latest science, it's not just the flu that's catching. A wide range of behavior, from laughter through obesity, has been shown to spread through networks much like the latest bug.

And now, according to recent studies, we can add one more item to the list of the highly contagious: being a jerk.

You know that an obnoxious boss can make life miserable for his or her direct reports, but new research covered at length in HBR this month, shows that tormented victims are actually more likely to engage in office nastiness themselves, thereby spreading the unpleasantness in a widening circle around an organization.

A blog post by the studies authors, Christine Porath and Christine Pearson, sums up the findings: "stress isn't the only reason people are uncivil at work. In our current HBR article, we present research findings that about one in four people are rude because their bosses are rude. Employees notice what seems to be working then they follow that lead, for better or worse." They go on to offer suggestions for individuals and organizations to counter this effect.

Porath and Pearson aren't the only researchers to document this secondhand rudeness. WebMD recently reported new research from University of New Hampshire organizational behavior professor Paul Harvey which likewise shows that jerks infect their colleagues with their bullying behavior.

"Abusive bosses not only cause misery for the employees they target, but they also poison the work environment for the victims' co-workers," reports the article. How? The researchers write: "Employees realize that the organization is allowing this negative treatment to exist, even if they are not experiencing it directly."

The takeaway here for business owners isn't a mystery. Obviously, if you're guilty of occasional nastiness yourself, cut it out immediately. You're doing more harm than you may have realized. But even if you're the picture of civility yourself, these latest findings are more evidence tipping the scales towards a zero tolerance policy for jerks at your company, even if they're high-performing jerks.

Have you noticed bad behavior spread this way in your own professional life?

Whether you're selling products to customers, ideas to your boss, or yourself to an employer, we're all in sales. Here's how to get the deal done.

You may not realize it, but the most critical junctures in your career involve selling. Whether you're selling a product or service to a customer, an idea or a plan to your management or investors, or yourself to an employer, your ability to sell will play a huge role in your success.

Unfortunately, most people aren't born with the sales gene. Not only that, selling has sort of a bad rep. I remember telling my parents that I was planning to transition into sales after a decade in engineering management. Initially, there was dead silence on the phone. Then my dad said, "You mean like a car salesman?"

Looking back on it, that turned out to be the best move of my entire career. Sales taught me about connecting with others, getting them on board with an idea, negotiating, and closing. I put all that to good use throughout my career as a senior executive and in management consulting. So can you.

There are four fundamental concepts you need to understand to sell anything to anybody. Learn them, practice them, and above all, make them uniquely your own by determining how to best integrate them into your DNA, your own situation, and the goals you'd like to achieve. Are you hooked? Good. That was the idea.

Do your homework.

Know your customer, stakeholder, audience, whoever you're selling to. Know their roles, responsibilities, and objectives. Understand as much as you can about what's in it for them. Know your competition and all the possible objections and hurdles you might face.

Just as importantly: know whatever it is you're trying to sell. Know it cold. Whether it's an idea, a product, a plan, whatever, know it inside and out. And, without a doubt, know it better than anyone else, especially those you're selling to.

There's nothing worse than getting beat up by a customer, your boss, or a VC because you didn't do your homework and wasted his time. I've been there. Take it from me; it really sucks. And you can kiss that prospect goodbye, sometimes for good.

Ask and listen.

Yes, I know you did your homework and now you know all this stuff. You're so prepared and passionate that you're chomping at the bit to get it out. Don't. Here's why. If you do that, you risk coming across badly. Pushy. Like it's all about you. It isn't about you. It's about the people across from you at the table. It's about their needs and goals.

So ask. Ask how you can help them. Ask what their goals are. Ask what their concerns are. Then listen. Ask leading questions and listen some more. Keep listening until you have a pretty clear understanding of the whole picture.

No, don't badger them. Sometimes you listen a little, give a little, and go back and forth for a few meetings. That's fine. You do want to be flexible and you don't want to be pushy. Just see if you can find a way to get them to speak first. Information is power.

Also listen for what really and truly matters to them. They might say a lot, but if you really listen, you'll discern what's really in it for them, what motivates them, and what obstacles you have to overcome. It's like cracking a nut. Brute force and all you've got is tiny pieces of nutmeat and shells. But if you find the right spot and do it just the right way, it opens cleanly. It's a beautiful thing. It's the same thing in sales.

Make a genuine connection.

If you have the world's greatest product or idea, that's great, I'm sure you'll kill out there. If not, then know this: Every business transaction involves a genuine connection between individuals. It's not always a deep relationship, but it's a relationship, nevertheless.

To connect with people, you have to explain things in a way that resonates with them. If you've done your homework, asked the right questions, and listened carefully, you should know what they're looking for and how to overcome their concerns and meet their needs.

The best way to do that is to do two things: genuinely connect with the person and communicate using anecdotes and analogies that will cut through and resonate with them. That's because people aren't just motivated by logic and information, they're also motivated by emotional and primal needs.

People like to hear about ideas, features, and performance. They need to hear about benefits and what's in it for them even more. But when it's all said and done and they're on their own making a decision, it's an emotional connection to stories and people they'll remember. And that's what will motivate them to go for it.

Know whose side you're on.

This is a tough concept for people to grasp but it is key so listen up. You may be sitting across from someone, physically opposite them, but in reality, you're on the same side. The sooner you get into that mindset, the sooner you'll get deals done.

You see, most people have sales all wrong. In a certain sense, you're actually working for the customer or whoever you're selling to. That's because your job is to understand and serve their needs. To help them achieve their goals. That's your job. That means you work for them.

And you know what? Your customers need to know that. That you're there to help them achieve their goals. That you're partners. That you're willing to move mountains for them. And oftentimes, that's what you have to do to get a deal done.

It's true even in big corporations. The sales organization is the customer advocate. In executive meetings, the head of sales represents the customer base. Yes, of course a sales VP works for her company, but if she isn't the internal champion for meeting customer needs, I guarantee those needs will not be met.

And guess what? When people pick up on your genuine desire and ability to jump through any hoop to help make them successful, that, more than anything, will help you get deals done. That's how you become successful. By convincing others that you can and will make them successful--and then doing it.

Great comedians make their living by seeing the world in a fresh way and creating high-value "product" to match. Could your team learn from that?

Ask just about any entrepreneur, and he or she will tell you that creativity is the most valuable attribute a team of employees can have. Only problem is, the trait is frustratingly rare on most business teams, and it's next to impossible to instill in people who don't come by it naturally.

Or is it?

One group of professionals whose life’s passion is centered on creativity think you actually can foster it in an organization. That group is comedians, and they ought to know: After all, what demands more creativity than coming up with new routines week after week that make other people laugh?

Here is advice on how to enhance the creativity of your team from five of the most creative comedians of our time:

1. John Cleese: Don’t work; play

Cleese’s revelation is simple: “Creativity is not a talent; it’s a way of operating.” Though he admits being creative is a difficult art, he argues (using scientific research) that creativity is in no way “related to IQ.”

Cleese concludes, standing on the shoulders of scientists like Donald MacKinnon, that creative people are those who play at work. Play releases the creative spirit because play has no real purpose or end goal. Without a goal, there is no stress, and creativity can run riot.

Cleese mentions Alfred Hitchcock who, when a script deadline was fast approaching, would pause and tell a completely unrelated story to the frustration of those in the room. Hitchcock didn’t trust stress and deadlines to motivate his screenwriters, and he used the random stories to shift the focus from the looming pressure and get them to think creatively.

The lesson for leaders: Let the people working for you play, play, play. Don’t let them be overburdened by routine and mundane tasks. Build on their curiosity.

2. Ricky Gervais: Do something; anything

Ricky Gervais recently said in an interview with Esquire, "You should bring something into the world that wasn't in the world before. It doesn't matter what that is. It doesn't matter if it's a table or a film or gardening--everyone should create. You should do something, then sit back and say, ‘I did that.’”

His point is clear. Creativity doesn’t boil down to works of genius. It’s really about doing something, anything, with your own two hands. Nothing does more to instill a sense of pride.

The lesson for leaders: Let your team create. Help it not to be afraid of failure or the pedigree of its creations. The simple act of creating will increase team members' confidence and expand their imagination.

3. Louis CK: Throw out your garbage

In an emotional tribute to George Carlin, Louis CK admits his own creativity was spurred by George Carlin’s work habits.

Every year, Carlin would create a new hour of comedy and throw out all of his old jokes. This baffled the young Louis CK. How, he asked, could anyone throw out jokes he has worked so hard creating?

But Louis CK realized he was in no position to question Carlin. He was broke, his jokes weren’t getting laughs, and his career was tearing his family apart. Louis CK decided to throw everything out and start over.

And it worked. Louis CK started telling deeper, more interesting jokes that related to his life. Audiences ate it up and demanded more.

Creativity can be unleashed by a constant purge of your old, comforting ideas. Renewing your old routine with “fresh material” can tap new springs of creativity.

The lesson for leaders: Don’t let your team members rest on their laurels. Encourage them to throw out or rotate their ideas, no matter how creative they might have been at one time. Let them search for better answers, fixes, and solutions--even if there isn’t an immediate necessity.

4. Jerry Seinfeld: Think about Pop-Tarts for two years

Seinfeld admits that he can spend up to “two years” writing a joke. “That’s what people want me to do,” he explains. That is, the audience wants Seinfeld to spend his time “wastefully” so he can come up with great material.

In an interview with The New York Times, Seinfeld explores how he comes up with his jokes. He begins by simply thinking of something funny and going from there. For example, he once decided that the word Pop-Tarts was funny. From there, he began to write material about how the frosted breakfast treat left a lasting impression on his elementary school days.

From these humble roots, a joke was born that has been featured in various late-night bits and stand-up performances.

The lesson for leaders: Don’t be fearful of the trivial. Sometimes creativity doesn’t begin with a brilliant idea; it starts with a simple observation. Encourage your team to observe and observe deeply. And remember, it may be a long process.

5. Woody Allen: Put your brilliant idea away

In the documentary American Masters: Woody Allen, we get to see Woody Allen’s sloppy, carefree creative process up close.

Every year, the writer and filmmaker goes into a drawer filled with his random notes and sifts through them. When he finds an idea he likes, he writes a script around it, polishes it, then puts it away until he begins shooting.

Woody Allen is a big proponent of not overworking material. Though he will allow his actors to play with his scripts, he doesn’t believe in reediting his work constantly, lest it become stale, forced, and dry.

The lesson for leaders: Encourage your team members not torture an idea to death. If it doesn’t click right away, tell them to put it in a drawer. There will be time to come back to it.

Pragmatic leaders understand that creativity has to be nurtured and that it thrives in an atmosphere where it is welcome. As a leader, you set the tone. If you’re willing to give others the opportunity to play, explore, fail, throw out ideas, think about the mundane, take their time--and sometimes break the ice by telling a bad joke--then you will create an atmosphere that will stimulate new ideas, new processes, and new directions and take your company to new heights. No kidding.

Extraordinary bosses use these habits to bring out the extraordinary in those around them.

The most popular post I've ever written is The Core Beliefs of Extraordinary Bosses. However, while that post clearly struck a chord, it lacked something important: a code of behavior that puts those beliefs into action.

Probably my favorite business book is Sylvia Lafair's Don't Bring It To Work: Breaking the Family Patterns that Limit Success. In that book, Sylvia describes how people can transcend the limitations of their family background to become better workers.

In the process of describing that transformation, Lafair describes a set of habits that define how ideal leaders behave when they've got their beliefs aligned the right way. Here they are:

Extraordinary bosses realize that success doesn't have to entail only individual accomplishment. They redefine that emotionally-packed word "success" so that wealth, position, and fame are no longer what really matters. They realize that group success is entirely consistent with individual accomplishment.

Extraordinary bosses focus on the basic wants and needs of the community and the desire to move from what exists now to what is possible. This creates a groundswell of activity as more and more people feel included and want to help. This allows them to tackle problems at the core, in order to make change happen.

Extraordinary bosses create a sense that all things are possible. Everyone who's ever faced a daunting challenge knows how important it is to be around somebody who can communicate what seems impossible and see the essence of hope in a haystack of adversity, allowing a business to break through into new markets.

Extraordinary bosses use humor put worries into perspective, so that we can laugh at ourselves and the situation before tackling hard work. The ability to tell the right joke at the right time reduces office stress and builds camaraderie, which is a real advantage in today's intense, fast-paced work environments.

Extraordinary bosses don't just have a vision of the future. They also have a rare ability to understand and channel the desires and needs of other people. They listen as much as they talk and thus create a shared vision that motivates everybody, not just the boss. They point to a place that we know is better and give us the courage to get there.

Extraordinary bosses are always willing to be part of the first test to make sure that a project will succeed. They guide people into new territory, without hogging the limelight. They have a great sense of timing and know when to wait until the kinks have been worked out... without waiting too long.

Extraordinary bosses know how to listen and give good advice at just the right time. Because they haven't sailed through life, they know what it's like to overcome intense obstacles and challenges. Most importantly, they're willing to let go when you're competent to make your own decisions without them.

Extraordinary bosses know that a good story can move people to places where no PowerPoint can take them. They know that stories help people understand how problems can be, and should be, solved. They use stories to close the distance that voicemail, e-mails and texting create between us.

Extraordinary bosses have the ability to see all sides of a situation and allow conflicting parties to not only be heard but acknowledged. They can gather a group and find ways that individuals can work together. They have an uncanny way of "slicing the pie" so that while every piece may not be identical, everyone feels treated with fairness and respect.

Extraordinary bosses do not change their minds just to pacify someone, although they are not averse to adjusting their opinions if that will enable a conflict to push towards resolution. They do not "beat around the bush," so you always know where you stand. They treat you as an adult who can handle the truth rather than a child who must be protected from it.

Extraordinary bosses can tolerate and moderate the conflicts that inevitably show up before the creative process comes into full bloom. They enjoy being involved in the thick of arguments, thus allowing problems and dissent to be resolved more quickly so that the creative process can move forward.

Extraordinary bosses know that trust is the glue that holds an organization together. Their commitment to build trust creates a counter force to the deception and political game-playing that makes so many offices difficult places to work. They know that trusting, and being trusted, is the best way to ensure that everyone in the organizations wins.

Extraordinary bosses cannot be swayed to side with one group or individual against another but instead work to preserve the integrity of the whole system. Peacemakers teach us that peace is a state of mind and that it's still possible to be happy even in the midst of turmoil and chaos.

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Eating a cold sandwich at your desk while you surf Facebook doesn't count. Shake things up with one of these energy boosters.

Ideally lunchtime--the hump of the workday--should involve a change of scenery. For one thing, eating at your desk while you continue to work makes for a long and sedentary day.

With a bit of intention, lunchtime can be a great way to recharge so you're primed for a great afternoon. Here's how workers around the country are making the most of midday.

1. Get horizontal. Desk workers tend to slouch, which compresses the spine and ribs, impedes proper breathing, and tightens neck and shoulder muscles. "Laying on your back in semisupine position with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor for 10 to 20 minutes allows the muscles of your neck to release, your chest and shoulders to widen, and your whole body to undo tension built up throughout the morning. You rise feeling light, open, and destressed," says Los Angeles--based Sharon Jakubecy, who teaches people how to have a powerful presence and communicate confidently through something called the Alexander Technique.

2. Wiggle like a kid. Minneapolis-based chiropractor and yoga and Pilates instructor Martha DeSante suggests getting your hands on an adult-size Hula-Hoop, finding a spot where you won't break anything, and hooping in both directions "to bring more balance to your body and brain," she says. "Hooping lets you shake off the stresses of the morning, getting your creative and inspired energy flowing so you can tackle your afternoon agenda feeling refreshed and renewed."

3. Sing. Think about it--it's nearly impossible to feel bad when you're belting out a tune. Not only that, the pulsing of the vocal cords causes a physical vibration that actually works to calm the body. That's according to Minneapolis- and Los Angeles--based Ariella Forstein, chief empowerment officer with the Ariella Approach, which she uses to coach business people and performers how to increase their confidence and find their authentic voices. Not comfortable singing in the office? Forstein suggests trilling in your car.

4. Learn a foreign language and then plan an overseas trip to practice. According to New York--based career counselor and executive coach Roy Cohen, many study options are perfect for lunch, whether you're learning online at your desk, in your car on a mobile device, or with others in a language practice meetup group. "If interrupted, it is easy enough to explain, and it is a good career booster," he says. "You appear motivated and disciplined, and proficiency in a foreign language may be beneficial to your work. And a reward like an overseas vacation is likely to keep you focused."

5. Meet new business connections. "I'm a big fan of networking over lunch," says Cory Jones, CEO of San Francisco--based DINKlife.com. "Meet someone new, rejuvenate your passion for what you do, and get to know someone else's story. I've done several lunches with letslunch.com and had good success."

6. Jump on a trampoline. It's a little-known fact that Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park has more than 30 locations across the U.S. You can jump and flip to your heart's content for as little as $8 per half-hour. Check out this video, in which plenty of grown adults are doing it.

7. Get creative. "Pull out some glitter, glue, markers, paint, or paper, and make something," says Alyson Dias, who works for Fresno, California--based iLoveToCreate and says it takes only a few minutes to make plenty of creative projects.

If crafts aren't your thing, any creative endeavor will do the trick. Arash Afshar, podcast host at San Diego--based CrappyAwesome.com, heads to the coffee shop over lunch: "I am an artist, so I'll usually work on some music on my laptop or sketch something in my sketchbook. A small sense of creative accomplishment gets me energized to power through the rest of the workday."

8. Give yourself a mini spa experience. Kristen Brown, Minneapolis-based author, speaker, and coach on stress management and work/life harmony, says self-pampering works for both sexes: "Rub some essential oil of your choice on your temples, and rub a little into ends of hair to condition. Apply some rich hand cream to your hands, elbows, and other dry areas; dab on some eye cream; and turn on your favorite music. Then take 10 deep breaths through the nose slowly. Bend over in your chair and get the blood flowing with some stretches. Also, be sure to have living plants in your desk area," she says.

9. Take it to the rink. Mia McPherson, marketing manager for Dublin, Ohio--based OnGuard Systems, says, "Our latest favorite rejuvenating lunchtime activity is ice skating. We found a place near our office that does an indoor skate from about 11:30 to 12:30. We'll pack a lunch that day and eat in the office so that we can use the lunch hour to skate. I also like that on skate days, I get my exercise and don't have to drag myself to the gym after work."

10. Exercise outside with a pal. "The science of happiness indicates that exercising with a friend, ideally in nature, combines three things that will boost our mood and creativity," says Scott Crabtree, chief happiness officer for Happy Brain Science in Portland, Oregon.

11. Unplug from technology. This sounds simple, but it is remarkably difficult for some people to do. "Connecting with nature for your 60-minute lunch will reboot your brain. Try it and watch what happens," suggests John Dowd Jr., Cambridge, Massachusetts--based author of Heroes Mentors and Friends.

12. Make a game out of it. Flynn Zaiger, CEO of New Orleans--based digital marketing and advertising agency Online Optimism, suggests playing board games with co-workers (try Balderdash or Cranium) to spark creative juices.

Bob Bentz, president of Advanced Telecom Services in Wayne, Pennsylvania, says people in his office play basketball at 12:30 p.m. on Fridays in the spring and summer. "It's a great team-building event," he says. "It also does a great job of bonding the younger and older employees that don't normally hang out together."

13. Ramp it up. "My company has a five-story parking garage, and on my breaks, I will walk the garage, starting at the bottom, doing a complete circuit on each floor, and walking up and down the ramps. I do this on my morning and afternoon breaks, as well as lunch," says Clearwater, Florida--based paralegal Hope Rising.

14. Volunteer. "I've been spending my lunch breaks when I don't have meetings or prior engagements at the local soup kitchen, helping to serve food and hopefully brightening someone's day...So far, it's been very rewarding in that I've made some new friends, and it affords me the opportunity to help someone turn their life around," says Jacob Baldwin, search-engine-marketing manager for One Call Now in Troy, Ohio. He also plans to do some resumé coaching at the soup kitchen in coming weeks.

15. Hypnotize yourself. Wait, what? Seattle-based hypnotherapist Robert Schryvers says you can do it in 10 minutes. Here's how.

16. Juggle. "Juggling is a great way to reenergize during lunch, and I love that you can do it right in the office or outside on a nice day," says Heather Wolf, founder of JuggleFit in Brooklyn, New York. "Not only is it a light cardio exercise; it also clears your mind so you can come back to work tasks feeling refreshed and focused. And, of course, it's fun." Not sure you can pull it off? Here's a primer.

17. Go to a salon. A blowout--you know, a shampoo, blow dry, and style--will make any woman feel recharged. And both sexes can reap the relaxation that comes from a manicure or pedicure--usually they come with massages.

18. Read a book. Ideally, it would be something escapist, although driven types might feel better getting through nonfiction or self-improvement reads. Whatever you read, do it somewhere other than your desk, ideally near a window or outside in the sun.

19. Take a nap. The biggest challenge with this one is: where? If your office doesn't have a sofa somewhere private, you can always recline the passenger seat in your car and take a quick snooze there. Set your phone's alarm to wake you within a half-hour. Longer naps can actually make you feel worse.

20. Be a street musician. Josh Aguilar, a Web designer for TopSpot Internet Marketing in Houston, suggests taking a musical instrument to a nearby park. "Get away from the screen [and] take a container for your tips," he says.

21. Go home and connect with your kid (or dog or cat). Whatever creature is waiting for you at home will appreciate the attention, and you'll get recharged spending a few minutes with someone or something you love. Ashley Morris, CEO of Capriotti's Sandwich Shop, says he makes a habit of taking a full lunch break to go home and play with his infant son. Doing so helps him unwind and remember why he works hard every day.

22. Feast on art or books. Martha Bartlett Piland with MB Piland Advertising and Marketing in Topeka, Kansas, says you're likely to find her at the local art gallery or library over lunch, where she "drink[s] in the stillness."

23. Get in the moment. According to Amy Jo Martin, founder and CEO of the Las Vegas--based social-media consultancy Digital Royalty, people spend nearly half of their lives recalling the past and fretting about the future. What keeps people in the present is blocking out a few minutes a day for "Ready, Set, Pause," a concept the company came up with that encourages people to make time for a daily mental break. Ideas for this time-out from stress: Listen to good music, dance, pray, call someone to tell him or her you love him or her--whatever keeps you in the present and distracted from your worries.

24. Get a furry fix. "Go to a pet store and pet the animals or if you happen to be near a place that has animals; watch and enjoy and calm your mind," suggests marriage and family therapist Lisa Bahar, who's based in Dana Point, California.

Ask yourself these questions every day. Without fail. And then, based on your answers, take action.

Keep this list handy. Ask yourself these questions every day--without fail. And then, based on your answers, take action.

1. Who would cry the most at my funeral?

Those are people who love you unconditionally. Start returning the feeling.

2. Do I spend enough time with the people who would cry the most at my funeral?

Probably not. Even though those are the people who see the good in you, and make you feel good about yourself.

3. Who would I want to cry the most at my funeral?

Chances are those are the people you neglect the most. You care about them but you're taking them for granted.

Stop taking them for granted.

4. Am I proud to tell people where I work?

If not, it's time to start looking elsewhere. Titles come and go. Money comes and goes. Pride is forever.

5. Is my company a business I would want my children to run?

There may be aspects of your business you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy, much less your kids: insufferable customers, unbearable employees, difficult working conditions, uncertain long-term prospects.

If you would say to your child, "No, I wouldn't want you to have to deal with that..." why do allow yourself to continue to deal with that?

Naturally you want your kids to be happy. You also deserve to be happy. List the problems, then fix the problems.

If you want a better future for your kids, show them the way by making a better future for yourself.

6. Does today feel different than yesterday?

It should, if only in a very small way. Otherwise you're sitting still.

7. Do I say "no" more than I say "yes"?

"No" ensures today will be exactly the same as yesterday. Or maybe worse.

F that.

8. Do I spend money instead of time?

Maybe you buy your kids "stuff" because you feel guilty for being away so much, or missing events, or being distracted most of the time. Maybe you buy your significant other "stuff" when you feel guilty about not paying enough attention or showing, by word and action, that you care.

Or maybe you spend money on productivity tools instead of putting in the time to change inefficient work habits. Or maybe you buy expensive fitness equipment and trendy workout gear instead of just sucking it up and working out more.

Money never produces the same results as time. Expensive clothes can't get you in shape; productivity apps can't make you more efficient; a new tablet can't transform your business life.

Money can change some things, temporarily. Time can change anything, forever.

And don't forget: Your kids will soon forget the video game you bought them but they'll never forget the afternoon you spent together.

9. Do I think of myself as a noun?

"I'm an inventor." "I'm a speaker." "I'm a writer."

You're in a box.

Start defining yourself as a noun and you start to feel like you've arrived (even when you haven't). Slowly your focus shifts to "being" rather than doing, to maintaining a sense of self rather than striving to continually improve specific skills.

And you slowly close yourself off to other activities, other ventures, and other possibilities.

Don't define yourself by what you do. Never let yourself be a noun. Be a person who does lots of verbs--and is always open to more.

10. Do I make people feel good about themselves?

Unexpected praise, like the gift given "just because," makes a huge impact.

Every day, people around you do good things. Praise at least one of them, sincerely and specifically. They'll feel great. You'll feel great.

11. Do I scare myself?

If not, you should.

Don't scare yourself with fear of the future, or the economy, or injury or death, but with things you decide to do that push, stretch, challenge, and leave you excited and thrilled and relieved in an "Oh my gosh I can't believe I did that!" way.

We all have fears. What matters is what we do when we're hesitant or nervous or afraid. When we turn away, we die a little inside; when we face a fear and do what we really want to do, we feel truly alive.

Are you living... or really living?

You only get one chance. Make sure you live.

Understanding your investors' perspectives can make it much easier--and more lucrative--to run a business together.

As a business grows, the interests of the investor and of the entrepreneur can easily diverge - especially if the two parties have different incentives that are not properly aligned.

Basically, the investor is always on a clock, with at least one eye toward the door. The investor’s job is ultimately to harvest returns for his or her own funds or investors. The investor knows that he or she will only have a small percentage of winners in an investment portfolio - some will be flat-out mistakes, some will be okay deals and some will be sideways deals that somehow hang on. So, when the investor sees a deal with real upside, they go for the gas. The goal is accelerated growth, sooner rather than later.

The entrepreneur, on the other hand, certainly wants to expand the business, but he or she is usually focused on reaching profitability first and then growing from there. The longer the business is losing money, the more likely the prospect that additional (dilutive) funding will be required. And until the business is making a profit, other traditional and less costly means of financing growth simply aren’t available. On top of this, the entrepreneur typically expects to be in the business for a much longer time than the investor.

Bottom line: The investor is looking for a salable asset (near-term exit) and the entrepreneur is looking for a self-sustaining and profitable business (long-term value).

Entrepreneurs Don't Understand “Business as Usual”

Every business encounters bumps in the road. But, as inevitable problems arise, the older and more experienced investors treat these things as business as usual: problems to be dealt with rather than major catastrophes that are about to kill the company.

In a real sense, they’ve seen this movie before. They’ve seen plenty of worse cases where some time, some planning and maybe a little luck got everyone through the storm in one piece. One of my favorite old-timers used to say that “things were hopeless, but not serious.”

It’s a completely different reality for the entrepreneur who’s going through the entire process for the first time. To him or her, every problem is unique, they’re all huge, and each one presents an existential threat to the business. While you might think this sounds a little extreme and over-wrought, it’s completely real for the entrepreneur and it results in three reactions, which actually can have very serious consequences. In a sense, the business can get killed - not by the disease or problem - but by the reactions and the “cures.”

In these cases, you can expect the following:

• The entrepreneur quickly concludes that the investors (because they aren’t frantic) don’t care or aren’t interested in the business. This leads to ugly conversations and intemperate accusations. These aren’t helpful or constructive for anyone.

• The entrepreneur is irresistibly drawn to action - to doing something, pretty much anything. Not because it’s the right thing to do or a well-thought-out solution, but because action itself is an antidote to the enormous anxiety that the entrepreneur is feeling. Predictably, this usually does more harm than good. As Yogi Berra used to say, “We may be on the wrong road, but at least we’re making good time.”

• A loss of control. When you let everything become a crisis and be treated as an emergency, you lose control. You lose control not only of the agenda and of your scarce resources, but also of the ability to address and deal with the higher priority issues, which are far more critical. If unattended to, these are the issues that are going to sink your business.

Better an Unwanted Guest than a Broken Business

Sometimes the investor needs to be a bit of a bull in the china shop and barge in even if he’s not welcome. Denial is a powerful tool for entrepreneurs, but it can also be a big problem. It’s not a process where you can ignore the facts and try to make the circumstances fit the plan - all the parties have got to be willing and open to changing the plan. If you don’t think your business has any problems or room for improvement, then you probably have a big problem.

It’s been my experience that entrepreneurs pretty much never want to ask for help - a smart investor needs to invite himself to the party. Asking for help is embarrassing. But in many cases, the growth rate of a start-up is directly proportional to the entrepreneur’s tolerance for embarrassment. The thicker your skin, the further you’ll go.

When good workers quit, counter offers are tempting. Why it's time to let go and move on.

Dear Evil HR Lady,

My operations manager just came to me and said she has a new job offer--at a 10 percent increase in salary. I cannot afford to lose this person right now, as we're stretched pretty thin. It will take me at least six months to find, hire, and train a new person in this job.

How do I make a counter offer that will entice her to stay?

--Stretched Thin Boss

Dear Stretched Thin,

You can't.

Well, maybe you can, but it's awfully risky and most likely will end 12 months later with this employee leaving anyway and your other employees feeling a bit disgruntled. Because here's the reality: When your employee starts looking for a new job, you've already lost her, and it's (usually) not about the money.

It's a rare situation where a person is perfectly happy in her job and a new position falls out of the sky. Most people who change jobs have been looking for months, if not years. While salary is always a consideration, usually it's issues other than salary that prompt people to start looking. The number one people leave their jobs? They don't like their managers.

Most likely, then, it's not about the money, it's about you. Sorry! Painful, I know. And it may well be money related, because she found out that others value her more than you do. And, like it or not, that's a huge blow to the level of respect she has for you. Because, if she was so valuable to her, why weren't you paying her more?

Think about that for a minute. If you knew that costs of losing her would be high, why weren't you making every effort to see that she's being paid at market value, even if that is a considerable raise from where she is now?

Often times, people just assume that as long as no one is complaining, everyone is happy as a clam. Problem is, some people are not complainers. They just quietly go about their jobs and even more quietly go about job searches. You don't know anything until they come in and resign or ask for a counter offer.

As you've just learned, this can be a very expensive and potentially devastating lesson to learn. But, even if you go ahead and make a counter offer and convince her to stay with you, chances are she'll be gone soon anyway. Some people claim that there's an 85 to 90 percent chance of a person who accepts a counter offer being gone within 12 months.

I wrote "being gone" instead of leaving because it isn't always a voluntary departure. Many managers begin to resent their former star employee for exploiting the business and using their position to pull in a huge, undeserved raise. Bitterness begins to build and suddenly nothing she does is right any more.

End result? Everyone is miserable and somebody is going to make a move to change the situation--either her by searching out another job or you by firing her. This is unpleasant.

So, here is what you say when your star employee comes to you and asks for a counter offer: "Congratulations on your new job? [Other company] will be so fortunate to get you. I wish you all the best. Maybe we'll end up working together again in the future and I sincerely hope we do, but that's a big increase and I can't match it right now."

If at that point the person says, "Well, I'd rather stay here, but I'd sure like a bigger raise," the response is, "Wouldn't we all? I can't offer or promise anything, but if you decide to stay, your salary will be evaluated on the standard cycle. Let me know what your decision is by [date]. I'm really sad to see you go, but I'd hate to stand in the way of your career."

Now, it's possible that your employee will decide to turn down the job offer at this point and stay. Good for you! But, most likely she'll leave. Ask her help for a transition plan and even ask if she has any recommendations to replace her.

But don't counter offer. Instead, make sure you look at your remaining employees and make sure you're paying them a good, solid, market rate (and if possible a bit higher). That way, you lower the chances of this happening again.

Have a problem employee or a people management question? Send your questions to EvilHRLady@gmail.com.

One PR professional I interviewed couldn't pronounce my company name, or fathom a high-powered woman in finance. Next!

Prior to launching Lexion Capital, I was told over and over again to hire a PR firm. So I dutifully interviewed two firms.

The first was run by “Richard,” who was referred by a friend. Richard presented me with no guarantees, a one-year contract at $60,000, an inability to remember the name of my firm, and surprising questions that showed he was genuinely befuddled by my combination of gender and industry. Next!

The second referral, “Louise,” was a solo entrepreneur herself. Her non-negotiable contract included a demand for $1,500 per-segment “royalties” for three years beyond our six-month contract--meaning that anytime I appeared, was quoted, or had my company featured in any on a network she had placed me on, I was to pay her this “royalty.”

Both Richard and Louise asserted that they could get me one to two press mentions per month--maximum. So, I did what entrepreneurs do. Next to my “CEO” and “Janitor” hats, I hung another one: Marketer.

Here’s why, in the long run, handing PR internally has worked far better for us than hiring an outsider.

Who Can Share Your Story Best?

You started the company, so not only will you accurately pronounce your company name, you can explain the thought and care that went into every square inch of it.

I asked myself, “Could an outsider explain Lexion Capital and our mission-based approach better than I could?” I am extremely passionate about the work I do, and no one can convey that more convincingly than I. In addition, my firm has the attention-grabbing attribute of being highly unique in the finance space.

If, like me, you are motivated by creating change, then you understand that your job is more than a job-;it’s a calling. Do you really need to pay handsomely to have your story filtered through a third party and hope that he or she can get these points across with both accuracy and passion?

Anyone Can Brand Themselves

That might sound like hubris, but it’s increasingly true. The work of getting the word out can be managed internally. With just a computer, you have at your fingertips so many resources that can help create rapid buzz. Head to Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, create a YouTube video, write a unique blog--all can become priceless in terms of marketing impact, and all are free or close to it.

Reporters often find me through these resources, and once they do, they become repeat customers. The Rolodex is fading as a crucial “in” for making contacts. Through the internet and social networking, we are more interconnected than ever, and running a business is more and more DIY-friendly.

Treat a Reporter as You Would Want to be Treated

When a reporter does get in touch with me for a quotation, I try to be accurate, responsive and insightful. I am respectful of their time, as their schedules are fraught with deadlines and a relentless 24-7 news cycle. If you position yourself as a helpful and easy-to-reach source, reporters will call on you again and you will generate press mentions pretty much effortlessly.

I initially held out to see what I could accomplish on my own in terms of press and exposure, and it turned out to be an extremely successful move.

Of course, there will likely come a point when you have maxed out your connections and your bandwidth for DIY marketing. Then, consider bringing someone in rather than hiring out. An internal marketer can work closely with you every day--a more reliable and accountable prospect than some fast-talking press rep who gets thousands of dollars, mostly on faith.

An employee can pitch you from the perspective of an insider who cares about your company. For an internal marketing person, you’re not just one account of many--you’re their job. By handling marketing internally, you save money and ensure that your brand’s image is curated by people who understand it firsthand.

The flu outbreak made me pause and consider another powerful contagion.

Lately, you can't turn on the TV without hearing about a flu outbreak. Most people can relate to being busy at work and hesitating to take a sick day, but this often cuts even deeper for entrepreneurs. Big corporations can typically float the costs of an ill employee's decreased productivity or absence better than a small business--let alone a solo shop.

So, similar to deciding when the physical symptoms of an illness require a day off, how can you determine when your employees' attitudes are just too negative to come into the office? Let's all admit it, there is a time and a place for taking "mental health days."

Here are my thoughts on when to hit pause at work due to stress or bad attitude, as inspired by a list of tips from WebMD on when one's "Too Sick To Work."

Threat Level 1: Proceed with caution.

How well can you carry out your work duties? Although I generally have a sunny disposition, sometimes I wake up feeling "off." So just as I pop vitamin C when I feel an unidentified tickle in the back of my throat, I similarly take a moment to nip nascent negativity in the bud before it can proliferate. Typically, this is as straightforward as addressing a residual concern that I haven't been able to shake: squashing a small argument with my husband, scheduling a meeting with one of my sons' teachers, or putting a card in the mail to a friend who's been on my mind. Once I resolve such issues, my mind is more at ease, and I can re-focus on work.

Threat Level 2: Limit interaction.

Are you contagious? At other times, I discover that my mood is so funky as to likely "infect" my staff and clients. Even if I feel like I can't afford to disconnect 100%, I force myself to at least take a break...which on hectic days takes herculean effort! Often I can remedy things with a quick and dirty fix: rearranging my day to limit interaction. I focus on solo projects; postpone meetings; disconnect from email; and if possible, work outside and soak in the healing benefits of sunshine. The feeling that we can't afford to unexpectedly disconnect means we've either lost perspective by overestimating our importance, or that our business model is dangerously askew. CEOs shouldn't be so critical to daily operations that our staffs can't step up and handle such unforeseen breaks! Plus, our staffs will be thankful that we had enough regard for their health that we didn't allow our funky attitudes to spread.

Threat Level 3: Quarantine yourself.

Will resting at home help your body to overcome the illness? OK, I admit it: there have been days when my attitude renders me almost completely ineffective. Thankfully, this only happens once or twice a year, and when it does, the decision is made for me...I take a day off and re-calibrate! I implore fellow entrepreneurs who find themselves feeling this way to take at least one day to get it together. Just like driving when you're angry, working when your mind's not right can be downright dangerous. It may feel like you can't afford a day off for a mental, vs. physical, issue. But in fact, "working when awry" can cause much costlier damage. We are much more likely to make rash (and potentially costly) business decisions, lose our tempers, or give an unsuspecting new client the false impression that this temporary foul attitude is part of our modus operandi. In hindsight, the mental health days I've taken have been worthwhile--without fail.

When entrepreneurs aren't feeling well mentally, we must protect ourselves, our teams, and our businesses by "treating others as we would want to be treated." Do you have strategies for preventing bad attitudes from infecting your company? Please share a comment below, or on Twitter or Facebook.

There's financial security and then there's financial independence. The self-made know the difference.

It makes all the sense in the world to put money away for the future, but it's a myth that you can "save your way to wealth." That myth is still alive and well among the 400 middle-class respondents who took the Business Brilliant survey in 2009. The results from that survey, which focuses on the gap between wealth-creation practices of the self-made and those of the middle-class, led to my book, Business Brilliant.

The middle-class survey respondents continue to believe you can "cut back on little luxuries" to create wealth, even while middle-class incomes continue dropping. The Business Brilliant survey respondents see it differently and suggest that earning more, not saving more, leads to true wealth.

In this video, two accomplished women, Oprah's financial guru Suze Orman and economics professor, Linda Babcock (Carnegie Mellon University), help you understand the wisdom behind the Business Brilliant when it comes to saving and earning more. Check out the stories of these two accomplished women, drawn from Business Brilliant Principle #2: Save Less, Earn More. Because when it comes to financial security, the self-made aren't interested. They're too busy becoming financially independent.

This video was shot at Maison 140 in Beverly Hills.

Rocket Lawyer founder Charley Moore is determined to democratize the legal landscape, even if it means going to court.

When Charley Moore graduated from law school in 1996, copyright law for Internet content was virtually non-existent. His experience working with (then tiny) start-ups like Yahoo and WebTV taught him that small companies desperately needed an easy, affordable way to access legal advice--standard lawyer fees were way too expensive.

In 2008, Moore founded Rocket Lawyer to meet this demand. By providing free legal documents and affordable representation over the Internet, Rocket Lawyer helped revolutionize the legal market. The response has been overwhelming: last year, the company attracted more than one million paying customers, taking in $28 million in 2012 and earning a whopping three-year growth rate of 775 percent.

No surprise, then, that the San Francisco-based Rocket Lawyer is one of the companies vying for a spot on the 2013 Inc. 5000, after ranking No. 72 on the 2012 list. As applicants arrive, we thought it would be worthwhile to shine a spotlight on some of these fast-growing, private companies (For more information and to apply, go here).

Working with small businesses is in Moore’s blood; his father owned a chain of gas stations and growing up, Moore helped out a lot, an experience that instilled in him first hand knowledge of the many day-to-day challenges or running a business, including the dearth of affordable legal services.

After serving as a Naval officer in the Gulf War, Moore attended UC Berkley School of Law. Upon graduation he returned to his small business roots, working exclusively with start-ups--one of his first clients was upstart Yahoo, still at only three full-time employees.

"When I was representing start-ups like Yahoo and WebTV I found that even the smartest founders didn't necessarily know anything about the law," Moore says. It bothered him to see innovative companies stall out when they hit the inevitable potholes in the entrepreneurial cycle simply because they couldn’t afford legal council. "I saw so many businesses that may have succeeded fail, and I wanted to do something about that," he recalls.

Rocket Lawyer was his solution. Founded in August 2008, the company provides free, interactive legal templates and step-by-step instructions to help small businesses and families manage legal documents on their own. For help with thornier legal problems, Rocket Lawyer charges a yearly subscription fee, which gives customers access to initial consultations, document review, phone consultations, and legal representation from local attorneys at a significant discount from standard fees.

"We’ve made the law affordable and accessible," Moore says. With over a million paying users in 2012, he is thrilled with the way business is going. But not everyone is happy.

In November, Rocket Lawyer was slapped with several lawsuits including false and misleading advertising, and trademark infringement from competitor LegalZoom.

"We are literally having to fight it out in the legal system to democratize the law," he says. Ongoing lawsuit aside, Moore is excited to continue to reshape the legal landscape; he compares Rocket Lawyer’s services to Southwest Airline’s revolutionary introduction of the $49 flight. "Suddenly, more people could fly," he says. “Now, more people than ever before can protect themselves legally."

These 7 tips will help you transform your most difficult clients into big marketing victories.

Watch out! Here comes Gladys. Or maybe it's Tim, Nelly, or Nigel. Whatever the name, this client is cranky and snappish, making even the most skilled professionals run for cover. Is it possible to convert this cantankerous customer into a fan?

Success coach and international speaker Marilyn Suttle offers a resounding yes.

In her best-selling book, Who's Your Gladys? How to Turn Even the Most Difficult Customer Into Your Biggest Fan, Suttle recognizes that most any business has their Gladys, and it can be a huge challenge, but there is hope. "When you practice emotion management and grow your creative problem-solving abilities, magic happens," says Suttle.

Here are Suttle's seven tips to turn tough customers into devoted fans who spread good news about your company. To learn more about creating world-class customer service, tune in to my interview with Suttle on Million Dollar Mindset radio.

1. Thank your customer for complaining, and mean it.

The most calming phrase you can say to a complaining client is, "Thank you for telling me." A genuine thank-you can be disarming. Be thankful that your customer is willing to tell you what most won't. It's a gift that may offer you insight into problems that other customers aren't willing to share. Eighty-nine percent of unhappy customers will simply take their business elsewhere without telling you why. Instead, they tell everyone else: their families, friends, and everyone in their social-media networks. When they do tell you, follow up your gratitude with, "I'm so sorry. Please tell me more."

2. Soothe yourself when customers rant.

When you're on the receiving end of a Gladys attack and your customer is angry and venting, do you bristle inside? Feel annoyed and defensive? What can you do? Soothe yourself. Tell yourself, "Venting is good. I choose to be calm and capable of creating a safe space for my customer to feel heard." Jumping in with a solution before a customer has fully expressed herself only makes things worse. Not until the negative feelings come out can good feelings flow in. (Much like turning on the shower--the icy-cold water comes out first before that warm water flows.)

3. Take the high road.

The customer isn't always right--but their perception of that matters. Managing perceptions is a necessary part of long-term success. Resist the urge to point fingers, pass blame, or make excuses. Instead, take ownership of the situation and restore trust. Remind yourself that you don't have to prove someone wrong to set things right. Before saying anything, ask yourself, "Is what I'm about to say truthful, useful, kind, and unifying?" If not, don't say it.

4. Get comfortable with conflict.

No one wakes up in the morning thinking, "I'm so glad I get to have a tough conversation with my client today." Conflict is uncomfortable. Even so, disruption is sometimes necessary for better results, deeper understanding, and stronger relationships to emerge. Avoiding a conflict doesn't make problems go away. You may get a temporary retreat from a client's displeasure by avoiding an angry phone message or email, but the longer you put it off, the harder it is to recover. It's a proven fact that when conflict is resolved well, a customer can become an even more devoted fan than they would have if there was never a problem in the first place. Managing conflict well builds trust and loyalty.

5. Pivot toward thoughts that inspire excellence.

How you think about your customers influences how you respond to them. It's so easy to slip into unhelpful thinking like, "My customer makes me want to pull out my hair and run screaming from the room!" When you notice it, reach for a more resourceful thought like, "My customer's persnickety personality gives me an opportunity to use my skills to win them over." This belief activates all your inner resources and puts you in a calmer, more inspired state of mind. Put pressure on coal and you get diamonds. That's good pressure. When a customer puts pressure on you, see it as a good way for you to grow your abilities.

6. Look for the positive qualities in your client's negative behavior.

Depending on your view, you can describe a customer as being "loud and demanding" or "excited and tenacious." When you look for the positive qualities in your challenging customer, you increase your ability to connect. Begin noticing the positive qualities and your clients will start responding to you differently. Consider "rude" as "willing to say what's on her mind." View "wishy-washy" as "someone who likes to weigh options."

7. Be prepared for service recovery.

When it comes to doing business, it's not a matter of if something will go wrong, it's a matter of when. Don't be surprised when it happens; be prepared. Ask, "How can I set things right and make you happy?" Often customers ask for a lot less than you might think, because what they really want to know is that you care. Go above and beyond to take care of them when things go wrong and you'll gain their loyalty.

Two online platforms that help small businesses respond to customer commentary.

These days, customer communication comes in many forms, including phone calls, emails, and tweets. Whatever the medium, online customer service platforms make it easier to field and respond to questions and complaints. Here are two to consider.

Zendesk
When a customer makes contact via phone, email, chat, discussion board, Twitter, or Facebook, Zendesk automatically creates a ticket and places it in one central inbox. Multiple employees can access the inbox and respond directly to customers on various platforms. A dashboard features charts and graphs illustrating customer satisfaction ratings and other metrics. Zendesk, which has apps for a variety of mobile devices, supports 11 languages. Cost: Starting at $20 a year for three users, then $29 a month per user

Salesforce Desk.com
Much like Zendesk, this service creates a universal inbox for comments from a variety of platforms. It also routes tickets to specific employees according to expertise and availability. On the platform, you can create a database of common responses and include photos and videos. Desk.com, which supports 35 languages, has an iPhone app and works in most mobile browsers. Cost: Free for one user, then $49 a month for each additional user or $1 an hour per user

Chef Allyson Ames, co-founder of Wonderland Bakery, describes how her cookies became President Obama's favorite--and were ordered for both the 2009 and 2013 presidential inaugural balls. (Hint: It has something to do with Whoopi Goldberg.)

Female founders in Silicon Valley spent their Valentine's Day pitching their big ideas at the Women 2.0 start-up competition.

For many women in Silicon Valley, there was no chocolate or romance to be had on Valentine's Day. And that was just fine with them.

Women 2.0 hosted its annual conference Thursday, where 10 female founders battled it out in a start-up pitch competition for a meeting with investors and discounted business services. Here are five companies that stood out.

Angaza Design

The company provides metered solar energy to the developing world, allowing customers to purchase energy for phones, lights, and devices on a pay-as-you-go basis. Its solar devices are embedded with a speaker and microphone combination and utilize tonal cues--much like the first telephones--to control activation and meter energy.

In her pitch, CEO Lesley Marincola dispelled myths of the "sad T.V. version" of Africa, emphasizing Angaza customers' investment in education and developing businesses in their area. Affordable, metered energy will help them to achieve these goals, she said. Though she was quick to explain that Angaza Design is a for-profit venture, and not a purely social enterprise.

The judges liked what they saw: Angaza took home first prize--an opportunity to meet with one of the lead partners at Andreessen Horowitz and angel investor Esther Dyson.

Enplug

Picture this: In high foot-traffic locations, like airports and restaurants, high-definition billboard screens display adds targeted to nearby consumers based on their mobile apps and social media profiles--sort of like the personalized ads that pop up on your Web browser, but in real-life. Sounds like a sci-fi movie, right? Nope. These billboards, created by Enplug, already exist in over 10,000 locations.

And they make advertisements fun, according to CEO and co-founder Nanxi Liu. Enplug’s billboards are interactive, making consumer experience more like a conversation than a lecture.

Maker’s Row

Co-founder Tanya Menendez understands the difficulties that small business manufacturers face in the Internet age. Maker’s Row is an online platform intended to eliminate friction between designers and manufacturers in the factory-sourcing process. The site allows designers to source their manufacturing needs domestically--rather than overseas--and allows sometimes marketing-challenged manufacturers to display their product quality in a way that is accessible and transparent to potential clients.

Greengar Studios

Thuy Truong and her co-founders at Greengar have recently developed Smartboard, a collaborative note-taking app for mobile devices. It may not sound very exciting at first glance, but Smartboard allows Android and iOS devices to connect across platforms, in real-time.

“Everyone can share notes, at the same time,” says Truong. Greengar’s initial market for this product appears to be classroom use, but Smartboard could also be a useful app for the founder or entrepreneur on the go.

Bia Sport

Oh, no. Not another fitness app...

Don’t panic, says Bia Sport CEO Cheryl Kellond, this one is different. Bia Sport is a social media platform linked to a hardware device--a sleek and stylish GPS watch--intended specifically to appeal to women.

According to Kellond, when it comes to running or triathlon events, “Women are out there to race with each other, but compete against ourselves.” For this reason, Bia Sport’s platform emphasizes community--not competition--and drives motivation through a supportive online community. If this sounds, well, like every other fitness platform in existence, consider Bia’s hardware device.

The GPS wristwatch comes equipped with an integrated safety alert for solo workouts. Meaning, a woman running late at night can press a "panic button" and have her location broadcast in real-time to family members and the relevant authorities. Bia Sport won the "People’s Choice" award for this year’s pitch competition.

Want to make social media work for you? Tell a story. A personal, honest one about you, or an employee. Not effective? Try again.

Consumers don't care about you. They care about what you mean to them. And meaning comes from stories. When you tell your company story, you become more relatable. And when consumers relate to your brand, they'll buy from you.

Social media allows you to tell your stories at scale and build powerful relationships with your customers. In the past, storytelling to the masses was expensive and only possible via large media firms. Now, storytelling is free, or near-free, via accessible social media tools.

Here are seven simple ways you can become a more effective storyteller on social media:

1. Tell your brand's story.

While not every company was started with a wedding, every company has an interesting beginning with a founder and a dream. Every organization's humble beginnings have the potential to resonate with consumers. When a consumer hears the story of how your company was born, he or she can feel an immediate emotional connection with you.

2. Tell your employees' stories.

Your brand has real people behind it, and each one has a story to tell. Maybe it's a staff member who worked her way up while going back to school and raising a family. Maybe it's someone who always has a smile on his face when he serves customers. Find the compelling stories and tell them through social media. As an example, check out the story of Mary from McDonalds.

3. Tell your customers' stories.

Develop a story that helps consumers connect the dots between what they need and what you deliver. Consider how your customers have benefited from your company. What have you meant to them? Any successful company has many stories about happy, inspired customers. Whatever your company does, it solves problems--you just have to figure out how to create emotional connections for your customers around them.

4. Inspire your customers to tell stories.

The only thing better than telling your customers' stories on social media is inspiring them to tell those stories themselves. This is the modern-day equivalent of a testimonial. It has always been a key component of word-of-mouth marketing, but with social media it can happen that much faster and easier. Look to your most passionate customers or those who have had the most significant interactions with you. Then give them the tools to tell others about you. With just a little encouragement, you can prompt customers to initiate a movement of storytelling around your brand. Consider hosting contests. You can use a service like North Social to create an outlet for your fans to tell about their experiences with your brand. (Full disclosure: North Social is a client of Likeable, my company.)

5. Use images often.

A picture is worth a thousand words. It may be a cliche, but a picture really can tell a story that much more effectively. The growing popularity of social networks like Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr support this. When telling stories online, pictures can powerfully relay behind-the-scenes stories about your brand, your office, and your staff. Consider using Instagram to showcase a selection of your filtered images directly to your Facebook page.

6. Use video even more often.

A video is worth a thousand more words. Online videos ranging from 30 seconds to two minutes can captivate online audiences just like big budget TV commercials. Try uploading short clips of staff and customers telling their personal stories. Make it emotionally captivating so your customers can relate on the other side of the screen.

7. Be human.

Just because you're using social media to tell stories, it doesn't mean you should act like a computer when you do. Quite the opposite. If you're not telling your stories with an authentic personality, you have no shot at building a real relationship with your customers. Poignant stories can humanize you and make your company more likeable, no matter your size, or current success.

You may be the best storyteller in the world, but if you don't use your stories to convert your audience into customers, the effort will be meaningless. Simillarly, if you have the wrong people listening to your story, even the best story won't sell. The good news is: storytelling online is far cheaper, with less risk, than old-school traditional marketing. So if the story you tell today doesn't resonate, tell another one tomorrow.

Don't know what marketing automation software is? This sales tool will help you turn prospects into buying customers.

Businesses invest a great deal of thought and effort in maintaining the all-important online customer experience. But many organizations fail to put the same amount of effort into the brand experience of prospects and online community members. Marketing automation software can help create a consistent brand experience with prospects and brand community members without needing to scale up your workforce.

Using marketing automation software is like working with thousands of couriers who deliver the right content at the right time to all of your Internet-based prospects. All your team needs to do is pre-build great content into your marketing funnel, and the software takes care of the rest. The software delivers this content to prospects via email to constantly move your prospects down the marketing funnel and eventually convert them to customers. To fully grasp the value of using a marketing automation software, understanding the marketing funnel structure is essential.

A marketing funnel is built around the concept of the classic sales funnel. Its shape illustrates a natural consequence of the sales and marketing process, in that there will be more leads going in the top of the funnel than sales coming out of the bottom. Each prospect receives specific content, depending on what content drove them to your website and the current marketing funnel segment in which they reside.

A prospect's position in the marketing funnel falls in one of three segments: Top of funnel (TOFU), middle of funnel (MOFU) and bottom of funnel (BOFU). TOFU prospects know very little about your company. These are not prospects that you hand off to the sales team for a phone call. Instead, these prospects should be further educated about your industry and your brand. White papers and research reports work well as TOFU content.

MOFU prospects know a little more about your brand, but they're still too high in the funnel for a sales pitch. These prospects should receive content that educates them more about your organization's expertise in areas of interest for each individual prospect. The marketing automation software knows the interests of each prospect and can serve the appropriate content on an individualized basis. Case studies and other client examples are great examples of MOFU content.

BOFU prospects are very educated prospects that are close to a buying decision. These prospects should receive content around very specific offerings, which may include example proposals or client examples. Only BOFU prospects should be considered for sales calls.

It's extremely important to remember that marketing automation software is only the messenger. It's up to your content team to fill your marketing funnel with interesting and engaging content that converts prospects into clients. Be sure to download the Essential Guide to Internet Marketing and jump-start your inbound marketing strategy.