Tag: Personal Growth

An influential personal brand is a heady and unpredictable mix. If it were a recipe, I’m convinced it would be one of those fiercely guarded family secrets dating back hundreds of years. For this reason, while many have tried, few succeed in capturing in writing the essential X-Factor elements for success. It’s a big ask, but I hope to change all of that for you, right here, right now.

Out of every one hundred new businesses founded today, in ten years time only three will still be open for business. So what do those three have in common? And is nature or nurture responsible for entrepreneurial success? Christopher Witt wonders.

With technology making it easier to connect with one another through social media, the general impression is that we are all coming closer together. However, as Nigel Malone heads off on his first holiday in four years, he considers whether perhaps the reverse is happening -- that our increased social networking capabilities make it harder to leave work behind.

Motivational speaking is often seen as the trade of phonies and eccentrics -- think Jim Cunnigham (Patrick Swayze) of Cunning Visions in the film Donnie Darko. While prolific on both the business and public circuits, genuine motivational 'visionaries' are few and far between. Fortunately, we have David Brent's inaugural 'life lessons' speech to remind us that it's easy to think outside the square and empower ourselves to kick goals if we just believe.

We’re conditioned to think that people who excel at school are the ones that go on to excel in business. However, research indicates that a better guide is not the distinction between A and C students but between ‘fixed’ and ‘growth’ mindset individuals. Robert Wood explains.

You don't have to be a Vulcan to grok the good stuff that can come out of an international mind-meld as big as Global Entrepreneurship Week. Matthew da Silva sits down with the organisers and profiles some inspiring young entrepreneurial attendees.

Blogging has moved well beyond the ridicule it once received as the platform for narcissists and propeller heads. But there are still a small few who find the prospect of sharing their whims and wisdom on a regular basis with strangers a tad daunting. That's why I was pleased to discover the following post by satirist, corporate comedian and hoax speaker Graeme Bowman pinged into my Twitter feed.

Being perceived as professional by outsiders is a common challenge for small businesses. Many startups reach a stage where meeting clients in cafes no longer cuts it. Here are 10 simple ways that your company can make itself look bigger it is.

If you find that you can't get enough of yourself, why not have a totally unique polymer clay doll created in your likeness? Sculpted by Cyndi Safstrom and made to order.

Recognise yourself in any of these? Then it could be time to get back to work.

These days it’s a normal thing for anyone to write about what people should and shouldn’t do. But do you really do everything you tell others they should be doing? It seems that people who give advice (including me) don’t always adhere to it. So does that make us hypocrites?

Girls are not known for having a harmonious connection with bugs. However, for Skye Blackburn, insects have been an obsession since childhood. She even built a butterfly release and insect education business, Butterfly Skye, around this passion.

I don't know about you (dear readers) but, whenever I'm stuck for an answer at work, I either look for an instructional screencast on YouTube, pose my question to fellow Anthilians via IM and Skype, request feedback from LinkedIn Groups or simply blog about it.

Some of the best startup concepts fail to gain funding or traction from customers simply because the entrepreneur behind them doesn’t do enough to present the opportunity in the best light. As a result, the buyer, venture capitalist or distributor sitting across the table doesn’t warm to the idea and it falls over. I learnt this lesson the hard way.

If you think it’s a tough market out there, try being a graduate looking for work. Persephone Nicholas offers Gen Ys some frontline advice on wowing prospective employers.

Analyst Richard St. John is known for his straight-talking assessments of what drives success and failure, like The 8 things that lead to success.

Daniel Houden started software developing when he barely knew how to use Microsoft Word. Four years later he presented at the Microsoft Conference with his software product, Xchangexec.

The US TV series "The Apprentice", like host Donald Trump himself, is not everybody's cup of tea. But we like it. So, of course, we've been looking forward to the upcoming Australian version of the show. The star is Wizard Home Loans founder Mark Bouris, and occasional Anthill contributor Carmen Parnos is one of the contestants. If you haven't seen it yet, here is Channel 9's promo for The Apprentice Australia, which is expected to premiere later this month.

The US TV series "The Apprentice", like host Donald Trump himself, is not everybody's cup of tea. But we like it. So, of course, we've been looking forward to the upcoming Australian version of the show. The star is Wizard Home Loans founder Mark Bouris, and occasional Anthill contributor Carmen Parnos is one of the contestants. If you haven't seen it yet, here is Channel 9's promo for The Apprentice Australia, which is expected to premiere later this month.

The events surrounding the death, last week, of Sydney businessman Michael McGurk have attracted greater intrigue and speculation than a Sopranos cliff-hanger. How someone can build a career on intimidation and extortion is beyond this author's imagination. However, the fascinating events surrounding McGurk's demise have got me thinking. What can we, as business-people, learn from the tactics of a stand-over man? Fortunately, I have only one resource to rely on. Gangster fiction!