Project: Speak Up or Someone Else Will Do It For You

We all have something to say: it is just that sometimes we suffer from Entrepreneurial Laryngitis. (The loss of voice that causes us to lose sight of our vision.) It can be a form of stage fright or the fear that what we think about isn’t worth sharing. And so we keep to ourselves our ideas and our strategies. Any platform in which we could exercise public speaking we avoid as if it were the iceberg and we were Titanic come back from the caverns of 1912’s North Atlantic Ocean.

But why are we so persistent in this endeavor to NOT do something?

Our reasoning could be in thinking that our story is not worth telling, but none of us have a story that is finished. Therefore, if that is our excuse none of us should take center stage. All of us should avoid the soapbox.

Our reasoning could be rooted in the fact that we have been heckled before. Remember the days gone by where we dreamed of becoming a magician, a puppeteer, a singer, a comedian? And for what? To be laughed off the stage? Perhaps it didn’t even have to occur on the stage. It could have been on the field or the court. Tryouts can be brutal, and we end up the butt of the joke. The emotional scars run deep, and the results are how we excuse ourselves from any occurrence where we could stand behind a microphone.

 Our reasoning could be hidden in fear that we will suffer from vomiting before and after. We will stumble over our words. And ultimately we will do more harm than good to what we attempt to represent. In addition, will ruin our personal reputation. And the urge to hide beneath a baggy hoodie becomes an outward visualization of how we hide emotionally and internalize everything; questioning the purpose of our projects.  

But if we don’t speak up someone else will do it for us. If we do not speak up someone will shut up the entirety of our dream and shut down the path that needs to stay open. There are millions that might depend on the vision we are trying to develop.

We could be the cure for Entrepreneurial Laryngitis. Speak up and inspire another to speak up until our voices are loud enough that we don’t need a microphone. Until those who think they are average will tune into social media to find an outlet to build their business, develop their product, travel the world and continue their philanthropic ways.

When our fear of rejection, either from the audience or ourselves, is bigger than our vision, it is often self-imposed. We choose to scratch out our voice and deny others from hearing what we have to say. Maybe it is not much. Maybe it is not “right” or not a “right now” kind of mentality. But we don’t have to remain quiet all the time.

As Singer-songwriter Mat Kearney says,

“For the ones who are forgotten. 

For the ones who are told to speak only when you are spoken to, and then they are never 

spoken to. Speak every time you stand so you do not forget yourself. Do not let one 

moment go by that doesn’t remind you that your heart beats a hundred thousand times a 

day and there  are gallons of blood making every one of you oceans…”

  

We all have a story; speak up and share yours. We’re listening, want to hear it, and share it: 

-The Green Couch

Project: Three Ways To Show Appreciation To Your Community This Thanksgiving

From the Plymouth plantation to Pinterest, we’ve come a long way to learn creative ways on how we can show our appreciation during the season of thankfulness. 

In one short month of 30 days we not only stuff a turkey and our face but we come up with clever ways on how we can catch a customer’s attention on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

How can we increase our net worth from in the red to in the black? (Sorry Santa, but black is the new red this Christmas! How we wish we could say!)

So, is Thanksgiving then just a myth when all we focus on is sales rather than giving thanks? How, as a corporation, can we make a bigger impact in the community? How can we give back other than giving sales? How can we show our neighborhood that we appreciate our clients and/or those that are near us?

Here are a few things that we’ve learned over the years that have changed the way we think and have warmed the hearts of many:

Volunteer: While others are scarfing down food we’ve been cutting, wrapping and sealing scarfs for local charities so others can keep warm during the cold weather. And it is warmed our hearts as well!

Care for Your Clients: Surprise visits can have a negative or positive outcome but when you come bearing cookies or other edibles, it is pretty much a guarantee success for happiness. And delivering them in person is the icing on the cake!

A Day Off: So Black Friday is equally a tradition to Turkey Day, but over the past few years the trend has become accepted as normal for stores to be opened on Thanksgiving. Over the past few weeks, however, stores have begun announcing their hours or lack thereof, for November 27th, 2014.

The CEO for DSW (Designer Show Warehouse), Michael R. McDonald shared the following:

“This holiday season, you’ve probably seen or read about all the retailers opening their doors as early as 6:00pm on Thanksgiving Day. We have decided not to follow that trend. Instead, we believe family comes first, and you should be home celebrating with them on this special holiday. This means none of our stores will be open on Thanksgiving Day. In addition, no stores will be open before 7:00am on Black Friday.”

So how can you show appreciation to your community this Thanksgiving? How will you achieve impact vs. profit?

-The Green Couch Project