Comments on: Betty Boop is my business coach

By: Havi Brooks

Havi Brooks — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:46:33 +0000

@Brandon - Yes! Ari lives and breathes awesomeness. I was dragged by my mother to a foodishness lecture a few years ago and was completely blown away.

Ooh, me too! Also loved the Zingerman’s Guide to Great Service book. They so walk the talk.

The whole “be your authentic self” is pretty common advice in internet-land but I think it’s one of those things that people try to consciously implement as a “marketing strategy”, when what they really need to do is lay off the strategy and just do what they’d do if no one were watching.

But man, trusting that is hard.

By: Brandon Watkins

Brandon Watkins — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:49:05 +0000

I can completely vouch for you on Zingerman’s. The food is fantastic both at the original Deli and at the Roadhouse. While at the Roadhouse, Ari Weinzweig was walking around chatting with people and refilling their water. He and I got into a discussion about his book “Zingerman’s Guide to Great Service” (http://www.powells.com/biblio/7-9781401301439-1), which I had read, and some of his travels. Ari is as genuine a person as you will find anywhere, but especially among most business owners.

As to authenticity, I feel like it’s in short supply in this world. Everyone wants to put on a façade of grandiosity. It’s unfortunate. I’ve been guilty of it, myself, in the past, but have realized I’m far more content just being myself and doing what I do.

By: Mandy Blake

Mandy Blake — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:40:19 +0000

Brilliant! Your writing (and ideas) are wonderfully fresh and yes, authentic. As a new food writer, I am walking through all of these anxieties. Whenever a new opportunity presents itself, I go through all these “shoulds” I think I “should” do to make me look like a big, experienced whatever. You are making me think…maybe I “should” operate from my heart.

Thank you!

Mandy Blakes last blog post..Cheesecake and Breakfast in Bed

By: Havi Brooks

Havi Brooks — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:45:17 +0000

Oh, yeah. Someone should bottle that stuff. Actually, I’m pretty much positive *someone* out there is already selling a $999 “how to be authentic” package.

I think there’s just a lot of pressure out there to do things the “right” way, and it makes sense that when you’re going out on your own for a first time you want to be taken seriously.

On the other hand (scylla and charybdis moment here), it’s also easy to do the “oh, it’s just little old me” thing, when in fact you’re biggifying it up. Sigh.

But yay for trusting-your-own-integrity moments.

I guess the important thing is “am I being true to my personality?” and “do I feel like I need to take a shower?”

By: Nathan Bowers

Nathan Bowers — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 02:24:56 +0000

This post strikes close to home. I’m about to decommission my old consulting website. It was all about pretending to be an “agency” or something instead of who I really am: a nimble solo act.

Since I’ve started promoting my new site, even though it’s not optimized for my consulting practice yet, I’ve been attracting better clients who want me to do the kind of work I’m interested in.

Duh. Why didn’t I get this before? If you’re fake you’ll attract people who want what you aren’t, which of course leads to boring work that’s not “you”.

Authenticity baby! Once you can fake that you’ve got it made! ;-)