#65: The danger of experience, bachelorettes as economic development, booth babes, and whataboutism.
And we're back. Happy Passover, Happy Easter, Happy Spring!
Ready for edition #65 of the World's Best Newsletter? I am.
In this edition:
1. My first speaking gig, via Lady Gaga
2. Feeling undervalued at work?
3. The Danger of Experience
4. Bachelorettes as economic development
5. The reason for so many Thai restaurants in the US
6. Bye, booth babes.
7. Quote of the week: whataboutism
1. My first speaking gig, via Lady Gaga
The delightful marketing team at SnapApp asked me to share my advice for those seeking their first speaking engagement. In the post, I share the story of my first talk, and how I got there thanks to my love for Lady Gaga, plus 7 tips.
My most important tip? Get rid of your ego. It may seems counterintuitive for someone stepping into the spotlight, but:
"Ego prevents you from taking rejection in a healthy way. You start to believe the world owes you an opportunity (hint: it doesn’t).
It stops you from understanding what the event needs (vs. what you want to speak about) which is a surefire recipe for rejection.
It also comes across on stage loud and clear. The best speakers are deeply humble off stage. They know it’s not about them – it’s about the audience in that room. That’s what makes them great."
Read the full post - and thanks SnapApp for having me.
(Wait.. can I quote myself in my own newsletter? Well, I just did that. Werk.)
2. Feeling undervalued at work?
“We all have a human need to be appreciated for our efforts."
It should come as a surprise to exactly 0.00% of you, but I am a major proponent for tooting your own horn (when appropriate.) Ain't nobody gonna toot it for you.
To that aim, I found this article from HBR extremely practical -- if you're not feeling visible at work, self-doubt may start to creep in, but you are not powerless to the situation.
Karen Dillon, who casually wrote an entire book on office politics, provides diplomatic ways to toot your own horn:
Be realistic - is your work extraordinary?
Approach your boss thoughtfully - Remember, "the average boss doesn't pay attention to human needs" (great bosses do) so jog their memory of your recent good work, and ask specifically where your strengths lie, and where you could learn
Increase your team's visibility - spread, don't hoard credit (but, women, it's okay to use the word "I" and not always defer to the larger group effort - which we do disproportionally to men)
Recognize others' contributions - be the agent of change
Validate yourself - you need to find meaning in the work you do, first.
3. The Danger of Experience
The article itself is a bit cheesy (nothing personal Richie, I'm wary of anything so cheery this early in the morning) BUT I was very grateful that it presented two through-provoking ideas from Stephen Covey. The first asks - what is the measure of experience?
"Some people say they have twenty years’ experience, when, in reality, they only have one year’s experience, repeated twenty times."
The second suggests our relentless pursuit of busy itself can be dangerous:
"It’s incredibly easy to get caught up in an activity trap, in the busyness of life, to work harder and harder at climbing the ladder of success only to discover it’s leaning against the wrong wall.”
...the wrong wall. Man that's a powerful sentiment.
4. Bachelorettes as economic development?
Shwat? Yes. Courtesy of Anne Helen Petersen in Buzzfeed:
"That’s why the economic development groups in Nashville adore “bach parties,” as bachelor and bachelorette parties have become collectively known: These women are at precisely the point in their lives when a move to Nashville is possible."
Pro tip: If you're visiting Boston, book a table at Jacques cabaret - our beloved local drag bar. The bachelorette parties are usually as fun to watch as the queens.
5. The reason for so many Thai restaurants in the US
Speaking of economic development, my good friend, wedding emcee, improv comedian, global content marketer, slayer of political injustice, and gorgeous redhead (sorry, had to) Shawna Wright sent me this article.
(Thanks lady.)
APPARENTLY the government of Thailand has led a nearly two-decade-long program to increase the number of Thai restaurants abroad through a mixture of international investment and resources - including prefabricated restaurant plans:
The Ministry of Commerce’s Department of Export Promotion... drew up prototypes for three different “master restaurants,” which investors could choose as a sort of prefabricated restaurant plan, from aesthetic to menu offerings.
Elephant Jump would be the fast casual option, at $5 to $15 per person; Cool Basil would be the mid-priced option at $15 to $25 a head; and the Golden Leaf prototype would cost diners $25 to $30, with décor featuring “authentic Thai fabrics and objets d’art.” (Does your favorite Thai spot have objets d’art? The restaurant may have been built from a government prototype.)
At the time the program launched, there were 5,500 Thai restaurants beyond Thailand's borders; today over 15,000. In the US, growth tracked from 2,000 to over 5,000 restaurants.
Fascinating. Read the full article.
6. Bye, booth babes.
Ripple effect of the #MeToo movement?
Impact of the wonderful rise in scrutiny on how industries (media, marketing, government) portray women?
All of the above?
Via Forbes: "Booth Babes" are being banished at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show.
Before we celebrate that fact, let's remind ourselves that yes, this is still a thing that happens. Companies like this pay models $280-$500 per day to attract skeevy men to their trade show booths. This practice happens even at modern tech snows.
And, like it needs to be said, hiring booth babes harms every semblance of respect women deserve, perpetuates the objectification of women, and degrades everyone involved.
It's also pretty insulting to men. As this author writes:
"It’s a lazy and rather pathetic way to engage event attendees which caters to the inaccurate notion that men are nothing more than atavistic creatures who must have their sexual urges titillated anywhere, anytime."
7. Quote of the week: whataboutism
"Fun fact, this was a propaganda technique used by the USSR https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism"
- David Hogg on Twitter, activist and survivor of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, in response to the ludicrous responses of "well what about..." in discussions about the number of people killed by gun violence.
Read more about whataboutism in this Economic article.
AND STOP DOING IT.
Events you should know about:
Catch my session at Oracle's Modern Customer Experience on Wednesday, April 11th all about rabble-rousing, ascending B2B brands. Use code CONNECT18 for $500 off.
Want to work on your writing skills? A few seats are left in Boston Content's April 11th writing workshop, led by Michael Dowding. $30, hosted by Version 2.0 Communications in Boston. Register here.
Trust me you do NOT want to miss the lineup at Marketo's Marketing Nation Summit this year, April 29th - May 2nd in San Francisco. It's gonna be good. Save $350 with code "Pinaud350"
Join me May 2-4 in Boston for the 4th annual Content Marketing Conference. I'm sharing the Master of Ceremony duties with the illustrious Jon Burkhart. See you there?
Did you know I got my first B2B marketing job because of Twitter? Social media plays a big role in my professional life and I'm delighted to discuss the intersection of social + video at Brightcove's PLAY event, May 20th - 22nd in Boston. Save $50 with code "BOSTONCONTENT."
I'll be presenting my femvertising framework at a Chief Marketer event, Marketing to Women in the #MeToo Era, June 19th in NYC. Learn more and join me!
Have a great weekend, and thanks for reading.
Best,
Katie
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