Franklin Taggart's Blog

  I attend networking meetings every week and I'm amazed to see the change that takes place in people from when you're just having a normal conversation with them and the point where they are asked to introduce themselves to the group. I almost have to do a double-take because the charming person I was just talking with has turned into a robot who is rushing through a canned, formulaic phrase that ends up not giving anyone a reason to talk to them after the intros are done. I've had my share of elevator faux pas', too, mostly because I never realized just how important they were in the process of creating memories and delivering value. A few years ago, I attended a workshop at the SBDC where we were given an elevator pitch exercise that had a formula that I had to question. It was the most uninteresting way to present yourself that I had ever seen. About a month later I was putting together a workshop on marketing messages for the same SBDC and I created a short exercis

We've been having a lot of conversations in our house about how devices like smartphones and computers promise connection, but actually deliver isolation. Isn't that the case with anything we can become addicted to?  And then there are times when we place devices between ourselves and others in what seems to be a positive light, like as a way to take notes or to feel more engaged in a conversation, not realizing that all of our attention is on the screen in front of us instead of the person. No real connection is made and the good things we need to find in our relationships elude us. I get that for some of us, being fully present with another person doesn't feel completely safe. We do feel a need to set a boundary. In this Coffee Break, I ask us all (including myself) to consider that one of the contributing factors to our loneliness and isolation is that the boundaries never come down. I'd also like to propose that we start asking each other for device-free time. Close

A strange coincidence makes me wonder if I'm seeing a behavior pattern emerge. Seems like I'm seeing more than a few people reaching the end of a creative project but there's one last step that needs to be taken before they launch and that step is taking weeks and sometimes months to complete. Another strange coincidence is that these last steps often take only a few minutes to complete without difficulty. But we can convince ourselves of the impossibility of a task before we ever investigate what we need to do. My taxes are going to take weeks to figure out (real-time: around 45 minutes) It's going to take a couple of hours and a phone call to tech support to transfer that domain name (real-time: less than five minutes with no phone call) My book definitely needs to be proofread one last time before I can send it to be published (real story: it's already been proofread three times, the last two with no corrections) Our minds can create obstacles that aren't the

For some of us, there's a period of time as we near the completion and launch of something we've made when we become hyper-sensitive to how people react and respond. We all want to be liked and accepted. It's burned into our DNA to care on some level what other people think of us, even though some of us suggest we're not bothered. In this Coffee Break, Franklin Taggart shares some memories of times when he'd hoped for a different response than he got, and how he's come to view those circumstances as he's gotten more accustomed to these kinds of risks. In short, the people who love what you do are your people and they're the ones who deserve your attention. Want to find your niche? Make something and put it out into the world and see who responds. There's your avatar.  In entrepreneurship, it's common to start a business based on solving a problem. I art, it's a different ballgame. The problems artists solve are their own. Their process is one

Today held a variety of fulfilling activities, good conversations, productive work, and a surprise visit from a friend. Ending a day like today with a satisfying kind of tired feels just right. I have two short rituals that I do most nights. Sometimes they're easy, other times not so much. Tonight, the only challenge is staying awake long enough to finish them. I share these rituals in today's Coffee Break.  Try this: Instead of making a list of things you're grateful for, just allow yourself to rest in the feeling of gratitude. Notice what gratitude feels like and allow that to be the last thing you feel as you go to sleep tonight. See you tomorrow...

Reflections on Fathers Day about being a dad and having a dad and the strange mix of what that all means. Remembering Papa Dave today. He's been gone a few years, and I still see things I wish I could tell him. I see pictures on his hometown's Facebook page where I'm certain he would know the people and places, and I find other things I know he'd never seen but would have loved to. We had our pains, but I am lucky to have positive memories. On being a dad, I can only say that it is an experience that teaches me my limitations better than any other, and it also encourages me to try harder because that kid is worth it. I never knew what it was to be stretched and expanded the way that parenthood has been. And I see my friends' stories of dads who weren't there or whose dads left scars and grief in their wake. I'm sad that's the only reference they will have for that relationship. May all dads who see this rise to the challenge and give their kids the best

After one whirlwind week followed by a four-day Summer cold, I have a whole bunch of stuff to do. At this point, I don't have the energy or time to be too precious about organizing and identifying priorities. It all matters, and It's all overdue. The method called for right now is to make a list and do the first thing, then another, then another. So that's what I'm doing. It's a blunt-force strategy driven by sheer willpower and a desire for everything to be done quickly. A 97-degree welcome to my world for all the folks who found me through the Boost Your Business Bundle. Wow, what a ride that has been. It's been the single most successful lead generation activity I've ever participated in. Big thanks to Jess Kotzer for the referral and Lynn Neville for the great event! Check out what Jess is doing at https://www.selfpubhub.org/ and stay tuned for an announcement about a new collaboration project she's getting ready to launch! Don't pay any attenti