Category Archives: Photos

01/30/13

Smiling As A Competitive Business Advantage

Sir Richard Branson: "If you’re looking for the next big investment for your business, but don’t have much money to spend, start by looking at yourself in the mirror. A smile won’t cost you anything, and the returns to your business will start right away."

Sir Richard Branson: “A smile won’t cost you anything, and the returns to your business will start right away.”

When I wrote Living with Enthusiasm: How the 21-Day Smile Diet Can Change Your Life, some people thought it was hokey and too cute for business. Some people understood its power right away and saw it as a business opportunity, hiring me to spread the message to their organizations and clients.

I was delighted to read in Entrepreneur Magazine online that Richard Branson, CEO of The Virgin Group (50,000 employees worldwide, $21 billion in revenues) puts this same message to work in his business and life.

“Communicating can sometimes be a little challenging, but it is a truism that everyone smiles in the same language…If you’re looking for the next big investment for your business, but don’t have much money to spend, start by looking at yourself in the mirror. A smile won’t cost you anything, and the returns to your business will start right away.” ~Richard Branson

If your organization is looking to increase performance, customer service, well-being, and profits, email or call me at (858) 792-6786 for a complimentary consultation on how we can maximize the smiles and enthusiasm in your workplace. Mary

11/29/12

Honoring Zig Ziglar: “Avoid Stinkin’ Thinkin’…Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude”

“We all need a daily check up from the neck up to avoid stinkin’ thinkin,’
which ultimately leads to hardening of the attitudes.”

Meeting Zig Ziglar for the the first time in 1988 at the National Speakers Association Convention. Zig Ziglar and Mary Marcdante

The first time I heard the idea of “stinkin’ thinkin’” roll off the tongue of incomparable motivational speaker Zig Ziglar, I laughed and nodded and saw the faces of so many people I knew flash through my mind’s eyes. Little did I know I was beginning a lifelong adventure into breaking open and transforming my own stinkin’ thinkin’ about others, and more insidiously, myself.

Zig passed away today at the age of 86. What a gracious and inspiring human being who shaped so many industries, businesses, and individuals through his daily commitment to lifelong self-improvement.

For the past twenty-four years  since being awestruck when meeting him for the first time at a National Speakers Association convention, his perspective on having a positive attitude, being grateful, and living and giving with enthusiasm, has lived in the background of my work. Continue reading →