Tag: speaker

Why You Should Embrace Last Minute Opportunities.

I have some friends who produce and host a TV show. They call me when a planned guest cancels and they need a replacement on short notice. (And no, the show is not Cops.)

There is a teacher in my kids’ school district who has me on speed dial when they need a last-minute classroom speaker. Even though my kids are not in their class and I can’t barter favors for grades.

I was once asked if I could speak for 15 minutes to a company meeting of 1,000 people, just an hour before I was supposed to be on stage. I had nothing prepared. But I did it anyway. I figured that even if I crashed and burned, it would make for a good story. But if I crushed it, I imagined there was an outside chance that I would earn a lifetime supply of ham.

Recently, a woman who has hired me 3 times to speak recommended me to a colleague who had a speaker cancel a week before her big event. I had never given a talk on the topic they were looking for. (But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express.)

And over the course of my advertising career, I have had too many last-minute requests from clients for even Count Dracula to count.

Be At The Top Of The Go-To List.

I step up and say yes to last-minute requests all the time.

Because I am a problem solver.

Because, like a firefighter, I can be ready for action on short notice.

Because I am prepared.

Because I stay ready.

Because I figure it out.

I have a process that allows me to deliver on short notice. Or nearly no notice.

Being the go-to backup plan when things go wrong is an honor.

People don’t forget those who helped them out when they were in a tight spot.

Throughout your life, you will have many opportunities to save the day.

Save it for others whenever you can.

Plus, more repetitions make you better at what you do.

So you improve through the process, too.

It bolsters your brand reputation.

And I have heard there are better accommodations in Heaven for those who help others here.

Key Takeaway

Be at the top of other people’s last-minute list. Save the day whenever you can. Be the person others turn to when they really need help. You will always help yourself in the process.

*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.

+For more of the best life lessons I have learned check out my book, What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? from Ripples Media. And consider subscribing to Adam’s Good Newsletter.

My book just turned 2 years old! Here are 9 ways it has changed my life.

I have dreamed about writing a book since I realized people did such things. As a kid, I knew Dr Suess did it. So did Laura Ingalls Wilder. But it seemed super hard. And time-consuming. But in March of 2020, I took the pandemically-induced gift of time, and started writing. And like a literary Forrest Gump, I just kept write-ing and write-ing. Today, my little paper baby, What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? is 2 years old! So I have taken a moment to reflect on how writing this book has impacted my life.

9 Ways writing a book has impacted my life.

  1. I learned I can do hard things. Doing hard things demystifies the hard things you do. Yes, writing a book requires a lot of time, energy and focus. But it requires a little bit every day, not a full deposit at one time. Writing a book is actually like running 3 marathons. A writing marathon, a publishing marathon, and a marketing marathon (which only ends when you stop promoting your book.) I wrote more about it in this post. I enjoyed the process. It was not too much for me. And it’s not too much for you either.

2. I have earned a new level of respect. Our society respects published authors. I think it’s because you have done something that other people know is hard. And it indicates that you have a deep level of knowledge in a specific area. Or that you are both creative and disciplined. #createiplined I consider being a published author The Poor Man’s Ph.D. (Or Poor Woman’s Ph.D.) Because when you add author to your title it earns you a higher level of respect. (I always say respect like Ali G says respek!)

3. I get hired to speak. Since publishing my book my speaking requests have quadrizumpled. (Which is a Mary Poppins-like way of saying ‘greatly increased’. This year I traveled all over the country speaking at conferences, symposiums, company meetings, association events, rotary clubs, chamber of commerce events, and schools. I love speaking. For me, it’s right up there with smiling and chocolate milk.

4. I have made money. Between book sales and speaking engagements, my book has become a source of income. It’s cool to have a product that you only have to create once, but you can sell over and over again, like Nelly and Tim McGraw.

5. I get invited to be a guest. Since publishing my book I have been a guest on countless podcasts. (OK, I could probably count them if I tried really hard, but I haven’t.) I have also been invited to be a guest on the Milwaukee morning show The Morning Blend on NBC about 6 times, including this week! (Tune in here Friday morning at 9am, or find segments from the past anytime.)

6. I have been quoted. A cool result of writing a book is that I have been quoted on social media by people I don’t know. I have been alerted of mentions of my name, and when I followed the thread I realized that people I didn’t know shared quotes from the book. I have reached out to some of these people to thank them and find out how they read the quote. Some of them read the book. Others googled for quotes on positivity or other such positive terms. It’s pretty cool to have your work spread like that. Now I know how Jif and Skippy feel when people spread their work.

7. I attend book club discussions. I have never joined a book club. Perhaps because I am a dude, And book clubs have historically seemed less dudey. But I always thought they seemed like a cool idea. Now, every time I hear of a book club reading my book I volunteer to attend the discussion. My next one is coming up in January. It’s enjoyable to have conversations with people who read your book critically. And I love it when people share their favorite funny lines from the book. #DepecheMode

8. I have seen pictures of my book all over the world. Ok, so not North Korea or Antarctica. But, you know, a lot of cool places. People often take my book on vacation and enjoy reading it in some spectacular locales. Then they send me pics or tag me in photos. It is safe to say my book has been to more interesting places than I have.

9. I can buy my book from any bookseller. Initially, my book was only available on Amazon, from my publisher, Ripples Media, or from the trunk of my car. However, now, you can order my book from virtually anywhere. All the online booksellers that I have ever checked now carry it. And all independent bookstores can order it too. (Shout out to Boswell Book Company in Milwaukee for being amongst the first stores to stock the book on their shelves.)

Key Takeaway

Writing and publishing my book has added to my life in many positive and rewarding ways. And the impact continues to compound. Yes, it takes work. But the payoff has been well worth it. If you have considered writing a book I strongly encourage you to do it for real. I am happy to share everything I know. Although the key is to simply open a Google document (or Word doc) and start writing. Then write a little more every day, just like Elvis Costello.

If you are still looking for a great Christmas present that doesn’t break the bank, please consider giving What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? If you read this too late to be delivered and you live in the Milwaukee area, reach out to me directly at adam@theweaponry.com. I can hook you up with a signed copy, even up to the last minute. Boom!

Why my last speaking event was more rewarding than usual.

In January of this year, I got a fun email from Miriam Crosby, the Director of Superfoods at The Peanut Institute. In her note, Miriam invited me to speak at the USA Peanut Congress, where leaders from all sectors of the peanut industry get together to discuss all things peanut. The event is kinda like that scene from Forrest Gump where Bubba talked about all things shrimp. But for peanuts.

The Peanut Institute had a slot for a speaker at the event and they wanted me to come and share some life and career lessons from my book What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? I was thrilled and thought I might even get to meet Jif, Skippy, and Mr. Peanut.

Not only was I excited about the opportunity, and honored to be invited, the location was going to be amazing! The event was on Amelia Island in Florida at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. And the Ritz people are even better at making Carlton hotels than they are at making crackers. Which is pretty amazing.

Sunrise at the Ritz Carlton on Amelia Island, starring the Atlantic Ocean.

The Event

The event was in mid-June. And it was incredible. The entire peanut world was there. The Weaponry, the advertising and ideas agency that I lead, has several great clients in the peanut industry. So I knew a lot of special people at the event. And I met a whole lot more.

Me sharing life lessons and telling the audience that in Milwaukee I eat peanuts with my left hand.

My talk was titled Nutrient Dense Life Lessons. I talked about how the little peanut, packed with energy and full of goodness, sets a great example for us all and has inspired me since I was in high school. #TrueStory

Adam’s talk was inspirational!  He is such an engaging, high-energy speaker…the audience was on the edge of their seats waiting for the next life lesson to drop.  Well done!

–Miriam Crosby

The audience was great. The team from The Peanut Institute, including Miriam, John Powell, Samara ‘Dr. Peanut’ Sterling and Kirsten Collins from the American Peanut Shellers Association were helpful and supportive. The room itself at the Ritz Carlton was perfect. Did I mention the food was outstanding? (It was!).

What Was Even Better!

But what made this experience even greater was that my wife Dawn was able to join me in Florida. The timing of the event in mid-June meant that my kids were out of school so Dawn could come with me. After the thousands of hours I have spent alone writing blog posts and books over the past 7 years, it was great to be able to have Dawn enjoy the rewards of both the work and sacrifice.

Dawn and me enjoying the Ritz Carlton. Check out my fun straw that looks like the Hilton Head lighthouse.

The Evolution of a Passion Project

I started writing this blog when I first launched The Weaponry. No one asked me to do it. It was a passion project. It allowed me to share my experiences, observations and lessons. 5 years after I started the blog I published my first book. Writing the book led to speaking engagements all over the country.

It is interesting to see where your passion projects take you. When you deeply care about what you are creating and offer value to others first, you will receive value in return.

Thank you to The Peanut Institute for inviting me to speak. Thank you to the USA Peanut Congress for putting on such a great event in such a beautiful setting. The whole experience created a fun new memory for both me and Dawn.

Key Takeaway

Pursuit your passion projects. You never know where they may take you. And if they take you somewhere good, be sure to bring your loved ones along for the ride.

*If you are looking for a speaker to bring energy, fun and valuable lessons to your next event, shoot me a note at adam@theweaponry.com.

+For more of the best life lessons I have learned check out my book, What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? from Ripples Media.

Why I ordered new business cards that don’t even mention my business.

I recently placed my first business card order in the covid era. The demand for business cards plummeted when we were all locked at home. I tried to give my wife and kids cards just to feel like I was getting my name out there. But they told me they knew where to find me. And my mailman told me he already knew where I lived.

But by the fall of 2022, I had finally run out of my last business cards. Plus, The Weaponry, the advertising and idea agency I lead, moved to a new office in June. Which meant that we had important information to update on our cards. Like our physical address. I also updated the URL for this blog. Because the last time I printed business cards my blog was still called The Perfect Agency Project. But AdamAlbrecht.blog is shorter and easier to remember. Especially for me.

My Other Card

But I also decided to create another business card. One that didn’t mention my role at The Weaponry at all. You see, 10 months ago I published my first book, titled What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? from Ripples Media. Since then, I have added the role of Author to my growing list of job titles.

Today, I have had so many conversations as an author that I felt like I should have a card that represented my role as an author and speaker. Plus Moo.com was having a 25% off sale. So I figured it was a sign from the universe.

The Design

On the front of the cards, I included a picture of myself, real estate agent-style. Sure, this helps people remember what I look like. But I felt like the picture matched the tone and style of both my writing and speaking. Which is fun, positive, and energetic. If I was a horror novelist and used this picture nobody would buy the book. Because I don’t look like I hunch in my basement dreaming up evil and grody stuff.

I title myself an Author and Speaker. Because I have found that people love to hear authors speak. I have had tons of speaking engagements over the past 10 months. And I have many more scheduled, including 3 speaking engagements within 5 days this fall. Not only do I really enjoy speaking, but I have also met a lot of great new people through the experience.

On the card, I note that I am the author of the book What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? Although, I debated whether I should also include the other book projects I am working on. Including a new book that I have co-authored with Jeff Hilimire set for release in November, titled The Culture Turnaround. But I figured I could always order more cards as my little library of writings grows.

The front of the card includes hard-working contact information, like my mobile number, email, social handle, and book website address.

But like a good mullet, the fun side is on the back.

After talking to people about my book I always wish I could give them a few key lessons from the book to take with them. Like CliffsNotes. Only I cut Cliff out. So on the card, I included a list of 10 lessons from the book that fit 2 important criteria:

  1. They are important and useful to everyone.
  2. They are short enough to fit on the card.

I also included a picture of the book so that people would know exactly what it looks like. After all, Amazon sells every book title ever written about fortune cookies. And I didn’t want people to think that I went all Mark Twain and wrote the book under an assumed name like Bernadette Jiwa, Jennifer 8 Lee, or LuMing Mao.

Key Takeaway

Consider creating business cards for your roles beyond your day job. A side hustle, significant hobby, or volunteer position all warrant a special card. They make it easy to stay connected to others you meet in that role. And they provide great ways to share your skills, abilities, and interests with others.

Check out Moo.com for an easy way to make great cards quickly. Tell them Adam Albrecht sent you. If they ask if you mean the Adam Albrecht who is the Founder of The Weaponry or the Adam Albrecht who is the Author & Speaker, tell them both.

*If you know someone who could benefit from this idea, please share it with them.

+For more of the best life lessons I have learned check out my new book, What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? from Ripples Media.