Kim Burkhardt's Blog, page 7
December 2, 2015
Bold business model
I have been looking at acting boldly and confidently.
I heard a news interview this evening with a woman in San Francisco -Julie Wainright – who opened an online consignment store for high-end luxury items only about four years ago. Her consignment shop – the RealReal – is doing fantastically well in sales.
How did this business model strike me as bold? As I listened to the radio interview with founder and owner Julie Wainright, it occurred to me that many people would hesitate to accept luxury items on consignment. It would be easy to hesitate at such a concept out of fear of being robbed. Not Julie Wainright. She’s using all kinds of security measures to make her business work. And she’s succeeding.
Congratulations Julie!
October 29, 2015
NPR Story: Why Are Old Women Often The Face Of Evil In Fairy Tales And Folklore?
Okay, so this story from National Public Radio’s website caught my eye…..Why Are Old Women Often The Face Of Evil In Fairy Tales And Folklore?
The title and image drew me in. The story proved meaningful: it discusses women, marginalization, and power.
I suggest giving the story a read.
October 20, 2015
Building connections, building opportunities
I’ve been watching the results of a political election.
I’m seeing more and more ways that advancing professionally is fundamentally about building connections with people. Creating and finding opportunities to connect with people and demonstrate one’s worth. People who get ahead are seen and heard. As an introvert, this doesn’t come naturally to me.
As I continue looking at this, I’m finding new ways see pending opportunities – which gives one the opportunity to STEP FORWARD and put oneself at the forefront of those opportunities by having something useful to say and/or do at the beginning.
September 30, 2015
September 25, 2015
Joy to the World
The #1 song on the U.S. billboard charts the week I was born:
Three Dog Night’s “Joy to the World.”
They called that one right.
September 16, 2015
On Women and Being Heard
Women too often experience the challenge of not being heard and recognized. At work, in the community.
Here are a few tips on speaking tips women can make to be heard and recognized more often:
Speak often, speak first. Those who speak often and speak first are recognized for having ideas.
Speak in the first person. Own what you say, get acknowledged that an idea is yours rather than just some vague suggestion that arose from some general location.
Speak in an active rather than passive voice. An active voice is taken seriously.
Make declarative statements. This generates the perception that you are a person with ideas that should be acted upon.
Make recommendations. This sets you up as a person who creates a plan of action.
Offer steps to take when hearing about something that requires action. You are a person who creates a plan of action (an active rather than passive participant).
Acknowledge others. They’ll remember you.
September 14, 2015
Free access to reprints of thousands of historical books
Fascinating idea. Came across this on a genealogy forum. Free electronic reprints of old books. Print copies of books can be purchased. See: Forgotten Books
August 28, 2015
More on “finding one’s voice”
I’m still pondering the topic of “finding one’s voice” from my August 13th post.
As per the quote from Melinda Gates, “A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult.”
That statement is true for anyone. People who “find their voice” are heard. Examples of famous people who have found their voice over the years are amazingly diverse – Malala, Ghandi, Oprah, and the recent musician Hozier. They all firmly believe in what they have to say and have their own perspective for saying it. People listen to them.
In my August 13 post, I provided two links to resources for “finding your voice.” I’ve been working through these two resources and am finding them useful. It’s occurring to me that my own voice is loudest when I speak on matters that I truly believe in, such as speaking about the work I’ve been doing with incarcerated women since 1993. Seeing the lives of incarcerated women transform from a place of bleak desperation to a place of hope and meaning warms my soul.
I am realizing that I have too often stifled comments that I most believe in out of a belief that what I have to say might not be popular in the contexts where I have stifled those comments. It’s time for that to change. That is unproductive & ineffective as it keeps people from hearing multiple perspectives. It also stifles my own engagement in the world. Further, it’s holding back my writing – writers need to have something meaningful to say.
August 27, 2015
Fortunate Author: Beautiful Local Library
I am a very fortunate author. This image is of my local library that I visit regularly. Not everyone gets a library over a river. Also, the librarians are wonderful. Thumbs up!
August 19, 2015
Advancing One’s Career: “It’s All in the Packaging”
One of the truisms of marketing is that “It’s all in the packaging.”
People buy what they see. No matter how much someone might be looking for a particular product or service, no one’s going to buy a bland-looking box with no labeling or imaging to reveal its’ contents.
Likewise, no one’s going to hire you or contract your services if they don’t see what you have to offer.
While you may work hard to have something to offer clients, employers, etc., no one is going to know this unless you demonstrate your worth.
What have you any of the following this month so that clients, employers, etc. SEE the value that you offer?
Have you articulated your value?
Have you polished the visual of your resume, presentations, reports, etc.?
Do you look like someone worth promoting?
Do you sound like someone that is worth promoting (confidence, etc)?
Self-promotion is an ever-present need in career promotion. Self-promotion isn’t about ego-feeding project – it’s about demonstrating your worth. Keep at it. If you’d like to read more on this, I have an article available on this topic. The article, entitled “Agents of Success: Moving Forward Professionally,” is available here.
