K.J. Kruk's Blog

The #1 Way to Lose a New Client

Looking for a new company or service isn't easy—especially when you don't have a good referral to start with. But, as life goes, there'll always be a time when you need to call upon an unknown provider with the hope that their company will be able to fulfill your needs.

Having been on the receiving end of some of the most bizarre and downright terrible business practices on a number of occasions, I'm going to help you ensure that your future customers actually become customers by teaching you t...

K.J.'s Top Business Tools

There are countless platforms, apps, and doodads to pick from when growing an online business or digital brand. I'm a minimalist by nature, so I tend to seek out the most efficient, all-in-one options for whatever my need may be. And by no means am I trying to convince you that the products I'm about to list are the very best out there. They may or may not help streamline things for you. But it serves as a glimpse into my virtual office to see which tools have been working for me.

Likewise, it...

How to Find Your Passion

Power Lesson

Any seasoned businessman or -woman with a handful of sense and sensibility can jump into a leadership position and thrive alongside a thriving company. But when times are at their hardest, only creative thought leaders will be able to keep their companies afloat by acting as vigilantes in taking the risks others wouldn't dare dream to take in order to pave a brighter future for their companies.

To determine if what you're doing is your passion or merely a hobby, you must ask yourself...

How to Get Over Your Fear of Public Speaking

Mindset Exercise: Ask yourself: If I'm afraid of public speaking or promoting myself or work online or in person, is it really because all eyes are on me or because my eyes are on all of them?

Starting now, take 1 minute to write down every single thought that springs to your head. (Seriously do it. There's science and logic behind writing things out and getting the end result you want.) Then circle the ones that resonate with you the most.

If you could rewrite them all into one fancy, condens...

5 Things Every Author Should Know

Contrary to popular belief, the author gig really does require a tremendous amount of effort beyond actual novel writing—especially when one's chosen the route of independent publishing. Put shortly, there's simply too much noise on the interweb for any one person to stand out with ease. Everyone has written a book. Creative marketing is now the norm. Book connoisseurs are more selective than ever....And, if you're late to social media or other means of online promotion (as was the case for me) ...

What's Standing in the Way of Your Success?

Today's power tip is an easy exercise all about success blockages. Through it, you'll learn how to get out of your head and fast track your desires in less than ten minutes.

What's a success blockage?

In short, any person, place, or thing, thought or idea, that's standing in front of your dream. That could be your mom, best friend, partner, or very, very needy cat. It could be the fact that you think you need x amount of clients or a Shark Tank Investor or some form of fancy-dancy accreditati...

How to Calm Down and Focus

When you hear the word "meditation", what's the first thing that comes to mind? Monks in a monastery? Ornate Buddha figurines? Your cat stretched out, aligning all seven of its chakras in a perfect state of zen? Or do you see Oprah, Bill Gates, Arianna Huffington, Lady Gaga, George Lucas, or Howard Stern blissfully perched on a Zabuton mat?

In our fast and furious, caffeine obsessed, every-day-is-a-hustle world, we often view time to sit down and relax as a luxury detached from any return or fo...

Putting Yourself Out There

And not giving a Tutankhamun about what other people think!

Aah, the endless expanse of the interweb! A land adorned with selfies and trendy twenty-year-olds dreaming of fame and Instagram success (and plaguing every one of your should-be-dishwasher-soap ads—because that's what you're forgetting to buy—with some designer t-shirt or shoe bargain). And yet, you fear putting yourself—your amazingly beautiful, wondrous self—out into that great, content-saturated expanse.

You know you have value...

...

How to Make Your Product Stand Out with 5 Easy Tricks

Imagine you're at a candy store, overflowing with sweets from around the world. There are so many tasty treats to choose from, how do you pick? The answer is, for most people, you don't. You simply opt for the same ol' chocolate you've favored for years. But then, as you approach checkout count, the cunning confectioner pulls a trick. He whips out a chocolate sampling experience that he normally only offers the store's VIP guests.

But these chocolates aren't your ordinary chocolates, he claims...

A Hard Lesson in Leadership

"When times are at their hardest, the greatest leaders emerge with innovation." Power Lesson

Any seasoned businessman or -woman with a handful of sense and sensibility can jump into a leadership position and thrive alongside a thriving company. But when times are at their hardest, only creative thought leaders will be able to keep their companies afloat by acting as vigilantes in taking the risks others wouldn't dare dream to take in order to pave a brighter future for their companies.

Power Tip...