Why Annie Armen

How to Make Genuine Connections on LinkedIn

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:50:00 +0000

"The first ingredient in conversation is TRUTH; the next GOOD SENSE; the third good HUMOR; and the fourth, WIT." ~Sir William Temple

The Protocols of Meaningful Connection

"Annie Armen, during her webinar brought something important to the surface that in retrospect might be obvious, yet due to the simple button-push mentality in LinkedIn (and other social networks) may not be so obvious: The protocols of meaningful connection. Would you ‘invite’ a stranger to personally connect with you based on only a business card or an advertising flyer? Would you ‘accept’ an invitation for a personal relationship from a stranger based on the same? Essentially, Annie has pointed out that the ‘invite/accept’ simplistic button-push process may be tantamount to only superficiality, not benefit.

Annie emphasizes that the quality of connection would bring increased viability and benefit over the quantity of merely superficial connections, and she clearly instructs how to achieve that quality in LinkedIn through the processes she utilizes.

My impression was that the thread of ‘communication’ in the way Annie Armen expresses it, could be a great ‘corporate seminar’ series. Kudos Annie, and thank you!”

~ Michael W. King, Ph.D.
Board Certified Coach
Consulting Psychologist

The Importance of Authentic Communication

“Annie delivered a well-structured, visually interesting and thought-provoking webinar, in her own unique style. Good points on how ‘not to’ connect on LinkedIn followed by the best ways to do it to gain quality connections.

She highly emphasized about the importance of communicating authentically when making genuine connections on LinkedIn, which made me think about how to offer help to networkers without sounding robotic.

Overall very informative and interesting. Bring on more WAAC Webinars,
Annie Armen!”

~John McGrann
CEO at Drive Social Media
___________________________________

If you have any questions, or would like to discuss educational training opportunities where we can tactically and strategically address areas of concern as it pertains to implementing authentic communication in your business model / marketing endeavors with impact, please feel free to drop me a line.

“The more genuine you are in your approach, the ‘words’ you choose when marketing your stuff without sounding like others, desired/ideal clients WILL catch on and WILL contact you for business!” ~Annie Armen, Communications Artist

List of Articles and Quotes you may Find of Interest:

1. Communicate Anyway
2. That Does it... I've Had Just About Enough of This!
3. Are you Working With a Resistant Employee?
4. When Did s/he Give the Impression s/he Needed Your Advice?
5. 20 Quotes on COMMUNICATION in Business and in Life!
6. 14 Quotes on LOYALTY in Business and in Life!
7. Are you Leaving Your AUTHENTIC Mark?
8. Did You Say, Can't?
9. AnnieBiotics®

20 Quotes on GO FOR IT in Business and in Life!

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:30:00 +0000

Dear Why Annie Armen Readers,

May you find these select 20 quotes on GO FOR IT together with wisdom AnnieBiotics® toward the end of this article empowering, adding productive value in your lives, both personally and professionally!
_________________________

1.   "When everybody tells you that you are being idealistic or impractical, consider the possibility that everybody could be wrong about what is right for you." ~Gilbert Kaplan

2.   If you've got doubters and player haters lining up to create a detour around what you have been called to do, that only means one thing -- YOU ARE EXACTLY WHERE YOU NEED TO BE! With insane courage, GO FOR IT! ~Annie Armen

3.   "Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure...than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat." ~Theodore Roosevelt

4.   "Discoveries are often made by not following instructions, by going off the main road, by trying the untried." ~Frank Tyger, in Forbes

5.   "If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is a compromise." ~Robert Fritz

6.   "RISK MORE than others think is safe. CARE MORE than others think is wise. DREAM MORE than others think is practical. EXPECT MORE than others think is possible. " ~Cadet Maxim

7.   "To be a successful entrepreneur one needs a vision of greatness for one's work. If we dream extravagantly we will be inspired to forge a reality beyond the straight jacket of practicalities. There is a profound connection between art and enterprise which allows businesses to overcome the limitations of their existing visions." ~Sir Ernest Hall

8.   "If a window of opportunity appears, don't pull down the shade." ~Tom Peters

9.   "Do not let your fire go out ... Do not let the Hero in your soul perish ... Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won. It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours." ~Ayn Rand

10. "Test fast, fail fast, adjust fast." ~Tom Peters

11. “Winners know that today is the day that counts. Today is the time to live with class, with confidence, with courage and with character. Today is the day to achieve greatness, if only in small things. The real winners in life know that success is a skill and they practice every day so that when the big challenges and extraordinary opportunities arrive, they are prepared.” ~Dr.Phillip Humbert

12. "Vision is not enough. It must be combined with venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps, we must step up the stairs.” ~Vaclav Havel

13. "Peak performers want more than merely to win the next game. They see all the way to the championship. They have a long-range goal that inspires commitment and action." ~Charles Garfield

14. "Daring ideas are like chessman moved forward; they may be beaten, but they may start a winning game." ~Goethe

15. "You are never given a dream without also being given the power to make it true." ~Richard Bach

16. "Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication." ~Gail Devers

17. "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

18. "I tell you the truth, if you have FAITH as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move." ~The Bible,
Matthew 17:20

19. "When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, NEVER GIVE UP THEN, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn." ~Harriet Beecher Stowe

20. "The difference between try and triumph is a little umph" ~Author Unknown

Wisdom AnnieBiotics® :

1. "Often times, minds and hearts are at war… thinking one thing, feeling another, leading to RE-actionary choices. Therefore, it is critical to

Purpose Awareness at ALL Times
Stay alert when in your “comfort zone” – blind spot.
Maintain balance between mind and heart. Only when the two are in accord, you are ready to PRO-act, make sound decisions and aim for the long-term win!" ~Annie Armen

2. During your journey of climbing up your highest mountain, whatever that mountain may be for you, always remember to: "Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none." ~William Shakespeare

Let's Make 2013 Your GO FOR IT Year!

If I can be of any help toward actualizing your vision with top performance that sets you apart from the pack, by all means give me a call. Together we'll strategize and commit toward making that happen!

In the mean time, did you find this article helpful?

~Annie Armen

List of Articles and Quotes you may Find of Interest:

1. Did You Say, Can't?
2. Are You Tempted to Quit?
3. 20 Quotes on COURAGE in Business and in Life!
4. 20 Quotes on PERSEVERANCE in Business and in Life!
5. TO PRO-act or to RE-act -- is That the Question or Your Choice?
5. AnnieBiotics®

5 Days of Business

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 13:30:00 +0000

12 Days Before Christmas

On the 1st day of Business, Don Farrell trains on loyalty: Ethical Theft shall set you free.

On the 2nd day of Business we plan strategically: 2 ROI Books, 1 Ethical Theft, and The Hurricane a cometh your way.

On the 3rd day of Business Dr. Group phones in to say: 3 Green Products for sale, 2 ROI Books, 1 Ethical Theft, with The Hurricane we broadcast globally.

On the 4th day of Business, John McGrann chimes in to say: I’m here for social media consultancy for 3 Green Products for sale, 2 ROI Books,1 Ethical Theft, with The Hurricane we stormeth incomparably.

On the 5th day of Business -- INCOMING -- 5 telesales rings! 4 social media points, 3 Green Products, 2 ROI Books, 1 Ethical Theft and here we’re doing business with glee!

AnnieBiotics® -- LOYALTY!

"LOYAL customers, they don’t just come back, they don’t simply recommend you, they insist that their friends do business with you." ~ Chip Bell, Founder Chip Bell Group

Why Annie Armen Friends: I not only HIGHLY recommend the following list of 3 companies below for ALL your business needs, I insist that my friends call them FIRST before making any decision(s) with other alternatives. Mention my name as your referral source, and be amazed on how LOYALTY works!

1. Fresh Revenues, Inc. – Don Farrell, Founder | Chief Cultivating Officer
2. Global Healing Center –Dr. Edward Group III, Founder | CEO
3. Drive Social Media – John McGrann, Founder | CEO

If you have any questions and I can be of any help, do not hesitate to drop me a line. Please be as specific as possible with what you are looking for, and what you are looking to accomplish.

Again, the 3 companies above… with absolute, mutually EARNED loyalty and trust, I will proudly stake my entire reputation on the line, and challenge any other company who can approach me and say they can do better than my top 3 listed!

Be Blessed throughout Christmas and here’s to looking forward to a promising, hope-filled, prosperous New Year TOGETHER!

~Annie Armen

List of Quotes and Articles You May Find of Interest:

1. 12 Quotes on Christmas
2. 8 New Year Quotes -- Inspired by Og Mandino
3. 14 Quotes on Loyalty in Business and in Life
4. 20 Quotes on Communication in Business and in Life
5. Ethical Theft -- How to Steal Business From The Competition
6. Is Your Business and Home Environment Toxic
7. Generate Revenues Using Social Media
8. The Hurricane Immune Power Pack
9. Impact Your Bottom-line

Did you say Can't?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 23:30:00 +0000

“Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I CAN choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I CAN choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have - life itself.” ~ Walter Inglis Anderson

"I've Fallen and I CAN Get up"!

When you count all the number of times you KEEP ON GETTING UP, when compared to the number of times you fell... guess which number is greater, and more importantly, a true reflection of reality?

'Tis the season to flip the deception of -- "I've fallen, and I can't get up" -- and wake up to a more realistic tune of -- "I've fallen and I did, CAN, and will get up"!

When you CHOOSE to target your focus on all the times you KEEP ON GETTING UP, did you know that your inner levels of energy, confidence, attitude, gratitude, hope, Faith, love, and courage start walking with you? Remember, at the end of the day, the power within you is unstoppable when you CHOOSE to tap into it!

AnnieBiotics® -- Tap Into Your CAN DO Power Within!

1. In order to activate your CAN DO power, you must first realize that CAN is solely your CHOICE to make:
-- You can CHOOSE to listen to the word, CAN.
-- You can CHOOSE to act on the word, CAN.
-- You can CHOOSE to flip that deception of “can’t” and walk forward with courage and confidence by tapping into your CAN DO power within, to achieve your most desired goals in life, and more importantly -- to live the life YOU want and value!

2. To sustain and thrive with CAN DO power, very important to re-evaluate, assess, and consider pruning off dead weight in your personal and professional lives. By no means is this an easy process, and does take an “investment” of your time toward living the life YOU want, as YOU envision it.

3. Especially During the Holidays -- If you know of someone, or have a friend who is really looking to kick a bad habit out the door (regardless of what that bad habit is... whether it be smoking, alcohol, drugs, etc...) and occasionally slips while taking steps forward... Please don't give up hope on him or her. Reach out your hand and help him/her up with love and support, reminding and encouraging them that they have CAN DO power within to guide them through and out to victory!

+++++++++++++++++++++

Are you allowing the deceptive voices of "can't" infect your power of CAN? Emphasis on the words... "are you allowing" .... why do you think that is?

~Annie Armen

List of Articles and Quotes you may Find of Interest:

1. Are You Tempted to Quit?
2. 20 Quotes on COURAGE in Business and in Life!

3. 20 Quotes on VALUES in Business and in Life!
4. 20 Quotes on PERSEVERANCE in Business and in Life!

5. Are you a Walking Miracle Amongst Us?

6. AnnieBiotics®

Are you a Walking Miracle Amongst us?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 10:00:00 +0000

... to move forward in FAITH and live, or to not move at all, and be left paralyzed by fear? What would you choose?

Dear friend...

What I'm about to share with you is a short excerpt taken from my chapter in a new, much anticipated, collaborative business book scheduled for launch around the corner... Stay tuned for announcements ahead...

In the interim, however ... Why share this excerpt?

September 23, 2004

September 23, 2004 is forever etched in my heart, mind, soul, and Spirit as God's Miracle for this day, that particular moment, not only defied all logic and science, but more importantly... served and continues to serve its undeniable purpose to HIS glory! Today I AM ALIVE, a walking testament that practicing FAITH is real, and produces results far beyond anything the human mind alone can ever conceive, much less comprehend... no matter how brilliant.

On this night, right after I produced a LIVE radio program with revered guest professionals, I was driving back to Los Angeles from San Diego. It was only 45 minutes into my drive, when suddenly, an animal ran onto and across the freeway. I immediately slammed on the brakes, which led to my car spinning out of control in the middle of the freeway, flying through the rails, to the other side of the median. Thankfully, at that moment, the highway was pretty clear, no one was injured, and there was no collision with any vehicle. Dad (God) in Heaven was definitely watching over all the drivers and me on the freeway.

Of course, I could have avoided this predicament had I simply hit the animal and kept on going. Instead, I chose to swerve and miss it. Was this an unwise choice on my part? Absolutely, without a doubt! However, as we all know, much easier said than done!

The reality is... when you actually face that kind of an emergency, it’s amazing what you end up finding yourself doing contrary to what you know is best. One truly never knows until in that given instance what he or she is going to do … and such was definitely my experience.

Fast Forwarding ...

In the officer’s words: “I just can’t believe you are standing there without a scratch on you, and ALIVE. Not 10 minutes from here, there was another car crash, but nothing like what’s happened to you. I had to call the ambulance because the guy was in bad shape. Your car is completely crunched, tires and parts scattered a mile away, car in smokes, windows smashed into a million pieces, and not a scratch on you. How did you manage to get out of the vehicle? It’s virtually impossible! Can’t even open the doors! You are a walking miracle! ... If I didn’t see this with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it!”

Personal Message

Yesterday, marked my 8 year anniversary of celebrating LIFE since this horrific incident. The picture you see above... (pausing for a moment)... I kept this one picture in one of my old hard drives, saved under a name completely unrelated, and locked away in a storage. This year, I decided I was going to dig up this picture, look straight into its eye, and share it publicly for the first time. WHY?

Imagine for one second, where what you are experiencing truly feels like you’re having your last gulp of air on earth. In that very instant when about to enter the jaws of death, you choose to take action with Faith, while believing you’ve already received the impossible – life!

Dear friends, such was my personal and Spiritual experience; I am here to communicate with you, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that my physical existence today is tangible proof that practicing Faith is real (details written in my chapter), both in business and in life!

AnnieBiotics®

“Who is of so little Faith that in a moment of great disaster or heartbreak has not called to his God? Confront another with dark horror and his mouth will say, ‘My God’ … My life need not be filled with religion in order for me to recognize this greatest mystery of nature.” ~Og Mandino, Best Selling Author, The Greatest Salesman in the World

Are you a Walking Miracle Amongst us?

Please share your miracle in the comments section below, for what you tangibly communicate here in writing, will uplift, empower, inspire and even help save a life.

~Annie Armen

20 Quotes on PERSEVERANCE in Business and in Life!

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 10:45:00 +0000

Dear Why Annie Armen Readers,

May you find these select 20 quotes on PERSEVERANCE purposeful and empowering, adding productive value in your lives, both personally and professionally!

Once you’ve had an opportunity to read through all 20 quotes, please take a moment to share your thoughts (in the comments section) to the question posted at the end of this article. Thank You...
__________________

1. “Look at a stone cutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred-and-first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not the last blow that did it, but all that had gone before.” ~Jacob A. Riis

2. "How many a man has thrown up his hands at a time when a little more effort, a little more patience would have achieved success?" ~Elbert Hubbard

3. “The first requisite for success is the ability to apply your physical and mental energies to one problem incessantly without growing weary.” ~Thomas A. Edison

4. "Get a good idea and stay with it. Dog it, and work at it until it's done right." ~Walt Disney

5. "KEEP ON GOING, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down." ~Charles Kettering

6. "Patience and PERSEVERANCE have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish." ~John Quincy Adams

7. "Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance." ~Samuel Johnson

8. "Peak performers want more than merely to win the next game. They see all the way to the championship. They have a long-range goal that inspires commitment and action." ~Charles Garfield

9. "PERSEVERANCE is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did." ~Newt Gingrich

10. "Never think that God's delays are God's denials. Hold on; hold fast; hold out. Patience is genius." ~Georges-Louis Leclerc

11. "Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines." ~Robert Schuller

12. "With ordinary talent and extraordinary PERSEVERANCE, all things are attainable." ~Thomas Foxwell Buxton

13. "Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use." ~Earl Nightingale

14. "I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to PERSEVERE and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles." ~Christopher Reeve

15. "I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." ~Michael Jordan

16. "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." ~Thomas Edison

17. “Through PERSEVERANCE many people win success out of what seemed destined to be certain failure.” ~Benjamin Disraeli

18. "There is no royal road to anything. One thing at a time, all things in succession. That which grows fast withers as rapidly; that which grows slowly endures." ~J.G. Holland

19. "Patience and TENACITY of purpose are worth more than twice their weight of cleverness." ~Thomas Henry Huxley

20. “Never stop pedaling to power your dreams." ~Terri Guillemets
__________________

Question for Why Annie Armen Readers:

What methods or techniques do you use to develop perseverance to achieve your long-term goals?

Look forward to reading your comments!

~Annie Armen

List of Articles and Quotes you may Find of Interest:

1. Did You Say, Can't?
2. Are You Tempted to Quit?
3. 20 Quotes on Courage in Business and in Life!
4. Are you Working With a Resistant Employee?
5. When Did s/he Give the Impression s/he Needed Your Advice?
6. That Does it... I've Had Just About Enough of This!
7. Communicate Anyway!
8. AnnieBiotics®

To PRO-act or to RE-act – is that the Question or Your Choice?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 13:30:00 +0000

“WEAK is he who permits his thoughts to control his actions. STRONG is he who forces his actions to control his thoughts.”
~OgMandino, Author of The Greatest Salesman in the World

“The bigger rewards in life are a direct result of those finer details mastered through life."
~ Annie Armen, Communications Artist

Whether in business or in life... one guarantee we can all bank on in our daily lives is tackling challenges as we forge ahead through life’s unexpected, at times off beat twists and turns, with extreme spikes ranging from “chill to thrill” or vice versa, all in a matter of seconds, and at times in just a second! What is MOST critical during such moments is to purpose awareness, and immediately wake up to the reality that whether you are in your best (thrill) or in your worst (chill) situation, YOU hold the key to two choices -- to PRO-act or to RE-act!

9 RED FLAG “Pollutants” to Watch out for

Way passed the wondering phase of whether “that” is a mere question… To PRO-act or to RE-act – THAT is your choice!

In no particular order, 9 RED FLAG “Pollutants” to watch out for, that when given even the slightest attention and/or acknowledgment whether intrinsically or when communicating with another openly, what you are in effect doing is allowing these toxic “pollutants” to infect your 9 purifying “soul’utions (see below), triggering your choice to RE-act when making decisions:

1. Fear
2. Hate
3. Hopelessness
4. Regret
5. Revenge
6. Ignorance
7. Ego (when self is above service; destructive pride)
8. Lies
9. Laziness

Bottom-line, when you choose to give your ears to any one of the 9 "pollutants" referenced above, then in the words of Og Mandino, you are “permitting your thoughts to control your actions". When you "permit your thoughts to control your actions", you are in effect choosing to RE-act, at which point -- achieving less than favorable outcomes is only inevitable (and that’s stating it mildly).

Purpose Awareness at ALL Times!

Intentionally hitting the REWIND button here for a moment to repeat these words from earlier: What is MOST critical during such instances is to purpose awareness, and immediately wake up to the reality that whether you are in your best (thrill) or in your worst (chill) situation, YOU hold the key to two choices -- to PRO-act or to RE-act! Dear friend, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for you to purpose awareness at ALL times, particularly during times of vulnerability, mixed emotions, confusion, hurt feelings, betrayals … in essence when you feel like you are at your worst, in a dark place or space whether personally or professionally.

Equally if not MORE critical, is to purpose awareness during times when you are in your comfort zone, where you are feeling you are at your best, perhaps even feeling overly confident, dare I say greedy, too proud, and the like. Sound familiar?

9 Purifying “SOUL”utions -- Your Protective Armor

Whether in business or in life, remember that extreme spikes of “chill” and “thrill” happen when you least expect it, sometimes within seconds, other times within a second. So again… purpose awareness at ALL times, and stay alert when you are in the “comfort” zone, or rather what I like to call – the “blind spot”.

That said… in no particular order … your protective armor of 9 Purifying “SOUL”utions to trigger your choice to PRO-act and kick toxic “pollutants” out the door, without a moment’s mercy are:

1. Faith
2. Love
3. Hope
4. Gratitude
5. Forgiveness
6. Wisdom
7. Humility

8. Honesty
9. Diligence

3 Take-Aways

“The bigger rewards in life are a direct result of those finer details mastered through life." ~ Annie Armen

Without a doubt, this is a continuous, cleansing / purifying process and takes daily practice, for knowledge alone is never enough! What is worth noting here is maintaining “balance” between mind and heart … making sure both are working in harmony to accomplish set goals and objectives with satisfaction and success!

Often times, minds and hearts are at war… thinking one thing, feeling another, leading to RE-actionary choices. Therefore, in order to “OUT with the pollution, and IN with the ‘soul’ution™” PRO-actively,
3 take-aways to remember:

1. Purpose Awareness at ALL Times
2. Stay alert when in your “comfort zone” – blind spot.
3. Maintain balance between mind and heart. Only when the two are in accord, you are ready to PRO-act, make sound decisions and aim for the long-term win!

Did you find this article helpful?

~Annie Armen

List of Articles and Quotes you may Find of Interest:

1. 20 Quotes on Values in Business and in Life!
2. 14 Quotes on Loyalty in Business and in Life!

3. Stealing Business From Your Competition -- Ethical or Unethical?

4. Are you Working With a Resistant Employee?

5. Did You Say, Can't?
6. AnnieBiotics®

Do you Know What you Will do With a Square Inch?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 12:00:00 +0000

“Faith consists in believing
when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.” ~Voltaire

Do you Know What you Will do With a Square Inch?

WOW! Have you ever been in a one-to-one, profoundly invigorating business meeting, where time just flew on by mercilessly, and all you wanted to do was stop the clock and capture every second if at all possible? Such was the case for both John Richardson and me during Father’s Day Weekend, and with his blessing, only select highlights are now written...

Here I am, sitting across this business professional on our first meet only to find myself completely intoxicated with his gift of wisdom, for he was communicating from planet EXTRA-ordinary! I was humbled, honored, and in awe to say the least, that he was seeking my advice on a complex, delicate communications issue. In truth, we both skipped through all the typical business questions one can think of, or come up with under the sun that takes place during a first meet, let alone the 10th meet … and mutually zoomed right into the heart of the matter, with intellectual attack!

Fast forwarding ... Once the consulting portion of our conversation was fulfilled, generally in that given instance, both parties tend to dash off to their next respective meetings to follow through with their plans and commitments for the day in a timely manner. Dear friend that was definitely not the case here! In fact, quite the opposite happened! We respectfully asked for a mutual pause in our conversation, only to pick up our phones, and rearrange our schedules without hesitation in unexplainable synchronicity. Of course, neither of us knew the other was going to take that action. Amazing how Faith works in business and in life when we choose to practice it, free of logical reasoning (refer to steps 1, 2, and 3 below).

After That 5 Second Prayer Pause ...

Moving along… Various topics surfaced as our communications took more profound turns followed by purposeful detours. One of the highlights that I will remember for a lifetime was this one question John asked:

"Annie... as our seconds go by fast, do you know what you will do with a square inch?"

Holy smokes!!! Closed my eyes for 5 seconds and had a quick prayer in Faith: "Father...thank You for boldly speaking the answer of Your Will through me for Your Purpose. Right behind You and ready..."

After that 5 second prayer pause, opened my eyes and answered …

"John … hoping not to disappoint … if there is a specific answer to your question, then I truly do not know, and more than willing to learn, believing you will be willing to teach me. If the answer is more of a Spiritual nature… then Spiritually in pure Faith, I pray for guidance to make wise (more so than right) choices for the seconds of today, and thank God in Faith for preparing my actions toward His Plans “already” in motion, to wisely and responsibly take on His assigned square inches for tomorrow. If I may give you a more direct answer, it comes down to this: The fact that I am blessed in the now with this rare opportunity to learn from you and in that process, if I may dare gain a nugget from your bank of wisdom to equip myself for the future, then in this moment John Richardson,... That's what I'm doing with a square inch."

Our 5 Minute, Positively Paralyzing Mutual Silence ...

Immediately following my response, was our mutual, 5 minute, positively paralyzing silence. The wheels of our thoughts were turning, as though we were both playing a mental chess game, yet not so.

Let’s hit the PAUSE button here for a moment… What just happened? Was this your expected, professional one-to-one business meeting?

... speaking both personally and professionally ... in all the years I have had the privilege to communicate and work with top leaders across the spectrum of professional industries... if I may respectfully and gracefully respond by saying ... OH GOOD GLORY NO! Although we were in a restaurant, conversing with one another very much in the present, It genuinely felt like we were communicating from a future era ... sharing innovative visions, thoughts, concepts, ideas as mere appetizers to what has yet to be experienced, taught, and learned in the business world today! To say this was an enLIGHTNING jolt of an event we had the fortune to experience, is an understatement! It was one of those RARE, once in a lifetime, unprecedented meetings, serving as a foreshadowing of what is to come, yet a seed planted in the now to provoke two choices: FAITH and ACTION!

Allow me to backtrack here for a moment and briefly expand upon the values of Faith and Action in this manner. In order for the seed to take root for a purpose to be fulfilled in the future, THAT choice is up to you and me. To activate that choice, it will take pure FAITH with ACTION:

1. Faith to embrace the unknown (what you cannot see)
2. Faith to believe that what is to come is ALREADY there!
3. Faith to act on that choice, without resorting to logical reasoning.

Now... let’s hit the PLAY button. After our 5 minute, positively paralyzing, mutual silence…John chuckles and says: “Annie Armen … now I know why my friend said these words to me. John, brace yourself, you met your match. Prepare to be blown away by a human hurricane after having just one chat. Make it count! You want this lady in your corner for the impossible projects you have in mind down the road.”

Just the rose color blush I needed on my face after hearing those words, when in truth... it was I who was blown away! Later, toward the end of our conversation, John said something that I just had to write down and pay it forward, in essence ... to plant this seed in your minds and hearts. Let me tell you… it’s one that will have me thinking "on purpose" for a long time:

"There are more square inches in one square mile, than there are seconds in a century. You can see your whole life if you equate one square inch to one second." ~John Richardson

+++++++++++++++++++++

Dear friend, do you know what you will do with a square inch? Thank you in advance for taking the time to read and share your thoughts to this very profound enigma …

~Annie Armen

List of Articles and Quotes you may Find of Interest:

1. 20 Quotes on Communication in Business and in Life!
2. 14 Quotes on Loyalty in Business and in Life!

3. When did s/he Give the Impression s/he Needed Your Advice?

4. When you Hear the Words, "I am a Life Coach" -- What Thoughts Come to Mind?

5. What is Your Definition of a Perfect Partnership in Business?

6. Communicate Anyway

7. AnnieBiotics®

Stealing Business From Your Competition -- Ethical or Unethical?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 08:30:00 +0000

All content for this post is taken from Fresh Revenues Website, and from articles
written by Don Farrell -- Chief Cultivating Officer at Fresh Revenues, Inc., Author of Ethical Theft

"If you can steal from your competition, then they deserve to lose it. If someone steals from you, then shame on you....you deserve it. Same goes for employees too." ~Don Farrell, Chief Cultivating Officer at Fresh Revenues, Inc., Author of Ethical Theft

Hypothetical #1:
You are on an airplane and you strike up a conversation with the person next to you. She is the decision maker of a company that buys your competitor’s products and services. You have such a great exchange during the flight that she asks you for your card and gives you the opportunity to bid for their business. You do and you win the account. Ethical or unethical way to liberate business from your competition? (For answers, see content references below)

Hypothetical #2
... you have been unsuccessful for quite some time now at trying to get into see a large prospective client. You read in the paper that they are having a meeting at a local hotel and in fact, your competition is sponsoring the meeting. You know that most meetings have an AM and PM coffee break. You know that the AM break usually occurs at around 10:30-11. Sure enough, you see as you enter the meeting room area of this hotel that your potential client has people milling all around talking to one another over coffee. You don’t know who is in charge, so you walk up to the nearest person with a name tag on, and you pardon the interruption. You ask them who is in charge and he points to another gentleman and says, “John Rogers over there is the VP of Operations … he’s the main man.” You get close to Mr. Rogers and you wait for a break in his conversation and you approach him saying “ … Mr. Rogers, my name is David Hall (hand him your card) and I know that this is not the time nor place for this conversation, but I would like to speak with you about doing business with my firm … can we set something up for later this week after this meeting has concluded?” Ethical or not? (For answers, see content references below)

Ethical vs. Unethical … What is Right and Wrong When it Comes to Stealing Business?

"The deciding differentiator in how you drive loyalty lies within your greatest asset....your people." ~Don Farrell

Simply put, nobody is a good enough salesperson to come in and take a client of yours if they are loyal to you and your company. Period. If they are able to take your business then you did not deserve it. Same with your good employees who leave you for your competition.

So What is Ethical? It is easier to define unethical so let’s do that one … not doing all you can within the limits of the law to provide for your employees. End of story! So now, think for a moment or two, how many times did you not pull out all the stops to acquire and account from the competition. In doing so, how many people did you let down?

A Salute to Industry
... story from my book titled Ethical Theft ... "A Salute to Industry". I would approach our top six clients and tell them that we have been thanking them for far too long now and it was high time we helped them improve their profits as well. I would explain that we wanted to dedicate a space in our hotel for them to advertise their products and services. We would calculate how many guests would walk past their exhibit over the course of a month and the number would be quite impressive....it even surprised us when we first calculated it. So for 30 days there would stand an attractive display behind velvet ropes, a sign telling our guests who this client is and how they can contact them if they wanted to hear from them.

At the end of the month when it was time to take their display down for the next client, we would have a cocktail and hors d' oeuvres party around their display. We would take an 8X10 photo of the event and mount it in an attractive frame and mount it on the wall where the display would be for posterity. We would also send a similar photo to that company for their use (public relations, company newsletter, annual financial statements). We were in essence thanking them for their business by helping to provide them with business as well. Now, for the remaining six months of the year we would ask POTENTIAL clients to advertise their "wares" in this Salute to Industry area. We would have a reception around their display at the end of thirty days and they would see a wall with pictures of our happy existing clients. We would now be on a fast track to liberating more business.

What was normally dead space in our hotel became a real profit and social center of attraction. I would sometimes be passing by that area and see an unknown guest looking at it and picking up a brochure to learn more about that company. I would approach them and tell them who I was and tell them the cool things about our clients or hopeful client's product or service. A real person having a real conversation with a real person who had real interest. How cool is that?

Ethical Theft -- The Book!
If you are looking to laugh, think and wonder how far you or your competition would be willing to go to acquire business, Ethical Theft is the book for you! One recent review states: "Don Farrell has a take on business ethics that may shock some, but in light of current economic times, it is a pragmatic and sensible approach. If you want to do your best for yourself, your staff and your bottom-line, then you need to read this book."

Need tools that will help distance yourself from your competition forever? How about coming up with a compelling tactical plan to maximize revenues? If your answer is "yes", contact Don Farrell today and set up a one-to-one chat to explore service deliverables tailored to your needs! ... Be sure to mention -- Referred by Annie Armen for that special, extra attention!

Fresh Revenues, Inc.
435 South Front Street, Suite 208
Memphis, TN 38103
(office) 901-853-4885
Email Don: don at fresh revenues dot com

Content References
1. How to Create Loyal Clients and in Doing so Steal From Your Competition
2. Ethical Theft: How to Steal Business From Your Competition
3. Fresh Revenues

Did you find this article helpful for your business?

Please post your comments below... we look forward to reading your feedback.

~Annie Armen

List of Articles and Quotes you may Find of Interest:

1. Communicate Anyway
2. 14 Quotes on LOYALTY in Business and in Life!
3. That Does it... I've Had Just About Enough of This!
4. When Did s/he Give the Impression s/he Needed Your Advice?

5. When you Hear the Words, "I am a Life Coach" -- What Thoughts Come to Mind?
6. What is Your Definition of a Perfect Partnership in Business?

7. Are you Working With a Resistant Employee?

8. AnnieBiotics®

Are you Working With a Resistant Employee?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 07:00:00 +0000

"You can't expect your employees to exceed the expectations of your customers if you don't exceed the employees' expectations of management." ~Howard Schultz, Chairman and CEO of Starbucks

Are you Working With a Resistant Employee?
The episode illustrated below dates several years back...
With client's permission to share for general value...

Client asks, “Annie, any insights on how to deal with a resistant employee, particularly a persistent one?” In that moment, I chose to respond with a silent pause followed by a quick chuckle...

Client: "Oh no... why do I get the feeling I need to sit down for this one?"

Me: "Interesting choice word ... deal... Have you looked into the WHY factor to better understand the root cause of his resistance?"

Client: "I haven't personally, but from what I understand, the manager has, and he has advised me that it is in the company's best interest to terminate this particular employee."

Me: "Well, it appears you have your answer on what to do from one of your trusted hires ... the manager ... unless I am missing something here?"

Client: "Annie ... look... something's not adding up here ... and any insights from you will be helpful."

Me: "Fair enough... You mentioned that something's not adding up here... May I ask what that is?"

Client: "Can you stop by my office tomorrow afternoon? Will share details with you then..."

Me: "Done! Tomorrow afternoon it is!"

It was just over a year ago, when I addressed a similar inquiry on video... (you can hear it below).

To Deal or to Embrace?

Are you choosing to deal with a "resistant employee" by terminating his/her employment, simply because that is what you were told by his/her supervisor? OR, are you choosing to embrace the challenging, perhaps delicate situation through effective communication with tact, fairness, and character?

Insight #1: Drawing from my professional experience with culture building endeavors, a "resistant employee" -- 9 times out of 10 -- tends to be a direct reflection of the individual(s) who is/are in the position of leading the team. Therefore, prior to making any final, reactionary decisions, which include employee termination, it is very important for the decision maker to proactively and openly embrace the dilemma from all angles (just as my client did).

A great starting point would be to reflect upon his or her own past and present choices followed by actions. Were there any unintended consequences that may have occurred along the way, leading up to the question, "Annie, any insights on how to deal with a 'resistant employee', particularly a persistent one?”

When Hidden Agendas get in the way

Insight #2: There is resistance, and then there is resistance! When a team leader slacks off, what is an employee to do? Is it in the company's best interest for the employee to remain idle and do nothing? In other words, if an employee decides to step up to the plate and take necessary action to meet the required sales quota for the week that impacts company bottom-line, does that make him or her a "resistant" employee? (Note: The employee took the above described initiative -- after having gone to his/her manager asking for permission to help, although beyond the scope of his/her duties. In this particular scenario, the manager said "no", that he had everything under control, when in fact, he did not.).

Here is an unfortunate reality that I have come across repeatedly, especially in the corporate world. Such rare employees who may be tagged as "resistant" are actually the "committed" ones who are loyal and are effecting constructive change for the overall success of the company. Unless there is a Communications Specialist on board to help facilitate and bridge gaps of uncertainty and unhealthy confusion ... their voice only carries so far, and their productive actions seldom get reported positively much less accurately, and rarely reach the ears of the top decision makers for proper acknowledgments and future promotions. Instead what I have found is, these exceptional employees get shafted due to "EGO"-s at play, who exercise their authority to protect their own hidden agendas, always at the price of the company.

Where Does a Business Owner go From Here?

If you are a business owner looking to build, establish and sustain a healthier working environment across all levels within your company, speaking from 20+ years of experience in working with leaders from various industries, any business owner should include a Communications Specialist on their team of "trusted" advisors and consultants to help bridge any potential gaps of misunderstandings, tensions, and unintended consequences to achieve desired productivity, performance, loyalty, trust, and ROI results with enthusiasm and commitment. When you find the right Communications Specialist, you will discover that he or she will be critically instrumental in the success of your business.

Did you find this article helpful?
~Annie Armen

Related Articles and Quotes you may Find of Interest:

1. Communicate Anyway
2. 20 Quotes on COMMUNICATION in Business and in Life!
3. 14 Quotes on Loyalty in Business and in Life!
4. That Does it... I've Had Just About Enough of This!
5. When Did s/he Give the Impression s/he Needed Your Advice?

6. When you Hear the Words, "I am a Life Coach" -- What Thoughts Come to Mind?
7. What is Your Definition of a Perfect Partnership in Business?

8. Stealing Business From Your Competition -- Ethical or Unethical?

9. AnnieBiotics®

20 Quotes on COMMUNICATION in Business and in Life!

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:45:00 +0000

Dear Why Annie Armen Readers,

May you find these select 20 quotes on COMMUNICATION purposeful and empowering, adding productive value in your lives, both personally and professionally!

Once you’ve had an opportunity to read through all 20 quotes, please take a moment to share your thoughts (in the comments section) to the question posted at the end of this article. Thank You...

__________________

1.     “The single biggest problem in COMMUNICATION is the illusion that it has taken place.” ~George Bernard Shaw

2.     “COMMUNICATION - the human connection - is the key to personal and career success.” ~Paul J. Meyer

3.   “Good COMMUNICATION does not mean that you have to speak in perfectly formed sentences and paragraphs. It isn't about slickness. Simple and clear go a long way.”
~John Kotter

4. “The most important thing in COMMUNICATION is to hear what isn't being said.”
~Peter Drucker

5.     “The real art of CONVERSATION is not only to say the right thing at the right place, but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.” ~Dorothy Nevill

6.     “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” ~Epictetus

7.     “The most important things are the hardest to say, because WORDS diminish them.” ~Stephen King

8.     “Every criticism, judgment, diagnosis, and expression of anger is the tragic EXPRESSION of an unmet need.” ~Marshall Rosenberg

9.     "Developing excellent COMMUNICATION skills is absolutely essential to effective leadership. The leader must be able to share knowledge and ideas to transmit a sense of urgency and enthusiasm to others. If a leader can't get a message across clearly and motivate others to act on it, then having a message doesn't even matter."
~Gilbert Amelio, President and CEO of National Semiconductor Corp.

10.    "Precision of COMMUNICATION is important, more important than ever, in our era of hair trigger balances, when a false or misunderstood word may create as much disaster as a sudden thoughtless act." ~James Thurber

11.    “Civilization grew in the beginning from the minute that we had COMMUNICATION -- particularly communication by sea that enabled people to get inspiration and ideas from each other and to exchange basic raw materials.” ~Thor Heyerdahl

12. “Think like a wise man but COMMUNICATE in the language of the people.”
~William Butler Yeats

13. “COMMUNICATION does not depend on syntax, or eloquence, or rhetoric, or articulation but on the emotional context in which the message is being heard. People can only hear you when they are moving toward you, and they are not likely to when your words are pursuing them.” ~Edwin H. Friedman

14. “One kind WORD can warm three winter months.” ~Japanese Proverb

15. “Deep LISTENING is miraculous for both listener and speaker. When someone receives us with open-hearted, non-judging, intensely interested listening, our spirits expand.” ~Sue Patton Thoele

16. “Music . . . can name the unnameable and COMMUNICATE the unknowable.”
~Leonard Bernstein

17. “COMMUNICATION works for those who work at it.” ~John Powell

18. “COMMUNICATION can't always follow the top-down model. With the fluidity of information in business today, leaders need to be masterful listeners; they need to be able to receive as well as send.” ~Joseph Badaracco

19. “COMMUNICATION leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing.” ~Rollo May

20. “A good CONVERSATIONALIST is not one who remembers what was said, but says what someone wants to remember.” ~John Mason Brown

__________________

Question for Why Annie Armen Readers:

Recently, I read somewhere these words... "Most people know how to communicate"...
Do you find this statement to be true? Why or why not?

Look forward to reading your comments!
~Annie Armen

Related Articles you may Find of Interest:

1. Communicate Anyway
2. That Does it... I've Had Just About Enough of This!
3. Are you Working With a Resistant Employee?
4. When Did s/he Give the Impression s/he Needed Your Advice?

5. When you Hear the Words, "I am a Life Coach" -- What Thoughts Come to Mind?
6. What is Your Definition of a Perfect Partnership in Business?

7. Did You Say, Can't?
8. AnnieBiotics®

Has Media put a Spell on you? -- Tribute to Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:30:00 +0000

“I don't like it when they [media critics] see me as this little person who doesn't know what to do with herself -- like I have no idea what I want, like I'm just a puppet . . . . That's demeaning to me, because that ain't how it is, and it never was.” ~Whitney Houston (August 09, 1963 – February 11, 2012)

"Speculate to break the one you hate. Circulate the lie you confiscate. Assassinate and mutilate as the hounding media in hysteria..." ~Michael Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)

Has Media put a Spell on you?

Dedicating this article to music giants -- Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Etta James and various others, who have paid a price, unknown to ALL of us, in order to remain authentic to their vision, to their calling as true, "non-conforming" artists!

The music industry and the world has suffered a tragic loss when an authentic artist has come and gone... Therefore, it is so important that we, as human beings, do not take the role of judges, but rather choose to practice compassion and respect for the timeless legacy each has left behind!

"Just because you read it in a magazine, or see it on the TV screen, don't make it factual!" ~Michael Jackson

Dear friends, before you allow media to put a spell on you, please read the lyrics below to Michael Jackson's song called, Tabloid Junkie, taken from his "HIStory" album. Regardless of what you and I may think or believe we know ... artists who are in the public eye day in and day out, are the ones who genuinely KNOW what they speak of out of real, everyday experiences!

Therefore, if one is curious and looking for truth... I find it important to show our respect to artists by reviewing ALL sides of the stories reported... including especially, hearing the artist's music and reading through their lyrics. This is the least we can do, not only as compassionate, understanding human beings, but also as beings of intelligence.

Lyrics to Michael Jackson's Song, Tabloid Junkie (HIStory Album)
Michael's message will live on!

"Speculate to break the one you hate
Circulate the lie you confiscate
Assassinate and mutilate
As the hounding media in hysteria
Who's the next for you to resurrect
JFK exposed the CIA
Truth be told the grassy knoll
As the blackmail story in all your glory

It's slander
You say it's not a sword
But with your pen you torture men
You'd crucify the Lord
And you don't have to read it, read it
And you don't have to eat it, eat it
To buy it is to feed it, feed it
So why do we keep foolin' ourselves

Just because you read it in a magazine
Or see it on the TV screen
Don't make it factual
Though everybody wants to read all about it
Just because you read it in a magazine
Or see it on the TV screen
Don't make it factual, actual
They say he's homosexual

In the hood
Frame him if you could
Shoot to kill
To blame him if you will
If he dies sympathize
Such false witnesses
Damn self righteousness
In the black
Stab me in the back
In the face
To lie and shame the race
Heroine and Marilyn
As the headline stories of
All your glory

It's slander
With the words you use
You're a parasite in black and white
Do anything for news
And you don't go and buy it, buy it
And they won't glorify it, 'fy it
To read it sanctifies it, 'fies it
Then why do we keep foolin' ourselves
Just because you read it in a magazine
Or see it on the TV screen
Don't make it factual
Everybody wants to read all about it
Just because you read it in a magazine
Or see it on the TV screen
Don't make it factual
See, but everybody wants to believe all about it

Just because you read it in a magazine
Or see it on the TV screen
Don't make it factual
See, but everybody wants to believe all about it
Just because you read it in a magazine
Or see it on the TV screen
Don't make it factual, actual
She's blonde and she's bisexual

Scandal
With the words you use
You're a parasite in black and white
Do anything for news
And you don't go and buy it, buy it
And they won't glorify it, 'fy it
To read it sanctifies it, 'fies it
Why do we keep foolin' ourselves
Slander
You say it's not a sin
But with your pen you torture men
Then why do we keep foolin' ourselves

Just because you read it in a magazine
Or see it on the TV screen
Don't make it factual
Though everybody wants to read all about it
Just because you read it in a magazine
Or see it on the TV screen
Don't make it factual
See, but everybody wants to read all about it

Just because you read it in a magazine
Or see it on the TV screen
Don't make it factual
Just because you read it in a magazine
Or see it on the TV screen
Don't make it factual
Just because you read it in a magazine
Or see it on the TV screen
Don't make it factual, actual
You're so damn dis-respectable"

________________________

With love and respect to all fellow musicians and artists, who work tirelessly to create music for the world!

~Annie Armen

Communicate Anyway!

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0000

"It takes TWO hands to clap to the symphony of life, so Communicate Anyway!"
~Annie Armen (I dedicate this piece to my International Circle of Professionals,
Artists, and Friends ... Personal Message further below)

When Does Real, Mutual "Communication" Occur?

"The most important thing in 'communication' is hearing what isn't being said."
~Peter Drucker

Allow me to paint the picture in this manner...

Imagine for a moment you are at a concert where various classical pianists are about to perform. The first pianist (Pianist #1) plays with all his heart and soul. From the moment he strikes the ivory keys with a dissonant chord, the conflicting sound heard, sends chills up your spine leaving you fully engaged, in a state of mystery and intrigue.

Then, when the tension eases into melodic harmony, you can feel and instantly relate to the various emotional layers and undertones within his heart, as he opens his soul to you through his music and takes you on a personal journey with him, "communicating" feelings of happiness, sadness, intense passion, anger, loneliness, and sudden moments of silence, by applying purposeful dynamics through crescendos, decrescendos, pianissimos, and fortes -- leaving you on the edge, as you storm through intrinsic emotions, glued to your seat, with anticipation for what's next.

At that moment, you feel as though you are watching a movie, where YOU are the main actor/actress, emotionally experiencing moments of your life flashing by. Has this happened to you?

Continuing... with this particular performer, you are so in tune with his playing, that your ears, eyes, mind, heart, spirit, soul, and body are completely connected with every note played, as if he is speaking directly from your core being ...as if you and the pianist are mutually "communicating" as one in the same -- exciting, real, meaningful, memorable, and timeless! Dear friend... when was the last time you experienced real, mutual "communication" like this, whether personally, musically, or professionally?

So you ask yourself, "How can that be? How can a complete stranger know what you are feeling within, and be able to 'communicate' your feelings through his music without ever having met you?"

When Pianist #1 ends his performance, you then find yourself unable to let go, loudly applauding for an encore, while feeling disappointed within that the music, in essence your personal story was interrupted, much like conversations left unfinished.

However, there is nothing you can do... the next performer is already walking up the stage...

Pianist #2, unlike the first performer, technically plays by the script in perfection, without missing a note ... without missing a beat... almost like a human machine ... however, without soulful feeling. You can appreciate his work in mind, but completely find yourself disconnected in heart, and perhaps even confused. In other words, as a listener, you can hear the notes being played... much like hearing and watching a technical Powerpoint presentation during a seminar for example, but you are unable to feel, relate to, and connect with the music, with the performer's heart, with the composer's purpose behind the composition. Is there real, mutual "communication" here?

Now .... Rewinding Back to the Original Question
When does real, mutual "communication" occur?

Answer: When the message shared is felt by both the recipient(s) and the composer relating his/her piece! Meaning... when words -- whether written, spoken, or sung (much like musical notes played as illustrated above by Pianist #1) -- are genuinely "communicated" with relatable feelings of love, comfort, trust, compassion, respect, and sincerity, nourishing one's mind AND heart, while transcending all barriers ... THAT is when real, mutual "communication" occurs, leaving a lasting, purposeful impact , both in business and in life!

Personal Message to my International Circle of Professionals, Artists, and Friends With all my Heart:

THANK YOU for doing your best everyday to try and communicate in English with me in private messages on Facebook as well as in professional messages shared on Linkedin... a language that is not your mother tongue. YOU have my utmost respect for Communicating Anyway! NEVER, EVER apologize to me for your spelling mistakes and such. Are you kidding me? It is I who should apologize to YOU for not trying hard enough to communicate with you in your language!

I appreciate you more than words can express... Grateful to you for making my life, and the lives of fellow Americans easier with your committed efforts!

As Dr. Seuss says, "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter, don't mind."

Bottom-line: It takes TWO hands to clap to the symphony of life, so Communicate Anyway! Just because you are unable to technically speak in a particular language, does not mean you are unable to "communicate" with a person who does and is ready to listen with intent and heart!

Continue to Communicate Anyway,
~Annie Armen

List of Articles and Quotes you may Find of Interest:

1. 20 Quotes on Communication in Business and in Life!
2. When Did s/he Give the Impression s/he Needed Your Advice?

3. That Does it... I've Had Just About Enough of This!

4. When you Hear the Words, "I am a Life Coach" -- What Thoughts Come to Mind?

5. Did You Say, Can't?
6. AnnieBiotics®

2012 New Year Message ... Inspired by Og Mandino

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 08:05:00 +0000

2012 New Year Message --
Inspired by Og Mandino

"Today I begin a new life. ...Today, I am born anew and my birthplace is a vineyard where there is fruit for all." ~Og Mandino, Author of The Greatest Salesman in the World

8 Quotes from Og's epic book -- The Greatest Salesman in the World...

1.   "I will greet this day with LOVE in my heart. ...

a. I will love the ambitious for they can inspire me!
b. I will love the failures for they can teach me.
c. I will love the kings for they are but human;
d. I will love the meek for they are divine.
e. I will love the rich for they are yet lonely;
f.   I will love the poor for they are so many.
g. I will love the young for the faith they hold;
h. I will love the old for the wisdom they share.

i.   I will love the beautiful for their eyes of sadness;
j.   I will love the ugly for their souls of peace. ..."

2. "Today I will pluck grapes of WISDOM from the tallest and fullest vines in the vineyard, for these were planted by the wisest of my profession who have come before me, generation upon generation."

3. "In truth, the only difference between those who have failed and those who have succeeded lies in the difference of their habits. GOOD HABITS are the key to all success. Bad habits are the unlocked door to failure. Thus, the first law I will obey, which procedeth all others is -- I will form good habits and become their slave."

4. "I will LAUGH at the world. No living creature can laugh except man. Trees may bleed when they are wounded, and beasts in the field will cry in pain and hunger, yet only I have the gift of laughter and it is mine to use whenever I choose. Henceforth I will cultivate the habit of laughter."

5. "Today I will multiply my VALUE a hundredfold.

One grain of wheat when multiplied a hundredfold will produce a hundred stalks. Multiply these a hundredfold, ten times, and they will feed all the cities of the earth. Am I not more than a grain of wheat?"

6. "I will act now. Only ACTION determines my value in the market place and to multiply my value, I will multiply my actions. ... When the lion is hungry he eats. When the eagle has thirst, he drinks. Lest they act, both will perish. ... I thirst for happiness and peace of mind. Lest I act I will perish in a life of failure, misery, and sleepless nights. Success will not wait. If I delay she will become betrothed to another and lost to me forever. ... I will act now."

7. "I am here for a PURPOSE and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand. Henceforth will I apply ALL my efforts to become the highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy."

8. Og Mandino's PRAYER, pay it forward:
"Oh Creator of all things, help me. For this day I go out into the world naked and alone, and without your hand to guide me I will wander far from the path which leads to success and happiness. ... You have taught the lion and the eagle how to hunt and prosper with teeth and claw. Teach me how to hunt with words and prosper with love so that I may be a lion among men and an eagle in the market place. ... I am a small and a lonely grape clutching the vine yet thou hast made me different from all others. Verily, there must be a special place for me. Guide me. Help me. Show me the way. Let me become all You planned for me when my seed was planted and selected by You to sprout in the vineyard of the world. Help this humble salesman. Guide me, God."

Dear Why Annie Armen Friends....

May 2012 produce harvest in every area of your lives, for all the years you have sown loyally with love and commitment. Remember to use your key of COURAGE to step into the new, and with all the chords of your heart, fully embrace "all" that is waiting for you! CHOOSE to make 2012 volcanic, where every opportunity dares to meet and join forces with your unstoppable abilities!

Do you have a New Year Message you would like to share?

Loving, Inspiring, and Successful New Year Blessings to all ...
~Annie Armen

12 Quotes for Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 07:00:00 +0000

I dedicate this song to YOU! May you celebrate your "now" this Christmas, and anticipate for the best about to be unleashed for your "tomorrow", in 2012! As you hear this tune, feel and experience the growing anticipation as the music crescendos to soaring heights, building toward something unexpected and amazing! Use your key of courage to step into the new, and with all the chords of your heart, fully embrace "all" that is waiting for you! CHOOSE to make 2012 volcanic, where every opportunity dares to meet and join forces with your unstoppable abilities! Warm Blessings with Love, Appreciation, Respect, and Profound Gratitude to all ... Merry Christmas dear friends! ~Annie Armen

12 Quotes for Christmas

1. "Treasure the LOVE you receive above all. It will survive long after your good health has vanished." ~Og Mandino

2. "FAITH is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase!" ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

3. "Look at a stone cutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred-and-first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not the last blow that did it, but all that had gone before."
~Jacob A. Riis (Take ACTION and PERSIST On!)

4. "TIME is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you." ~ Carl Sandburg

5. “There are only two ways to live your LIFE. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” ~Albert Einstein

6. "There are indeed times when one should "trust" blindly, just as there are times when one should not. WISDOM consists in being able to tell one from the other." ~Daniel Quinn

7. “AUTHENTICITY is a gift, and each of you are blessed with this gift. Cave not into duplication and cloning of what others say or do, no matter how great! Imitation is NOT a form of flattery, but rather an insult to the real deal that resides in you waiting to surface! Embrace your authentic self with all your might and shine!” ~Annie Armen

8. "Take a MUSIC bath once or twice a week for a few seasons. You will find it is to the soul what a water bath is to the body." ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

9. "Customer satisfaction is worthless. Customer LOYALTY is priceless." ~ Jeffrey Gitomer

10. A Perfect Partnership has no hidden agendas, a single purpose and an insatiable commitment to delivering incremental revenues resulting in a mutual beneficial relationship." ~Don Farrell, Chief Cultivating Officer at Fresh Revenues

11. "When everybody tells you that you are being idealistic or impractical, consider the possibility that everybody could be wrong about what is right for you." ~Gilbert Kaplan

12. "Only YOU hold the key to your inner WHY... Listen to your inner voice, gather your STRENGTH in quiet, find your target, aim, fire!" ~Annie Armen

Do you have a quote for Christmas you would like to share? Please post your quotes below in the comments section!

Merry Christmas and a Volcanic New Year! ~Annie Armen

Annie Armen Show Presents: Generate Revenues Using Social Media --Part 3 of Series

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:41:00 +0000

"Great content is essential for success in leveraging social media for business.
Prospects will be IN-TE-REST-ED if YOU are IN-TE-REST-ING!" ~John McGrann

Annie Armen Presents

Topic for Discussion: Generate Revenues Using Social Media...Yeah Right!

Trusted Social Media Specialist, Dear Friend: John McGrann ... LIVE from Dubai

Where: Annie Armen Show | World Talk Radio Channel

PLAY IT FORWARD!

Direct Link to Audio Archive:
Generate Revenues Using Social Media ... Yeah Right!

Note: Prior to calling in, to ensure quality sound, please turn off your cell phones, lower the volume all the way down on your computers, and be sure you are in an area that is quiet to avoid any outside noise interferences. Also, it is preferable that you call in using a land line as opposed to using your cell phone or a cordless phone. Thank you!

Short Recap from Parts 1 and 2 Below

Is Social Media More Than Just a Craze? Part 2

My dear friend who I call, TRUSTED Social Media Specialist, John McGrann -- Chief Executive Officer at Drive Social Media, headquartered in Dubai -- returns on the Annie Armen Show to take on Part 2 with me in an ongoing series throughout 2011, "Is Social Media More Than Just a Craze". On this round, we focused on developing a social media strategy where you can measure ROI. Imagine that!

Is Social Media More Than Just a Craze? Part 1
If you recall from Part 1 of, Is Social Media More Than Just a Craze, John talked about 5 steps to success.

What are those 5 Steps?
1. Plan
2. Presence
3. Reach Out
4. Nurture
5. Maintain

He also said, in order to make social media work for your business, you need 2 things:
1. System
2. Commitment

Now, Who is John McGrann?

John McGrann is a UK national and his home was Cyprus for 10 years. He has

lived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since April, 2010 and is married to Genny.

John has used his 20+ years IT and Oracle ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) management experience, chartered management accountancy training, social media certification and seasoned, people development skills to implement and drive business and systems performance on behalf of major organizations globally.

John has consulted on a range of projects and supports assignments for the UK

Government, and international private sector clients including but not limited to: General Electric, Canon, Network Rail, Saudi Telecom, and Touristik Union International (TUI).

Nowadays, his main focus is social media consultancy. As mentioned earlier above, he

is the Chief Executive Officer at Drive Social Media, headquartered in Dubai.

About Drive Social Media

In short, Drive Social Media (DSM) is about assisting clients in developing successful strategies, key training resources and in providing ongoing support to maximize value from social media marketing. DSM provides excellent service and great value for money for their clients. Bottom-line, they have the expertise to understand, match, and exceed clients' needs!

Valuable Resource to Share as a Take Away:

Statistics Show Social Media is Bigger Than You Think

Questions for Why Annie Armen Readers...

1. WHY do you find that folks across industries find it difficult to "identify revenue strategies" from social media?

2. WHY do you find that folks across industries find it strange to "assign the value of revenues" to Social Media?

3. Want to discover what NOT to do in order to generate revenues using Social Media?

4. Do you have ONE revenues results story you can share after implementing Social Media into your marketing plan to attract business?

Be sure to post your comments immediately below!

Fire away,

~Annie Armen

That Does it ... I’ve had Just About Enough of This!

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Today's post is Inspired by the BBC Classic – Two Ronnies, Fork Handles ....

Have you met The "Difficult" Customer?

"Customer satisfaction is worthless. Customer LOYALTY is priceless." ~ Jeffrey Gitomer

Have you had a run in lately with a “difficult” customer? How about, the slightly peculiar one who may communicate his/her requests in a way that you may not immediately comprehend, leading to the rise of inner frustration levels, eventually resulting in words of outrage expressed, such as -- “That does it, I’ve had just about enough of this!”

Looking for "Washers"
Now… let’s say a customer walks into your fine establishment and requests for “washers”. You (the seller) immediately presume the consumer is asking for dish washers, and begin directing said customer to the aisle where the dish washers are at.

Moments later, customer comes back and says, “No ... washers.”

Seller: “Oh, you mean floor washers… that will be in aisle 10, sir.”
Customer: “No, I am looking for washers.”
Seller: “Then you’re looking for windscreen washers. That will be in aisle 5, sir.”
Customer: “No, not windscreen washers … I am looking for washers, please.”
Seller: “Sir, have you checked for our car washers in aisle 3?”
Customer: “Not car washers … looking for washers.”
Seller: “That does it! Mr. Smith, will you come out and serve this customer…I’ve had just about enough of this!”

Questions for Why Annie Armen Readers

1. What do you find to be the central “issue” in this particular scenario?
2. When the seller called out for Mr. Smith to the rescue, was that his best choice of remedial action to take in handling the “difficult” customer?
3. Could the seller have managed the situation differently? If your answer is yes, tell us how so…

Looking forward to reading your answers!
~Annie Armen

Articles and Quotes you may Find of Interest:
1. 20 Quotes on Communication in Business and in Life!
2. 20 Quotes on PERSEVERANCE in Business and in Life!
3. Stealing Business From Your Competition -- Ethical or Unethical?
4. Are You Working With a Resistant Employee?
5. When Did s/he Give the Impression s/he Needed Your Advice?

6. When you Hear the Words, "I am a Life Coach" -- What Thoughts Come to Mind?

7. 14 Quotes on Loyalty in Business and in Life

8. AnnieBiotics®

The Brick ... A Thanksgiving Message

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:00:00 +0000

“Two kinds of GRATITUDE:
The sudden kind we feel for what we take; the larger kind we feel for what we give.” ~Edwin Arlington Robinson

WHY "The Brick" as a Thanksgiving Message?
While tempted to give you the answer now, please read on... The message will become clear as the story unfolds. The content is written by my favorite author ... "Author Unknown".

The Brick ...
A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something.

As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the
Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot
where the brick had been thrown.

The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting,

"What the hell was that all about and who are you? Just what the hell are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?"

The young boy was apologetic. "Please, mister...please, I'm sorry but didn't know what else to do," He pleaded. "I threw the brick *because no one else would stop..."

With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. "It's my brother," he said." He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up."

Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat.

He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out his fancy
handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts.

A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. “Thank you and may God bless you,” the grateful child told the stranger.

Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound brother

down the sidewalk toward their home.

It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver
never bothered to repair the it.

He kept the dent there to remind him of this message:

"Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!"

God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice. ~Author Unknown

_______________________________________

“There are only two ways to live your LIFE. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” ~Albert Einstein

Are you grateful for "The Bricks" in your life? Is there a timeless message you can share with Why Annie Armen Readers as a result of "The Brick" capturing your attention?

With Love and Gratitude Always,
~Annie Armen

Articles and Quotes you may Find of Interest:
1. Are you Tempted to Quit?
2. 20 Quotes on Values in Business and in Life!
3. Are You Working With a Resistant Employee?
4. When Did s/he Give the Impression s/he Needed Your Advice?

5. That Does it... I've Had Just About Enough of This!

6. 20 Quotes on Courage in Business and in Life

7. Did You Say, Can't?
8. AnnieBiotics®

What is YOUR Definition of a Perfect Partnership in Business?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:00:00 +0000

"A PERFECT PARTNERSHIP has no hidden agendas, a single purpose and an insatiable commitment to delivering incremental revenues resulting in a mutual beneficial relationship." ~Don Farrell, Chief Cultivating Officer at Fresh Revenues, Inc., Author of Ethical Theft

Annie Armen Presents

Revenues Fresh and Sexy

Featuring Trusted Guest Business PRO, Client, My Buddy: Don Farrell

Time: 3pm PT | 4pm MT | 5pm CT | 6pm ET

Where: Annie Armen Show | World Talk Radio Channel

PLAY IT FORWARD!

Direct Link to Audio Archive:
Revenues Fresh and Sexy -- Annie Armen Interviews Don Farrell

Drum Roll Please... Select Highlights About Don Farrell ...

Don Farrell started his hospitality career as a pot scrubber and worked through 30 different jobs on his way up to becoming the Founder and Chairman of the best and largest sales and service training company in the world -- Signature, Inc. Don now writes, speaks, conducts workshops and consults with very "select" clients showing them how to produce FRESH Revenues when others can't. See Article titled, Stealing Business From Your Competition, Ethical or Unethical?

Questions for Why Annie Armen Readers...

1. What is YOUR Definition of a "Perfect Partnership" in Business?

2. Is there even such a thing as "Perfect Partnership" in business?
3. When do you know you found that "Perfect Partnership" you've always envisioned for your business?

Do Tell,

~Annie Armen

Articles and Quotes you may Find of Interest:
1. 20 Quotes on Communication in Business and in Life!
2. Stealing Business From Your Competition -- Ethical or Unethical?
3. Are You Working With a Resistant Employee?
4. When Did s/he Give the Impression s/he Needed Your Advice?

5. That Does it... I've Had Just About Enough of This!

6. 14 Quotes on Loyalty in Business and in Life

7. AnnieBiotics®

Annie Armen Presents: Tony MacAlpine -- Celebrity Artist ON FIRE (Beat 4)

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 11:35:00 +0000

“As with any true artist, change is the only constant.” ~Tony MacAlpine

Annie Armen Presents
Artists ON FIRE -- Beat 4

Featuring Celebrity Rock Artist: Tony MacAlpine

PLAY IT FORWARD!

Direct Link to Audio Archive:
Annie Armen Interviews TONY MACALPINE!

About Tony MacAlpine

He’s been a producer, band member and solo artist. Guitarist Tony MacAlpine, in his 25-year career, has redefined hard rock jazz-fusion for a generation of progressive-minded music fanatics. Whether it’s with the groundbreaking prog-rock band Planet X (with Derek Sherinian of Dream Theater), the jazz-fusion super-group CAB or the band of another guitar hero Steve Vai, MacAlpine has set the bar exceedingly high. http://www.TonyMacAlpine.com

On June 21, this most anticipated all-instrumental masterpiece Tony MacAlpine (Favored Nations Entertainment) was released, his 13 solo album (and 26th album over-all). The album contains 12 tracks of complex, intricate heavy music that demands concentration. It is a true solo album in every sense of the word. Drummers Virgil Donati and Marco Minnemann, as well as bassist Philip Bynoe are utilized on various tracks. MacAlpine plays everything else: seven-string guitar, eight-string guitar, keyboards, bass and programming.

Written and recorded at “The Cottage” studio in Pasadena, California, MacAlpine has blended jazz-fusion, metal, prog and rock’n’roll into a tightlywound trip of mammoth proportions. "My music is instrumental guitar-oriented heavy rock with a fusion flair," he explains. "Having started with classical piano since the age of five, I've been exposed to many genres and styles from contemporary to the Romantic and Classical periods. This early development helped me define my writing and improvisation which is evident in my sound today. My guitar playing encompasses many different styles, with an emphasis on composition and theater." More at http://www.TonyMacAlpine.com

During this Interview, you will hear the following 5 songs from Tony:
1. Etude #4, Opus #10 (Chopin piece, from Tony's Maximum Security Album)
2. Fire Mountain (From Tony's New, Self-titled album just released -- Tony MacAlpine)
3. Chromaticity (from Tony's album -- Chromaticity)
4. The King's Cup (from Tony's album -- Maximum Security)
5. Angel of Twilight (From Tony's New, Self-titled album just released -- Tony MacAlpine)

Buckle up, and enjoy a shredder of a MacAlpine ride on The Annie Armen Show, coming up NEXT!

Annie Armen Show Presents: Heart 2 Heart with Artists ON FIRE!

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:55:00 +0000

"There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other." ~Douglas Everett

Annie Armen Presents
Heart 2 Heart with Artists ON FIRE

Featured Guest Artists:
Sam Amazyan (Washington)
John "JP" Iris (France)
Don Coleman (Canada)
Puguh Kribo (Indonesia)

When: Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Time: 3pm Pacfic | 6pm Eastern
Where: Annie Armen Show | World Talk Radio Channel

Note: Prior to calling in, to ensure quality sound, please turn off your cell phones, lower the volume all the way down on your computers, and be sure you are in an area that is quiet to avoid any outside noise interferences. Also, it is preferable that you call in using a land line as opposed to using your cell phone or a cordless phone. Thank you!

Did You Miss Artists ON FIRE, Beats 1 - 3?

Annie Armen Show Presents --

Artists ON FIRE (Series) -- Beat 3

Featured Guest Artists:
Don Coleman and Puguh Kribo

Direct Audio Link: Artists ON FIRE (Series) --Beat 3

Annie Armen Show Presents --
Artists ON FIRE (Series) -- Beat 2

Featured Guest Artists:
John ("JP") Iris & Andy Mackie

Direct Audio Link: Artists ON FIRE (Series) --Beat 2

Annie Armen Show Presents --
Artists ON FIRE (Series) -- Beat 1

Featured Guest Artists:
Sam Amazyan & James Dore'

Direct Audio Link: Artists ON FIRE (Series) --Beat 1

Please post your comments below, we would love to hear from you.
~Annie Armen

What IS the Right Price and WHY?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Remember the old classic game show, “The Price is Right, hosted by Bob Barker?”

Here’s a scenario for you…Let me know your thoughts in the “comments” section below, at the end of this article. It will be interesting to see what "prices" you come up with after you've had a chance to read through this piece.

Imagine….
Place yourself in the shoes of an author who not only writes articles, but also writes business books. Now, you’ve composed and self-published several hardbacks, but there is this one comprehensive manuscript you just completed, that you find so practical, so tactical that you genuinely believe and know, there is no other published work out there which contains “usable information now” you’re about to unleash into the business world. Your written masterpiece will save so many business professionals, years of heart aches and pitfalls you experienced. So far so good…right?

Houston, we Have a Problem … I’m Stuck!!!
Here you are about to blast off with your comprehensive book to the public, but you’re stuck on “pricing” because unlike your other collections, this particular masterpiece contains over 600 pages of both relatable and actionable tips spelled out in simplicity and clarity, which will serve as a daily road map for small business owners and entrepreneurs throughout. So you hire a professional business consultant for guidance. The consultant says, “Start off by selling your book as an e-version at $XX.99”…

You immediately ask yourself, “What is my goal … to sell books or to get the book out there to as many people as possible with the intention of getting hired to speak and educate the masses?” Once you targeted your goal, you replied with the price of $X.99 as a reasonable and fair value because you know this will be a book folks will use daily for their immediate business needs.

Now That You Have the Scenario… I ask you…
What do YOU believe IS the right price for a comprehensive “E-Book” of Business of over 600 pages, and WHY?

Better yet, what price would you be willing to pay for an E-version of a comprehensive business book and WHY?

Fire away,
~Annie Armen

Are You Tempted to Quit?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 10:05:00 +0000

"Dive into your soul
Search and you will find
The answers to all your doubts
The priceless gift of who you are!
Don’t give up, believe in yourself,
You are blessed, to exist,
So put your talents to the test!

You are meant to be, can’t you see,
You have a legacy, Unstoppable be!"
~ Annie Armen

Dear WHY Annie Armen Readers:

Perhaps this message may be one of Divine intervention for some of you who are intrinsically fighting off the temptation to quit, whether in your personal lives or in your professional lives. Perhaps you may be at the very edge of that choice, and you are "hoping" for a sign, a message from someone, from somewhere, anything that can keep your inner candle of "hope" lit for just a little longer until your dream morphs into tangible reality, right before your very eyes.

In the past month alone, I have received many emails requesting for prayers! Know I am carrying each of you who have asked in daily prayers, and believe with all my heart that answers for you are around the corner! Until such time, dear friends -- NEVER GIVE UP -- no matter what! If you know of someone who needs to be nourished in mind and heart with this message, please pay it forward, thank you.

Message on Time
Over 10 years ago, on my very first LIVE television show produced in Los Angeles, I read the message of "Don't Quit" by Annon. My prayer is that when you read this message today, you will be renewed in Faith, your spirit will be uplifted, your heart will be filled with HOPE, and in mind, you will choose NOT TO QUIT!!! The fact that you are receiving this message IS your answer, confirming your inner instinct to stay on course and go all the way!

That said, let's jump start the month of July, on this first day, with unwavering hope, with unshakeable faith, and with unstoppable action!

DON’T QUIT!
By Annon

"When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh.

When care is pressing you down a bit.
Rest if you must, But don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learn,
And many a person turns about,
When they might have won, had they stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow.
You may succeed with another blow.

Often strugglers have given up
When you might have captured the victor's cup,
And you learned too late when the night came down,
How close you were to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the cloud of doubt.

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
It's when things seem worst that you
Mustn't Quit!"

Now... are you tempted to quit?

Please post your comments below...
~Annie Armen

List of Articles and Quotes you may Find of Interest:
1. Did You Say, Can't?
2. 20 Quotes on Courage in Business and in Life!
3. 20 Quotes on PERSEVERANCE in Business and in Life!
4. The Brick ... A Thanksgiving Message
5. Are You Working With a Resistant Employee?
6. When Did s/he Give the Impression s/he Needed Your Advice?

7. That Does it... I've Had Just About Enough of This!

8. Communicate Anyway

9. AnnieBiotics®

Annie Armen Show Presents: Artists ON FIRE (Series) -- Beat 3

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 11:10:00 +0000

"MUSIC is an outburst of the soul." ~Frederick Delius

Annie Armen Presents
Artists ON FIRE (Series) -- Beat 3

Featured Guest Artists: Puguh Kribo (Indonesia) and Don Coleman (Canada)
When: Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Time: 3pm Pacfic | 6pm Eastern
Where:  Annie Armen Show | World Talk Radio Channel

Direct Link to Audio Archive:  Artists ON FIRE (Series) -- Beat 3

Who is Hurricane Artist Victim #5: Puguh Kribo?
Puguh Kribo, originally born in Surabaya, is from Jakarta, Indonesia. He holds dual bachelor degrees -- One in civil engineering (ST) and the other in law (SH). Influenced by the spiritual tunes of church music growing up, he began pursuing his passion for music since the age of 9 years old, by learning to play the guitar. Today, he is an accomplished, award winning guitarist in Indonesia, endorsed by Stranough Guitar. By day, Puguh is a guitar instructor at music school, and by vision, he is expanding on his dream and passion for music, not only as a respected musician, but also as an accomplished writer, arranger, and music director in Jakarta, Indonesia. In the recent, Puguh launched his new book, titled “Extreme Speed Picking”, and together with his band, Puguh Kribo and The Tritorium, he launched his new album called, "The Black Kraken" -- the first of many promising milestones ahead!    http://www.xhredder.com/

Who is Hurricane Artist Victim #6: Don Coleman?

Don Coleman is a Canadian vocalist, songwriter, performer and AC/DC tribute vocalist whose original songs have received air play on broadcast radio in 126 countries. His songs have been acknowledged in writing by President Bill Clinton and HRH Prince William. Coleman's humanitarian efforts have raised thousands of dollars for many charities including the Canadian Cancer Society, The Friends of The Moncton Hospital Foundation and The Hospital for Sick Children. His song written for the charitable non-profit organization Moncton Headstart has been utilized by Headstart offices in California and Texas for the betterment of children and as an inspiration to members of the organization. He is a songwriter who has captured fans from around the world from all walks of life and musical tastes with his music that touches on many genres including; blues, adult contemporary, hard rock, bluegrass and country. http://www.humblevoice.com/doncoleman

What's NEXT on the Annie Armen Show?: Heart 2 Heart with Artists ON FIRE

Did You Miss Artists ON FIRE, Beats 1 and 2?

Annie Armen Show Presents --
Artists ON FIRE (Series) -- Beat 1

Featured Guest Artists:
Sam Amazyan & James Dore'

Direct Audio Link: Artists ON FIRE (Series) --Beat 1

Annie Armen Show Presents --
Artists ON FIRE (Series) -- Beat 2

Featured Guest Artists:
John ("JP") Iris & Andy Mackie

Direct Audio Link: Artists ON FIRE (Series) --Beat 2

Question for WHY Annie Armen Readers?
What key disciplines do you find in common between the fields of music and business?

Please post your comments below, we would love to hear from you.
~Annie Armen

Annie Armen Show Presents: Artists ON FIRE (Series) -- Beat 2

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Armen) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 09:30:00 +0000

"MUSIC expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent." ~Victor Hugo

Annie Armen Presents
Artists ON FIRE (Series) -- Beat 2

Featured Guest Artists: John Iris and Andy Mackie

Where: Annie Armen Show | World Talk Radio Channel

Direct Link to Audio Archive: Artists ON FIRE (Series) -- Beat 2

Who is Hurricane Artist Victim #3: John Iris?

John "JP" Iris is from Albi, France, and he formed the band, Iris Corporation, together with Thibaut Gluchowski, and Will de La Perez. An aura between Brit Rock and Oriental - Poetic and committed lyrics - this is the union of three musicians, each from a different background, standing in harmony on ecology, humanism and spirituality, rejecting communitarianism. A consciousness-raising the band wants to share at every level of social, economical and spiritual pyramids to allow infinite hope. A final work that results in a style drawing from many cultural sources that reflects mankind of tomorrow. “World Rock” uniting oriental sensuality and Rock power, ever respecting the balance and the cultural sharing essential for our earthly future. EP: "First Saint Session" (2008) Album: "A New Saint Session" (2009) http://www.iriscorporation.biz

Who is Hurricane Artist Victim #4: Andy Mackie?

On May 01, 2009, Steve Hartman from CBS Evening News referred to Andy Mackie as the Modern Pied Piper who cheated death. He further reported that, every time 70-year-old Andy Mackie draws a breath, it's music to his ears - whether there's a harmonica there or not. As CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman reports, Mackie's just glad to be alive.

Mackie jokes, "I guess they don't need a harmonica player in heaven yet."

Today, 72 years of age (will be 73 in September) – THANK YOU GOD -- Mackie, a Scottish-born retired cattle farmer, lives in a camper in northwest Washington state -- he lives there, even though technically -- medically -- he should have died long ago. After his 9th heart surgery, Mackie's doctors had him on several different medicines. But the side effects made life miserable for him. So one day he quit taking meds and decided to spend his final days doing something he always wanted to do.

He used the money he would have spent on the prescriptions to give away 300 harmonicas, with lessons included. "I really thought it was the last thing I could ever do," he says. And when he didn't die the next month, he bought a few hundred more. Harmonicas in hand, he explains, "I just started going from school to school." It's now 11 years and 20,000 harmonicas later. http://www.andymackiemusic.org/

About Andy Mackie Music Foundation

The Andy Mackie Music Foundation provides instruments, lessons & scholarships to children who want to learn to play music. The Foundation operates on donations from the public, non-governmental organizations and businesses.

Through more than 14 years of dedication, the Andy Mackie Music Foundation (est. 1996) has enriched the lives of children, families & communities through music.

The Foundation provides instruments & lessons to children to foster confidence and a sense of self. The Foundation also encourages children to perform in fundraising concerts which, together with grants & donations, provide the money for instruments, materials, lessons & scholarships to graduating seniors.

Andy has taught more than 20,000 children to play harmonica, mostly in public schools. His efforts were recognized in 2005 at the Northwest Folk life Festival where he set the Guinness World Record for the largest harmonica band ever to perform in one place.

His foundation has also helped more than a thousand children to play stringed instruments and has awarded 105 $500 scholarships to graduating high school seniors to be used toward continuing education. Currently, 5 high school shops in Clallam, Jefferson & Kitsap counties are building instruments for classes of younger students.

Music is Andy’s gift to the world. You can help the Andy Mackie Music Foundation continue to touch countless young lives with the joyous gift of music, along with the lasting confidence and harmony it bestows in children’s lives.

Did You Miss Artists on FIRE, Beat 1?

Annie Armen Show Presents --
Artists ON FIRE (Series) -- Beat 1

Featured Guest Artists:
Sam Amazyan & James Dore'

Direct Audio Link: Artists ON FIRE (Series) --Beat 1

UP NEXT: Annie Armen Show Presents --
Artists ON FIRE (Series) -- Beat 3

Featured Guest Artists:
Puguh Kribo and Don Coleman

Click HERE for Program Details!

Please post your comments below, we would love to hear from you.
~Annie Armen

Why Annie Armen

How to Make Genuine Connections on LinkedIn

20 Quotes on GO FOR IT in Business and in Life!

5 Days of Business

Did you say Can't?

Are you a Walking Miracle Amongst us?

20 Quotes on PERSEVERANCE in Business and in Life!

To PRO-act or to RE-act – is that the Question or Your Choice?

Do you Know What you Will do With a Square Inch?

Stealing Business From Your Competition -- Ethical or Unethical?

Are you Working With a Resistant Employee?

20 Quotes on COMMUNICATION in Business and in Life!

Has Media put a Spell on you? -- Tribute to Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson

Communicate Anyway!

2012 New Year Message ... Inspired by Og Mandino

12 Quotes for Christmas

5. “There are only two ways to live your LIFE. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” ~Albert Einstein

Annie Armen Show Presents: Generate Revenues Using Social Media --Part 3 of Series

That Does it ... I’ve had Just About Enough of This!

The Brick ... A Thanksgiving Message

“Two kinds of GRATITUDE: The sudden kind we feel for what we take; the larger kind we feel for what we give.” ~Edwin Arlington Robinson

WHY "The Brick" as a Thanksgiving Message? While tempted to give you the answer now, please read on... The message will become clear as the story unfolds. The content is written by my favorite author ... "Author Unknown".

The Brick ... A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something.

“There are only two ways to live your LIFE. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” ~Albert Einstein

What is YOUR Definition of a Perfect Partnership in Business?

Annie Armen Presents: Tony MacAlpine -- Celebrity Artist ON FIRE (Beat 4)

Annie Armen Show Presents: Heart 2 Heart with Artists ON FIRE!

What IS the Right Price and WHY?

Are You Tempted to Quit?

Annie Armen Show Presents: Artists ON FIRE (Series) -- Beat 3

Annie Armen Show Presents: Artists ON FIRE (Series) -- Beat 2

“Two kinds of GRATITUDE:
The sudden kind we feel for what we take; the larger kind we feel for what we give.” ~Edwin Arlington Robinson

WHY "The Brick" as a Thanksgiving Message?
While tempted to give you the answer now, please read on... The message will become clear as the story unfolds. The content is written by my favorite author ... "Author Unknown".

The Brick ...
A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something.