cynthianovotny

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Don’t Panic When a Team Member Quits! We have all been there – out of the blue an employee who you value decides to leave. 

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You Never Know Who is Calling You!

Last Friday I was on the plane sitting next to a woman who was trying to call someone before we took off.  I was watching her as she started laughing and began texting.  I had no idea what she was laughing at until she leaned over in front of me and got the attention of a woman who was sitting across the aisle from us enjoying her McDonald’s burger, fries and shake!  She yelled the persons name…

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Be a Game Changer by Slowing Down!

Wow – are you really reading this from me?  Yes you are.  I am not about slowing down in business or in your response time, but I do believe we need to enjoy life more by being selective in our choices.  Last week at Engage15 in Mexico we had the wonderful experience of hearing from Dan Harris, the coanchor of Nightline and the weekend edition of Good Morning America speak.  He shared his…

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Be A Game Changer #Food&Beverage #BeDifferent

Be a Game Changer #Food & Beverage!

We have spent the last several years working on making a difference in Food & Beverage as it relates to our restaurant Hanna’s and for our clients in the hotels.  Everything is changing from bartenders to mixologists, from the black and white gala to the ‘grazing stations.’  Are you on the cutting edge?  Are you making sure that your events sales team know how…

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How To Survive Working for a Jerk!

I have worked for them all – the good boss, the ‘ass,’ the egotistical maniac, and the moody leader who you had to walk on egg shells around.  I believe that you must stay true to your values, but not lose sight of keeping your job – at least until you get a new one!

Here are a few tips to help you navigate the world of ‘bosses.’

Know your place and respect your boss for having the job

Give…

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I Can Make a Difference - Can You?

I can make a difference – can you?  I am sitting in Dubai reflecting on the difference here today versus 25 years ago when I made my first business trip to Dubai.  I was so nervous, didn’t know what to expect and on the other hand was just so excited to be traveling the world.  At that time, Jessica my daughter was only 2 years old and all the voices around me kept saying “you just can’t travel…

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Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day!  I am hoping that in addition to your backyard picnics and barbeques you take time to remember the soldiers that have fought to keep us safe and free.  Too many people today ignore the significance of our flag and what it stands for.

On Saturday, I was filming a live Periscope video about a small town in Northern Michigan that had over 100 flags flying down Main Street.  A…

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Traditional Selling Gets a Makeover!

Traditional relationship selling is still in vogue in a big way without the aggressive ‘pitch.’ No longer is just ‘feature dumping’ or ‘telling’ going to work!

What does work is storytelling, relating, presenting solutions to industry issues and building strong relationships with more than one contact within an account

Take a look at your LinkedIn profile and your social platforms – what does it…

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Are you a Boss or a Leader?

Why is a cow is called “Bossy”?

‘Bossy is a general name for a cow, just as Dobbin refers to a horse and Tabby to a cat. The Latin word for ox or cow is “bos”, and it is probable that the first person to call a cow Bossy was equipped with both a knowledge of Latin and a sense of humor. Some authorities, however, suppose the term to be related in origin to the dialectic English word boss calf, a…

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Complications = Luxury = Cost More Money!

As many of you who read my blog know, I was in Geneva, Switzerland last week – the home of luxury watches.  I have been here many times but this time I received some real education in the making of watches.

In horology, the study of clocks and watches, a complication refers to any feature in a timepiece beyond the simple display of hours and minutes. A timepiece indicating only hours and minutes…

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Make it Happen.

“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”

Have you ever heard this quote from Leonardo da Vinci?   WOW – way to put it all into perspective in one sentence.

Do you want to be successful? A person of accomplishment? I guarantee the majority of people would say yes. But, when you think…

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Cindy’s 10 Top Travel Tips I am asked every day how I could possibly travel so much and also how I pack for so many trips?   

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Lifetime Relationships :: On and Off Line!

Lifetime Relationships!

Luxury brands do a wonderful job enlightening their loyal customers to new trends, new ways of purchasing and future plans for brand development.  Although this has worked well in the past, today developing a deep, loyal relationship takes more than focusing on your NPS scores.  Have you noticed that most brands have gone away from the typical feedback synopsis to the Net…

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Think Differently!

Think Differently!

I recently came across an article about a young girl named Nina Mufleh who moved to San Francisco from the Middle East last year.  She made the move in order to pursue her dream job with a new company called Airbnb (an online community marketplace that connects people looking to rent their homes with people who are looking for accommodations).  After replying to job listings…

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Bold Presence – Sharp Experience! A while ago I added this tagline to my signature on my emails.  Most people didn't even notice it but Linda Newman on our team is always very 'present' in her life and she noticed. 

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What I love about Hong Kong!

Traveling the world gives me the opportunity to shop, dine and visit attractions in every city I visit.  Of course most of my ‘spare’ time is in the evenings or weekends since I work during the day – YES I WORK!  So here are my ideas about Hong Kong for those of you thinking of visiting this fine city in the future.  I will tell you that after many years of working in Hong Kong, this trip made me…

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On Demand Economy!

Live from Hong Kong on this fine Monday morning made me realize just how fast things are moving.  I used my Uber App for a ‘black car’ who got to me within 15 minutes of ordering it, and then on TV I just saw how many people are ‘on demand.’  The personal fitness coach, the hairstylist for the ‘blowout’, the administrative assistant, all available on demand.  No one will wait in lines anymore, no…