Starbucker’s Meme

Filed Under Community, Successful Blog, ZZZ-FUN | 10 Comments

What Can I Do? He Danced!

When I’m a speaker at an event and the emcee asks me to do something for him, I naturally give him my attention. When he’s the Terry Starbucker co-founder of SOBCon, one of two guys who handled so many things through the event planning and details, I make sure that my attention is unwavering.

Ah but, when you know that Terry is the famous half-fuller, the guy who danced and sang at the conference, ah then, ah then, that’s an even bigger story. Then, dear readers, attention is too small a word. When the half-fuller guy comes calling to say “Liz, how full is your glass?” I have no other option, but to tell him and to answer to the best of my abilities.

These are the questions Terry Starbucker asked me.

What’s in Your Glass (The Starbucker Meme)?

How full is your glass?

My glass is completely full. There’s no question about that.

What kind of glass is it?

It’s a hand-painted French champagne flute, lovely and light to the hand.

What’s in the glass?

A nice, sparkly French champagne I enjoy on occasion.

Reasons for #1, #2, and #3

All of the above go together so I’ll do my reasons this way. Champagine is light and effervescent, celebratory. It’s a drink of positivity. It’s about hope, new beginnings and I’ve got a new beginning I’ll be announcing soon. When I reached a certain age, my father once said to me, “You can drink all that you like, but don’t get drunk.” He followed that with a smile and said, “Do you know what that means? That means you can’t drink all that you like.” Then he smiled again.

I smiled so sweetly right back at him, and gave this reply, “Aw, Daddy, I thought for sure you meant just drink something incredibily expensive so that I don’t have the money to get drunk.”

Some other who might like a chance to take a creative drink. David, Wendy, Nick, and Billy. Don’t forget to link back to that half-fuller man.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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Dear Jim, Stephanie, and the Entire Sofitel OHare Chicago,

Filed Under Successful Blog | 10 Comments

Dear Jim,Stephanie and the entire staff at the Sofitel OHare Chicago,
We’re just five regular people who wanted to have a small convention at your luxury hotel. It was for a bunch of spectacular individuals who do amazing things as part of their daily workload.

You know the type. I know. I’ve watched you in action, and as one of my friends and colleagues from Montreal would say, “Wow!”

It was minutes within the arrival of the first guest that I heard the compliments to the hotel’s service. I’m still hearing them days since I’ve left. Every small problem was made even smaller. Every person was a delight to work with. What a pleasure you made our visit for the people who came to have what many are calling “the experience of their life.”

The food, the service, the attention, the facillities were elegant and of the highest quality in every respect. It was nice to have a truly quiet room to return to.

Thank you, sincerely.

Liz Strauss

cc: Lisa, Chris, Terry, Mike

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Mini-Session 10: 5 Things I Look for in a Blog

Filed Under Guest Writer, Successful Blog | 26 Comments

Guest Speaker: Terry Starbucker

5 Things I Look For In a Blog â€“

Fine Style â€“ The look and the “feel” of a site on first glance sets the tone for the reading to come; if the presentation is messy, than the writing probably is too.
Good Headline Writing â€“ I like to be “grabbed” by pithy and oftentimes whimsical headlines that pull me into the post
Positivity â€“ Now I couldn’t call myself a “Half-Fuller” if I didn’t prefer a positive take on your subject matter, would I?
Subject Matter Passion â€“ Care about what you are writing about, put that on the page, and I’ll gobble it up
Simplicity and Elegance of Prose â€“ I can’t help it, I paid attention in English class â€“ I love the proper and concise use of the language (including punctuation and spelling.

Thank you, Terry!
__________________
Visit Terry’s blog, Ramblings from a Glass Half Full, to get and keep a positive view on people, life, business, and what things are about. –ME “Liz” Strauss
______________________

Let’s open the Q&A . . .

I’ll go first. Terry, what is the one thing that will get you to keep coming back to a blog??

During the Virtual Conference today, you can take $100 off registration to SOBCon 07.

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Terry Starbucker Is a B.A.D. Blogger!

Filed Under B.A.D. Blogger, Community, SOB Business, Successful Blog, ZZZ-FUN | 16 Comments

Blogger A Day Call: Hello is Terry there?

What threw me was that I had to ask Terry, if I might call him later than we planned. He said it was no problem — I was getting to talk to the glass half full guy, and I was making him wait. What was wrong with me? That was my thought at the time.

When I finally got connected to him, I jumped into a story about how I was only called predictable once in my life.

Starbucker’s such a gentleman. He acted as if every phone starts with a story about the FBI and guys in tuxedoes. When I was done, I asked him if the phone call was what he expected, and he implied that he knew not to come with expectations.

Starbucker knows people, especially this one. I suspect everyone says that.

Terry’s not Mr. Predictable himself. He’s Mr. Positively Alive and Aware of Everyone. He still remembers that we first met over a post that compared writing to driving through the mountains. He danced with all of the girls at Open Comment Night more than once. He has a fan club that knows the soundtrack to his life — it’s a life that’s lived with gusto and a glass that’s half-full.

Once I caught my breath again, the actual conversation got rolling. I asked Terry what his real job is. He told me that he is a Sr. VP of Operations. I said I never met one that traveled as much as he does. He said it was the only way to know the people who work with and for his company. Terry said that being there Is the only way to be fully part of the process. He said that way he can champion what works and stop ideas that surely won’t. We discussed the value of the intuitive detail that a person gets from experience. We both agree it can’t be replaced by a description on the telephone or the data on a spreadsheet.

Terry and I talked about consultants. We discussed how some are so good at what they do. He said they connected like-minded positives with like-minded people. We talked about how some are, well, not good. That led us to the subject of people who don’t know what business they are in — who their real customers are.

We ventured into a discussion of how VCs look at what they do, the dot.com bubble bust and how it hurt good companies who weren’t a part of it — his and mine — because the banks were so busy covering bad debts, they didn’t have time for us.

Then somehow we were back to talking about people and how important they are.

Starbucker knows people are at the center of everything. That’s why he has a fan club.

B.A.D. Blogger Quote

If what’s on that computer screen is real, it does carry over and you know it, . . . forging relationships, great ones, meaningful ones, . . . astounding.–Starbucker

Stop by Terry Starbucker’s Blog, Ramblings from a Glass Half Full, and say hi!

Thanks, Terry, you B.A.D. Blogger!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Want to be a B.A.D. Blogger see the. . . a B.A.D. Blogger? page in the sidebar.

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SOB Business Cafe 11-24-06

Filed Under Basics, Customer Think, Great Finds, Motivation/Inspiration, Successful Blog, Tools | 8 Comments

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking–articles on the business of blogging written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the title shots to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

Customers Always Are chooses the best communicator to make a point about interacting with customers.

Debbie Millman describes every kind of creative client I’ve ever been, and I’ve probably been all them in the last two weeks.

Genuine Curiosity has a fix for tiny email fonts on mobile devices.

From Jakarta, zlythern explains what to do to be My Bloglogging in a matter of minutes.

Manage To Change passes on sage advice about how to change the world.

Service Untitled is serving executives who want to focus on customers.

Related ala carte selections include

Ramblings from a Glass Half Full offers a Joyful Jubilant Learning about the power of belief in humanity.

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like.
No tips required. Comments appreciated.

Have a great weekend!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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Starbucker’s Meme

What Can I Do? He Danced!

Dear Jim, Stephanie, and the Entire Sofitel OHare Chicago,

Mini-Session 10: 5 Things I Look for in a Blog