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Q&A with Debra Ruh, Author of Inclusion Branding

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I have a special treat this week! I’m happy to share an interview I conducted with Debra Ruh, whose new book, Inclusion Branding, will be released this week. Her latest book is about how brands can learn to engage with the Community of Persons with Disabilities and other minorities to create solid ROI and Positive Social Impact.

The book shows what it means and why it matters to develop inclusive marketing and branding, as well as how to humanize brands and manage community expectations. The book also touches on how to manage the risks associated and how to understand the communities.  I was able to read an advance copy of the book, and I found it a huge eye-opener. 

Enjoy our Q&A below.

Q: You dedicated the book to your mother. How did your mother inspire this mission and work?

Debra: Great question Rosemary. My mother passed away suddenly the last day of 2017. My mother was a strong influence in my life. She was a hard worker, she had a great work ethic and was dedicated to her family. However, my mother also struggled with a mental illness most of her life. She was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder later in life and probably also suffered from Bipolar. My mother moved to Virginia from her beloved Florida after my father passed away and she never got over my father’s passing. My mother taught me a lot about resilience and taking care of yourself. She also struggled with negativity and often saw the glass as half full.

When my daughter Sara, named after my mother was diagnosed with Down syndrome, my mother was scared and could often only see the scary aspect of a life with Down syndrome. She also taught me sometimes by being a challenging role model to decide how I was going to live my life and contribute to society. She also had diabetes and that negatively impacted her mental health. Diabetes is an ugly disease in my family and has taken other members like my grandfather. My grandfather lost both of his legs due to diabetes. Early on in life, I was determined to see life from a different perspective. My mother and I were linked in a way that is hard to explain. Of course, she was my mother but she challenged me to make a difference. I am still walking the grief process after losing my mother but I know she is in a better place. I also believe my mother is still a big part of my life and the lessons she taught me, will continue to be with me for the rest of my life.

Q: What is the biggest misconception about disability inclusion efforts within the corporate world?

Debra: That persons with disabilities are not qualified to do the jobs available in the workforce. Also, that the disability is a liability instead of a strength. I interviewed a successful entrepreneur, John Little, Successful Resume (www.successfulresume.com.au) from Australia on my Show (Human Potential at Work) the other day. John said “I succeeded with these businesses because of my disability not despite my disability”. Corporate brands are starting to understand the value that persons with disabilities bring to the workforce.

My last book was called, Tapping into Hidden Human Capital: How Leading Global Companies Improve their Bottom Line by Employing Persons with Disabilities.  That book explores this topic from the eyes of over 30 multi-national corporations. These corporate brands understand that hiring and retaining persons with disabilities is good for your bottom-line. We are your employees, your customers, your investors, your vendors, and partners. According to World Health Organization (WHO) 1 in 7 people in the world has a disability. According to National Organization of Disability (NOD) in the United States, 1 in 5 people identify as having a disability and that is 1 in 3 families in the US.

So many corporations still have a misconception that it is difficult to include persons with disabilities. I am hoping my book ‘Inclusion Branding’ will continue to break down some of these barriers and misconceptions. It is time for corporate brands to understand that persons with disabilities as a population, is a powerful and loyal market segment, with powerful buying attributes, and strong work ethic. Persons with disabilities also cover all other diversity segments including, age, gender, ethnicities, geographic areas, genders, and religious preferences. Many persons with disabilities are innovative problem solvers because the world is often not accessible. These talents add great value to the workforce.

Q: Do you think proponents of disability inclusion can tap into the desire of Millennials to deal with “socially responsible” brands?

Debra: Yes, this is an excellent point. Millennials expect corporate brands to be socially responsible according to many studies, including a few cited in my book ‘Inclusion Branding’. Other generations also expect brands to be socially responsible. Brands want consumers to do business with them because they believe in their products and services. Consumers want to trust the brands to which they show loyalty and believe that these brands are making a difference in their communities. Often the communities that brands are trying to attract do not know which brands to trust.

There are also growing expectations that brands have diverse workforces that include persons with disabilities. The workforce is changing, and so are employee values, thus, keeping employees satisfied has never been more important. Workers expect their employers to align business goals with positive social impact as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), which should align with an impact agenda dedicated to the mission of the brand. The Nielsen June 2014 report “Doing Well by Doing Good”1 showed that 67% of millennials want to work for a socially responsible brand.

Q: How can a solo entrepreneur take steps to support disability inclusion (since they may not be doing a lot of hiring)?

Debra: Solo entrepreneurs can support the community of persons with disabilities by selecting us as vendors and partners. The USBLN has created a certification for businesses owned by persons with disabilities called The Disability Supplier Diversity Program (DSDP). DSDP is the leading third-party certifier of disability-owned business enterprises (DOBEs).

You can also welcome us as customers by assuring your business, your services and products are fully accessible. The good news about accessibility is that those efforts make your location, products and services accessible to everyone. Remember, as we age, over the age of 65, 46% of us will acquire disabilities. With 72 million baby boomers in the US alone, controlling 60% of the wealth –this is a market that no business including solo entrepreneurs should ignore.

Q: What are some ways a business can shift from seeing disability inclusion as a legal requirement, or charity, to seeing it as an ROI generator?

Debra: Understand that persons with disabilities are people first and that we are everywhere. We are your parents, your children, your friends, neighbors and maybe you are a person with disabilities (PwD). Take the time to understand why including PwD in your workforce, making your locations, products and services accessible and telling us that story, via advertisement, chatting about it via social media or on your website, will help drive in business and qualified applicants. Too often this community is viewed from a charitable or corporate social responsibility (CSR) standpoint as noted in the introduction of ‘Inclusion Branding’ by my chairman, Richard Schatzberg.

Corporate brands should work hard to create positive brand recognition. Brands who include persons with disabilities among their employees create an excellent way to enhance brand image. Persons with disabilities should be viewed as a viable pool of potential employees as well as an emerging market that, together with their friends, families, and caregivers, have trillions of dollars in disposable income. Stories of successful disability inclusion within a company should be included in marketing efforts, shareholder reports, and corporate social responsibility reports.

Thank you so much, Debra, for this insightful discussion!

About Debra Ruh: 

Debra Ruh is a recognized market influencer and advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities, a leader, a published author, a successful entrepreneur and a fantastic mother.  She has created a path to empowerment and success for those with disabilities. Debra is the co-founder of #AXSchat, the second largest Tweet Chat in the world and her podcast Human Potential at Work with weekly listeners in more than 84 countries. http://www.ruhglobal.com/our-story/

Debra is a global leader and has worked with countries, UN agencies, national and multi-national firms all over the world helping then create programs, strategies, and processes that fully include persons with disabilities. She is a contributor to the Huffington Post, and her catalyst for starting RGC was her daughter Sara born with Down syndrome. Her work has been featured on many news outlets, and she has been granted many awards. http://www.ruhglobal.com/media/

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for Social Strata — makers of the Hoop.la community platform. Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee
Featured image:Photo by Kirstyn Paynter on Unsplash

Stop waiting for the author fairy to arrive

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I have sad news for those of you who are waiting for the “author fairy” to visit.

She doesn’t exist.

No-one will “dub” you a writer. You become a writer by writing.

Saying “I want to be a writer” the same way your 8 year old child says “I want to be a fireman” won’t work.

But I’m not here to burst your bubble and run away.

I’m here with ideas.

How to Become an Author without Help From the Author Fairy

Find Your Topic – What’s already in your heart? What subject do you have deep expertise in? If you were going to do a keynote, what would you talk about? What topic makes you so interested you could talk about nothing else for the next year or so? (Because that’s what you’ll be doing.)

Build a Platform – The next step is to lay the groundwork for your future readers. Create a central hub for others who are interested in your topic to gather. It could be a blog, an online community, a Facebook Group, but you need to build that kindling teepee that will eventually help you light a roaring bonfire. Start providing value right now.

Invest Sweat Equity – Here’s where everyone gets tripped up. You have to actually start writing. Write every day, all the time, for the trashcan and for your platform. Get practice being edited and getting feedback. Be consistent with your writing schedule so that it becomes a discipline.

Get to Know Your Readers – Your platform isn’t a broadcasting station. It should be the start of an ongoing conversation with those who will rally around your book. Talk to them. Find out their hopes, fears, and dreams.

Decide Your Publishing Method – You’re so lucky! You live in a time when you don’t have to wait for a publisher to seek you out. You can consider self-publishing, whether it’s an e-Book on Amazon or boxes of physical books. There’s no stigma to self-publishing anymore; just be sure to use a professional editor and professional cover design so you stack up well against your competition. If you choose to seek a traditional publisher, create a book proposal and be persistent in approaching potential publishing partners. Harry Potter was turned down by 12 publishers before it found a home, so don’t feel bad if you don’t get picked up by the first one.

The bottom line is that you must put yourself forward the achieve your goals, because nobody is going to knock on your door out of the blue.

Now go for it!

 

 

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for Social Strata — makers of the Hoop.la community platform. Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee

Featured image via Flickr CC: fotologic

10 Easy Tips to Develop Your Own Writing Style

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By Leslie Anglesey

Your writing style is something that is uniquely your own. While you can admire another writer’s voice, it would be a mistake to try to mimic it. You will only end up creating a pale imitation of the work you are trying to master. Stand up, take a deep (virtual) breath and be yourself. Follow these 10 tips to develop your own writing style.

develop your own writing style - inspiration
  1. Read other writers’ work.
    If you want to get a feel for how words fit together, read how other writers use them. Read for enjoyment and with an editor’s eye. Ask yourself why the author would choose to use them.
  2. Start by writing short paragraphs.
    If the idea of crafting a lengthy work makes you feel intimidated, start with something smaller. Try writing a single paragraph describing something that made you laugh or your favorite movie.
  3. Focus on getting your idea down first.
    For a first draft, all you need to be concerned with is getting your basic idea down. You can always edit and revise it later on.
  4. Experiment with some different styles.
    Keep in mind that writing is a solitary activity. You can work at it and choose not to share the content of your latest project with anyone unless you want to. If you are curious about a new genre, find a class or experiment with it on your own.
  5. Make friends with a dictionary.
    Part of developing your own writing style is to make sure that you are using words in the right context. If you are reading something and you aren’t sure of its meaning, take the time to look it up in a dictionary.
  6. Use a thesaurus to add new words to your vocabulary.
    Do you have certain words that you find you are always relying on when you write? If you and your friends tend to use the same phrases, it will be difficult for you to stand out from the crowd. The next time you find yourself using a stock phrase to describe something, stop and look it up in a thesaurus. See if there might be an alternative that will describe it more accurately. If not, you don’t have to use the suggestions, but you will have learned some new words to consider for next time.
  7. Read your work out loud.
    Does your writing sound like the way you talk? If it doesn’t sound like it was written in your spoken voice, you may want to work on it until it does. Keep polishing it until you feel that it reflects your inflection and tone.
  8. Turn off your inner critic.
    As you write, there will always be a part of your brain that will tell you that your work is unfinished or can be improved. You may even feel that other people can or have done it better, so why should you even try to get something down. This inner critic can be very harsh, and will likely judge your work even more severely than a real editor would. To the extent you can, try to shut it down and just focus on letting your work speak for itself.
  9. Take some risks in your writing.
    Once you turn off your inner critic, make a decision to step outside of your comfort zone in your writing. Nothing you write has to be forever. You can choose to delete it and start over if you want to. Think of the blank page like a playground, not something that is scary and intimidating. You can’t hurt yourself, so you really aren’t taking a risk at all. You are always in control of your writing.
  10. Write every day.
    If you think about writing as if it were a muscle, you will appreciate that you need to keep it limber. Work it often and it will reward you by being easier to work with. If you don’t use it, you’ll find that it is stiff and hard to get into the groove. Ideas won’t flow as freely as if you make a habit of writing every day.

Set aside some time to be creative regularly. It doesn’t matter if you are writing a novel, working on essays, blogging, or writing in a personal journal. Take time to explore the world of words regularly to develop your own writing style – and don’t forget to enjoy it.

Author’s Bio: Leslie Anglesey is an editor at Essay Tigers, a website about essay writing tips. She also works as a professor in the University of Southern California and loves teaching others how to improve their writing style.

Image via Flickr CC: Alan Cleaver

The Twists and Turns on the Road to Publishing

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By Tiffany Matthews

The road to publishing is never easy. Although the road to becoming a published author has become shorter, writers sometimes have some some issues–including internal ones–that they need to overcome first. You don’t become an author overnight, but if you take action, you can narrow the distance between you and your publishing dream.

Overcoming the Self

Many a writer has felt this lack of confidence or a fear of showing their work to other people. They sometimes feel that their works are too intimate, a too raw reflection of themselves that they are not prepared to expose to the world. This could also be an “ego” thing, with the writer thinking his work is a masterpiece, and so he is unwilling to know the perspectives of other people. This type of closed-mindedness won’t help you grow as a writer. You have to learn how to step out of your comfort zone and learn to listen to insights from trusted fellow writers. If you do want to publish your work and become an author, you have to overcome this internal hurdle and be ready to bare yourself to criticism. It’s true that as wordsmith you may have your own style of writing, but you must also be aware that there is always room for improvement; therefore, you must always strive to continue honing your skills.

Exploring Independent Self-Publishing

The internal hurdles should always be the first ones that writers should overcome. After that, it all gets a little bit easier. When I said that the path to publishing has become shorter, I wasn’t kidding. Traditional publishing is not the only medium for you to become an author. There are many self-publishing companies that can help you accomplish your dream. The simplest and cheapest publishing package would probably provide you with some basic marketing. However, when it comes to specialized marketing like participation in book fairs, it might cost you more. There are ways where you can market your book without having to cost you an arm and leg. But it’s going to take hard work and perseverance.

If you don’t have the capital to invest in self-publishing companies, you can still publish your work at no cost through CreateSpace, a self-publishing service by Amazon. This service allows any writer of all genres from anywhere around the world, regardless of experience, to publish their work for free. It’s fairly easy to get started as long as you follow the steps. You’ll also need 3 things to get started: your manuscript in DOC file; a book cover image which should be in JPG, and a vision of how you want your book to look (this includes the format and the color of the pages). If you don’t have an image for the book cover, you can opt for one of the ready-made templates available. Choose the guided setup in the control panel when setting up your book project so that you can breeze through the process.

An Indie Stepping Stone

Independent publishing is a great way for authors to start out especially when they don’t want to waste time waiting on literary agents or publishers to give the go signal. In fact, many self-published authors’ success have put them in a better position to negotiate traditional publishing deals. But before that stepping stone can materialize, you have to do a lot of heavy lifting first. Not only do you have to take care of editing, you also have to do the brunt of your own marketing. This, however, means that you are in control and you get to call the shots.

When your hard work pays off in sales and a traditional publishing house comes knocking, you now have the ability to negotiate better terms including a bigger chunk of the profits and retaining certain rights to your books, like the ebook version. Before you sign any contract, however, you should read it thoroughly. A lawyer can help you spot loopholes and certain clauses that might not be in your best interest. If you are worried about expensive hourly fees, there are legal services providers like Legal Shield that offer monthly subscriptions at an affordable rate. Never sign anything without consulting legal help so that you can have protection.

Destination: Published Author

There are many routes you can take to become a published author. It doesn’t matter which you choose as long as you keep moving and doing something to accomplish your publishing goals. Waiting won’t get you anywhere. But taking action will take you one step closer to achieving your dream of becoming an author.

Author’s Bio: Based in San Diego California, Tiffany Matthews is a professional writer with over 5 years of writing experience. She also blogs about travel, fashion, and anything under the sun at wordbaristas.com, a group blog that she shares with her good friends. In her free time, she likes to travel, read books, and watch movies. You can find her on Twitter as @TiffyCat87.

Plagiarism: How to Cope with Every Writer’s Worst Nightmare

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By Tiffany Matthews

Do you remember the first story you wrote? Throughout high school and college, I have often written short stories and poems for friends just for fun. Although these tales and poetry have accumulated over years, they remain as they are–scribblings in notebooks that have now gathered dust at the bottom of my drawer. Some of my friends think that it’s a waste, arguing that these stories should be shared with the world. In fact, they have suggested that I try my luck writing for sites like fictionpress.com. Many writers have gotten their lucky break from this site, signing authorship deals that have made their publishing dream a reality.

In the beginning, you might feel content enough to keep your writings private. But as time passes, you will feel this need to share these tales with others, hoping that they will touch others the way they have touched you. I, too, have felt this need for sharing stories but one worry has always held me back from posting them online–plagiarism.

Everyone is Vulnerable…

All writers are vulnerable to plagiarism. Although self-published authors may be more vulnerable, still, it doesn’t mean that those who publish with reputable publishers are safe from this. In fact, just recently, author Lorelei James’ work was plagiarized. Apparently, someone took All Jacked Up, a title from James’ Rough Riders series, and posted that book chapter per chapter on a free stories website. Everything was exactly the same save for the hero and heroine’s names.

So how can we protect ourselves from this?

Precautionary Measures

Plagiarism has been going on for a long time and this problem is not going to disappear overnight. For any writer who becomes a victim of this, it is one of the worst things that can ever happen to you. Those who love their craft know just how devastating it is for someone to steal their work and pass it off as his or her own. It is almost akin to losing a child. To protect the work of our hands and heart, it is necessary that we implement precautionary measures.

Copyright and Google

Since we know that plagiarism can happen at any given time, one of the things we can do is to register for a copyright. It will not stop a person from plagiarizing your works, but at least you will have sufficient ground for legal action. Copyright registration may vary from country to country so do some research before you do. If circumstances lead you to file to a lawsuit, you don’t need to worry about expensive lawyer fees. You can use prepaid legal plans, which can have budget friendly monthly subscriptions.

Once you have your copyright, you can then set up Google alerts regarding your work. Customize your alert to include your book title, quotes, book passages, your name and more so that you will be aware of news about your book. This will also make it easier to track if someone has been posting your stories elsewhere and claiming to own them.

Connections are Important

Fellow authors make great critics and friends especially if you can trust them. If you are able to form a solid network of writer friends, they will be your support when the issue of plagiarism crops up. They may even be influential in recognizing your work which is being passed off as another’s. You can seek their advice on how to proceed with filing a plagiarism case.

Be Assertive and Take Action

When your work is stolen, you feel violated because you were the one who birthed that literary masterpiece. If this does happen to you, don’t try to repress your emotions. Rant if you must but don’t do anything that would hurt your own reputation. Instead, you should buck up and take legal action. Don’t let this event keep you from writing again. Instead, learn from it and you’ll gain an even deeper appreciation for your work and other writers’ works.

Do you take any proactive steps to prevent plagiarism of your work?

Author’s Bio: Based in San Diego California, Tiffany Matthews is a professional writer with over 5 years of writing experience. She also blogs about travel, fashion, and anything under the sun at wordbaristas.com, a group blog that she shares with her good friends. In her free time, she likes to travel, read books, and watch movies. You can find her on Twitter as @TiffyCat87.

Social Media BookList: Let’s Talk Business, Tweets and Mojo

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A Weekly Series by Teresa Morrow

I’m Teresa Morrow, Founder of Key Business Partners, LLC and I work with authors, writers, speakers and coaches. As part of my job I read a lot of books. I am here to offer a weekly post about one that I am working with and one I have put on my reading list. The books will cover topics such as social media (Facebook & Twitter), organization, career building, networking, writing and self development and inspiration.

#MOJOtweet

This week I would like to start with a book I’ve read and working with by Marshall Goldsmith, author of #MOJOtweet published by ThinkAha books.

mojotweet_cover_mid

In this fast paced world we live in and the need for great information that will lead us to action, is sometimes hard to find. Well, in the ThinkAha book series, this problem is quickly resolved by the format used.

#MOJOtweet is written in the template of around only 100 pages and formulated about tweets (also known as AHA’s) in 140 characters. 

You may be asking what is Mojo? Mojo is the moment when you do something that’s purposeful, powerful and positive and the rest of the world recognizes it.

Mitchell Levy, CEO of Happy About, Inc. and publisher of ThinkAha books,  summarizes the essence of the book in the forward, ” Mojo is that missing ingredient that is between you and your life filled with meaning and happiness. #Mojotweet provides that in bite-sized packages.”

Below are just a few of the wise, helpful and inspirational aha’s I found in the this informational compact book, #MOJOtweet.

~ We run everything through two filters: short-term satisfaction (or happiness) and long-term satisfaction (meaning). –>So true! When I first read that I thought, “no I don’t do that”, but when I thought about it again, I realized I certainly do.

~ Mojo is infectious. When people pass their positive spirit onto us; we feel like passing it back. –>Again, great insight in such a short statement. Positive breeds positive. If I am around a positive person, my outlook will change for the better which I will radiate to others around me.

~ When measuring your Mojo, do so in the immediate present, not in the recent past or vague future.–>this is something I struggle with sometimes. I worry about things from the past or worry how to correct things before they even get here…not to concentrate on what is in the now.

You can order your copy or download the ebook of #MOJOtweet.

Marshall Goldsmith, is America’s preeminent executive coach. He is among a select few consultants who have been asked to work with more than sixty CEOs. His clients have included many of the world’s leading corporations. Goldsmith has helped to implement leadership development processes that have impacted more than one million people around the world.

He has a Ph.D. from UCLA and is on the faculty of the executive education programs for Dartmouth College and the University of Michigan. The American Management Association recently named him as one of fifty great thinkers and business leaders of the past eighty years. Read more in his new book, MOJO: How to Get It, How to Keep It, How to Get It Back if You Lose It.

Crowdsourcing

The book on this week’s on my reading list is
Crowdsourcing: Why the Power of a Crowd is driving the future of business by Jeff Howe.

The book focuses on describing how to crowds are creating new sources of value than the specific ways to tap into that value. Chapters 1 through 5, the first half of the book, concentrates on providing examples of the crowd sourcing phenomenon. The second half focuses down on the impact of crowds to economic and business organization.

My thoughts: I believe there has always been an influence of the crowd.I remember when my mother would call her friends for advice or ideas for a new recipe, how to decorate, or who her friend used as a dentist. Society has drawn about the advice and influence of others (the crowd) for many years, however, I believe with the invasion of social media such as Twitter and Facebook, the importance of the crowd (crowdsourcing) is stronger than ever.

Jeff Howe is a contributing editor at Wired Magazine, where he covers the media and entertainment industry, among other subjects. In June of 2006 he published “The Rise of Crowdsourcing” in Wired. He has continued to cover the phenomenon in his blog, crowdsourcing.com, and published a book on the subject for Crown Books in September 2008. Before coming to Wired he was a senior editor at Inside.com and a writer at the Village Voice. In his fifteen years as a journalist he has traveled around the world working on stories ranging from the impending water crisis in Central Asia to the implications of gene patenting. He has written for Time Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, The Washington Post, Mother Jones and numerous other publications. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Alysia Abbott, their daughter Annabel Rose and son Phineas and a miniature black lab named Clementine.

You can pick up your copy of Crowdsourcing on Amazon.

I hope you have enjoyed this new weekly blog post. Feel free to share your thoughts with me as I would be open to read them.