Recently one of my dreams came true in that I got to stand on the very "porch" that Ford, Edison, Firestone Jr. and Sr. and others stood many years ago at Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina. I've always said "Can you imagine being a fly on the wall, listening to the world-changing conversations swirling around on that porch!?"

Some stones were repaired or altered over time, so the typography has changed slightly since the original photo was taken. And there is now a platoon of rocking chairs that clutter up the space. And then there's the constant flow of tourists, making picture-taking of the spot nearly impossible. Any hope of taking in the energy in a quiet moment was squashed with the constant buzz of people going in and out, to and fro, back and forth.

I must admit that I've always has a jealous spot for people who changed the world. Ford, Edison and the Firestone. Rockefeller and Carnegie. Tesla. And John Lennon.

As I took it all in I didn't get a sense of anything other than something cool happened here a long time ago and that it was a busy, grand hotel. And then it dawned on me. We all have the opportunity to change the world in our own way. A helping hand, an encouraging word or simply listening can change the entire direction of another's life. 

Never underestimate the impact you have on the world. Someday there may be someone standing where you are right now, telling others that you slept here!

No matter how positive you are it's going to rain one day.

A key employee will fall into a crisis just when you need them most. Someone will hack your website and offer a pair of panties with every order. The Fed Ex truck with your employee's paychecks in it will roll over on the interstate spreading their checks in the wind on a Friday right before a holiday. You can't stop it. It's the circle of strife.

It's not about that it's going to rain. It's about where your umbrella is when it happens.

What does the umbrella look like? A business plan. A business strategy. A marketing strategy. A social media strategy. Employee training and development. Policies and procedures. It looks like a lot of things but without it the storms will ruin the day.

Take one action today to protect yourself against the storm. It might not be today, but it's coming. And when it does, you can duck for cover or walk with confidence.

I learned long ago that if you're not making mistakes you're not doing enough. That point was brought home when I recently watched an interview with Jeff Bezos of Amazon. His position is that if you're mistakes are not huge, you're playing a small game.

The magic comes from what you do with the mistake. If you learn from it and adjust accordingly, then consider it an education worthy of a diploma. If you make amends and turn a disgruntled customer, employee, employer, vendor or family member into a raving fan you have accomplished great things. Clean it up. We're all human and what sets us apart from other beings and creatures is our ability to listen and to speak into existence through words and actions what it takes to set things right.

There are countless stories of companies who made major blunders. For those humble enough to admit it and make it right, those mistakes were forgiven. For those not willing to do so (in their arrogance) ... where are they now?

Today's challenge is to identify a mistake and to do something over-the-top to make it right.

​I'd love to hear how you did just that!

We've all heard the adage. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

I tend to apply truths to the business world and in that context it's the work ... the daily grind ... that keeps you on the right path to financial health. I must confess that I'm as big a dreamer and creator as anyone, but it's when I get down to the doing ... taking action ... that things get done.

I recently heard a quote from Darren Hardy (Success Magazine and Darren Daily) that brought this point home. Using the same analogy (an apple = the work), he stressed daily. Eating all seven apples for the week on Friday does not result in the same benefit as eating one a day.

I'm blessed to be writing this at the side of the pool. Now, I could have taken a dip or fixed myself a poolside drink and basked in the sun, and no one would have been the wiser. Except me. And my results. 

Have you eaten your apple today? Your financial health, and those who count on you, will thank you if you do.

At a time when the building of a wall is the topic of current events I find it unfortunate that I don't hear talk of building bridges. Not from the perspective of politics or immigration, but in our day-to-day language.

In our humanity. Bringing cultures together to make society stronger. Neighbor helping neighbor. Friends putting their busy-ness aside to help a friend in need. Families burying the hatchet in order to create a bond that so few are lucky to have.

In the workplace. Employers, employees, peers, colleagues and, yes, competitors working beside each other to build a better company and industry.

For a bridge to be effective it needs to be strong, it needs to span a divide and it needs to lead somewhere. Remove any one of those and it just becomes an obstacle.

May you be known as a great bridge-builder, starting today.

"L'eggo my Eggo". ""It's the real thing". "My bologna has a first name". "Just do it". "Crush It!" "Purple Cow". Each of these award-winning and catchy marketing slogans conjures up memories and brings a mental picture to the forefront for those old enough to remember them (if you don't Google them).

Long forgotten are countless other slogans that did not resonate with the consumer. And therein is the challenge. Are you memorable? When someone hears your name, or your company's name, is their mental picture a positive one? 

Today's challenge is for you to do something so memorable, so over-the-top, that your brand effectively drives it's stake in the ground. I'd love to hear how you made a difference today!