Blog Articles
By Diane Ripstein
Thank You, Thanksgiving!
Growing Up In Montreal Thanksgiving wasn’t much of a “thing” in our family. It always seemed like the Canadian version was a knockoff of the American-style, Norman Rockwell, Hallmark original. Americans had big, noisy gatherings with extended families and groaning boards of overflowing food. We had a quiet family dinner and acknowledged the harvest. OK, [Read More…]
Being Concise
A Question From Our Viewing Audience Last month’s post was about Getting Succinct, and long-time Marketing Executive Recruiter Erica Seidel responded, “Another post I would love to read is simply why people have a hard time being concise.” Great question, Erica. This is for you (and us, too). Why Is It Hard? It’s hard being [Read More…]
Diane in Action: Get Succinct
Helllooo September! Here in New England, it’s as if a cosmic alarm clock goes off at this time of year. And bingo, just like that, the air changes overnight. It’s crisp. It smells different. There’s that no-nonsense, back-to-business/school feeling. What Year is This? Nature may be following the familiar calendar she knows so well, but [Read More…]
No Need to Read This
You Can Stop Right Now Please don’t feel it’s necessary to keep on reading. I mean, I love you as a loyal reader of this blog. But let’s be honest, it’s August. The last thing you need is another email or post. Dog Days of Summer With no disrespect intended to any dogs, this expression [Read More…]
Want to Change Your Tune?
Summertime Musicals I just saw two fabulous movies: In The Heights and Summer of Soul. I laughed, I cried, I boogied in my seat. Yes, I was indoors at a movie theatre, masked, and with very few people around. It felt SO GOOD to be pulled into that big screen and huge surround-sound track. If [Read More…]
Once Upon A Time…
May 20, 2005 was apparently the date I ordered a hardcover book from Amazon (can you believe the info they have on our buying patterns?), called “The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative.” It’s right here on my bookshelf. Author Stephen Denning described his ground-breaking work at the World [Read More…]
Diane in Action: It’s SALEStime!
My Personal Communications Philosophy Every time we present, it’s both SHOWtime and SALEStime. Last month I wrote about the SHOW, “Another Op’nin’, Another Show,” which is obviously the pizzazz-y aspect of Communications. But Why SALES? Sales is not a dirty word. When we present, we are always selling something: a product, a service, our credibility, [Read More…]
Another Op’nin’, Another Show!
Cole Porter’s Kiss Me, Kate was a Broadway smash in 1948, making its way from stage to screen. The opening song, “Another Op’nin’, Another Show,” an instant hit, stayed popular through the years (even featured on The Muppet Show in the ‘80s) and still remains a show business anthem today, 73 years later. Whoah, that’s [Read More…]
There Are No Wings On Our Screens
In The Wings When performing my one-woman show, Move on the Cha Cha’s, I wait in the wings for my Stage Manager’s cue to enter, as the lights go down and the music comes up. What is going through my head? Sometimes I pray. Sometimes I jump up and down to keep revving up my [Read More…]
February’s Not For The Faint of Heart
What Day Is It? These are difficult times and tough days. And yet, here’s Valentine’s Day once again. In that weird, stretched out, molasses-time that COVID has given us, this February is feeling like oh, about a year long. And yet, the Day of Valentines catches me off-guard. Like, where did you come from? The [Read More…]