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I've always said I'd rather give a speech to hundreds than mingle with a small group.  I'm pretty certain I'm not the only one. I'm not a psychologist, so I'm sure there is a more complex answer for this anxiety, but my guess is that it comes down to the fear of not being liked or more plainly stated, being rejected.  This is the same fear that exists in sales.

I love sales, or should I say I like getting the sale and working with a new interesting client.  I don't always enjoy the sales process.  I like talking to people, I like helping people, but I don't enjoy being rejected. After all, it's hard not to take rejection personally especially when you're an entrepreneur and  own the business, manage the work and do the sales. But what if there was a way to remove the rejection, would it make sales and mingling more comfortable? Could removing fear and being more likeable actually make a person more successful?

I think many of us can list the reasons why we would want to start our own business and leave a job where we work for someone else.  The idea of working for yourself offers a different kind of freedom and it's a passion that drives so many of us to become entrepreneurs. But it is an idea that is full of risk, made especially concerning if you're in a good job currently. So if that is the case why would you leave a successful business you own to start a new one?

I ask myself this question, because I recently sold a great business that I grew from the ground up.  It was a franchise, but even with that there are no guarantees of success, and many owners did not succeed. But I did. I had a passion for my business and I liked my employees and clients. However, as an entrepreneur, I got restless and wanted to share my success and the lessons that I had learned with others. With many years of marketing experience, both in the corporate and small business world, I knew I could help others be successful by implementing solid marketing strategies. With this idea in mind I launched Marketing Eye Dallas as a licensee of the greater international Marketing Eye firm.

With both the knowledge of being successful and starting from the ground up again, I realize there are some things that never change.

What I love about the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is that everyone is 'on.'  There is a three week rush to close out 2015 and set plans in place for 2016.  While we may be busy with holiday shopping and parties, we have our running shoes on and are looking to end one year and start the next on a positive note.

If you are like me, you are planning for next year.  Budgets are being set and strategies are being developed. As you develop your marketing strategy...yes you need one...here are some things to consider.

After a week spent with family and enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday, it is time to get those running shoes on and make the next three weeks really count for your business. These weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are critical not just for retailers, but for all businesses. 

Here is how you can connect with your customers, employees and community to make the year-end  a positive one.

Holiday greetings, parties and giving back are all ways to connect with your customers, employees and community.  Take advantage of this time of giving to say thank you, show your appreciation and give back.

When your company is growing as fast as ours, you often find yourself short-staffed. We feel as though we are constantly in catch up mode, yet somehow we deliver for our clients and continue to produce work of a high standard.

Behind the scenes it's a different matter. Not only are there demands to create strong marketing plans for our clients, there is the demand to do the same for ourselves.  The need to find staff that are nimble, creative and deliver is imperative.

I am a strong believer in culture and finding the right fit. I'm lucky, because I started the Dallas office utilizing Marketing Eye staff that was already established and bringing on board  a few people who I had worked with in the past.  I knew everyone could deliver and I knew what strengths they brought to the team. Now, as I continue to build my team, I will need to find people who are not so familiar, but are a good fit.