Blogs

When you read a review online do you really, really know for whence it came? Whether it’s a 5-star review or a negative Nancy (or Norm), can you rely on its veracity? After reading a recent Wall Street Journal article, I’m not so sure. In Have Online Reviews Lost All Value? author Rebecca Dolan wonders…

It’s been a while since this King Monkey has checked in with an update on all things monkeyz-related. How have you been?  I’ve been great, family’s been great, and business has been great. How lucky am I? First things first, just as Monkeyz Nation continues to grow, so too does the June family. In case…

As summer winds down, all of our beach bodies and good eating habits run the risk of taking a back seat to back to school and back to work responsibilities. As we get busier, and as we return to our normal habits, work routines, and school schedules, it’s easy to lose sight of rest, relaxation,…

The Opening Ceremonies for the Rio Olympics are this Friday. Are you excited? I am (beach volleyball kicks off bright and early Saturday morning), though also a little apprehensive. The obstacles facing the Rio Olympics are well documented. In case you’ve been up in the jungle canopy the last few months, here’s a quick rundown…

We’ve all been there. In fact, we’re all probably still “there” to some extent, at least on occasion. In business and in life, there are just some things we love to do and some things we abhor—even if we’re good at them. Take me, for example. On the domestic front, the laundry and I just…

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright’s recent comment, “To put it mildly, the world is a mess,” pretty much sums up the news these days. Seems like every potential hotspot, from the Middle East, to the Ukraine, to western US wildfires, are heating up . . . or worse. This got me to thinking about…

Long time readers of this blog as well as newbies have probably figured out by now that relationships are important to me, whether we’re talking about business relationships, personal relationships, or something in-between. Relationships are intrinsic to human nature. Even if you choose NOT to have a relationship with someone—you still have a relationship with…

Prices seem to be on the rise again after a few years of holding steady following the economic collapse of 2008. From food prices, to entertainment, to fuel, to housing, to this and that, everything seems to be on the uptick. If you’re like me, you’re thinking, “How can a guy get a break?” Surely…

If there were such a thing as a marketing “silver bullet,” then I’d either need to find a different line of work—because everyone could do it—or I’d be super rich, because I’d be the keeper and dispenser of marketing’s secret sauce recipe. But marketing is not easy and automatic. It’s much more than a press…

Be prepared. It’s one surefire way to improve your chances for success. Parents prepare. Teachers prepare. Students prepare. Chefs and shoppers prepare. Businesses and leaders prepare. Doctors and athletes prepare. Heck, “Be prepared” is even the Boy Scouts long-time motto. Sure, some folks find success out of sheer luck, but I tend to believe even…

Feedback is how we know we are doing something right; it’s also how we know when we’re doing something wrong. Feedback is necessary. It’s how we improve our relationships and raise our golf (or in my case, volleyball) game to the next level; it’s also how we fine-tune our business offerings and hone our brands.…

It’s State of the Union time again. Looking back over the past 12 months at the big picture, it’s hard to say much has changed other than dates on the calendar, a few faces here and there, and the size of the national debt. The economy has shown signs of recovery, only to sputter now…