Do something for your personal brand today, and An Example of a CPA on Thought Leadership Steroids

This is an unexpected-but-I-had-to-share-now post.

So my friends know that as of recent, the entire topic of Human Trafficking has been tugging at my heart. Eager to know what stats there are in my local area, I Google “human trafficking Orange County.”

This catches my attention: http://bit.ly/M3LtJ

OK so I think this guy must be an expert on human trafficking in the OC. And I think cool. And so I visit the org site, called STRIKE: Slavery & Trafficking Remediation Intervention Knowledge & Education -
http://bit.ly/wNtmb

And I proceed to learn more about this guy through his profile: http://bit.ly/11KkWA

And then I noticed all of his speech venues and realize that they’re mostly public orgs and if he just weaved in an ‘oppression at the workplace’ theme into his curriculum also, he’d generate more training revenue from the private sector, particularly with the economy and work environments getting tough. Here is the previous clients list: http://bit.ly/WNO1E

So then I’m like OK I should write this guy an email since he’s open to suggestions and tell him about the employee oppression thing, as more people need to be motivated to be talking about it, and somehow it’s somewhat of a personal issue for me. And I think that the very sad reality is that the right stories and messages don’t get told because money still makes the world go around, so the only people who are talking about the important stuff are the people who are not so invested in money, unless you’re so famous that you sell books; the point is that there is no money in telling a true story (I suppose literally too, case in point the print media industry) – yet ironically the biggest money is in telling stories to get others out of trouble or to help Companies sell items that cannot sell on their own. So I am about to write this email, but I realize he’s probably like a full time CPA right. So I decide I should email both his org email and also his regular email. So I search for him by name.

Here is what I get:

Larry Gassin.com: Training Individuals & Organizations To Experience The Power Of Success By Design
“ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A SPEAKER WHO WILL HELP MAKE YOUR NEXT MEETING OR EVENT A BIG SUCCESS – AND YOUR PARTICIPANTS GLAD THEY ATTENDED?

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A MASTER OF CEREMONIES TO HOST YOUR EVENT WITH PROFESSIONALISM, WARMTH AND AN ENTERTAINING ABILITY TO TASTEFULLY CONNECT YOUR PLANNING, PURPOSE AND PEOPLE?

WELL, YOUR SEARCH IS OVER”

link: http://bit.ly/FHOtM

In addition under this brand, he has given workshops including the following topics:

The “Set and Get Your Goals” Workshop
Construct a Powerful Three-Year Vision
Harness the Ability to Make Powerful Change
Retreat to Jump Ahead – Planning the Time to Plan
Financial Control for the Entrepreneur or Service Professional – Keeping Your Finger on the Pulse to Make Sure the Patient Will Prosper
Develop the Habits of Success for Consistently Producing Extraordinary Results
Champion the “Best Season” of Your Business and Personal Life For a Year That is “Better Than Ever”!
10 Key Strategies – Proven to Create More Profit in Less Time

… But that’s not all. He’s also “the Coach of the Executive Business Gym: Tools to Accelerate the Growth of Your Business!”
http://bit.ly/19o2e6

An excerpt from his “Meet the Coach” profile:

While at the then largest of the “Big 4″ firms, he was selected as one of eleven firm members nationally to develop a special litigation consulting practice and was integrally involved in a variety of major historic litigation matters including U.S. v. IBM and U.S. v. ABC, CBS. He has also served as an expert witness in business litigations. While head of his own firm, he successfully competed on numerous occasions against Big 4 and large regional and local firms for new clients, including a high-tech subsidiary of DuPont Corporation and some technology innovation enterprises, winning the clients.

So then I’m like, Who IS this guy?

And he’s a zealous terrier at that. He wrote the following Ezines article (ezine is like the voluntary contribution magazine open source info portal where you submit your own stories as an “expert:”

3 Great Keys of Obama’s Success and How You Can Use Them For Yourself

The 2008 election will surely be known as one of the most memorable, albeit longest election campaigns in history. For some it seemed to drag on forever and many desperately waited for the campaigning to be over. I know some who seem to have even “closed their eyes” and hoped it (along with the financial crisis) would all go away. But for those who kept their eyes wide open, they learned lessons that provide keys to creating and capturing their own success.

Nobody disputes that President-elect Obama ran the most powerful and skillfully crafted campaign in memory and had a brilliant team of coaches and advisors to keep him on track and on task. Yet 3 words continually used to describe him by media friends and foes reveal the basis of success of what many reflect was a most unlikely candidate, let alone winner – focused, disciplined and confident. Examining these 3 keys and applying them – or getting help to develop them – can totally change your business and personal life.

From the inception of his campaign, Obama consistently demonstrated an amazing focus – a clarity of vision and purpose that guided his mission, his message, the kind of candidate he was and the way in which he responded, adapted or chose not to respond to circumstances. Everything he did was designed to keep that vision in sharp focus which maintained motivation to persist. At the basis of all great success is a focus fixed on a clear vision, and it’s clear that he held that vision for some time. It didn’t begin with this campaign but rather, the campaign sprung from that vision.

If I heard it once, I heard it dozens of times – he was described as “extremely disciplined.” Anchored by the focus of a powerfully clear vision, discipline becomes much easier, even natural. Such discipline drives execution of strategy, which is critical for success. Poor plans magnificently executed will trump the best plans not executed – every time. What shone through that discipline? Years of disciplined study of influential and charismatic leaders as well as years of practice emulating them. Discipline seems a decision this candidate made long ago.

Confidence is contagious and invites others to join in – especially if they are struggling with uncertainty or fear. I was struck by several commentators’ remarks at the President-elect’s victory speech, which were something like: Considering the massive and mounting crisis that he’s walking into, he seems remarkably confident of his ability to step in and take charge. Everybody likes to deal with a winner and confidence is one of its hallmarks.

Focus, discipline and confidence – they were key winning factors to propel Obama to the White House. Make them the Winner’s Edge for you and your business!

Larry Gassin, CPA, is Co-founder and CEO of Advanced Coaching Solutions and is an author and speaker with over 20 years of experience as a professional business, executive and leadership coach. His passion is pointing people to the power of their potential and helping them reach maximum achievement.

He has led his own consulting, tax and accounting firm where he successfully competed against Big 4 and large regional and local firms for new clients – including a high-tech subsidiary of DuPont Corporation – winning the clients’ business. He’s gained in-depth entrepreneurial experience as the President and CEO of an energy systems technologies company he founded that has done business with customers across the nation.

He states, “Hope is great. But hoping that things might change directions on their own isn’t the best way to lead your life and build your business. It is unpredictable, unfulfilled, and unreliable.” To contact Larry, or for more info, visit: http://www.advancedcoachingsolutions.com or http://www.larrygassin.com For his Winner’s Edge Newsletter with T.I.P.S. on leadership, success, maximum achievement, goal-getting, time management, sales, customer service and more email: winners_edge@aweber.com To protect your privacy you’ll receive a confirming email. Just reply and you’re set.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Gassin

Two things that kill me:

1. He quotes himself in his own boiler. 2. He writes out at the bottom how to cite his articles, MLA style, APA style and Chicago style:

* MLA Style Citation:
Gassin, Larry “3 Great Keys of Obama’s Success and How You Can Use Them For Yourself.” 3 Great Keys of Obama’s Success and How You Can Use Them For Yourself. 17 Nov. 2008. EzineArticles.com. 30 Mar 2009 <http://ezinearticles.com/?3-Great-Keys-of-Obamas-Success-and-How-You-Can-Use-Them-For-Yourself&id=1700896>.

* APA Style Citation:
Gassin, L. (2008, November 17). 3 Great Keys of Obama’s Success and How You Can Use Them For Yourself. Retrieved March 30, 2009, from http://ezinearticles.com/?3-Great-Keys-of-Obamas-Success-and-How-You-Can-Use-Them-For-Yourself&id=1700896

* Chicago Style Citation:
Gassin, Larry “3 Great Keys of Obama’s Success and How You Can Use Them For Yourself.” 3 Great Keys of Obama’s Success and How You Can Use Them For Yourself EzineArticles.com. http://ezinearticles.com/?3-Great-Keys-of-Obamas-Success-and-How-You-Can-Use-Them-For-Yourself&id=170089

He probably uses all of this to promote his own CPA business in front of his clients.

Despite the folksy mumbo jumbo and the “hope is not everything but it’s great”-type rhetoric, I gotta give it to the guy. Plus, I’m not saying he doesn’t know his stuff. That’s not my job or business to determine that, and just because his messages are a little mixed doesn’t mean he isn’t good at what he does. I don’t know the guy and I don’t want to make assumptions. But what I do know is this: We need to all learn from his guts and efforts.

And my next question is,
What in the world are the real experts doing?

So my conclusion is that the real experts are too busy doing their jobs that they don’t have time to tell their own stories, and then when the market gets taken over by these types of Dr. Phil/Tony Little Gazelle/Campy CPA dude, we complain, we complain…….. but honestly, we should be doing better with our marketing.

I’m not kidding. The guy knows he can point average Joe consumer to the Ezine article and he’ll look very important. Omg. So at the end of the day, what is the difference between this guy and you, if you are also a CPA?

The world knows more about him the way he wants them to know, than they do about you.

Do something for your personal brand today.