Lis Calandrino

There's a party happening right now on my Facebook page today and through tomorrow. Call it my "Virtual Thanksgiving Day Festivities," and you're invited!
Come on over and post recipes, share stories of Thanksgivings past, post images and video and connect with your fellow friends. 
I truly hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day [...]

As a business consultant, I often talk with businesses owners and salespeople about the importance of networking: basically getting out and meeting people. Unfortunately many people aren’t too positive about the whole idea. They tell me it’s a lot of work, they don’t know what to say and they won’t know anyone at the event. I would say yes to a couple of them—it does take work and you might not know anyone. But as Woody Allen once said, “90% of success is just showing up.”

In Search of New Sources of Revenue

Like many of you, I am working harder than ever to maintain the level of business this year versus last. As I work on the core of my business – consulting, training, writing books, etc. – I am always searching for new revenue streams.  Who isn’t looking to [...]

Several weeks ago I was invited to speak at Carpet Network’s Homecoming 2009 in San Antonio, TX. Carpet Network is a shop-at-home franchise founded in the early 90s by Christine and Lenny Rankin. At the time they had a very successful floor covering store and decided to take their concept to the next level. [...]

So what are 200 men — paying $150.00 each — doing at the Washington Avenue Armory in Albany, NY on a Thursday night? You got it, smoking good cigars, eating great food, talking with friends and getting a shave!
Habana Premium Cigar Shoppe's annual Habanapalooza event was so big that it had to be hosted [...]

What do you know about your Chamber and how often do you go? I’m guilty of not participating; many reasons but my excuse is  because of my travel schedule which changes every week. Like many other small businesses, we are lucky enough to get our health insurance through our chamber and that’s where it [...]

Once again, Surfaces 2009 is just around the corner! This year, interactive technology makes it so much easier for you to organize yourself before the show. The digital brochure (an incredible piece of software engineering, I must say) can be downloaded to your phone, and you can make appointments online. As usual, Carol Wilkins, Conference [...]

My good friend Barbara Miller is an Associate Broker for Realty USA in Niskayuna, NY. Last year I asked her if any of the agents would be interested in information on flooring and receiving magazines from Fabulous Floors.  Barbara said she would discuss it with her team members and team leader Sharon Horowitz and let [...]

Everyone is writing about setting goals, following your goals and getting it done. Okay, Nike said it right; I guess everyone uses the quote "Just do it." I don’t mean to be a smart mouth about it but it sure gets tiring, I think you would agree, to see people posting the same goals: [...]

Baton Rouge, LA
I’m in one my favorite parts of the country: Baton Rouge and New Orleans. What’s not to like about Cajun cooking, Zydego music and of course beignets from the Café Dumonde?
The city of New Orleans never ceases to amaze me, every time I come here I find something new. My last [...]