Business Archives

Stressed applicant nervous at job interview while hr reading res

How to make sure you end up working in one of the best companies

March 18, 2022March 18, 2022Kristin Zhivago

On one hand, I have clients who run solid companies and treat their people and customers well. On the other hand, I have friends of all ages who are working at or trying to get jobs at companies that are . . . well, crazy. Nonsensical. Chaotic. It’s often the largest companies that get this way, and it’s too bad.

Why does this happen? How can you make sure you are going to be working at a company that does things right?

What does “doing things right” even look like? I would be surprised, in the course of your academic studies, that anyone ever talked about this. But it’s really important! After all, you are going to spend a large portion of your day working somewhere, for years to come, and if you’re constantly fighting against chaos, you’re not going to be a happy camper.

I sincerely believe that our working lives should be as satisfying and soul-enriching as they can be; there is nothing better than spending the bulk of your day doing what you love to do, with people who support your efforts whole-heartedly. Read more →

Business 101: How business works

July 10, 2020Kristin Zhivago

Finally! Graduated! Now what!? If you want to make a living, you are going to be working for a business, even if it is a non-profit business. Too bad it’s not a subject that they cover in school. Which is why so many people search for “how does business work” and “how to understand business.” It’s a mystery.

And don’t think you can learn it from movies and TV shows, which tend to reflect show business, not the majority of businesses. I’ve spent some years in the entertainment industry, and found it to be more ego-driven and cutthroat than many other industries. What you see on your screens doesn’t reflect the reality of most businesses. Read more →

How to make good decisions: Five ways to improve your decision-making skills

May 19, 2020Kristin Zhivago

Your work life and your personal life are filled with decisions. In fact, it’s probably the activity we undertake the most, if you consider that we make decisions constantly throughout any given day. I’m going to share some decision-making skills that will help you become an effective decision-maker.

There are many reasons this is important.

If you work inside an organization and you make good decisions at work, your managers will take notice and start thinking about promoting you.

If you own your own business, your business will grow faster, and those who work for you will enjoy it.

If you learn how to make good decisions in life, you will have very few regrets. Why is it so important to reduce regrets? Because a regret is something that sticks with you the rest of your life; it is something you can’t change, but wish you could. Read more →

Distraction or Production: A simple productivity formula

April 3, 2020Kristin Zhivago

At any given moment, working in front of our screens, we have a choice: Distraction or production. The choice you make, dozens of times during the day, will make or break your life; will send you higher or keep you down. If you are looking for a productivity formula, welcome. One simple change will take you to new heights in terms of work productivity.

This is particularly important now, as a worldwide disaster is also a worldwide distraction. We are so connected that we know when they run out of toilet paper in a store in another country, as it is happening. Politicians are arguing, the press is commenting, people are sharing their own experiences, and charts and graphs tell a terrible story. No one knows how this will turn out.

That’s a lot of uncertainty and information to process. Read more →

Drafting KW article, checking NJ Charter Ads, running social schedule by the team, checking emails and doing what I do :)

Victory or Death: The truth about realizing your dreams

January 3, 2020January 6, 2020Kristin Zhivago

“These are the times that try men’s souls.” – Thomas Paine

What is your dream? Where are you going? What do you want to accomplish before you leave this earth?

These are questions that you don’t ask yourself much as you navigate through your everyday life. But as you get older, and the time you have left gets shorter, you get more serious about it. Or, you just give up. Read more →

How to Work with Jerks

November 21, 2019November 26, 2019Kristin Zhivago

I’ve come to define jerks simply as people who make life more difficult for other people. Kind people—the non-jerks in the world—do just the opposite. They endeavor to make life easier for others.

Working with jerks is a painful mess that is never fun nor rewarding; makes you want to give up; frustrates the heck out of you; and keeps you from doing your best work. In short, working with jerks makes kind people unhappy.

There is really only one, very short piece of advice I have to give you about how to work with jerks:

Don’t. Read more →

woman working on a laptop starting a business

So you want to start a business? Here’s what no one else will tell you.

October 15, 2019Kristin Zhivago

You’ve decided to start your own business. Great! Welcome to the club, populated with some of the most interesting and kind people you’ll ever meet.

Here’s what no one else will tell you when you search for advice about “how to start a company” or “how to become an entrepreneur”:

CASHFLOW IS KING. From now on, you will never have enough money to grow as fast as you want to. There will be nail-biting days, every month, where you need to pay for something NOW, and that big check you’re waiting for hasn’t yet arrived.

Career Advice for Millennials

July 3, 2019July 3, 2019Kristin Zhivago

OK, everybody. Listen up. I want you to succeed. Big time. I want you to figure out what people want, what you can provide, either working for others or for yourself, and then go for it—and succeed. I want you to realize your dreams, feel good about what you’re doing, and live a full, love-filled life. These are my official tips for millennials to succeed in the workplace.

Performance vs. Puffery: How to become indispensable to your boss or customer

May 29, 2019May 29, 2019Kristin Zhivago

In today’s world, we are surrounded by puffery. Some of the most famous people are famous simply because they set out to be famous. Because it’s easier than ever to take a selfie and broadcast it to the world, they’re making a career out of it. And there are those commercials, selling messages that buzz around us all day as we go about our lives, especially online, where it’s getting pretty difficult to watch or read anything without being interrupted by a commercial message.

Everyone is selling something, whether it be themselves, their point of view, or a product or service. Nothing wrong with that; I’ve been helping people sell and market stuff for years.

How Life Works: Tests, Lessons, and Self-Mastery

December 13, 2018February 24, 2021Kristin Zhivago

When we are born, we show up as a new character in the middle of a movie. What happens next—and the success we achieve before we die—is determined by 1) the circumstances we find ourselves in and 2) what we do about them.

Most of us are driven by certain desires and dreams for our lives. As our lives progress, we pursue success. We want to do more than survive; we want to thrive and excel. We want to be exceptional, to “make a difference,” as everyone says.

In order for that to happen, we need to pass the tests we are faced with, learn lessons we can apply going forward, and then, finally, learn self-mastery, which makes life amazingly wonderful. It’s not easy. But it can be done, with just one change in your thinking. Let’s look at tests, lessons, and self-mastery.