Jake Greene's Blog

I recently had the opportunity to work with some very funny and talented people on a new web series called "The Offseason".  The show is about four dysfunctional college football coaches who are desperate to improve their careers and their team (in that order).  The url for the series is www.youtube.com/offseasonshow.  I hope you enjoy it.

 

  

 

In the fall of 2007, just over three months before Whoa, My
Boss is Naked was published, I was given the opportunity to speak at a college
3 hours away from my house.  I was
really excited about it.  Throughout
the summer I had been reaching out to college career centers in order to drum
up interest for my book and find audiences on which to hone my keynote
material. When this particular college (which shall remain nameless) expressed
interest, I jumped at the chance to address their...

I don't make New Year's Resolutions on January 1.  I'm too amped up, too emotionally charged.  Making promises on the morning after New Year's Eve is like making group vacation plans at a high school reunion ("Dude, I miss you guys.  We should all go to Thailand next year…I mean it.  Who's down?"). Your heart is crushing the breakfast buffet but there's still a "Do Not Disturb" sign hanging on your brain.

In order for resolutions to stick, the brain needs at least two weeks to conduct due...

Los Angeles and Nashville are both entertainment industry towns.  LA has movie studios.  Nashville has music studios.  Star sightings at Starbucks are common occurrences in both cities.  Waiters and bartenders work for small tips and big dreams…. You get it.

In Music City, as in Hollywood, perception is paramount and image is everything.  However, the images crafted by aspiring country artists would get them laughed out of Los Angeles (and vice-versa).  The reason: Social Rounding.  In LA...

Over the past couple years, many business owners have been hesitant to embrace social media because of the perception that Facebook, Twitter, etc. are full of useless social updates.

"OMG, the mall is so crowded."

"Got to work late, already dreaming of lunch."

Execs didn't want to waste time sifting through unproductive "here's what happened to me today" tweets.  Those updates weren't going to help them build their brands or drive revenue.

Here's where the irony kicks in.

After a year of...

I am about to turn 30.  Like many members of the Pop Culture Generation, this advancement in age has me confused, anxious, and curious.  Gotta face the facts - I'm a different guy than I was right after college.  Not better, not worse, just different.

I spoke about several differences between "early-20's me" and "30-year-old me" a recent conference...

 

 

Many young professionals lie awake at night, convinced that our creative talents are being stifled.  Our lives have become too formulaic and we feel as though our energy is being zapped by uncreative careers. 

The "lie awake" phase is not healthy.  The lack of sleep is not healthy.  The frustration is not healthy. The subsequent cycle of food, alcohol, and infomercials is not healthy.

So, how do we shake it? How do we find something to think about in bed that's more inspiring our own...

When most people think about career moves, they consider what is immediately available or achievable. However, if the goal is to build a career that is energizing and enjoyable, people should think in terms of what they want, regardless of immediate accessibility.


Instead of building your career path based upon what's available now, why not start with your dream job and work backwards? 


With that in mind, who has your dream job and why haven't you emailed them yet?

(note: I initially posted...

I don't get "cruising".

I live in the middle of a city, near a lot of bars and clubs. Every weekend, those bars and clubs are full of people drinking, dancing, and listening to music. I get that. I do that.

What I don't get is why, every weekend, the city streets are clogged by drivers who circle the block like extras from the set of The Truman Show.  Literally hundreds of drivers (+crew) spend all night cruising (slowly and loudly), cat-calling and, singing off-key in my neighborhood.

The Few. The Proud. The Isolated.

Yesterday, CNN.com reported that The Marines have banned Facebook, Twitter, and several other social networking sites.  The justification is that the networks are a "proven haven for malicious actors", and that the possibility of passing along "unnecessary information to adversaries" is too great.

Sabotage and Exposure. 

Coincidentally, sabotage and exposure are also the two greatest social networking fears for senior executives in Corporate America.  Many c