People soshalize. They don't care how it's spelled. They just do it.
First things first, when I make this claim, I’m assuming that you have your own website, and that you’re operating an “onsite” blog. All this means is that your blog is part of your website. The posts that you write are indexed as part of your website content.
This is a rant so I’m going to keep it short and not so sweet. There’s a trend in the automotive industry towards putting out really, really bad webinars. It hits really close to home because I absolutely love them, have been doing them for three years now, and get really annoyed when other professionals in the industry use them as pitch sessions.
Public figures walk a fine line between revered role models and vilified by their once-adoring public for any transgression. The pressures and stress of fame has caused dozens of celebrities to spiral into depression, substance abuse and suicide, but some have been able to resurrect their failing careers and find a second wind. Along the way, they have taught us a thing or two of coming back from the brink. Here are five lessons learned from celebrities about repairing a reputation.
1. Johnny Cash
Out of the cotton fields of Arkansas, Johnny Cash revolutionized country music with his sonorous voice and relentless rhythms, but the trappings and temptations of stardom led to a drug and alcohol addiction that ruined his personal and professional lives. With the help of his eventual wife June Carter, Cash got clean, re-committed himself to his Christian faith, and set about reviving his musical career. The renaissance introduced Cash to new generations of fans, teaming him up with producer Rick Rubin for the critically-acclaimed American Recordings album series.
How did Cash come back? A combination of a dedicated soulmate who saw him through his bleakest and lowest moments, his Christian beliefs, and a legendary music producer ensured that Cash always had the tools and drive to leave behind his reputation as an alcoholic and pill popper.
2. Britney Spears
Imagine being only 18 years old, and watching your first album become the best selling debut by a female artist of all time. In 1999, Britney Spears launched a new wave of pop music with her ‘girl next door’ look and effervescent songs. However, eight years later, a troubled marriage and other family issues led to a well-publicized meltdown. Spears shaved her hair and attacked photographers, leading her then-husband to receive custody of her children, and her to be committed to a psychiatric ward. Since then, a change in her music management and conservatorship of assets by her father and her attorney has seen her stock and credibility rise dramatically.
What was Spears’ secret? She has evolved her image, going from coy schoolgirl to a sultry sex goddess as her fanbase matured. Psychiatric and legal counseling put distance between the people who facilitated her 2007-2008 meltdown, helping her focus on repairing her mental health and entertainment career.
3.Kim Kardashian
The American socialite suffered a double-whammy of bad publicity, when not only was a sex tape of her leaked by Vivid Entertainment in 2007, Kim Kardashian dropped charges against the adult entertainment company and settled for $5 million. Four years later, Kardashian’s extravagant and exorbitant marriage to Kris Humphries of the New York Nets ended after just 72 days. Despite the personal crises, she’s recovered to launch a number of fragrances, endorsed startup companies, starred in a popular reality TV show about her family, and entered into a relationship with Kanye West.
Kim Kardashian has benefited from having keen business acumen and a family with very deep pockets. Even as she’s struggled with legal issues – her marriage to Humphries was not officially terminated until April 2013, and she and her sisters were sued for false marketing by one of their endorsed companies – Kardashian business and entertainment network reaches far and wide enough to cover these minor pitfalls.
4. Robert Downey, Jr
“Iron Man” had everything going for him in the mid-1990s – a string of successful movies, an Oscar nomination, and a guest spot on Ally McBeal. But a drug addiction that Downey claimed started at the age of 8 derailed him, landing him in jail on numerous occasions and making him persona non grata in Hollywood. After more than five years of rehab and jail, Downey was ready for a change. With financial help from Mel Gibson, Downey gradually pulled himself back into the entertainment world, eventually hitting it out of the park with lead roles in the Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes movies.
For Robert Downey, Jr., repairing his reputation came from hitting rock bottom. He was tired of the cycle of jail-rehab-release, and knew that if he didn’t put his addiction behind him once and for all, he would have no future worth living for.
5. David Hasselhoff
From Baywatch to Knight Rider, David Hasselhoff was the man for 80s TV. A music and theater career, and willingness to poke fun at his most famous roles, ensured that even as those shows became examples of the campiness of the decade, Hasselhoff’s popularity endured. That was until 2007, when his daughter uploaded a video of her very drunk father failing to simply eat a hamburger. Hasselhoff’s struggles with alcoholism continued even after losing visitation rights to his children, being rushed to hospital on numerous occasions after consuming dangerous amounts of alcohol. Since then, the Hoff has staged a comeback, hosting a number of television shows and events, and becoming a judge on both America’s Got Talent and Britain’s Got Talent.
Much like Robert Downey, Jr., Hasselhoff’s redemption came from the humiliation of his daughter berating him for his alcoholism. His natural gift for entertainment has helped him move on from that low point, and enjoy new found success.
Meet Hang w/ – the first and only app where you can Hang w/ your favorite people in a live real-time video sent from one phone to many, from anywhere at anytime. Hang w/ features cutting-edge technology that empowers you to stream and broadcast live high-quality video.
This year, 20,000 people are expected to participate in the $1.50-a-day living challenge, in support of the 1.2 billion people who have no choice but to take that challenge every day.
What do your “Likes” mean to you? When we “like” our favorite product on Facebook, we’re not simply telling everyone in digital land what our interests include. No: what we expect from those “Likes” is the interpersonal relationships we experience every day with comments, shares, pokes, and whatsits. “Liking” a brand on Facebook means a lot more to us when companies are willing to reciprocate.
Social media activity has essential benefits for local businesses that include strengthening your brand and raising your SEO ranking. In many instances, it may be hard to link social media involvement to immediate sales, but growing your online presence will certainly make more people know about your business. They are bound to come your way as soon as the need for your service or product arises.
Social media can be considered a reflection of the individual who created the account. The information and images shared all speak about the person from their point of view. However, what would it be like if somebody else was responsible for setting up or managing your social media? Consider this… the image an individual has of themselves might be very different from the way they are perceived by others. Accordingly, the way an individual is presented through social media may give off a much different impression than the one that is self constructed.
Email marketing may have been around for a while now, but it’s still the most effective way of building a trust relationship with prospects.
Navigating the jungle of the entertainment world is a challenge all its own. There are media appearances, promotional obligations, studio/record label contracts, and millions upon millions of fans all demanding your attention. Taxingas all that is, some women have made the transition from celebrity to businesswomen, augmenting their entertainment abilities with a corporate nous, ensuring that their 15 minutes of fame becomes a lifetime. Here are five women conquering pop culture and the boardroom.
1. Beyonce
A long time ago, Beyonce Knowles was a member of R&B group Destiny’s Child. Today, she’s a franchise. Despite the group’s Grammy wins and success, Beyonce went through a period of depression due to interpersonal conflicts and her then-boyfriend leaving her. She rediscovered herself in acting and a wildly successful solo career. Her marriage to rapper Jay-Z cemented her pop culture domination, but that was just the beginning.
Starting in 2002, Beyonce signed promotional deals that saw her share camera time with other celebrities such as Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez and David Beckham. She’s launched her own line of fragrances, and inked an endorsement deal with Pepsi worth $50 million. In 2005, she created a foundation to support victims of Hurricane Katrina. With her mother, she opened a cosmetology center to raise funds for victims of the 2010 Haitian earthquake.
2. Jennifer Lopez
In 1986, Jennifer Lopez had a minor role in the film My Little Girl. Her parents were disappointed in her ensuing interest in entertainment, but in 2001, she became the first woman to have a number one album (J.Lo) and film (The Wedding Planner) in the same week. She has broken records on the Billboard album chart, records for female singers, and records for Hispanic entertainers: she has sold over 75 million albums, and her films have grossed over $2 billion.
Lopez was chosen to be the global ambassador for L’Oreal Paris, representing the brand in its global ventures. A similar deal with Venus tied in with Lopez’s love of charity work, donating money to advancing the prospects of impoverished Hispanic children. She launched her own fragrance in 2011, selling 51,000 bottles and making almost $3 million. Later that year, she started a clothing & accessories line, and a separate line for home accessories. Fiat, the Italian car manufacturer, signed Lopez on for promotional deals. She has also produced television shows, reality TV shows, and movies in which she has featured.
3. Oprah Winfrey
Starting a talk show on television is one thing, but becoming a billionaire and being ranked by TIME magazine as the most influential woman in the world is another. Born into poverty, she revolutionized the talk show format, providing a more intimate and honest format than the salacious and sensationalist style of her peers. After The Oprah Winfrey Show went national and generated astronomical figures, Winfrey negotiated an ownership stake in the show and started her own production company. Based on a Forbes’ magazine estimate, Winfrey would be worth approximately $3 billion today.
She has launched a film production company, authored her own books, publishes magazines, has her own radio channel, and coordinates her empire with a website that receives 6 million views a month.
4.Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian netted tons of bad publicity for her sex tape and scandalously quick marriage, but rehabilitated her image with successful business ventures, such as launching clothing and fragrance lines. Co-founding the online shoe retailer ShoeDazzle, and signing on as a fashion consultant and stylist, opened Kim Kardashian up to a new audience and demographic, one that has also seen her endorse a Los Angeles-based confectionary.
Furthermore, she’s launched a fitness DVD, landed a role in a television series, and hosted Wrestlemania XXIV and America’s Next Top Model. She’s produced TV shows, authored an autobiography and launched her own fragrance line.
5. Serena Williams
Playing sports is a dream most of us have when we’re children, but only a woman like Serena Williams could have taken her dreams beyond the courts and into the boardroom. Critically regarded as one of the best tennis players of all time, she’s won over $40 million in prize money alone and dozens of titles and championships.
Outside of tennis, Williams has fashion lines with Nike and her own line of accessories and jewelry. She and her twin sister Venus became part owners of the Miami Dolphins franchise and created a secondary school in Matooni, Kenya. She’s authored books and became the first female sports woman to endorse Tampax.
