Anyone working for a big company might be skeptical that a large business, or even a strictly online business, can form the same kind of friendly, loyal relationship with customers as a local retailer. I'm saying it's already been done because I lived it.

The person who can dominate during rough times is the person who can dominate, period.

Care Immensely or Die: This is a bigger culture shift than you realize.

Hustle is the most important word--EVER.

Remember the guy in the 80s walking around with a boombox on his shoulder? Why'd he do that? Because it told a story about who he was. Expressing yourself is big business.

Social media requires that business leaders start thinking like small-town shop owners. This means taking the long view and avoiding short-term benchmarks to gauge progress. It means allowing the personality, heart and soul of the people who run all levels of the business to show.

A lot of people can play the piano, but not everyone can be Billy Joel.