nun-sense
The Punching Nun Group Blog
Dolly
Like every Tennessean, and so many people around the world, tonight I am mourning the passing of Dolly Parton through the thin veil. I’ve lived in Nashville for nearly 33 years, and I can honestly say I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have a Dolly story, a personal connection or a memory. What is remarkable is that every story I have ever heard has been consistently positive, uplifting and loving. My daughter said today that Dolly was one of the best examples of what it means to be a Christian. I had to agree. For all of her extraordinary talent and success, Dolly Parton’s greatest influence may have been the example she gave us as a servant leader and a woman of faith. She was fiercely independent, extraordinarily hardworking and deeply committed to her family, her marriage and the place that made her who she was. She rose from poverty
The Death of Journalism
Dearly Departed, We are gathered here today to say farewell to journalism—journalism degrees, journalism as a career, any respect for the news in general. Dead,
City of Zombies
I’ve had the opportunity to visit the West Coast twice in the past few months. Typically, travel is business related but these were both pleasure
Something Sweet In Seattle
After a week in the Pacific Northwest visiting Vancouver and Seattle (the city British Columbians say is “just like here but 2 hours south”) I
Econ 101
Just about 32 years ago I graduated from Saint Vincent College (SVC) in Latrobe, PA. I’d transferred from William & Mary—much to my father’s chagrin.
Survival & Forgiveness, Life Lessons from Louis Zamperini
Louis Zamperini having reached his 97th year went to heaven on July 2, 2014, after living what can only be described as a miraculous, amazing,
Risk and Reward, the Economics of Immigration
In 2018 controversy and rage around immigration—illegal and otherwise—seemed to dominate the news cycle. As I took off over the Atlantic today, leaving behind the
It Really Is a Wonderful Life …
At this time of year in the Cecconi family, one of our favorite ways to celebrate Christmas and the end of another year is to
Vision Without Execution is Hallucination
Factors to Close the Execution Gap Thomas Edison’s quote, uttered more than 100 years ago, rings true across organizations of all sizes in the year
Project YOU
A new client joined the ranks of PNG this month and as I typically do—when I see something really interesting that I know they’ll relate
Prohibition & Entrepreneurialism
This is Ersilia Conjoli Cecconi. In this picture (circa 1900) she was 22. I believe it to be her wedding photo. Ersilia is my great
Hope for 2013
As we near the end of 2012, a difficult twelve months for many Americans both personally and professionally, a Forbes article by Kevin Kruse caught
A New Spin on Marketing: The Art of Communicating from the Inside Out
A sharp friend introduced me to this May 4, 2010 TEDx Presentation by Simon Sinek, a sharp/tragically hip leadership guru who has a unique spin
On Taking Chances
On nearly my 48th birthday I did something a little crazy—I jumped out of a plane at 14,000 feet, yep more than 2 ½ miles
89 Business Clichés that will Get an MBA Promoted And Make Them Totally Useless or “Bid-ness’isms”
Eric Johnson’s hilarious summary of the top 89 Business Cliches made me laugh out loud—more than a few times. What really stood out (as I
Your Story Is Your Brand
I wish I’d written that but Liz Ryan, Career Commentator (Huffington Post) beat me to it. In an economy where so many are looking for
Leadership Lessons from “The Godfather”
Seriously, how could I refuse? In an April 2, 2012 article in Fast Company by Lydia Dishman, some sage advice is shared with executives in
The Extraordinary Software Development Manager
Seth Godin’s post for March 12, 2012 “Extraordinary Software Development Managers” Rings true (as most things Seth Godin says). He compares software development to building
Leadership Lessons from James T. Kirk
Come on, we all thought he was hot—those high-heel black boots and the way he was always able to get the blue skin girl with
Social Media; “What He Said”
In his blog, Seth Godin writes about the Trap of Social Media Noise. Truth be told, most of what Seth says is so dead-on, I
Sh*t Entrepreneurs Say
Jeff Haden has captured some hilarious truth in a recent article in “Inc” focused on things that entrepreneurs says Sh*t Entrepreneurs Say. After years of
The Next Generation of Corporate Marketing
Increasingly, companies recognize their future is only as promising as their ability to turn strategy into action. Unique among strategic consulting firms, we bring a
The CEO’s Marketing Right Hand
Think of Us as Your Marketing Director The CEO should be the #1 marketing visionary for the company. Our job is to capture, articulate and
Distinctive Clarity and Relevance
Distinctive Clarity and RelevanceFor Your Company A company gains enormous advantage when it knows explicitly where it is going and how it will get there…
Distinctive Clarity and Relevance
Distinctive Clarity and RelevanceFor Your Company A company gains enormous advantage when it knows explicitly where it is going and how it will get there…
The Punching Nun Blog
We’re a Team Damn It…Now Do What I say! Valuable information I never heard in graduate school but learned on the job(s) <wife, mother and