Over-50

Transition - Before the Train Leaves the Station, Put Together Your Elevator Speech

In her 70s, Maye Musk remains a super model. 

In addition, she has become a best-selling author.

About a week ago, her book "A Woman Makes A Plan" was published. Immediately, it caught fire. Currently, it has the amazingly high Amazon ranking of 1,509. 

A central meme of "A Woman Makes A Plan" is the fresh opportunity that comes from starting over. Musk grabbed it during distressful parts of the her life and leveraged it as a platform for personal and professional success.

That's Musk's story.

Your own experience with starting over might not have been so rosy.

One major problem might have been this: You brought the past with you. Not only internally, that is, in your head, heart, and soul. You also didn't recognize the need to create a new "elevator speech." From the get-go that puts limits of possibilities.

Essentially the elevator speech is a short "commercial" which captures who you are and how that "who" can benefit others - employers, co-workers, subordinates, clients/customers, friends, neighbors, community groups, and other kinds of constituencies. 

The benefit could be as simple as uplifting their spirits and helping them feel better about themselves.

Or it could be letting them know you could be useful to them in their careers.

Ironically, the elevator speech is not about you. It's about them. That way of being other-oriented happens through the genius of well-done indirect communications. 

The elevator speech is all positive.

It requires an investment of your time.

And, you bet, you must put it together, fine-tune it, and practice it before you parachute into your Next. Remember you only have about 7 seconds to transmit the right message.

Advanced preparation prevents blowing it because once you're in-place you're overwhelmed. Such stress leads to blurting, disclosing negatives, and ignoring the nuances of human bonding. According to the researchers on mirror neurons, we humans influence each other, cell by cell. It's up to you to leverage that to your advantage. Otherwise you can become downright self-defeating in the new setting. 

Let's look at effective and counterproductive elevator speeches:

Effective: Isn't Cleveland special! (That level of enthusiasm puts you in the conversational driver's seat.) It's such a blessing to have a position with Jones Day. How the kids love their school.

Counterproductive: We're having an adjustment leaving Manhattan (That's an immediate put-down of Cleveland) But Jones Day made me an offer I couldn't refuse (You sound arrogant.)

Effective:  I'm here. Can't believe it. I was 6 years old when my family vacationed in Tucson. The rest of my life I made it my business to return. I want the kind of life you have. How blessed you are. 

Counterproductive: Los Angeles was such a rat race. Too much traffic. (That positions and packages you as a complainer.) I hope this works out better.  Does the heat get to you? (Listeners get annoyed that you didn't factor that in before making the decision to relocate.)

Effective. I want to hear all about you. (There is the Dale Carnegie fundamental of showing a sincere interest in people.) Can I treat you to a latte? (Free can't be resisted). Starbucks, I found, is on the corner. (You sound like you are making a real effect to make this home.)

Counterproductive: When I get settled let's get together. (No body cares about your state of being overwhelmed.) By then, I will probably heal from being unemployed from the crash in the legal market. (You brought the stink along with you.)

Sure, new starts can be brutal rites of passage. But that transition can be transformed into the adventure of taking on another identity. Graduates of elite colleges are willing to earn peanuts just for a shot at being hired for acting roles. Trying on another persona can be equally satisfying. Plus, the return on the investment could be extreme success, in life and work. 

Experts on building power relationships - be they dramatist William Shakespeare or sociologist Erving Goffman - hammer the importance of setting a face to meet all the faces out there. That entails putting together the right elevator speech. Then continually modifying it as time passes. 

After a year in Cleveland and at Jones Day, here is how that could play out:

Effective: Cleveland has been so good to us. But you know the needs more than we do. How can we make a difference? My two boys want to pitch in, too.

Ineffective: The long hours of work. I haven't even gotten to the museum yet. I shouldn't be annoyed but I am that my kids want me to coach their teams.

Takeaway: The most efficient route to success is through other people. It's your mission to talk your way in. 

Smart global ghostwriting, with niche social networking know-how. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

Aging & Transitions - Meanwhile, Thanks Tom Brady

It's predictable.

When an icon in any sector is "between careers" those who never could achieve that branding exude glee. The language they happily apply essentially is some version of "finished."

That seems the tone of much of the media coverage of how Patriots' QB Tom Brady - Number 12 - is positioned. The 20 - 13 loss to Tennessee Titans has been a kind of tipping point. 

The exceptions to such mean-spirited reporting include BusinessInsider's discussion of Brady's overall situation. 

BusinessInsider acknowledges the sports figure is 42 years old. The amazing thing is that he has endured at the top of his game so long. His options seem to be:

•  As he becomes a free agent in March, be picked up again by the Patriots. (not likely)
•  Join another team. (not really a strong possibility)
•  Retire, at least from hands-on sports role. That opens the door to almost infinite possibilities. They range from being an on-the-air personality to being appointed a leader in some profit or non-profit athletic enterprise. Hell, who isn't in transition. In entertainment, Megyn Kelly is struggling for a comeback. Most of my communications clients are focused on upping their game.

Meanwhile, the world, and that extends beyond football fans, can shower Brady with gratitude. His magic gave us, season after season, the gift of wonderment. We were lifted out of the ordinary, at least when he was unleashing his performance on the field.

Smart global ghostwriting, with niche social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

Meltdowns Lite - No-cost or Low-cost Options to Pricey Psychotherapy

Boston, the city of psychotherapists, is still stuck with the stigma against this formal mode of treatment for emotional distress and more.

In Boston Magazine, Tessa Yannone covers that.

That's unfortunate.

The Boston Metro area is the setting for so many high-powered careers. It is jam-packed with elite educational institutions. Those usually nurture an almost infinite variety of, what they call on "Criminal Minds," "stressors." 

Having on your "record" that you have been in psychotherapy can prove to be a flaming hoop you will have to jump through in some lines of work or to be admitted to some educational programs. After all, the misfit Puritans, who founded this mighty economy, didn't tolerate such vulnerabilities. Our nation really can't shake that off.  

In addition, although studies prove out that psychotherapy is effective, that doesn't mean it will be for you. There are so many variables at play.

I don't know if my three years of therapy, multiple times a week, and later on an intermittent basis with David W. Harder, Ph.D., based in Lincoln, Massachusetts, were or were not effective. Reconstructing the past is tricky business.

What I do know is that from the get-go, I should have demanded to have access to what he was putting in the clinical records. When I finally had a lawyer obtain those records I concluded, by the tone and content, we were not a good fit.

In therapy, as in just about every other aspect of life and work, fit is everything. If your insurance coverage involves managed care, you may have limited or no choice on the therapist you will be working with. You may or may not be able to interview, on a complimentary basis, several. 

Also, there's the cost of therapy. In college, graduate programs, and professional schools, that could be absorbed in other prepaid fees. Once sprung into the real world of work, if your employer kicks in for your health insurance, the co-pay can eat into a budget. There even could be double-dipping. There could be a co-pay for the psychiatrist who's prescribing medication and also for the psychotherapist. No health insurance? A session could run three digits.

The good news is that there are no-cost or low-cost alternates to therapy. That doesn't mean they are appropriate for you at whatever phase of emotional distress you are at. If you feel you are becoming undone, those in the mental health field worth their salt mandate: Call 911.

But, if you have a hunch you can try other ways to navigate the whatevers, here are 8 tips.

Free, 24/7 confidential hotlines. Several of my clients who had lost jobs obtained immediate relief - and hope - by speaking with the trained human beings at the other end of the phone line at The Samaritans. In the U.S. the number is 212-673-3000. No, you don't have to be suicidal to contact those capable of deep listening. Sensing you are going through emotional distress is enough. Just let them know that's how you are feeling. Globally, through Befrienders Wordwide, there is also help.

Meditation. Research and experience indicate this is a useful way to calm the "monkey mind." Here is a free online video introduction to the basics by American Buddhist nun Pema Chodron. While meditating in a group can seem to increase its impact, there is no reason why a daily practice can't be done alone - any where - multiple times a day. Yes, before pitching to a key prospect, meditate. 

Exercise. Working out isn't just for body contours and a healthy heart. It's a natural remedy for clinical depression and anxiety. The trick is to incorporate it into a daily routine. Do that and the body will hunger for that kind of ritual.

A trusted friend 0r Fido. Those in the mental health field who understand healing will tell you that a close friend who knows how to listen and to maintain confidentiality can be SuperTherapist. The edge that person has is knowing what you're about. Other options can be the sponsor in a 12-step program, a stranger on the seat next to you during a plane flight/Amtrak trip, or your dog. Regarding the latter, because the four-leggers in your life are empathetic and non-judgmental, they can provide solid platforms back to hope.

Herbs et al. Bless the internet. You no longer need to purchase a book on what non-prescription substances can be effective. Here, for example, is a run-down of them. Some contend any effectiveness results from the placebo effect. The attitude of those who receive relief smirk and respond, "Bring it on." All forms of mental distress cause pain. Whatever reduces that could be worth experimenting with. Many of the natural treatments do not have the possible severe side effects of a number of prescription remedies.

Spirituality. Very different from formal kinds of religion, spirituality essentially entails a surrender to some force greater than yourself. That takes the burden off you for controlling every aspect of your life and work. You can get out of the driver's seat. No longer do you have to be hyperalert and compulsively focused on goals. Incidentally, this kind of "turning over" is the core of the Alcoholics Anonymous approach to sobriety. The joke there is: Being in charge of the universe is a big job and we're not getting paid for it. 

Psychics. Those with the powers to "read" a suffering human being are being embraced as the new therapists. Lawyers, listen up: To protect themselves from  lawsuits, most post the disclaimer that their services are for entertainment only. However, there is usually extreme earnestness in the encounters between them and those who reach out to them in-person, by phone, or through email. Their methodologies range from pure intuition to tarot cards to crystals. As with myriad other services, this field has its share of cons. It's necessary to ask around for a "legit." 

Coaches. More and more professionals are simply hiring coaches instead of interviewing therapists. Coaches are usually specialized. Those niches range from overall life to career. Most will provide short complimentary sessions for you to check out the chemistry. Since there is no stigma, this could be what to try first. Over the holidays, an underemployed 63-year-old came to me for help with getting more work. What we decided was her immediate need was for a life coach. 

What's labeled as "mental illness" could simply mean hitting the mid point of the continuum of stress. You could be heading toward impairment of the ability to function. So, if you perceive yourself as gravitating out of what's today's norm for stress, take action. That could be the now-traditional way of finding out what kind of therapy your medical insurance covers to lighting a candle and turning over your will to something bigger than you. Should you sense you are in crisis, call 911.

Coaching, lecturing, and writing/ghostwriting thought leadership content on human resources and careers.

For individual coaching – sliding scale fees. Complimentary initial consultation. The special area of expertise is the displaced over-50 professional. Please contact Jane Genova janegenova374@gmail.com.

Shame on Me: What I Should Have Learned in 2014

Back in 2015, The Atlantic nailed it in how it threw shade on 12-step program Alcoholics Anonymous.

The article, now a classic in the push-back against that traditional mode of substance-abuse treatment, points out that the program offers fellowship.

Members are welcoming.

Members are accepting.

Members go the distance to be helpful.

Yes, there is an extreme sense of belonging. 

Offering that appeals to what is probably so primitive in human natures: the longing to be part of.

The same dynamics seem to operate as a pull force in fundamentalist religion.

Sure, there is also the certainty provided by unambiguous beliefs. That creates a zone of mental safety. Hold that abortion is wrong and you will sleep soundly at night. Tough to turn that down.

As I found out in my six weeks participating in an evangelical church, the magic of total euphoria can be conjured up by simply being embraced fully by the minister and the congregation. A very seductive form of voodoo.

Not since I had become a passionate member of a 12-step program in 1981 had I experienced such an uplifting of my spirit. 

They let me in. They said I could remain in the magic circle as long as I stuck with the rules.

But, somehow, my background in critical reasoning shook me into admitting, no, maybe I didn't really belong. Not there. And, I even accepted: maybe not anywhere.

Increasingly, it's difficult to really belong. Those with more followers, likes, shares, and comments on social networks can doom us to the assumption that, no, we aren't welcome there. We are deluding ourselves that we are a part of. Eventually, there will be the message, blunt or wrapped in the velvet glove of civility, that we should exit. Leave the cool kids to enjoy each other, without us. 

No, the sandboxes of the digital era aren't really welcoming. 

Here is my takeaway, at least for now: As long as we fail to belong to ourselves - that is, treasure our little dance on planet earth for what it is - we are vulnerable to the machinations of institutions and individuals promising fellowship. 

Do I finally got it that self-love is the ultimate play-out of belonging? That is, that we belong to ourselves?

I don't know.

Over and over again I have been through the wringer on that one. Back in 2014, I had positioned and packaged myself to be the ultimate victim of the longing to belong syndrome. Here is that story. Unfortunately, the lessons had not been learned back then. 

My search for an emotional, social, and spiritual home had continued.

Perhaps one perk of having been a liberal arts student should have been being immersed in the history of ideas. Over and over again there had been evidence of how alone mankind is. Being separate is the reality. That's a central theme in Virginia Woolf's "To the Lighthouse." 

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

An Ok, Boomer Remembers Ram Dass

Ram Dass had evolved from Richard Alpert during his own journey.

Some of our generation - the baby boomers, now derided as ok, boomer - hitchhiked along.

Those were the late 1960s and 1970s.

Reared on the scientific method, we embraced mysticism.

Hammered from the get-go to be careerists, we dropped out (at least for a while). I worked 13 hours a day in a café on Calle de San Francisco in Barcelona, Spain. My best friend from college focused on liberating whatever in Cuba. 

With the help of The Pill, we shook off Puritanism. 

If we really got it, we put mind and body back together. The fact that we still are alive today bears witness that how we learned to take care of ourselves panned out. My buttoned-down sister died at 60. And, in our 70s, we have the courage to travel where Ram Dass directed us: into the mysteries of aging. 

As AP reports, Ram Dass has finished with that last lap of the journey - the aging part. He left this dimension at 88. 

His passing intersects with the celebration of the vestiges of Christianity. Even Pope Francis admits that the gospel according to Jesus Christ has become irrelevant. In history, 2019 could go down as the kick-off of Post Christianity.

Lots more also has changed.

Co-existing with our aging selves is only a part of the work Ram Dass has left us to do. But we are wiser currently. Instead of looking to a guru we realize that the answers are within ourselves.

The tough nut to crack, though, is opening the emotional and spiritual drawbridge, making it beyond the materialist alligators in the moat, and being here now. That is the title of Ram Dass' first book, published in 1971. On Amazon, it's still at 2, 681. Here you can order "Be Here Now," even if you're not an ok, boomer. 

According to sources, Ram Dass went gently into the night.

Beyond BigPharma - Finding Our Healthcare Solutions on Our Own

Ohio is the state in which almost everyone knows someone who has overdosed during the opioid epidemic.

Some of those addicted to opioids died.

Some are still attempting to score the pain killers on the street.

And some are struggling in rehab, usually with multiple stays. 

But few, if any of them, are obtaining their supply of opioids from a medical doctor in this state. At least, not without a hassle. 

On Wednesday, I will be a new patient at a primary care medical office in Toledo, Ohio. The first page of the forms I have to fill out before my intake visit reads:

"Please be aware this office does not prescribe pain medication. You will be referred to Pain Management for those medications."

Fortunately, right now pain is not one of my healthcare challenges.

But insomnia had been in Fall 2016 when I relocated to OH from the wild west of the southwest USA, right on the border of Nogales, Mexico.

The primary care medical center in Youngstown, OH denied my request for prescription sleeping pills. Patiently, the medical doctor who was doing a residency explained rituals I should do as the day turned to night to avoid sleeplessness.

Of course, those didn't work. That most recent bout of severe insomnia wasn't my first rodeo. I could teach a course at Harvard Medical School on sleep disorders. 

Funny, what did work I discovered by accident.

Along with all my living room furniture, I had donated my bed to a neighbor when I was relocating in Fall 2019 from Youngstown to Toledo. It wasn't cost effective to move all that.

That night I set up things so that I could sleep comfortably on the floor.

There I fell right to sleep and stayed asleep.

From my college freshman Scientific Method course I connected the dots: After being plagued with insomnia since age 11, I had developed a phobia about sleeping in a bed. As soon as I headed toward the bed I tensed up. 

The floor wasn't associated with a brutal history of not sleeping.

You bet, I am still on the floor every night.

Only one of those nights has been a toss-and-turn.

See, I was in high angst about a Fintech assignment for a new client.

So, I got off the floor, started the assignment, finished it, and at 2 P.M. regrouped on the floor for the "night."

As the research documents, with regular sleep for almost three months I have lost weight. My rings are loose. I am bringing many of my outfits to the bin for the needy. Those plagued with not sleeping confuse fatigue with hunger. 

Takeaway: So many of the answers to what is ruining our health are within us. What we have to do is apply the fundamentals of the scientific method to unlock that insight. Maybe some of that is voodoo, that is the belief X or Y will be effective.

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

Career as Spiritualist - Age Is On Your Side

The ghostly holiday of Halloween has evolved into the social event in America. It's family-free, theatrical, and encourages excess consumption of no-nos like candy and booze. In the U.S. it generates about $9 billion annually, documents the National Retail Federation Annual Survey.

So, no slouches when it comes to a good story, media outlets, such as the New York Post, look for the unique angle on Halloween.

One is spiritualism. 

The narrow definition of "spiritualism" is the one the Post focuses on. That's essentially about communication with dead people, that is, reaching those who have passed over. Usually that time travel is facilitated by a medium. 

Yes, that goes on. The Post cites the spiritualist community of Lily Dale, in upstate New York, near Fred0nia and an hour from Buffalo.

There are other groups in other locations with special expertise in spiritualism. They range from Angelica of the Angels in Salem, Massachusetts to Tamara in Tucson, Arizona. 

Most spiritualism organizations currently broadly define their mission as including reaching out to live human beings with insight, comfort, and guidance. The particular expertise ranges from telepathy to clairvoyance. The methods are all over the place, be they tarot cards, crystals, or intuition.

Spiritualism centers also conduct training sessions. In them, spiritualists learn to enhance their skills. Non-spiritualists can unleash their inner gifts to transition to this career path. It can be done full-time, part-time, or as a side hustle. That shift can be lucrative for the experienced spiritualist who has branding down cold.

For example, at Angelica of the Angels, here is the price menu:

•  Walk-in or phone reading - 15 minutes for $30, 20 minutes for $40
•  Walk-in or phone reading with founder Rev. Barbara - 15 for $40 (yes, she is also a medium)
•  House parties - check for pricing.

More usual is a dollar a minute which late spiritualist Marianne Kremer at the Jersey Shore billed at. Psychic Interactive bills $19 for 15 minutes. 

Given that spiritualism deals with non-empirical phenomena, it's expected that it's misunderstood.

To begin with, it's not spirituality.

Centers for spirituality, such as various schools of Buddhism, essentially have as their mission a kind of cognitive therapy. That is, there is a taming of the mental processes or "monkey mind." The regular practice can result in peace of mind. Without intrusive thoughts, it's easier to concentrate. Therefore, there could be more success in professional and personal life.

In addition, evangelical religious groups such as the Baptists hold as a tenet the existence of God. That entity is an absolute. Yes, that resembles the ideology of the Roman Catholic Church which positions and packages the pope as infallible and directly in touch with God. Spiritualism doesn't require a belief in God.

Also, 12-step program Alcoholics Anonymous, often mislabeled as a religion, has embedded a higher power. That can be interpreted loosely. However, getting sober and remaining that way is thought to be correlated with surrender of the will to that higher power.

As confidence is shaken in the algorithms of artificial intelligence, more seeking insight might turn to spiritualism.

Of course, as in all fields, there are frauds.

It is necessary to receive a referral from those who are "regulars" in spiritualism. They can be reached through trusted brandname psychics, neighborhood digital networks, yoga studios, and even some spirituality centers. Most offer phone services and take credit cards. A growing number provide online and texting readings. Tips are usually appreciated.

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

Yes, the Department of Justice Investigation of BigTech Can Affect You

It is a possible earthquake for investors and the leadership of BigTech. Wealth, power, influence, and how business is conducted can be reconfigured. The sector may never have another golden age. 

And one wonders if the aftershocks will include criminal accusations against BigTech executives, as have happened in pharma and food. Lawyers, such as the chief compliance officer James Barclay at pharma company Miami-Luken, could be the first to get collared. 

Today, the Department of Justice issued a press release. That announced that its Antitrust Division is focusing on the "practices of market-leading online platforms."

The Division will investigate two major issues. One is how the platforms achieved power.

The other is if they are involved in practices which "have reduced competition, stifled innovation, or otherwise harmed consumers."

The immediate impacts of this announcement can be huge. For example, as MarketWatch reports, in after-hours trading, there was a decline in the stock prices of Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Google.

Depending on how spooked investors become, that could drag down the overall market. Is the bull run finally over?

Those depending on the stocks in their portfolios for retirement might have to remain working. Those who are retired might have go back to work, as the Federal Reserve documents, like one-third of all the other retirees have already done. 

Smaller competitors in the tech sector will now see niches they can break into. Those needing partners and services might invite them in.

The best and brightest might not chase careers in BigTech - or even business. Who knows, as when John F. Kennedy became U.S. president, there might be a return to selflessness. Baby Boomers recall when Kennedy told youth not to ask what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.

And, after the cleanup is complete post-investigation, capitalism might be very different. That's anticipated. At Harvard Business School there is an elective: Reimagining Capitalism.

Among those with nothing to lose or gain in this development, the happy fantasy could be envisioning members of the BigTech leadership in handcuffs. MarketWatch notes that Facebook is a special target in the investigation.

Not getting results from your marketing communications? Complimentary consultation – janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

No Fool Like an Old Fool?

Steve Jobs wannabe Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes is still in black.

Only at the pre-trial court hearing it wasn't the signature black turtleneck.

It was a basic black dress and black blazer. And, at age 35, she's still attractive.

Some conjecture that it had been her youthful blonde good looks which lured big establishment names such as Henry Kissinger to the Theranos board of directors. At one point superlawyer David Boies had represented her.

Her trial on 11 counts of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud will begin on July 28, 2020, in San Jose, California. Here is a summary of those counts by the Department of Justice. And, here is a copy of the actual indictment. 

The contention is that she and the startup's number-two Sunny Balwani deliberately misled investors, regulators, and the public about a technology which didn't exist. Balwani, who had also been her lover, was in court but arrived separately. In a television interview he argued that Theranos represented a business failure, not a fraud. If convicted, both face decades in prison.

But meanwhile, she did win one in court. She requested that the Food and Drug Administration speed up the process of turning over documents to her legal team. It claims that would require 6 months. No way, ruled federal judge Edward Davila. He gave the regulatory agency 75 days. Here are more details from the media.

By the time of the trial, most of the tech world could be in the reputational toilet. Regulators, media, the stock market, consumers, and the public globally could have turned on it. An indication of how bad it could it get is playing out in Europe. New York University marketing professor and internet expert Scott Galloway has been predicting just that. 

My hunch is that it will be difficult for both sides - prosecution and defense - to find objective jury members in the San Jose area. The defense might request a change of venue, which could delay the trial. Delays help defendants. 

In the tabloid media this saga could go down as "The Blonde and The Old White Men." On "SNL," there can be a film noir rendition of a board meeting. 

Not getting results from your marketing communications? Complimentary consultation – janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

The Voodoo of Voice

As an aging professional you program your Alexa to say It's age bias, it's not you. And you go on to continue to search for work. 

That kind of voice messaging is exactly why Alexa is growing so rapidly. “Voice establishes a powerful emotional connection, even more than facial gestures,” explains Shari Nelson, founder of memvio. “And, it stays imprinted forever. Voice resonates in our unconscious.”

Research, such by the Greater Good Science Center, confirms that therapeutic voodoo. How it happens is beginning to be scientifically sorted out. For example, we already know that the region of the brain where the ability to recognize voices is housed is the superior temporal gyrus (STG).

By 2021, there will be more voice-activated assistants throughout the world than human beings, forecasts Ovum. It took three decades for mobile phones to reach that level.

Call this a movement? Maybe. Alexa does represent the return to an oral culture.

Marketers, as usual, pounced on this trend. They noticed the popularity of podcasting among all generations. Because the voice medium is so engaging podcasting advertising often generates the most response for the lowest cost.

More employers, such as Unilever, are tossing traditional vetting procedures such as requesting the resume and cover letter. Instead, essentially, they are telling applicants: Talk to us. That happens at the front end through digital technology. At the point closer to hiring, there will be the in-person talk-to-us encounter.

Then, there is Nelson's story. It was after her mother died that Nelson got it: She missed hearing her mother’s voice. That’s an understatement. The reality was and is that she needed her mother’s voice.

She asked herself why she hadn’t recorded all those unique moments as a kind of family oral history.

For instance, what about their conversation on her wedding day and when her mother let the family know she was leaving the earth full of peace? There were days when Nelson and her eight siblings needed that voice, with all its idiosyncratic nuances and Irish American intonations. Also, there have been so many times when she wished her own five children could hear the wisdom from a very different time. Those regrets were the seeds for memvio.

The mission for memvio became this: preserving memories. One of the mediums for that has been audio. Call it “storing voices.” Others are video, photographic, and text. Usually a project brings together all of them. A designer parachutes in. Some folks think of the process as “scrapbooking.” Here are samples.

Whatever or whoever has a voice can create emotional spells.

Exactly the right tone and content for all your communications. Complimentary consultation janegenova374@gmail.com.