At the beginning of 2020, I took stock.

Now -- I'm taking stock photography. And stock video.

Thrillist just published a great service story about how to score a cheap ticket to some of the hottest Broadway shows over the cold winter.

When you're at the Thrillist website, be sure to take a look at the SIX photo credit. 😊

And speaking of Broadway...check out my latest #shorts video clips at my YouTube channel RockinWorks Creative. I highlight how to enjoy a Broadway show and a delish meal in the Theatre District. More of these types of videos coming soon! #BroadwayIsOpen

While at my YouTube channel, if you like the content, please do consider subscribing. I appreciate it! 🙏

The mantra of many coaches, mentors, teachers, and self-help gurus is to "think big." Have big dreams. Have big goals. Have big ideas.

I'm not against this. It's natural to want to work towards a bigger goal. But I am now of the mind that once you land on whatever that goal is, it's good to set it aside and just kind of check in on it every once in a while to consider how you're feeling about it.

Has anything changed?

• Does the original goal have the same appeal? (It's okay if it doesn't.)
• If you reach this goal, will your life really feel different? And in the way that you imagined?
• Have the changes in the world changed your goal? (That's okay, too.)

​For me, the end goal, whatever it is, has become far less important than it used to be. Given how the world -- or God, or the universe, or whatever -- clearly has other plans for how things are going to go, better to instead view big goals as placeholders, giving myself permission to make adjustments to my goals as I navigate life's twists and turns.

In the meantime, it's going to be the small steps, the small actions taken every day that bring a sense of purpose, adventure, and mystery. 

And, maybe, they will also happen bring me to an ultimate goal.

So, in 2022, I resolve to think small. To take one small, meaningful action every day that feels good. The options for small actions are simple and endless...

• To find the value in a mundane task
• To take a walk
• To take a bike ride
• To do some yoga and/or meditation
• To make a repair
• To declutter a small area
• To try something new 
• To do something from the past
• To choose curiosity over fear

And I resolve to reflect on these small actions, both in the moment and down the road, to assess how all of these steps add up in their own circuitous way. To acknowledge the growth.

Small is the new big for me. Will it be the same for you, too?

​💚Wishing you many small, fulfilling thoughts and actions in 2022 and beyond.💚

In one of my previous posts, I talked about how important video has become in content marketing.

This is super news for me because I'm a content writer who happens to LOVE to produce videos! I enjoy the process of coming up with original content that's not only fun for me to shoot and edit, but will also deliver value to the viewer.

I've already produced various short video series featuring:

• Bike rides in lower Manhattan
• Quirky short interviews with cool performing arts people

In my newest short video series, ROCKIN' IN NYC, I take you on various excursions throughout New York City that are affordable, and that I also think you'd enjoy yourself.

I try to pick activities that are not necessarily going to be on your radar that show how to experience New York City in ways that reveal the city's spontaneity and soul. 

Even though I'm a longtime New Yorker, you'll get to see me run into my share of obstacles. (Weekend MTA schedules anyone?) As a result, we all get to learn an important tip or two about navigating the city, as well as always being open to move to a Plan B, which can often be as good -- or even better -- than Plan A.

My latest episode is below. I hope you enjoy it.

​Please consider liking the video and also subscribing to my YouTube channel, RockinWorks Creative.

I'm looking to reach 150 subscribers by 12/31/21.

🙏 Will you help me get there? (Thanks in advance for liking and/or subscribing!)

You are not just a content creator -- you are a content re-creator.

Chances are you've put a lot of thought into that blog post, case study, or report. It's a solid piece of content, right? 

So, why should that outstanding blog post, case study, or report be the end of the road?  Why not leverage and maximize the heck out of it to bolster your brand and reach more people? 

How do you do that? By repurposing the content.

Repurposing content is exactly what it sounds like -- it's taking content assets you've already created and adjusting them to fit a different channel or medium, or finding new ways to expand the content further using the same topics or subtopics.

Why is repurposing your content important?

• Repurposing your content keeps the momentum of a topic, ensuing subtopics, or related topics going by reaching a wider audience.
• Repurposing your content increases the chances of your audience interacting with your content, leading to fresh ideation on your topic and related themes.
• Repurposing your content strengthens your brand's authority by expanding your presence and expertise across multiple channels and mediums.

In other words, repurposing your content is the gift that keeps on giving -- and giving, and giving!

With so much technology available today and constantly evolving, it's foolish not to utilize some of the many methods to get your content out there and milk your hard work for all its worth.
​
If you repurpose and distribute your content strategically and holistically, chances are this will help boost the SEO for your content and ultimately boost awareness of your personal or business brand.

While there are endless ways to repurpose your content, this one is the most important method that I think you should be, er, focussing on.
​

​YouTube is the second most used search engine in the world, so it makes sense that video is one of the most popular tools for marketers.

According to Wyzowl, roughly 86% of businesses use video as a method to support their brands. And a Smart Insights article stated that 92% of marketers indicated that video was a key part of their strategies. And, of course, one of the marketing world's greatest oracles, Gary Vaynerchuk, has been a big fan of video for years.

And then the pandemic hit. 

And everything changed -- fast.

Video became the main tool most used to connect for the better part of 2020.

I was a already fan of video before the pandemic; I had begun purchasing gear and producing work. So, I was ready to create my own original video content during the pandemic, as well as repurpose high-quality written content created by others that deserved more attention.
​

​When I read Indie Theater Fund's Emergency Grant Report based on the funding the organization provided New York City theatre artists at the onset of the pandemic, I recognized immediately that this was a valuable piece of content. 

It deserved way more than just living in an obscure Google Doc.

The data and testimonials were crying out to be repurposed into a video.

Why video?

• The video could be a PSA to secure more donations.
• The video could get discovered on YouTube, raising awareness for the Indie Theater Fund.
• The video could be easily shared across social channels (which is essentially repurposing the video! Remember when I said repurposing content is the gift that keeps on giving?)
• Other websites could link to the video, which would increase traffic for the video and Indie Theater Fund
• The video would be an example for Indie Theater Fund for how they could repurpose other content assets moving forward.

Here are the three simple steps I took to make the PSA repurposing plan happen:

1. I got Indie Theater Fund's executive director on board with the idea of turning portions of the report into a PSA.
2. I scripted copy directly from the report and filmed a rough cut of myself as a placeholder for the executive director to film herself.
3. I then swapped in the executive director's footage for the final edited video.

Indie Theater Fund used the first anniversary of the theater shutdown in New York to publish the video on YouTube. The organization also promoted the video on social. Creating social posts promoting the video was also a form of repurposing. And the social posts sparked comments that could also be used for future content. And on it goes!

Based on the positive comments I saw, I know the PSA will add value to Indie Theater Fund.

Take a look at the PSA when you have two minutes. Compare the report to the video. 

I'd love to know what you think! 
​
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Do you have high-quality content that you're ready to repurpose into a video to build awareness for your brand? I bet you do! Let's strategize!

In this latest episode of "TAKING FIVE WITH..." I chat with a comedic and multi-talented actor, singer, improviser and creator who you will undoubtedly recognize – even if you don’t know their name.

But now you will!

In this episode, we cover...

• How they got their start as a performer
• Which acclaimed TV show gave them their big break
• Memorable Broadway experiences
• How they stayed creative and connected during the pandemic
• Their latest TV show where they get to wear a lab coat -- again
• The personal project they love and can’t wait to get back to performing

 
Find out the answers to these questions and more -- in just five minutes!

Looking for someone to help script and produce
your next short video project? ​

We’ve all been hearing since March 2020 that we need to be cautious.
 
Extra cautious.

We need to wear masks around people from outside our household, we need to stay six feet apart, we need to wash our hands for the duration of “Happy Birthday," and, heck, we all just need to stay home where it’s safe!

Don't take unnecessary risks!
 
I’ve been following these directions (for the most part) and, thankfully, I’ve remained healthy.
 
But my subconscious has begun to rebel. The other day, I found myself far less cautious in one of my dreams.

I was at a local mom and pop specialty shop that sold high-quality Italian meats and cheeses. I saw other people in the store not wearing masks. Why aren't they wearing masks, I thought? Wait, I'm not wearing a mask either. Why am I not wearing a mask? Did COVID "end?" Am I dreaming? Is that gorgeous-looking sample of sliced steak that the deli owner is proffering -- fully exposed to human respiratory droplets -- safe to eat?

I ate it. It was delicious. And I woke up to tell about it.

After my room came into focus and I got my bearings, I quickly reviewed the scene before it evaporated. As I delved into the meaning, a realization surfaced:

Has the abundance of caution I've been taking to protect my health seeped into other areas of my life? 

Am I currently not taking risks that I should be taking? 
 
I decided the dream was a wake-up call.

Nothing is certain. That was true before COVID and it will remain true when we emerge from this surreal chapter. We delude ourselves whenever we believe we have control over future outcomes. But, at the same time, we need to take action toward our goals in order to make any progress.

And going for goals, well, that involves a measure of risk-taking. Always has, always will. And, if we don't go for our goals, we don't get to enjoy the small wins along the way.

And that’s what life is ultimately. A path paved with potential risks and potential small, happy wins. That's how I see it anyway.

My dream reminded me that, while I need to be mindful about COVID risks, I need to be conscious about inadvertently allowing "an abundance of caution" to serve as a blanket template for how I live my life.  

An abundance of caution does not provide space for abundance.

You, too. Remember the goals you’ve stayed healthy for. Keep on keeping on in your quest to make them a reality. 

​A thrilling path filled with risks -- and abundance -- is before you.