When I first started my company, I named it Applied Strategies. Boring, I know. But I thought it would create more opportunities since prospective clients couldn’t pigeonhole me.
I was wrong. I looked like a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none. But over time, I found my niche—helping technology-driven companies get a jumpstart on their new product launches.
It was time to rebrand. After lots of thought, I decided on Leapfrog Strategies. My new logo, a leaping frog, showed forward and upward momentum. Plus, it was fun.
Soon after, I launched my first website and my newsletter. That was 24 years ago. I haven’t stopped writing since then.
And very soon, my new book, Pivotal Moments: The Springboard to New Possibilities, will be available.
While working on the cover design with my publisher, we struggled to find a graphic that conveyed the book’s message. We tried a diving board, a Slinky, and more.
Then I remembered my leaping frog! It was perfect. So, it’s coming back into my life and yours. I’m excited! You’ll hear more about it soon.
P.S. In my old newsletters, I always included a frog joke or story. You might enjoy the classic parable below, which highlights the importance of encouragement.
Two Frogs
A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead.
The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead.
Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.
The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out.
When he got out, the other frogs said, “Did you not hear us?” The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.
This story teaches two lessons:
- There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.
- A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them.
Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path.
The power of words... it is sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go such a long way.
Anyone can speak words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in difficult times.
Special is the individual who will take the time to encourage another.
Author Unknown
