In life, there are things you never forget, and shouldn’t ? Door's open, come on in...

Welcome to the daily newsletter, "An 'E'-volving Mindset". Join Elliot, 'E' as he shares lessons learned, old-school guidance, and tips in business, leadership, and life; leaving a legacy for his children and grandchildren.

First, catch this week's What I Learned This Weekend weekly newsletter which shares posts worth saving, people to follow, articles I've read, what I found on social media, and "Innovative Profiles Headlines".

You can also check out and subscribe to the monthly Stop Selling; Start Helping newsletter that shares "Thoughts, Lessons, and Rumblings from 30 years of Sales and Sales Leadership."

You know, whether we like it or not, we all have our own personal brand in today's world. Whether you're on the job hunt, going for a promotion, or writing a dating profile, getting others to see your worth is key to growing your business.

In a 2023 article written by Jill Avery and Rachel Greenwald in the Harvard Business Review , they proclaim that personal branding is all about being intentional and strategic as you shape and express what makes you unique. They provide seven steps to follow.

I advise clients to choose when and what to share of their personal lives carefully. When meeting someone for the first time with the intent on building rapport, launching a relationship, and connecting with another, it's natural to include personal insights from your life. Where you grew up, what school you attended, the worst boss you ever had, how you met your spouse etc...

We do so in order to "invite the other person in". Into our lives, our circle of trust, our network which helps you get to know each on a more intimate level and begin building rapport. Now and then I've done this online and doing it again here in my daily newsletter so....

?? Door's open, come on in....

My father was my best friend, my mentor, my teacher, my hero, my Dad. He had a cardiac arrest on July 3rd, 1994. He was in and out of hospitals and acute care rehab centers from then until the day he returned to his creator when he died on November 25th, 1994.

July 4th and Thanksgiving Day have a different meaning to me since then. July 4th is the day after I lost my father, and Thanksgiving is the day before I lost my father.

Over the years I've shared my thoughts on Medium via "My Father. “Dad I miss you every day” in 2016 and "Father’s Day — Why I Loathe Thee" in 2020. I go back in time and describe how "I just knew he had a heart attack" when our camp's head counselor came to find me on the go-kart track in the Catskills that summer. And how clearly I remember the Detroit Lions beating the Buffalo Bills on the 75th of the National Football League (NFL) the day before I got the call to get on a plane from Miami back to Detroit because "any moment".

It's hard to reread those articles just as it's hard to share this here. But, if one person reading this internalizes this piece of advice I'm about to share, I'm glad I am doing so.

“You don’t realize what you have until its gone”

Some thoughts I'm dropping in the hope that some of you reading take to heart and act:

? Do not take for granted the people around you that care about you. The people that raised you. Those who give you their time. Those that are a part of your life. You never know when they won't be around anymore. So take a moment and tell them "thank you'. "I appreciate you."

? "It's the little things that often make the biggest difference." - My father used to tell this to me and in turn I've passed it on to my children. Little things like smiling at a human being while in line. Holding open a door for another. Offer to give someone a hand with their bags. Look at the eyes of the person you are greeting, recognize them, respect them. Shake hands firmly. Hug tightly, with your entire soul and body. In short "Be A Mentsch". Do yourself a favor and Google Mentsch (or how Guy wrongly spells it Mensch) and Guy Kawasaki, my friend and mentor.

? Every day look to grow, to learn, to evolve. This newsletter was named "An 'E'-Volving Mindset" because the only thing higher than having a growth mindset is having an evolving one. "If you can't laugh or learn something, one thing, each day at your job or work, find another job."

? Acquire mentors. Yes, plural. Mentors do not have to even be someone who you've met in person. They can be an author of a book or a profile you follow on LinkedIn . My current mentors include: Harvey Mackay , Guy Kawasaki , Gary Vaynerchuk , Adam Grant , Daniel Pink , Brian Wallace , David Mocton , Rachel Sapoznik , Neil Greenbaum and a few others including my wife, my father, my children, my in-laws.

Many of these people I have been blessed to meet and have a relationship with. Some of these are going to be surprised at being included. Your mentor(s) don't need to be perfect and you don't have to agree politically with them or how to raise children. If they can teach you a skill and would be proud to introduce them as your daughter or son's significant other, then yes they could be your mentor.