This week we’re gonna take a look at some of the latest “best worst” ads. I’ve been throwing the TV on as background noise lately while working, and these ads have been making me feel uncomfortable in all the wrong ways.

Let’s dive in, shall we?

1. Peak Iced Tea commercial

I don’t even know where to begin when it comes to this spot. Everything about it makes me cringe. Let’s start with the fact that it’s been airing during commercial breaks for Chopped (which is my most favorite show in the history of television shows). But… isn’t that a bit overkill? Chopped within chopped…. is this Choppedception? Even though this is my most favorite show, this seems a bit overkill to me.

I wish you guys could see my face right now. Anyways – moving on. Once you get beyond the fact that you may or may not be overdosing on your favorite show, you have to remember that this is a spot. So they are fitting an entire challenge and judging and commercial… into 60 seconds. Cheese and rice. It’s like a game of Who can say the product name the most? up in here. And lastly – let’s not forget that tagline. Dear lord. That effing tagline. “Tastes like real tea, because it is.” The copywriter in me just committed suicide.

2. Skecher’s Daddy’$ Money Sneaker Wedges commercial

I’ll wait here while you go reevaluate your life and your role in the society we live in. Go on. I’ll wait. I don’t even want to address the WTF status of this product, because that would require more time and curse words than I’m prepared to dedicate right now. This has got to be the most controversial example of targeting underage audiences I have ever seen. Remember when we thought that Bratz Dolls were bad? These sneaker wedges blow those scary looking dolls right out the water. ”Daddy’s giiiirrrrllll….I’ve got swag, baby, swag.” *facepalm*

3. PopTart commercials

So…. there’s nothing really wrong with the new poptart commercials. Except for the fact that they are seriously twisted and morbid. It’s pretty hard to get the idea of trapping and murdering a PopTart in a toaster out of one’s mind.

————————————

Here’s why these ads are awful but awesome: awful for the reasons listed above, but awesome because they totally work. They all do an excellent job of targeting their ideal consumer AND they are all memorable. And not just memorable for the content of their ads, but I couldn’t forget these brand names if I tried. (Trust me, I’ve tried.)

I’ve always called advertising a soul sucking industry filled with manipulators fueling the consumerism and capitalism at the core of this country, and the success levels of these ads make me almost angry. Almost. It hurts my soul a little bit to come to terms with the fact that as terrible as these ads are, they are really smart.

Have you guys seen any truly awful commercials lately? What do you think of the advertising industry? Drop it all in the comments below!

Turning the TV off for a while,
xx Nikbear

The post Hate to Love Ads appeared first on npamani.

Memorial Day weekend looms! The very fact that I’m sitting on my couch with all my windows open wearing shorts fills me with more joy than I can even begin to express.

Does anyone else in the northeast feel like this was the winter that would not go away? Maybe it’s just because I’m still readjusting to life back in the greater New York area, and this season (unlike last winter) I didn’t take as many tropical weekend getaways as I would have liked. #firstworldproblems

Anyways – with summer inching its way closer, my friends and I have been running around the city engaging in various shenanigans. And making lots of plans for even more shenanigans.

So what does summer in the city entail exactly? Well, I’m still in the process of figuring it out, but here’s what I’ve come up with so far:

1. EATING. Granted, this is something that everyone does in the winter, but it doesn’t have the same appeal as throwing on a sundress on a hungover Sunday to head to your favorite local diner for brunch. Eggs Benedict have become a weekend must have. Post brunch beers and/or snoozing in Central Park are also a necessity. (If you’re a NYC local and you want to come nap in the sunshine with me, you’ll more than likely find me sprawled face down on a blanket in Sheep Meadow.) But it’s not just brunch – it’s every meal. And sometimes not even at meal time. All the restaurants and cafes have opened up their outdoor seating and I feel as though no matter what time of day it is, there are always willing patrons to fill up the chairs and tables. ALSO, not to be forgotten: summer BBQs. Slightly more difficult to finagle in the city, but not completely impossible (thanks JuJu).

2. BOOZING. Bottomless mimosas, discount pitchers of summer bears, rooftop bars galore, and extended happy hours. Yeah, alright New York. We get it. You like to drink. If summer doesn’t bring out the alcoholic that lives within you, nothing will. Fruity cocktails and wheat beers YUM.

3. FITNESS. If we’re going to spend most of our time eating and drinking, I’m going to need some exercise too. Suddenly the gyms are packed again and everyone is out running/jogging/walking in the parks. I feel like there’s more of a fitness frenzy this year because bikini season kind of snuck up on us. As for me? I’m starting my training for a 5K run in July. It’s going. Slowly.

4. NEVER ENDING WEEKENDS. When the weather outside is delightful, it doesn’t matter if it’s a Friday night or a Wednesday night. People want to party. In my recent experience, I’ve deducted that Wednesday is the new Friday. Why? I don’t know. People just seem to want to party on Wednesday nights. I’m OK with it.

5. FRIENDLINESS. Everyone comes out of their apartments to interact with neighbors on the sidewalk. It’s as if summer has literally put the life and breath back into the city. I love the soft hustle and bustle in my neighborhood of people going to dinners or just enjoying a post dinner drink at an outdoor cafe.

7. MUSIC. Festival season is here! Time to spend all my moneys on weekend camping and dancing trips. I’ve already secured my ticket for Electric Forest, and I’m toying with several other festivals. Aside from the festivals though, this city is a bottomless well of fantastic shows and titillating tunage. Last week I got to see THE Carl Cox at Output. So. Much. Win.

8. MOVIES. Summer movies are actually the best thing. I just saw The Great Gatsby (well done Leo, go die Toby, and BEST SOUNDTRACK EVER…. is pretty much the sparknotes of my review). Every year I turn to TV and Netflix in the winter so that I can hibernate in my little bear cave. But summer time has some of the best releases ever and i will gladly shell out $15 to see a great movie on the big screen. But I’m bringing my own popcorn. Deal with it.

The season we wait for all year is finally here, and right now? Right now is perfect. Not too hot yet, everyone’s super jazzed that the weather is finally turning up, and people haven’t burned out yet from partying too much.

So, friends? What do your summer plans entail? Anything exciting happening for the long weekend? Drop it all in the comments below!

Summer breezes and popsicle flavored kisses,
xx Nikki

The post The Frabjuous Season appeared first on npamani.

Yes, friends, it is true. I descend from a long line of brown people, but worry not – I am a coconut through and through (brown on the outside, white on the inside). My parents moved from the motherland to the US in the late 80s and I was born shortly there after. My Indian heritage has had a huge impact on several aspects of my life (holidays, food, customs, morals, religion, etc.) but nothing has been more influential than Bollywood.

Bollywood movies are a unique blend of every genre…. yes every genre. Almost every Bollywood movie includes copious amounts of romance, comedy, action, drama, and song/dance sequences. Oh, and wind machines. Lots and lots of wind machines. Now, you’re probably asking yourselves… How in the hell can one movie encompass all of that? Simple! Every Bollywood movie is at least 3.5 hours long. But don’t worry – there’s always an intermission for you to go use the restroom and reload on masala chai and spicy popcorn. Yuuuuuuuuuum.

For this week’s Bear Picks post, I’m going to share with you some of my all time favorite Bollywood movies. Most of these are available on Netflix, so if you’re ever bored on a rainy night, YOU’RE TOTALLY WELCOME.

1. Rang de Basanti – By far, my most favorite Indian movie to date. It’s got less ‘changing lightbulbs’ and more real substance. Follow some of the most inspiring tales from both India’s history and modern day government corruption. I could watch this movie a thousand times more and still not be sick of it. (more info)
   
2. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge – Also known as the movie that reigned over my childhood, is better than any Disney movie ever created, and ruined my romantic expectations for life. FOR LIFE. But I still love it dearly and every year I watch it again. And every year it teaches me something new about life and love and the pursuit of happiness. This movie also may or may not be the reason I want to take an epic trip through Europe by train… I need me a Raj Malhotra in my life. (more info)
   
3. Lagaan - Another stellar performance by Aamir Khan! British rule, Indian revolution, and cricket all wrapped into one action packed movie. Nominated for an Oscar, this movie is definitely one to watch, especially if you love sports. (more info)
4. Bunty aur Babli – This one is a bit more silly and frivolous, but still an excellent movie. Imagine Bonnie & Clyde… but brown. Yeah. That just happened. Watch as these two characters reel in the dough with cons that will have you DYING of laughter. Also, if I could just have ALL of Rani Mukherjee’s more traditional outfits from this movie, my wardrobe would be eternally grateful. (more info)
5. Jab We Met – Another slightly silly romantic comedy, but ohmygod Shahid Kapoor. I can’t really explain why I’m so in love with this actor, but my love for him is so great that I was able to endure three hours of Kareena Kapoor. Who I hate. With a fiery passion. If nothing else, watch this movie for some of the best choreography in Bollywood. (more info)
6. Slumdog Millionaire - I’m sure that most of you guys have seen this, but it’s definitely worth mentioning. I love this movie for not being afraid to show the darker, dirtier side of Mumbai. The portrayals of the slums are more than accurate and it’s a shame that such poverty exists in India, but it’s important to recognize it. In Mumbai, the slums are literally right next to some of the most wealthy neighborhoods. It’s not something that can be easily ignored or avoided, and the world needs to know. I loved everything about this movie, except the song and dance sequence at the end. If you sing Jai Ho to me, we may not be able to be friends anymore. (more info)
7. Jodha Akbar  – I just recently watched this movie for the first time and I was absolutely blown away. Firstly, it tells the story of what may very well have been the first inter-religious marriage in India: between Mughal emperor Akbar and Rajasthani Princess Jodha. Aside from the plot being absolutely enthralling, the costumes and sets are literally breathtaking! It also doesn’t hurt that I’ve visited one of the palaces featured and filmed in the movie – Amber Fort. (more info)
8. Veer Zaara – Another heart warming love story, this time between an Indian bloke and a Pakistani chicky. I’m a sucker for any and all Shah Rukh Khan movies, and this one was definitely one of my favorites. Again it offers some truly stunning costume and set design, but not to be missed is the hauntingly beautiful sound track. Additionally, the movie gives some really lovely insight into life in India in the smaller villages – it’s not all about them big cities! (more info)
9. Sarkar - Amitabh Bachchan is the hero of Bollywood, and this movie (and his role) were MADE for him. I’m convinced. I’ve been told that this movie is the Indian version of The Godfather, but I’ve never seen The Godfather, so I wouldn’t know. The movie follows the inner workings of the Indian mafia and all the massive violence and corruption that inevitably follows. Truly fantastic. (more info)
10. Sholay – This might be the best movie ever created within Bollywood, and it’s ANCIENT (at least according to me). I don’t even want to try and describe it to you because words fail me. I remember watching this movie as a child, and many of the songs and catch phrases hold a very special place in my heart. This movie always reminds me of home, family, friendship, and my undying love for my heritage. (more info)

And that’s my list! Granted, it’s a very short list considering that EVERY YEAR Bollywood releases about ONE THOUSAND movies. In my opinion, most of them are awful. But every once in a while you find a gem and fall in love with the Indian movie industry all over again.

As a rule, I’d watch any movie with Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, or Amitabh Bachchan. I would also listen to any audio book featuring Amitabh’s voice, because he is the Morgan Freeman of Bollywood.

Have any of you seen an Bollywood movies? What are some of your favorites? I love to hear from you, so please drop it all in the comments below! And if you check out any of these movies, I’d love to hear your take on them! I’m always down to pow-wow about ridiculous Bollywood moments. (Aka, how do they change their outfits so quickly mid song? AND HOW DID THEY JUST TRAVEL FROM THE BEACH TO A SNOW COVERED MOUNTAIN? AND HOW IN THE WORLD DO ALL THESE RANDOM PEDESTRIANS KNOW ALL THIS SPORADIC CHOREOGRAPHY?) Drop me a line anytime, lovers!

Saving up for my own little wind machine,
xx Nikbear

The post Oh, Bollywood appeared first on npamani.

About a month ago I was minding my own business, sitting on a bench, enjoying the sunshine… when a very interesting truck drove past me. On the side of the truck was a massive advertisement for City Harvest.

“City Harvest exists to end hunger in communities throughout New York City. We do this through food rescue and distribution, education, and other practical, innovative solutions.” (From the City Harvest Mission Statement)

I am so thrilled that such a service exists. It reminds me of two other extremely heart warming services in this world.

The first dates back to my days as a counter girl/cashier at Michelle’s Bakery when I was in high school. With the advent of ‘bakeries’ or baked good sections inside of every major supermarket, the death of the local mom-and-pop bake shop was inevitable (probably why Michelle’s recently shut down). But inventory needed to be there, just in case a customer came in looking for that old-school whole wheat rye sliced thin on one of those ancient machines that nearly took of several of my fingers on several occasions (that’s another story for another time). Most of the time, however, we’d be closing up shop and still have 15-20 loaves of bread on the shelves. What to do? What to do? Can’t keep it for the next day – stale bread in a bake shop seems like a terrible idea. Don’t want to throw it, though. WORRY NOT! Every night an elderly (slightly crazy) gentleman would come to the store at closing time and collect all the leftover breads, bagels, and pastries to take to a local homeless shelter for dinner. Brilliant! I can dig it.

The second example I want to talk about relates to those men and women surfing the NYC subways everyday feeding the hungry. They carry duffle bags filled with sandwiches, snacks, and juice boxes. They may interrupt your morning commute with loud announcements, but it’s for a good cause. They not only accept donations from people, but will give ANYONE some food or drinks. “You don’t have to be homeless to be hungry.” FACT. On more than one occasion I have made a donation in exchange for a Capri Sun. That seems like a no brainer to me… Capri Sun forever.

So how can you get involved/help out?

City Harvest collects food on a daily basis – so if you work at a place that tends to throw out lots of food regularly, maybe approach your manager or someone in HR with this as an option! For more details on donating, click here. If you have no food to donate but still want to get involved with City Harvest, you can find all their volunteer opportunities here.

Additionally, there are little things that we can all do in our homes to help reduce waste! Freeze any meat products or fresh produce that you aren’t using immediately – you can freeze almost anything. (A full chart of freezing guidelines can be found here.) Buy smaller containers of milk/juice/condiments/sauces so that you can actually make it to the empty bottle instead of throwing out expired things. Invest in awesome tupperware and make an effort to use Ziploc bags to keep stored food fresh longer.

I’m not saying that doing these little things are going to stop children in India/Africa from starving, but maybe they will help me sleep at night. Even if I can’t mail my leftovers to Kenya, maybe I can at least make sure that I’m not being wasteful. Just because we can afford to throw our dollars into the trash can, doesn’t mean we should. Right?

Do you guys have any services that you recommend to help solve our hunger or waste problems? Do you volunteer at any shelters or kitchens? Drop it all in the comments below!

Making tiny changes towards a greater good,
xx Nikbear

The post Harvest More, Waste Less appeared first on npamani.

Anyways, enough with the shameless self plugs. Let’s get to the mental health tip of the day. Last week I went home to New Jersey for a mini retreat and I got to spend some quality time with my dearest mommy. She’s been an artist for years and has recently picked up the paintbrush again, this time with a new spin. She’s taking a closer look at the parts of life that make us uncomfortable – the parts that make us angry, sad, or even scared.

I couldn’t be more thrilled. Don’t get me wrong, I love her old work, but there’s only so many loving portraits one can make. And I have always been of the opinion that art isn’t just supposed to look good, it’s also supposed to push you on a mental and emotional level. If it doesn’t make you stop and think, something’s wrong.

My mom said it best: “I couldn’t do the sweet stuff anymore. I was getting mental diabetes.”

It got me thinking about our tendencies as humans to push the difficult stuff under the rug and focus exclusively on the happy-go-lucky ladeedadeeda ho-hum stuff. Don’t get me wrong – I’m an eternal optimist, but that doesn’t mean that I’m pro ignoring your problems.

Life is meant to be difficult. It is meant to test us. That’s why we must make difficult choices and often make mistakes. We need to live and learn. We need to deal with the not-so-sweet in order to progress as people.

I spent all of March dealing with my not-so-sweet stuff, and it wasn’t the most fun thing I could have been doing, but it was very much necessary. I was suffering hardcore from mental diabetes. I had pushed all the stuff bothering me so far under the rug that I felt like I was living in a disillusioned palace of dreams. I wasn’t happy with my life, I wasn’t doing anything that I really, truly, deeply wanted to be doing. I was simply ignoring my problems and convincing myself that they would eventually go away as long as I kept a positive attitude and a smile slapped on my face.

I eventually got sick of avoiding it all and made some drastic changes to my life, my career, and my relationships with others. All in the same week. Responsible? Probably not. Overwhelming? Definitely so. But it was 150% worth it.

I struggled for a few weeks, falling into minor bouts of depression and anger and self-hate, but I am proud to say that I’m pretty sure I’m done with all of that. And I’ve come out on the other side stronger and a better person.

So, now I ask you. What kinds of things have you been avoiding? Are you feeling like you’re forcing yourself into a sweet overload? Have any of you experienced mental diabetes? Drop it all in the comments below! I absolutely ADORE hearing your stories!

Checking for emotional cavities too,
xx Nikbear

The post Mental Diabetes appeared first on npamani.

Last Friday night I ventured back into Brooklyn for a birthday celebration at Berry Park for my dear friend Juliet, and then somehow landed up at Output for another night of endless dancing. If you haven’t heard of Output, here’s the skinny: no dress code, no bottle service, no photos. Great music, tons of space to get your boogie on, and one of the few clubs with a bombtastic sound system. It’s quickly becoming my favorite place to be. The best part? Lots of people to dance with, but none of those creepy dudes attacking silently from behind to try and rub up against me. This place is so full of win, it almost makes me want to cry.

Anyways, after spending the whole night dancing hard, my lady friends and I woke up to a bright blue sky with a big, fat sun shining down on us and decided “BLISTERS BE DAMNED, WE NEED BRUNCH. STAT.”

And so we threw on our hater-blockers and wandered our way over to the quaintest little cafe in Flatbush, Qathra, where eggs were gobbled down and peach-ginger iced teas were sipped upon.

I couldn’t have asked for a better lazy Saturday with my girlies. Sometimes after a long week, you just need to rally the troops and sit on a sun-kissed patio for brunch and beers.

Work hard, play harder has always been my life motto. Remember what you’re working for – remember to treat yourself to a night of raging followed by a day of laziness (if that’s what you’re into). Or take a day off to go snooze in your favorite park, snuggled up on a blanket with a book over your face. Or spend an entire afternoon siting in front of your TV and watching four Lifetime movies back-to-back while knitting a scarf.

Take some time on the weekends to remove yourself from your work and do what makes you happy, whatever that may be. Go to your planner now and scrawl all over your Saturday the words YAY A DAY JUST FOR ME before you work yourself into the ground. Do it now, while I’m standing here over your digital shoulder with a hand on your back for support. Do it now, before you forget.

Because it happens, friends. We forget to cut ourselves some slack. We forget to take breaks. We forget that we are humans, not machines.

We forget to indulge in the sweetness of doing nothing.

In this world (and especially in NYC), it is all too easy to get wrapped up in all the hustle, and become overworked and stressed out. Those feelings can change to anger, frustration, hatred, and resentment in the bat of an eyelash if you’re not careful. I’ve seen it happen. I’ve had it happen. It’s not fun – not for you, and not for those around you.

If I can prevent the angry Nikbear-monster from emerging by giving myself a Lazy Saturday once in a while, I think that to be time VERY well spent.

Sending you lots of love and spring-scented kisses,
xx Nikbear

The post Lazy Saturdays appeared first on npamani.

As promised, I’m here to give you guys a special Industry Hump Sneak Peek into eBooks Suck (but they don’t have to). I’m super thrilled to have been a part of this fantastic collaboration with 40 other geniuses! And in case you missed the big news on our Facebook page, we hit #4 on Amazon in our category! Big love and thanks to all of you for your endless support! We couldn’t have done this without you.

My contribution to the book, Non-Douchey Sales with Social Media, is a mini-guide to using platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to help connect with your niche audience and make sales effortlessly.

Here are some of they key takeaways from my chapter:

• Aim for pull marketing, not push marketing.
• Use social media to share your excitement, not your desperation.
• Spread out your content strategically so that you’re not bombarding your fans.
• Organic discussion is what we crave!
• It’s all about talking to the right people, and not necessarily the masses.

But eBooks Suck isn’t just about social media sales – we’ve got chapters on just about every imaginable topic when it comes to conceptualizing, creating, and promoting your next stroke of literary genius. And it’s all for the criminally low price of $4.99.

As someone who’s been forever on the fence about writing my own eBook, I have to say that reading the stories and advice of all my co-contributors has really put all my fears and worries to bed.

Real talk: Writing and publishing an eBook is a daunting task! There are a million and one questions that we’ve all asked ourselves when entertaining the thought.

Ready to take that idea in your head and put it into digi-print? Head on over to Amazon and snag your copy now! Need a helping hand with your marketing strategy/content/analysis? Check out my complete list of services or shoot me an email [n.pamani@gmail.com] to discuss the details of your project!

Fully engaged in marketing foreplay,
xx Nikbear

The post Non-Douchey Sales and Marketing Foreplay appeared first on npamani.

Welcome to my new digi-home and the hub for the freelance biz that I am FINALLY launching. Sweet jeebus, I have to admit that there was a point yesterday where I was 100% convinced that this launch was not going to happen.

There are a few things that still need to be tweaked and lots of things that needed to be added… but I am so freaking thrilled with my new site that I actually wept buckets of happy tears last night.

So. How did I do it? Well, it was a three part process really, and for today’s Mental Health Monday post I’m going to reveal my less-than-polite kick-ass secrets to YOU.

STEP ONE: CUT THE CRAP

I stopped being polite, started being honest, and realized that I had to put me first. I cut out all the negativity from my life. Negative people, negative thoughts, negative energy, negative habits…. all of it. Threw it all into a giant garbage can…. and lit that biotch on FIYAH. And that, my friends, is the fire that fueled me right up to this moment.

I got to a point in my life where I realized that I needed to start practicing what I was preaching. Here I was, telling some of my absolute best friends in the world “Nobody is going to put you first. Because people are selfish. Nobody will ever care about you more than you care about you.” I was dishing it out, but I wasn’t listening to myself.

I am the queen of putting my wants and desires on the back burner because of what somebody else needs from me right now. Enough was enough. I wasn’t happy with my career, my financial situation, my emotional status, my health, my body image, my eating/sleeping habits… my whole damn life.

My mind was racing with a million different things and I was so caught up in making everyone else happy, that I completely and totally lost sight of my own happiness. So I stripped off the excess and got back down to my bare bones wants. I made a mental picture of the life I wanted and started making those hard decisions and changes that I should have made years ago for myself.

STEP TWO: PUT IN THE WORK

Set a deadline. Make your lists. Hunker down. Lock yourself away from the world. Give it 750% of your effort. Drink lots of coffee. Take breaks only for food. Ignore your phone. Avoid Facebook. Work at it until your eyes bleed, your hands are cramped, and your brain has probably melted.

You have to put in the blood, sweat, and tears if you want to see results. Nobody is going to do it for you. Nobody is going to force you to do it. Nobody is ever going to encourage you to stay in all weekend to work instead of coming out to play. But you gotta do what you gotta do.

Yes, I miss my friends. No, it was not fun for me to retreat to Jersey and stare at a computer all weekend long. But the end result of finally launching my business on time and proving to myself and the world that NOTHING (not even chopping a part of my finger off) was going to stop me from getting this shit done?  …It was worth every second of mild sadness. And I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat without changing a thing.

I wanted to make big changes in my life and I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. So I gave it all the energy, focus, and effort that I could. And boy, oh boy, did it pay off.

STEP THREE: LOVE YOURSELF

Recognize that you deserve to feel amazing. All the time. Everyday.

You need to love yourself before you can love anyone else and also before anyone else can love you. If you don’t like something, change it. If you’re sick of something, get rid of it. If you’re ready to publicly be the badass you’ve always been deep down inside, show the world just how fan-freaking-tastic you think you are! Chances are, they will love you just as much.

When you put yourself first you gain a confidence and a glow that cannot come from anything else. People want to be around you, talk to you, work with you, laugh with you.

But most importantly, when you love yourself…. it doesn’t really matter what anyone else thinks. And that is the greatest benefit of them all.

AND THAT’S IT. Those are the three phrases that motivated me to this point. To this day. To my epic double launch of March 25th.

Oh yeah, that’s right. It’s a double launch kind of day. Because not only am I proud to announce my independent freelance biz, but today is also the launch day of eBooks Suck (but they don’t have to).

Yep. My name is finally in digi-print, ya’ll! In this fantastic publication, affectionately referred to as the most comprehensive guide to eBook conception, creation, and promotion quite possibly ever, I wrote the chapter on social media marketing alongside 40 other geniuses that have been there and done that.

Check out all the info over at Hungry Entrepreneurs and head over to Amazon to buy this wonder tool for just $4.99 (because learning all the tricks shouldn’t break the bank).

And check back here this Wednesday for a special sneak peek of goodies in my Industry Hump post!

YAY FOR DOUBLE LAUNCH DAY!

Celebrating by dancing around to Space Capone all day,
xx Nikbear

The post Me First appeared first on npamani.

Last Friday I celebrated women in a rather grandiose manner, and I promised to bring something special for the guys this week. So here I am to deliver.

For those who don’t know, I’m a bit of a single malt addict. I love me a good scotch after a long day of work.

I mostly blame the older Indian men in my life – my dad, my uncles, my grandfathers, and all of their friends. If nothing else, Indian men are serious about their whiskey and scotch. I’ve grown up watching both my grandfathers enjoy a whiskey before dinner with kebabs and papadums. Whenever the family would gather for the holidays or my parents would host a dinner party, you could always find me standing at the bar with my uncles – sipping whiskey and eating pistachios. I’ve always preferred being in the company of my uncles and listening to them banter about business and politics.

My younger brother frequently asks me if I’m a 50-year-old man trapped in a 20something’s female body. I can’t exactly blame him for asking, because I often wonder it myself.

Anywho, I thought I’d give you guys a quick list of some of my go-to scotches, whiskeys, and single malts. These are in no particular order, because I find that I don’t really have an overall favorite – I tend to crave specific tastes in specific moments.

• Macallan
• Highland Park
• Glenrothes (a new addition to my list – loveeee this one as a special treat)
• Talisker
• Glenlivet
• Lagavulin
• Glenfiddich
• Dalwhinnie (another recent addition, and another new addiction)

I always take my single malt with just a few rocks, sometimes neat (if it’s an extra old and extra yummy one), but never with soda or water. I like to get to taste the full strength of a well aged scotch.

It’s a beverage that is meant to be sipped slowly, not guzzled down like a tall glass of water. There’s a certain kind of attitude that you need in order to be a true aficionado. To me, a glass of scotch isn’t just a luxury after a long week of work – it’s often a necessity. It’s a chance to slow down, unwind, indulge in something decadent, and enjoy the little luxuries in life that we all work so hard for.

How do you guys treat yourself? Are you a scotch snob? I want all of your suggestions, so please don’t forget to drop it all in the comments below!

Taking a pause and a swig,
xx Nikbear

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Hellooooo friends and followers! I am so pleased to announce that I have just finished writing my contribution for an ebook coming out at the end of this month! I’m not sure how much more info I can release yet, but I’m excited about the concept, the people I’ve been working with, and having my name in digi-print! This is a massive step for me in my career as it is the first time I’m contributing to an ebook! I am so thrilled and honored to be given this opportunity and I cannot wait to share all the juicy details with you!

Writing my chapter wasn’t exactly easy. As much as I love writing and as well practiced as I may feel (thanks to this blog and other literary endeavors), I still get nervous whenever I write something. Especially when it’s something like this that is going to be out there for all the world to see. Since this was a collaboration with lots of other writers and industry peeps, my words would be read over by a whole slew of strangers in addition to my ever-expanding network! Yikes! If I said I wasn’t panicked I’d be lying. Lying hard.

I got through it somehow and came out on the other end not only feeling like a million bucks, but absolutely LOVING my piece. I just might frame it and put it up in my future office as a tribute to the time in my life when I took big risks and chased big dreams. This has been a magnificently empowering experience and has solidified my confidence in what I dare to do.

So for today’s Industry Hump post I want to share with you three of the biggest lessons I learned during this process!

1. Start with a basic outline and flesh it out slowly.
When I say ‘basic outline’ I mean SUPER basic. My first outline on this project had three lines: Intro; Body; Conclusion. And I think I stared at those three lines for a whole day without adding anything. Sure, I had a topic in my head and a short-and-sexy paragraph explaining what I wanted to write about… but it was the most generic description I had ever written. After a day of staring at three words on a mostly blank piece of paper I started adding subheadings and key topics of discussion. They were still pretty generic, but at least I was writing SOMETHING. Anything. I just couldn’t stare at all that empty space anymore. Bit by bit, a concept started to come together. Lots of things were added, even more were taken out, and I started to form a picture on the page of what the flow of my piece was going to look like. Every day I would come back and flesh out each topic a little bit more until I suddenly reached a point where most of my piece was written in the form of paragraphs as bullet points… it just needed to be strung together and made to look pretty. It was one of those moments that I know my high school English teachers would have been SO PROUD of. Granted – I always make outlines, but there was something extra magical about the way that this piece just sort of came together. Maybe it was the mixing of equal parts passion, knowledge, and organization (three of my all time favorite things in this world). Whatever it was, I was literally watching my piece grow in front of my very eyes. What a spectacular feeling!

2. Don’t be afraid to throw out a rough draft entirely.
If something doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. There is no rule that says you have to maintain the integrity of your first draft by keeping bits of it right through the end. When I wrote my first draft of this piece I sat down to read it after a good night’s sleep and I suddenly hated it. I hated the whole thing. So I chucked it right out the window (OK, maybe not literally) and went back to my outline to rehash the language. Sometimes when you try and force the words out, the whole feel of a piece can get twisted. Sometimes it really is just better to scrap the whole thing and start fresh. When I spend too much time trying to get the concepts and topics locked down and then jump straight into writing the first draft, my brain gets overwhelmed and my writing visibly suffers. Don’t forget, it’s called a first draft for a reason!

3. Read your writing out loud to anyone who will listen.
When you stare at your piece for too long, it’s easy to get lost, confused, irritated, or fuzzy. Reading the same piece over and over doesn’t mean you’re going to stay on topic or catch all the errors or sound coherent. The only way to make sure that you are producing quality work is to read it out loud and listen to how the piece sounds. You have to remember that what you hear in your head isn’t necessarily what the reader is going to hear in his/her head. Read the piece out loud in your own voice to your parents, your friends, your dog, a stranger on the bus, your colleagues, ANYONE! Not only will you get feedback from them (hopefully all constructive) but you will also get a chance to ensure that you love your words. If the flow doesn’t seem right to you, or you are tripping over your words, or you feel as though you are rambling… this is your chance to catch those little things and fix them! Remember that your name is going on this piece and you should want it to be an accurate representation of your opinions AND your voice. If you don’t like the way it sounds in your own voice, how can you expect the whole world to love it?

So. Those are my three tips for your next writing project.

What are some of your juicy insider tips? Want to read me your next piece? Looking for someone to talk shop with? Drop it all in the comments below!

Glowing from writing endorphins,
xx Nikbear

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