Renia (pronounced R-EE-n-a) Carsillo hates business silos and marketing hacks. So, she spends her days working with mid-size and small companies to integrate their business strategy with their impact strategy, design sustainable marketing frameworks, and find a growth cadence that works for their team and their lives. Renia believes founders are uniquely positioned to create a kinder, more equitable world. She is passionate about bringing C-level strategic support to the small and mid-size companies shaping their communities every day. Renia says, "Sustainable marketing is built on a solid business strategy. A solid business strategy is built on values-driven habits. Values-driven habits are built on healed/healing leaders. We can’t do these things separately. They’re all interconnected. ”
The Irreplaceable Art of Human Connection: Places AI Can't Help Your Business, Part 5 [Two on Tuesdays]
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Happy Tuesday, Reader! It's not groundbreaking news at this point, but study after study shows us that digital-first relationships make us less happy and aren't fulfilling in the same ways as face-to-face connections. Despite being more connected than ever, we're in the midst of a loneliness epidemic, and AI tools only exacerbate the problem. This has a real impact on our humanity, which is (spoiler alert) also screwing over our work lives. The solution is simple, if not easy: Get face-to-face with other humans in real-world environments, not just across a screen. Realign with the Human Skill of Relationship Building Social media hasn't been the most effective way to build relationships or market a small business in at least five years (longer, depending on the platform and industry). Yet every single day, I still talk to new businesses and solopreneurs who spend most of their precious sales and marketing time (and sometimes free time, too) feeding the Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook machine. I'm not saying digital media isn't useful or important. But when we have very limited resources, are brand new, and especially when running a community-based business, the most efficient use of our time is almost always IRL relationship building. Here's my hot take: If you can generate it using AI, it's not contributing to relationship building. Think about it. AI can write your social media captions, craft your emails, and even suggest conversation starters. But it cannot…
It’s the season for connection, so get out there. Fall is one of the most event-rich times of year in most areas. Both business-related and community-oriented gatherings are everywhere. It's the perfect time to get out there, whether formally as an event sponsor or host, or informally as the fantastic human that you are.
Earlier this month, we talked about Placebinding™, or the intentional art of rooting into place with the people who've chosen to be there with you. As we fret about the implications of AI for both our businesses and what it means to be human, the most powerful tool available to us all is leaning into uniquely human skills. The most connective and essential skill might just be sitting with another human and giving them that most precious and rare resource: your full and undivided attention. No algorithm can replicate you. No chatbot can substitute for your presence. And no amount of digital connection can replace the irreplaceable experience of being truly seen and heard by another person. Next Steps AI can't build relationships for you, but you can systematize activities that help build them. Learn about our longest-standing and most popular relationship-building support tool, the VIP Scorecard, here. Until next time,
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Renia Carsillo
Renia (pronounced R-EE-n-a) Carsillo hates business silos and marketing hacks. So, she spends her days working with mid-size and small companies to integrate their business strategy with their impact strategy, design sustainable marketing frameworks, and find a growth cadence that works for their team and their lives. Renia believes founders are uniquely positioned to create a kinder, more equitable world. She is passionate about bringing C-level strategic support to the small and mid-size companies shaping their communities every day. Renia says, "Sustainable marketing is built on a solid business strategy. A solid business strategy is built on values-driven habits. Values-driven habits are built on healed/healing leaders. We can’t do these things separately. They’re all interconnected. ”
Happy Tuesday, Reader! You know what most business advice sounds like right now? Push through. Scale faster. Automate everything. Growth at all costs. That's the traditional model. The one designed for shareholders, not for humans trying to build sustainable businesses while also living their actual lives. And in a year like this one? That model doesn't just fail us. It breaks us. The Business Strategy That Actually Sustains You Here's a truth I've learned after nearly two decades of working...
Happy Tuesday, Reader! There are about 60 days until the year turns and we trade fall's completion energy for winter's necessary rest. If you've been following along this month, you know I'm not here to tell you to "finish strong" by powering through everything on your list. This year has asked too much of us for that approach to be sustainable. But I do believe we can finish well, and that starts with having the right tools. The Alignment Trinity™ as Your Framework for Finishing Without...
Happy Tuesday, Reader! When times get hard and uncertain, our instinct is often to retreat. We stay online because it feels safer than showing up in person with all our messy humanity on display. We avoid the discomfort of real conversations about how we're actually doing. We keep our heads down and try to push through alone. But here's what I'm seeing after 15+ years of working with small businesses through multiple economic crises: The businesses weathering this moment best aren't the ones...