The Small Blog

Tue, July 05, 2011 - 9:33:08

How Stress Can Help You “Shrink to Success”

This week we came across a great piece on the Harvard Business Review’s blog, in which contributing editor Amy Gallo discusses stress—specifically, how to cope with it, and even put it to work for you. It might sound counterintuitive, but as Gallo explains, stress isn’t always such a bad thing.

In fact, over the years, we’ve found that when approached with the right mindset, you can channel stress to make yourself more productive and more creative, to boot. The trick, however, is to forget about the big picture and look at what’s directly in front of you. That way, you can harness your stress-related energy and immediately put it to work, rather than letting anxiety paralyze your efforts.

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Wed, June 29, 2011 - 9:22:13

A Handful a Day Can Affect What You Weigh

When it comes to maintaining a healthy weight over the long term, the conventional wisdom has long been, “everything in moderation.” And while this is still good advice, a new study out of Harvard University suggests that when it comes to some tasty treats, we may need to redefine exactly what our idea of moderation is.

Following a study of over 100,000 participants, researchers found that simply eating one handful of potato chips (or other low-nutrient, high calorie food) on a daily basis can contribute to an average gain of one pound per year. And while that doesn’t sound like much, consider the long term: over the course of 20 years, that one handful of chips per day could cause you to gain 20 pounds, while simply exercising a little more moderation when it comes to eating your favorite special treats, can help you maintain your weight—and overall health—over the course of a lifetime.

Posted by Linda and Robin
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Tue, June 21, 2011 - 10:20:45

The Million-Dollar Rehearsal

If you’ve read sociologist Sarah Thornton’s book, Seven Days in the Art World, which chronicles her research of the complex business of art, you may recall her vivid description of an auction involving Christie’s chief auctioneer, Christopher Burge, who is well known among industry insiders for routinely making record sales of Modern Masters and contemporary artists.

As Dr. Thornton describes, Burge stands at at the rostrum, and calmly calls, “One million, four hundred thousand dollars, to the lady at the back…One million five. Thank you, sir[…] All done? I am selling…One million five hundred thousand dollars to the gentleman on the aisle,” wrapping his hammer sharply on the final bid.

At first, it seems like just another successful sale. But, then, you realize one peculiar detail: Burge has been conducting this auction in an empty room. Every bid, glance, and gesture is merely a product of his vivid imagination. And this elaborate routine was a rehearsal for an auction that was to be held later that evening…  one in a string of record sales that would garner all-time high, multi-million dollar hammer prices for artists Agnes Martin, Maurizio Cattelan, and Richard Prince alone.

Posted by Linda and Robin
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Mon, June 13, 2011 - 12:37:28

Good Things Come in SMALL Packages

It should come as no surprise that we don’t subscribe to the philosophy, “Bigger is better.” In fact, in business and in life, it’s often the so-called small stuff that really counts. Typically, when we talk about THE POWER OF SMALL, we mean it in a figurative sense: the tiny detail that made an enormous difference, the little grain of an idea that produced an explosive new product, or the small gesture that made a big impression, for example.

But, SMALL can be powerful in the literal sense, too, and this week bloggers have been buzzing about the tiny designs created by artist Lea Redmond of Leafcutter Designs. Lea crafts miniature versions of handwritten letters and packages that can be customized with an original message and mailed to anyone, anywhere. Considering the outsize impact a simple handwritten note can have, we think this creative and fun idea gives new meaning to “the write stuff.”

Check out her story here and watch Leah in action here:

World’s Smallest Post Service (WSPS) from Leafcutter Designs on Vimeo.

Posted by Linda and Robin
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Thu, June 02, 2011 - 3:48:50

SMALL Gut Check: Are Your Goals in Shape for Summer?

It seems like only yesterday that we were welcoming in the New Year. Now, with 2011 at the halfway mark—it’s a great time to reflect on the goals you set for yourself when the clock struck midnight on January 1.

When working toward an important goal, whether professional or personal, it’s important to stop from time to time, do a gut check, and assess your progress. If you’re not getting where you want to be, it might be time to rethink your strategy. To do so, you should start by asking one simple question, “Am I thinking too big?”

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