“Everyone should wear nametags, all the time, everywhere, forever.”
That’s my thesis, philosophy, dangerous idea and theory of the universe.
My name is Scott, and I’ve been wearing a nametag for past four thousand days.
And after traveling to hundreds of cities, a dozen countries, four continents, meeting tens of thousands of people, constant experimentation and observation, building a enterprise and writing a dozen books in the process, I believe, with all my heart, that the societal implications of wearing nametags could change everything.
This is my manifesto: 

13. The End of Neglect If everybody wears nametags, we practice deeper mindfulness.
We stay focused on the present moment. We find our center of gravity quicker and easier. The bell of awareness always rings, and the nametag helps us hear it. Instead of trudging along in a diminished state of awareness, we keep our eyes open to the magic of life.
We have to. People are using our names everywhere. Nobody can look at their phone for more than a few minutes before being joyfully greeted by a friend nearby.
The nametag is an alarm clock without a snooze button. While wearing it, we’re more likely to pay attention to our surroundings, which prevents us from making minor errors that have major consequences. Instead of frail, empty interactions when we’re hungry, hurried and frustrated, now we’re more conscious of our behavior around others.
If everybody wears nametags, no more absentmindedness, anticipation or scatter-braining. 
You can read The Nametag Manifesto, in full, for free, right now, here. 

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your manifesto?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “7 Ways to Out Leverage Your Competition,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!
* * * * Scott Ginsberg That Guy with the Nametag Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting scott@hellomynameisscott.com
My job is to help companies make their mission more than a statement, using limited edition social artifacts.
Want to download your free workbook for The Brandtag Strategic Planning Crusade?
Meet Scott’s client from Nestle Purina at www.brandtag.org!

Yeah, but shouldn’t I be out there generating business?
That’s the artist’s dilemma. That it order to monetize our creativity, sustain our career and support our lifestyle, we have to put down the pen, put on the commerce hat and start pounding the pavement, spending most of our days trying to get noticed, get liked, get retweeted, get interviewed, get booked, get hired, get reviewed, get paid and get rich.
Which wouldn’t be such a problem, except for the fact that most artists don’t care about the business of art. We just want to express ourselves and share our work with the world.
Charles Schultz, the greatest cartoonist who ever lived, has been my hero since I was a kid. In a number of different interviews over the years, his self-proclaimed secret to business success – not cartooning success, but business success – was simply drawing one good comic strip, everyday.
Everything else flowed from there. The movies, the merchandising and the money were all direct dividends from that baseline commitment to showing up at the desk and doing real work, every single day. Getting his units up, executing more actual product and shipping more lasting value, in the unique way that only Schultz could deliver.
We can’t ignore our enterprise, hiding behind a desk, hoping our art will magically monetize. We still have to get paid. Artists who don’t sell, suffer.
But if we’re concerned that we should be out there generating business, always remember that doing the work is generating business.
When in doubt, create.
That way, every cent starts as a sentence.

LET ME ASK YA THIS… What have you created today?
LET ME SUGGEST THIS… For the list called, “157 Pieces of Contrarian Wisdom,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * * Scott Ginsberg That Guy with the Nametag Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting scott@hellomynameisscott.com
Do you need an expert who tells you what to do, or a mentor who lets you tell yourself what to do?

“After investing in your mentoring program, I’ve become centered on who I am and what I have to offer. Now, I am attracting clients I want to work with. Life is great and I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart.” —-Melanie Jatsek, Diet Busters
Rent Scott’s Brain today for 2 hours, 30 days or 3 months!

The other day my client from Disney Destinations remarked, “I can’t believe there’s only one of you!”
Technically, he’s right. As a freelancer, my enterprise solely consists of me, slogging it out, every day, until the work is done. But that doesn’t mean the work goes unassisted. When you hire yourself, you build a portable sales force. People and resources to help to make it rain when you’re not around.
Here’s an overview of mine:
There’s my clients, whose condition I try to improve every time we work together. That way, they won’t keep me a secret. There’s my audience, whom I try to inspire every time they consume my work. That way, they’ll come back again and again. There’s my suppliers, whom I try to be easy to interact with every time we do a new project together. That way, they won’t shy away from showcasing me in their portfolios. There’s my content, which I publish every day with substantial volume, value, velocity and vitality. That way, my daily gifts to the world contribute to an ongoing body of work.
There’s my competitors, whom I try to speak respectfully of every time we’re up against each other. That way, they won’t mind referring me if they don’t fit the bill. There’s my colleagues, whom I try to share resources with every time we’re brainstorming together. That way, they won’t hesitate to extend same generosity when I ask for help. There’s my editors, whom I try to make look like heroes every time they run my stuff. That way, they wont forget about me for future issues. There’s my collaborators, whom I try to be accountable to every time we work together. That way, they won’t leave out my name when others are searching for partners.
This is my portable sales force. It’s engine of my enterprise, the secret of my success and the reason I rarely make cold calls.
Thank god.
LET ME ASK YA THIS… What’s your portable sales force?
LET ME SUGGEST THIS… For the list called, “22 Unexpected Ways to Help People,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!
* * * * Scott Ginsberg That Guy with the Nametag Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting scott@hellomynameisscott.com
My job is to help companies make their mission more than a statement, using limited edition social artifacts.
Want to download your free workbook for The Brandtag Strategic Planning Crusade?
Meet Scott’s client from Nestle Purina at www.brandtag.org!

Tom Petty said that waiting is the hardest part.
That everyday, we see one more card, take it on faith and take it to the heart. And even though it doesn’t feel like heaven right now, we can’t let it get to us, and we can’t let it kill us.
Good point.
But what happens when waiting feels like the only part? What happens when every day fells like another goddamn sentence in entrepreneurial purgatory?
Because when you hire yourself, you spend a lot of time waiting.
Sometimes for the mechanical things:
Waiting for the phone to ring. Waiting for the client to decide. Waiting for the check to arrive. Waiting for the board to vote. Waiting for the proposal to be accepted. Waiting for the go ahead email. Waiting for the paperwork to go through. Waiting for the invoice to clear. Waiting for the beta launch. Waiting for the site to go live. Waiting for the results to come in.
And sometimes we wait for the intangible things:
Waiting for the smell of blood. Waiting for the perfect moment. Waiting for the ideal client. Waiting for the stars to align. Waiting for the lightning to strike. Waiting for the little breaks to finally accumulate. Waiting for the free work to finally pay off. Waiting for the next big idea. Waiting for the incubation of the current idea. Waiting for the economy to bounce back. Waiting for the revolution to begin. Waiting for the movement to catch on.
This has been my life for a decade.
And every day, when the waves of anxiety come flooding in, when I’m five seconds away from ripping my hair out in a fit of freelance rage, I remind myself that waiting isn’t just part of the job – waiting is the job.
So I hustle while I wait.
I practice fertile idleness and juggle multiple threads of work simultaneously, always up to something, always diversifying my interests, always making myself useful. And I never feel fractured, that I’m spreading myself too thin. I even manage the process with a simple snapshot of every project, every pursuit, every endeavor and every idea I’m working on at any given moment. That way, it’s all under the same umbrella.
Now, no one thing can knock me off course. It’s a diverse portfolio of productivity. And by spinning a lot of plates, I don’t sit there every morning and wonder if the deal is closed. I just live my life.
And when it happens, it happens 

LET ME ASK YA THIS… What are you waiting for?
LET ME SUGGEST THIS… For the list called, “99 Questions Every Entrepreneur Should Ask” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * * Scott Ginsberg That Guy with the Nametag Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Do you need an expert who tells you what to do, or a mentor who lets you tell yourself what to do?

“After investing in your mentoring program, I’ve become centered on who I am and what I have to offer. Now, I am attracting clients I want to work with. Life is great and I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart.” —-Melanie Jatsek, Diet Busters
Rent Scott’s Brain today for 2 hours, 30 days or 3 months!

Turn on the television for five minutes, and you’ll observe the barrage of celebrity divorces, canceled programming, corporate failures, broken systems, massive layoffs, abandoned projects, public resignations and product recalls.
Why?
Because our society worships incompleteness.
First, because we’re not finishers. That’s too much pressure. We’d rather have ideas than actually execute them. We’d rather talk a big game than actually play one. Otherwise we might actually have to take personal responsibility for our work.
Second, because we’re terrified of our potential. That’s too much power. We’d rather fail because it’s familiar. We’d rather dream from a distance because it’s safer. Otherwise we might actually get what we want.
Third, because we’re allergic to commitment. That’s too much work. We’d rather kneel at the altar of choice than actually make a decision. We’d rather stay as loyal as our options. Otherwise we might actually have to stick with something.
Fourth, because we’re delighted by the misfortune of others. That’s too much fun. We’d rather watch you go down in flames than light a match of our own. We’d rather distract ourselves with your misery than confront our reality. Otherwise we might actually have to change.
Fifth, because we’re seeking permission to quit. That’s too much proof. We’d rather use your failures as water for our fire, not wood. We’d rather use your story as a reason to stop, not a spur to begin. Otherwise we might actually have to persist.
The exciting part is, in a society that worships incompleteness, the people who do commit, the people who do carry their work to execution, are the ones that inspire us forever.
To be one of those people, all we have to do is finish.
Not perfect, just finish.
LET ME ASK YA THIS… What do you badly need to make complete?
LET ME SUGGEST THIS… For the list called, “7 Ways to Out Experience the Competition,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!
* * * * Scott Ginsberg That Guy with the Nametag Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting scott@hellomynameisscott.com
Yes, I do more than just wear a nametag all day.

My enterprise is actually quite robust. I add value to my clients in several cool ways.
Explore the myriad ways you, your people and your organization can leverage my talents.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your favorite quotation?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “153 Quotations to Inspire Your Success,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * * Scott Ginsberg That Guy with the Nametag Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting scott@hellomynameisscott.com
HELLO, my name is Host!
Did you know you could hire Scott as your emcee, mobile host, roving reporter or on camera talent for your organization’s next event?
Watch sample footage of his hosting work here!

It shouldn’t be this easy to look this good.

But that’s the state of our society.
Thanks to online anonymity, civility is gone. And since nobody expects manners, sometimes all we have to do is act polite and courteous with people.
Thanks to reality television, talent is gone. And since nobody expects ability, sometimes all we have to do is be really good for people.
Thanks to social tagging, privacy is gone. And since nobody expects discretion, sometimes all we have to do is keep our mouths shut for people.
Thanks to infinite choice, commitment is gone. And since nobody expects persistence, sometimes all we have to do is finish what we started with people.

Thanks to entitlement, work ethic is gone. And since nobody expects effort, sometimes all we have to do is work our asses off for people.
Thanks to velocity, mindfulness is gone. And since nobody expects focus, sometimes all we have to do is be present for people.
Thanks to corporate bloating, professional humanity is gone. And since nobody expects soulful individual attention, sometimes all we have to do is personally respond people.
Thanks to digital platforms, pure communication is gone. And since nobody expects approachability, sometimes all we have to do is show up in person.
Thanks to legalities, common sense is gone. And since nobody expects radical honesty, sometimes all we have to do is be candid with people.
Thanks to belief, rational thinking is gone. And since nobody expects critical thinking, sometimes all we have to do is pose questions to people.
Thanks to search engines, wondering is gone. And since nobody expects answers, sometimes all we have to do is be vessels of knowledge for people.
That’s how we convert rare into remarkable. By figuring out the behaviors, acts, interactions and moments that are things of the past, and then position ourselves as the only ones who actually deliver that.
People will notice.
Because the stuff nobody does is the stuff everybody loves.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What have you declined this week?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “8 Ways to Out Question Your Competitors,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * * Scott Ginsberg That Guy with the Nametag Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice. Customized for your audience. Impossible to walk away uninspired.

Now booking for 2012-2013.

Watch clips of The Nametag Guy in action here!

“Everyone should wear nametags, all the time, everywhere, forever.”
That’s my thesis, philosophy, dangerous idea and theory of the universe.
My name is Scott, and I’ve been wearing a nametag for past four thousand days.
And after traveling to hundreds of cities, a dozen countries, four continents, meeting tens of thousands of people, constant experimentation and observation, building a enterprise and writing a dozen books in the process, I believe, with all my heart, that the societal implications of wearing nametags could change everything.
This is my manifesto: 
 
12.  The End of Selfishness If everybody wears nametags, we experience mass generosity.
It’s all about bringing our humanity to the moment. Giving ourselves away. Wearing a nametag is a micro-practice in the art of sacrificing. It’s an act of vulnerability. We open ourselves and become available and accessible to people. If they need help, they call your name. If not, at least they’re comforted by the idea that you’re there.
Nametags change our posture. Especially when we’re present at an event or aware of someone’s actions: It’s easier for victims to get help in emergency situations, since bystanders would usually not offer assistance and intervene with strangers.
But that’s the thing: Now we’re not strangers anymore. We can’t be. And our connection to each other fosters a greater sense of connection and community, which makes it harder to stand mute while someone we know is suffering. Now we can solve problems for each other and with each other. We’ve shifted from an apathetic population of isolated meat sacks into one big transcontinental cheerleading squad.

If everybody wears nametags, no more bystander behavior, no more diffusion of involvement and no more suffering. 

You can read The Nametag Manifesto, in full, for free, right now, here.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your manifesto?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “17 Behaviors to Avoid for Effective Listening,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!
* * * * Scott Ginsberg That Guy with the Nametag Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting scott@hellomynameisscott.com
My job is to help companies make their mission more than a statement, using limited edition social artifacts.
Want to download your free workbook for The Brandtag Strategic Planning Crusade?
Meet Scott’s client from Nestle Purina at www.brandtag.org!

Recessions force us to decide if we’re a necessity.
That’s a painful conversation to have.
Nobody enjoys entertaining the prospect of irrelevancy.
But when the shit hits the economic fan, we owe it to ourselves – and to our enterprise – to honestly assess the value we provide. To courageously listen if the intersection of our personal obsession and the marketplace need is worth paying money for.
What sucks is, we might realize that our past prosperity was nothing more than riding a bicycle downhill under the assumption that our legs are strong.
And if that’s the case, we may be forced to change lanes or, worse yet, get off the road.
On the other hand, we might use the recession to renew our resourcefulness. To reignite our creativity. And to give our business a much needed kick in the pants.
Point being, we have a choice.
And as long as we’re honest with ourselves, it will be the right one.
Stupid economy.
LET ME ASK YA THIS… How has the economy changed the way you work?
LET ME SUGGEST THIS… For the list called, “33 Ways to Approach Unhappy Customers,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * * Scott Ginsberg That Guy with the Nametag Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Scott has written and published over 1,000,000 words.

But did you know that you could commission Scott to write custom content for your publication, newsletter or blog?

View a sample of Scott’s commissioned work with American Express.

Art is an ongoing process of unsilenting ourselves.
If we want to make our name dear to history and give the future something to respect, we have to show the world our accumulated record, not just bits and pieces.
Everyone we meet needs to know everything we’ve done. And if they don’t, it’s our job to demonstrate the firepower of our creative arsenal. To help them taste the full scope of our artistic power.
When people ask me if I’m the guy who wrote the book on wearing nametags, I tell them I’m the guy who wrote a dozen books on wearing nametags. Not because I’m an arrogant jerk who needs to prove himself, but because I’m a working artist who needs to express himself.
As creators, it’s our responsibility make sure the people who know us, know the depth of our creation.
Without that reminder, without that timeline of credibility, we’re just another one-trick pony, winking in the dark.
LET ME ASK YA THIS… Do people know what you’ve done?
LET ME SUGGEST THIS… For the list called, “27 Ways to Out the Competitors,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * * Scott Ginsberg That Guy with the Nametag Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Before I wrote books, I wrote songs.

After twenty years of burying my music, I finally got the guts to bare it publicly.

Go behind the scenes (er, behind the nametag) and download all four of my albums on ITunes.