Why don’t you have a picture of your wife on your desk?
This post stems from a conversation my wife was having with a co-worker. In my circle of friends and colleagues I am the go-to person to ask any LGBT related questions and my web appears to be expanding into my wife’s education world as well. We started talking about a conversation …
Read MoreIs your target market ‘the ladies across the street?’
I grew up in a small town where diversity was scarce, really scarce. I’m not sure how or when being inclusive of everyone became such a part of who I was but I remember as early as 11 being inclusive regardless of race or religion specifically in my very non-diverse …
Read More#85: Jacob Tobia Shares How to Build a Personal Brand Platform with Meaning [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/Epi85-LGBTQ_Interview_with_JACOB_TOBIA.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS Download the Transcript here! Jenn T. Grace – Episode 85 – Jacob Tobia Shares How to Build a Personal Brand Platform with Meaning Thank you for tuning into episode #85 of the podcast. In this episode I speak with Jacob Tobia who …
Read More#73: What you need to know about the Human Rights Campaign, Corporate Equality Index
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/epi-73-gay-business-marketing-hrc-corporate-equality-index-replay-of-episode-53.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS Hey all – this episode is a re-airing of episode 53, so if you already heard episode 53, come back for a new episode in episode 74! In today’s episode I cover a few topics. The first is I answer a listener …
Read More#70: An Open Letter from a Self Admitted Homophobe [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/Episode_70_An-open-letter-from-a-self-admitted-homophobe.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS Thanks for listening to episode #70 of the podcast. Today’s episode of the podcast isn’t an interview, it’s a response to an email I received from a reader. It’s been a few months since I’ve spent a podcast just talking to you, …
Read More#69: Melissa Ferrick | Singer-Songwriter [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/episode_69_Melissa-Ferrick-Rock-Folk-Singer.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS Thanks for listening to episode #69 of the podcast. Today’s guest, Melissa Ferrick, is a master of many trades – an acclaimed performing artist (currently listed as #20 of the top 50 women in indie music), a record label owner as well …
Read More#68: Michele Wierzgac | Keynote speaker, leadership guru, and author of “The Talking Stick According To Michele: A Guide For Reflecting On Your Personal Brand” [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/episode_68_michele_wierzgac.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS Thanks for joining me for episode #68 of the podcast. My guest today is Michele Wierzgac, who I’m so glad shared her story with me and now you. Michele’s journey is an interesting one; from the volleyball court to the main stage …
Read MoreLesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender visibility for ALL at the Golden Globes.
In January 2013 I wrote a blog post about Jodie Foster coming out in her acceptance speech honoring her for lifetime achievement at the Golden Globes (read that post here). At the 2013 Golden Globes there very well may have been other important milestones for LGBT people but my central …
Read MoreDo your forms say ‘Mother’ & ‘Father’? If yes, change them!
Does your business have any kind of form(s) that you require your customers to fill out? Maybe your products or services serve both children and adults? Maybe you own a medical practice? Or the local martial arts studio? Regardless of what kind of business you own or where you work, …
Read MoreHow would you use an extra 8 hours? Beef up your LGBT efforts, of course!
I don’t know about your schedule but mine can be pretty chaotic – usually trying to fit a lot of meetings and phone calls into one day. For some reason Thursdays always seem to be my busiest days of the week. I’m usually up and out early, attending events, going …
Read MoreHow do I know what pronoun to use? Just ask!
I was meeting with a colleague and we were talking about a challenge her wife had just recently faced as it related to a new LGBT person working for her. Her wife recently hired a young woman who was very masculine in appearance – what you might call a ‘butch …
Read More#40: Are we going to get to #1 on the Amazon Best Seller List? It’s book launch time! [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/GBM-epi-40-book-launch-of-no-wait-you-do-look-gay.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS This week’s podcast is all about my virtual book launch. A much shorter episode than usual, that is filled with so much love and gratitude to you the listener and reader. I really appreciate you! 🙂 Now through Friday is the virtual launch of my …
Read MoreWhat is so symbolic about the rainbow within the LGBT community?
During a meeting I was talking about pride parades and made a comment about rainbows. One of the people I was sitting with said “I had no idea rainbows are a sign of gay pride.” It never occurred to me that people wouldn’t know that rainbows were a symbol of lesbian, …
Read More#38: Storytelling with Stacy Morataya-Pilkington [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/gbm-ep-38-interview-with-stacy-7-21-2014.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS In this new podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing a close friend and colleague on the show. I lovingly refer to her as an operational genius, but you can just call her Stacy (Morataya-Pilkington). This interview covers many topics and her …
Read MoreDo you only work with gay people?
This post is about an interaction I had with my Mother over the holiday. I was at my Mom’s with my wife and kids to celebrate the holidays. She had asked me how my book was selling so I started telling her and gave her a promotional bookmark. She leans in towards me and whispers …
Read MoreWhen is ok to “come out” to your doctor?
This blog stems from a question from a friend who is a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and has encountered a similar situation a couple of times when treating her lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) patients. To best understand the situation she provided me with a document from the Rhode Island Department …
Read MoreTax day is here. Thank you Edie Windsor!
Today is April 15th. It is the dreaded tax day for many. Fortunately I am not scrambling and did my taxes months ago but I know this is top of mind for many people. It is likely top of mind for many LGBT couples, as it is the first time …
Read MoreWhat’s the business impact of ridiculous proposed laws across America?
A few years back I was in a Facebook conversation with a friend about the ridiculous nature of Arizona’s Senate Bill 1062. I was so intrigued by her comments that I told her to head over to my Facebook page and post there so we could get the conversation going with other people …
Read MoreThe 3 Key Ways Coke Scored a Touch Down with their LGBT Marketing
Were you one of the 111.3 million viewers who watched the 2014 Super Bowl? According to Nielsen this was the most-watched U.S. TV telecast of all time. I watched it, like many, just for the commercials. Did you see the gay couple in the Coca-Cola “America the Beautiful” Super Bowl …
Read MoreAn LGBT Year in Review: 2013 was a good year
This past year has been a good year for LGBT equality. As with anything there is still so much more work to be done, but this year was something I am proud to have witnessed occur. You can see the shift in consciousness happening, in the United States. However, there …
Read More6 lessons from my past to help you
A few years back I wrote about all of the lesion I learned in 2012. Believe or not, all these years later, I continue to have a great response to that post, click here to take a look. Because of the response I received I decided to do it again and …
Read MoreNot all LGBT people have a safe place to go for the holidays…
Tis’ the holiday season for many of us! I understand that not everyone celebrates Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa or any other holiday pertinent to your specific culture, but I think it is generally safe to assume that this time of year, we are all in the holiday season – whatever that …
Read MoreFacebook Went Red for Marriage Equality: Here are the Results
This is another post where I get my ‘geek on’. I have a love hate relationship with numbers. I am notorious for transposing numbers when I am trying to dial a phone, seriously it’s painful to watch. However, I have a love for numbers and statistics especially when they are so …
Read MoreHow can I shop with LGBT-friendly businesses? Use the Buying for Workplace Equality guide
If you are a long time reader of this blog, or perhaps you’ve just found my site, either way you’ll understand real quick that I am a Dork – with a capital D. So each year when the Human Rights Campaign releases their Corporate Equality Index scores I am like a …
Read MoreWhat is your ‘why’? A poor why is a dead end. Part 2 of 3
This post is part 2 of a 3 part series that explores the reason why you are interested in marketing to the LGBT community. In part 1 I gave you a few things to think about and even provided a worksheet to help you through the process. You can go back and …
Read MoreWhat is your ‘why’? Why do you want to market to the LGBT community? Part 1 of 3
The past few years have been years of creation for me. I’ve written and published 2 books, which you can find here, and I created a series of online products to help you master your communications and marketing skills when working with the LGBT community. During this process I had a …
Read MoreHow to be more inclusive in your LGBT marketing… one small change (Part 2 of 2)
This is part 2 of a 2 part series. Previously I talked about one small change you can make in your LGBT marketing to be more inclusive of LGBT clients and potential LGBT clients. The one small change was to add LGBT imagery to your existing website or marketing materials. …
Read MoreHow not to advise same-sex couples…
A quick note from Jenn – When my dear friend and colleague Diane reached out to me upset with what she had just read I was empathetic. However, rather than voice my thoughts on the matter I invited her to share her thoughts and opinion here on my blog. It …
Read MoreA tale of "the ladies across the street…"
I grew up in a small town where diversity was scarce, really scarce. I’m not sure how or when being inclusive of everyone became such a part of who I was but I remember as early as 11 being inclusive regardless of race or religion specifically in my very non-diverse …
Read More#021: Expert Interview with Jodi Savitz [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/GBM_Episode_021_Jodi-Savitz.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS Have a listen to episode #21 of the Gay Business & Marketing Made Easy podcast! You’ll hear the story of filmmaker, Jodi Savitz. You’ll hear her story as an invisible feminine lesbian and her current documentary project, “Girl on Girl.” Below are …
Read MoreHotel check-in: Will that be one bed or two, ladies?
Annually, I attend the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce conference. I write about it, talk about it on the podcast and meet many of you there. The conference never disappoints, in fact each year I’m not sure how they are going to top the previous year, but somehow …
Read MoreAre you "happy to deal with LGBT people?" Err, what?
By now you know that most of my blog posts comes directly from experiences in my day-to-day life. As a very out lesbian and owner of a business catering to education about the LGBT community, I have an endless supply of things to write about, which I am very grateful for. …
Read MoreWhat do you do when there is no LGBT media in your area?
A while back I was having lunch with a friend and colleague and we were talking about LGBT media; things like newspapers, websites and magazines. We were discussing how there are pockets across the country that are just blatantly lacking access to LGBT media outlets. In several of my prior marketing related …
Read MoreDeconstructing gaydar: Why do I know she’s a lesbian?
Often times in this blog I’ll address questions I’ve been asked by friends or colleagues. But in this post I’d like to attempt to answer my own question by brainstorming in writing with you. It may sound a bit crazy but I’ve been racking my brain for a while trying to …
Read MoreWhat’s wrong with the "Non-Traditional Family?"
Have you heard the phrase “Non-Traditional Family” when being marketed or sold to? Perhaps you have and haven’t noticed or perhaps you have and you cringe when you hear that phrase? Either way we are going to talk about the Non-Traditional Family today. This is an area of interest to …
Read MoreWhat is a Gayborhood?
I spent time in the gayborhood in Dallas, Texas. When I mentioned I was in the gayborhood it prompted a few people asking me what exactly that meant. Here is how Wikipedia defines a gay village; “A gay village (also known as a gay neighborhood, LGBT district, gay district, or …
Read MoreWhat happens when you assume the gender of one’s spouse?
In the past, LGBT people were not at the forefront of society like we are today. It just wasn’t talked about. Now, LGBT rights and equality is something everyone is talking about. Democrats, Republicans and everyone in between is talking about it. Some in a positive way and others in …
Read MoreAre you saying "That’s so gay?" Stop.
There are always those expressions that can get under your skin. For me, one of those phrases is “That’s so gay.” It definitely seems to be more of a young adult and adolescent phrase but I’ve caught an adult or two or three saying it as well. I would equate …
Read MoreDon’t assume that because your co-worker is gay that they have ‘gaydar’
By now you may know that I pull the content I write about from recent interactions I’ve had. There never seems to be a shortage of information to write about in terms of educating people on how to do business with the LGBT community in a non-offensive way. This blog comes …
Read MoreHow can I help my co-worker "come out" at work?
I sat down for a cup of coffee this weekend with a friend and colleague. She recently went from being in business for herself to jumping back into the corporate world. Within just a couple of minutes she began to tell me about the person who is training her in …
Read MoreHow to Identify and Respond to "The Pronoun Game"
So what is the Pronoun Game? I was pleasantly surprised to see Wikipedia had a definition – “‘Playing the pronoun game’ is the act of concealing sexual orientation in conversation by not using a gender-specific pronoun for a partner or a lover, which would reveal the sexual orientation of the …
Read More3 reasons you should never say homosexual. ever.
There is never a right time to use the word homosexual. Ever. This week’s post comes from a conversation I was having where we were talking about a person who is not so pleasant to deal with. In the middle of the conversation the person I am sitting with says …
Read MoreIn a business setting: is it okay to ask intimate details?
The question I answer in this post comes from a lively discussion I was having with a handful of colleagues. As you may know by now I often take time in this blog to answer questions that some may find uncomfortable to ask for fear of being judged or afraid they …
Read MoreLGBT Questions from a Friend…
I have a friend who has inspired me to start this blog based on questions she brought to me. She asked me LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) related questions on a fairly regular basis. She knew that she can ask the sensitive questions she needed to ask without fear …
Read MoreInformed shopping can make a difference
Diversity is en-grained in everything that I do. I stand for equality and believe in and promote diversity every chance I get. I believe in buying products from companies who support diversity as a whole but specifically those who support LGBT equality. Because of this I swear by the Human …
Read MoreDo we always have to be ‘role models’ for the community?
As an out and proud ‘professional lesbian’ (yes I do refer to myself as such when people ask what it is that I do), I find that I am often the voice of reason for setting examples in the LGBT community. I had an encounter in Chilli’s, a popular chain …
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