First off, I want to apologize to my loyal blog readers. For many years now I have provided you with a steady diet of personal branding tips, reputation management strategies, and ideas, information, and resources to position yourself as relevant and compelling based on your authentic values, vision for who you want to be, and passion for what you do with your life.
Recently, I have been focused on something that is near and dear to my heart but which has caused me to blog less often than you’re used to from me. Many of you know that a big part of my personal brand is generosity: a focus on helping others, sharing information, and “paying it forward” as they say. What that means for me is that I spend a lot of my free time, focus, and energy serving those who serve. In other words, I donate a lot of my services, information, and training to veterans looking to position themselves more effectively and successfully when they transition from military service.
Over the last few months I’ve been getting my new book ready to be published. Now it’s here! Your Next Mission: A personal branding guide for the military-to-civilian transition, tackles the job of helping veterans position themselves for an audience of managers and human resources specialists who may have no working knowledge of military skills or terminology, by way of insights, tools, exercises, and examples not found in any other military materials. I interviewed key executives from the Walt Disney Company, BAE Systems, USAA, as well as hundreds of veterans who have transitioned to the civilian sector. In Your Next Mission, I offer new thinking, ideas, resources, and empowerment to military veterans who seek confidence, control, and competitive advantage for this next chapter in their lives, including ways promote their value to employers on social networking; in-person networking, image, and body language; and the development of core messages, including their elevator pitch and resume.

Among others, the book has been endorsed by General Peter Pace, USMC (Ret), 16th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Chairman, Wall Street Warfighters Foundation; John Melia, Corporal USMC., 1st Lieutenant, US Army National Guard, Founder and former CEO, Wounded Warrior Project; James Rodriguez, 1st Sergeant, USMC (Ret), Director, Government Relations, BAE Systems; and the Foreword to the book is authored by Dan Goldenberg, Executive Director, The Call of Duty Endowment (Activision).
Not only is the excitement and interest this book is receiving filling my heart but I am seeing the real ways that my own mission to build my personal brand and to do something that is authentically what I consider to be “calling” is helping others.
So I would just like to ask for your forgiveness for the lack of consistent blogging lately; your support as I continue to grow my passion and my commitment to serving those who serve; and your resources if you know of organizations, companies, or veterans who need the information I offer in this book.
Thank you,
Lida
Lida,
Having worked with hundreds of authors, I understand completely what a HUGE deal it is to write and launch a book. Congratulations! I will gladly recommend it to friends in the service.
You are an inspiration to me. Thanks for your website and blog.
Thank you for the kind words, Marilyn! It is a pleasure and an honor to help veterans who have given up so much for me.