Nice Still Matters

Tried & True Conversation Starters

By Mary Williams | October 25, 2019 |

Let’s be honest, most people do not enjoy networking, especially if you are an introvert, although we agree it’s a necessary activity in business. One way to ensure it’s almost pain-free (and a lot more interesting and enjoyable) is to engage in a sincere conversation when you meet someone with a goal to discover a…

5 Mistakes that DESTROY Business Relationships

By Mary Williams | September 17, 2019 |

For those of you who know me, you know business etiquette is my passion. You know that Letitia Baldridge, the late American etiquette expert and public relations executive is one of my idols. She published 20 books, appeared on the cover of TIME, and was a guest on Late Night with David Letterman. She personally…

Emotional Intelligence and Vulnerability

By Mary Williams | July 22, 2019 |

While considering this blog post and my upcoming presentations during the Greystar Members Only Leasing Retreat this week, I cannot get vulnerability out of my mind. As I prepared and reviewed my presentation, I saw I included “be vulnerable” on page twelve, bullet number six. Perhaps it deserves a page of its own somewhere more…

Business Is Built on Relationships

By Mary Williams | June 21, 2019 |

I had lunch with an old friend and fellow entrepreneur. Outgoing, fun, energetic, involved and positive are ways in which I would describe her. She founded her own franchise business about a year before I launched Mary Williams FIA. She is a few months ahead of me on the learning curve as she survived and…

Navigating Professionalism in a Digital Universe

By Mary Williams | May 17, 2019 |

We know the world is digitalized and our professional and personal lives are available for the world to see. We know we can reach anyone in the world at any time. The biggest question we need to ask ourselves is this. How do I want to present myself to the world? Which is no different than…

A Reflection on Mother’s Day & Working Moms

By Mary Williams | May 12, 2019 |

As Mother’s Day approaches I want to share my experience as a working mom and why I believe it’s important to honor and appreciate all the sacrifices moms make across the world. I cannot talk about Mother’s Day or my experience as a working mom without thinking of my own mom. She raised four children,…

The Four Rules to Mastering Introductions

By Mary Williams | April 25, 2019 |

During a lunch meeting with an incredible woman who happens to be a concierge cardiologist, she was sharing her experiences mentoring two engineering students from her college alma mater. We were discussing our thoughts on the rewards of mentoring and how best to inspire and communicate with millennials and generation Z. I added how much…

The Skills You Need to Succeed in 2019 and Beyond

By Mary Williams | January 15, 2019 |

Did you know that 91 percent of dissatisfied customers or clients will never complain about their interaction with you? Instead, they will simply take their business elsewhere. If you think soft skills are trivial or unimportant, think again. Here’s the deal: 85 percent of job success is based on social and people skills — not…