Monthly Archives: September 2013

Find Your Inspiration At Work

By | Leadership | No Comments

Successful business leaders need a strong financial background, leadership skills, the courage to take risks and a strong moral compass, but the truly successful leaders boast one additional quality – inspiration.

Inspiration looks different for each individual, but all inspired leaders are intrinsically motivated by something greater than him or herself.  Gender and age play an important role, as well, based on a recent survey of LinkedIn members.  The survey showed that women younger than 29 tend to feel less inspired in general than their male peers, but women older than 65 feeling considerably more inspired than men.

LinkedIn went one step further too add context to these results, asking 60 LinkedIn members the simple question, “What inspires you?” The answers may be inspiring in themselves:

  • Richard Branson, Founder at Virgin Group
    “My professional inspiration has no separation from my personal inspiration:  it is people who will stop at nothing to make a positive difference to other people’s lives.”
  • Naomi Simson, Founder, RedBalloon
    “Tell me I ‘cannot’ do, be or have something – and that is the surest way to inspire me into action.”
  • Jim Whitehurst, CEO at Red Hat
    “Most of us are inspired by our family, friends, and colleagues–as I am–but the thing that most inspires me is problem solving.”
  • Claire Diaz-Ortiz, Twitter, Inc.
    “Reading has been my favorite pastime since my earliest memory, and in my adult years books have become some of my greatest inspirations.  I read more than 200 books a year, and most of these books are non-fiction.”
  • Steven J. Thompson, CEO at Johns Hopkins Medicine International, Senior Vice President Johns Hopkins Medicine
    “You need to do more than plod along that safe and known track.  You need to be ready to switch tracks, and to inspire people to follow you when you do.”

At Dardis, we encourage our clients and our students to find their inspiration in their current jobs, as well as their future careers.  We are in the business of training current and future leaders, and our most successful candidates are inspired by what they do and see every day.  Our training through Dardis Communications and hands-on sales experience through the Dardis Academy provides a solid base for clients and students, but motivation and the drive to succeed stems from inspiration.

Spend a few minutes today thinking about what inspires you.  What cause are you strongly connected to?  Which leaders, family members or friends have left an impression on you?  What gets you excited at work?

By identifying these motivating factors, you will be on your way to an inspired (and successful) career.

Photo credit: Nimish Gogri

Fashion (and Career) Advice You Can Trust

By | The Dardis difference | No Comments

Our Dardis clothiers are proud to serve as trusted menswear experts for clients nationwide.  From fabric to fit, we know how to make you look your best in a professional setting.  Our products are made with the highest quality materials and most importantly, at the best possible price for you.

We combine fashion expertise with a thorough understanding of the power of a professional image.

Successful people have an awareness and appreciation for professional image and “looking the part,” and our educated clothiers share that knowledge directly with each of our clients.

Our professional image advice comes from more than a decade of training executives through our sister company, Dardis Communications.  The training we provide is proven to be effective in developing effective speakers and respected leaders in companies of all sizes.

You can find career advice anywhere, from the Internet, family members or a thick step-by-step guide at your local bookstore.  Each avenue can provide value, but it’s important to rely on the experts, like Dardis Communications, when preparing for a promotion, new role or when looking for a development opportunity.

Not all advice can be trusted.  Check out Forbes’ “6 Career Tips You Should Put In The Shredder,” for example.  You may have heard these recommendations before, but as the Forbes article states, some advice can be wrong if taken too literally.

  • Don’t argue with the offer.
  • Don’t take risks with your career.
  • Keep your resume on one page.
  • Find a company you can work at forever.
  • Show no weakness.
  • Don’t spend company money.

Through our Classroom to Career program, we educate groups of young leaders to be effective sales people and strong speakers.  The Dardis Academy training program gives students the competitive edge that they need to succeed in the marketplace.  And our clients can’t help but notice.

“I love Dardis!  Yes, the product quality is very good, but I especially like the service.  The students offer great suggestions on clothing options and pairings, which is a huge benefit for some of us who are challenged with what looks good together.  I’m hooked!”
– Chad Furlong, Senior IT Manager, University of Iowa Foundation

So whether a Dardis representative is leading an individual consultation or helping you with your presentation skills, know that Dardis is proud to provide the foundation that will serve you in your career and help you achieve whatever goals you set for yourself.

Photo credit: Ram Karthik

Back to School Fall Essentials

By | Style | No Comments

Even if you’re not hitting the books in an evening MBA program, you can still take the opportunity to do your own “back to school” shopping for fall.  The change in seasons is the perfect time to reevaluate your wardrobe and decide what should stay and what should go.

Dedicate one hour in the coming weeks to purge your wardrobe.  What haven’t you worn in six months?  Which items are too big or too small?  Divide your questionable items into piles to either donate or trash, depending on their condition.

Once you have made room in your closet, plan to invest in a few new items, including quality menswear from Dardis Apparel.  As a transitional season, fall does not require you to completely switch out your wardrobe.  You can purchase a small number of staple pieces or finishing items that will keep your professional and casual wardrobe up-to-date before the snow flies.

Not sure where to start?  Here are some ideas from GQ’s fall 2013 fashion preview:

  • A camel topcoat
    Dardis says:  Outerwear is a practical and fashionable investment.  Even the most classic pieces can be personalized depending on the color and length, as well as the buttons and zippers.
  • Loud plaid prints
    Dardis says:  Plaid has flourished in both professional and casual wardrobes, so build off of that foundation this season with an even bolder print.  Think oranges and deep purples in prominent prints.
  • A motorcycle jacket
    Dardis says:  For cool fall nights, add a trendy motorcycle jacket to your closet.  Perfect for the transition from the office to a dinner date, motorcycle jackets prove that a little edge can still be classy.
  • A tweed suit
    Dardis says:  We know more than anyone the importance of a quality suit, but this fall, experiment with new textures like tweed to complement your black, gray or brown staples.
  • Turtlenecks
    Dardis says:  To easily update your wardrobe for this new season, trade your polos or dress shirts for a turtleneck or sweater in neutral colors to pair with a suit jacket or just slacks.
  • Tailored trousers
    Dardis says:  Fit will always be a top style priority, so connect with a tailor or seamstress to customize your dress pants for you.  For an updated look, opt for a slim leg.

Our skilled sales professionals are available to listen to your needs and recommend items from the Dardis collection for your fall wardrobe.

Photo credit: Steven Depolo

Interns: The Most Ambitious Entrepreneurs

By | The Dardis difference | No Comments

Our 2013 Classroom to Career internship program has come to a close, leaving us at Dardis more impressed than ever by these talented individuals.  Looking back on this past summer, we witnessed our interns progress from our Dardis Academy training program right to potential buyers’ homes and office buildings, making sales and learning valuable lessons along the way.  They persevered through our rigorous program, even though many of them didn’t even have any prior sales experience!

Congratulations to all of our interns, who we know will enter the working world post-college with unmatched work experience.  We would especially like to honor our top three selling interns, Patrick Gibbs, Elliot Salter and Justin Blackburn.  In last week’s blog post, Patrick described the many benefits of his Dardis internship, and Justin Blackburn echoed his responses.

“You learn a lot of very useful things that you will be able to use down the road in your career,” Justin said.  “It will also look very good on a resume and is a great experience for anyone going into the business world.”

He cited his sale of 42 polos to the athletic director at his high school as his most successful moment, which we previously highlighted on this blog.

Another top seller, Elliot Salter, recalled a sale that he never expected.  He drove two hours to meet with a client and ask for tips solely on his sales pitch, but the meeting led to a large sale late in the summer.

“This summer internship was a terrific opportunity to not only make money and show my employers what I can achieve, but I was able to prove to myself that with hard work and organization, I can really be successful in what I put my effort into,” Elliot said.

A 2013 LinkedIn intern contributed an insightful post to the company’s blog in early August calling interns promising entrepreneurs, diligently working to get people to invest in their careers.  We agree that interns have the unique opportunity to not only receive important professional experiences but also make connections that can make a difference in their future careers.

So how can interns be successful entrepreneurs?  Take this advice from LinkedIn intern Courtney Sanford:

  1. Be innovative:  Take advantage of what makes you unique and don’t try to fill the same roles as your full-time co-workers.
  2. Build a brand:  Social networks provide a great opportunity to build your personal brand, and great entrepreneurs know the importance of managing their online identity.
  3. Impact your company:  Regardless of the size of your company, make sure you add value and are able to make an impact with your projects.
  4. Adapt:  Use your internship as an opportunity to learn new skills and test out your knowledge.
  5. Be a serial entrepreneur:  I can’t emphasize enough how valuable it is to have multiple
    internships that give you varied experiences, perspectives, and skills.

At Dardis Academy, we recognize the importance of real work experience and meaningful internships.  There are numerous student benefits for our Classroom to Career internship program, so as we ramp up for our 2014 program, please consider recommending Dardis Academy to a young entrepreneur in your life.

Photo credit: http://www.zazoomvideo.com/

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