Let’s face it, a lot of us are fans of horrible reality TV, including The Bachelor.  But we if dive in a little closer, we can see that we can actually learn something from Jake’s journey…

As the Bachelor, Jake had 25 amazing women to choose from. Of course, his connection was stronger with some than with others.

+

So how does this translate?

Not every client is your client.
Not every potential sponsor is right for you.
Not every guest blogger fits your aesthetic.
Not every blog/website/magazine/etc is a good fit for your advertising needs.

It took me a long time to come to terms with this. It’s hard to feel comfortable with saying no! But in the long run, it’s in your best interest to know your business or your blog well enough to make an informed decision about who you should work with and where best to spend your time and money.

Polls showed that most viewers wanted Jake to choose Tenley. But he followed his heart instead and proposed to Vienna.

+

There will inevitably be a time where you have to choose a path for your business. Perhaps it’s a price increase, a geographic move, or a new product you want to introduce. Your decisions won’t always be popular among the masses, and that’s OK. If you have evaluated and determined your course of action – stick to your gut and believe in yourself, because what’s right in everyone else’s eyes isn’t always the right choice for you.

Ali found this out the hard way when she had to make the decision whether to stay with Jake or go back to her job.

+

One of the most difficult problems faced in business is when to let go – of an idea, of an employee, of a product line, etc. There is no “right” answer, it’s of course different in each situation, but the key is learning to recognize when it’s time to cut the cord, and when you make the decision, confront the problem directly, make an action plan, and follow through.

On episode 1 of this season’s Bachelor, the all-important initial first-impression rose went to Tenley, who as we know, was one of the final two ladies.

+

We all know the old saying “you never get a second chance to make a first impression”. It’s cliche, but it’s true. Most first impressions are now made online, when someone is researching service providers or reading past reviews of products. Potential customers or clients may find your Twitter feed, personal blog, Facebook page, and of course your website.

How do you present yourself online?
How does your website/blog reflect on your business?
Is the branding consistent with your intended message?
Is what they see representative of what they get?

Of course, there are many other life lessons we can learn from The Bachelor, most of which are quite obvious to non-reality-TV contestants. :) What did you learn from this season of The Bachelor?