Don't Be Dr. Dynamite
If you could capture the single most important quality that creates a successful brand, it boils down to differentiation.
The Side Door
When I talk to my coaching clients I always stress the fact that you have to follow opportunities when they present themselves. Even those that may seem unrelated to your ultimate goal. Why?
Looking for a Greener Pasture?
I frequently work with clients who have designed businesses, products and services who have taken the “If I build it, they will come.” approach. Often they wake up to an awful reality…
Perfectionism Is Killing Your Career: Here’s What You Can Do About It
Perfectionism can sound like a good idea. At first glance, it makes sense; being a perfectionist must lead to perfection. But the truth is that perfectionism is greatness killer.
Finding the "Wow!"
When you ask the right questions and then actively listen, a mysterious and convoluted problem becomes a clear signal.
To Win Big, Think Small
A staggering 80% of social media viewing is done on mobile devices. How do people choose what to consume?
Retail Trend: The Cattle Chute Method
Retailers like Amazon are using The Cattle Chute Method to drive shoppers to their own private label products. How do we compete?
Sunken Treasure
What can a 310-year-old Spanish galleon at the bottom of the sea teach us about brand value? A lot it turns out.
THREE LITTLE WORDS (AND PEOPLE ARE FREAKING OUT)
Establishing a credo can be one of the most powerful things a brand can create. It guides every brand decision and action. It keeps you and your employees grounded in the brand values. Sometimes those values are tested.
Different Is Better Than Better
The savvy folks at hub by Premier Inn noticed an empty quadrant in the X/Y map of the competitive landscape of the hotel industry in London. So they did what any smart brand does, they filled it.
Your Best Self: 7 Mantras for Designers & Entrepreneurs
Mantras are not just for meditating. Mantras are simply ideas and philosophies to live by. They have one purpose: to keep us on track. They prevent us from going a down a rabbit hole.
In the Flow: 10 Ways to Stay Creative
Creativity is critical to your success as a creative professional or an entrepreneur. New ideas and innovative solutions are your livelihood.
The Sexy Potato
There are watershed moments in our professional lives where something happens that changes everything.
The Big Fish
Diving deep into a brand, marketing agencies can shine a light on new customers or market opportunities their client may have had trouble seeing. It’s a symbiotic relationship.
5 Reasons Why You Should Be Developing Content Now
Sure, the content landscape has gotten pretty noisy and the competition for eyeballs and ears is fierce. But the benefits of developing content are as much internal as they are external.
Did You Get My Message?
When you send your brand's message out into the world, are you doing so hoping that your customer target just happens to come across it on their digital shores?
The 7 Commandments of Brand Design
When I talk about branding, I often talk about the 3 R’s: recognized, remembered and revered. The success of any brand can be measured by how well it has achieved those three simple words. But how do you get there?
The Wipe Out
As entrepreneurs and creative professionals we may start a project, a product, a business that gets wiped out. Clients lost. Customers vanish. What happens next?
The Brand from the Black Lagoon
Brands can learn something by observing how Hollywood approaches classic films. What’s the difference between classic and dated? Is there an aspect of your brand that is due for a remake?
Going with the Flow
The copy on many business’s websites just crows about themselves. Our services. Our products. Our processes. That’s a problem.