Title image

Uncategorized

Home / Uncategorized (Page 2)

The Simple Math of Big Brands for Small Business As originally published on Business Link  January, 2018 I’ll admit it – social media has me torn. As a father of teenage children, I resent the time suck and distraction of Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter and so on. On the other hand, as a brand strategist, community builder and most importantly, as a tamer of wild elephants, I recognize and appreciate the value of these tools as...

We’ve all heard the phrase “elephant in the room” to describe a very large issue that everyone is well aware of, yet nobody wants to talk about. But when is the elephant in the room not such a big, bad deal? Well, what if that room was decorated so as to mimic the sweeping plains of Africa… or even better – what if you invited the rest of its herd in...

Everything old is new again, because the flame of original thought has long since been exhausted. Or so I was informed by my 15 year old, ‘80s-obsessed daughter, after she was tasked to watch a short TED Talk on the death of new creative and unique ideas for a grade 10 art assignment. “Hey man – I just do what I’m told” was her response to my flabbergasted face. “I didn’t...

A Brand Audit of Stephen King’s Dark Tower. Twelve. The man in black first fled across the desert with the gunslinger and I following, when I was twelve years old. And just like that, I became one of Stephen King’s Constant Readers – devouring each novel and short story – each overlapping universe – with a voracity only a shy, introverted pre-teen could know. Hell, even those about baseball, a painfully boring...

I float. I REALLY love to float. For the uninitiated, imagine the pinnacle of relaxation and meditation within a sensory deprivation tank. No lights, no sounds, smells or tactile stimulations. Nothing but you, your thoughts and your beating heart. Naked and exposed. The similarities between this experience and that of starting your own business are not lost on me. Nor is the frustrating realization that an activity I find extremely beneficial...

Whether you know it or not, you are worshipping at the altar of brand. Everyday. And so are your customers. As our purchasing and destination choices have multiplied (and are multiplying) each year, we have become overloaded with information and pressed for time. Purchasing decisions are no longer based solely upon features and benefits. More and more they are based upon the emotional perception and intuitive connection that a person associates with...

I’m not going to lie – when I first picked up a book on Feng Shui I thought it was about interior decorating. Feng Shui or “The Art of Placement” is a very captivating (and sneakily obsessive) subject matter, And, now having a taste of the purple kool-aid, I have started applying a lot of its teachings within my own home. Traditional Feng Shui is based on the idea that chi (energy)...