Get on a Southwest flight to anywhere, buy shoes from Zappos.com, pants from Nordstrom, groceries from Whole Foods, anything from Costco, a Starbucks espresso, or a Double-Double from In N’ Out, and you’ll get a taste of these brands’…
Believe it or not, at one point we actually fed our pets real food. That was, until people-food companies realized they could maximize their resources by mashing together all of their scrap meat, leftover grains, eggshells, and bones, injecting some vitamins, and cooking it up into “kibble.”
I’m fascinated by the different types of people I meet in the business world and the way that their personalities show up in what they do. I’m drawn to people who have a quiet inner confidence that is expressed in their interactions and their output. I am…
There is power in the perspective that comes from revisiting why you exist as a business and exploring the beliefs and operating values you live by. While the bottom line is a non-negotiable, how you get to it is. Make sure your entire organization understands your reason for being and that leading with values…
Kids have an insatiable appetite for knowledge and an unapologetic curiosity for all things new and misunderstood. When they don’t know the answer they actively seek the truth. They have a natural humility without posturing, pretense or ego wrapped…
The challenging economy has forced everyone to look at cutting unnecessary costs. From airlines charging for every bag, to restaurants not serving bread or table water unless asked, small cuts can have a deep-lasting effect. It’s easy for senior…
People who seem to have that spark, who are passionate about what they do and how they live their lives are fantastic to be around, and they seem to make what they do look so easy. It’s not a new thought, but doing what you love seems to be an…
As Britain was dangerously close to defeat in 1940, Winston Churchill put the English language into battle. He inspired the people of Great Britain with his defiant, heroic speeches, rousing challenges that were full of hope, humor and direction. By using language strategically, he delivered some of the most powerful and moving…
In the competitive space of philanthropy and philanthrocapitalism, how do you break through the clutter and get people engaged in an issue that isn’t the tug-on-your-heart-strings norm…
Taylor Swift is an excellent example of how humility can lead to success. She’s genuine. She connects and relates to her audience through her own experiences. She’s inoffensive, but above all, she’s humble. Almost too humble at times…
On the eve of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I thought it would be interesting to chat with Shaney Jo Darden, the woman who has prominently displayed the…
Not so long ago, life for a chief marketing officer was a lot simpler than it is today. A brand’s narrative was a controlled monologue and the formula for awareness involved nurturing and building the brand, partnering with an amazing agency, diligently targeting the right consumers in the most impressionable places, and…
After leading a global innovation summit a few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to venture out into London for a morning, doing what I love to do in big cities: be a cultural voyeur. Walking through the markets, the squares and arcades, I stopped…
Executive team members can benefit significantly by putting customers first and getting to know them better. Here are suggestions for making the connections happen: 1. Move research from ignored to inspired. Elevate the importance of research and ensure it is a function that informs all areas of…
In our rapidly changing and complex world, one trend we’re seeing is a return to simple, homegrown, fresh food and with this in mind, I wanted to find out what John Foraker, the CEO of Annie’s Homegrown Foods, had to say about the future of food.
Garry Ridge, the CEO of WD-40, is a bold Australian and the steward of one of the world’s most iconic and unusual brands. He believes that effective leaders have a clear, teachable leadership point of view and are willing to share it with, and…
There is no doubt that we are living in one of the most revolutionary times in history with significant changes in economies, demographics, democracies, energy, communication, creativity, connectivity, technology, and food supply. And while I know John Foraker, the CEO of Annie’s Homegrown Foods, has opinions…
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is the Nike of self-defense. It has reached a level of notoriety as the most effective, fastest growing form of self-defense that people are learning to confidently protect themselves. Executives are starting to reference…
Rumour has it that we’re becoming a service-based economy. Some say we’ll be a country doing nothing else in the not-so-distant future…
Not sure about you, but I couldn’t live in a world without hope. A life without optimism, imagination and hope would be like a life without a smart phone. You couldn’t live a day without it. Think about it. We live in a world where individuals and governments are constantly providing the media with opportunities to…
Many brands seem to find it hard to make a real connection with their consumers and they end up selling to them rather than inviting them into a compelling conversation. Teams who manage brands often lack a deep understanding…
During a recent visit to Michelin, their CEO was proud to share an initiative where Michelin had allocated $2 million for lending to local small businesses in light of the economic crisis. Its success got me thinking, “Why hasn’t the domestic micro…
Some of us live our lives without knowing who we really are, bumping through days without understanding what makes us tick at our core, or why we react to situations and people the way we do. Put another way, there’s a large percentage…
Where there is happiness you will find success
The path to personal or corporate happiness can be found in the simple, yet powerful, equation of mixing a healthy dose of generosity toward others, with…
Flying to Greenville, South Carolina and taking time away from my family wasn’t on the top of my list of must-dos, but Food for Thought, an event produced by Erwin Penland, was an amazing experience to fuel the mind. From the opening speaker to the closing performer, it was a marathon of inspiring learning…
I met Alex Bogusky at the FearLess Cottage earlier this year and discovered that we have a number of things in common: we share a deep interest in climate change, the food system, and early-stage venture investing. We have some differences…
On the surface, startup companies and large organizations are very different. But small entrepreneurial ventures can learn from the best practices perfected by seasoned companies. Here are five dos and don’ts gleaned from…
There’s a stark contrast between sitting in an endless meeting with 10-15 people on a product development team in a multi-national, listening to rationale and pontification versus the focused energy of a small team in a entrepreneurial…
People are organic, fluid and emotional, while companies are structural, rational and linear (and, oftentimes, lack a soul). C-suites are acutely focused on the rational, practical, metric-outcome side of running business…
Pitching your business to potential investors is like dating. It’s time draining, incredibly stressful and an emotional roller coaster. And like dating, the overall process seems to be in desperate need of an overhaul…
Sometimes, I get really jealous of large corporations. Not often mind you, but occasionally.
Like you, I used to work for the Man. Mostly, I hated working for the Man…
Rumor has it that we’re becoming a service-based economy. Some say we’ll be a country doing nothing else in the not-so-distant future. While I don’t buy into that extreme, if it’s remotely close to the truth, then most of us have an enormous amount of work to do. Either way, service and serving others is central to the success…
What’s all the fuss about embedded generosity, triple-bottom-line capitalism and social responsibility? Is it a new trend? Is it the latest manifestation of the human spirit? Corporate giving is definitely not a new concept. Large companies…
There’s something rather invigorating about this time of the year. We’ve said goodbye to last year; we’ve got all of our lessons, successes and failures processed. Now we’re back to work with vigor, ready to learn and to produce. We’re armed…
Branding guru Shawn Parr is paid millions of dollars by global corporations — such as Adidas, Virgin and Starbucks — to shake up their marketing teams, tell them bluntly what he thinks of their products, and get them thinking like a…
