Sep 11, 2020Second and third order consequencesThink about the downstream ramifications of your actions — Have you ever solved a problem… then realized you accidentally created five new problems? This is why it’s important to think about second and third order consequences. The goal is to accurately weigh the true cost and benefits of a proposed solution. By thinking about potential side effects upfront, you…Leadership3 min readLeadership3 min read
Aug 20, 2020Insecure vibes are a self-fulfilling prophecyGet rid of them and you’ll appear more confident — Insecure vibes are subconscious clues and signals that you might be giving off when you’re feeling anxious, nervous, or a little uncertain. We emit insecure vibes when we really want something to work out…but aren’t sure if it will. You might be feeling self-conscious. A little desperate. Insecure vibes are…Leadership4 min readLeadership4 min read
Aug 14, 2020Eyes light up (ELU)The litmus test for whether your story struck a chord — Positioning and messaging is exciting because you’re picking your angle. Of all the ways you could talk about your product, which way should you talk about it? Even if you’re feeling confident in your brand’s spiky point of view, it’s important to test your story. At this point, clients will…Marketing3 min readMarketing3 min read
Aug 5, 2020Case study: Dissecting an everyday storyOn the surface, this is a story about a 3 year old. But like all good stories, it’s also about the reader. — Getting someone to change their worldview is hard. When it happens, that’s a big deal. If you can change people’s worldviews regularly, or even once in a while, you will always be in demand. My friend Nathan posted a quick story about him and his daughter going to the car…Writing4 min readWriting4 min read
Jul 31, 2020Raise the ceiling or lower the floorTo create value, you have two choices — To create value, you have two choices: You can raise the ceiling You can lower the floor This applies to generating value of any kind. Driving growth to hit your revenue targets Navigating hard conversations where you can be the bigger person Choosing tactics on the Brand versus Performance Marketing…Marketing2 min readMarketing2 min read
Jul 22, 2020The Texting MethodGet past writer’s block — When you have writer’s block, you can stare at a blank Google Doc or talk out loud. But those options aren’t ideal sometimes. Talking out loud: We talk fast. So we say a lot. It’s unfiltered and seems to make sense at the time. But your tone of voice, speed…Writing3 min readWriting3 min read
Jul 17, 2020How to be more analyticalLearn the skill of pattern matching — Analytical skills didn’t come easily for me. In college, my least favorite classes were quantitative. It was a miracle I even scraped by. Which is why I was so surprised when Gap Inc wanted to hire me, upon graduation, to be an analyst. The job was 100% about numbers. Logically…Marketing5 min readMarketing5 min read
Jul 10, 2020Spiky point of view: Let’s get a little controversialA spiky point of view is a perspective others can disagree with — We live in a noisy world. Whichever industry you’re in, there are thousands of other people like you trying to get noticed. Unless you distinguish yourself, you’ll never get a chance to show how different you actually are. To stand out, you need to develop what I call a “spiky”…Marketing5 min readMarketing5 min read
Jun 30, 2020Brand marketing vs. performance marketingWhy this decision impacts everything about your marketing — There are few philosophical stances that will influence everything about your marketing thereafter. Deciding to prioritize brand versus performance is one of those things. This is worth discussing with your team: “If you could only prioritize brand or performance, what would you pick?” Ask your clients Ask your boss Ask…Marketing5 min readMarketing5 min read
Jun 25, 2020Tone and words: Use accurate and precise languageWord choice matters more than you think — You make decisions, allocate resources, and make plans-all based on words. This is why it’s important to be mindful that your language accurately reflects a few things: Intent Meaning Severity Level of certainty Power dynamics Stakes (high or low stakes if you’re wrong) These elements are even more important to…Leadership4 min readLeadership4 min read
