“Location, location, location” is no longer a real-estate term. It’s now also a brand term. Leverage hard-to-get-to and traditionally expensive/beautiful destinations to increase the perceived value of your brand. So, how fast can you have your bags packed for Milan? An A+ location is the cost-effective supporting character of your brand and has the best… Continue reading What’s the key to increasing the perceived value of your brand? Location, location, location.
Author: joeanhalt
The essence of luxury is a closed-circuit world
Immediately entering a luxury expereince you notice that everything is meticulously designed for that specific world. You don’t see everyday things, you see everyday things retrofitted for this new world. The simplicity is beautiful. In theory, it’s easy to pull off, but pulling back one layer of the onion reveals you need time, money, and… Continue reading The essence of luxury is a closed-circuit world
The customer is always right? Wrong
Allow me to let the cat out of the bag. The saying “the customer is always right” is dead. It should have never been a thing — props to the customer lobbyist who made this happen. The assumption that every customer is always right is a gross miscalculation. Businesses and brands have been bending over… Continue reading The customer is always right? Wrong
Air (Deloris) Jordan
Air, the new film, from Matt Damen and Ben Affleck, about Nike courting Michael Jordan, truly fires on all cylinders. It’s cheesy but not too cheesy. It has the proper dose of nostalgia. The performances are solid. The soundtrack hits and hits at the correct times. It never drags. It never moves too fast. You know… Continue reading Air (Deloris) Jordan
Now Hiring: Associate, Comedian
With exceptions, like selling financial services or luxury goods, you can and should benefit from comedic talents on your team. Let’s call a spade a spade — you’re not looking for a copywriter or a content creator — you’re looking for a comedian. You can teach marketing, photoshop, or video editing, but you can’t teach… Continue reading Now Hiring: Associate, Comedian
My vanity is getting in the way of growth
I’m a people pleaser. I’m midwest nice. I’m an INFP. So much so it’s getting in the way of growth. Professionally and personally. I care more about making others feel at ease with their ideas and not rocking the boat than being objective and honest about that thing that will drive growth. My desire and… Continue reading My vanity is getting in the way of growth
Focus (what’s your In-N-Out Burger?)
Achieving hard things is hard. The process includes long periods of failures followed by iterations that improve. Eventually, more often than not, you will have success — if you focus. Focusing is easier said than done, especially in 2023, for reasons we all understand, but it’s not impossible. Focus takes daily practice. I think this… Continue reading Focus (what’s your In-N-Out Burger?)
Be a front-row person
After my first two years of college, I was unhappy with my academic performance. Not entirely sure how to get there, I started to observe the leaders in my classes in hopes that I would learn what set them apart. The first thing I learned? They all sat in the front. Obvious in hindsight. The… Continue reading Be a front-row person
Don’t be cute
A follow-up post to Your baby is ugly As a startup, your natural tendency will be to complicate what you are selling. Through copy on your website, emails, paid ads, everywhere. I’ve fallen into this trap many times. Your head is in the right place, you want to build a brand and establish a key differentiator… Continue reading Don’t be cute
Your baby is ugly
Your baby is ugly. I first heard this truism from Troy Henikoff, an entrepreneur and VC, during a panel discussion back in 2012. I had no idea what it meant. Fast forward 10+ years, and I know all too well what it means. It means you’re coddling your startup. You’re worrying that X or Y… Continue reading Your baby is ugly
How to use your phone and not let your phone use you
“Don’t be fooled by the internet. It’s cool to get on the computer but don’t let the computer get on you. It’s cool to use the computer, don’t let the computer use you, yall saw the matrix. There’s a war going on and the battlefield is in the mind. The prize is the soul. Be… Continue reading How to use your phone and not let your phone use you
Where did all the marketers go?
Are we all just wanna be CFOs and business analysts? Don’t get me wrong, I love talking about unit economics (Exhibit A) CAC to CLV and optimizing paid social ads for the highest ROAS, but have we completely forgotten about our roots? Have we forgotten how to be creative, B-E-creative? The fragmentation of the marketing… Continue reading Where did all the marketers go?
Speed vs. Velocity: The never-ending struggle of the early-stage startup
I’ve been thinking a lot about this recently, the idea of speed vs. velocity. Understanding the difference is essential, especially for you early-stage startups out there. Here is a quick blurb from britannica.com on speed vs. velocity: “Speed is the time rate at which an object is moving along a path, while velocity is the rate and… Continue reading Speed vs. Velocity: The never-ending struggle of the early-stage startup