Said another way, who are you? What do you want to say? What is your unique point of view? Many brands struggle with these questions. I get it; they are challenging. We can barely answer these questions for ourselves. What makes us think we can get together with a team and answer them? Understanding your… Continue reading Building a brand that endures starts with a hard question: How do you want your customers to position your brand in their minds?
Category: Growth
Brand Building is World-Building: A Blueprint for Constructing a Unique Identity
The concept of brand building transcends marketing—it’s an act of world-building. Crafting a distinctive identity involves meticulous planning and execution. Clearly Define Your Vision It is critical to define your vision. What is it that sets your brand apart from the rest? What story do you want to tell, and how is it different from… Continue reading Brand Building is World-Building: A Blueprint for Constructing a Unique Identity
DTC Evolution: Adapting to the 3.0 Era
First, a quick review: The New(ish) DTC 3.0 Playbook (subject to change): 1. Start with PMF: It always does. Clearly define your hero product and give it the love it deserves for longer than you think. 2. Define Your Brand. Who you are and more importantly who you are NOT. Another holdover from DTC 1.0… Continue reading DTC Evolution: Adapting to the 3.0 Era
Why I Kind of Fired Myself
Before I get into it, I want to say a few words about my process for writing and posting this piece. I went back and forth with family and friends on the “should I?” or “shouldn’t I?” question. Will this piece come off as ego-driven? Maybe. Will this piece come across as a cry for… Continue reading Why I Kind of Fired Myself
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
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?