Some people have new year’s resolutions. I have a different practice. (Or should I say, differenter?) I create a theme that I use to guide me as a somewhat fuzzy beacon through the year. …

How one creative’s view of client fit has changed over the years. — In the agency new business game, sometimes you make a list of clients you would like to have and you go after them. And sometimes the agency is contacted by a client looking for expertise (or a consultant helping a client find a new firm) and you have to make…

When I went from being a Creative Director at a good-sized agency in Central CT (Happy 50th birthday, Mintz + Hoke!) to becoming a small agency owner, something interesting happened to me on LinkedIn. I started getting unsolicited link requests from services that claimed they could help me “fill the…

Okay here’s the thing. In the creative services world, we talk a lot about service, usually in the context of account service — keeping the client happy, soliciting approvals, managing expectations, and keeping projects on time and on budget. …

Why pricing is the hardest part of the marketing mix. Setting a price is one of the four critical parts of the marketing mix. If you set a price that is higher than the consumer expects or can pay for the value they perceive, you will sell fewer units. If you set it too low, the audience might think your…

How I was reminded to ignore my gut and trust the process. — Okay here’s the thing. There will be times when your gut tells you that the work you are doing is bad. Not up to your standards. Beneath you. Ordinary. And in those times, your gut, your feelings, your doubts, could very well be your work’s worst enemy. Little nagging liars…

After three decades of naming companies and products, here’s what I’ve learned. — I was contacted out of the blue a few weeks ago by someone on LinkedIn. It was Thursday night at 9:14 PM. We were not friends on LinkedIn, but they knew a lot of the creative people I knew so I accepted the invite. They immediately (as in 15 seconds…

I’ve chosen this one word to guide me like a (fuzzy) beacon through the coming new year. Here’s why it’s better than a resolution. Resistance is the act of pushing against something, literally and figuratively, to get stronger. One can do resistance training and build muscle in the gym. One can resist the urge to slow down and take it easy. One can resist a slice of pie. It’s difficult. But it can be…

Fear + uncertainty and how they impact commuters and travelers in the era of COVID. — I am very fortunate. I live in a modest home on Nantucket Island. I can go to the beach any time I like. I have a nice detached studio in which I work, work out and play my guitars. I have the world’s nicest outdoor shower. I have a wood…