The lessons in lyrics

I’m listening to some random music and realized that there’s some potentially significant nuggets of wisdom that could really apply to marketing.
I’m not here to misrepresent an artists intentions, but the best stories are the ones that we can apply to ourselves. Here’s what I mean:
Modest Mouse: Missed the Boat — “…our ideas held no [...]

Remember your reason

The best companies, organizations, groups, tribes, etc. — they’re all guided by purpose.
Things get overwhelming. Markets change. Fads blow over. Opportunities pop up. In reality, this is all you can count on–this landscape of upheaval.
These factors are largely environmental and outside your realm of control.
But you control your purpose, your reason. You create it, you [...]

Dylan and creativity

Check out this slideshow of Bob Dylan on creativity, writing and storytelling.
Favorite lines:
“The world don’t need any more songs. There’s enough songs. Unless someone’s gonna come along with a pure heart and has something to say. That’s a different story.”
“They say, ‘Dylan never talks.’ What the hell is there to say? That’s not the reason [...]

The Law of Threes

I had been planning to write a post about Bill Simmons–ESPN’s “Sports Guy”–as one of my storytelling heroes for some time (and I will), but his latest ESPN column demands immediate linking as it had an awesome note on how the New York Giants’ head coach handles the “three types of players.”
Check it out:
Our friend [...]

Checkboxes

I have an ongoing debate with a good friend of mine.
Right now he’s in the middle of grad school, getting his MBA. He’s always been a go-getter, so it’s not surprising he’s getting an advanced education so young (he had to extra-apply to get into what is traditionally an MBA program for older professionals). His [...]

What you really sell

When you move to Chicago from elsewhere (like I just did) and have no clue of where to go (again, like me) there’s a company that specializes in helping you find a place.
They’re called Apartment People and they do some amazing things.
They help you find a list of potential apartments and drive you around to [...]