I’ll never get rid of this.
It’s much more than an old license plate. My first new car after college was a bright red, 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier Z24 and this was my license plate. This plate has been in and out of circulation on family and kids cars ever since, but no more. My daughter moved to Texas, became an official […]
40 under 40? That ship has sailed.
Build a life and career for the right reasons. Who the heck is this guy? Jeez, that was my first corporate headshot. Summer of ’99, age 32. Back My hair was heavier, my body thinner. I have 35 years of a career in the rearview mirror. No more opportunities for 40-Under-40 for me. I may […]
Patrick, I feel terrible for you, but I can’t feel sorry for you
You need to plan to succeed. I said words to this effect to my son in March 2010. He’d just failed to make the junior high baseball team for the third straight year. He was heartbroken and in tears. He wasn’t the most gifted ballplayer on the field; he was very small for his age […]
What is a premium brand?
Premium brands have customers traveling further, paying more and giving greater consideration to acquire them. People will travel further, pay more and give greater consideration to brands considered premium. Like my Grandmom McMenamin would always say: “long after the price is forgotten, the quality remains”. I bought these socks in late November 1997. These thick […]
Definitely not a finished product yet…or ever.
You need to stay restless, curious, relevant, different and better. Wrestling legend Rowdy Roddy Piper used to say “just when you think you have all the answers, I change the questions”. Well, when you think you have all the answers to life and career, the questions always change. Doesn’t matter how much experience you have […]
Is it the score that matter?
Improve the customer experience, and the score will follow. I’ve seen lots of companies put extraordinary efforts into getting great NPS scores or favorable Google reviews. For most, it’s the optics of a high score that matters, but is that right? I’ve led customer experience efforts and instituted different means of scoring processes and performance […]
Is AI the rise of the machines?
Are the borgs taking over? Yeah. Maybe. Hell, I don’t know. I love the 1993 movie Tombstone, starring Kurt Russell. At one point in the movie, Kurt, as Wyatt Earp, is asked “Do you believe in God?”. His answer? “Yeah. Maybe. Hell, I don’t know.” If someone asks me “Ron, do you know how to […]
Here’s how marketing fails in an organization.
Why does marketing often fall short of success? Let me count the ways. I’m still a bit dense and not as quick to connect the dots as I’d like, but I’ve learned a few things over the course of time. Some of those things I’ve learned are the variety of reasons of why marketing can […]
Why fractional business services could be right for you.
The use of fractional services is a growing trend these days, for good reason (many good reasons). Fractional business services involve hiring part-time or temporary professionals with specialized expertise in various areas of business to perform specific roles or tasks. They can parachute-in quickly behind the lines and get to work. But what makes these […]
Hey, service providers…don’t be so thin-skinned.
It’s not a zero-sum game. You and your client both need to win. Twelve years ago, I knew my traditional PR firm wasn’t suited for the new world of social and content creation, so I cut ties and looked for a more forward-thinking firm. I researched and asked for referrals, ultimately engaging three firms and […]
