Sometimes I’m hard on myself for not being a very good tree climber, and then I am reminded…I’m a fish!
Hope that brings some hope and perspective your way.
Happy weekend!
image from Etsy
You gotta love it
Love this print! It hangs on my office wall as a reminder, thought I would remind you too!
Happy weekend!
Thank you Mr. Jobs
I am on a mini vacation with friends in Maine for a few days and last night, while we were all drinking great wine, cooking and laughing together, my husband came into the kitchen and announced that “Steve Jobs had just died.” After a few gasps, we sat with the news for a moment before we each commented on the magnitude of his genius and now his legacy. We then took turns sharing our thoughts about our own legacy, or the one we hope for anyway. It is always odd to me to feel so heavy hearted for someone I have never met but I realized the loss was for what he embodied–a life well lived.
His incredible contributions to technology seem to all be gifts of passion. His visual savvy points to the artist he truly was. His ability to see what didn’t exist and bring it to be, the heart of an entrepreneur, a visionary, a dreamer.
The internet is now flooded with quotes from Mr. Jobs and here are two that struck me.
“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things. And the reason they were able to do that was that they’ve had more experiences or they have thought more about their experiences than other people.” ~ Steve Jobs
“If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later. Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.” ~ Steve Jobs
And, if you haven’t seen this by now, I highly recommend watching Jobs’s Stanford University commencement speech.
Thank you Mr. Jobs for sharing your art, your heart and your dream. May you rest in peace.
image from Tom Davenport, via BrainPickings
How do you do it?
It’s the question I get asked the most and my reply often varies based on what I did, or didn’t, check off my list and my resulting mood.
1. Overwhelmed – “How do any of us do it really?” (Secretly and desperately hoping for an answer.)
2. Encouraging – “You too can do it!”
3. Defeated – “What eactly do you think I can do?”
4. Humbled – “It’s not easy, but it’s worth it”
5. Tired – “Huh, were you talking to me?”
6. Sassy – “One day at a time!”
7. Snarky (given the judgmental tone of the inquisitor) – “Not as well as you!”
8. Empowered – “It’s my calling.”
9. Grateful – “I have the best husband ever!”
10. Spiritual – “With the grace of God!”
Would love to know…how do YOU do it? Until then I am off to my to my local theater to inhale some Red Vines and see if SJP has any answers for me!
Happy Weekend!
Tell it like it really is!
Are you laughing as hard as I was? Ohhhh, that Sugarland sure is funny!
But all laughs aside, I wondered how many of us have made the mistake of overlooking reality in hopes that the facade will actually hold up. The truth is, it always comes crashing down when we don’t stick to the facts.
When you’re starting up, or even in growth mode, there is an inclination to appear bigger than you really are, or have more inventory than you really do, or offer consulting services you have no business offering. While it may make a good first impression, it’s not your reality and I assure you, it will catch up to bite you in your sweet patootie!
So give it to your clients straight! Tell ‘em like it is and build a real relationship with customers that keep coming back, cuz you’re that good, that reliable, and that worthy of their love, okay maybe strong like!
video by Sugarland
Fashionably cheeky
Okay, note to self; “Sometimes NOT taking your brand so seriously is exactly what you need to go viral!”
The Parisian, couture brand Lanvin is making it’s way into the mainstream thanks to this amusing little number. The satorial mix of beautiful models, insanely gorgeous clothing, awkward dance moves, and a random hip-hop-reggae tune are the perfect self-deprecating blend. During a season where most fall fashion ads take themselves way too seriously, Lanvin stands out from the crowd, and the result is refreshing and memorable.
Now before you all go off and make a playful video hoping to communicate that your brand is carefree and light, take a few notes from this well crafted viral campaign.
1) The staging looks like an impeccable Park Avenue residence–exactly where one might find a potential Lanvin customer.
2) The clothing is perfection! The hair, makeup and accessories are all consistent with the ultimate brand users taste and or socioeconomic standing.
3) It’s easy to imagine that a potential Lanvin customer may at times have a hard time tripping the light fantastic. The inhibited and awkward dance moves are actually telling us a story of who wears Lanvin. She’s likely a lady of privilege and requires a few gimlets to cut loose.
While Lanvin created something for all of us to enjoy, they know that most of us will not be running out to purchase a $3,500 dress. The French brand found a cleaver way to introduce their brand to the masses by making us laugh, but they never departed from what their target audience needed to see to inspire a purchase this season.
Or perhaps they are reaching for the under 25 million net-worth crowd because there is a new lower-priced Lanvin line coming soon to a Target near us!?! A girl can dream!
Save vs. Savor
I leave you with this…”Every morning I awake torn between a desire to save the world and an inclination to savor it. This makes it hard to plan the day.” E.B. White*
Happy Weekend!
Shiny, happy story telling
I love it when I run into someone in the business of simply making others happy. Everything about this business, including the adorable video and the equally genuine founder, makes me smile.
I specifically wanted to post this video because it’s a great example in story telling–a necessary skill for all. Jihan, the founder, artfully communicates through her personal styling and the etherial manner in which the video is shot. Even the picture of what seems to be her grandmother tells us that the seemingly frivolous act of balloon giving is actually steeped in splendid tradition. I am especially drawn to the ending of her video. She simply creates these colorfully tasseled, floating spheres because she loves doing it. You believe that her affections will absolutely translate into amazing gestures of happiness from one to another.
What’s your story?
