Jul 16, 2021The trifecta and a farewellMany moons ago, while studying journalism at university, one of my professors taught me something on the first day of class that’s still lodged in my skull 37 years later: never bury the lede. So here it is: I’m closing the doors on my consulting business and going to work…Branding4 min readBranding4 min read
Apr 23, 2021A little less can mean a whole lot moreI’ve written about a lot of different creative artists over the years. Looking back, I think I’ve used this mostly as a way to channel my thinking on what these artists teach us — no matter how big or small we are, no matter what we do. I’ve written about…Branding4 min readBranding4 min read
Mar 26, 2021Why community matters now more than everDid I see the tsunami coming? No, absolutely not. In fact, it’s the first time I recall it happening in the nearly 12 years that I’ve been writing this missive. It started in February with an innocent rant about a topic I knew had the potential to strike a nerve…Community4 min readCommunity4 min read
Mar 5, 2021Two revelations from a long, strange yearWe’re fast approaching the one-year anniversary nobody wants to celebrate: the COVID lockdown. It was this time last year that I did a few things I haven’t repeated since: • I flew to Miami on a flight without a single empty seat. • I swam in the hotel pool, walked the…Covid4 min readCovid4 min read
Feb 5, 2021Explain this to me like I’m a 12-year-oldThere’s a great scene early on in the movie Philadelphia. Denzel Washington, an attorney, sits in his office hearing a request from a rival lawyer, Tom Hanks. The Hanks character, Andy Beckett, has been fired by his firm for cause, or so it seems. But we quickly learn…Communication5 min readCommunication5 min read
Jan 15, 2021Who takes you up to the high octaves?I’ve never done this before. Then again, we haven’t lived in times like these. I’m re-posting something I wrote more than six years ago. (Yep, a rerun, but not even close to Seinfeld’s league.) First, let me ask you: how many times in recent months have you heard some variation…Connection4 min readConnection4 min read
Dec 18, 2020Why football teams only practice three days a weekIt’s been a year like none other. No need to debate it. The evidence is there — more than 70 million infected, 1.5 million deaths, and countless lives and businesses impacted by a pandemic we hadn’t even heard of last Christmas. There’s been the odd silver lining. Our daughter…Creativity5 min readCreativity5 min read
Nov 13, 2020The magic of small roles creating big momentsAs a young kid growing up I had a short list of iconic figures in my life. Bobby Orr was one. Jack Nicklaus was another. David Bowie made an impression on me too. And also James Bond. The original Bond, Sean Connery, died two Saturdays ago… and it flashed me…Branding4 min readBranding4 min read
Oct 23, 2020The beauty and clarity of asking what’s nextThe drama that’s unfolding south of our border here in Canada… thankfully now in its final days… has me missing the favourite President of my lifetime. It’s not Obama or Reagan, though I was a big fan of both. No, for me it’s the former Democrat governor of New Hampshire…Meetings5 min readMeetings5 min read
Sep 25, 2020How can you be more helpful than you already are?How can you be more helpful than you already are? The summer of COVID has now faded into our rear-view mirror… and what a different summer it was. Like many families, ours didn’t do much of anything these past few months. No big vacations, no long road trips, no major…Branding3 min readBranding3 min read