business
Why Nerds Win
Are you a good fit for what I write? Here’s one way to know. I’ve been getting a lot questions about my new website theme. It’s still being built out, but how I decided on the theme should tell you everything you need to know about “growth

Clarity is Expensive
After many years of writing for big companies, a few universal truths have emerged from hundreds of projects, no matter the budget: * Having a clear audience is critical for creation, promotion, and sales. * Having a clear goal is existential for the project and ultimately the company. * It’s rare that
The Importance of Giving a Shit
This is usually a lesser rule of being a creator, marketer, or human being. It’s almost implied. I’m bumping its status up a bit now. I’ve spent the past month driving through the eastern and southern US. Like many travelers, I was throwing money at businesses for
Marketing Maps Vs. Marketing Plans
Both are needed. Both must change on the fly to fully be realized. But it’s the marketing map that stirs the most inspiration. It’s a look inside the brain of a creator — messy but clear on principle. This is Walt Disney’s from 1957 (via George Mack [https:
Algorithm vs. Audience
From Rene Ritchie [https://twitter.com/reneritchie/status/1387781270344699905] (who recently went from employee to independent publisher): > “Replace ‘algorithm’ with ‘audience’ and it’s 900x better for your mental health. From powerless to empowered. You’re the one at bat, picking the swings. You won’t connect every time. Weather
How does it make you feel?
Carlo from The DO Lecture series [https://thedolectures.com]: > “It’s not how it looks, it’s how it makes you feel.” Even though he’s talking about work spaces here, I think this is a sentence we could use to describe anything we create and market — or just anything
You Need 2 Things
Whenever I write copy for a marketing campaign or new product, I ask for two things: 1. Who is the audience? 2. What is the goal of this piece? It’s rare to get a straight answer for both — even from billion-dollar companies (especially from billion-dollar companies). Both are required