This is for my friends in private equity. From my experience, private equity firms stress-test everything. Cap tables. EBITDA multiples. Customer concentration risk. Tech debt. You run scenarios until the model breaks, then you run them again. And rightfully so.…
Professional services firms still struggle with their own marketing. After 25 years of building websites for architects, financial advisors, healthcare consultants and technology firms (and running a business myself), I can tell you the problem hasn’t changed: most firms look…
Recently, the American Marketing Association St. Louis Chapter asked me to speak on a panel about marketing planning—specifically, how I build marketing plans for my agency and our clients. I realized my perspective on marketing planning doesn’t always line up…
Why timeless design principles still matter in a world obsessed with trends. The Problem with Modern Branding A few years ago, I was in a meeting where a client asked if their logo should “look more like Airbnb’s.” You’ve probably…
You know that sinking feeling: You’re reading your competitor’s website, and the messaging sounds… familiar. Too familiar. You realize you could swap logos and no one would notice the difference. “Innovative solutions.” “Customer-centric approach.” “Leading the industry forward.” Generic. Safe.…
The notification pops up on LinkedIn: Your biggest competitor just dropped a rebrand. It’s sleek. Bold. Everywhere. Your phone buzzes—the CEO’s asking, “Did you see what they did?” Your stomach drops a little and the questions start coming. Are we…
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from working with hundreds of brands over the last 25 years, it’s this: Branding is personal. Brand is reputation. It’s a reflection of self. It’s the founder’s vision. Their baby. It’s business, of course,…
I’ve read The Emperor’s New Clothes to my kids probably a thousand times. It’s one of those classic bedtime stories that sticks with you. Partly because it’s funny. Partly because it’s short. And partly because there’s something deeper going on…
Bookmark this for when your CEO asks, “Will a rebrand really be a smart investment?” You never know what type of questions you’ll get when you’re presenting to a client. We were presenting a rebrand to a client team…
Companies are being built and sold faster than ever before. Every day, there are new startups, new products and new services. And every day, competitors join forces in the hopes of seizing an even larger share of the market. But…