Speaking of Strategy

There’s innovation that helps increase an organization’s effectiveness. And there’s innovation that enhances the customer experience. The best innovations do both. As Merriam Webster explains, Innovation, for its part, can refer to something new or to a change made to an existing product, idea, or field. Reading a postcard about an upcoming play, I noticed…

I fell more in love with Apple when I left my laptop cord at a relative’s house hours away from home. The local Apple store told me I could buy a new cord — and return it for a full refund if I recovered the original within a month. They have a no-questions-asked month long…

After yesterday’s Boston Marathon, a local media source reported “Running shoulder to shoulder for most of the course, the reigning Olympic champion and Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh traded places eight times in the final mile, with Jepchirchir pulling ahead for good in the final 385 yards.” It’s fascinating how many marathons end with similar sprints!!! As…

Ever notice how there are certain deadlines you don’t miss? Filing taxes — and tax estimates. Packing for a trip. For most of us, these deadlines are going to be met. The process may not be pretty, but the actions will happen. Deadlines pretty much force us to check off a to-do. The downside of…

A friend of mine shared they stopped buying lottery tickets when they realized that money wouldn’t solve their problems. Hmmmm. There’s a lesson in there. A few months ago, I gave the maintenance crew where I live holiday cards. Tucked into each card was cash — and a lottery ticket. One crew member thanked me…

One of my favorite copywriters is Bob Bly. His newsletters are normally full of advice, tools, etc. for copywriters and wannabe copywriters. They are supercalifragilisticexpialidociously good. However, March 3 his newsletter was aptly titled Something Completely Different. I wondered what Bob would serve up. A fundraiser for Ukraine? Personal news? No matter the topic, I knew it would be well…

Earlier this month, I was lucky to see Hugh Jackman* on Broadway in The Music Man. You may recall I recently shared with you my philosophy on naming things. This musical name is delightful. Yup, it’s a musical, about a dude! Highly descriptive, great title! I can’t help myself from evaluating names. Speech and book…

Sunday afternoon I played indoor badminton with a regular opponent: a man 25 years my junior. Neither one of us left anything on the court; our games are an always exciting neck and neck competition to the end. They bear little resemblance to what most people know as the sport. You know — when at…

Last time I was at this hotel in New York I had seen the brick-walled private outdoor garden, festooned with twinkling lights, tables and heaters. Waiters scurrying in bearing goodies and drinks for the diners in their what-are-those-thingees-called? So I was delighted to finally put a name to the dinner service. It was “Winter Garden Private…

It’s said if you keep doing the same thing you can expect the same result. Makes sense. As much as our past determines where we are, our future is determined by what we do next. The next call. The next purchase. The next email. The next good nights sleep. The next business you start, or…