Ideas are free, execution is priceless.

My nametag has become my social filter. It’s the central lever that instantly puts a social magnifying glass on any situation. Show me your reaction to a sticker, and I’ll show you who you are. It’s almost like an inkblot test. A shortcut to understanding. Based on how someone responds to my nametag, I know everything I need to know about them. Here’s a sampling of responses somebody might…

The signature is one of my favorite artifacts. It’s been a staple of individualism and personality in our society for thousands of years. Hancock, whose large and stylish signature first signed our nation’s declaration of independence, has even become the generic term as a synonym for the word signature itself. Congratulations on buying your new portable heated outhouse, sir, just going to need your johnhancock at the bottom of…

Decisiveness is the antidote to regret. If our organization wants to move forward on a committed path, then we need to stop micro optimizing ourselves into oblivion and take action. We need stop engaging in this neurotic battle with our transitory illusion of perfection and ship something out the goddamn door. We’re not having another meeting. There will be no more touching base, circling back, syncing up or getting…

Starbucks once had a barista who posted an anonymous open letter to all of the company’s patrons. It’s honest, hilarious, and although it went viral many years ago, there’s still one section that resonates with me today. It’s the part about the bizarre relationship between coffee baristas and regular customers. Here’s what the letter says. We are not your friends. We are not your neighbors. In most cases, we…

Mouthfeel is a term from the culinary world. It means that the brand name can be said with ease and satisfaction of pronunciation. It’s not awkward to express, doesn’t contain baggage, and won’t cause word aversion or negative connotation for the customer. Vaudeville performers were the first professionals to officially practice this tradition, using words with the hard k sounds, because they knew they were simply funnier to audiences….