Spring Forward
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Motivational Life Lessons
I'm still trying to adjust back to the land of gray skies and New York City weather. Have also been dealing with an annoying administrative issue that has greatly thrown me off track. And.. I've been distracted by watching back to back episodes of House of Cards. I finally understand what all the hype is about. It is a fantastic show. While the morality of the main character is questionable (to say the least), he does dole out some pretty powerful advice. Like for instance, points out that doing people favors or giving things to people has its own reward and signals power. Also, while his methods are a bit beyond questionable, there is no denying his unwavering determination and resilience. I'll try and absorb that. In the same vein, I just found a link to these motivational screen wallpapers. I honestly don't know what to choose but this certainly put me in a better mood yesterday. Fortunately, today is a new day.
Above The Clouds
The New York Times just released their 52 Places to Go in 2014 and now my head is spinning with travel envy. In a previous life, I would have thought - blah blah blah, life is so unfair. I'll never be able to afford this. Blah Blah Blah. And then crankily look at the travel photos of a few people in my social network who have somehow managed to find the time and money to travel the world every few months.
But I recently started reading 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (see below) and I think this book is going to change my life. I'm only on page 96. Actually, I think someone could have told me everything that the book says a few years ago and up until now, I wasn't ready to hear it. So the first habit or tenant is:
We are responsible for our own effectiveness, for our own happiness and ultimately, for our circumstances.
Or something like that.
What?!? Are you kidding me? Don't my genes shape who I am, my family background, my parents, my economic circumstances?! I've spent a significant amount of time trying to search for clues as to who I am and who I should be by looking at the stories of my ancestors. If my grandfather, mother, father, sister are / was a writer, does that mean I have a writing gene? If my great uncle, grandmother and mother have / had artistic talent, should I be utilizing that talent as well? Am I related to Napoleon? (that's a whole different story)
So far, I have found nothing linking me to a hidden family fortune or long lost, European family castle (if only), but I did find that in every generation of my family - there was someone who overcame a great struggle, powering through hardships not just to thrive but to survive. My great, great grandmother left her home in Norway as a teenager to come to America and while traveling by boat, managed to renew the faith of her fellow travelers when all hope was lost. Another ancestor lost a child while traveling from Switzerland, through Canada to Minnesota only to be rewarded for their journey with the additional hardships of living in one of the coldest states of North America. And that's just on my father's side of the family.
At first, the thought of being responsible for our own circumstances is kind of upsetting. It's overwhelming to think that there's no special plan, or crazy event in our future that will throw us on the path to greatness. But in actuality, it's about the most empowering way you can look at life. You have just freed yourself from waiting around for something great to come about. You have freed yourself from envying those you think have better luck than you - because in reality, you make your own luck. You have just freed yourself from thinking that Jesus, God, or your mother will save you. They may give you the strength and guidance to tackle new challenges but certainly don't orchestrate the future. Because..
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." Oliver Wendell Holmes
That being said - I'm looking for a travel buddy this year. Who's game?
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Staying In The Black: Budgeting Tips For Freelancers
One of the benefits of having worked for a media agency is that the concept of measurable ROI has now become engrained into my thinking. In fact, we can potentially apply this to all areas of our life - from what we eat and how we exercise to the types of relationships we build and keep. But a more obvious application would be how we apply this concept to our personal finances.
A few weeks ago, I decided it was time to take control of my finances and recognize that the only thing I could change in the immediate future were my spending habits. Like any strategist, I delved into research, conducting my own personal behavioral study. The internet told me that Toshl Finance was the best spending tracker and budgeting app.
So I downloaded the app and inputted a weekly, optimistic budget of $150. Despite having Mint for the last few years, I found the act of inputting my expenditures curbed my spending habits immensely. Instead of having black holes of "cash & ATM" littering my Mint account, I had a detailed history of where my money went. I initially decided to leave off the one off's - a prescription, new frames, etc. because I couldn't handle the truth. Finally, I took the plunge and upped my budget to $200 a week, vowing to input every last penny. In the process of discovering my spending habits, I changed my behavior. Suddenly, one drink I didn't need in the first place didn't seem as appealing if it threatened to tip my weekly budget into the red. I even bought an espresso maker with my credit card points. I finally convinced myself that the experience of standing in line at the cutest café, surrounded by French people, was not worth a potential $20 a week, $80 a month or if I really wanted to make a point - $800 a year. And not contributing to a landfill with my cup usage was an added motivator.
But more importantly, now that I'm freelancing, I can develop a road map for what I need to achieve to stay in the black instead of the less organized approach of living job to job. Plus, this time around, I can be realistic and base my budget on my actual spending habits instead of making up an imaginary number as to what I hope to spend per month. By adding up my fixed costs; rent, health insurance, gym, mobile phone, etc. with my newly discovered monthly spending number, I can get a very solid idea of what I need to stay in the black. I took that number and divided it by my hourly rate and day rate. I now know that I need to work 100 hours a month or 22 hours a week, or 10 days at my day rate in order to achieve my desired income. And obviously this is a best case scenario but it still gives me a good idea as to how I'm doing with gaining clients. As a freelancer, you are your own biz dev, which means I'll need to spend at least 40% of my time developing my own business to attract clients, and the other 60% working on actual client work. I'm looking forward to the challenge!
How to Make It In New York City
Last week, I reentered the unpredictable world of strategic consulting. I'm excited to work with clients across various verticals and disciplines, conducting research and providing both insights and strategic direction to impact their business and help them better engage with their consumers. It's increasingly apparent that a full time position only offers the illusion of stability in today's economic climate. In fact, every time I get LinkedIn updates from my network, half the updates show that someone has gone freelance; whether by choice or layoff, I cannot say. I'm sure universal health coverage will accelerate this trend. A recent New York Times article pointed to a Gallup study that found
"Among the 100 million people in this country who hold full-time jobs, about 70 percent of them either hate going to work or have mentally checked out to the point of costing their companies money — “roaming the halls spreading discontent,” as Gallup reported. Only 30 percent of workers are “engaged and inspired” at work."
While a full time position can offer (often) measly health benefits and the continuity of working with the same colleagues and clients, employees start to get too complacent, failing to maintain their network and nurture their reputation outside the company. And then they find themselves on the chopping block, without an updated resume or wealth of contacts to help them land their next gig.
So after surrounding myself with successful people, absorbing any hearty advice I come across and attending as many educational events I can fit in, I've narrowed down a few rules for becoming a successful consultant or protect ourselves from a lengthy unemployment. Through social media especially, we have the power to shape our own brand, so that if we do end up on the chopping block, we have enough contacts, credibility and experience to turn that snafu into an opportunity.
1. Solidify and properly convey your story. Everyone you come across wants to understand where you came from in order to better connect. Figure out what makes you tick - and how those insights led to where you are now. My story is that I've always had a deep fascination with people from the time I was in high school, taking advanced life-drawing classes, to a long history of street and portrait photography. I translated this passion into consumer insight-driven strategy, working with brands to better understand their consumer's motivations and habits to grow their business. Michael Margolis from Get Storied, believes that often something that happened when we were between 8-10 years old shaped who we are today. Growing up in a bi-religious household, in an ethnically diverse town shaped my fascination with people and their cultural influences. Yearly trips to an American enclave in the middle of Mexico solidified this interest.
2. Establish your credibility. As the return of investment of MBAs increasingly come into question, entrepreneurs have sought new forms of establishing credibility among their clients. First and foremost, be authentic and honest in your business dealings. Put 200% into every client you work for and only do your best work. Extend the brand of you through speaking engagements, teaching (Skillshare), public presentations (Slideshare), writing articles and working with respected clients. Document your achievements and get permission to publish any positive client feedback.
3. Grow your network. Relationships are the glue that hold a successful career together. A strong network can offer mentorship, job opportunities and emotional support to navigate ones career. When we are passionate about our career, we find genuine connections with people in our industry. Maintain these connections regardless of your current employment status and make sure to give back or pay it forward. I have had the good fortune to have numerous people help me along the way. The best way to reward a mentor is to immediately incorporate their advice and achieve success doing so. The knowledge that they made a positive difference in someone's life and will pay it forward, is reward enough.
What advice have you been given that's been critical to your success?
New Beginnings
I think it's appropriate that I follow up my last post about the trial and tribulations of living in the East Village with one about new beginnings. Many things have happened over the last four months that have helped remind me that the only thing that's constant is change. I mean seriously.. I'm always moving.. figuratively and apparently, literally.I had a birthday. I suppose 32 puts me squarely "in my 30s" but I'm entirely okay with that. I'm also okay with sharing my age because most people mistaken me for 24, which I can imagine is a hinderance in business situations. I digress.
Recently, I've experienced many fortunate things. But thanks to some very bad luck, I was, and am still am able to fully appreciate how much my life has turned around for the good. At least for now. One of those lovely experiences was a Tribeca film screening of Mistaken for Strangers. On the surface, it was a documentary about the lead singer of The National, Matt Berninger, filmed from the perspective of his brother, Tom. But the brilliant film had so many other layers, about the relationship to ones family, ones self and the creative process. I hope to pass along the inspiration with some take aways from the movie and Q&A session;
• Regarding the creative process, when you reveal the pain and struggle you're going through, that's when the creativity flows. It's funny - so often it seems as if popular musicians or actors just appear out of thin air. Sometimes we learn afterward that they actually struggled for years before hitting it big. We all work hard but how many of us have held side jobs, lived as paupers, and consistently had to keep smiling and performing in the face of rejection? And through all of that, reveal our deepest selves through our performance whereby revealing our vulnerability is actually what helps us connect to our audience. So maybe the key to success is revealing our humanity - revealing that we're all just people going through the same struggles, with the same needs and concerns.
• It takes crafting to tell the truth. For the last few months, I've been in the throws of pitch after pitch at work. I research both the market and consumer. Then eventually, after my brain has been saturated with facts, some sort of story formulates in my head, or is usually scrawled haphazardly on a scrap piece of paper. Then eventually these notes make their way into a PowerPoint. And finally, I go back through the links and PDFs of research to find data points to back up my story. But in the end, it's about finding one truth. Then figuring out how to tell that truth. I am so amazed as to how clearly this process relates to so many other areas of my life. It has helped me in writing my novel. It has helped me figure out myself and how to tell my own story. What is the truth for how I live my life? What dots can I connect from my past, my habits or my behavior that reveal who I am and what truth do I choose to tell? And it has helped me see the world differently. The truth is subjective. It is formed by how you see the world and how you organize facts. So figure out how you want to tell it.
• Don't stop. I can't tell you how many ups and downs I've had over the last few months. Or maybe I should tell you given my above statement. Mostly it's been related to my living situation that is one day away from being completely resolved (hopefully!). The other day I was exploring Bushwick and found myself in a magic shop. Actually, I think they're called Magick shops. Yes, I bought a few inexpensive rocks and a ring in the hopes of ridding negative energy and symbolizing new beginnings. I am entirely aware that this could be complete nonsense but it makes just as much sense as baptism, touching a torah, saying a prayer, wearing a cross.. you get the idea. We look for external forces to help us get through our lives. We view these objects, chants, or rituals as a means to guide us in the right direction. But the truth, that I sometimes don't want to admit, is that no external force is going to save us. It's the way we behave after performing these rituals, whether it makes us more loving, more confident, more at ease or more determined, that helps us get through the hurdles. The only way you can change your situation is by changing yourself. So don't stop and keep going because you'll get through it.
Molly Aaker's Guide to Life: Job Stuff
Hey there! You may remember me as that lady who used to post more than once every few weeks. Well.. things have been a bit crazy. For a brief while I was actually freelancing at two places at once. I supposed when it rains, it pours. Seriously. It was pouring. On top of that, I was looking for a new apartment, finally ready to settle after two years of subletting and moving around. I had to make so many decisions over the last few weeks that at some point I probably just mentally shut down - gave in and just watched funny cat videos - or something like that. It seemed like every decision I've had to make from where to live to what kind of bedding to buy took f%*king work. I mean seriously, isn't the internet supposed to just magically give us the information we need, when we need it?! Well. I've got news for you. It doesn't.
So over the next few days / weeks / months, I'd like to share what I've learned. Hopefully so ya'll won't have to go through the same thing. Although even if you do, there's no doubt you'll learn something.
Lesson 1: I started a new job. This is beyond exciting. Not only am I working with cool/smart people, finally have a steady paycheck and eventually health insurance, but I'm in a growing field. I'm a strategist at a mobile media agency. Don't ask me to explain this because honestly, the possibilities are endless. So what have I learned? Well... coming from the advertising side, I'd say we can be pretty judgmental about various aspects of the advertising process. Creatives might roll their eyes at account people whereas account planners may scoff at the idea of working for a media agency. But guess what, we're all just cogs in the wheel (just kidding). What I meant to say was - the more we know about each others' roles, the better we'll be. Especially in an area that's still being defined. While I'm still learning the ropes, the experience so far has been invaluable. I work with results oriented, left-brained Excel wizards who get excited about "branding" whereas I'm finally learning the true meaning of ROI.
SO the lesson learned is; be conscious of where your next job can take your career but also don't be afraid to try the off beaten path. So many recruiters want candidates that are wrapped up in a neat little bow with a few years of big agency experience, etc. but there is an undefined world out there to explore. This world straddles technology and startups. It embraces both cultural diversity and those coming from different careers. And recognizes that a person doesn't need to have performed the exact job to excel. Find these companies. Find the hiring managers who will recognize and appreciate your intelligence and then go for it. Dive in. Help to define the process, to grow the company and to incorporate a different perspective into their business. You'll both be the stronger for it.
Fear Not
I had a whole slew of advice regarding how to get a job this week but it will have to wait because I'm slammed with interviews. I have interviews coming out of my ears but hell, I ain't complaining. Actually, it's been a very good lesson in karma. Duh. You get what you put in and I think I've done a fair amount of reaching out to people and helping others get jobs when I can. So on a lighter / more serious note...
What are your top rational / irrational fears?
Mine, in no particular order are...
1. Accidentally taking Advil PM during the day instead of the non-drowsy kind.
2. Accidentally forgetting my interview heels before an interview and having to interview in my Tom's or buy another pair of heels.
3. Falling onto the subway tracks or watching someone else fall without being able to save them.
4. Stepping on a dead body or scary gross thing while swimming in lakes (someone's watched too many horror movies!)
I think that's about it. I've failed. Been broke. Fallen on my face in public. Gotten fired. Tripped and fell during an onstage musical performance during high school (thanks Scott!). Once found a dead mouse in a sublet. Had bedbugs. My kitten jumped & fell out of my 5th floor window (he wasn't ok). Broken a bone. Broke my computer. And have had countless other experiences that I choose not to share on this blog.
But the point is, once you've lived through your fears and have come out scathed but alive, you've gained the resilience and strength to take whatever leap is necessary in life.
What are your fears?
Weekend Web Guide
Just in case there's a moment this weekend where you actually want to spend time at your computer - you know - glued to it like it's a weekday- here's a short list of some of my favorite sites.For honest, entertaining and helpful relationship advice whether you're single or dating, check out The Date Report from HowAboutWe.
For gift ideas, fashion and all around regular inspiration for women, check out my favorite blog Cup of Jo by Joanna Goddard.
For a regular dose of creative inspiration, add Visual News to your RSS reader.
Advice from Jake Johnson From New Girl On How He Writes
In New York, it seems like everyone has a side project; an idea for a novel begging to be written, a startup idea itching to be actualized. But how on earth do we self propel ourselves to work on our other passion while maintaining a successful full time job, a social life and even perhaps a relationship? Fast Company interviews one of my favorite characters on T.V., Jake Johnson from New Girl on how he writes while being part of the ensemble to a hit T.V. show. See interview below.
BY: JOEL KELLER
Jake Johnson, who plays grouchy Nick Miller on the Fox hit New Girl, talks to Co.Create about how he was able to sell a pilot while working the grueling hours on his day job. Hint: He treats "show business" like it’s just that: a business.
It isn’t often that you hear about someone treating the second word of the phrase "show business" as seriously as the first. Jake Johnson is one of those people, and his approach has allowed him to sell a pilot to Fox while playing Nick Miller on the same network’s comedy hit New Girl.
The pilot, called The B-Team, is the fourth pilot idea Johnson has sold, the second with his current writing partner, television director Max Winkler (whose dad just happens to be Henry Winkler). The "soft pitch" for this idea, according to Johnson, is about a group of people who have been lied to and cheated on and otherwise wronged in life whose A-Team-like mission is to get revenge for others who have been equally screwed. But, they don’t have any special powers or skills. "So they’re not a powerful group," he says, "they’re just regular people that are just sick and tired of other people getting fucked over. And so they form a team and it’s not the A-Team, it’s the B-Team."
Johnson would define himself more as a writer than an actor, having studied creative writing at the University of Iowa, then at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. But from almost day one he realized that, in order to maintain control over how his writing is produced, he’d have to do something else in addition, which is when he turned to acting. He talked to Co.Create about how he’s able to make the time to write and generate ideas while spending the grueling days shooting the show, and how he tries to not get too high or too low in a business where there are usually nothing but highs and lows.
DIVERSIFY SO YOU CAN PURSUE YOUR PASSION IN THE WAY THAT YOU WANT
My transition happened in New York. I had a play produced at the Ensemble Studio Theater and I was I think 21 years old and I was writing a lot of plays at the time, and the director kind of took the play away from me a little bit because I was young and he was experienced and I guess that’s how it works. And he directed it in a way where I wasn’t at any of the rehearsals, and I went to opening night and I hated it. And I was very embarrassed by it because it was just not the kind of show that I liked, and so I decided that the stuff that I would write, the only rule would be that I would be in it and direct it.
And so an old writing partner and I started writing plays and performing them throughout New York City. And then we traveled around the country with them and did a bunch of festivals and fringe festivals.
FIND WHAT MAKES EACH JOB INTERESTING TO YOU
What I get out of writing is more the intellectual side of it, and I get to see the whole story, and I get to think of the whole arc. And I get to control what happens with everything and it’s more of almost like a mental exercise of it all. And what I get out of acting is the exact opposite and it’s just purely living in the moment and it’s more emotion based and physical based and I’m not thinking of anything greater than what’s right in front of me.
LET YOUR CURRENT JOB INFLUENCE YOUR WRITING
Well, when I first read the script of New Girl it was called Chicks and Dicksand it was a real ensemble piece. And then when they got Zooey Deschanel I think it was such a coup and they were so excited that the show went from Chicks and Dicks to New Girl. And they moved the story around a little bit to really put emphasis on the fact that we’ve got this great breakout character named Jess Day played by Zooey Deschanel who’s one of our best actresses. And then I think as the show went on and the way that I saw it as a writer was, it felt as if they had that and then they started realizing we don’t have enough life, because you just can’t do a series based on one person.
So they started really highlighting Schmidt and saying, “Can another character break through?” and, credit to the writers and Max Greenfield, they did. And then I think they thought now we’ve got this going, let’s see if we can push everybody through and they’ve now really given everybody ample opportunity. You know every script Jess has great stuff, Schmidt has great stuff, Nick has great stuff, Winston (Lamorne Morris) has great stuff, Cece’s (Hannah Simone) got great stuff. And so now we’re at a point where they’re giving us the looks and now we just all have to hit our shots.
When I went back to writing I realized two things. One, I need to build the model that potentially has five interesting characters. So I will not create something unless it has a built-in ensemble, but you need a star to anchor that ensemble. And so somebody in there has to be the Jess Day or the Sam Malone from Cheers; somebody’s got to be your leader who breaks you into the television world and shows the audience who we’re following first.
IDEAS IDEAS IDEAS
So what [Max and I] will do is we’ll talk on the phone throughout the day and a lot of it is how you and I are doing this right now like when I’m driving to work. Or you know he’s directing The New Normal these days and so while he’s at work or if we have a break we’ll just get on the phone really fast and talk things out. And this idea happened because we started scheduling times where we’ll sit and say Saturday we’re having lunch from twelve until three o’clock, and we’ll spend the first two hours just pitching each other TV show ideas. And so throughout the day something will happen and you’ll think, "Oh that’d be funny; what if we did a show about you know a young reporter blah, blah."
So I’ll think of like ten to fifteen different ideas and he’ll do the same and then we get together and we just basically pitch each other. And we pitch until we both feel like that is one that works for him and works for me and we both like it. And then we both think about it on our own and then we just start emailing and texting and calling each other and both of us obsessing on the idea. So that I’ll be in my trailer, I’ll be at work, and I’ll finish shooting and I’ll come back and they’ll be three emails about the idea, and I’ll just respond to that. And then we save all those emails and then when we get together on the weekend we have all these documents about it. And so then we just keep forming it and keep forming it and then in terms of our writing process we write it individually.
So we’ll say, “All right, you take the first stab at the first act,” and then he’ll take two days and write it, and then I’ll have the pages and in between scenes or on weekends I’ll block off all of Saturday and spend 10 hours and do a rewrite on it and so we just kind of tag team it.
KEEP UP THE SAME PACE YOU HAD BEFORE YOU GOT THE STEADY GIG
When I moved out to Los Angeles I had eight hundred bucks to my name and I was working as a caterer and at a casino and just really scared of going to zero and having to leave town. And I was working constantly like so many actors and writers out here who aren’t working yet do. Every night I was on a different stage performing, during the day crashing commercial auditions to try to get in and writing whenever I wasn’t catering a wedding or working a day job. So I would work an eight-hour shift, get off, go perform, come home and write, and be sleeping five or six hours like everybody else out here who’s struggling.
When I started actually working and making a living as an actor my pace didn’t stop because that’s just how I do this business. And so now the fact that the things I am pitching are selling, well it doesn’t change the fact when I was just performing on improv stages five nights a week I had a bunch of TV ideas. You know I’ve written probably 15 screenplays and I’ve outlined 15 to 20 different TV shows, but nobody has heard of them. And so now the fact that I’m getting the opportunity, I’m not actually doing anything that different so it’s not as if I’m like very disciplined, I just don’t know how to do this business any other way.
[Now] I’m working on a television show instead of being a waiter. Otherwise, it’s the same process. In this business if you don’t obsess over stuff nothing gets done. So rather than working for an eight-hour shift and then going to do a live show that takes two hours, well I’m just at FOX dressed in a flannel and jeans playing Nick.
DON’T GET TOO HIGH OR TOO LOW ABOUT A PROJECT OR IDEA
I don’t think there’s time in this business to mourn losses. So if we find out that The B-Team is dead the next day we schedule a lunch and we sit together and we start re-pitching. And I think that the likelihood of things getting on TV are so rare, the likelihood of one going from idea to pitch to script to pilot to being on air to being successful is such the lottery that you’ve just got to keep trying.
That’s being in the business. That is auditioning for three hundred commercials and missing them all, and being on stages night after night and not getting things, and you keep going and then all of a sudden things start coming. There are just so many people trying in this game.
My approach to it is less emotional than a lot of people I know. I think a lot of people when they get rejected they take it very personally. And so if they have a TV show and they’re pitching it and they sell it, and then the network doesn’t shoot a pilot, or they shoot a pilot and they test it and it tests poorly and it dies, people allow that to crush them and then they have to build themselves back up and I don’t believe in that. I’ll put my heart and soul in a project but I understand that the likelihood of it still going is so rare that a bad review or a failed project doesn’t emotionally have that big an effect on me.
I think I’ve missed so many fucking times that to get hurt every time I miss it’s just not realistic. It’s too exhausting. Because I’m on a nice streak right now people will talk about the successes that I’m having, but even now if people saw the amount of rejection and the amount of fails I’ve had on a weekly basis professionally…if I was a batter I’m not hitting a thousand. This business is like baseball, if you hit three out of ten you’re a great hitter.
Digital Strategy Toolbox
Just stumbled upon this very helpful Slideshare Deck, Digital Strategy Toolbox created by Julian Cole of BBH and Amber Horsburgh of MTV. They go through the process of digital strategy; i.e. consumer and category research, discourse analysis and environment using Holiday Inn as an example. Because planning processes tend to vary so much between agencies, it's great to get a sense of their process and tools. Amber is also teaching a Skillshare Class which you can check out here.[slideshare id=15164027?rel=0&w=427&h=356&fb=0&mw=0&mh=0&style=border: 1px solid #CCC; border-width: 1px 1px 0; margin-bottom: 5px;&sc=no]
Miami Ad School Account Planning Tips: Part Two
Since graduating Miami Ad School's Account Planning Boot Camp back in December 2010, I've gotten a considerable number of emails from people about to attend the program, asking for advice. So, I thought I'd create a Part Two to answer their questions.Check out my original post from February 2011 that outlines some basic advice on what to do before and during the program. Then peruse some of my posts under Advice. Apologies for the missing pictures but they got lost when I switched blog names. I give advice for doing job searches and general networking, but I encourage you to read [amazon_link id="0385512058" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Never Eat Alone[/amazon_link] by Keith Ferrazzi. You should also check out the videos under the same category done by PSFK and RedScout.
If you don't come from an advertising background, immerse yourself in all things advertising. Sign up for newsletters from Ad Age, Ad Week, Creativity and even PSFK. I find the free information particularly helpful and anything else - I usually don't have time to read. You can also check out Junior Strategy for more information specifically about planning.
Clean up your online presence and make sure it's professional. How would you brand yourself? You had to brand yourself for the application and now think about your Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram profiles. I found these social networking tools were a great way to meet future employers. Figure out what your "secret sauce" is. Are you a fantastic writer? Do you come from a film background and can emphasize your storytelling abilities? Are you a digital and social media wiz? Employers are looking to easily say, "oh, so and so is great with quant" rather than finding the jack of all trades.
It's been two years since I attended the course and I can't be sure what the current curriculum is, but be sure to remember that the world of strategy extends beyond being an account planner who briefs creatives to make print, web and television commercials. You could be a brand strategist, a social media strategist, content strategist, community manager, innovation strategist.. the list goes on. Make sure these possibilities are addressed in your program.
While the Boot Camp gives you an extra edge, it's no guarantee to getting a job right away. Generally you're surrounded by teachers from top agencies and taught the idealized version of planning where difficult clients, budgets and regulations don't apply. But when you graduate, you have to start somewhere and you're better off taking an internship, junior planning position, or planning position at a less desirable agency than waiting for the perfect job to open up. International students will have a harder time finding a job in the U.S. because they'll have to convince employers to sponsor them, but I suspect employers like having an international perspective from their planners so at least that works in their favor. Employers seem to want people who are young, fresh out of school and willing to intern or work for less money especially if it's a big or hot agency. Those who've switched careers and are in their late 20s/early 30s have to carve a more unique path to finding a full time job; one that might involve more contract work or taking a decent salary cut.
Finally, be incredibly proactive in your job search. Have an idea of what agencies you want to work for beforehand. Start going on informational interviews with recruiters and agencies. Keep them posted on your graduation date and make sure to follow up. The advertising world is rapidly changing as budgets move more towards digital and clients expect measurable results. Consider working on the client side, working for a startup, or in other strategic capacities that utilize skills learned at ad school. You're about to pursue a coveted job in a very competitive industry but the possibilities are endless so get cracking.
Some Very Practical Advice For a Monday Afternoon
One of my favorite blogs and newsletters is LearnVest, a great example of a successful and groundbreaking startup by women. The website and newsletter tackles something that unfortunately, most women's magazines do not - personal finance. Instead of encouraging us women to buy the latest Marc Jacobs bag to look professional, the site teaches us how to budget, negotiate a raise and generally improve our financial future. Here's a great talk by Learnvest's founder Alexa von Tobel who reminds of how important it is to always consider our long term goals and happiness.[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jkri0AeZWQ]
Digital Strategist Goes Client Side: Interview With Christina Lin
I was very fortunate to get paired up with Christina Lin through the Advertising Women of New York's mentorship program a few years ago when I knew I wanted to switch careers into account planning. Christina is a Director of Digital Marketing at L'Oreal, working with digital ad agencies on the Garnier brand.
What's a typical day like at L'Oreal and what are some of your responsibilities?
I manage all digital marketing for Garnier, which means I’m responsible for our website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and mobile. Our product launches cut across these platforms but I also manage general updates/revamps to these platforms as well as adding reviews and launching our mobile site this year. I also help plan digital media.
What was really different coming to the client side is that it’s obviously more corporate, but there are a lot more cross functional teams involved. There’s marketing, media, events, pr, sales, customer marketing, consumer affairs, corporate - the list goes on! So there are a lot more meetings involved and just a wider variety of projects going on at the same time. I’m fortunate to work on a brand that has a lot of sub-brands (haircare, styling, skincare, and haircolor) so it’s never a dull moment.
Because contact with the client is somewhat limited, misperceptions and miscommunications between the two sides often occur. How has your view of the client's responsibilities shifted since coming from the agency side as a digital strategist?
Before, I didn't understood how the client never had enough time to keep up to date on what was going on in the industry. Now I know why, since I find myself in the same boat. I’ve worked more hours here than I ever had in my agency life and it’s hard to keep up with everything going on when your days involve non-stop back-to-back meetings. I do think coming from the agency side helps me work better with my agency and I think that my endless pitch practice has helped me become a better presenter.
What advice would you give to agencies to help build better relationships with their clients?
Make an ally on the client side and communicate with them frequently to better understand the hallway conversations that happen when you’re not there. There are so many things going on, and it helps to have someone on your side giving you the inside scoop of what people really think of your creative. They will help direct where to focus your efforts on and where not to.
You started your career at OMD, working in media on Apple, now part of the TBWA/Media Arts Lab. How did working in media prepare you for your previous job as a digital strategist at Tribal DDB and your current job at L'Oreal?
It is rare to make the jump from media to creative, but I have to say that I definitely recommend getting a more holistic background for agency people. Having the media background helps me during creative concepting because I know more about vendor capabilities and am more familiar with what goes into the media space. It also helps with the analytics portion of the job, which is becoming increasingly important as everyone is looking for ROI. Since my job now involves both digital creative and media, it definitely helps that I have both skills from my previous jobs.I'm often told that when asked in interviews what brands I admire, I shouldn't mention Apple because that's everyone's go-to brand that they mention.
You had the opportunity to work closely with the iconic brand while at OMD. What wisdom can you impart about strategy and branding that you learned while there?
Being that Apple was the first brand I worked on right out of undergrad, it was hard to fully appreciate it at the time. But when I look back and realize that I was part of the action from the silhouettes to I’m a Mac/I’m a PC, you start to realize what a huge movement that was. While working on Apple, you learn to go with your gut and to think outside of the “rules.” Steve Jobs was known for not testing his creative and that is very different from other brands I’ve now since worked on. Sometimes when it works, you just know it and you don’t necessarily have to test it to death.
After working at OMD, you took time off to get an MBA in marketing at Kellog. I've often heard that you don't need an MBA to work on the agency side in strategy but do if you want to go client side. Is this true? Is your MBA directly applicable to what you're doing at L'Oreal?
An MBA is not the end all, be all. What matters more is what you’ve gained from your MBA (a lot of it is intangible) and how you apply yourself. You don’t need an MBA to work in strategy on the agency side, but I would say my MBA has introduced me to different ways of thinking that helps in a strategy role. And with so many MBA grads on the client side, it’s helpful to understand all the frameworks they’re using in order to better position your work. It’s the same when I think about how I apply my MBA at L’Oreal. It’s not specific things, it’s the overall learning you get. Having attended Kellogg, there are plenty of marketing clients that are in my alumni network.
What is it about digital that excites you?
The fact that it’s always changing and it’s hard to ever truly be an expert since there’s always something new. It’s rare that you’re ever bored by the industry. We’re also at an interesting time for “digital,” since everything seen as “traditional” is now digital. TV online, interactive TV, iPad magazines, etc. Where is the line anymore? It’s all become integrated and fragmented at the same time.
What digital tactics would you like to see more of that you think ad agencies haven't yet fully explored?
I wouldn’t say it’s that digital tactics haven’t been fully explored (everyone’s seen their fair share of apps, social tabs, interactive videos). It’s more a question of how to evolve beyond the digital banner and traditional digital tactics. Most of us ignore banners and we now live in a time where most content discovery is social. So now it’s more, what’s the campaign idea and what’s the best way to execute in the digital space and integrate with TV and print. It needs to be a holistic idea and not just “I need an app but I don’t know what I want it to do.”You have a wide range of experiences and have worked at some great places.
Aside from working hard, what advice can you impart to those looking to make a career in strategy?
Aside from always having a point of view, never stop reading and learning. It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t carve out time every day to keep up with what’s new and culturally relevant. Immerse yourself in a wide variety of experiences. Your consumers are not always you and live in Manhattan. Travel, and don’t spend so much of your life creating your “digital presence” that you forget to have a real-life presence.
And finally, what are some blogs, websites, digital products or apps that you read or use to stay on top of your game?
Twitter is my main news source to keep up in the industry and my all time fav is Fast Company Design. Always great articles to inspire. I’m also currently teaching myself HTML/HTML5. It’s always important as a strategist that you’re not just a brief creator, you need to understand how things are executed too.
Interview with Brand Anthropologist Richard Wise
Richard Wise is the resident Brand Anthropologist at the experiential marketing firm, Mirrorball. He received a masters at the University of Sorbonne in Paris and has spoken at various conferences, most recently the Future Trends Conference in Miami. You can follow him on Twitter @CultureRevealed or his Tumblr where he highights a plethora of interesting cultural trends and insights. As a cultural anthropologist, you approach planning from an intellectual, academic angle. How valuable is the study of cultural trends to brands?
Look at the list of problems brands bring you to solve. They almost always come back to cultural issues.
“Our franchise is aging and we’re starting to look dated.”
“People don’t talk about us as much as they used to.”
“People say we have an arrogant, out-of-touch image.”
“People don’t know what we stand for.”
So…you’re losing it with the group because what you stand for is no longer valuable to them – to their culture!
The thing about culture and brands that makes it so challenging is this; culture hides more than it reveals - and what it hides, it hides most effectively from its own participants. You can’t understand that fully unless you go live in another culture and, starting as an outsider, become an insider. Then you go back to the culture you came from and suddenly you can actually see all the hidden meaning. And this is true for people who work on brands and try to solve the cultural problems of the brands without actually understanding their own culture. They won’t get very far.
The opposite is wonderfully true. The more you make serving the culture your brand mission, the faster you will grow – and it will feed and feed on itself. While most companies have been stagnant or declining in the last ten years, Apple‘s revenues, profits and public valuation have grown vertiginously. It all started with the return of Steve Jobs and their publicly thanking their fans with the “Think Different” campaign.
There's a minor war in the advertising world between traditional agencies that tout their big idea thinking and a rigorous approach to research and smaller, digital agencies that are well versed in current digital trends. Who do you think will win the "war" and why?
Remember that pre-Internet classic, Ogilvy on Advertising? I always love to get free advice from Uncle David. He said in his charming book, published in 1985 by the way, that his best advice to young men and women in advertising would be to learn everything they can about direct response – because it’s the future of advertising. You can see what works and what doesn’t, you have to lean forward and sell, one person at a time, like Ogilvy did when he sold stoves door to door. He indeed saw it all coming and he was right.
So big agency, digital shop…everybody looks for evidence of what works, what’s surprising and fresh, what people really want to experience. And the only way to find that is to experiment. If you’re conducting meaningful experiments then you have as much of a chance as anybody of owning the future.
That being said, I like what Karl Marx said: “Every time the train of history goes around a corner, the reactionaries fall off.” The bigger you are, the more likely you are to be a reactionary. My heroes are guys like Ogilvy and Bernbach because they stayed humble and curious even as they got enormously successful. And I think Robert Greenberg is just like that too.
The race today goes to whoever likes to learn the most and is fast at it. But I like to think that, if you’re slow, but you love to learn, you may have an edge over the fast learner who’s arrogant.
What books, magazines and activities do you experience to remain on the cutting edge of cultural trends and developments?
The most important thing I do is read books that have nothing to do with marketing or brands but books about human nature and civilization. Most recently, I read two masterpieces of cultural anthropology: Becker’s [amazon_link id="0684832402" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Denial of Death[/amazon_link] and Girard’s [amazon_link id="0826468535" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World[/amazon_link]. I saw King Lear at the Public Library. I walked through the Frick Collection. I do this because it’s one of the best things I can do with myself. It always pays dividends in my work – provided I don’t directly seek them.
OK, then there’s thinking about marketing, brands and culture. Tumblr by itself is more than enough to be endlessly enriched, stimulated and provoked. If you curate the right list of people to follow you will be in the kitchen of emerging culture where it’s all being made right before your eyes. I read the Wall Street Journal, the paper itself, every day – my God, it’s so beautifully designed and it has amazing trend info. If you don’t have time for it, though, follow me on Twitter, I always tweet out their best stuff. I also love a couple of key websites: sciencedaily.com and psychologicalsciences.org. And I live in Bushwick – there’s something about the experience of living there, not being a tourist, that’s very valuable.
At the recent Future Trends conference, you gave a presentation on two cultural phenomena, FameUs, and AnonymUs, showing how everyone wants to be famous while at the same time, wants to contribute to the greater good. Are these attributes just two different sides of the same consumer or completely different targets?
I don’t believe that trend work should be some kind of glossy PC channeling of the Zeitgeist. It should describe what is really going on. I also believe that for every trend, there is a countertrend. So here’s how I apply that with the shift taking place in our public and private selves.
On the one hand, FameUs describes the ever-widening sense of intimacy we have with our celebrities, the feeling of control we have over their self-expression and the growing conviction that we ourselves are going to be famous.
Its countertrend is AnonymUs - the growing conviction that so much of social media is communal narcissism, the impulse to unplug from a culture of celebrity worship, and the spiritual inspiration to lose oneself in pursuing a greater social good.
How we experience and live in these trends varies from one person to the next. You can be your own Lady Gaga 24/7. Or you can wear unbranded vintage clothing that you bought at The Cure while you volunteer at the Homeless Shelter. And, just to keep things interesting, you can try to live in both trends simultaneously like the cast of Dr. Drew’s Celebrity Rehab. Same thing for brands – they, too, can go to Rehab like Domino’s Pizza did, to great success, improving their store sales by 10% in one year.
The recent New York article The Kids Are Actually Sort of Alright, shares some of your findings about Millennials thinking they'll be famous someday while focusing on their reality as unemployed and disillusioned with the system. How can brands target these consumers given our current economic climate?
OK, suppose we’re Westinghouse or Maytag. Why don’t we open stores for refurbished vintage home appliances? They did it with manufacturer’s certified “pre-owned” automobiles. Why not fridges and stoves from the different decades? Why not train people in all these stores on how to refurbish vintage appliances? That would create local jobs. The appliances would look great. And you’d be reclaiming, not just sending things to the dump. I think there’s a lot of opportunities like that if brands would ask: how do I create jobs, how do I distribute my brand idea and logistics locally, how do I own not just what I make but what I have made?
As advertisers, working in trend setting cities like New York, San Francisco, Portland, etc. how can we be sure that our observations on trends reflect the viewpoints of the rest of the country? Should brands look to be ahead of the curve or eye to eye with consumers?
Go live in your trendy neighborhood – you want to see what’s coming next. But here are some suggestions, based on my personal experience, on how to avoid becoming nothing but a snob. Truth in advertising: I am a snob but I am not JUST a snob. Sign up for thankless volunteer jobs. Go to a regular, old-fashioned church and listen and learn. Call your Mom and find a way to be of service to her. Try to avoid gossiping about anybody for one day. Take a cross-country drive and hang out at truck stops. These are all intrinsically good things to do but they will also help you in your work.
Finally, can you give young planners with varying backgrounds advice on how to incorporate cultural anthropology into their research and brief writing process?
Show respect for the dignity of your fellow human beings but try not to be so PC. PC is the sanctimony of our time. Sanctimonious people don’t make very good art nor do they write very good briefs. Be curious, humble and open-minded. Always give into your curiosity and don’t be afraid to admit you don’t understand why people behave a certain way or prefer a certain brand.
Creativity Versus Ideas
On Thursday and Friday, I spent most of my time dealing with a very random, unnecessary medical issue brought on by accidentally inhaling a tiny particle of a Clif bar. As a result, I missed collectively 7 hours of work, spent $200+ on co-pays and questioned whether or not everything does, in fact, happen for a reason. In the end, I can say that I legitimately gained a new appreciation for the very act of breathing and was reminded of how much I love being alive. Okay. So it wasn't a total loss.I'd like to say that it put my ongoing problems in perspective, but of course they quickly reared their ugly head. I'll just say that a career change, recent school and various moves back and forth across the country does not help ones bank account.
That night, armed with a glass of red wine, I managed to tackle my in progress novel with gusto. Somehow, the frustration of the last two days, coupled with the fermented juices, got my creative juices flowing. How does one channel those near manic bouts of creativity without experiencing recent pain? J.K. Rowling created a masterpiece of an imaginary universe while desperately trying to support her family. It is commonlyknown that countless legendary artists and writers were alcoholics, depressed and experienced great tragedies in their lives. I just finished watching an episode of Californiacation where the writer, Hank Moody, spends most of his time avoiding writing until he seems he has hit rock bottom and the only way he can rise from his situation is by writing.
In Steven Johnson's latest book, [amazon_link id="1594487715" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]"Where Good Ideas Come From[/amazon_link]," Steven notes that the Age of Enlightenment began when people stopped drinking alcohol during the day, and came together in cafes to drink tea and coffee. Great progress came from the exchange of ideas between people of various backgrounds. How does the development of "good ideas" differ from the creative works produced during the Renaissance? Whether we're creating art or solving problems, great work comes when we let ideas slide through our brains, unfiltered.
As strategists, perhaps we're not the Da Vinci's, Michelango's, or Rafael's of the world, but rather, the Newton's, Franklin's and Jefferson's of the world. So find a scientist, an artist, a writer, an engineer, and maybe an architect and grab a cup of coffee.
Tête-à-Tête Tuesdays with Molly
Rupert Newton has worked as a creative strategist, with an expertise in communications planning in the marketing and advertising industry for nearly 20 years. After developing his career in the UK, Rupert brought Michaelides & Bednash's pioneering communications strategy approach to America. He co-founded a marketing strategy company called The Joneses, pairing brand and communication strategists to work with HBO, NBC Universal, Diageo, Virgin Atlantic, and a plethora of other notable clients. Most recently he has focused his energy on facilitating a different kind of growth, that which comes out of the ground, as part of an organic farm cooperative, Newton Farms, in the Catskills.
You've worked as a planner both on the media and brand side for almost two decades, bringing breakthrough ways of thinking and planning. How do you see young planners doing that today?
I think the role of young planners is to challenge conventions, rules and any formulaic process they are handed. Strategy is a creative exercise, it should be about open free-thinking while you immerse yourself in the topic, bring new cognitive models in when you've noodled around for a while. Read books on recent advances in psychology and neuroscience. Cultivate creative interests outside of work. I think if I'd really focused on articulating an insight, and the subsequent idea, very clearly and simply, it would have helped me earlier on. It's a fantastic discipline. The worst thing any planner can do is complicate things. Think practically about how to bring the creative strategy to life in the real world. Whatever it is would you participate in it? If not, it's probably crap.
What planners, agencies, blogs or activities inspire you?
Oh, hmmm, I was just reading Caught by the River, I think Fact Mag is great, I just read Infinite Realities which was fascinating, the other day I went to see Douglas Rushkoff speak, last weekend was Unsound in Brooklyn so lots of deep sub-bass action, I've read the Guardian for over twenty years, amazing to think it used to circulate less than 400k copies in the UK as a newspaper, and now has nearly 40 million readers digitally ...I started as a media buyer and used to take the piss out them for only being read by teachers and social workers (obviously I didn't say I was a loyal reader), so all I'll say is there are 40 million sandal-and-socks wearers in the world, (myself excluded).
I recently read [amazon_link id="1604443499" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Homage to Catalonia[/amazon_link], there is a funny moment where the Fascists and the leftists are entrenched opposite each other on a steep gorge, just too far for anyone to shoot accurately. So for weeks they resorted to hurling insults back and forth, except for one enterprising leftist who would use a megaphone to soothingly say things like, "Buttered toast...we are sitting down to delicious slices of buttered toast". Of course they were not, they barely had any rations or firewood, Orwell archly credits this man with persuading conscripted Facists to desert. Probably went on to be Spain's top PR man...
You recently started a farm cooperative in upstate New York that grows organic vegetables. What made you decide to open the farm?
I grew up in rural England, my Dad was a forester, conservationist and musician. I also worked on dairy farms as a teenager, so I've "got form" as the British cops say in reference to a suspect's previous convictions. Then in 2010 I reached a point in my life where a few things fell apart and a few other things just fell into place. Overall I'd say it was just seizing an opportunity that presented itself and running with it. I've become very interested in "biological farming" a system for farming with a deep understanding of the ecosystem, that restores soil health while producing the best quality crops. You can read about it here, Remineralize the Earth.
Planners like to talk about human truths. It's a human truth that what we eat shapes our bodies, lives and culture. What insights about your own life have you discovered from organic farming?
Taken at face value most people think about rural life as a fantasy escape, as the anti-thesis of wired urban life. But the connectivity of nature is a metaphor for the internet, or vice versa, nature is electrically charged and vibrational, so more similarities than you might think. Nature was "connected" a long time before we were digitally, something the ancients used to understand very well. Did you know a single plant can move nutrients from up to 100' away? Did you know you can measure the electrical conductivity of soil and this will tell you how efficiently nutrient transfer is operating between soil life, bacteria, fungi and plants? I know someone in the midwest who pipes ambient techno into his greenhouses and swears the plants are havin' it. For me all this just confirmed what we always knew, that everything is just part of a larger whole.
As an organic farmer, you are going back to nature and essentially embracing simplicity, slow food and an older way of life. But as a planner in advertising, you are part of the fast moving cycle of consumerism. How do you balance these two worlds? Are they more alike than one would think?
Haha, I completely reject your first point, I think you're stereotyping there. Naughty planner! Organic is problematic in that I think it conjures up fantasy imagery of bucolic Thomas Hardy-esque farms, and, I think the organic movement plays up to it as a persuasive sales technique. Personally I question the smug middle class milieu of the farmers market, I find the organic food as luxury product/status symbol off putting and limiting. Long term I hope to be part of the change that makes quality, non-chemical, bionutrient-dense food sold in Walmart. I see this as progress, not "going back" or "an older way of life", why would anyone want to do that? There was no health care and people died young, often in excruciating agony.
Yes, I was stereotyping. What is your ultimate goal for Newton Farm Cooperative? What change would you like to see? And what's your strategy for trying to achieve it?
Well, it's a cooperative so it's a shared goal. If only I'd grown up reading the Daily Telegraph, it would be so different..
Finally, all this food talk is making me hungry. Where can we find the food grown at Newton Farm Cooperative and how can we get involved?
We'll be supplying The Meatball Shop on the Lower East Side, and any new locations they open, Diner, Five Leaves, Dressler, Marlow and The Bedford in Williamsburg, Two Boots pizza's downtown locations, there'll be others too. We'll get pretty busy with the Facebook and Twitter when the season starts so you can fan or follow for updates and contact us there.
We have a special deal this season, give us 5 hours of work and you get one free night's stay at the farm. It's a beautiful old farmhouse in a high mountain valley near Phonecia. We even have a recording studio in one of the barns, so you know, it might get loud.
The Big 3-0 Is Here
Lesson 1: Trust your instincts. Jobs are like relationships; if you have a sinking feeling that things aren't working, it's probably best for you to move on out or else you might be left standing on the curb (or at Whole Foods eating sushi and a cupcake by yourself on your birthday).
Lesson 2: Leave with dignity. I can proudly say that when I was laid off, I did not shed one tear and although I was shocked, I also felt relieved.
After celebrating my birthday with a great group of friends, I dove straight into the job search the next day. I updated my resume and emailed my contacts, even people I babysat for. Knowing that I couldn't just sit by the phone, I did everything I could to refine my online presence and volunteered my time with advertising organizations.
Lesson 3: Dive head on into your job search and don't be afraid to gracefully share with friends and former colleagues that you were laid off and are looking for work.
Lesson 4: Everything you do should be done well, from side jobs like babysitting to, of course, your full time job.
Less than two weeks later, I had one of my first informational interviews with a planning director who told me to go to Miami Ad School. In fact, I was introduced to him through a babysitting client. I took his advice and spent the next few months putting together my application. At the same time, I attended every networking, advertising and tech event I could hoping that my knowledge of the NY tech scene would help me with my job search.
Lesson 5: You make your own luck.
When I told people I was going to San Francisco for school, they told me that I was lucky. Actually no, I don't think getting laid off on ones birthday, having my kitten jump out of my fifth floor window to his death, and not finding my true career path until 28 makes me lucky. But I do think that being kind, pro-active and resilient has helped in things finally turning around.
Lesson 6: You only live once and life is short so don't put off big decisions like going back to school. There's a famous tag line that sums up that sentiment up nicely.
Just do it.
At some point, the prospect of moving across the country and uprooting my life scared me. What if I didn't get into the program? What if everyone was smarter than me? Was it crazy to take out a $6K plus loan? Put all my belongings in storage? But once I got into the program and worked my ass off, I realized I should apply to every opportunity given to me. My time should be spent having my mind blown away on a nearly daily basis and I should be surrounded by people I admire and respect. And right now, I am.
Lesson 7: You never know what the next day will bring and it only takes one "yes."
When I went back to San Francisco after the holidays, I spent most of my time stressed about trying to find a job instead of enjoying my surroundings. I don't regret that and think my time was well spent, but it was quite the emotional roller coaster. I continued to keep in touch with all my contacts and then it happened, someone said "yes," and without hesitation, I packed up my things and headed back to New York.
Lesson 8: Never underestimate the importance of kindness.
I sometimes think that I'm too nice and not strategic enough in my dealings with people. I'll accept a Facebook request for fear of hurting someone's feelings or offer up job advice that I spent months trying to figure out for myself. But I realize there's without a doubt an incredible importance to being nice and honest. Unfortunately, not everyone expects it! And I'm now surrounded by very successful people who I believe share that same philosophy. I may not be able to directly help those who have helped me, but I am happy to "pay it forward" to others.
And that pretty much sums up my thoughts for now. What did you learn after turning 30?
A Visual Life: Intel
Intel has this great video series where they create mini documentaries about varies artists; photographers, musicians etc., that I found via PSFK (of course). Michael Wolff, a designer, talks about the muscles of creativity. He shows that creativity takes childlike curiosity and an appreciation of ones surroundings - noticing how colorful and beautiful things can be, to develop the muscle of imagination and creativity. He is so right. The world is such a completely fascinating, beautiful place if we just open our eyes and really look.[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTfAzjBTokc&w=640&h=390]
PSFK Video Skills of the Rockstar Planner: Understanding the Human Condition
The final video in the PSFK Series: Skills of the Rockstar Planner is one of the most insightful of the series. The title, Understanding the Human Condition sounds profound and hard to grasp but it's actually very simple; it's the idea that planners need to think of their consumers as humans and really delve into what makes them tick. Beth Kaiser from Arnold often takes psychology, anthropology and sociology into account when researching her target and developing strategies. Alda Alpert simplifies the inherent skills of a planner as someone who is curious about what makes people tick, recognizing that skill as key to understanding how to engage consumers at various points. I agreed with both Dylan Viner, from JWT and Ben Parker, from Mother's zen approach in that planning is about valuing virtually every type of consumer and understanding their hopes, dreams and interests in order to connect with them.But above all, I have been thinking a lot about what Lee Maicon, from 360i said, about how more than ever, the skills of the planner aren't modern, that the height of technology has actually made us more human, drawing us back to humans as individuals rather than the masses. How are our needs as individuals shaping our relationships with brands? How is technology making us more human and what does "more human" even mean? My feelings are that social media enables us to virtually make the small, supportive communities that we've had in the physical world for centuries. In what other ways does technology make us more human?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e--9ZkuP7QY&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3&w=640&h=390]