Albert Einstein

one of my favorite interview questions of all time is "if you could invite 3 people living or dead to a dinner party who would they be"... It's very interesting how the answers to that questions evoke so much emotion and are so telling about the personality and the nuances of the person you're talking to. I've heard everything from Jesus to Martha Stewart to Steve Jobs. It's often the combination of the people that make the answer so intriguing and what would make for such a memorable party. One of my new favorite quotes is "The only source of knowledge is experience" by Albert Einstein. I've just built an entire communication strategy for the upcoming Lifestage Marketing Summit and Youth and Family Marketing Mega event off of this one quote. He's definitely someone I'd have at my dinner party.If only he could keynote these May events...

British Air

I'm sitting on the train this morning reading the WSJ and I see once again an ad touting in person meetings and how you can't end a meeting with a handshake over email. It's an ad for British Airways. As anyone who has ever read anything I've ever written - this is what I'm all about. But for some reason today, it almost struck me as odd that we NEED a pr campaign for human contact. Could we be a few years away from marketing anything and everything that happens in person? Championing the need to shop IN a store rather than just online - to feel the fabric, smell the lotions, test drive couches. Will retail go away? Will peapod deliver everything and anything? Will the "generation next" have no idea what its like to have an actual playdate or an in person dinner party? Will we manage our lives from our homes? Or, as Jim Dator from The Market Research event mentioned - will we all need to move to space because we're running out of resources here? At FUSE this year Michael Tchong predicted the possibility of living immediate impact lives where we will take a pill to go to sleep, another one to wake up, another one to concentrate. With declining populations in parts of the world, I wonder if one day we'll be living in an "episode of Twilight Zone" WATCHING an episode of Twilight Zone that depicts people interacting in person like some unfathomable action. As a marketer, I can see new bumper sticker already... keep the LIVE in believe. Ok, minus the e.

Reverse Engineer?

Yesterday, a great friend and business partner Cheryl Swanson forwarded me yet another email inviting people to "reinvent". At this point, we both agreed, we've reinvented so much it's time to reinvent the reinvention. When really what we all want to do, is be back to prosperity which for many was the way things were before. Cheryl's suggestion - and I quote "Reverse Engineer? :>) Devolve, Revolve, Evolve? ......It's no wonder Cheryl's been one of our FUSE chairs and faces for all these years. Talk about someone who gets it. Fuse happens this April in Chicago (back to where it all began). This years theme? Reclaim the future. After all, isn't that what we all want? How we get there is our own personal story.

I'm baaack...

Ever feel like everything stops during budget season? Like an TV episode of Flash Forward only instead of losing consciousness for 137 seconds its more like a month - the only difference? The rest of the world has been ticking right on by reagrdless of the budget induced paralysis. So, while you're planning the future and submitting projections which in this uncertainty is pretty much professional guestimation - the current world has been moving along without you. Jack Welch spoke at a Front End of Innovation event a few years ago, and he talked about his disbelief in budget - but a strong belief in beating prior year. For all those partners, clients, colleagues and friends - here's to beating this year - next year. I look forward to joining the present again face to face at The Market Research Event next week at the Red Rock in Las Vegas. What a great way to rejoin the rest of the population.

Thank you Forbes!

I've always believed passionately in the need to connect in person.

Maybe because I wasnt born with an iphone in my hand and I actually had real life girl talk when I was a teenager - not just Facebook and IM. I hate to date myself, but I remember using a pay phone to call home for rides from the mall. When I tell my kids that, they ask if I was picked up on a horse - they can't begin to relate.

AND NOW validation from a real life media powerhouse. Please, if you want real stats from a highly respected media vehicle (as if my blog isnt enough!) click here

Join the Exploration...

In a great article I just read, Scott Anthony (one of the many keynotes at Front End of Innovation Europe 2010) writes about how this past year could have potentially marked the end of the Innovation Movement - and yet, how a year later Innovation is more important now than ever. Whew.

AN interesting fact - today a company that enters the Standard & Poor 500 index will stay on it for less than 20 years. Well, y'all and w'yall better get crackin... Here's to looking ahead and thinking NEXT.

Once again, thanks to Scott Anthony for putting it all into perspective - I cant wait to connect face to face in Amsterdam to explore more. Join our exploration and come with.
to read more click here

Great Stories last forever ... CLEAN THE ATTIC

Recently I was talking to some colleagues about purging my garage of all the the toys and lifesize playhouse, barbie cars and "stuff" I wanted out to make way for something I havent had in a while - SPACE. A less fortunate gentleman who had been handing out fliers offering painting services happened to pass by and to his surprise and delight the treasures were on the sidewalk waiting for local pick up. He shrieked with excitement - called his wife to come by with the minivan and started filling it up. I walked outside to run an errand and very shly with humility they asked me if I minded. "Our children have never had such things"... DO I MIND? Come inside my garage and help yourself! I love the fact that these toys will have another life with children who will be overjoyed and appreciative. It was a happy day for all of us - A GIFT FOR ALL OF US. When I was finished telling the story to my colleague - she immediately thought back to Keith Ferrazzi's speech at a previous CUSTOMERs 1St NACCM Conference - where he referred to a similar experience - only he was the overjoyed one - the recipient. The gifts that changed his life. When you're exposed to so many great stories there are a sacred few that hold a special place in your heart and in your mind and change you personally AND professionally for the better. You can always count on NACCM Customers 1st for that. This year's line up is equally as powerful - and challenges you in so many ways yet motivates and inspires you to achieve more. I'm excited to see the momentum has really picked up too - as more and more companies are recognizing the need to celebrate the future by embracing change and taking control by sending teams. www.iirusa.com/naccm. I cant wait for November to be moved again.