How Are You Working Your Brand?

Logo design is like the idea of the lean startup. Each iteration gets you one step closer. Awesome lesson in this.

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Startup business | logo concept

Might I offer a (my favorite) poem that speaks to this mental toughness... read See It Through, by Edgar Guest.

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10 Traits of Mentally Strong People

1. They are able to stay calm, and maintain self-control.

2. They have clear boundaries between themselves and other people.

3. They respect their own and others’ boundaries.

4. They don’t become defensive, or feel completely crushed, when someone is critical of them or their work.

5. Where appropriate … they are able to take their fair share of the blame, and are quick to apologize when they are in the wrong.

6. They are flexible, and willing to adapt or change.

7. They know their limitations, and are happy to be helped.

8. They forgive themselves willingly – and then move on with life.

9. They don’t bear grudges, or play games with people’s feelings.

10. They are responsible, persistent, and are people of their word.

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HOW TO GET OVER COMMON CREATIVE FEARS (MAYBE)

an updated version of this post appears in my book THINGS ARE WHAT YOU MAKE OF THEM! 13 full-color chapters of illustrated essays like this for creative people of all kinds. you can get it here for $10.

There is no Minor League in business.

A cruel truth about business: different to the world of sports there is no fairness. 

If you start a company in your garage - you don’t compete with all the garage companies in the town or the country…

From the first day on you swim with the sharks. 

All unicorns, Fortune500 enterprises, old money, the syndicates and undercover organizations, … - they all operate right next to you. 

Most of the times you might get away by being overlooked. But once in while you might find yourself eye to eye… 

Try to be aware of - but not intimidated by that.

How to still have a chance:

don’t panic.

find your niche and exploit it.

understand your customer better than anyone else.

be fast and really good.

build a love band.

Understand staying in business as a form of success. 

Your m

(via successentials)

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Cool concept. Keep your minds open and sharp !

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For achievers only!

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8:15PM: The Blue Hour is a time for taking your own way home. With the Gear Fit2, you can track all the calories you burn.

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There’s a phrase that’s often used in upper management: “Don’t talk about it, be about it.” Good ideas are worthless. Your ability to execute them will bring value. This is true no matter how much capital you have to invest into your business.

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The business model of petsitting is so insane?Getting paid to spend time with someone else’s pet without having to deal with the owners? I’m petting this cat that isn’t mine, and I’m on the clock? Wild

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Solarpunk Business Model: Co-ops

Growing up in southwestern Minnesota, I was exposed early on to farmers’ co-ops, and I’m shocked – SHOCKED, I tell you! – that the Solarpunk movement hasn’t embraced this already.

Co-ops are awesome. Basically, everybody who has a hand in production also gets a share in the profit.

In farming communities, this means everyone gets money from the corn they grow, while the Coop sells that corn to the big businesses that need it.

In Duluth, we have this grocery store called the Whole Foods Co-op that is owned by people in the community who shop there, and they actively do business with regional farmers.

So how would this look in a Solarpunk setting? Imagine a bike shop owned by the very people you see at the shop who are making and repairing the bikes. Or a fashion boutique where people can become members by contributing something (food? fabric? currency?) and the designer heavily marks down the prices for them. Or a bar where the bartenders and the regulars each have a stake in the place doing well.

We need more co-ops in our Solarpunk, people.