It all starts with a question seemingly easy but not really if we look within
“What is the change we seek to make?” And for WHO?
In my life, and in my career I have been part of cash poor startups that soared and part of highly capitalized brands that cannot get out of their own way.
I have seen amazing innovation stifled by egos
I have seen growth mindset in action
What is common amongst winners
1. Ability to see a goal
2. Starting ( as Steve Jobs famously stated ” Real Artists ship”)
3. Knowing exactly who it is for( because you can never have them all)
4. Knowing what the change they seek to create is
5. Thick skin for Haters because everyone has this to overcome to do the bad work that eventually leads to the good and sometimes, Great work
It is always about taking and putting on your plate only what you can finish.
It also comes down to maximizing connections
As I start out to do the work of creating the T2 experiment the change I seek to create is to create consciously connected people seeking something more
Within that is the passionate mission to enlighten a healthy ketogenic lifestyle and truly alter & optimize each one of us
par·a·dox
ˈperəˌdäks/Submit
noun
a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true. “in a paradox, he has discovered that stepping back from his job has increased the rewards he gleans from it”
synonyms: contradiction, contradiction in terms, self-contradiction, inconsistency, incongruity
In business and within brands there seems to be a chasm presently, maybe a space between the old Industrial and the new connection. Within this is the opportunity to become a Linchpin, a Anomaly.
Leadership vs Management- No-one is inspired to be managed, boxed in, watched and told what to do. For years the industrial economy taught us that their was safety and security in being managed- but that really never was. it made us a COG, a number, a easily replaced one at that. sure when I speak with a retail chain manager a a big supplement retailer who has dismal sales and ask what can his store do, contribute and stand out to his community he assures me that any attempt to stand out is and has been squashed by ‘corporate” – yes this is industrial machine at its managerial best! The worst and a reminder of exactly why mattering more, taking risks really isn’t that risky at all!
Leadership- Thats where we all win! We strive to make a impact. We encourage people to be special snowflakes because we all are. We take a team of workers and empower them each as individual snowflakes. We strive to develop a culture within our walls. It in my humble opinion is where I see so many good intentioned get it so wrong.
Invest in making your greatest assets happy – your TEAM, then create a environment where each one contributes something that empowers them, builds their personal brand and thus making a super culture where the company benefits and ultimately creates a Tribes of totally loyal fans
This is why dysfunctional unfunded startups beat highly funded corporations- In the early stages the dysfunctional startups have one huge advantage – connection/ realness and care
As I listened and observed I could not help but to realize that the best analogy I can use to illustrate with Amazing Relevence , the dynamic of Today’s #Linchpin #Marketer and #Brands a dialogue straight from one of my favorite movies ever , Jerry Maguire
From the scene I have embedded in this post I will each day list a new qoutation from a line of dialogue and a comment on why it relates to the work we must do as #linchpin #Marketers #remarkable #Purplecow
I hope you all enjoy this but more importantly I hope it creates the questions in your mind as to how we can truly #beRemarkable
“We want More from them, so let’s Give them More”
We want MORE, we should and we need to,
It all starts with a Empathetic posture
It all starts with Generosity
It “should” all start with the desire to solve a problem, to provide a solution “They” will embrace
But we also have to get really really specific about WHO it’s for
Who we wish to create this change to serve
Connection / Technology allows us a amazing situation where we can and should get really #granular with this because it’s what is our Brands DNA
ONCE WE START
GO GO GO
THEN SHHHH LISTEN TO THEM
SHUT UP AND LISTEN
BRANDS ! – Remember the statement above
SHUT UP AND LISTEN. IT IS FOR THEM. ITERATE ,ITERATE
Today
I call on inspiration from recently deceased Icon Rich Piana
5% is a attitude
5% is a way of life
5% is Not Ubiquitous
5% is really important to it’s INTENDED
5% HAS THE GUTS TO EXCLUDE THE MANY
LET ME SAY
ANYTHING YOU SET YOUR SIGHTS ON
ANYTHING THAT IS WORTHY OF YOUR EFFORT
IS WORTH ALL OF YOUR EFFORT AND THEN MORE
GUESS WHAT???
THAT MEANS NO SAFETY NET
THAT MEANS RISK
THAT MEANS THIS MIGHT NOT WORK
THAT MEANS THEY MAY LAUGH AT YOU
THAT MEANS YOU NEED TO BE REALLY SPECIFIC
Some statements are certain Certain statements or Facts
-Your brand isn't a list of features and benefits -Your brand isn't guaranteed placement -Your brand isn't guaranteed our trust or loyalty -You are not welcomed to spam me -If I do not trust you I don't care what you cost monetarily because the true cost is what will I tell my friends ( Tribe) and what will I tell my boss -Marketing is about taking frequent calculated shots -Marketing is ideally a one on one , eye to eye relationship- scaled -Only scale to where you are still in the conversation actively -Show empathy because it matters to you Not because it's the word of the hour. -Generosity matters most when it's done in privacy -Caring always matters -If you don't take time to daydream you are limiting yourself considerably -Always ask What if? Why not? How can we? -Habit destroys many , be the car that swings a UTurn, turns off that side road, after all it's the journey isn't it?
Take a Practitioner approach to your personal brand
What does that statement mean?
put in the #Work
How and in what way?
For me and my brand the T2 Experiment that means being a information conduit
so where is the #Work?
well its the daily work
of
Spending hours per day reading the content on my Focus subjects and extracting great value.
Spending hours per day locating #brands, #Trends and #Thoughtleaders who can help increase the value to my #Tribe
Collaborating efforts in a generous way with others in a effort to #Dothework that #Matters
Showing up #Everyday and #delivering #Value to my #Tribe, Going #Deep because I #Care. Understanding that #Trust is EARNED EVERYDAY through Showing UP and delivering Value
As I have been digging VERY DEEP in #Self I am exposing MORE and seeing this will be my #ARBITRAGE
My 2017 Commandments to SELF :
I. my #UTOPIA , My #Bigleague #Goals….No Holds Barred….
For me its NOT a dollar specific goal. For me its not a Possession quantity goal. For me its #FREEDOM to do Whatever I desire (within reason).
I do have a couple lofty items in my Goals:
1.Ferrari California in bright Red with tan leather guts
2. Home in Haddonfield historic grande style
3.Office in Central Philadelphia with a view of Rittenhouse Park
4. Vacationing property in Italy, preferably Firenze proper
5. Childrens Boutique business for my wife and daughter
II. I AM MY BRAND…So FOCUS on developing #T2
The big million dollar mistake I feel at this point I have made on many occasions is vest ALL my integrity, passion, tenaciousness in my employer at a cost of not growing #T2, don’t get me wrong, I am pouring it all into my work however understand that the #REDPILL for me is #T2 and the opportunity developing it has for me and as a side effect for all of my work in the process. A true win win. Become a #Linchpin Its #Work to build #T2 so that is not in lieu of my paid work, Thats in addition! So ;
Kill IT in my J O B
#Grind #Focus on my personal brand while my peers watch tv and watch sports…
III.SIMPLICITY , In ALL things- and this is perhaps the most difficult for a high energy #Passion #Driven professional. Its the constant reflection and question of “How is this getting me closer to my Goals?” Honestly answered this is what can facilitate LESS distraction more FOCUS and with focus , more #WORK
IV. DEPTH….
Depth in engagement with #Tribe is a given. It is something I believe deeply. Simplicity is KEY however because taking on too much will assure you can’t be DEEPLY connected and thats what the #WORK demands if we wish to #MATTER. All of these “Rules” I want you the reader to be aware are not simply applicable to the career facet of my life. No, I will apply and regularly post about the benefit of adding all of these “Tools” or lets call them “BLOCKS” to the building of the T2 foundation.
V. ENGAGE like a Mo____
So far I am vigilant on the amount of opportunities I take on. I Focus more. I put in the WORK in going deep with each and that feeds directly into #ENGAGE like a MOFO! Talk to LESS, take on LESS so I can really be present and caring in a meaningful way with the specific TRIBE I am trying to deliver value to. Ultimately whats the VALUE being provided because that is absolutely what matters most of all.
VI. ” A Tortoise dressed like a Hare” PATIENCE….
Super tough for a “Jump outta my skin, run through flames” kind of personality that I am. Im a Type A++ and anyone who knows me can attest that its in my veins and never staged. So Patience? YESSS, Drive focus in the WORK but at the same point don’t FORCE a result…be willing to TRUST THE PROCESS because you don’t hack your way to a longstanding amount of Brand equity- Thats earned – and as I say often and believe – Re Earned DAILY! i.e. SHOW UP! CARE! So the ability to be patient when it serves the situation is a daily practice. It also ties into another very important habit to develop- ACT don’t REACT! Never reply immediately to a aggravating email or call, WAIT, revisit it, Percolate-BE #PATIENT. Reflect on all decisions and never be afraid to totally change the plan. Thats what Winners do. It starts with a steady hand.
VII. COLLABORATE
Create your own “League of Extraordinary _”. Find “Like minded” people looking to create value and find creative ways to connect and extend maximum value to those you both serve. Don’t be a “Jack of all trades, master of NONE” rather “Collect” ethical, affluent thought leaders to partner with and help provide the best work you possibly can.
I want to absolutely say Thank You for reading this post. I promise I will have a FOCUS list on what the T2 experiment will be Phase I in the next post. I promise I will do everything to always have FUN and Deliver VALUE to my TRIBE. I started this journey with a mission/vision to deliver a truly Unbiased stream of relevant information to those in my TRIBE and in the process unifying the BEST of the BEST Thoughtleaders I have such humble thankfulness to call friends. I simply want to open the awesome degree of their knowledge to YOU and in the process have fun in my Quest to be the best version of Tommaso I can be – To be T2