Heritage and the stories we like to tell.

March 21, 2016 Stephanie

Branding experts like to talk about storytelling as the shortcut to relevance and meaning.

I agree. Narrative -- even small ones like the one depicted in this vintage ad -- is a powerful way to communicate a brand's deeper values.

But recently, I've seen it go terribly wrong when young companies reach for origin stories that simply aren't there, or when they stretch the meaning of the words heritage, craft, heirloom, and artisan.

Yesterday'sEmerald Streettakes on the subject brilliantly. Here's the gist:

"There are more and more brands trading on any sort of history they can muster. Labels like Hunter, who do really have a heritage, shout about their lengthy backstory and consumers go wild for it. Spanking new brands, the ones that were dreamed up yesterday, do the same and are pretending to have “heritage” ideas and aesthetics."

I've noticed the same thing, and it makes me want to shout from the rooftops:

You don't need an ancient or romantic backstory to have a great product and build a great brand.

You really don't.

All you need is to solve a real problem for a specific group of people.

Collect the stories of the uncommonly common ways you're changing their lives, and you've got the basis for powerful brand storytelling.

It's simple, but it's not easy. Even huge international brands get seduced by the possibility of inauthentic provenance claims.

To me, nothing drives the point home better than this oldie but goodie video.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBb9O-aW4zI[/embed]

We laugh because we've all seen this done!

The moral of the story is: think twice before building your brand around the notion of heritage, craft, or any other trendy idea that signals quality or difference.

"Est. 2016" might mean something to your customers in 20 years, but what's the more true story you can tell now?

I bet you have an awesome one. Let's tell it together.

Five Podcasts That Have Our Ear

May 21, 2015 Stephanie

Last year's Serial was a watershed event for digital audio content. Suddenly, the world was reminded of the awesomeness of podcasts. A source for entertainment, insight, tips, inspiration, humor, and story, the modern-day podcast is not a content backwater. No, no. Podcasts are some of the most exciting media out there-- especially for brand-builders, communicators, and entrepreneurs! Here are the five podcasts that have our ear right now.

1. Being Boss

I've talked about this one before. Hosted by creative coach and branding expert Kathleen Shannon and web designer and strategist Emily Thompson, Being Boss bills itself as a podcast for creative entrepreneurs. With episodes like "How to be a boss when you're afraid of failing," and "How to be a boss even when you feel like a fraud," It's like training wheels for taking those first wobbly strides into boss-ness.

Bonus: Kathleen and Emily have nurtured a thriving Facebook group, which is a great resource for getting on-the-fly feedback on your creative projects and a steady stream of positive affirmation from other 'treps in the trenches. The Being Boss community is gathering for its first live event in New Orleans this October.

Recommended for: creative entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, infopreneurs, mompreneurs, women looking to make their side hustle, their full-time hustle.

www.lovebeingboss.com

iTunes

SoundCloud

Facebook Group

2. StartUp

Produced by Gimlet Media, StartUp is a behind-the-scenes look at starting a business. Captured in narrative form, the podcast follows one business from inception to market each season. Season 1 was a very meta look into the founding of Gimlet Media itself. Now, Season 2 is sharing the ongoing tale of launching Dating Ring, a match-making dating company.

Some of my favorite episodes include Episode 1, Season 1: How Not to Pitch a Billionaire, Episode 5, Season 1: How to Name Your Company, and Episode 2, Season 2: Grow Big or Go Home (Inside Startup School Y Combinator).

Recommended for: anyone who wants an intimate look into the worlds of Silicon Valley, venture funding, high-growth businesses, and the agony and ecstasy of good ol' fashioned entrepreneurship.

3. Sounds Like a Movement

Sounds Like a Movement is a an organization that produces books, videos, and podcasts that support and illuminate the work of movement makers from across the spectrum of interests, industries, and philosophies. Every episode of the podcast features a one-on-one interview between host CJ Casciotta and a luminary from the worlds of art, design, music, publishing, film, social justice, and the list goes on. The common thread: each guest is leading a charge to see a new normal emerge in the world.

Recent guests include Darling Magazine founder Sarah Dubbledam, Becoming Minimalist blogger Joshua Becker, and Painter/Author Elle Luna.

Recommended for: anyone who is a dreamer, schemer, make-believer, and futurist.

www.soundslikeamovement.com

iTunes

Twitter

Instagram

4. The Lively Show

The Lively Show is a podcast hosted by life and business coach Jess Lively. Her methodology revolves around setting values-based intentions for all aspects of your life -- possessions, career, relationships, and personal habits. The show is a platform for her to share about her work while interviewing people living with admirable intentionality. Jess is a terrific interviewer, and certainly does her research on each and every guest.

Some of my favorite episodes have included the interview with writer and author Alexandra Franzen, "Walking Away from Success" with Unfancy blogger Caroline Rector, and the conversation with Day Designer Founder Whitney English.

Recommended for: female entrepreneurs, bloggers, creatives, and contemplatives.

5. Grammar Girl

Last but not least, Grammar Girl is an uber-practical place to get all of your most pressing grammar questions answered. Host Mignon Fogarty's Quick and Dirty Tips [Two spaces after a period? Everyday vs. every day?], plus longer investigations into the origins of words and usages, remind you how delightful it can be to really know the English Language. Episodes last anywhere from 30 to 10 minutes.

Recommended for: anyone who wants to tighten up their grammar game and feel more confident about the words and ideas they send into the world.

Linguists ponder when "no" means "yes."

April 17, 2015 Stephanie

Okay, full disclosure: I know that this kind of feature is not for everyone, but I had to post anyway. This one goes out to all of the love seat linguists that are fascinated by the quirks and evolving history of the English language. A few days ago I came across this piece from The New Yorker. "What Part of 'No, Totally' Don’t You Understand?" delves into the semi-recent language phenomenon of "no" increasingly "yes."

Illustration by Ellen Surrey, via The New Yorker.

Think about how many times you hear the following:

"No, for sure."
"Yeah, not even."
"No, absolutely."

As it turns out English used to have two different types of 'nos' - no and nay- and two different types of 'yes' - yes and yea. Schulz postulates that with the shift to just one type of no and yes might have led us to adopt the quirky no-as-yes construction.

It's a long, nerdy read but I loved it.

For those curious but in a rush, the fine folks at NPR's All Things Considered interviewed the writer of the piece, Kathryn Schulz. You can listen to the interview here.