It’s not uncommon to hear someone say “I’m sick of my job!”  For those of us whose job is not a job at all, it can be hard to relate to that particular sentiment. However, our current circumstances are products of the choices we’ve made in the past and if we were given the opportunity to make a few of them over again, I’m pretty sure the majority of us would take it.  

Well, more than 22 years ago, I made a choice.  I resigned from Young & Rubicam and traded in my high-marquee job as a 'MAD MAN' to satiate the restless entrepreneur that lied deep within my soul.  I had an unstoppable passion that fueled my “can do” attitude.  Some thought I was a cocky and over-confident kid. Others took note of my vision, plan and passion and decided to support it and even capitalize on it, rather than judge and criticize it.  After a decade or so of grinding it out in a difficult, yet mostly joyful way, I was beginning to live my dream of writing, producing and directing my own TV series, creating innovative products based on the series’ intellectual properties, nurturing extraordinary talent and building a viable consumer brand.  

As my success became more public and palpable, I felt myself becoming the envy of some friends, especially those who endured an arduous, day-to-day, business routine that was beginning to take a toll on them. I, on the other hand, began to feel liberated from the monotony of my former commuting days and was excited and inspired. I finally felt justified in my voluntary exit from Madison Avenue and I was able to silence the judgement and criticism, even from those used to firing at me from point-blank range. I was not only living the dream, I was helping others realize their dreams, as well.  However, as ironic as it may sound, with all these positive feelings and momentum, I never truly felt content. Why?  Probably because like most creatives, I believe that contentment is a sign of complacency. In fact, I feel that the creative mind is rarely content because it believes that contentment is the cancer of innovation.  And, to me, innovation is a form of problem-solving, so how can I be content when there are so many problems to solve in this world? 

I have met many people in my life, but I’ve noted only a few that seemed truly content.  I envied those few.  Some had more money than I, some less, so I don’t think it was a economic thing. Some of them worked, and some were retired, so it wasn't a retirement thing either.  There was something else at play here. I soon realized that it is was simply their attitude.  When my son was studying for his Bar Mitzvah nearly 4 years ago, I remember his lackluster enthusiasm for learning his torah portion. He inspired me to coin the phrase “Attitude affects action, action affects outcome.”

In business or in life, it all comes down to attitude.  However, our environment and circumstances have a significant impact on our ability to maintain a positive attitude. So, if you have to commute and you hate commuting, or if you’re going to a job that is simply not fulfilling, then it will be hard to maintain a healthy and productive attitude. If you’re overweight or unhealthy, you may have a hard time adjusting your attitude about yourself. If your family judges rather than supports you, it can suppress your vision and hamper your enthusiasm, negatively impacting the critical actions you need to take toward living life with passion.  Therefore, in order to live life with passion, you MUST either change your circumstances and do whatever it takes to put yourself in a position where your attitude could thrive and enable you to take the actions necessary for success (e.g. stop commuting or start liking it, lose weight or accept yourself, disengage with people that judge you too harshly (even if it’s family) or hear them differently).  You must change your mind and the way you think about your circumstances and the people that judge you - maybe even be grateful for them!!  Most of all, change the way you feel about yourself, because if you can, you can endure almost any adversity and triumph over the loudest of naysayers. Always remember “attitude affects action and action affects outcome.”  Take some action!

My father was a New York City cabdriver for over 40 years.  Back in those days, cabdrivers not only knew where they were going, but they’d give you a detailed, guided tour for no extra charge.  Their cars were big and roomy and few had the bullet proof partitions that imprison us like convicts being transported to the local penitentiary. Now these mobile holding cells actually implore us to watch The Taxi Cab Network to keep our mind off of how bad the cabby’s driving or how toxic the combination of body odor and artificial air freshener actually is. My father’s generation was the last of the true NY Cabbies.  These guys were family and they protected each other like fraternity brothers would. These were guys of honor too.  I remember my father would chase people down the street because they had given him too much money, or left something of real value in his car.   Despite the fact that he only earned money when he was picking up fares, he’d sometimes invest half his day helping a complete stranger who was broken down on the side of the road.  

I think back on those years and I realize that they’ve had a tremendous impact on me and the way I run my business and raise my children.  I too value helping people over earning. Despite the fact this practice has occasionally drained my wallet, it has consistently filled my soul.  

Unfortunately, my children are living in a different world than I did as a child.  The media’s voice is so omnipresent and powerful that it has literally altered the way we think and behave.  I believe this uber-connected society has actually begun to alter our brain chemistry and the way we relate to each other.  Advances in technology and the unparalleled growth of social media has connected us, but has also made us a more defensive, more paranoid nation. The irony here is that in many ways all this “connection” is making us become a more disconnected, stressed out and meaner society.  We actually have begun to rely on negative news to sustain our social media based ecosystem.  Shock, despair, tragedy, embarrassment, etc. have become the fuel that sustains our “viral” world.  

While I’m not a generally politically inclined person, and I do not associate with any particular political party, I find that our government has been a terrible role model for our business community and for our children. Our business leaders have also lost their way and “trust” and “confidence” have become elusive terms in the halls of America’s biggest companies and institutions.  In my father’s day a hand shake was a genuine commitment worth its weight in gold.  Today, a contract is not worth the recycled paper it’s written on.  Our politicians have lost focus on their respective roles to serve ALL the people, not just some of the people.  Instead, they operate like High School kids playing a petty game of “Can You Top This” or should I say “Can You Top This Stupidity!” The fact that thousands of people were stranded on a bridge because some immature ass had the power to snarl traffic for miles may seem insignificant to some, but to me, it’s indicative of a much larger problem. A warning sign that our nation’s integrity is diseased with greed, corruption, egos and pettiness.

Let’s face it, the American people are losing the very pride that has always kept the U.S.A. the king among nations.  Ambition, innovation and success are words that are slowly being stripped from our vocabulary.  Too many have lost their jobs and many more simply rely on the government to literally support them.  With all its flaws, America is still a country of great opportunity.  In 2008 my business was rocked when Wall Street and in particular Lehman Bros., came tumbling down ending any hope of completing the multimillion dollar transaction we spent hundred of thousands of dollars and over 15 months of due diligence hammering out with them.  The impact to us and the nation was catastrophic. The rulebook we all grew up with (buy stocks, invest in real estate, build businesses) seemed to no longer apply.  Yet, these rapid and uncontrollable changes in our economic system did not destroy my will to thrive, provide for my family or contribute greatly to our country and our world.

To me, the ailment still retarding our nation’s rebirth is simply a rampant lack of integrity. This country is riddled with fraudulent workers comp, disability and other deceitful insurance claims that continue to tax our system.  Our local and national political leaders lack judgement and are tempted by the self-serving opportunities that are a bi-product of their power. We, as a nation, need to reign in all those that lack integrity as they are the nation’s bacteria.  It is these sociopaths that embrace the “kill or be killed” philosophy that is slowly eroding at our nation’s physical and emotional infrastructure.  Unfortunately I have seen this in the halls of companies I have built myself.  My trust has been betrayed on more than one occasion and it’s a painful journey especially when your children are impacted by it and bear witness to it.  It shouldn’t need to be that way.  No company can survive without a unified vision and a philosophy of “excellence through integrity.”  No nation can either.  United we stand!!!

The fact is America is a fine product with a tarnished brand.  Its great history will save it, but I believe a President is packaging for our nation, our congress is the fine print on the box and our people must be the quality goods presented in that attractive box.  We need to rebrand, repackage and reformulate America.  We are Americans and as Americans we must stop acting as if we are somehow better than the rest of the world and recapture the core philosophies that helped build this great nation in the first place, “leading by example.”  

We must realign our legal system so that the bewildered “David’s” of the world can afford to stand toe-to-toe with the better funded “Goliaths.”  

We must put more moral emphasis in our handshakes and fewer legal clauses in our contracts.

We must put profits aside and promote hope instead of fear.  

We must highlight those that serve humanity and stop sensationalizing criminals, murderers, drug addicts and other low lives.  

We must remind ourselves that it is “WE the people,” not “I the people.”

America is a beautiful flower garden and each one of its citizens has the potential to bloom.  However, we must recognize that our integrity is the photosynthesis that will determine whether we will ever fully blossom with vibrant color or simply die on the vine.

G-d Bless America!

2014-The Year Of Follow-Through

Every December, we reflect on the past year’s accomplishments. We take stock of our lives and closely reassess our needs, desires and goals for the budding new year.  The diet books tend to come back off the shelf and the dirty laundry adorning the treadmill is cleared to make way for a newly readopted exercise regimen. We sign up for the seminars and classes that we feel will inspire or motivate us to finally make “that life change” we’ve been yearning for. We embrace the holiday season with a refreshed enthusiasm and the happy picture of hope, change and prosperity appears vibrant and clear in our minds. We have a vision for the future and a plan to get what we want. At least we think we do.

Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, “plans are useless, planning is indispensable.”  I believe that what Mr. Eisenhower was conveying in this statement is that most of the critical learning happens during the process of developing a plan.  The plan itself is just a diary of our findings and an instruction booklet on how we could potentially apply them to our specific situation.  This is where most of us get into trouble.  I have a saying around my office (and at home) “Follow through or follow the leader!”  You see, in my experience it has never been the best planner that succeeds, but the best executor.  The “best executor” is that person that has a vision and relentlessly pursues that vision even in the face of adversity.  It’s the person that rebounds from rejection like a super ball off a concrete wall. These are those visionaries that will desperately, and seemingly without reason, row against the tide because they see an opportunity that others simply cannot. It is these, the most persistent, that consistently prevail...eventually.  

People often confuse “a vision” with “a plan.”  You may see yourself taking off those extra pounds and sporting your new bathing suit poolside next summer, but that’s not a plan to get there.  However, if your vision is strong enough, it will drive you to FOLLOW THROUGH on PLANNING the necessary steps to reach your goal, no matter how lofty it may be.

Unfortunately, most people’s “visions” tend to get lost in their periphery.  Occasionally they’ll refocus on it, but very often they’ll be distracted by something again (job, kids, family, relationships, etc.).  Many of us have a hard time prioritizing our own vision because we feel selfish putting our “pie in the sky dreams” before the “immediate needs” of others.  Remember, helping others gets us the attention we secretly desire.  And, the difference we make in someone else’s life is more tangible and provides us with the immediate gratification, something we cannot get from pursuing our vision, because most dreams take a long time to realize. Finally, taking care of others provides us the ideal excuse for why our own plan has not yet come together.

My mother was famous for this. She always wanted to get her equivalency diploma (GED).  In fact, she talked about it for decades, even got the study guides, workbooks and even occasionally reviewed the online classes (after she complained for 3 years about not knowing how to get online, a task she later learned in 5 minutes).  She used everything from raising her kids, to taking care of her own mother, to not having money as her primary excuses.  Sadly, she lacked follow-through and died never accomplishing this goal (and many others).  

Most people look at “follow-through” as if it was a mountain that needs to be climbed in a blizzard wearing nothing but pajamas. Yes, following through is the hardest part of any plan, but it’s the engine that drives the vehicle that takes you to the place where your vision resides.  And, while following through is hard, it’s not any harder than living life with the knowledge that you’re not living your life’s passion.

So, whether your favorite jeans just won’t button anymore, you’re stuck in a job, relationship or situation that is preventing you from truly living your passion, or you just need a change, it’s time you give yourself the gift of “follow-through” this year.  Amazing things will happen when you follow through on living your passion. Of course there will be those naysayers (likely those closest to you) that simply don’t get how you can leave a high-powered job in the big city to start a flower shop in country. However, you can rest assured, they’ll be the same people that are jealous of you when you finally do.

Here’s to an amazing 2014 filled with clarity and follow-through!

People are watching “TV” everywhere! On their smartphones, tablets, computers and yes, even on their televisions! But, the big question for even the wealthiest, most savvy marketers today is “now that we can reach everyone, how do we reach anyone?”  Despite the demise of so many “Internet” companies, I still regularly encounter clients that embrace the misperception that “all you need to do is "put it on the Internet” and you’ll have millions of views, followers, fans, friends and yep, even sales by tomorrow!”  I call this the “Head in the Cloud” mentality.  Of course there’s no denying that being heavily “liked” on Facebook and accruing millions of “views” on YouTube is a major component to building any successful brand in today’s “new media” marketplace. However, the difficult job of achieving critical mass still requires a unique cocktail of skill, relationships and of course cash. As a result, nurturing any brand to the “tipping point” remains a daunting task and one that is not for the fainthearted.

Yes, the opportunity to reach consumers and build brand-awareness online is significant. And, thanks to our friends Google, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. there are credible and easily accessible digital marketing tools that can produce real results, even for the novice marketer.  However, just because there’s actually “a needle in the haystack,” doesn’t mean people will find it.  One fact that can’t be ignored is the fact that these same tools are also being used by millions of users worldwide all competing for “our” attention. While today’s worldwide web is undoubtedly an ocean of opportunity, it is equally a sea of clutter. Even the most savvy of advertisers are struggling to understand the nuances between the value of “web traffic” vs. the value of “user engagement” and its relationship to both on their bottom lines.

There’s an old proverb, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”  At the end of the day, the only thing that has changed about advertising and marketing is NOTHING.  I'm pretty sure the younger generation of “digital marketing experts” will disagree with this sentiment, but that’s okay because my nearly three decades of experience has taught me that the best way to get people to look for the needle in the haystack, is to get them to know it exists and convince them that the needle has value to them. It has always been our job to provide consumers (or potential consumers) with the information they need to peek their interest and drive them to some type of call to action. We have always sought to enlist their peers to help us spread our message buy recommending, referring or simply by using a particular product, service or brand.  We call this process “word-of-mouth” and it’s the only thing we need to ensure we catalyze as marketers. Yes, social media now allows each individual the ability to engage their own personal broadcast system to disseminate messages to hundred, even thousands in seconds.  Amazing!!  However, because there are now SO MANY messages being disseminated, the content of the message is paramount to the distribution method.  In today's social media-centric world "content" must be increasingly intriguing, informative and even entertaining. Whether you consider "content" to be a smoke signal from a teepee or the coolest YouTube video in the world, people not only have to see it, but they need to engage with it, and I mean REALLY engage with it.  They need to relate to it, take ownership in it and most of all evangelize its message with vigor and passion. This is what makes an advertising message or piece of content viral and what makes your “needle” have value!

Generally the things that go viral are things that are outside the limits of what "we" consider to be “normal.”  The more unique, outrageous, unpredictable or downright shocking, typically the more viral (remember the social media impact of Miley Cyrus's stunt at the VMA's?).  Of course the issue of “subjectivity” plays a role here too and depending on the demographic of the viewer, the same exact message or piece of content (e.g. YouTube video) can either be perceived as “amazing” or “absurd”.  

How a message or piece of content is received can significantly influence the way people feel about the product, brand or talent associated with it.  This “consumer impression” will ultimately have a significant impact on the long-term success of that product, brand or talent.  Rebecca Black, was an Internet sensation with her bubble-gum original song “Friday.”  Yes, Rebecca got to laugh all the way to the bank, at least for a little while, but her follow-up songs did not fare as well, probably because her original viral success had more to do with the fact that the majority of the people loved to hate her and were viewing her video for all the wrong reasons, and therefore soured her brand. Be careful Miley!!

I’m a firm believer that “a picture paints a thousand words.”  And, at 30 frames per second, video can paint millions of pictures in just minutes.  So, if you’re planning on “going viral” you’ll likely want a good video to take advantage of consumer’s newly adopted, “TV Everywhere” lifestyle.  Evan Greenberg, President of the Manhattan-based Allscope Media, an independent media and communications company said: “Content that is relevant to the reader is still the central success metric in my book”.  I agree with Mr. Greenberg’s position and urge my clients to make sure the content they’re putting out there is quality and “accurately” depicts their brand’s message and values.  And while your own social network is a great place to start the ball rolling, you’ll likely need some savvy digital marketers to help negotiate the “new media” world, build critical, viral momentum and find you the right audience. The fact is, securing the most productive advertising opportunities on the web still costs money, in many cases, a lot of money.  This is reminiscent of buying media based on “GRPs” in broadcast or “circulation” in print. Mmm, still need money to predictably advertise? Again, nothing's changed!

So in summary, put out great, engaging content that's consistent with your brand message.  Have a reasonable creative development and media budget. Hire smart people to guide you. And finally, don’t go viral just for the sake of going viral, because disseminating the wrong message on the Internet can ruin one’s brand as fast as “the right” message can build one. Tweet that!

To Contact Cory Rosenberg and CRee8 Consulting:

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