I love living in San Francisco. So much energy, creativity, big shit happening (in my best Ab Fab voice). The downside of so much shit happening: SO MUCH PRESSURE to go big. But how often do we stop to ask, "Is bigger better right now?" A lot of us are sitting on ideas that could …
Category: Corporate Responsibility
An Open Letter to Adam Werbach and Andy Ruben: Growth Strategy Ideas for Yerdle
Dear Adam and Andy, First, I love your new platform Yerdle. I'm a marketer and a mom (with a decent amount of disposable income) who teaches her kids that shopping is not a sport and that "used" is often as good as new. Like you both, I've seen the light and know we have to …
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A Framework for Sustainable Loyalty–Co-written with Aristotle
Loyalty marketing is big business and I should know, it pays the mortgage and private school tuition. But lately, I've been feeling a big squeamish about the future of this once powerful technique to drive repeat sales. The signs of a slow, painful death are everywhere. Companies are struggling with rising liabilities, and increasingly low …
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A Return To The Garden
And just like that, a year passes and spring returns revealing the gardens we once planted. Asking us to come back and start again. But always from a place that has grown more than we could have ever imagined. I can't believe that last year at this time my father had 25 days to live. …
Laser Focus on What Matters…To Me
Lately everyone I talk to seems to be going through some transition, transformation, or major life challenge. People are struggling with relationships, finances, career choices...you know the drill. For those of us privileged enough to make it to middle-age, life tends to get bigger, more intense, and the decisions we make are now more important …
.org Growth Strong in Down Economy
And now, for some good news. Not only is there growth in the .org domain (the third largest of the generic top-level domains) but it's accelerating. That's right, new domains grew by 7.6% in the first half of this year, more than doubling last year's first half of 3.2%. Check out the full story on …
To Sleaze or Not. That is the Question.
Ho hum, yet another tycoon disappointing his family, pissing off a mistress, losing a wife. So what’s new? Not much, but this story intrigues me. (Okay, so I’m easily distracted.) It lands smack dab on top of a string of stories from Tiger Woods (not him again), to John Edwards (didn’t we know this all …
Lessons From Kindergarten For the First Time CEO
I've worked with more than my share of first time CEOs. All of them strikingly intelligent, charismatic, and each with a deep level of experience in product development, sales, or marketing. Generally nice guys. Their profiles have varied from the bombastic top sales guy who can sell ice to residents of Antarctica, the former uber-cool …
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The Power of Genuine Values
New Year’s Eve is one of my favorite days of the whole year. Everyone seems actively involved in reflecting on their lives, their progress and the areas where they’d like to grow. I’ve been fortunate to participate in this process with many successful businesses over the years. For an analyst at heart, there’s nothing more …
Priority Bean Counting
Mary spends a free afternoon doing volunteer work, makes new friends, strengthens resolve to be a catalyst for change.
Mary Gilbert 