Notes on strategy and storytelling. Reader, I owe you an apology. Ok, that was dramatic, although it was a fun way to open. To be more accurate, I’ve left you under-informed, due to an oversight. All year I’ve been alluding to my Luminary framework, taking it for granted that you could easily follow along, without ever having shared it in full. Today is the day we fix that. But before we go straight into the model, first some context, and a reminder of my personal brand philosophy: I believe...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Notes on strategy and storytelling. Hey Reader, When you’re at the very top of your career, having made the kinds of contributions you only dreamed of as a junior, is there much that a personal brand can add to your arsenal? This is exactly the position that my client, Rubie Nottage, was in when we met. Retired Justice of the Supreme Court of The Bahamas, practicing attorney for more than 55 years, law professor and former Chancellor of the Anglican Church for the entire Caribbean, Rubie has...
6 months ago • 1 min read
Notes on strategy and storytelling. Hey Reader, In case you missed it (or you’re newer to my community) I moved from Scotland to The Bahamas 5 months ago. As you can imagine, there were lots of logistics to sort out on the ground. So I did what I would normally do: looked up various companies and sent them emails asking for help. Unfortunately, this was about as effective as sending a paper airplane into space. Nothing happened. I really didn’t want to pick up the phone. It seemed...
7 months ago • 1 min read
Notes on strategy and storytelling. Hey Reader, There’s a conversation I have with every client when they say they want to build their personal brand. I ask: Do you want to be known, or do you want to be definitive? It's not a trick question, and there are no wrong answers. Both are valid goals. But the answer changes everything about the strategy we build together. Because there are personal brands that make you visible… and luminary brands that make you irreplaceable. A visibility brand...
7 months ago • 1 min read
Notes on strategy and storytelling. Hey Reader, Last week I read an email from a business person I admire, explaining some changes to her model. I can’t honestly remember what her larger point was anymore, just what her words revealed about her mindset. She described her long opposition to “pimping her pain” to grow a personal brand. She said she believes everyone is entitled to their privacy, including family members who may be part of any stories she could share. My thought? That’s an...
10 months ago • 1 min read