A few years ago, when my oldest daughter was much younger, she was curled up on the couch watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. She was in that intensely observant stage of childhood where everything feels immediate, personal, and full of wonder. About five minutes into the episode, she suddenly turned around and said, “Dad! He's talking right to me!” It stopped me in my tracks. Because I knew exactly what she meant. Every generation has had that same experience. The quiet voice. The steady eye contact. The gentle assurance that you matter. Mister Rogers had a way of communicating that made millions of children feel like the camera lens was a direct line to their living room. He had mastered the...
At what point does a process impede productivity?Before we get to that answer… I should probably start by admitting that I don’t always get this right. In fact, part of the reason I struggle with consistency in writing, posting on LinkedIn, sticking with a hobby, etc. is because I haven’t built a process that truly works for me. My intentions and ideas are there, but without the right structure to support them, the follow-through falters. That’s the thing about process: when it’s off, the outcome usually is too. So I don’t come to this conversation as someone standing above it. I come as someone who’s in it, trying to build systems in my own life that support what I actually...
Over a year ago, I read Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara — a New York Times Bestseller that, for me, was nothing short of life-changing. Shortly after finishing it, I drafted a blog post outlining my top five takeaways… and then, like many drafts, it sat unpublished. Fast forward to March 2025: after a weighty career transition to International Justice Mission (IJM), a season of deep self-reflection, and countless personal and professional breakthroughs, I found myself on the other side of something I would never have imagined — the opportunity to interview Will Guidara himself. He graciously joined one of our recent IJM Strategic Partnerships team meetings for an unforgettable 30-minute conversation. A huge moment for our team. What followed wasn’t...
Smart Strategies to Streamline Your Marketing and Set the Stage for a Strong Q2 The close of this year’s first quarter is coming to a close soon, but your momentum is just beginning. Instead of focusing on missed opportunities, take stock of what you’ve already accomplished—you have the rest of the year ahead to build on that foundation. The key? Precision over distraction. As Rory Vaden says, “When you have diluted focus, you get diluted results.” If you’re feeling stretched between content creation, campaigns, analytics, and engagement, it’s time to shift your approach. Instead of working harder, focus on working smarter. Rather than spreading yourself thin across every marketing channel, zero in on one area where you can go deeper....
Delivering the Right Message at the Right Time Marketing success isn’t just about what you say—it’s about when and to whom you say it. Not everyone in your audience is at the same stage, and a great message delivered at the wrong time is still the wrong message. Segmentation ensures that you’re not treating your entire audience as a monolith. Instead, you’re tailoring your approach based on their level of awareness, engagement, and readiness to act. This precision leads to higher engagement, stronger relationships, and better conversions over time. Understanding the Three Key Audience Segments To communicate effectively, you must first identify where your audience is in their journey with your brand: 📌 New Audience Members – These are people...
