IN GOOD CO

3 controversial lessons that have served me well. 👉 1. Don’t be the last to leave. This one was from my Dad, it has always proven true for me. Don’t stay at the office just to prove a point. Get things done on time. Show them you value their time and yours. They’ll trust you to get the hardest task done—on time. 👉 2. Don’t lie about your kids' doctor's appointments. If know her, it won’t surprise you that this one is Kirsten Ludwig Kids get sick. They have school plays and doctor’s appointments. If you lie about it, the next person will think they have to. Don’t fail your team by putting ‘meeting’ on the calendar. Instill in your team that we make time for what’s important. At work and at home. 👉3. Don’t ask for help. Expect it. When I went on mat leave I was riddled with guilt. I felt like I was letting people down by being gone, not ‘helping’. My team had a come-to-Jesus with me, sat me down, and told me I was ridiculous. If you put in the time to show up for your team, allow yourself to expect it in return. No guilt allowed. Any controversial lessons that you love?

Unpopular opinion: AI will make us appreciate things more. The future is one of abundance. And we’ll value what is truly scarce. Things that take time. Things that take effort. Things that take energy. Things that have a story. “Consider the case of laboratory-made diamonds. Even if something artificial is indistinguishable from an authentic original, consumers still want the real thing.” In a world where ‘appearing real’ will come with suspicion, being real will matter more. Up until now, ‘speed’ has been a differentiator. That’s about to be left in the dust. When everyone can do it quickly, we’ll be left looking for quality. If you want to future-proof your brand, now's the time to be asking: what value/story/time/effort are we bringing to the table? The world of abundance is coming for us. And what we'll value is about to change. Do you think AI will have a big impact on most brands? Or are we all overthinking this?

Don't be like Nutter Butter but be like Nutter Butter. In this episode of the pod we chat about the emerging theme of less ‘produced’ content. How ‘less produced’ doesn’t mean less effort. And, of course, we discuss Nutter Butter and their 1-year journey to viral fame. And give a ton of other brand examples. You can listen to the whole thing on our Substack (link in my bio) but the takeaways? ✨Less is more. Less flashy, more creativity is resonating. ✨Find your bit. Brands should find their unique take to stand out. ✨The Taylor lesson. Storytelling or lore is essential for building brand loyalty. ✨Have more fun. We’ve been on this soap box for a while but it works. ✨Timely but relaxed. The best engagement comes from things that feel relevant but not pushy. What do you think of this trend? Lasting or a flash in the pan?

Everybody wants a splurgy, do-able indulgence. And most brands can deliver. This week on the GOOD THINKING podcast we dive into the theme that emerged as I wrote last week’s letter: Splurgy, do-able indulgences. This trend applies across sectors—Retail, Food&Bev, Sport, you name it. And it’s a strategy that can flex up and down—elevating something every day or bringing something lux within reach. 2:24 - Bar La Rue & the US Open delighting people’s feeds with chicken nuggets and caviar bumps 3:38 - Target’s earnings show minis are big wins 5:35 - Luxury brands like Gucci are making themselves accessible 9:50 - Officine Universelle Buly’s curation offers affordable ‘entry points’ 11:05 - JCrew’s print catalog is the ultimate trifecta of indulgence, accessibility, and quality. 14:00 - ‘Luxury’ is changing in the face of AI It’s fun, it’s short. For the whole thing, head to the GOOD THINKING link in my bio.

The future of healthcare and pharma is not about catering to ‘grandma.’ And that’s something brands should be paying attention to. Welcome back to what is becoming a series of posts about how brands are overlooking Gen-X and Boomer audiences. This particular post though actually applies to everyone, from Gen-Alphas to Gen-Silver. This week, the smoking cessation brand Blip launched a new campaign with indie sleaze legend Cobrasnake. That’s right—quitting smoking, vaping, or using Zyn is looking a whole lot more exciting than your grandma’s nicotine patch. They’re dialing back the medicinal and dialing up the cool. And they aren’t the only ones. 👉 Lemme introduced a natural GLP-1 substitute. No medicinal vibes in sight. 👉 REMSEN is a healthcare brand making chic grab bars (and more!). The vibe is more Rimowa than hospital. 👉 Valerie is creating a peri-menopausal supplement AND suggesting that women in their 40s and 50s might have a libido—shocking, I know. I love a category shakeup. And it’s a huge category. Health spending was 17.3% of US GDP in 2022. Have you seen any other healthcare brands shaking off the hospital-pink vibes and coming out swinging? Stats: National Health Care Spending In 2022: Growth Similar To Prepandemic Rates. January 2024

Ever feel like your mind is a browser with 100 tabs open? That was me, until I discovered the ultimate ctrl+alt+delete: Meditation. 🧘♂️ In our always-on world, finding clarity can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack of notifications. Meditation has become my secret weapon, my daily dose of mental detox. And I've been on quite the journey, folks. From chanting with Deepak to waking up with Sam Harris, to mindfulness with Head Space and even getting zen with Oprah (yes, really). After experiencing as much as I could, I've landed on Transcendental Meditation® (TM) as my go-to. Here's the lowdown: → 20 minutes a day → A personal mantra (no, I can't share it – it's more exclusive than my Netflix password) → And zero judgment. It's like a power nap for your soul, but you come out feeling like you've had a full mental makeover. The best part? → There's even an app. (Because let's be honest, if it's not in our phones, does it even exist in 2024?) Now, I'm not saying TM is the ultimate solution for everyone. It just happens to align well with my routine. It's become as much a part of my day as my morning MUD/WTR – a habit that energizes me without the jitters. What's your go-to method for mental reset?

Moms are the new most popular roommates. And that’s something brands should be paying attention to. Welcome back to what is becoming a series of posts about how brands are sleeping on Gen-X / Boomer audiences. What’s exciting about this chart is the evidence that intergenerational homes are on the rise. And with it, inter-generational influencing. This is a huge, huge opportunity for brands. Typically brands ignore the ‘silver generation’. Their spend and influence not worth the effort. But that’s a very outdated position. Here’s why: 👉 Gen-X and Boomers have more available income. The census shows that within 5 years, this demo is set to become a larger consumer group in terms of income than the 20-to-34-year-olds. Makes you think, right?! 👉 Intergenerational homes and influence will change behavior When gramps might have bought a sportscar, now he might be buying a minivan. But likely not a ‘lame’ minivan but one that his kids feel happy about driving. Take for example this stat: In 2000 the average age of a new car buyer was 45. In 2014 it was 53. Examples like this go on and on. A generation that previously didn’t care about ‘clean ingredients’ is moving in with one that does. A generation that has never thought about buying life insurance is moving in with one that has a trusted provider. 👉 This will change not just how we market but what we market. It will change housing stock. It will change senior care. It will change childcare. People talk all day about ‘disruptive’ technology but these kinds of behavioral shifts can be wildly impactful. Have you thought yet about how you’ll change your behavior as a brand to meet the moment? Credit for stats: The future of marketing is intergenerational, HBR, @MauroGuillén + @RexWoodbury for the chart.

Calling All Misfits, Rebels, Trouble Makers and Round Pegs in Square Holes! 🚀 I'm on a mission to curate a LinkedIn experience that's equal parts inspiring, vulnerable, and transformative. I'm hunting for: Trailblazers who'll make your comfort zone feel like a distant memory 💥 Real-talk rebels brave enough to show the grit behind their glory 💪 Mind-benders who'll challenge you to level up in ways you never imagined 🧠 Let me ignite your inspiration with my current fab five: I'll kick things off with my current faves: Cindy Gallop - Your daily dose of unapologetic disruption. Warning: may cause sudden urges to smash glass ceilings. Kory Marchisotto - Master of the "Why didn't I think of that?" marketing move. Prepare for serious brand envy. Erin Gallagher- Serving up reality checks with a side of "Let's F***ing Go!" energy. No sugar-coating, just pure entrepreneurial fire. Lola Bakare - Pushing boundaries and serving up perspectives so fresh, they'll make your old ideas jealous. Brace for mind-expansion. Tori Dunlap - Turning financial literacy into a full-on movement. Empowering women to save $100K and stick it to the patriarchy. Remember: We're the average of the five people we orbit. So let's make every connection count! 💫 Drop your power five below and let's spark a chain reaction of growth, guts, and greatness.👊

This week on the podcast we talk about how unbranding is showing up in amazing ways in the new Knix campaign. And the power of a good apology with California Pizza Kitchen giving the master class. https://lnkd.in/dd_YrHUN

Sleep is Poised to Overtake Botox as the Ultimate Anti-Aging Solution Neurotech company, Elemind launched a headband that reportedly helped 76% of participants fall asleep faster. Given that sleep is the #2 health and wellness trend of 2024, this feels well timed. In the US, 78% of people are looking to improve their sleep. It’s an even bigger target market than Ozempic—just saying. Links and more trends, marketing, substack reads etc. in this week's letter https://lnkd.in/gY459xnF