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An honest look at whether your business needs a refresh, a reinvention... or a graceful exit. Growing older is tough… especially on the ego. The other day I caught myself holding a menu farther away just to read the fine print. Then I made that little grunt sound while picking something up off the floor. When did that start happening? And don't even get me started on mirrors. I swear wrinkles reproduce overnight. The same meal I could eat ten years ago now seems to come with

Why the best marketers stay curious, challenge assumptions, and make better business decisions Dear Netflix, We've been together for years. You've seen my late-night binges, my Sunday afternoon documentaries, my occasional rom-com phase, and yes...that one reality show I watched because I had to. You know when I pause. You know what I have finished. You know what I abandon after 15 minutes. So, tell me...Why are you still recommending zombie apocalypse movies? (Actually

Here's a confession... Until recently, I wasn't much of a soccer fan. Sure, I'd watch a game here and there. But with all the excitement surrounding the FIFA World Cup 2026 being hosted right here in North America, I've found myself paying more attention. And the more I watch, the more I realize something: Winning teams aren't built around one superstar. They're built around teamwork and an integrated and coordinated strategy. The goalkeeper, defenders, midfielders, forwards,

(And Why Your Marketing Might Be Missing the Moment) Let me ask you something… Now that Coachella just wrapped-- have you noticed what happened? Because it’s kind of wild. Coachella has very clearly recovered from its post-pandemic ticket sales slump. And not just recovered… thrived. Secondary-market wristband prices were already out of control — even before the lineup was announced. And then? Add a little buzz from Justin Bieber… and things escalated even faster. And here’

So… like most Angelenos, I was ridiculously excited when Los Angeles landed the 2028 Olympics. I already had my fantasy Olympic experience mapped out: swimming, overpriced snacks, emotionally questionable parking decisions, and the full "I survived LA traffic for this?" experience. Then Olympic ticket registration opened. And suddenly, attending the Games started feeling less like an international sporting event... and more like surviving a dystopian reality show. First came

If you grew up in a Jewish household, you know there are two types of Passover conversations: Serious discussions about tradition and history Heated debates about whose matzah balls are the best And somewhere in that debate sits the real authority: The Bubbe. Because if Bubbe approves the matzah balls… you’ve achieved culinary immortality. But here’s the funny thing. That same concept— Bubbe approval —is exactly how some brands survive for 100+ years . And nowhere is that

(And honestly? That Might Be the Best Branding Compliment Ever) Okay, real talk. If you’ve ever been at a Passover table, you know there are only two types of conversation: Deep, meaningful discussions about history and tradition Slightly dramatic debates about whose matzah balls are superior And somewhere in the middle of all that… sits Bubbe. The final authority. The ultimate Yelp review. The human “Verified Buyer.” Because, if Bubbe approves? Game over. You win. Forever.

When it comes to AI, technology, and decision-making in your business — are you in training, an expert, grand master or using this force dangerously? AI is everywhere. Everyone’s using it. Few people are using it well . As a small business owner, the real question isn’t “Do you use AI?” It’s: How wisely are you using it? Welcome to AI Force Spectrum — What camp are you in? Padawan — In Training You’re a Padawan if: You dabble with AI for emails or ideas You’re unsur

Cue the dramatic music. On one side: AI the Hero — eliminating busywork, accelerating campaigns, unlocking insights once reserved for enterprise teams. On the other: AI the Villain — generic messaging, robotic customer interactions, and companies automating themselves into brand invisibility. So, which is it? From a marketing perspective, the answer is simple: AI is neither a hero nor a villain--it’s a force multiplier. And like any force multiplier, it only works if lea

He Delivered a Masterclass in Modern Marketing. I’ll admit it — like most marketing people, I don’t really watch the Super Bowl for football. I watch the ads, the positioning, the audience signals, and the big cultural swings brands take when 100+ million people are watching. And this year, the biggest marketing case study wasn’t a $10M commercial. It was Bad Bunny. By the time the halftime show ended, the question wasn’t just “Was that a good performance?” It was: Did we

Every February I watch the Super Bowl with two brains running in parallel — one enjoying the game and the other reverse-engineering the marketing strategy. With more than 125 million Americans watching and ad prices approaching $10 million for 30 seconds, the Super Bowl remains the most concentrated marketplace of attention in the country. But this year, the most interesting story wasn’t just which ads worked. It was the structural shift happening underneath the broadcast.

(A Growth Guide for Businesses Ready to Scale) I’ve always had a soft spot for medical dramas. Back in the day it was E.R., Doogie Howser M.D., and Scrubs among others . Now I’m hooked on The Pitt. At this point, I feel like I’ve completed several years of highly questionable “televised medical training.” So yes… I basically play doctor on myself. I’ve even caught myself walking into my actual doctor’s office saying, “I don’t know exactly what’s wrong, but I saw this on an

Explore the top marketing trends for small businesses in 2026, from AI and video to community and collaboration, with a fresh “New Lang Syne” perspective.

It’s that time of year again — hot cocoa season, twinkling lights everywhere, and that sacred holiday tradition: curling up on the couch to rewatch the same comfort movies where we say we’ll only watch one… and then accidentally binge three . And isn’t it funny how certain characters stick with us over time? Not just because they’re festive — but because we start to see ourselves in them. And let’s be honest… our businesses usually end up reflecting that energy too. Some year

“69 is now called 96 because of the economy.” Honestly? Accurate. Painfully accurate. And look — I felt that in my soul last week at Trader Joe’s , my happy place… normally. I walked in for “just a few things” (famous last words), grabbed my usuals — the “reduced fat” cheese puffs, the praline pecans, and of course, a bouquet of seasonal flowers I absolutely did not need — and somehow walked out $86 lighter. Eighty. Six. Dollars. For what used to be a $45 situation. Even th

Whenever someone says, “I’m a life insurance agent,” my survival instincts kick in. My heart races, my palms get sweaty, and suddenly I’m scanning for the nearest exit like I’m in a slasher film. Not because I don’t believe in life insurance—I do! But because I know what’s coming next: a slow, dramatic pitch designed to make me question whether I’ll live long enough to finish my Diet Coke. The Halloween Strategy: Fear First, Facts Later Life insurance marketing follows the s

Welcome to Nevermore (a.k.a. My Streaming Queue) Confession: I was surfing streaming last week when Wednesday blinked back at me (yes,...

I know I’m getting old because I remember sitting in the theater watching a 34-year-old Tom Cruise in the first Mission Impossible like...

Okay, full disclosure : I’m not a boxing fan. I don’t own gloves, I’ve never yelled “Hit him!” at a screen, and the closest I’ve come to...

I spent an afternoon with a friend who’s aiming to be the next big influencer—and I was exhausted just watching her . Every like,...