I’ve decided 2010 is my year to “be bold”. Enough of second guessing myself!  Enough of being too shy to ask for help!  Enough of being fearful of change!  I’m going to go after what I want, boldly, with no holds barred.

As leaders of organizations, we often have a hard time letting go of the past and pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone.  In that vein, I’m noticing other leaders who are being bold and I hope that some stories that I share through my … read more

People often wonder why designers spend so much time poring over the perfect color choice for a project. Does it really matter if a logo uses spring green over emerald green? Aren’t all greens created equally? The answer is no. What may seem whimsical or cosmetic actually requires a lot of deliberate thought. A good palette shouldn’t just look pretty, it should heighten the emotional and psychological meaning of your message.

Pantone, the global authority on color, recently unveiled turquoise as its Color of The Year for 2010. This … read more

Unless you are living under a rock, you have now heard about the 7.0 earthquake that hit Haiti early last week.  As the death toll continues to rise, our thoughts and prayers turn to the small country and our day to day grumblings seem to lessen.  Our complaints about traffic and bills seem to disappear as we hear heartbreaking stories of loss and inspiring stories of goodwill.

Just like many of you, I looked for a meaningful way to help.  My time was limited and my credit card number … read more

Tonight I’ll be on the final “Blue Ribbon Panel” for the City of Alexandria’s Strategic Planning efforts for Goal 1: There is Quality Development and Redevelopment, Support for Local Businesses, and a Strong, Diverse, and Growing Local Economy.

Throughout this process, my comments have been focused on two main points. One, we need a single core brand for our city. And two, for us to really change the way we’re perceived, we need to change the culture within City Hall.

Some people argue that … read more

Take a look at the YouTube video embedded in this post of an experiment conducted in Sweden.  In an effort to get more people to take the stairs, the experimenters developed a musical staircase, reminiscent of the giant keyboard in the late 80s film “Big.”  As a result, more people chose the stairs instead of the adjacent escalator. This got me thinking about the effect of fun on human behavior and how fun can impact our business strategy and, ultimately, our brand…. read more