Black Business Clique’s Post

"Who'd win a fight between a bear and a crocodile?" When Rory O'Neill asked that question in a recent conversation, I wondered if I'd reached some creative nirvana where childlike wonder was relevant to my work. (Plot twist: It is, ask Rick Rubin.) But it wasn't playground rhetoric. It was a valuable lesson about positioning. The answer: "It depends where they're fighting." When choosing the battleground, go where you have the surest footing. For Aldi, that's price. For Liquid Death, that's edginess. For Ben & Jerry's, it's morals. Whatever the category, they're challenging the incumbents by changing the rules of engagement. And it's something we can all learn from – whether defining the narrative for a business or understanding what we personally bring to the table. P.S. No crocodiles were harmed in the making of the post. And I'm here for your "what would win between..." questions anytime.

All brands have blindspots. Here's 10 hard questions to stay on track. 1. Why do we believe X to be true? 2. What supports our belief in X? 3. Have any assumptions been made about X? 4. Who doesn't believe in X and why? 5. Who believes Y instead of X and why? 6. Can we strongman their argument for Y? 7. Can we straw man our argument for X? 8. Are any aspects of our beliefs dogmatic? 9. If yes, where exactly is the line between belief & dogma? 10. If no, what evidence do we have to support our decision? ∞ Got questions? DM.

Be objective. The third point in our charter says that by removing subjectivity when giving feedback you can greatly improve a review. Try to avoid focusing on your personal likes and dislikes but rather head back to the brief, the prop and the audience and let that guide your feedback. If our charter is resonating with you please consider signing it and sharing with your network. #loveourwork https://lnkd.in/gB_6naDr

Rule #1: No Jerks A few years ago, we formalized the Art of Procurement values, starting with our 'No Jerks' policy. (Read our values here: https://lnkd.in/e7z5pT7D) There is no amount of money or prominence of opportunity that justifies accepting less than courteous treatment - and we hold ourselves to that same standard. A recent article in The Wall Street Journal offers up new data that may prove our philosophy is the right one, and that being ‘nice’ does not doom us to finishing last. Cameron Anderson, Professor of Organizational Behavior at the University of California, Berkeley, measured the personalities of 457 college students and then followed their careers for 14 years. He found no connection between a propensity for being “disagreeable” and likelihood of business success. While jerks are more willing to seize power that sometimes leads to opportunities, PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THEM. You can’t get anything important done without strong, trust-based relationships. Procurement and supply chain professionals are constantly collaborating, motivating, and influencing without having control over the people we work with. Anderson’s research suggests that not having power over others actually protects us from becoming jerks. Our work naturally incentivizes us in the other direction. Score one for the nice guys. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ep7pAUUN #culture #values #team

Tapping into your values is an important way to figure out what makes you tick as a person and a brand. These values should also help you run your business in a certain way; they will make decision-making much easier. If you are struggling to develop your values, please send me a message, and I can send you a document with a list of them to help you narrow down what feels right to you. If you have discovered your core values, please share them in the comments! #lawfirmowner #lawfirmmarketing #lawfirmgrowth #legaltech

Good morning, mischief makers and mavericks!🌞 Let's unravel the mighty subject of Business Reputation, one stitch at a time, shall we? 💼Business reputation - sounds fancy, doesn't it? But it's just like your Mom’s meatloaf, you are known by how it tastes and smells. •Exceptional taste? Kudos! That’s good reputation and you’ll have guests on the regular. •A tad bit off? Well, you know what they say – word gets around quicker than a sneeze in a submarine. We could argue endlessly about what makes up a rock-solid reputation – quality of product or service? Ethics? Zeitgeisty brand image? But here’s a secret ingredient most juggernauts swear by: 🎢Ride that roller-coaster with your client. Their highs should stir up a corporate jig, their lows a brainstorming storm. Empathy and communication, folks! 💡Remember: • A sturdy reputation is built brick by innovative brick. • Reputation is as fleeting as a tweet on social media, handle it with the same care as a Fabergé egg. So, keep dazzling them, folks! Untangle the mundane, one stitch at a time. #BusinessReputation #RollerCoasterRide #Innovation

Worth a :20 read. Brand = reputation. The underlying principles are the same.

Looking to boost profits this summer? Consider trimming your product line to free up cash and shelf space, reduce management time, and simplify choices for your customers. Make strategic decisions to optimize your business. Click the link to read the whole article for FREE! #BusinessGrowth #WomenEntrepreneurs #TiffanyKyllmann https://bit.ly/3L8ubC8

"𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗿: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝗡𝗔 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗼𝗻, 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗴𝗹𝗲" by Scott Galloway Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google are the four most influential companies on the planet. Just about everyone thinks they know how they got there. Just about everyone is wrong. For all that’s been written about the Four over the last two decades, no one has captured their power and staggering success as insightfully as Scott Galloway. Instead of buying the myths these compa­nies broadcast, Galloway asks fundamental questions. How did the Four infiltrate our lives so completely that they’re almost impossible to avoid (or boycott)? Why does the stock market forgive them for sins that would destroy other firms? And as they race to become the world’s first trillion-dollar company, can anyone chal­lenge them? In the same irreverent style that has made him one of the world’s most celebrated business professors, Galloway deconstructs the strategies of the Four that lurk beneath their shiny veneers. He shows how they manipulate the fundamental emotional needs that have driven us since our ancestors lived in caves, at a speed and scope others can’t match. And he reveals how you can apply the lessons of their ascent to your own business or career. Whether you want to compete with them, do business with them, or simply live in the world they dominate, you need to understand the Four. #ProductivityBooks #SelfImprovementBooks #BusinessReading

We love our industry because it's a people biz. But that's not enough to build your brand Here are 4 reasons why: 1. Too many friends, too little space on the shelf 2. You can't assume your brand and their bar is a fit 3. You must create demand before you can capture it. 4. Emotional Relevance is not enough. Bring them Financial or Strategic Relevance. https://lnkd.in/eup59R6K