Time to Stop
I’m coming back from a two-week trip to Peru. It wasn’t a touristy trip. It was something more like a family-related/investment-focused expedition. In order words, no Machu Picchu for me this year (I heard it wasn’t for sale anyway).

Although the trip was physically exhausting, it turned out to be emotionally and spiritually very beneficial. I didn’t find God or anything like that, but it allowed me to step back and reassess my priorities. It’s crazy how we all get caught in those vicious circles. Whether you’re a corporate athlete or an online geek, it’s so easy to get lost and think that we’re doing something meaningful because everybody else is doing it.

Therefore, just like many of you do during the holiday season, I spent some time to reflect on what I had accomplished or failed to accomplish during the year. It’s always good to review where we are and where we want to go. There are many ways to measure your progress, just like Guillebeau’s here. The year 2010 turned out to be pretty intense! I like to call it the “Year of Transition”… with a capital T (it sounds big and more serious that way).

During that “year”, I slowly got used to taking care of a baby 24/7 and thinking less about my little person. I got involved in a number of interesting projects focused on corporate social responsibility, communication strategy and social media.

Obviously, I launched Waliq Factory, which evolved quite a lot since my first few posts. I launched it, in the first place, to share my thoughts on what meaningful communication could be today and help you be the best that you can be.

Even though there’s lots of room for improvement, I’m quite proud of what I’ve accomplished. I’m particularly proud of having acted on my ideas while accepting to live with all the uncertainty that comes with any big project. I’m done with just talking. As Nathan Hangen so eloquently says, “ideas are useless unless you learn to execute.”

Waliq Factory: Reloaded
Waliq Factory will continue to evolve. I like the blogging world and the entrepreneurial spirit that surrounds it. And I truly enjoy being able to express myself through this new channel.

In the next few weeks, I’ll launch an upgraded and revamped Waliq Factory. A blog closer to who I am and more focused on whom I can help out. It’s going to be a Waliq Factory better tailored to my “ideal reader.” And I’ll make sure that I don’t forget to always have fun in the process.

In the meantime, I want to thank you for stopping by and wish you all the best for 2011!

Art Print by colorbee

Imprisoned Thoughts by vincenzorizzo

Seeing Beyond False Choices
Have you ever been told that you couldn’t do something because it was not the way things were done? Usually, when I hear that, I like to answer that things will change from now on. I know. It sounds pretty condescending, but that’s really not my intention. I just think that sometimes (not always), we need to question longstanding practices. The world would never evolve otherwise. Don’t you think?

Imagine if France’s King Louis XVI had told the masses: “Sorry guys but you can’t rebel and proclaim a republic. It’s just not the way things are done around here.” And then imagine the masses responding: “Oh… sorry… we didn’t know. We didn’t get the memo. We’re really sorry your Highness. We’ll try to figure out a way to put your head back on.”

Obviously, I’m not talking about starting a revolution. I’m thinking more t a smaller scale. Just like when I’m ironing out my shirts. I’m thinking regional.

I’m sure you’ve seen that this-is-the-way-things-are attitude when you tried to change something that people had been doing in a certain way for a while. But you’ll also get it when you discuss what many people call, false choices.

The Environment or the Economy
Let’s take the whole environment versus economy debate. That’s a great example of a false choice. Can we afford to protect the environment? If we do, aren’t we going to destroy our economy and lose even more jobs?  There’s always a third or a fourth option. There’s always an in-between solution. There’s always another angle or way to look at the challenge.

That’s why people are investing in green technologies. That’s why some companies are improving their environmental performance. And if you consider that commodities are part of the environment, this debate becomes surreal and a big waste of time.

Profitability or Social Responsibility
Another debate revolves around the attempt to reconcile profits with social responsibility. At first, some stuck with Milton Friedman and said that the business of business was business, while others argued that it could be done but at a significant cost.

Over the past few years, however, people have discovered a third argument: being socially responsible could actually mean being more profitable. Tadam! Reducing your energy consumption and waste generation has a direct positive impact on your bottom line. Being socially responsible could also mean being more competitive.

Got it? There’s no conflict. It works. Magic!

Taking the leap

Can by vincenzorizzo

Frequently (“all the time” would be more accurate), we don’t believe something is possible simply because we cannot conceive it in our mind. We all do it. I do it. The monarchists could not conceive a republic. That’s not what they knew. And what they knew worked (according to them obviously).

Can you conceive an economy that would not be based on growth? I can’t. Not yet. But I’m open to suggestions, if you have any. Some days, I feel exactly like Louis XVI… although without the money, the crown, and the attachment to absolute monarchy.

The trick is to be able to reconsider continuously the way we do our projects and think about our business. We have to constantly remind ourselves of the need to question the status quo. We’ve got to take the leap, take some risks, and storm our own little Bastille.

Word Art Print by NayArts

When we grow up, we tend to become boring. It’s a fact. No need to argue. It feels like if we have too much fun, people won’t take us seriously. I know. I work in the Corporate World. And do you know what? I got news for you! It’s the same damn thing in the not-for-profit world.

As our ego grows bigger, being funny becomes a nasty characteristic. And then we make a big mistake. We start confusing being funny with being unprofessional. In business, that’s a sad mistake to make.

In a communication strategy, it’s blasphemy.

We Are Big Shots
As business people, we all want to be taken seriously – as in being respected, recognized among our peers. We are “competing” for customers. We want to be seen as great professionals.  People you can count on. Result-oriented individuals who are extremely customer focused and who know how to get things done.

That’s understandable. Business owners put a lot of energy in their projects. For some of them, it’s all they have. This is serious stuff. But we also tend to get ahead of ourselves. Our business is serious. We are big shots and, big shots don’t make fools of themselves, right?

In business communication, the result is often a really boring piece that nobody wants to read.

Yet, there are several reasons why we should be more fun in our communications.

1. It’s a Competitive Advantage and Will Make Us Stand Out
Peer pressure can be very bad. Some days when I wake up, I feel that it’s the second greatest evil on earth after non-stop news. We are terrified to do something different for fear of being ostracized or just being laughed at. We end up being just like everyone.

A friend of mine pointed out to me a great Inc. Magazine article on the topic a while ago. In his article, Jason Fried mentioned some great examples of boring business writing, such as full-service solutions provider and cost effective end-to-end solutions. He could have added we strive to provide our clients with value-added advice and strategic services and bla bla bla.

In business, adding some humour to your communication can certainly help you stand out and differentiate yourself from the competition.

Fried’s article notably mentioned the following examples, which made me laugh for a few minutes (which is a lot for me because I usually tend to smile instead of laughing out loud). The article refers to how Saddleback Leather, a San Antonio-based company, explains its guarantee.

All of our products are fully warranted against all defects in materials and workmanship for 100 years. If you or one of your descendants should have a problem, send it back to me or one of my descendants and we’ll repair or replace it for free or we’ll give you a credit on the website (be sure to mention the warranty in your will).

Would you be turned off by this? Would that really funny way of communicating make you question a purchase at Saddleback Leather? I doubt it. When I read that, I instantly thought that they were probably ahead of the pack. That’s good for branding.

Word Art Print by NayArts

2. Being Funny Makes You Personable
Big corporations will often tell you that they can’t produce entertaining communications because they’re serious businesses. They make big money, they have demanding shareholders, and they can’t just start having fun because their competition doesn’t either.

I disagree. If done well, people will find your touch of humour refreshing and original. Today, governments and corporations are suffering from a serious problem of trust. Humour can only help.

Don’t you fell comfortable when you’re meeting someone who doesn’t take himself too seriously. What do you say when you meet someone famous or “important” and, he gives you that impression? You’re elated, thrilled, ecstatic (thanks thesaurus). You go back home and tell everyone that Mr. X is so cool and personable. You tell them that you were expecting a jerk and ended up discovering a friendly human being.

That’s the power of humour dear readers. There’s no need to play games. There’s no need to put a social mask and do, as Corbett Barr mentioned, confuse professionalism with seriousness. Whether you are a 60-billion corporation, a freelancer or a 5th grader, communicating with fun and personality will help you connect with other people.

3. Humour Helps Us Catch our Public’s Attention
People like to laugh. Start your presentation with a joke and you will significantly increase your chances of getting their attention. Add a few jokes here and there and you will significantly increase your chances of keeping their attention.

That’s life. That’s human nature.

When I started my career, I used to enjoy going to conferences and business luncheons. Today, not so much. I got burned by all these bright and boring speakers.

People have a life and other important things to do. They don’t need more boring business communications or another uninspiring presentation. They got enough already. A quick joke can do the trick. Johnny B. Truant is particularly good at it and has done it right here. I know, Johnny B. Truant is not Jeffrey Immelt, but still. You get the point.

Warning
Obviously, I feel the need to add a warning to all of this. It’s probably the lawyer in me. Don’t confuse being funny with being stupid. Making a bad joke is fine. Making many bad ones is not fine.

Business people are not used to release entertaining communications. Doing it one step at a time is definitely the best way to go.

Your Funny Stories
Do you have other great examples like the one from the Inc. Magazine article? Please share them in the comments. I’d love to read them.

Word Art Print by NayArts

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I tend to organize things that I have to do into categories: things to buy, posts to write, projects to develop, trips to plan, etc. Personally, I believe that it’s a good way to organize my work and accomplish a lot. If I don’t do so, I feel overwhelmed and have no clue where to start.

If you are developing an online business or a blog, chances are you also have structured your to-do list the exact same way: product planning, marketing, customers service, administration, content creation.

We structure our work like that because that’s what people do. That’s what we were taught. That’s the way we’re “supposed” to manage our businesses.

When you look at larger businesses, the story is the same:
- Finance does the counting
- Communication does the talking
- HR does the recruiting

This creates an unfortunate consequence: it forces our mind to think in silos.

I know you know that silos are bad. Silos have become an inherently pejorative term. Silos are so 1980s. Silos break creativity and effective communication. We all know that a silo is genuinely a bad concept, unless you’re in the grain business.

And since most of us are not in the grain business, we gotta watch ourselves!

This so-called time-management technique can quickly become a double-edged sword. It can screw up our plans and prevent us from making strategic decisions. Here’s how.

Your To-Do List Achilles’ Heel
Let’s take marketing for instance. We usually market to sell. We don’t market thinking about after-sales service. The same happens with communications. We develop a communication plan and try to get our key messages across. We position ourselves to get a contract or establish new relationships. But we do it without thinking about how to improve our cashflow.

We build nice little columns (we sometimes even add colors to them. I like colors.) and line up all the important and not-so-important tasks that we want to get done.

And then what? We do complete our tasks. We do them individually. We may even do them well. But we miss on something.

Getting Beyond the Sum of Their Parts
What if instead we asked ourselves how to build products that would speak for themselves? What if we used our marketing budget to invest in the community? Wouldn’t that be more powerful than any fancy and expensive marketing campaign? Wouldn’t that bridge the gap between our marketing claims and who we want to be?

Our to-do list takes us away from the right mindset. We stop looking at the big picture. We become obsessed with the next item on the list. We stop thinking strategically. We build a silo and forget to sow the grain.

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I watched an interesting and provocative documentary last week: South of the Border, by Oliver Stone. The film shows Stone travelling through Latin America to interview seven of its presidents: Venuzuela’s Chávez, Bolivia’s Morales, Brazil’s da Silva, Argentina’s Kirchner, Paraguay’s Lugo, Ecuador’s Correa, and Cuba’s Raúl Castro.

The documentary created some waves in the U.S. mainly because Stone presents Chávez under a very different light than what we are used to see in Western media. He doesn’t look like a dictator. In fact, he appears rather personable and even funny.

But what really caught my attention was how these seven presidents spoke their minds so candidly during the interviews. And most of them sounded sincere. They expressed their opinions without the restraint to which we’re used to with North American and European politicians. Regardless of the message they had to share, I found that candidness quite refreshing.

Obviously, being open has its dangers. There’s a reason why Chávez is perceived by many as a dictator. He says everything he has on his mind. Any wise married man knows that it’s a recipe for disaster. And this applies equally to politics. Still, there’s a big difference between being incendiary and being open. The communication world needs more of the latter.

The Cost that Comes with the Art of Saying Nothing
With the rise of non-stop news, politicians and business leaders have developed, as a defense mechanism, the art of saying nothing. Nobody can criticize you for something you have said, if you always manage to say nothing, right?

It may be clever in the short term. But in the longer term, it will probably feel more like a Pyrrhic victory. Decades of over-protected communications have led to diluted messages, vague declarations, and empty and meaningless words.

The worst consequence of this trend is the growing public cynicism. And this is far more dangerous than criticism for you not only lose your credibility among your detractors, you also stand the risk of losing it among your own supporters.

There’s a need to be open. Say something meaningful. Walk the talk. Align words with deeds. Take some risks. Something that neither North American or Latin American politicians have been particularly good at in the past.

What’s Your Take?

How’s your communication strategy? Have you noticed any empty words? Do you think that we can realistically expect leaders to speak more openly with the media that we have today?

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The idea of having a bucket list has become quite popular recently. The Hollywood movie certainly contributed to that, but the concept is not new. Many personal-development books talk about some sort of a bucket list. The concept is simple. You put down on paper a list of things you would like to achieve or experience before you die.

Personally, I like the concept because it forces us to define what we really want in life and keeps us focused on reaching these goals. However, I noticed, with the growth of lifestyle design and personal development blogs and books, a trend that is making me uncomfortable. The tendency to focus on “things.”

Your bucket list is your bucket list. I’m not challenging that. You put whatever you want on it. However, I still think that at some point we need to ask ourselves the question: Is our bucket list just a list of selfish endeavors?

The Missing Element: Others
I’m asking that question for a simple reason. When we start building a bucket list, we usually add all of the craziest adventures we’ve dreamed of: skydiving naked with a beer, riding a horse across the Mongolian plains with a Genghis Khan costume or screaming “I’m the king of the world” while on a cargo ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

These are the ideas that come to mind quite easily (OK, skydiving naked with a beer may not be for everyone). But if we stop there, our list becomes an enumeration of self-centered things to accomplish.

While these dreams all have their own merit, they lack an element that is crucial to making our life better and more exciting: serving other people than ourselves. I’m not talking about becoming Mother Theresa. I’m just reiterating what scientists have already discovered, namely, that giving is key to our happiness.

Did Someone Mention the Word Legacy?
I remember reading a great tip about goal setting in Stephen Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Covey explains that to define what you really want to achieve in life, you should start by the end of it. That’s right. Start with your own death and ask yourself: How would I like to be remembered? What would I like people to say about me at my funeral?

This is particularly important when we start thinking about leaving a legacy. In your case, would you like people to remember that you climbed the Everest three times, ran sixty-five marathons and scuba dived in Alaska? I doubt it. That would be half of the story.

You’ll probably want them to remember that you encouraged people to go above and beyond the expected, that you fought for a cause, that you helped someone live a better life, and that you taught valuable lessons to your peers. You’ll want them to remember that you contributed to something bigger than just yourself.

Hell is NOT Other People
The French philosopher and writer Jean-Paul Sartre wrote in a play that hell was other people (l’enfer c’est les autres). He meant that other people (through their presence, actions, and words) could really make your life a hell on earth. He’s obviously right.. well… to a certain extent. Most people would agree that life would be meaningless without other people around. Without the ones with love, learn from and appreciate.

This is why you go to a concert with a bunch of friends, not alone. This is why you support your friends in times of hardship. This is why you develop and cherish relationships. Because other people DO matter. And because they matter, they deserve a big and bright spot on your bucket list.

I’ve done the exercise myself and realized that visiting Vietnam, buying a villa in Central America and learning Kung Fu (I know, I got tempted by the new Karate Kid) were not completely in line with the legacy I want to leave. That’s why I added things like opening a school for disadvantaged kids in Peru and giving conferences on developing critical thinking skills.

What Are the Options?
If you realize that your bucket list is in fact a list of selfish endeavors and want to change it, you have a few options.

1. Choose the destination
Sit down and take some time to think about the legacy that you want to leave. Follow Covey’s advice and clearly define how you would like people to remember you. What will you do to be all that you can be? Including crazy dreams is fine, but you may also want to think about how you can serve.

2. Choose the itinerary
Now that you know were you want to go, you need to find the best way to get there. Look at your bucket list and examine what is missing. Ask yourself if achieving the goals you’ve set for yourself will bring you closer to your chosen destination. Think about aligning your skills and interests with other people’s needs.

3. Live the dream
With clearer means and better defined objectives, you need to walk the talk now. Most importantly, you need to enjoy. I’ve seen many people (myself included) putting so much pressure on themselves to be perfect and save the world. For me, a bucket list should be a tool to help us achieve our dreams and go beyond the expected, not a attempt to impress our peers or a sure way to burn yourself out.

What’s on your bucket list?
Please share in the comments what’s on your bucket list. I’d be interested to see if your list has evolved over time along with your hopes and expectations? Is it in line with the legacy you want to leave?

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Original photo by pasukaru76

Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link, although it’s there, first and foremost, because it’s a great book!

I’m sure you have friends who constantly rant about the big bad corporations. They tell you that corporations are inherently evil. That they just want to make a quick profit even if it means harming people or the environment. They give you the example of oil companies. They tell you that these companies destroy the planet and have governments start wars so that they can make even more money.

Some of it is true. But the annoying part with this kind of discourse is that it often comes from people who have two big cars. It comes from those very people who buy, every day, that gas that these allegedly “evil” corporations are producing. If we were nasty, we could say that they’re the evil customers buying from evil companies. That’s a lot of evilness.

My point here is not that you should get rid of your car. My point is that you should carefully look at yourself before starting to point fingers at others.

The dark side of the blogging industry
Now let’s look at the blogging industry. Because yes, it has become an industry. Blogging is still a little bit of a mess. There’s no real rules or standards yet. People are doing pretty much whatever they want. And although it’s great on the one hand, it seriously sucks on the other.

Bloggers have to accept the reality. Just like Spiderman! With big powers come big responsibilities. The web will obviously be a better place with more responsible blogging.

Responsible Marketing
Let’s start with marketing. Some bloggers will tell you that they’re not spammers. Yet, the way they market their products tells a whole different story. They’ll tell you that they have the most freakin-hot-never-ever-seen-on-the-face-of-the-planet offer for you, and that they’re so excited about it that they peed in their pants because they really couldn’t wait to tell you.

Although they have the right to get excited, being willing to promise almost anything to make a sale can become an issue.

Jordan Cooper recently picked on those who claim to be able to increase conversions by a million percent. He’s so right. And there’s plenty of examples like that out there. That’s not being a responsible marketing. And in the end, it’s not business wise, it’s short-sighted.

Responsible Sourcing
With the rising popularity of books such as Tim Ferris’ 4-Hour Workweek, people have discovered the potential of outsourcing for individuals and small businesses. They’ve realized that part of their work could be done by somebody else and at a cheaper price. The concept is great. I do it myself.

The thing is, some people got it wrong. Outsourcing is a useful way to improve your productivity. It’s not a blanket approval to pay virtual assistants next to nothing because they happen to live in Bangladesh.

Obviously, the minimum wage in Bangladesh is much lower than in the West. It’s actually about 43$ a month. That doesn’t mean you should pride yourself of having paid two bucks for a 1000-word articles. Increasing you productivity and providing work to people is great. Not paying them fairly is retarded.

Responsible Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is an amazing concept. It’s similar to the idea of sharing profits with your “employees.” It’s actually a concept that many corporations still don’t get. However, affiliate marketing requires a certain level of transparency.

Why would bloggers want to hide their affiliate links? Why would some bloggers be ready to sell products that they know nothing about? Why would someone recommend a product that he hasn’t tried himself?

There’s nothing wrong with getting a commission from an affiliate sales. It’s not as if the customers were paying more to get the product from you, right? So let them know.

It’s time to Step Up Spiderman!
I’m not trying to be more Catholic than the pope here. I’m just trying to point out that some elements of the blogging industry require a greater sense of responsibility. People around the world are asking for more transparency and accountability from corporations. It’s not because bloggers have smaller businesses that they shouldn’t strive to behave more responsibly.

What’s Your Take?
Have you witnessed questionable blogging practices? What do you think bloggers should be carefully with? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Photos by Steve Keys and Esparta

Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link, although it’s there, first and foremost, because it’s a great book!

If you’re a small business owner or an entrepreneur, you may think that communication plans are only useful for multinationals doing offshore drilling or for politicians caught in a prostitution scandal.

Well, I got some interesting news for you.

What if I told you that a well-designed communication plan could help you land more sales and recruit better employees?

The rationale is simple. Customers and employees tend to be more loyal to businesses that they respect and who provide them with good value. Obviously, we’re assuming here that you are managing your business well. Not 1980s management. We’re talking about 21st century management.

You’re selling innovative, reliable and safe products or services. No BS or thousands of pages of small prints. You take care of your customers before AND after the sales. You try to make your business as environmentally friendly as possible, etc.

Now let’s look at how a communication plan can get you more sales and help you recruit better employees.

Your Customers Care About You
What has become clear in the past decade is that consumers increasingly care about who they’re buying from. Most people are still looking for the lowest price, but more and more, they’re willing to make exceptions when they end up dealing with an ‘evil’ company. Take for instance the rise of fair trade. People are willing to pay more to support better business practices.

If you have a good communication plan, you’ll be able to build on that trend and establish your reputation as one of the companies who walk the talk. (If you don’t walk the talk, you need something else than a communication plan. But that’s another story on which I’ll get back in another post.)

If you don’t tell your customers that they can trust you, nobody will. Give them concrete examples so that they know you’re being transparent. Little by little, you’ll establish your reputation as an honest and caring company.

Doing business in a responsible manner will give you a competitive advantage. Letting people know that you do business in a responsible manner will land you more sales.

If They Know You, They’ll Recommend You
That one is obvious. Any good marketer will tell you to get recommendations. If you offer a great service and treat your customers AND the community well, people will recommend you without hesitation. That’s free advertisement. And in the longer term, that’s additional sales.

Offering good products and services alone won’t get you more recommendations. People have to know you. You don’t recommend someone you’ve just met. You usually need more information about them. You want to know their story.

The same applies to your business. Share your story.

More Respect = Better Employees
If you put the recession aside for a moment, you’ll notice that there’s a growing trend in the labor market. People generally want to work for a company that they respect and admire. Just look at how Google manages to attract new talents.

Employees play a big role in the success or failure of a business. Anybody who has managed employees knows that it requires work, patience, and commitment. Managing bad employees is even more time consuming.

You should then aim to become the employer of choice in your community. To borrow Seth Godin’s idea, you want to be the best in the world – at least in your future employee’s world.

To get there, they must know as much as possible about you and understand exactly what you stand for.

Do People Know the Real You?
We often say that action speaks louder than words. I know, I said it myself. But sometimes, action alone is not enough. How many entrepreneurs do amazing work but don’t get any credit for it?

You’ve probably felt it yourself one day… or many days. People don’t always know about all the efforts your investing and all the great projects you’re trying to develop. This can be extremely frustrating. There’s a way to turn that around: communication plan.

With a simple and well-targeted communication plan, you can make sure that the perception that people have of your business is as close as possible to the reality. In other words, you want to get the credit for all of your efforts.

How Do You Align Perception with Reality?
There are many strategies and tactics in communication. But to keep it simple, there’s one thing you have to do: Get out and tell your story.

Meet the people in your community, tell them about the way you do business, explain the kind of challenges that you face, and share some of your experiences.

The secret here is in the tone. Note that I used the verb “tell”, “explain”, and “share”. There’s a reason why I chose those terms over others like “promote”, “lobby”, and “brag about”. The objective is to spread the words, not make a sale or explain how magnanimous you are.

This can be a hard thing to do for entrepreneurs or small business owners who are often operating in “marketing mode” almost 24/7.

If you’re on of those, here is an easy trip. Imagine that you’re having dinner with friends you trust and that they’re asking about how your business is going? You’d probably focus on the facts, tell them the issues you’ve had recently and mention some ideas you are considering implementing. You wouldn’t make a sales pitch, would you? No, you would have a normal conversation. That’s what you want to do with your communication plan.

If you don’t know where to start or need help to develop your communication plan, let us know. We’ll be glad to help.

What’s Your Plan?
Do you have communication plan for your business? Let us know in the comments below if you’ve ever implemented one and if you’ve seen any impact on your sales or workforce.

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I came across many bloggers and entrepreneurs who are marketing their talents remarkably well. God, they rock! They’re doing a good use of their passions and putting their skills to the service of others in a very particular way. Their energy is contagious, and they find creative ways to showcase what they have to offer.

Getting to that level is not easy. To do so, we need to have a little discussion with ourselves and answer a few questions.

What do we want?
Has someone ever asked you what you wanted in life? That’s a pretty hard question to answer. We all know what we DON’T want? We don’t want a boring job or to be imprisoned by other people’s aspirations. We also all know that we want enough money to enjoy life, be healthy and happy. But that’s still vague. Far too vague.

Answering the same question for our business is as difficult. Danielle Laporte touched on part of that question a while ago. We usually want our business to thrive while enjoying what we do. But that’s vague too, isn’t? We struggled ourselves, trying to figure out exactly where we wanted to go. But the horizon is clearing out.

Here is how we proceeded. We make choices based on our values. Easy. Guts feeling. We define our goals based on our passions and convictions. We build a business that focuses on solving people’s needs using our own style. Authentic, creative and unconventional.

Who are we after?
This led us to narrow down who we were really after. The right people we want to reach. Those who we can meaningfully help. We are reaching out for those of you who are looking for new ways to manage their business; those of you who think that marketing doesn’t have to be a bunch of empty words.

We are reaching out for those of you who want to develop, not only a thriving business, but also a sustainable one; those of you who want to see more inspiration in communication.

We are reaching out for those of you who have great talents but don’t know how to promote them without feeling that they are bragging about themselves; those of you who seek unconventional ideas to solve conventional needs.

How to connect?
Having a better understanding of our destination and who we want to travel with helps find ways to connect. And these days, there’s so much happening online that makes finding like-minded people much easier.

We’re planning ourselves a few activities for those of you who want to share their ideas about inspiring communication, responsible marketing, and sustainable business. We’ll keep you posted and make sure that we get your input before going live.

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Photo by Vincent Lock

I made a quick stop at the British Museum yesterday. There are stunning pieces of human history and culture in there. The Egyptian mommies are particularly impressive and the Asian galleries are my favorites.

Yet, while I was wandering in the different galleries, I couldn’t get a question out of my mind. Why do we still accept that in 2010? Museums are the only place where we allow thieves to publicly display what they looted.

That’s right. Most of the artifacts that are exhibited in the museum were stolen hundreds of years ago by representatives of the British Empire. People carved great sculptures out of the rock and shipped them back to England.

The endorsement
Of course, we may well have done the same thing a hundreds of years ago. I’m not saying that our ancestors should have been wiser or more open minded. They did what they did in the context of the era they lived in. I don’t want to pick on my British friends either.

What I’m questioning is our tacit and continued endorsement of their actions. It’s as if we were saying that the gravity of a crime decreases as the time goes by. If you stole something a hundreds years ago, you’re fine. It doesn’t count.

Obviously, the British Museum is not alone in that situation. There are plenty of other examples.

Should we return everything that was stolen in the gazillion wars that occurred in human history? I doubt we could figure it out. Saying that it’s the way it was, the way it is, and the way it ever shall be is no longer enough. Some established practices need to be questioned and the status quo needs to be shaken up.

The Lesson
There’s a lesson to learn from this. In many other areas of our lives, we tend to accept things because they’ve always been this way. We live and go with the flow. Whether at work or in our personal lives, we frequently accept the unacceptable because we are told that it’s the way life is.

I believe that we need to question longstanding practices more frequently. The world has evolved because someone somewhere refused to accept the way things were. Just like Fabian Kruse explained in one of his recent posts, “we are free to take our lives into our hands every single day.” We are also free to change the world every single day.

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 Original photos by  seriykotik1970 and Peter Rivera