My story might lead you to rethink

Last night I had the “final-push” chat with my supporter and silent co-founder, on what we’re about to deploy. We were reflecting on our worldview, businesses, ideas, people and were wondering what’s next. At 23:10 exactly, I’ve decided to transfer our discussions in this article for all of you, and also make it the launch of my website.

Corporate world in disarray

Managers’ internal politics, incompetence, fear of losing the ‘status-quo’ (still) kill brands, outcomes, sales growth, and investments for the Economy 4.0. No one worries much (besides protecting their job) because they have huge replenishment resources’ pools.

Believe me, I’ve lived through this context. I was talking to people and their minds were flocking into “who’s going to be next” and “let it be, as is” (routine-mode). Only my peers can testify what I’ve done, every single day, innovating, presenting to Boards, flying from place to place to add value, being hands-on, always in supportive approach.

The transformation will kill old models, attitudes, and arrogance. It will give birth to a new value set. In such a context, if you stay ‘as you were’, you risk of becoming obsolete, complacent, heavy, without a spark inside …like the sparks we had inside us when we were young to learn, achieve, be top at the game.

The medium-sized businesses was my first stop

According to EU, they are the backbone – the huge part (10-50 full-time employees) of our economies. In the last 4 months, from chat to chat (trying also to figure out myself what’s at stake with them), I listened carefully to 36 owners (e-shops, exporters, service integrators, digital services). I got terrified. They are “trapped” into a routine.

No progress, no culture in place, and the greatest: they’re not learning anymore. They risk going out of the Economy 4.0. No, I’m not biased by my former global role. Before that, I was also chasing little customers…

On the other hand, I admit that I’ve felt for them. It was obvious from their examples that a bunch of great salesmen (consultants, coaches, developers, CRM developers, all the digital guru ‘clan’, and IT support) is sucking their energy and resources out. You can’t imagine how many failed projects I’ve heard…

Then, checked to my dear agency world

I contributed to 3 PR projects to three different agencies as an external resource, to test the grounds. When you contribute with a simple project idea to a young PR exec and instead of feeling back the spark, you receive a ‘clerical’ email “Thank you, that’s great.” without when, what, how… there’s nothing more to say. Thank you, Ericsson, for putting so much pressure on me for 7 years and for making me rejuvenate my competence.

Then, when you talk to the agency bosses -who own an overall good strategy view- you feel that their plan isn’t ownable by the team. Them you hear the same old stories: young=inexperienced; senior=no initiatives; customer=always to blame.

Be independent, see clearly

Being independent, I can be vocal and loud: there’s no ‘silo’ advertising, marketing, PR, or digital field anymore. All blend into one view. From the marketer to the agency creative guy. Functional views might be the claimed ground of agencies fighting for market share. Take it from a professional who just a year ago planned a global platform having 8 global agencies with different expertise around the same table…

We live in the era just before bots, A.I, and automation takes the high ground; in this ‘war’, we have Service excellence, Creativity, Personalized experiences off-and-online (for the economy) and a strategic sharpness to combine all (Marketing & Communications). Just because some owner is offered a good FB page-only handling or a great woocommerce solution, he or she won’t be saved in the next 5 years.

What kept me sound, was my market audit

Being in this career transition and while facilitating my first consulting projects, I’ve done 360 personal discussions with former customers, peers, partners sampling from business owners, marketers, and startups. What a bless! Hear, think, check, cross-check, combine, get insights, rehearse and test your ideas against all these. But primarily hear… (read here my respective blog post).

Go-to-market. You might even start some mutually beneficial alliances (ah! let me not forget this: although synergies and partnerships are needed the most, still you don’t see it often around – egos and arrogance still rule).

I wasn’t getting discouraged anymore

After my audit, my refreshed energy was hitting red! I started waking-up 06.00 every morning, inspired with the coming step in my project plan (mind you: my OneNote has now 250 pages: content, ideas, podcast themes, partnership proposals, new business pitch proposals for agencies and many more). I started worrying (that’s a healthy sign!!) again about my costs, how to combine two appointments, what the taxation policy says about the X issue, and if I noted the Z idea down. I felt again as when I was creating stuff at my first creative agency back in 90’s.

I was getting feedback and support and encouragement. It was time for “Borrow my Brain” to take form, competing against those that have destroyed companies, brands, people, and careers. Competing against the copy-paste plagiarism. Bring lack originality. The spark was alive again.

My friends only know that I’ve disappeared from social media, writing articles, or sharing content. A bit the corporate fatigue, a bit the burden of negative news. A bit the thought “why am I writing for others?” “Borrow my Brain” started taking new forms: company, logo, domain, blog, expert content, e-books and much more in the plan.

It doesn’t matter how much you make unless you have a purpose

My customers loved me, for 16years in the ad business, because I was proving (not just saying it) to them, that I’m not after their pocket, but after their results. If you have a vision and results, then the money will follow. The exact same principle here.

Yes, we should make a decent living. But there shouldn’t be affiliates, networks, hidden costs. Simply work for your Customer’s Growth, tell the bloody truth, and add value (actionable); otherwise, we’ll all go to ruins together.

Make Paradox your marketing friend

I am sure that you have been exposed to Eric Ries’ “WHY”. So, I’ve asked myself the same “WHY” for the commercial policy of my new journey. “What if we don’t work for a high (niche) premium?”; “What if Consulting would be affordable for anyone in the EU markets, smashing the paradox “(you can’t offer sophistication if it doesn’t cost .000000”); “What if we leave ‘naked’ those competitors charging triple-price for the one-third of the value we will give?”; “What if we ask for less than the (‘fraud’) internet seminars and we combine actionable ideas on Growth marketing + Storytelling + Digital Transformation, all connected in one view, one plan?”