Brian Solis Engage

The Promise, Kept

“One must have a good memory to be able to keep the promises that one makes.”

Friedrich Nietzsche

 

Brian Solis is one of our digital heroes.  He speaks the truth.  He understands the digital space like no other, and the opportunities it provides to businesses and people if its used in the right way.  Brian Solis is the best selling author of Engage, and The End of Business as Usual, two books we highly recommend if you are seeking a deeper understanding of the social and digital revolution.  He is a disruptor, and we heart disruptors that push to make things better.

While we read his blog daily, this one jumped out at both of us at the same time, without even knowing, and therefore, worth sharing.  “Dear (insert business name here), what is Your Promise”.  Many companies have mission statements and vision statements, many times written in a boardroom somewhere, but what is your Promise?

In today’s VERY NOISY social and digital space, people want to know you, what you stand for, what your promise to them is, and be ready, because today, you will, we all will, be held accountable thanks to Facebook, YELP, Foursquare, Twitter and all the other social spaces that people can speak their mind.

We hope you take the time to read this blog from Brian Solis, you will be very happy you did, as will your team and your customers.

(shared with LOVE from your passionistas Nina + Gordon)

Dad 1966

My Dad, My Hero.

The Final Analysis Prayer…Dad’s Favorite.

“People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.  Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.  Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.  Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten.  Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.”

Mother Teresa

Dad

This picture was taken in July 2011, Dad asked me to teach him how to use Twitter.  He always had a passion for technology (and Starbucks).  As a doctor, things such as pagers, cell phones (he had one of the first big clunky ones), and online medical research databases helped him save lives.  He also believed so much in the power of social and digital platforms for connecting people and was part of creating one of the first online communities for people in addiction recovery.

Dad 1966

This super cool handsome picture of Dad was taken in October 1966, the month and year I was born. I love this photo and am fascinated that we have taken to Instagram to get the look and feel of “old school” photography. Awesome.

My Dad and I also shared a passion for music.  For Fathers Day last year, he asked me to make him a Lady Gaga CD.  He had read about her in The Economist and Wall Street Journal online. At 74 years old, my Dad, the coolest guy on the planet, was asking for a Lady Gaga CD.  I made many CD’s for my Dad, but this one was extra special, and I had no idea at the time it would be the last CD I ever made for him.  He wrote me an e-mail after listening to it which said: “Born this Way, what a beautiful message. I think I’m becoming a little old monster”.  He even shared his new found love of Gaga with his fellow doctors.

On December 12, 2011, my Dad went to heaven and the world lost the greatest man I have ever known. I miss my Dad so much today, I miss him everyday.  He was the best Dad in the world, so kind, compassionate, smart and funny.  He was also so excited and supportive of Passion Squared, and even though he never got the chance to see us launch, I know how proud he would be of the work we are doing.

A special shout out of love and immense thanks to my partner in passion Gordon Miller for standing by my side through these incredibly difficult 6 months and for allowing me to honor my Dad today on our blog. I heart you Gordon, infinity and beyond.

Wishing all of the beautiful and awesome Dad’s a very Happy Fathers Day.

(shared with LOVE from your passionista Nina)

Lollipop Moments

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”

Mother Teresa

 

This inspiring video at TedxTalks by Drew Dudley completely re-frames the meaning of leadership, and shows that we all have the power to help change the world by making a single person’s life a bit more beautiful.  All it takes is a making a positive impact on one moment to one person, one day at a time.  WOW.

The amazing industry we play in everyday offers us all so many opportunities to create “lollipop moments” – whether it be for those entering our profession looking for direction, for peers in need of some mentorship, or even for our clients.

If it were not for those who created “lollipop moments” for us, we would not be where we are today, and so we are forever grateful to the people who created them for us.  Do you have a “lollipop moment”?  Think about it.

(shared with LOVE from your pasisonistas Nina + Gordon)