Category: Owning a Niche

Counting Crows

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23 COMMENTS

My birdfeeder is back in action. I had to take last year off because our next-door neighbors were enjoying unwanted mouse visits in their basement. Apparently, birdseed is attractive to rodents as well as to birds (who knew?). The less of it nearby, the fewer mice to contend with. This summer, after doing some research, I discovered Wild Delight Sizzle N’ Heat Bird Food, and am back in business. This seed is loved by birds but, thanks to its spiciness, of no interest to rodents (again, who knew?). All good! Except… the crows have arrived. While […] Click to read more…

Simply *Not* the Best

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5 COMMENTS

Have you ever heard of a man named Braxton Key? Let me give you a hint: He’s a professional basketball player. Still not ringing a bell? Don’t feel bad. I had never heard of him either until I did some Googling (who says I don’t do research?). That’s because, among those who play in the National Basketball Association, Braxton Key stands out, skill-wise, for just one reason: He is arguably the worst player in the league. He plays for the Detroit Pistons – the team with the worst record this past season – and […] Click to read more…

I Hear You Knocking

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20 COMMENTS

Guess what I haven’t done in 35 years. If you said, “comb your hair,” I am going to give you partial credit. But no, the correct answer is, “go on a date.” That’s because this past Monday was the 35th anniversary of the day I met my wife, Linda, effectively ending my unremarkable career as a single man. Did we meet in college? No. Did we meet at a bar? No. Did we meet on MatchDotBumbleTinderHinge? Please. It was 1988. Ronald Reagan was president. LeBron James was just four years old and had […] Click to read more…

Coffee Shop Marketing 

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15 COMMENTS

Tell me if this sounds familiar… You’re sitting in a coffee shop with a friend or colleague who utters the following phrase: Can you recommend …  From there, it could be anything. … a tutor for my son? … a financial planner? … a facilitator for our offsite meeting? You close your eyes, give it some thought, and try to come up with the name of someone who might be a match. Congratulations, you have just lived an example of word of mouth. One person with a problem asks another person […] Click to read more…

Lines in the Marketing Sand

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21 COMMENTS

(Listen to this post, here.) Question: How do you know if your best friend is a vegan? Answer: He’s already told you. I don’t know why, but there’s something about participating in veganism that compels a person to share it with everyone (the same appears to be true for CrossFit). And, since you and I have gotten to be pretty close, I am sharing it with you now: I am a vegan. As of next week, it will be exactly one year. Please don’t write to commend me for my commitment to […] Click to read more…