Thought Leadership Is Dead
Thought leadership is dead. Long past its peak. Or at least, it could easily seem that way. The term is so overused that it seems meaningless. It has become a buzzword. But, there is still enormous value in the concept. Business audiences want: Insights on the trajectory of trends in their industry (emerging, rising, sustaining, […]
People Are Humans, Not Targets
Marketers like to ask questions like “what is the client/customer’s pain point?” You know what it often is? It’s burnout and frustration. It’s a lack of autonomy. It’s mental health. It’s the impossible double bind called work/life balance. It’s illegitimate power. It’s a burning planet. Why am I posting this screed? Because I want us […]
How to Stay Balanced
Syncresis turns 15 today! On November 1, 2007, I filed the LLC paperwork for the business. And here we are, in 2022. It’s not a linear story. Syncresis focused on digital patient engagement in healthcare, then communication strategy in several industries, and now on thought leadership for financial innovators. It has lived as a side […]
Don’t Trust Anyone
“This tactic worked for me” ≠ this tactic will work for you. This tactic is working for them ≠ this tactic should become my strategy. Be careful what you read, and, more important, be careful what you do with it. Don’t trust anyone with “answers” until you understand what their question was. Don’t trust anyone […]
The Dog and The Shadow
At current exchange rates for insight, it takes 50 management books to equal one fable by Aesop.
How to Lose Credibility
Those of us involved in the crypto community don’t do ourselves any favors with breathless enthusiasm and over-promotion. I’m reading a book on DeFi right now, which is generally quite good. But it takes a lot of grains of salt to take it seriously because of its relentless use of the Terra blockchain as the […]
Does Work Create Alienation?
Do you think work creates alienation? On the one hand, there’s an obvious case for thinking it.
Formulas for Success Depend on Hidden Variables
Most formulas for success depend on hidden variables, such as who you are, what your business does, what your target market is, which decision-makers matter most, and what you actually have to say.
Venture Capital Funding for Startups
VC firms pulling back on their investing is actually a huge advantage for startups. Founders who have a clear, crisp, compelling story gain a real edge because firms have already raised funds.
No Time to Go Silent
Someone asked me yesterday whether I thought that a looming recession would make premium content seem like a costly, expendable luxury. Not at all. Companies that make strategic cuts to costs without slashing away at muscle are in the best position to outperform competitors. Research from Bain & Company found that companies investing during the […]