Building Possibility
TEDx Brookings
Today I speak at TEDx Brookings. This year we are exploring the origins of ideas, community and movements. True change begins with a small number of people who care. It started several months ago when I was invited to speak about the Tour of Empty Buildings at this event. I have 8 minutes, a slide…
Read MoreWhat will be important in the end?
My mom died August 11. In the weeks before she passed, we knew it was coming and she wanted to be surrounded by those she loved. Her kids, grand kids, great grand kids – her brother, sister in law and sister – her nieces – close family friends – these were the people who brought…
Read MoreHistorical Road Trip
Most of us are tied down in the towns we live in. We work, play, eat and live in our own little acre of the world. A vacation is something you take all year to plan, and you go somewhere exotic (at least to you). You save for it, you read about it, you change…
Read MoreWhat Makes a Good Facebook Post
Brevity This is not the place to write six paragraphs on one post. We don’t need to know how smart you are. We need to know the what of it all – what it is, what it means for me, what do you want me to do. Pictures If you can tell me in a…
Read MoreSuspended Coffees
John Sweeney knows what it’s like to be down and out. He’s been misjudged since his early years, bullied by students and teachers alike. Told he’d never amount to anything and the best he could hope to be was a plumber. Yet John knew since he was little he’d figure out a way to make…
Read MoreMarketing to Millenials
The Better Business Bureau has shared this article with us. It’s brief, concise and to the point. Tips for Marketing To Millennials The Millennial Generation is now as large, if not larger, than the Baby Boomers. They are a popular target for advertisers and marketers, but what is important to this age group born…
Read MoreThe Enchanted Highway
Gary Greff because the process of building the world’s largest sculptures in 1989. He came home to Regent, ND to save his community. Gary had no idea how to do that but then thought “what if I create something that everyone will remember?” That’s what he did – built 7 sculptures made of scrap metal…
Read MoreCreating a Personal Mission Statement
Forbes recommends that each mission statement answer these questions: What do we do? How do we do it? Whom do we do it for? What value are we bringing? In 2008 I wrote about creating a personal mission statement and came up with: I live each day with a listening, happy heart that guides me…
Read MoreIowa is Getting Younger
According to the US Census, in contrast to most states, five experienced a decline in median age between July 1, 2013, and July 1, 2014: North Dakota, Hawaii, Montana,Wyoming and Iowa. Millennials, or America’s youth born between 1982 and 2000, now number 83.1 million and represent more than one quarter of the nation’s population. Their size…
Read MoreWhat’s in store for retail?
McKenzie reports that by 2020 1/3 of the worlds markets will be emerging. Retail stores will need to be leaner, denser and more in touch with their digital channels. When it’s so easy to shop online, it’s obviously affected the brick and mortar stores. Did you know 44% of those surveyed actually do product research…
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