The New AMALGAMATE Booklet is Here

The New AMALGAMATE Business Booklet is Here The Winter 2016 Edition of AMALGAMATE is ready for download.

Predictions for 2017

Predictions for 2017 After peeking into the crystal ball for a few minutes, here’s what jumps out. The growth of the mystery story. It’s referenced in Robert Cialdini’s new book, Pre-Suasion, and brands will latch on to it in 2017.  It’s an old storytelling technique, but the reason it will become more prevalent is because it’s […]

How to Script Your “Why Us?” Video

How to Script Your “Why Us?” Video Clients are adding more video content to their websites and most popular are the “Why Us?” videos, as in, “Hello viewer, this is why you should choose us versus our competitor.” Before you sit and shoot, get that script down. According to my video guru, it’s the number one way […]

Build on Your Strengths

Build on Your Strengths This article originally appeared in Amalgamate: A Mix of Ideas for Your Business, Summer 2015 I have a bias. It happens when I think about your business. I default to creating or uncovering the innovative ideas inside your business. Breakthrough concepts. I want to encourage visionary thinking. Invent ways to propel the […]

Greg, What Does Your Planning Look Like?

Greg, What Does Your Planning Look Like? Yes, I take my own medicine. As proof, I spent the weekend applying some of my ideas to recapping 2016 and looking ahead to 2017. Specifically, I’m planned my flow of business for next year. I use this map, which you may have seen before.

Before you send that proposal. . .

Before you send that proposal. . . Does your proposal start with an About Us section? Change it to an about them section. List their objectives. They’re considering you because you can help them reach their objectives. Don’t bury them, lead with them. If you aren’t clear on their objectives, ask. Use their language. List […]

Time is Precious

Time is Precious This article originally appeared in Amalgamate: A Mix of Ideas for Your Business, Summer 2015 As humans, we understand the concept of “future.” We project ourselves into it and understand our eventual mortality. As philosopher Stephen Cave puts it, “we live with this sense of personal apocalypse,” and it drives our busyness. It […]

1 Billion People Live on Less Than a Dollar A Day

1 Billion People Live on Less Than a Dollar A Day Late this summer I was lucky enough to travel to China and that stat resurfaced in my head. 1 billion people live on less than a dollar a day. Almost the population difference between the US and China. While I didn’t see that kind of […]

Perception is Reality

Perception is Reality This article originally appeared in Amalgamate: A Mix of Ideas for Your Business, Summer 2015 Quality of decision making was a recurring theme during the conference. One decision trap went by various names: Framing, Bounded Reality, Relative Comparison.. but all of them share the same bias. The decision making structure/frame we are given […]

Goodwill Omaha’s CEO Pay and Your Growth Mindset

Goodwill Omaha’s CEO Pay and Your Growth Mindset Recent front page news in Omaha is the revelation that CEO Frank McGree has been bringing in an annual salary over $400,000 and received a onetime bonus in 2014 that put his pay over $900,000. (“No Culture of Thrift,” Omaha World Herald) It was brought up at […]