Do creativity and love have something in common?

I think they do. If it's good, you feel fantastic and very passionate. If it's not-so-good, you lack confidence and it's hard to sell.
I sort of love the people I work with. I say "sort of" because I don't want this missive to become overly sentimental.
But I LOVE the simple kindness I see between people here. I LOVE Matt making personal time to have fun at our mustached expense—don't ask!
I LOVE when Dean and I and others here riff off each other and make good ideas become great. I LOVE being in a client meeting and feeling the enthusiasm build and occasionally getting a client to literally jump for joy at our work (Devin made it happen once!). I LOVE our yearly holiday video which showcases the amazing creativity in each person who works here. I LOVE having newer folks such as Nick and Alycia adding their talents and creativity to the mix. I LOVE seeing our people grow and become even better citizens of the world at large and at PBDH. And, just like in love, we get rejected sometimes. By clients, by potential employees, by employees who leave to pursue other loves. I've learned after all these years to let go more gracefully. But it still hurts, just as love can.

I guess you could say that in addition to the 25 year love affair with my husband, I've also had a 28 year love affair with this creative business of ours. I still look forward to walking through these doors every day. Or most every day. I still find this business a great challenge—intellectually and emotionally. I am still trying to raise the bar on who I am as a person, who we are as a company, and the work we're honored to do in partnership with our clients. I'm still finding love and creativity at work and at home. Maybe we can't have one without the other!

Here's an extraordinary example of creativity and love at "work":

Ruthie Willows: The Best Basset Hound Blogger in the World*

Ruthie Willows from Willows Lodge is The BEST Basset Hound Blogger in the World*
Ruthie's humor and writing skill are extraordinary and she puts it to especially good use for a very worthwhile organization...Homeward Pet Adoption Center.
Truly social media at it's finest! Check it out here: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1590559937238

*According to national social media experts: Scout and Woody Phinney/Bischoff

Teatro Zinzanni Show/fundraiser for Seattle Humane Society

Dogs, clowns and acrobats...oh my!

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When your client jumps for joy....you know you've done a good job!

Inspiration comes from many places and it's very meaningful when it comes from a great client. Peter Saladino, President of Charter Co., is an amazing and inspiring individual. I don't think we've ever had a client literally jump for joy about our work--- but it was a pretty nice feeling. Peter took one of the positioning concepts we recently presented and immediately "owned" the idea. It helped everyone on his attending 14 person leadership team to see it's potential. Peter eloquently articulated how the concept could come to life both internally and externally. His enthusiasm was nicely contagious. Pretty cool.

I love being around passionate people who love what they do.

Thank you PBDH team. You inspire me every single day.

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Great tips for productive and healthy client/agency relationships

Great agency/client relationships are like any good relationship....you have to work at it. In these economic times it's more important than ever. Clients and agency alike can be stressed, over burdened, understaffed and be under more pressure than ever to perform. One of the greatest gifts we can give our clients (or team mates) is our compassion and understanding. When regard, respect and caring are mutual success becomes inherent.
It nurtures the best creative and is a foundation for the successes we all strive for. I believe this simple kindness goes straight to the clients and the agencies bottom line.
Here's a great article someone sent me on the subject:
http://www.rcgconsulting.com/top_ten

Remembering what I love...

Today I received a note and some fantastic new images from Glenn Oakely who is one of my favorite photographers.
Here's what Glenn had to say:

"In an era of outsourced, mass-produced, disposable products, there are those who still make things of enduring quality and beauty by hand. My latest (ongoing) project is a celebration of those individuals and their work"
http://www.oakleyphoto.com/#/Handmade/Artisans%20of%20the%20West/1

What's so meaningful to me about Glenn's work and his subject matter is that it reminded me why I was drawn to design those many years ago. It was (and still is) about those finest of of details, the raw beauty, the poetry of the message or the image. It's about what we make with our own hands and minds.
It's about what moves us as humans. In our need to meet the bottom line, to increase our clients market share, to produce with ever increasing speed, it seems important to remember and tap back into the sheer wonder and purity of that creative energy. It's in each of us and it's enduring.

Thanks for reminding me Glenn.

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