by Mark O'Brien | Dec 18, 2014
I recently engaged in a discussion about branding on LinkedIn with a gentleman, Joseph Benson, who proved to be as patient as he is knowledgeable. I offer our exchange here, edited only for brevity and clarity, with Joseph’s permission. Joseph is indicated by...
by Mark O'Brien | Dec 16, 2014
It was a dark and stormy night. I was sitting in my office at the corner of Bleak and Bleaker when the phone rang. I’m no clairvoyant. But I knew something was wrong before I even answered. Maybe it was my female intuition. “O’Brien?” “Yeah.” “It’s Millwood...
by Mark O'Brien | Dec 12, 2014
Thinking is hard work, which is why so few people do it. (Henry Ford) I saw a profile on LinkedIn the other day describing the person who posted it as a thought and people leader. I’m certain the gentleman who posted it is many things, most of which are likely...
by Mark O'Brien | Dec 10, 2014
Perhaps the only thing more difficult for a company to derive than its elevator pitch is a list — even a short list — of its principal differentiators. In October of this year, The Chautauqua Center for Meaningful Distinction surveyed 647 of the companies in the...
by Mark O'Brien | Dec 9, 2014
If you publish an article like this, complicating otherwise simple, intuitive logic, you should expect some push-back. Here it is: The article’s subtitle is “All Value is Subjective”. Of course it is. If it weren’t, no one would pay for The War...
