The Experience is Everything

Welcome! I’m glad you’re here. It is my sincere hope that your experience will be memorable and that your time here will add value to your business and your life.

This blog has been a few years in the making. I’ve been planning and thinking about it for a long time, but I’ve finally built up the courage and confidence to put myself out there with the hope that I can inspire and help others the way I’ve been inspired over the years by the likes of Michael Hyatt, Dave Ramsey, Walt Disney, Jeff Goins, Seth Godin and many others. What I have learned through them is that my voice is unique, it has value and that there is a pretty good chance that somebody out there is looking for this kind of information.

I write about simple, practical ideas to improve your brand. And your brand begins and ends with the experience you provide to your customers, your team members, and your business partners. It’s what they remember, it’s what they tell others about, and it’s the deciding factor whether they return or not. Your brand is the accumulation of all the thoughts and—more importantly—the FEELINGS that people have when they think about you and your business. The impact that you can make by being intentional about the experience you provide to your customers is a powerful force.

Consider Zappos. Built intentionally and deliberately using ridiculous customer service and word-of-mouth to drive sales, they earn more than $2 billion annually. You may have also heard of Starbucks, they were around for 36 years before doing any national advertising. They simply delivered an experience that people couldn’t help talking about and the rest took care of itself.

Advertising mogul David Ogilvy once said, “The only thing good marketing does is make a bad product fail faster.”  With over 15 years of marketing experience under my belt, I can tell you that it’s also a lot easier and more fun to market products that are worth marketing. I’ve been fortunate throughout my career working with brands such as Disney, Apple, Marvel, Google, Target and Dave Ramsey to now be able to teach and lead others to focus on what truly matters in order to make a difference.

First and foremost, this content is for small business owners and passionate entrepreneurs, but it’s ultimately for anyone who has an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others. It’s for people looking for ideas, inspiration and information to improve their business and the lives of their customers. It’s for people who care deeply about the outcome; people who love to “make someone’s day” or make a special occasion even more memorable. It’s also just for me—a place to log my experiences and be able to reflect on the impact that I’m making.

I believe that we’re here to serve each other. It bums me out to see businesses operating with no passion and with little regard for the experience they are providing to their customers. My passion is helping people be more successful by discovering their unique value, developing their strengths, and expressing themselves authentically.

I also have a desire to leave a legacy and make an impact, not just from a business standpoint but for my family, my teams, my students, and anyone I interact with on a day-to-day basis. I also want to provide wonderful life experiences for my family, for my friends and for others who may not have the same advantages or opportunities. Life is short, and it’s meant to be experienced fully.

Based in Nashville, Tennessee, for more than 20 years, I’ve been a marketing leader for over a decade, and an adjunct marketing professor for nearly that long. I’m married to an amazing, beautiful and talented woman with whom I have two boys that we are trying to raise to become successful, independent and kind young men. I love amazing food, great stories, traveling and watching my boys experience the wonders of life.

“Let those people crawl who don’t know where they’re going. I know where I’m going, so I can gallop.” —The Professor, Sticks Across the Chimney