Dear Mr. Bender
"You see us as you want to see us, in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions."
Detention's prison
Five masks slowly fade away
Truth found in a day
A Breakfast Club Haiku
It’s fitting that my new gig launches on the weekend the "Breakfast Club" turns 40.
What always stood out to me was how John Hughes grasped the generation.
"You see us as a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal."
The labels. We all had them. I was somewhere between the princess, the brain, and the basketcase (I was good at hiding the angst until I wasn’t). The lure of a diamond stud, an oversized, well-worn leather jacket ( the precursor to the Burberry raincoat of Lloyd Dobler), and Ralph Lauren makeup. I'm convinced my love of bad boys started with Judd Nelson.
Within 5 minutes, you relate to the characters. See a bit of yourself. Each character reveals their truths. Self-discovery.
Bravery. The chance to be vulnerable. That's always stood out to me.
Every founder I've ever met is brave. They took a chance. Believed in something. Bet it all.
Does the brand they created reflect that bravery? Or has it been water-downed in the pursuit of sameness?
Wait, can a brand be brave? Yes, it can. As a student of Marty Neuimeier (you'll see me mention his name many times; instead of Googling him, go buy his books. Start with Brand Gap), I learned a brave company is: "One that stands up for its customers."
Great principle. Now pour some Unreasonable Hospitality, and you've got a charismatic brand.
"A charismatic brand is any product, service or organization for which people believe there's no substitute."
Charismatic brands are the ones whose customers create their value.
How would your customers define your brand?
Can your company be a charismatic brand? Yes.
Charismatic brands are focused. They know who they are.
Like a founder focused on the exit. Or multiple exits. Or succession.
Enter sloane-co. Once a wingman, now a chaos pilot. Working with founders who want an exit. A chaos pilot that brings the brand and the business back into focus. Using RevOps (the intersection of marketing, sales, and customer success) as the ROI. Creating value for the valuation, growth, and retention. Where the metric IS the multiple.
The new brand. An ode to the record store posters of my youth. The font is a mish-mosh mix inspired by Wax Trax (IYKNY). The black hearts. Not an accident. A little dark, a slight edge, laced with sarcasm when warranted. Rosie the Riveter felt right. So, I went with my interpretation of it. No longer hiding the ink. The hand-drawn flower (Thanks to Micah Jones and Marimekko (and no, I don't have a tattoo of it..yet.)
Let the wild rumpus start.