Ideas, lessons, and observations from years of work in business and strategy.

At one point in time, I read a lot of business books. I started to notice, however, that most of them said the same things. They just framed their advice differently. And it made me think about when I was learning to Telemark ski back in the day. I was fortunate to be able to spend a lot of time on the slopes and in the backcountry with Luke Miller, a pro Telemark skier with K2. Luke was (and still is) a fantastic skier, and he was patient enough to give me a LOT of pointers over the years. There were many lessons to be learned on my journey to becoming a better skier, and one of them is that you may have to hear the same piece of advice 9 different ways before it clicks. There are a lot of different ways to tell a skier to keep their shoulders square to the fall line and not ski past their hands as they make turns: Visualize a string attached to your belly button pulling you downhill. Or that you are holding a beachball in your arms. Or that you are shifting into 3rd gear after you pole plant. Or even that you are carrying a cafeteria tray full of food and you don’t want to drop any of it. What’s interesting is that so many of the same “tricks” are needed to find the one that resonates with you. And once you have found it, my experience is that you have to work that tip until it’s fairly ingrained before you add another item to work on. Then you work that new tip geared toward a different part of your performance until the first trick falls apart. When that happens, you work tip A until it’s back in action (which typically takes a lot less effort this time around), then go back to B. Rinse. Repeat. It works quite a lot the same with business. If you try to do all the things at once, it takes a lot longer to master them than if you focus on one item at a time. So get comfortable with one aspect of your business or marketing for your business. Add a second item. Go back to nurturing the first. Rinse. Repeat. Business growth doesn’t come from doing everything at once—it comes from building, layer by layer. If you’re ready to focus and make real progress, start by dropping us a line. Let’s find the cue that clicks.

In 2007, I ran my first 100-mile race, the Leadville Trail 100, without much of a plan. I started running in the summer of 2006 after having a tough start to my 05/06 ski season due to being pretty out of shape. I didn’t want to repeat that in 06/07, so I started dryland training that summer to prep. I was enjoying myself and, knowing how my brain works, decided to set a goal to encourage myself to keep running. I picked finishing the LT100 as my goal for 2007. (The wisdom of that particular goal could certainly be called into question.) Long story short, I didn’t really have a clue how to train for an ultra. Certainly planned what I could, assembled a great crew of friends to support me, and did what I thought I needed to do to put myself in a position to finish. Without a coach, going on anecdotal information about how to train and run 100 miles, and with a tendency to overdo things at times, I found myself a bit broken 6 weeks before the race with a knee issue. I did end up starting, but dropped out at about mile 72. And I was wrecked for weeks afterward. 3 years later, I ran it again. This time, I took a different approach. I had a coach, a plan, a training schedule, and the right support to get me across the finish line. My last 8 miles (mostly uphill) were faster than my first 8, and I was back to running again the next day and finished the Denver Marathon in 3 hours and 8 minutes just 3 months after finishing the LT100. Why am I sharing this seemingly non-business-related information on LinkedIn? Because my experience running Leadville made me a better businessperson. It taught me that starting with a plan helps you get to where you want to go. That consistency is an important part of one’s success. Engaging with a coach can help you avoid injury and stay on track. And that I can accomplish a lot more than I ever thought possible. You don’t need to run an ultra to understand the value of a solid plan. If you’ve got a business goal and want a clearer path to get there, start by dropping us a line. We’ll help you map the route.

If your business is looking to attract a local audience (in any capacity), then investing some time and attention to your Google Business Profile is a potential winning tactic (and one of the best assets you can leverage to drive local engagement). Your GBP is often the first impression potential customers have of your business. But if it’s outdated, incomplete, or not actively managed, you could be missing out on valuable traffic, leads, and visibility. At Relish Studio, our Google Business Profile Optimization service ensures your listing works at its fullest potential and helps you get found, build trust, and grow your local presence. When your profile is properly optimized, you can: Increase local visibility and rank higher in the Local Pack Build credibility by showcasing reviews, FAQs, and accurate information Drive more traffic—both to your website and your physical location Gain a competitive edge in your local market Why leave opportunities on the table when your profile could be attracting more customers every single day? Let us help you keep your profile active, optimized, and working hard for your business. Your profile shouldn’t be a set-it-and-forget-it tool. If you’re ready to turn it into a powerful local marketing asset, get in touch by dropping us a line. We’ll help you make every impression count.

Whether you are running marathons, racing road bikes, or stopping pucks – creating a framework for your training matters. If you treat each training day as a race and don’t have a purpose for each day’s session, you’ll find yourself plateauing quickly – leading to discouragement, boredom, and fatigue. When I hit the ice, I have a goal in mind. Better puck tracking. Improved recovery to the post. Controlling the puck. I try to focus on practicing one or two items per session vs. trying to master “all the things” at once. When I ran marathons and ultras (and raced road bikes), each day had a focus in mind. Mondays were usually easy efforts. Tuesdays are focused on speed work or sprints. Wednesday was devoted to longer interval work. Etc. Instead of trying to build top-end speed AND endurance at once, each day was tailored to work on a single facet of the sport. And gains were made. The same can be said about your marketing. When you haven’t identified your motivations (your “why”) and tackle your marketing without a plan, people notice (or don’t notice YOU, as the case may be). Trying to appeal to everyone all the time is a recipe for disaster. Marketing without a plan is rarely effective. That’s why we developed the Relish GPS: Growth and Purpose Strategy. This program will take you from confusion to clarity with your marketing and craft a roadmap that helps you get where you are trying to go – so you can do more of what you love most (working with great clients on gigs that fuel your mission). Or just riding your bike.  If you’re ready to stop treating your marketing like a guessing game and start training with purpose, we’d love to help build your roadmap. You can kick things off by dropping us a line — let’s get you moving in the right direction.

There’s no place to hide when you are a goalie. I hopped back between the pipes last November after over 30 years not playing in the net. Not only have playing styles changed (stand-up goaltending was still a thing the last time I played and “butterfly” was a somewhat derogatory term), but the equipment for everyone on the ice has improved markedly, making the game a LOT different. One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is what it takes to hop in the net and let people half your age (or younger) blast frozen chunks of plastic at your head. When you are a goalie, every mistake is magnified. Whistles blow, play stops, the other team celebrates, and the focus is on you – the person who let one in. Other players make mistakes all the time. Errant passes, missed shots, broken defense… but the play goes on. And as a goalie, I’ve learned that mistakes aren’t the end of the world. Sure, getting scored on (often multiple times per game when you are first starting out) can be disheartening. But like everything, you have to take things one shot at a time. That last one… it’s in the past. Time to move on to the next chance to shine.  Whether you’re in the net or leading a team, mistakes will happen. What matters is how you reset. If you’re ready for a fresh approach to your brand or strategy — one shot at a time — drop us a line . We’ll be in your corner.

I’ve always been a big fan of shopping locally whenever possible. Living in a cabin in the woods can make that a bit of a challenge. So for years, we relied on Amazon Prime to help save us trips to town, which lowered our carbon footprint. But with Amazon ‘s recent history of poor employee relations, Jeff Bezos ‘ kowtowing to regressive policies, and a general desire to support more grass-roots organizations, we made the move to ditch Prime. And it feels pretty great! Here’s another benefit… Many of the items you purchase on Amazon are available directly from the vendor. And a lot of the time, they offer discounts for going direct. This means you put more money back into their pockets (they often pay hefty fees to sell on Amazon), you don’t put more money into Bezos’ already ridiculously over-stuffed bank account, and you can still get free shipping!  Reevaluating where your dollars go is a powerful move. If your brand is shifting toward more values-aligned practices and you want your digital strategy to reflect that, drop us a line . We’re all about helping conscious companies thrive.

Have you recently lost a big contract? Did you miss out on a business opportunity? It’s pretty standard to frame this from the perspective of scarcity (what you have lost), but you can take a different perspective. Reframe the experience through the lens of abundance. Instead of a loss, consider the time you now have available to serve more aligned or more profitable clients. Or go for a bike ride. Either’s good.  Losses happen — but so does growth. If you’re navigating a shift and want to refocus your brand or strategy toward better-aligned opportunities, drop us a line . We’re here when you’re ready.

We launched a new site for one of our partners this week. Nano Fixation Inc. is a new venture here in Colorado focused on technology that helps precious materials and rare-earth minerals work more effectively as catalysts for a variety of industries. This tech will not only help reduce the impacts of mining but also extend the life and effectiveness of materials used in a variety of industries like clean energy and pharma. Nano Fixation aligns with our mission to help good people do great things for the planet, and we’re excited to show off the new site. Check it out at nanofixation.com .  We love working with partners who are creating real impact. If you’re building something that helps people or the planet—and needs a digital presence to match— drop us a line . Let’s do some good together.

At one point in time, I read a lot of business books. I started to notice, however, that most of them said the same things. They just framed their advice differently. And it made me think about when I was learning to Telemark ski back in the day. I was fortunate to be able to spend a lot of time on the slopes and in the backcountry with Luke Miller, a pro Telemark skier with K2. Luke was (and still is) a fantastic skier, and he was patient enough to give me a LOT of pointers over the years. There were many lessons to be learned on my journey to becoming a better skier, and one of them is that you may have to hear the same piece of advice 9 different ways before it clicks. There are a lot of different ways to tell a skier to keep their shoulders square to the fall line and not ski past their hands as they make turns: Visualize a string attached to your belly button pulling you downhill. Or that you are holding a beachball in your arms. Or that you are shifting into 3rd gear after you pole plant. Or even that you are carrying a cafeteria tray full of food and you don’t want to drop any of it. What’s interesting is that so many of the same “tricks” are needed to find the one that resonates with you. And once you have found it, my experience is that you have to work that tip until it’s fairly ingrained before you add another item to work on. Then you work that new tip geared toward a different part of your performance until the first trick falls apart. When that happens, you work tip A until it’s back in action (which typically takes a lot less effort this time around), then go back to B. Rinse. Repeat. It works quite a lot the same with business. If you try to do all the things at once, it takes a lot longer to master them than if you focus on one item at a time. So get comfortable with one aspect of your business or marketing for your business. Add a second item. Go back to nurturing the first. Rinse. Repeat. Business growth doesn’t come from doing everything at once—it comes from building, layer by layer. If you’re ready to focus and make real progress, start by dropping us a line. Let’s find the cue that clicks.

In 2007, I ran my first 100-mile race, the Leadville Trail 100, without much of a plan. I started running in the summer of 2006 after having a tough start to my 05/06 ski season due to being pretty out of shape. I didn’t want to repeat that in 06/07, so I started dryland training that summer to prep. I was enjoying myself and, knowing how my brain works, decided to set a goal to encourage myself to keep running. I picked finishing the LT100 as my goal for 2007. (The wisdom of that particular goal could certainly be called into question.) Long story short, I didn’t really have a clue how to train for an ultra. Certainly planned what I could, assembled a great crew of friends to support me, and did what I thought I needed to do to put myself in a position to finish. Without a coach, going on anecdotal information about how to train and run 100 miles, and with a tendency to overdo things at times, I found myself a bit broken 6 weeks before the race with a knee issue. I did end up starting, but dropped out at about mile 72. And I was wrecked for weeks afterward. 3 years later, I ran it again. This time, I took a different approach. I had a coach, a plan, a training schedule, and the right support to get me across the finish line. My last 8 miles (mostly uphill) were faster than my first 8, and I was back to running again the next day and finished the Denver Marathon in 3 hours and 8 minutes just 3 months after finishing the LT100. Why am I sharing this seemingly non-business-related information on LinkedIn? Because my experience running Leadville made me a better businessperson. It taught me that starting with a plan helps you get to where you want to go. That consistency is an important part of one’s success. Engaging with a coach can help you avoid injury and stay on track. And that I can accomplish a lot more than I ever thought possible. You don’t need to run an ultra to understand the value of a solid plan. If you’ve got a business goal and want a clearer path to get there, start by dropping us a line. We’ll help you map the route.

If your business is looking to attract a local audience (in any capacity), then investing some time and attention to your Google Business Profile is a potential winning tactic (and one of the best assets you can leverage to drive local engagement). Your GBP is often the first impression potential customers have of your business. But if it’s outdated, incomplete, or not actively managed, you could be missing out on valuable traffic, leads, and visibility. At Relish Studio, our Google Business Profile Optimization service ensures your listing works at its fullest potential and helps you get found, build trust, and grow your local presence. When your profile is properly optimized, you can: Increase local visibility and rank higher in the Local Pack Build credibility by showcasing reviews, FAQs, and accurate information Drive more traffic—both to your website and your physical location Gain a competitive edge in your local market Why leave opportunities on the table when your profile could be attracting more customers every single day? Let us help you keep your profile active, optimized, and working hard for your business. Your profile shouldn’t be a set-it-and-forget-it tool. If you’re ready to turn it into a powerful local marketing asset, get in touch by dropping us a line. We’ll help you make every impression count.

Whether you are running marathons, racing road bikes, or stopping pucks – creating a framework for your training matters. If you treat each training day as a race and don’t have a purpose for each day’s session, you’ll find yourself plateauing quickly – leading to discouragement, boredom, and fatigue. When I hit the ice, I have a goal in mind. Better puck tracking. Improved recovery to the post. Controlling the puck. I try to focus on practicing one or two items per session vs. trying to master “all the things” at once. When I ran marathons and ultras (and raced road bikes), each day had a focus in mind. Mondays were usually easy efforts. Tuesdays are focused on speed work or sprints. Wednesday was devoted to longer interval work. Etc. Instead of trying to build top-end speed AND endurance at once, each day was tailored to work on a single facet of the sport. And gains were made. The same can be said about your marketing. When you haven’t identified your motivations (your “why”) and tackle your marketing without a plan, people notice (or don’t notice YOU, as the case may be). Trying to appeal to everyone all the time is a recipe for disaster. Marketing without a plan is rarely effective. That’s why we developed the Relish GPS: Growth and Purpose Strategy. This program will take you from confusion to clarity with your marketing and craft a roadmap that helps you get where you are trying to go – so you can do more of what you love most (working with great clients on gigs that fuel your mission). Or just riding your bike.  If you’re ready to stop treating your marketing like a guessing game and start training with purpose, we’d love to help build your roadmap. You can kick things off by dropping us a line — let’s get you moving in the right direction.

There’s no place to hide when you are a goalie. I hopped back between the pipes last November after over 30 years not playing in the net. Not only have playing styles changed (stand-up goaltending was still a thing the last time I played and “butterfly” was a somewhat derogatory term), but the equipment for everyone on the ice has improved markedly, making the game a LOT different. One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is what it takes to hop in the net and let people half your age (or younger) blast frozen chunks of plastic at your head. When you are a goalie, every mistake is magnified. Whistles blow, play stops, the other team celebrates, and the focus is on you – the person who let one in. Other players make mistakes all the time. Errant passes, missed shots, broken defense… but the play goes on. And as a goalie, I’ve learned that mistakes aren’t the end of the world. Sure, getting scored on (often multiple times per game when you are first starting out) can be disheartening. But like everything, you have to take things one shot at a time. That last one… it’s in the past. Time to move on to the next chance to shine.  Whether you’re in the net or leading a team, mistakes will happen. What matters is how you reset. If you’re ready for a fresh approach to your brand or strategy — one shot at a time — drop us a line . We’ll be in your corner.

I’ve always been a big fan of shopping locally whenever possible. Living in a cabin in the woods can make that a bit of a challenge. So for years, we relied on Amazon Prime to help save us trips to town, which lowered our carbon footprint. But with Amazon ‘s recent history of poor employee relations, Jeff Bezos ‘ kowtowing to regressive policies, and a general desire to support more grass-roots organizations, we made the move to ditch Prime. And it feels pretty great! Here’s another benefit… Many of the items you purchase on Amazon are available directly from the vendor. And a lot of the time, they offer discounts for going direct. This means you put more money back into their pockets (they often pay hefty fees to sell on Amazon), you don’t put more money into Bezos’ already ridiculously over-stuffed bank account, and you can still get free shipping!  Reevaluating where your dollars go is a powerful move. If your brand is shifting toward more values-aligned practices and you want your digital strategy to reflect that, drop us a line . We’re all about helping conscious companies thrive.

Have you recently lost a big contract? Did you miss out on a business opportunity? It’s pretty standard to frame this from the perspective of scarcity (what you have lost), but you can take a different perspective. Reframe the experience through the lens of abundance. Instead of a loss, consider the time you now have available to serve more aligned or more profitable clients. Or go for a bike ride. Either’s good.  Losses happen — but so does growth. If you’re navigating a shift and want to refocus your brand or strategy toward better-aligned opportunities, drop us a line . We’re here when you’re ready.

We launched a new site for one of our partners this week. Nano Fixation Inc. is a new venture here in Colorado focused on technology that helps precious materials and rare-earth minerals work more effectively as catalysts for a variety of industries. This tech will not only help reduce the impacts of mining but also extend the life and effectiveness of materials used in a variety of industries like clean energy and pharma. Nano Fixation aligns with our mission to help good people do great things for the planet, and we’re excited to show off the new site. Check it out at nanofixation.com .  We love working with partners who are creating real impact. If you’re building something that helps people or the planet—and needs a digital presence to match— drop us a line . Let’s do some good together.

I had a call with a prospective client yesterday. They asked about our commitment to DEI in the current political landscape. I told them this: “The only things I am changing about our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are to stop using the acronym and to be louder about our commitment to living the values it represents.” Bigots have appropriated the “DEI” acronym to hide behind it as a perceived negative. When one leverages the actual words the acronym represents, it makes it way harder to hide behind. When you hear: “That’s a DEI hire.” “DEI needs to go.” “DEI is bad.” Respond with, “Really? What part of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion do you oppose?” Embrace our differences. Diversity is healthy (for ecosystems and cultures). Equity is just. Inclusion is love.  Now’s not the time to go quiet—it’s time to go deeper. If you’re looking to build a brand or workplace grounded in real values like diversity, equity, and inclusion, drop us a line . We’d be honored to stand with you.