The January 20 inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris marks a moment of liminality between separation and unity.

And it’s much more than that to me.

It’s a moment to rediscover Optimism.

For me, there were way too many times last year where optimism was fleeting. When the COVID cases and economic swings overshadowed forward movement.

Now, optimism is slowly re-entering the zeitgeist.

For even my most ardent skeptics, I offer you this perspective from one of our world leaders, Dr….

In the past 31 years of my career, I have deliberately avoided broadcasting and grandstanding when it came to social and political moments.

Now it’s different. America is burning, both figuratively and literally. Curfews are standard practice. The origin of “curfew” comes from the French word “couvre-feu.” This literally means cover fire.

And as a thought leader, adviser, coach, and the founder of several diverse professional communities, I can no longer cover the fire with politeness and positive thinking.

Here are 8 places you can look for unmet customer needs and new opportunities.  The latest launch of Panera Bread Grocery offerings provides insight and inspiration.

I recently invited Patty Lawrence to join me and discuss the essentials to small business continuity. The first two steps: 1) identify your levers within your control, and 2) quantify your BAMs (bare minimums) needed to keep marketing and serving your customers.

Has your inbox felt like a junk box this week? Mine certainly has. Many retailers, lenders and hospitality companies are dispensing pablum. Every message sounds identical: “We know it is a difficult time, and we are here for you.” Every CMO and PR professional behind this insipid messaging needs to re-examine where they are expending their energy.

In times of crisis, you must understand that you have to reacquire your clients and rebuild trust in your brand.

For example, I am a diehard Orange Theory Fitness (OTF) fanatic. Now, my membership is on hold because of the recommendation to close all gyms by the CDC. But, once the gym is reopened, I have to be convinced to once again invest my time, money and sweat in OTF.

For marketers, it’s the same train of thought….

We’re hosting a complimentary CEO-CMO breakfast on April 16 in Washington, DC from 8-10 am. Join leaders from prominent organizations for a confidential discussion on how CEOs and CMOs can partner in order to accelerate sustainable growth.

This topic is very timely. We have been working with hundreds of
CMOs over the past 7 years—and, in spite of AI, MarTech, and other
technological advances, CMOs remain unsure of how to align their priorities
with the CEO’s vision and board expectations….

Remember that old adage: “Loose lips sink ships?” Well, the word
is out: the high seas battles between the trading ships known as Schwab, E*Trade
Financial and TD Ameritrade have begun. And if you are a strategic marketer,
your periscope is watching this duel closely.

Last week, these three online trading juggernauts announced commission-free trading. For some online firms, this created a single-digit hit to revenue projections. For others, double-digit dips are underway. In fact, TD Ameritrade’s stock price plummeted more than 25% in response to this bold pricing strategy….