Creating content is easy. Coming up with good ideas is where the challenge is at. One reason why some people don’t create content is that they do not know what to say. They may be verbose in conversation, but when they see the blank page, they fail to come up with any ideas for content. The issue is that there is no infrastructure to c...

I always thought that starting was the hardest. Whether it's chasing your dreams or losing weight, many people never even begin. But as I started optimizing my life, I realized that sustaining (continual action) is where the work begins. Many people start working out, but how many continue for a year straight? I'm guessing less than 50...

"Hip hop can heal this world. It can end racism." That was from a documentary on 90's hip hop. While I loved the episode and thought the information was intriguing, that quote stuck with me. Can music really end racism? Will it also help us get to Mars? I'm sorry I can be cynical so easily. But come on, who thinks music can fix the sys...

Recently a dear friend of mine, on the steps of our church, confessed to me that he wasn't doing well. His business, his marriage, and other areas were in unrest. I stood there listening in disbelief. The man I always saw as joyful showed a sign of weakness and opened his armor; what I saw were deep wounds. His demeanor also told it al...

Hey there 👋 I'm writing to you in the passenger seat of my parent's Honda CRV. Katie and I are headed to Minneapolis. She has her 6-month routine checkup for MS at Mayo. (My parents let us borrow their car when we go – this is only our second visit) We're excited to spend the weekend with family but a little anxious about the appointme...

I've never worked through a recession. So my advice on how to market through one is probably useless. Lucky for you, though, I've been actively reading from better thinkers and want to share one key thought about marketing in a recession. That critical thought or insight is that marketing efficiency will make or break many companies. D...

Imagine you're sailing the open sea with two amazing sailors. Your goal is simple: explore every last inch of the world. You visit terrific places, put your feet in every color of sand, and drink the wildest concoctions the world offers. But then–after almost five years–everything changes. As you're sailing one morning, the sun barely ...

Hey there 👋 How are things going? Having a splendid summer? I'm doing fantastic—blessed beyond belief. • Katie and I closed on our duplex last week • Her health has been phenomenal, with her 6-month check-up at Mayo next week • We added a new team member to MyTalentPlanner (a customer success specialist) It's been a hectic few weeks, b...

"Airplane! Airplane!" As I pulled my AirPods out, I realized what was happening. The YMCA day camp–less than 500 feet from my apartment–began chanting "Airplane." But why? What game were they playing? Confused as to why they would be chanting for a flying piece of aluminum, I went to my window and peered out. I notice a normal-looking ...

Before sharing how to figure out your audience, let me begin with the bulletproof way to NEVER find your tribe: Avoid imminent failure by targeting the largest market of buyers. Our rational brains trick us into believing this is the safest bet. We think marketing is like fishing, throwing the biggest net in the water. But unfortunatel...

I' haven't been the best leader in my short career. I'll be the first to admit it. I've been selfish, acted out of negativity, and failed to lift others up. Simply put, I've been a shell of the leader I could be. But, I've never had a "leader" title before. So why do I even care how I "lead?" I thought you'd never ask. We all are leade...

I suck at hiding my feelings. I always have. This has resulted in me becoming more transparent to overcome the anxiety of wearing my emotions on my sleeve. The truth is: I'm not transparent because I'm benevolent, but because I'm desperate to survive. And I also find strength in learning about the struggles of others. It helps me feel ...

Doing two or more things at once is not a skill; it's a weakness. And usually creates shitty work in the end. Creating marketing for multiple purposes is also a lie. Imagine you write a blog post with three different intents. The post will likely miss the mark for all three goals. The best marketing has one core focus (intent). Yes, it...

Brand is a tricky thing. We've all heard the importance of having a brand. But how do you go about creating one? First, I find it essential to define brand: "A brand is not a logo. A brand is not an identity. A brand is not a product. A brand is a person's gut feeling about a product, service, or organization." — Marty Neumeier. The th...

Katie and I are buying a duplex. Our goal is to live on one side while renting the other out. We eventually plan to move out and keep it as passive income. I've had many people respect our decision. They comment how they wish they would have done something similar when younger. Or they mention how it's a smart move because we have no k...

Sorry, someone had to say it. (referring to the subject line👆🏼) It's an easy illusion to fall for. But it's not true. Your brand or identity is much more expansive than your logo and colors. The way you talk, your worldview, and the stories you tell also make up your "brand." “"Organizations seeking an identity often think what they wa...

Learning and mastering a skill is only half the battle in becoming proficient. The other half is learning to teach that skill. Many so-called "experts" never reach the other half. This is because they become so good at what they do yet never learn how to teach others. While this appears only to hurt those who desire to become proficien...

Have you ever shopped for software before? When I do, I have one looming question: How will it help me in my position? Some software solutions can help many people. HubSpot would be an example. You could be a content marketer, CRM manager, salesperson, or even a data-driven marketer. The way you would use HubSpot would be different for...

Why are you doing it? I don't mean your initial answer. I mean the answer behind your answer. We, humans, are notorious for fooling each other and ourselves. We think we are doing something for one reason, while subconsciously, we do it for a reason we are unaware of. This is the reason behind the cliché that we buy with our hearts and...

hey 👋 It's been weird not writing you the past three days. I doubt you noticed, but if you did, I appreciate that. How's life been treating you? It's been a wild last few days for me: • Katie and I have a fantastic anniversary weekend in Chicago • Katie and I are in the early stages of buying a duplex (our offer was accepted/selected) ...

Wanna know something I do that sometimes pisses people off? I ask (a lot of) questions. Some think my questions mean I doubt or don’t trust them. Or others would rather not have to defend their statements with my curious and innocent questions. The truth is, I’m addicted to questions. I’m convinced that asking better (and more) questio...

About five years ago, I would try to sleep the least amount I could. 6 hours was my goal every night. I fell hook, line, and sinker for hustle porn. The illusion that success is tied to the amount of time I worked sucked me in. This resulted in much misery for me and those who had to deal with sleep-deprived Jordan. I had not yet reali...

Most content is valuable only after it's published. And that's assuming people will engage with it. If no one listens, watches, or reads it, it's useless. The degree to which we gain value from content is beyond our control. Or is it? I believe the best content creators derive value before shipping (during the creation). Creating this ...

Launches always disappoint. Maybe it's me and the launches I've been a part of. But I feel launches routinely leave me dissatisfied. No matter what I do, it rarely reaches my expectations. About a month and a half ago, we launched our software (MyTalentPlanner). Sure, we celebrated and acknowledged our work over the past two years, but...

Whatta week. A tornado in Green Bay, crazy warm temps, and the stock market falling out of grace. I'm probably not the only one looking forward to the weekend. But before we get to the weekend, let's lookback. 5 things I did this week: 1. Visited my Grandma in the Upper Penisula over the previous weekend, which was soul refreshing 2. R...

I wish superheroes were real. But no one I know is climbing walls and shooting webs out of their wrists. But I do believe in one type of "superhero." Individuals who do multiple jobs. These people often wear many hats in startups or smaller companies. The finance person must also help with interviewing. The salesperson is responsible f...

Almost every decision we make in business is testing hypotheses. That's true whether you're aware of it or not. Don't believe me? Let me walk through a notional example: I run a company called Nuts and Bolts. We sell exactly that. And recently, we decided to buy a booth at a local event. While on the surface, this doesn't look like tes...

I’m a coffee wh*re. I’ll do anything to avoid missing my morning cup(s). Walking in freezing weather to get a coffee while traveling? Been there. But that’s changing. I’m ending my relationship with coffee. And beginning one with decaf coffee. Sure, I’m still getting caffeine. But at a much lower dosage than before. How can I tell? I’m...

Which do you focus on: Methods or principles? For most of my life, I sought methods. I wanted to know what to do and how I could get results quickly. That was until I tried many different methods and achieved minimal results. At this point, I should have realized that methods are useless. Instead, I doubled down and searched for the ul...

What controls your happiness? This week reminded me of an eternal truth-as it continued to kick me in the nuts: Only you control your happiness. If we allow objective experience (i.e., thoughts, feelings, other people) to control our happiness, we lose control of being happy when we want. We can only be happy as long as our objective e...