If we’re connected on social media, you may know that my family and I recently had a very frustrating travel experience with American Airlines (AA). In short (I could go on quite a bit), it took my family 40 hours to get from Boston to Cabo San Lucas. It took our luggage more than 60 hours to get there. And,…
Recognizing that collaboration is critical to our success at Small Army, we recently invited an expert on the topic to conduct a few workshops to help us improve our skills. Overall, we walked away better because of it. However, there was one part of the session that caused me a bit of discomfort (and, honestly, frustration). With about 20 people in my…
Last Wednesday, for STEAM week, I volunteered to speak at my son’s 5th grade class. While I initially thought I’d talk about the world of advertising (creativity, math/analytics, etc.), I thought it may be more fun to chat about the relationship between drumming (Arts) and Math. Upon arriving in his classroom (and after the Pledge of Allegiance), Josh's teacher asked…
This past week, my family and I went on vacation to Chamonix, France. Once there, we were in awe of the mountain scenery, the food and, of course, the skiing. But, the other thing that quickly caught my eye was the many paragliders soaring like birds high above the valley and mountain tops. As I watched them, I kept hearing the advice…
Just over 16 years ago, I started Small Army with my close friend, Mike Connell. Three years in, Mike was diagnosed with cancer and, 2 years later, he lost his battle. Although I never intended to be the sole leader of Small Army, I couldn’t avoid the circumstances. As I promised Mike, I kept the dream alive. I channeled every ounce of…
This weekend, I found myself in Toronto, Canada. To be completely honest, I really didn’t want go. The thought of laying low at home during the snow and freezing cold, with the only planned activity of watching the Patriots game with my son from the comfort of my living room, seemed like a much better option. But, family obligations called,…
Over the last few months, I’ve witnessed firsthand the power of forgiveness - the pleasure of giving it and the pain of not. It started with an email I recently received from an old friend - someone for whom I had great admiration and respect but, for a variety of reasons, had to move on from several years ago. His…
After trying (and enjoying) Scuba diving on several occasions, I recently decided to get certified. Last month, I completed the online courses and, over the last two weekends, did hands-on training in a local swimming pool. The experience has been fun, while also making very clear the potential dangers of the activity - and the importance of understanding the risks, following procedures…
On many occasions, I've found myself sitting in my driveway (often with tears in my eyes), listening to StoryCorp on WGBH radio. These real interviews among friends and loved ones - sharing life’s pains and pleasures, challenges and triumphs and love and passion - are often motivating, inspiring and humbling. So, a few years ago, when I heard about the Ted…
This past weekend, while my son was taking a stab (literally) at carving a pumpkin for Halloween, I suggested that he try a different (and slightly safer) method for using the sharp knife. Rather than getting the typical mad response of “Dad, leave me alone. I know what I’m doing,” he thanked me for the feedback and modified his behavior. The evening…
One of the things I love most about Small Army is the incredible passion the entire team has for doing great work. From messaging strategies and media plans to website architecture and creative storytelling, each individual puts their heart and soul into their work. I'm fortunate to work with such amazing people who care so much about what they do. However, as much…
This past Sunday, while on a bike ride with my wife (Jane) and daughter (Julia), I heard a loud crash behind me, followed by my daughter screaming, “mom, are you OK?” I immediately stopped, jumped off my bike and turned around to see Jane lying on the ground, with cuts and scrapes on her arms and legs, and looking a bit…
It’s hard to believe that, next week, my daughter is starting high school. I remember people telling me that time flies by quickly with your kids, but it never really hit me until now. High School?!?!? As I began thinking about what advice I could share with Julia as she begins this new chapter of her life, I quickly realized that it…
For the last several weeks, I’ve been traveling throughout South America with my family. During that time, I’ve made note of many amazing experiences and lessons which could potentially inspire great blog articles. However, as I sit on the flight home and reflect back on the trip, all the highlights seem to have a recurring theme - the memories that rise…
Walking thru the streets of Bogota last week, on the first day of our family vacation, we were swarmed by people wearing yellow jerseys. Crowds were packed in front of every storefront with a TV. And, street vendors had their radios blasting, with people standing around to listen. It seemed as though every Colombian had put life on hold to watch and…
I'm not a huge fan of Bud Light - and haven’t had one in about 20 years. But, over the past few weeks, while watching the NFL playoffs, I've been struck by the Bud Light “Dilly Dilly” commercials. As an ad executive, I can’t help but think about the strategy behind the campaign, and recognize that this type of marketing is…
A few weeks ago, while driving home from the dealership that just did a routine service on my car, my "check engine" light went on. So, I immediately called them. They told me that the technicians probably just forgot to reset the engine light, and instructed me to bring the car back so they could do so. However, this was the second time…
It’s gala season. Practically every night this month, thousands of people are putting on their best outfits and heading to fancy event spaces to support the great work of non-profit organizations and mingle with others who share similar beliefs. The evenings are often filled with live music, great food, emotional videos, amazing auction items and moving speakers. In the last 2 weeks,…
My daughter, Julia, recently suggested that I write a blog on “wanting to do something” vs. "having to do something.” At first, I didn’t quite understand what she meant - or how it would be relevant to business, so I asked her to explain a bit more. She elaborated, “Dad, when I go to dance practice thinking, ‘I want to go,’ I…
As a drummer, I’ve gotten used to taking a backseat to other people. At most gigs, my primary view is that of the butts of my band mates. And, as the photo of a gig I played this past weekend shows (above), I am typically hidden behind amps, guitars, cymbals and everything else on stage. Everyone in the crowd knows that I am…
OK. So, the visual here may be a bit much. But, the more I think about, the more it rings true. Delegation is one of the most difficult things for people to learn as they grow to become managers. However, as you take on more responsibility, the need to delegate becomes greater. You can’t do it all - and in most cases, it is…
A few weeks ago, a friend was complaining to me about how some of his younger colleagues didn’t seem to respect his years of experience in the advertising business - and often seemed to ignore his guidance and recommendations. He couldn’t understand why some people wouldn’t just take his advice and proceed accordingly. Why did they have to push back,…
This weekend, while I was in Albany celebrating my mother-in-law’s 90th birthday (big shout out to Grandma Bette here), I found myself drawn to the TV in her living room, listening to the heated debates and tweets about the new politically-charged book, Fire and Fury. I have yet to read anything more than the excerpt in New York Magazine. However, recognizing that the…
Last Thursday night, my wife and I hosted a holiday party at our house for a CEO group that I’m in. On the morning of the party, we learned that the person we asked to help with serving food and cleaning up wasn’t able to make it. So, we did what anyone else would do - we asked the kids to…
This past weekend, after finally completing the book I’ve been working on for more than 2 years (The Moral of the Story), I was looking forward to relaxing a bit with the family. However, it didn’t take long before thoughts of all the things still on my plate for the weeks ahead began causing anxiety. In addition to the typical workload,…