Brand news, creative receipts, and this-just-in stats. Your shortcut to what’s shaping brand and digital culture.
🫣 The “no” that became a lead
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Edition 105. I interrupt our regular five-byte format with one short (but true) story: the boundary that became a booking inquiry. It’s a holiday weekend, so this one’s shorter on purpose. The message is the format: protect your time. Holiday weekends give us unofficial permission to unplug. But the real test usually comes on a random Thursday, when the ask sounds harmless. Here’s what happened... A couple of days ago, an old colleague reached out for a “quick 30-minute chat.” They wanted my perspective on something they’re building. Years ago, I might’ve said “yes” by reflex. Or guilt. Or fear. This time, I paused. That kind of focused insight is what my clients book through The Power Hour. So, I responded with gratitude, a clear boundary (what I call a soft “no”), and a lighter offer: send one focused question, and I’ll share a brief written reaction or voice note. They understood. Even said they’d think *deeper* about their one question. Then asked for my booking link for The Power Hour 🤯 I was afraid my boundary would be a turnoff. Instead, it created clarity. 👉 They had space to define what they really needed. Win-win. Takeaway: Boundaries don’t block opportunity. They help the right people meet you with more clarity, mutual respect, and intention. Next week, we’re back with brand bytes. This week, smart boundaries call 💡 More brand bytes next Sunday at 5 (Enjoy the long weekend!) |
What I’d drop in the (brand) group chat
Brand news, creative receipts, and this-just-in stats. Your shortcut to what’s shaping brand and digital culture.
Edition 104. Instagram wants carousels to say more, and these two brands are making the smart home a ‘smarter shop.’ 5 brand bytes to inform and inspire you this week: ✍️ More carousel-caption control Instagram is testing captions for each individual carousel slide. It’s a feature once reserved for paid carousel ads (which I often design for clients). I noticed it firsthand while posting for Spoken Flames this week. Try it and you’ll see. You now get the option: one caption for the whole...
Edition 103. Social media wants TV shows, TikTok Shop’s in its QVC era, and your website may need to hit ‘play’ next. 5 brand bytes to inform and inspire you this week: 📺 The TV-ification of social media Pretty Little Marketer Brands aren’t just posting content. They’re building sitcoms, sketch series, dating-show formats and character-led worlds for Instagram and TikTok. It’s the “TV-ification of social media.” Meaning, a brand win on social isn’t an ad pretending to entertain. It’s an...
Edition 102. Algorithm shifts, content scores, and why your brand assets on paid social might need more range than polish. 5 brand bytes to inform and inspire you this week: 1. The algorithm switch up Meta guidelines for what’s “original.” The algorithm changed (again). But this one’s good news if you create original content for your personal or brand page on Instagram. What switched? Instagram is expanding its protection of original content and rules for what gets defined as “original.” “We...