Blogs

After a long year, you’ve earned a holiday respite from the daily grind. But you must also maintain momentum toward the goals you set at the start of the year. Master the art of pacing yourself to ensure there’s something left in the tank come December.

This time of year, marketing seems to be focused on one thing: attracting shoppers and their eager wallets and purses filled with credit cards and cash. That said, there’s still plenty of consumer bandwidth left for non-retailers to get in on the holiday season action.

Successful innovators not only consider the practical applications of their ideas—will this product solve a problem or fill a need—the entrepreneur in them also weighs whether the idea will be sellable. In other words, will anyone want or buy the resulting product or service?

Ten years ago this week, I was blogging about “innovation.” I wrote, “what we need to encourage is innovation and commercial viability.” Ten years on, it’s still sage advice. Here’s that blog again. Enjoy!

When Barrel O’Monkeyz is working on a project, we don’t like surprises, nor do our clients, so we “get it in writing.” That way, we can all be on the same page about what the work will entail, how long it will take, who’s doing what, how much will it cost, and more.

Post-Labor Day weekend seemed like a good time to reflect on work, employee engagement, and how hiring the right people for the job who are happy and passionate about their work affects your brand. The Barrel O’Monkeyz team consists of engaged individuals dedicated to serving the Monkeyz mission and all our clients. Simply put, we’re…

As you go out into the world to represent your brand, who can you rely on to hold down the fort at home? Who’s your pinch-hitter? This is an important topic for leaders who attend or participate in tradeshows like the PPAI Expo premium show in Las Vegas or the SAAC Expo in San Diego—events that take them out of…

These days the marketplace is becoming saturated with new brands, and so many are approaching this problem by casting the widest nets and diluting their brand identity to hopefully appeal to new markets. It’s important to remember what makes your brand unique. I explored this topic a few years ago and I think you’ll find…

The tools may change over the years, but the fundamentals of brand building do not. Your brand story depends on giving your customers reasons to believe you can deliver. Nowadays it’s easier than ever to get your message out there. Let’s take a look at a blog from a few years back for some proven…

To me, summer seems to be a more appropriate time to start thinking more about self-care. We tend to be more active. People are taking vacations. Farm stands and grocery stores are loaded with fresh veggies and fruit. If ever there’s a time to be more health conscious, summer would seem to be it. Of…

There are certain rites of spring’s transition to summer: Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and high school and college graduations come to mind. While each brings its own unique traditions, gift-giving is a common thread. Mother’s Day may have passed, but Father’s Day and graduation celebrations are still to come. This year, give your dad or…

It’s hard to read the news these days and NOT hear about how artificial intelligence (AI) is impacting our lives. From images and content your read online, to law enforcement and health care, chances are AI has impacted your life already and you don’t even know it. Where is this all going? To find out,…