JANUARY 2010
TRAVEL
PLACES I'VE BEEN
UNITED STATES
CALIFORNIA
Anaheim
Bakersfield
Fresno
Long Beach
Los Angeles
Oakland
Palo Alto
Sacramento
San Diego
San Francisco
Santa Barbara
Torrance
Sequoia National Park
Redwoods National Park
Yosemite National Park
SOUTHWEST
ARIZONA
Flagstaff
Phoenix
The Four Corners
COLORADO
Colorado Springs
Denver
NEW MEXICO
Albuquerque
UTAH
Provo
Salt Lake City
Zion National Park
TEXAS & THE PLAINS
KANSAS
Kansas City
Wichita
OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma City
Stillwater
TEXAS
Austin
Dallas
El Paso
Houston
San Antonio
THE SOUTH
ALABAMA
Gulf Shores
Mobile
ARKANSAS
Hot Springs
Little Rock
FLORIDA
Orlando
GEORGIA
Atlanta
KENTUCKY
Lexington
LOUISIANA
New Orleans
MISSISSIPPI
Biloxi
Gulfport
NORTH CAROLINA
Asheville
SOUTH CAROLINA
Columbia
TENNESSEE
Memphis
Nashville
Normandy
PACIFIC NORTHWEST
OREGON
Astoria
Bend
Crater Lake National Park
Eugene
Grants Pass
Salem
The Wallowas
WASHINGTON
Seattle
IDAHO
Boise
MONTANA
Glacier National Park
Helena
OUTSIDE THE 48
HAWAII
Honolulu
Kailua-Kona
MIDWEST
ILLINOIS
Chicago
Peoria
Urbana
INDIANA
Indianapolis
IOWA
Davenport
Des Moines
Iowa City
MICHIGAN
Ann Arbor
Benton Harbor
Detroit
Grand Rapids
MINNESOTA
Minneapolis
St. Paul
MISSOURI
Kansas City
St. Louis
NEBRASKA
Lincoln
Omaha
OHIO
Cincinnati
Columbus
WISCONSIN
Eau Claire
Kenosha
Madison
Milwaukee
THE EAST COAST
MAINE
Portland
MARYLAND
Chesapeake Bay
MASSACHUSETTS
Boston
Salem
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Manchester
NEW YORK
New York City
PENNSYLVANIA
Philadelphia
VERMONT
Montpelier
VIRGINIA
Arlington
Washington D.C.
(THE REST OF)
NORTH AMERICA
dominican republic
Punta Cana
mexico
Ensenada
CANADA
ONTARIO
Windsor
QUEBEC
Montréal
SOUTH AMERICA
CHILE
Santiago
Valparaiso
URUGUAY
Colonia del Sacramento
ARGENTINA
Bariloche
Buenos Aires
Mar del Plata
Mendoza
EUROPE
ITALY
Bologna
Florence
Milan
Pisa
Rome
Siena
Venice
Verona
The VATICAN
SPAIN
Rota
FRANCE
Bordeaux
Paris
SWEDEN
Malmö
THE NETHERLANDS
Amsterdam
NORWAY
Grimstad
Kristiansand
liechtenstein
Vaduz
austria
Vienna
UNITED KINGDOM
ENGLAND
Amesbury
Bournemouth
Dorset
London
germany
Black Forest
Freiburg
Hamburg
Munich
Pillingen
Stuttgart
portugal
Algarve
SLOVAKIA
Bratislava
BELGIUM
Brussels
sWITZERLAND
Kölliken
Zurich
DENMARK
Copenhagen
czechia
Prague
AFRICA
morocco
Fez
Marrakesh
Tangier
botswana
Chobe National Park
zambia
Livingstone
swaziland
Piggs Peak
egypt
Cairo
SOUTH AFRICA
Cape Town
Johannesburg
Simon's Town
zimbabwe
Victoria Falls
MIDDLE EAST
turkey
Ephesus
Izmir
israel
Jerusalem
ASIA
JAPAN
Tokyo
THAILAND
Ayutthaya
Bangkok
Mae Sot
taiwan
Taipei
PHILIPPINES
Bacolod
Cebu
Iloilo City
Manila
Quezon City
korea
Demilitarized Zone
Seoul
OCEANA
AUSTRALIA
Cairns
Canberra
Melbourne
Sydney
PLANT WITH PURPOSE
CASE STUDY
Designing a new monthly giving program for Plant With Purpose
MY CHALLENGE
Plant With Purpose is a leader among organizations that connect environmental restoration to humanitarian development. They started working back in 1984 and have expanded into seven countries. Because their work has been around for so long and has helped so many people, they've had to learn, adapt, and transform over the years.
For a long time, Plant With Purpose has pitched a Sponsor-a-Village program as its main opportunity for supporters to make monthly gifts. While the connection to a particular village was attractive, it seemed to work most effectively for church groups and older donors rather than millennials and individual givers.
I joined the Plant With Purpose team at a time where it was seeking to grow these donor bases. I suggested tailoring Sponsor-a-Village more specifically for the groups with who m it worked well, and designing a new entry-level giving opportunity.
MY RESPONSE
I developed Purpose Partners. By signing up to give monthly, supporters would be a part of a well-branded giving community that received the latest stories that showed them how the world they were investing in was being transformed. I also suggested building up the community aspect through the chance to win trips and attend events. These decisions were based on the discoveries that revealed donor’s main motivations for signing up were to act on their values and to participate in a community.
One strength of Sponsor a Village was the connection it gave Plant With Purpose supporters to the organization’s field work. In order to continue to foster that, I designed the program’s main storytelling device to be Purpose Projects, where the communication partners would receive each couple months would revolve around a different aspect of the organization’s work.
MY RESULTS
The redesign was met with enthusiasm as it addressed many of the recurring concerns Plant With Purpose representatives have had with determining what to pitch to interested supporters. Immediately they were able to start introducing new audiences to a simpler, more effective opportunity to contribute to the work.
Purpose Partner communication soon became a primary “donor vehicle” at events that Plant With Purpose presented at, including The Justice Conference and the Whole Life Festival. The team found the clarity that the redesign provided really helped its representatives find new partners and supporters more easily.
LIBERTY IN NORTH KOREA
CASE STUDY
Raising Funds and Awareness for Liberty in North Korea Through In-Person Events
MY CHALLENGE
North Korea is a bewildering place. Human rights abuses, extreme poverty, and political persecution are rampant, while 24 million people also try to survive and seek better circumstances. Its ordinary citizens and its refugees are in drastic need of support from the international community, but this can be a difficult challenge when most people only associate the country with nukes and the personalities of its dictatorship.
Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) has been at the forefront of changing the way we talk about North Korea in order to increase support and help its people. LiNK helps provide the funding and mechanisms to help North Koreans make it out of the country and into resettlement in South Korea or the United States. They have built a particularly strong grassroots movement by reaching out to people at a personal level throughout the country.
MY RESPONSE
I wanted to be a part of the changes LiNK was making in the lives of North Koreans, so I signed up to go on a tour in order to help promote their work. Putting together the tour wasn't easy, and to this day it remains the busiest I've ever been. In their office, I spent fourteen hour days sometimes, making phone calls and booking events with churches, universities, and other community groups. All this was before five teams of three set out across the U.S. and Canada to deliver their message.
My team took the Heartland, and I found myself speaking in every state that fit in between Texas and Minnesota, Colorado and Ohio. I loved the act of public speaking, and my team meshed brilliantly. We made connections with hundreds of new supporters on the road, many of whom remain connected to the organization long afterwards. We also kept our broader network of supporters in the loop through social media posts and video updates.
MY RESULTS
This tour lasted three months. In the end we had booked and presented at over 90 events, reaching thousands of individuals. We spoke at college prep schools in Cincinnati, Big Ten Schools all over the Northern Midwest, Human Rights Conferences in Wichita, churches of all denominations from Nebraska to Illinois, and even at coffee shops, barber shops, and a senator's house.
Collectively, our teams raised $75,000 and the connections we made to new supporters who continued to spread the organization's messages were plentiful and impossible to count. The tour was a wide success and contributed to one of the organization's biggest years of growth.
COACH PRO
CASE STUDY
Building a Great Website for a Great Business
MY CHALLENGE
CoachPro LLC was a great business that offered quality vehicle renovations to coach owners all over the world. They've done everything from furniture installation to making electrical components that could work overseas and adding wheelchair ramps to making coach buses more disability friendly. They did great work and were continuing to offer in demand services to all kinds of clients.
They just had one problem. Their website looked like the year 2002. CoachPro's job was to make fantastic vehicle renovations, not websites! That's where I came in. I offered to make a user friendly website that took advantage of their visually stunning work.
MY RESPONSE
It started with a website audit. I went page by page, evaluated how necessary each one was, how functional it was. I showed CoachPro's owner my notes and suggested some big changes.
Then, I got to work. I started building a new website. I wrote short but compelling bits of copy for every single page, plus blog posts to help profile some of their great work in the past. I designed menus for services inspired by a completely different but visually-driven industry: restaurants and food service.
I showed my first take to CoachPro and they made suggestions for some further changes. In less than a month I presented them with their finished product.
MY RESULTS
I handed over a packet of information about how to make simple changes to the website and offered to continue to help in the future.
CoachPro was beyond thrilled with their new site and began to make recommendations to other businesses about changes their websites could make. They had a gorgeous new online home to direct their wide world of clients towards.
ANTHONY MEYER COACHING
CASE STUDY
Developing a Brand Identity for a Brand New Organization
MY CHALLENGE
Anthony Meyer was a physical fitness expert about to launch a service that many would call pretty unconventional. Online fitness coaching. To many, the idea of online and fitness seemed like such contrasts that the idea of using the internet to get in shape was a bit bewildering.
It was attention getting, at least, and that's always a plus. I met with Anthony to talk to him about how to overcome this hurdle in order to drive in more customers. While he was skilled at coaching, he was relatively new to the world of marketing. I made suggestions about how to align himself with clients' life narratives, how to use visuals to appeal to those clients, and how to explain the benefits of online coaching.
MY RESPONSE
First, I helped Anthony identify an audience. Who would benefit from an online coach? Frequent travelers, busy parents with kids, and other demographics that can't easily make it to a gym.
I then helped him work through the storytelling process. If these busy parents and travelers were the hero of his story, what was their goal? To get in shape, of course. Then we identified obstacles. Kids. A busy life. Now he was ready to position his service as a solution.
I encouraged him to promote the online aspect of his work as a way to give these groups access to staying in shape when life doesn't allow it. We talked about what images to have on his site, what logo to work with, in order to drive home this point.
MY RESULTS
After a few weeks of working with Anthony, here's what I was able to develop with him.
- Written copy for his site
- A basic site design for him to work with
- A new logo that could convey the image of strength
- Ideas about how to tier pricing in a way that meets customer needs
- An actionable plan for how to further market himself
RESTAVEK FREEDOM
CASE STUDY
Working with Restavek Freedom to create a press release in response to Hurricane Matthew striking Haiti
MY CHALLENGE
Restavek Freedom has been one of the most effective organizations working in Haiti for close to a decade. The organization focuses namely on the Restavek issue– a complex practice in Haitian culture and history where children from rural families are often sent to live with other families as domestic laborers and are often subject to mistreatment and dehumanization. Many have called the practice modern day slavery.
For years, Restavek Freedom has excelled at advocacy work for these children, but their work became even more complicated after October 2016, when Hurricane Matthew struck. The Category 4 major hurricane struck the country’s southern peninsula in early October, destroying around 200,000 homes and putting over a million people at risk. The country’s vulnerable infrastructure raised concerns of cholera spread, a lack of clean water, and broken networks of transport and communication. Based on their experiences after the 2010 catastrophic earthquake, this disaster would likely put even more children at risk.
My work began when I was contacted by the organization's Chief Operating Officer to draft a press release in order to tell the story of what the organization had accomplished in their relief efforts so far and how others could support the work that remained.
MY RESPONSE
I worked with Restavek Freedom's staff to gather information and figures about their work towards relief so far and began to draft the press release to tell their story in an engaging way.
Restavek Freedom’s network of supporters were also a great benefit to the organization’s relief efforts. Staff reported many emails from donors, churches, and volunteer teams looking for opportunities to help. Through donations and volunteered time, the organization has been successful at delivering 40,000 pounds of food and 1,000 relief packs for families, digging two wells of clean drinkiing water, and creating access to temporary shelter for hundreds of local families.
While Restavek Freedom has contributed significantly to local relief efforts, its established mission is focused on advocacy for children in Haiti who have been put at risk by child slavery. The term Restavek refers to the complex issue of modern-day child slavery where children are sent to families to serve as unpaid, frequently mistreated domestic laborers.
MY RESULTS
In less than a week, I was able to submit my press release to Restavek Freedom to be disseminated through the organization's media channels and other external outlets. Restavek Freedom's staff was thankful for the story to have at their dispersal. The organization continued to see expanded interest from concerned supporters looking for further opportunities to help.
As more time passed after the earthquake, the organization further established itself as a leader in relief efforts around Port Salut. The surrounding community was able to slowly regain their connection and networks with guidance provided by the nonprofit.
WACAI
CASE STUDY
Developing a Strategic Plan to help the West African Cultural Arts Institute connect Oregonians with the African Continent
MY CHALLENGE
The West African Cultural Arts Institute (WACAI) based in Eugene, Oregon is a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting locals with the culture of West Africa. When I came into contact with the organization, it became clear that it was ran by high-performing individuals with strong ambitions, but they faced the same challenges many nonprofits do– limited funds and staff availability.
My team and I were asked to develop a strategic plan to identify and address WACAI's most pressing issues. After a site visit, a review of their materials, and a SWOT assessment, we realized the challenges we needed to solve were largely related to communication.
A community event hosted by WACAI
The organization had a strong reputation and positive responses from virtually all the community partners they've worked with, however much of the public did not understand their mission as an organization, and the lack of clarity was inhibiting their growth. Our next step was to conduct research in order to create a strategic plan that WACAI could use in their marketing moving forward.
MY RESPONSE
My team and I spoke to dozens of stakeholders with ties to WACAI. This included past and current students, the organization's board of directors, schools they had partnered with, and other collaborators. We also spent time with the executive director to determine what was feasible within the organization's next several months.
A snippet of our strategic plan
We also began drafting a guide– a written out explanation of our findings and a user-friendly manual of what next steps could look like for the organization. We wanted to ensure that our strategic planning session could lead to action steps.
MY RESULTS
We developed three objectives, along with suggested tactics for WACAI to undertake–
1) Being present at public events and information sessions to provide broader audiences with more information about what the organization does. There are many in the Eugene area who would be attracted to the offer of a cultural exchange.
2) Create other fun events, like music or food festivals, in collaboration with other likeminded nonprofits. This would increase working partnerships and public visibility.
3) Use a team of volunteers to take advantage of social media and community based platforms for promoting WACAI's activities.
These, along with other suggestions, were outlined in a comprehensive 34 page guide that was presented to WACAI's executive director and governing board.
Cover page of our 34-page report
The organization remains a strong presence in the Eugene area and continues to thrive in its artistic programs. As it grows, it now looks to purchase land in Guinea that can be used for humanitarian purposes.
CITY CLUB OF EUGENE
CASE STUDY
Using the art of storytelling to attract sponsors and avert a financial crisis
MY CHALLENGE
For over 20 years, City Club of Eugene has been a place where citizens of Eugene, Oregon are invited to participate in civic discourse to promote engagement with local issues and community affairs. Their forums have been attended by thousands and are broadcasted weekly on KLCC. At a time where civil discourse all-too-often gives way to political chaos, the work of City Club could not be more important.
Unfortunately City Club of Eugene has also been threatened by a financial crisis. One of their biggest sources of revenue in the past has been sponsorships, but many sponsoring organizations chose not to renew their support while the new executive director has had difficulty attracting new sponsors.
A City Club of Eugene Meeting
MY RESPONSE
After a conversation with City Club of Eugene's leadership, I discovered that the organization lacked the power of storytelling when it approached local businesses and groups in search of support. Oftentimes, the sponsorship was seen by both parties as City Club looking for a donation, without much focus on what City Club had to offer a sponsor in return.
Working with a team, I was able to reframe City Club's approach to seeking sponsors. The organizations it approached already had a goal– to reach out to the community and attract customers. If City Club could position itself as a promising means of accomplishing that goal, sponsoring the organization would seem like a no brainer! And in fact, with regular attendees and radio broadcasts, City Club had the sort of audience many businesses were looking for.
All we had to do now was to make this clear.
City Club of Eugene's homepage
MY RESULTS
After a couple weeks of strategic planning, brainstorming, and writing, we were able to present to City Club of Eugene a whole new approach to sponsorships- one that focused on storytelling.
Among the items we delivered to City Club's leadership were a brief guide on how to apply storytelling principles, suggested internal protocols on how to affirm the value of a sponsorship to a partner organization, recommendations as to how to incorporate sponsor promotion into social media posts, and a sponsor-promoting script to be read at the start of community forums and radio broadcasts.
The reception by City Club of Eugene's leadership was enthusiastic and optimistic about being able to overcome their financial situation. As of our last follow up, the executive director mentioned that the outlook was positive for the next year-and-a-half, at least.
In every story, a character has a goal and is called to action in pursuit of that goal.
In this particular story, Eugene businesses have a goal of reaching audiences, and now City Club could call them to take action by becoming club sponsors.
Four of City Club of Eugene's biggest sponsors
THE BIGGEST ADVENTURE BEGINS
100 ADVENTURES FOR OUR FIRST 1,000 DAYS OF MARRIAGE
When I asked Deanna to marry me, I told her that getting married doesn’t mean settling down, but it means partaking in the biggest adventure there is– becoming one with another person. To be clear, the “biggest adventure” isn’t one on the list below. It doesn’t involve passports, or backpacks, or cooking challenges… it involves sacrificing and committing to each other. BUT– we also want those other sorts of adventures in our life, because pursuing a quest draws us closer together and because life’s a little more fun when you’re on a mission. So, we drafted a list together. A list of 100 things we’d like to have done by our 1,000th day of being married.
I’ll keep this updated along the way. And, like I did last time, we’ll be donating $5 for every unaccomplished mission!
START: JUNE 27, 2015
FINISH: MARCH 23, 2018
LAST UPDATE: DECEMBER 3, 2016
Climb Mount HoodTake a pottery class together
Go on the Hellgate Jetboat ExcursionGo on a 3 day, 2 night backpacking trip
Own a dogHost 50 friends for dinner (23/50)
See the Seattle Mariners play at Deanna’s first MLB gameGo wine tasting
Explore San Juan / Orcas IslandsStart a gardenMake 10 tacos influenced by Filipino cuisine (4/10)
Run a half marathon togetherSee Run River North play liveGo skiing
Spend New Years Eve in New York City
Road trip from Chicago to Iowa to see Vanessa & Breanne
Visit Patagonia
Make 50 recipes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking (15/50)
Save up enough money from recycling for a nice dinner
Start canning and pickling vegetables
Visit Italy
Take a road trip through the SouthGo to five Ducks home gamesCover five songs, write five songs (0/5) & (0/5)
Visit the Seven Wonders of Oregon (7/7)Go to DisneyWorld or DisneylandTry 100 craft beers (39/100)
Ride in a horse drawn carriage
Escape the RoomTake a cooking class
Support ten different friends fundraisers (4/10)
Eat everything listed in the Foodspotting Book (27/75)
See a Katy Perry concert together
Give out seven micro-loans (3/7)
Go through an entire TV series together
Make sushi togetherRead through five books together as a couple (1/5)
Go to a Portland Timbers gameVisit a production factoryGo outdoor rock climbing
Join or start a book clubRescue a refugee with LiNK
Open an Etsy store
Discover seven waterfalls (6/7)
Spend a night at three different lakes (2/3)
Ride the Oregon Covered Bridges Scenic BikewayFind fifty geocaches (10/50)
Perform random acts of kindness for ten friends (3/10)
Host a murder mystery partyGet a couples massage
Watch movies at five unconventional movie theaters (3/5)
Go to five trivia nights (2/5)
Visit New OrleansGo two weeks without spending any money
Complete a puzzle
Go snorkelingRide a historic railroadComplete a mural together
Visit a secret bar or restaurant
Visit an aquarium together
Hike fifteen different trails in the Pacific Northwest (9/20)
Go clubbing
Create a cookbook together
Refurbish two old pieces of furniture
See Matt & Kim live
Host ten visitors (8/10)Take a spiritual retreat together
Discover four natural swimming holes (3/4)
Go to a TEDx Event
Make our own ice cream
Eat at three iconic food halls or public markets (1/3)
Bake an elaborate cake, Ace of Cake status
Go to three book signings together (0/3)
Watch 20 different films from 20 different countries (5/20)
Visit BendGo to South Africa togetherSee a stand up comedy showWatch a stage musical
Visit Thor’s WellVisit an alpaca farm together
Go on a safari
Go to four different Eugene Emeralds promo nights (4/4)Participate in Vino and Van Gogh
Go to a renaissance faire
Camp outside on our deck, patio, or backyard
Watch a Ducks vs. Gauchos game, any sportAttend MusicFest NW or Bumbershoot
Try roasting our own coffeeAttend five weddings (2/5)
Visit SistersHost a “Chopped” Dinner
Explore the Portland Grotto
Go to an improv show together
Spend a day boating together
Go berry picking on Sauvie IslandHike potato chip rock
Go to the Enchanted ForestGo to an EDM concert together
Eat at a Brazilian churascarria
Host a holiday and invite family
30 REASONS WE SHOULD WORK TOGETHER
01.
I work with people by working with what’s important to them.
Within minutes I can identify a person’s needs, values, and hopes and how I can best be in a position to provide help.
02.
I believe in the power of storytelling. And I get how it works.
A story is a character in pursuit of a goal. In business, the customer is the main character, and a successful company will make itself the obvious means to accomplishing the goal.
03.
I devour books like crazy.
They help me better understand what makes a good story and introduce me to new insights.
04.
I am always willing to learn a new skill.
In the past year I’ve taught myself long-distance running, basic Hindi, and new cooking techniques.
05.
I've taken a photo every single day since the beginning of 2010.
That’s commitment to a project.
06.
I'm a goal-setter. (And finisher.)
Whether it's 365 photos a year, my bucket list of marriage adventures, or the projects I take on for clients, I take pride in finishing what I start.
07.
If there's one thing I know I can do well, it's write.
I write somewhere in the neighborhood of 10,000 per week, including academic research, marketing copy, and professional communication.
08.
Plus, I wrote a book...
If Not For Second Chances... on Amazon now.
09.
...and a lot of articles.
My articles, press releases, and reviews have been published by newspapers and publications from The Daily Nexus to Relevant Magazine.
10.
Teaching comes natural to me.
College students, autistic children, public speaking learners, middle schoolers... I've taught such a diverse group of people. I love making new concepts easier to understand.
11.
Failure is a part of my process.
No matter what you do, failure is inevitable, but I don’t gloss past my mistakes. I examine what could be done differently in the future to make sure I learn something.
12.
I bring joy and optimism to the table.
A couple of things severely missing these days. I have an uncanny ability to find what's positive.
13.
Nonprofits are like home base.
I collaborate with dozens of nonprofits each year to provide consulting and support on communications and development. Civic engagement organizations, child services, and disability rights groups included!
14.
I’ve also worked with plenty of businesses.
I’ve helped universities improve their web materials, local businesses build new websites, and new services develop a brand identity
15.
I can do a lot with a little.
Thank my nonprofit experience. Limited budgets, tight schedules, and fast paced work environments aren’t foreign to me, and I embrace opportunities to figure out how to solve problems.
16.
Lots of international experience.
Having been to nearly 40 countries, I can connect with people across cultures and borders.
17.
I've worked on some really complicated issues.
This includes refugee camp advocacy in Thailand, trafficking prevention efforts in London, orphanage work in South Africa, and human rights abuses in North Korea.
18.
Spanish, Italian, and Filipino.
I can chat in three languages, and counting! Didn't Nelson Mandela say something about speaking a person's language going right to his heart?
19.
I love (and know) the USA.
My travel experience isn't just international. I've been to almost every state and appreciate what makes each one unique.
20.
I went on a tour raising awareness of human rights abuses in North Korea.
In 2012 went to churches, universities, and community groups around 14 different states talking to vastly different audiences about how to help. In the end, my teammates and I raised close to $75,000
21.
I love public speaking much more than most people.
I've spoken at churches, taught public speaking courses at universities, and gone on a 15-state speaking tour.
22.
I'm a Duck and a Gaucho.
Some of my most valuable experiences have come from my two Masters Programs from Oregon and my two Bachelors Programs at UCSB. But like Mark Twain, I never let schooling interfere with my education.
23.
Managing multiple projects? I don't mind.
While taking on two Masters degrees, I also supported my family through freelance communication work and teaching undergraduate classes. I developed the skill of taking on multiple projects while doing well.
24.
I helped increase disability rights in Kenya, Mexico, and Vietnam.
Working with Mobility International, U.S.A., I helped solidify a collaborative network between a couple dozen organizations between the U.S.A and those four countries. How's that for team building?
25.
Podcasts. I've made them.
Media is always changing and podcasts are one of the fastest growing mediums. I have experience as the co-host of my own show, Pints & Mics.
26.
I'm more than just social media proficient.
Almost anyone under 30 can claim that. I have nearly a decade of experience of daily or weekly engagement on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Feedly, Yelp, Tumblr, Flickr, Wordpress, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Google, Goodreads, and more.
27.
Instagram is my jam!
It's my favorite social network (and by no coincidence the least political). If you want a good look at what I can do with a social media platform, check out my posts. I’ve taken my own use of the photo-sharing app to the next level with longer, thoughtful posts, and high user engagement. On a platform where brevity and minimalism are the norm, I stand out by providing substantive content.
28.
I can Adobe.
I know my way around Photoshop, InDesign and other visual editing software. Case in point? Most of the visuals and personal branding you’ll find on this site.
29.
I can bring in an audience.
In its heyday, my personal blog attracted thousands of views each week. My online articles for other publications continue to be shared with thousands of unique engagements.
30.
I'll make it a good experience.
I make sure that everybody I work with is pleased with the results. I combine hard work with a notably positive and upbeat
SERVICES & RATES
AS A STORYTELLER...
I believe strongly in the power of storytelling to motivate people to take action. We see ourselves as characters in pursuit of goals– supporting a family, changing the world, or overcoming personal obstacles. The best brands are the ones that understand our goals and best help us get there.
In a world where putting out information is cheap and free, the quality of our communication matters more and more. Brands that understand storytelling are the ones that draw people.
WHAT GREAT BRANDS DO:
01. They Put Beliefs in the Driver’s Seat
People move towards brands that know they’re making the world a better place. In a world where almost anything can become a controversy overnight, the best brands can clearly communicate their values to customers. Think of Life Is Good, Patagonia, or Trader Joe’s and you’ll find a tremendous amount of buy-in, all thanks to these brands beliefs.
02. The Speak to Our Imagination
You can share statistics all you want, but unless they speak to our deepest desires or fears, they’ll fall flat. As a storyteller, I choose to appeal to hopes, joys, and loyalties, in order to wipe out apathy and make people care.
03. They Focus on their Customer
Many brands have great services, many organizations do great work, but unless they can connect with people through their own personal stories, they'll go unnoticed. Everyone wakes up as the protagonist of their own story, and brands that resonate know how to enter into those stories.
04. They Stand Out as Different
People have options! At any given moment, someone can pull out a phone and immediately find infinite choices of where to eat, where to shop, and what to do. So how are you going to stand out? You need to be unconventional, challenge norms, and meet desires people didn’t know they had.
HOW CAN I HELP YOU STAND OUT?
Developing an Effective Brand Identity
How are you making the world a better place through what you’re doing? Starting with that question, I can work with you and your team to be more than just another option among many. Through ongoing consultations or day-long workshops, I can facilitate the process of identifying your brand’s values, key strengths, and underlying values.
Building a Powerful Web Presence
It takes five seconds -often even less- in order for somebody to decide whether or not you’ve got a brand that has their interest or trust. With those stakes, it’s incredibly important to make sure you have a website that is easy to use, clearly communicates your value to site visitors, and matches your beliefs to their imagination. You can do this! I can help! By reframing your website, evaluating its structure, developing more effective wireframes, and writing better copy, we’ll sharpen its appeal to people who come your way.
Drafting an Effective Email Campaign
Email is the most important tool for driving interaction. For every $1 spent on email, companies see a $38 ROI. Email marketing is extremely cost-effective for smaller budget organizations, and advanced email strategies have been proven to lead to higher rates of engagement. With all that said, it’s important to know what makes an email strategy that actually works.
Crafting Compelling Videos
Going into 2018, attention spans appear shorter than ever and overstimulation is at a peak. Information alone is not effective, nor is empty sentiment. Video is a powerful tool to engage both the head and the heart. As a writer and visual storyteller, my work is primarily in scripting and directing effective marketing videos that people want to see and share. I team up with other video professionals to deliver moving films.
Interested in working together? Please fill out the form below and I’ll respond to you as soon as I possibly can!
IN-PERSON COMMUNICATION
An ever-increasing amount of work and business is done digitally. Technology allows people to accomplish an increasing amount of tasks over screens and signals. Believe it or not, these trends actually make in-person communication all the more powerful. A tangible product display stands out in comparison to an online product description. People will remember an enthusiastic, in-person description of your organization’s work better than they’ll remember the text on your home page. Tours, events, and live presentations can prove to be invaluable opportunities for your brand to stand out from the crowd in a sea of noise.
Public Speaking – $2000, plus travel
I am an experienced and comfortable public speaker who blends personal experience, humor, and unconventional ideas in order to tell stories that relate to audiences’ lives. I’ve spoken at conferences, churches, and universities about the importance of being present, of the challenges of pursuing social justice, or the role of adventure in our lives. See my books and essays to get a sense of topics I can speak about authentically.
Tour/Event Planning – $5000 for up to three events
Includes a timeline, budget, and presentation sequence designed to captivate and connect with your audience. (Approx. 2 months of planning a minimum of 2 months prior to the event)
Script and Materials Writing – $700
Includes 20 minutes worth presentation scripts, sequence of events planning, and materials writing, plus one round of revisions. (Approx. 1 month of working time a minimum of 1 month prior to event)
Speech Writing – $1000
Includes a written script of the speech and one round of training and rehearsal. (Approx. 1 week turnaround a minimum of 2 weeks prior to event)
WRITING & PUBLICITY
Using just the right words in just the right places can get a lot done. A compelling media release, a well crafted annual report, or blog content that strikes a chord with your audience can turn their mild curiosity into a strong desire to take part in what you have to offer. Thankfully, I happen to be a pretty strong wordsmith. I’d love to make sure your written materials leave your audience feeling excited about your brand.
Media Releases – $100
Includes a brand consultation, a 500-750 word media release fitting common practices of journalism standards, a round of revisions, and submissions to three local or relevant media platforms.
Editorial Posts – $80
Need a contributor for an online magazine or publication? I have been published on numerous platforms for thousands of readers including Relevant Magazine and Good Men Project. Includes a submitted article about your product/service or a related issue or topic of your choice.
Materials Writing – $50*
Includes first 300 words and one round of revisions for print materials such as product packaging, brochures, mail campaigns, or annual reports. $20 for each additional 100 words.
Newsletters or Blog Posts – $80
Includes a brand consultation, strategy, a 500-750 word newsletter update or blog post intended for a more informal audience compared to a media release, and a round
STRATEGY & PLANNING
There are countless brands and companies out there that do excellent and important work but don’t get a lot of attention because they aren’t telling stories in a compelling way. I use my skills of storytelling to help organizations present their services in a lively way that intrigues audiences and positions them as the most valuable, most helpful service around.
Materials Audit – $400
Includes a user friendly report of website narrative, page-by-page evaluations, SWOT analysis, and key recommendations. (Approx. 2 week turnaround)
Brand Taglines & Mission Statements – $300
Includes brand consultation, market research, and a list of ten options, plus a round of revisions. (Approx. 1 week turnaround)
Identity Consultation - $800
Includes an hour-long brand consultation, market research, best practices, and a user friendly report with recommendations on how to tell the story of your mission, how to connect with customers, and how to be noticed as unique apart from the competition.
Campaign Strategic Planning - $750
Includes an hour-long brand consultation, market research, a SWOT analysis, a list of campaign phases, campaign budget, action steps, and a project timeline. (Approx. 2 week turnaround)
WEBSITE BUILDING
For many brands, websites are everything. Literally. A significant amount of consumers discover brands and make decisions based on what they see on an organization’s website. This means that when it comes to business, every word and every element of design counts! I’ve built websites for a variety of brands, from nonprofits to personal services to high end businesses. I can help make sure your site is easy to navigate, and that it reflects the quality product or service you have to offer.
Full Website Package – $2500
Includes everything included in the five webpage package but for up to five additional pages, a website announcement email and social media post. (Approx. 2 months turnaround)
5 Webpage Package – $1600
Includes a brand consultation, five pages’ worth of wireframe and web design, writing for all copy on each of these pages, a round of design revisions, and backend access for simple maintenance. (Approx. 1-2 months turnaround)
About Page – $500
Includes a brand consultation, strategic content and format suggestions, 300-400 well-crafted words, and one round of revisions. (Approx. 1 week turnaround)
Sales/Landing Page – $300
Includes a brand consultation, strategic content and format suggestions, 100-300 well-crafted words, and one round of revisions. (Approx. 1 week turnaround)
SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS
In recent years, some of the fastest growing companies have seen their products take off as a result of well planned and well executed social media strategies. Social media is more than a technological trend. Successful companies are ones that form relationships with their clients. The ability to stay connected on a daily basis alongside friends and family members offers companies unprecedented opportunities to build relationships. I have a strong familiarity with most major social media platforms and I can help you stand out in this crowded space.
Social Media Strategy – $800
Includes an hour-long consultation where I will help you determine what social media platforms you need to be on, what sort of posts you need to write, and how to best incorporate this into your workflow.
Two Month Editorial Calendar Plan – $1500
Includes a brand consultation, strategy, and a two month schedule for social media posts for a single platform, plus one round of revisions.
Social Media Sequence – $800
Includes a brand consultation, strategy and schedule, ten social media posts on a single platform, and a round of revisions. (Approx. 1 week turnaround)
Email Sequence – $750
Includes a brand consultation, a strategy and schedule, five emails, and a round of revisions. (Approx. 1 week turnaround)
