Writing for Business Owners

Two Decades of Insights (And Still Going)

Though we grew up poor, my dad bought us a typewriter and made us learn how to touch-type. He said we’d appreciate it someday in the future when everyone used computers. He wasn’t wrong.

I’ve written more than a hundred articles about business, marketing, branding, and design for publications like Inc. Magazine and others, as well as for my own various blogs and websites.

“James consistently amazes me with his insights on design, marketing, and business process.”
—Troy Busot (Founder & CEO, Athlinks)

Articles

What Ancient Greece Taught Us About Innovation

What Ancient Greece Taught Us About Innovation

It’s a little disturbing to realize how much of what we do is simply imitation. If you start analyzing your business objectively, you’ll probably come to the (somewhat depressing) realizing that a lot of it is simply rehashed ideas and behaviors adopted from your...

Five Pillars of Social Media Marketing

Five Pillars of Social Media Marketing

It's easy to get whipped up into the hype of social media marketing. Maybe you're just getting started with a new brand account, or maybe you've just been put in charge of all the company's existing followers. Either way, here are some basic principles that'll help...

What’s Your Company’s Internal Compass?

What’s Your Company’s Internal Compass?

One of the hardest questions we ask in our discovery workshops is also one of the simplest and most fundamental: “Why does your company exist?”You’d think most CEOs would have a ready (and passionate) response to that question, but most don’t. When asked that...

After Money, then What?

After Money, then What?

At larger companies, the phrase “maximize shareholder value” has become a trite summary of what they believe is their core purpose. At smaller companies, it’s usually translated into plain English: “Make the owners a bunch of money.”If you dig deeper, the actual...

The Power of the Purpose-Driven Company

The Power of the Purpose-Driven Company

Picture this: You’re standing in the middle of a beautiful meadow on a sunny day. In the middle of this meadow is a large, heavy rock. Your assignment is to move that rock. So, you tie a rope around it, and you start pulling to the north. It’s heavy, but you’re...

Clear Purpose, Clear Decisions

Clear Purpose, Clear Decisions

“Strategy without purpose is like kicking the ball to the goal post without knowing where the goal post is.” (Charles Prabakar) Business is a non-stop barrage of difficult decisions. Should we engage in this partnership? Should we take on this client? Should we accept...

What’s Your Business Really All About?

What’s Your Business Really All About?

“From the outside looking in, you can’t understand it. From the inside looking out, you can’t explain it.” (Roy Spence) Figuring out your company’s purpose is no easy task. There’s no formula for it. It’s subtle, and it takes a while to reveal it, identify it, and...