There’s a running joke amongst my friends that I love attention and constantly seek validation. Like all jokes, there’s some truth to it. And I think it used to be even more true. We’re kind of raised on validation – your parents tell you that you did a good job with some sort of task, then sports define winning and …
two years into the journey
Two Aprils ago, I walked into the company boardroom for a leadership meeting. We were told that our company was transitioning all of our resources over to a new product. I was also told that my role would be changing a lot. I knew then it was time for me to leave, and I put in my notice the next …
be the client you want to see in the world
Between my junior and senior year of college, I decided it was time for me to get some experience in the service industry. Well, to be totally honest, the two (very different) internships I applied for at Bridgewater Capital and MNML Design Studio both fell through in the eleventh hour. So, I decided to learn to bartend and serve for …
the hidden danger of negative thoughts
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’ve probably seen me reference the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, otherwise known as selective attention. It’s why you notice other people wearing your coat, someone driving a car that’s the same model as yours, or ads targeting something you were just talking about. We prime our own brains to pay closer attention to …
appealing to the discerning eye
As you’ve probably noticed, there’s a lot of noise around us. HEY LOOK OVER HERE CHECK OUT THIS SALE WHAT IF WE PUT AN INFLUENCER BEHIND IT? ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME NOW? In relative terms, this environment is incredibly new to us. The amount of information we’re taking in all the time is unbelievable — and a huge increase …
recapping SXSW 2019
Last week I flew to Austin, Texas, for my fourth SXSW Festival. If you’ve never been to South-By before, it’s described on their website as “The South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference & Festivals celebrate the convergence of the interactive, film, and music industries.” All things considered, it’s one of my favorite events. For a few days, Austin becomes a center …
on the cusp
I’ve felt a strange sense that’s been getting stronger and stronger over the last few months. It’s hard to put a name to it, but I’d describe it as the feeling of being on the cusp. It just feels like the work I’ve been doing for the past several months have landed me near the doorstep of some sort of …
Launching and a new sense of empathy
One night in August 2012, I felt completely defeated. I had been working all summer towards the launch of my first startup, MarketOSU. It was a simple idea – basically Craigslist for Ohio State students that required a student email to create an account. For months, I had been marketing an August 20th launch date for the website, and checking …
experience ladders: why YOU are right for the job
A common theme that has come up in conversations this week in the Unreal Collective community is the struggle with self deprecating thoughts and head trash. We are our own worst enemies. I think it’s a cultural thing — part of where our society is right now. When we see beautiful highight reels on social media showing all the COOL stuff …
too late, too aware, and the many forms of imposter syndrome
Working with and being around so many creative, entrepreneurial people, I see a common “excitement arch” play out a lot. It looks like this: someone has an idea for a project, product, or even specific niche. They get super excited, and in the span of a few hours, are totally bought in on this idea. Then they will start doing …