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Birthdays and battle scars

Birthdays and battle scars

Birthdays and anniversaries often come with two things: celebration and reflection. As Red Balloon turns two, I’ve definitely been doing a fair bit of both. And as I look back on all that’s happened over the last two years.…well, “Holy … Continue reading »

11 words of gratitude for 2011

11 words of gratitude for 2011

It’s been a large year around here. There have been tears and laughter, good decisions and bad, celebrations and disappointments, dreams and fears. While there’s much we could say, we’re going to practice what we preach and get straight to … Continue reading »

What we can all learn from coffeehouses

What we can all learn from coffeehouses

I have a confession to make: I find the client-consultant relationship a perplexing one. And I don’t mean my relationship with my clients, I mean the dynamic between a person who provides a service and those who purchase it. It often looks … Continue reading »

Communication: An obnoxiously large gift

Communication: An obnoxiously large gift

We use the word “communication” to describe the need we serve. We use it in all of our marketing materials, estimates and web pages. Not public relations, branding, marketing, advertising, publicity, or promotions. Communication. What we mean is: The words, visuals and … Continue reading »

Inviting inspiration to the party

Inviting inspiration to the party

Our sixth, and perhaps most important business value, is Inspiration. In the simplest terms, our marching orders are: seek it out, love it up, don’t go a day without it, and share as much of it as you can with … Continue reading »

We’re huggers

We’re huggers

If you’re not familiar with the Free Hugs campaign, you MUST watch this video before you read the rest of this post. And, even if you have already seen the video, it’s well worth watching again. Guaranteed you’ll feel great. Hugging … Continue reading »

Celebrating the good, the bad and the ugly

Celebrating the good, the bad and the ugly

It’s not uncommon to hear “celebrate our successes” as a fundamental principle of any organization. It seems like celebration is something we all aspire to do, promise that we will, but often run out of time or move onto the … Continue reading »

Valuing nakedness

Valuing nakedness

Getting naked: Being vulnerable. Being willing to ask questions, admit when you don’t know the answers, trust your instincts, and be honest. And perhaps most importantly, not living in fear of losing business. Getting naked is one of our company … Continue reading »

Don’t ask us to climb a mountain

Don’t ask us to climb a mountain

As a continuation of our current series of posts on business values, up next is: “Be Sherpas.” Confession: We do not guide people through mountaineering expeditions in the Himalayas, but we do fancy ourselves as Sherpas anyway. Why? Because we … Continue reading »

A family affair

A family affair

People before profit. Compassion before ego. Understanding before judgment. A few of the beliefs that guide the way we each interact with the world. And to be frank, they double as three big reasons why we’re here, doin’ our own thing. As … Continue reading »