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Picking it up
You may have noticed it’s been a while since my last blog. Or you may not, but I have. Despite all good intentions, I’ve not written anything for months. And the longer it takes, the higher the threshold gets for writing the next one. Or so it seems. Because of course, there is no such […]
5 reasons NOT to hire a brand designer
5 reasons NOT to hire a brand designer Plenty of successful entrepreneurs will tell you that bringing on an experienced brand designer early in the game is one of the best investments you can make as a start-up. But I’m here to tell you DON’T! Why not? I’ll give you 5 reasons: 1. Relax […]
Too soon to take your brand seriously?
When is it too soon to take your brand identity seriously? Many early-stage startups feel they don’t need to pay attention to their brand design just yet. While all efforts are being invested in finishing the product (important, of course), they’ve put off the work on branding to a moment in the future, after funding. […]
Completeness kills momentum
When you’re performing brain surgery on me, I want you to follow all the necessary steps, meticulously. When I’m using your software, I love it when you’ve got all of the bugs out. If I’m putting together an IKEA desk, I definitely want all the parts to be there. Lots of situations require perfection, completeness. […]
The most important slide in your presentation
Which one is it? The slide about your dream team? The problem statement? The one with your perfect solution? Your roadmap, or the financial projections? The killer opening slide maybe? Actually, those could all be it. And they are at some point. If you’ve done your homework preparing this presentation (most of which is striking), every […]
Pitching to a trapped audience
While pitching your idea, do you ever feel like you’re fighting a losing battle? Whatever data you provide, your audience keeps holding back? The harder you try, the worse it gets? No matter how promising your projections, they remain skeptical? The good news is: it probably isn’t because of you. Not all of it. And, […]
What would Dieter do?
Over the years, you’ve witnessed an awful lot of presentations (or more likely, a lot of awful presentations). You’ve experienced that elegant, simple slides are far more engaging and effective. Applying this insight to your own slides however can be difficult. Who guides you? Your colleagues may give you feedback (honest or kind), but you know better […]
Selling the problem first
Strolling around my local market, I’m passing a fruit stand. The vendor is randomly shouting “STRAWBERRIES!” to the passing crowd. Oddly enough, it works too. I might actually get some. They weren’t on my list, and now I’m buying strawberries. Does that make me a pushover? Maybe. But I’ll have strawberries, so who’s complaining? Still, it’s […]
