From an early age, Melinda knew she wanted to be a journalist.  After she earned her undergraduate degree in journalism and worked in television production, Melinda took many opportunities that helped her evolve into the SmallBizLady she is today.  

We discuss how knowing your customer, and loyalty in a constantly changing economic landscape is important more than ever, for the survival of small businesses today.  

Melinda’s energy and enthusiasm for helping small businesses succeed is infectious and her understanding of the nature of small business development in times of change are something we can all learn from.

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America’s #1 Small Business Expert

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The post S3E5: Melinda Emerson | SmallBizLady appeared first on nine dots.

From butterfly flight to tiny fire engines inside the human body, we hear how Dr. Wolfram was inspired by her experience as a young scientist exploring the differences between butterflies and their flight time, to developing new strategies for the treatment of cancer.

The amazing analogies in her storytelling enable us to understand the complex and skilled laboratory work that is revolutionizing the design and treatment of multifunctional and targeted therapies of cancer through nanoscience.  

We learn how the trait of a successful scientist relies on presentation of information and data in a compelling manner. Connecting the dots of scientific knowledge is important to make sense and capture the attention of the audience.  Remembering information and allowing data to tell the story, while being flexible and able to adapt the narrative in an ever changing world of scientific data is imperative. This enables one to reshape and therefore relay the truth and story behind science, in order to save lives.

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Dr Wolfram at the Mayo Clinic

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The post S3E4: Dr. Joy Wolfram | Think Small: Reshaping the Story appeared first on nine dots.

With the launch of Project Runway in 2004, Nancy found herself reigniting her passion for fashion design and garment construction.  Motivated by her love of learning and not being afraid, she began a new career path and found herself on a journey to becoming the influential inclusive and adaptable designer she is known to be today.  She is well known for her adaptable, wearable art- and the hard work and joy she radiates with her work ethic and unique vision.  This focus and determination, led her to being a finalist on the latest season of Project Runway! 

Nancy inspires others with her infectious kindness and lives her best life being able to sustain her business through her fashion and being relevant in the community.  Her need to create, which she describes as her oxygen, and her gratitude is evident in all that she does. 

Nancy’s mission is to inspire people to appreciate and celebrate their differences, and always no matter what- Be Kind. She would love to hear from anyone with special fashion needs and how she can be more adaptive in her designs.

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The post S3E3: Nancy Volpe Beringer | Creativity Is My Oxygen appeared first on nine dots.

Anne was a late bloomer into the photography world, and has spent the last few decades honing her unique voice capturing the pure joy, vulnerability and innocence of babies.  Her stills capture the story of new life, injecting personality and the simplicity of a fleeting moment in time.  Anne’s work has garnered her a place in the International Photography Hall of Fame- an honor she was bestowed for her compassion and life’s work.

Anne is an Ambassador (volunteer) for the March of Dimes charity, as well as a Global Advocate for Shot@Life, a United Nation’s Foundation campaign which aims to provide access to basic life-saving immunizations to children in the developing world. 

Anne continues to tell her unique story through the art of photography, constantly fascinated and inspired by Mother Nature and all she has to offer.

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The post S3E2: Anne Geddes | Telling the Story of New Life appeared first on nine dots.

This episode we talk with Judith Moritz, a broadcast journalist based in Manchester, England.  Judith is a North of England Correspondent for the BBC- one of the world’s top impartial news organizations.

We learn about how the story behind the pictures we see on the TV news differs from scripted TV and radio. We gain insight into the ways in which TV news has evolved over the years and the ways that the news is impacted by technology and external circumstances in an ever changing world.

We hear how Judith’s many years of training and experience in broadcast journalism have given her the ambition and determination to provide world class storytelling in investigative and newsworthy events.  After 20 years of producing and communicating human stories, Judith is on top of her game both behind and in front of the camera.

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British Broadcasting Corporation

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The post S3E1: Judith Moritz | Educate. Entertain. Explain. appeared first on nine dots.

Proof I once had mostly black hair.

That was then, this is now.

I suppose I should be thankful that I am reaching a more acceptable age for graying – and that at least there is still a bit of pepper.

I come by it honestly, as my father apparently had his first gray hair at age 4 and had graying temples as a teenager.   I have few memories of my father without gray hair, and as I think fondly of my dear old Dad, my sensibility about gray hair may be more positive than others.

By most accounts, I am also lucky to be a man with gray hair as opposed to a woman.  People often say that gray hair on a man makes him look distinguished or even cool.   People are generally not as forgiving for woman in this area.

Then there is the big, profound question:

To Dye or Not To Dye? 

While it is completely acceptable for woman to dye their hair (even when they don’t have gray ones to hide), dyeing for men has more of a stigma.

I know of some contemporaries of mine who make the choice to dye and more power to them.

One of my issues with it is that if it isn’t done well, it looks awful.  Way worse than the gray hair.  Also, once you journey down that path, it can be difficult to return.

The stage between a person who has dyed their hair for a long time and then decides to return to their natural color can be a bit awkward.

I have some friends who say I am lucky and should be thankful that my hair is going gray and not simply going…

All of this has me thinking about what it means to age gracefully.  For a few years now I find myself sometimes complaining to my wife about getting old.  Her usual response is that if I’m complaining in my forties about being old, what will I be like at sixties (probably a gray haired grumpy old man).

As each year passes, I find myself trying to balance the need and desire to hold on to the charms of youth, while admitting and accepting the inevitable changes that come with getting old..er.

My father, who is in his late seventies, has said for years, he doesn’t feel the number of his age.  After all, age is simply a number.

Being in the marketing field, I am acutely aware that appearing youthful is at a premium. Between fashion magazines or Hollywood, the search for the fountain of youth is constant.   There are several billion dollar industries aimed at trying to keep us “young.” Organizations are often looking to hire fresh new talent (which is usually much cheaper) than retaining or seeking those with a bit more salt in their coif.

Is it better to hire a younger, go-getter or someone with more experience? I suppose it depends what the role is that you are seeking to fill and the make-up of your organization.   There are advantages to having team members who have not yet been molded in any particular fashion as you build internal culture. There are also huge benefits to having co-workers who can bring their experience to the table.

Of course, age is only one factor.   Whether hiring within your organization, or engaging a partner to work with, it is critical to look at the whole number of characteristics. Age certainly does not dictate attitude. As an adjunct professor, some of my students are positive, dynamic and engaged, while some appear negative and apathetic.   A friend of mine who has since passed away, was energetic and full of life at 85!   I joke that age does not equal maturity, which may explain why I get along with kids so well.  My dad is yet another example, as he plays he plays his drums with the same youthful enthusiasm I image he did 50 years ago!

Now that I have growing children, I find myself embracing both the aging process and remaining young at heart, even if my children won’t remember me before I turned into a silver-haired Dad.

I may not be as quick on the basketball court as I once was, but I’m still out there playing with gusto and enjoying the game.   Perhaps that is the point – enjoy the game – whatever your age.

The post Fifty Shades of Gray…Hair appeared first on nine dots.

“We first see with our eyes and our brain processes imagery before we read type.”

-Avery Sohn

Da Vinci’s Flying Machine schematics

Art is finicky. It can be the most exhilarating thing or it could miss the mark for someone entirely. That being said art holds value in our daily lives. Without art, the Earth would just be meh. Cringing jokes out of the way, art does give meaning to life. Imagine a world without colors. What would a summer look like without a major blockbuster at the cinema? Better yet, what would life look like without the great artist whose ideas became real? Da Vinci’s schematics for the flying machine is a prime example. 

Granted it might have not made it off the ground, but he did create an idea that would be extended and molded until it became a real life contraption.

However art when it comes to advertising is seen as this negative thing to some folks. Some folks tend to believe that when it comes to advertising, art is forced to become this impure idea that diminishes the value of the art. Industry professionals have a different take on the notion. Deborah Racono, an art director and advertising professor at Temple University, said that art serves as an “inspiration to advertising”. This is abundantly clear when professionals are asked to list some of their favorite artists. Classics like Claude Monet and Van Gogh are brought up but also switch hitters like Ray and Charles Eames who are architects at heart. Even if these artists were contacted to draw up an ad, it would still be tasteful as art and advertising share a special dance.

Claude Monet’s Weeping Willow

The Artist Waltz

Advertising is about sharing an idea to the world so you can make a sale. With that in mind, a client has to choose the right artist for the job so that it can still be pure. That is what’s really going to stick in people’s heads. The artist has to then make sure that they communicate the ideas well and build a strong case for your vision and why it works. It needs to be strategic. It needs to hit all of the communication objects and there has to be a reason why the designer chose a certain color and not just because they don’t like that shade of purple.

Yet, we all know a good piece of creative when we see it. Despite being subjective, sales and the emotions an audience feels when viewing a piece of art, whether it be a timeless piece or the Tide ad commercials, are key indicators are how successful a piece can be. One professional mentioned that even if an ad doesn’t sell directly translate to sales, the ad can still be successful if it was a clever piece of creative. As long as the creative leaves a lasting emotional connection, it may influence the later purchasing decisions of the consumer due to it always being in the back of your head.

Advertisements can definitely be considered art. The goal of it is to share our ideas to do something. If that isn’t art, I don’t know what is. 

Elephant by Charles and Ray Eames

The post The Importance of Art in Advertising appeared first on nine dots.

This episode we chat with Chris Heck, President of the Philadelphia 76ers basketball organization.   Chris expresses his view on the power of story and the need to integrate it into the brand.  “Brand is a representation of a bigger story.” Chris shares his views on how we need to capture people’s attention and ensure the stories we tell are relatable and authentic

The Sixers are much more than a sports team – as an innovative brand that gives back, they’ve raised over $1M for their youth foundation and every employee commits 76 hours to volunteer a year.  

The Sixers story continues to evolve as it embraces the legacy of its past with the promise of its future – and the future is now!

While Chris admits the Sixers are a cool brand and working in the organization is fun – the real story is about the impact they are making in their city and their community.

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The post S2E9: Chris Heck|Fun and Impactful appeared first on nine dots.

This week we talk with Jen Groover, successful serial entrepreneur, author and thought leader in human potential.

Learn about how Jen developed her entrepreneurial mind and spirit. We talk about how important it is to connect the dots and invite people into your story to walk alongside you throughout your journey. Jen shares the importance of emotional connection and how it can be used to surpass the competition by telling stories that connect you with your audience.

As a successful serial entrepreneur, performance coach and retired National Level Fitness Competitor, Jen Groover has been a highly sought after speaker and trainer for over 20 years.

Jen has been a top business and lifestyle contributor and content creator for major television networks such as ABC, CBS, CNBC, NBC, MSNBC, Fox News, Fox Business News, and the The CW.  Jen also contributes editorial pieces to several prominent business magazines and online resources including The Huffington Post, Entrepreneur Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal

She is launching her second book this fall, “The MORE Method: The Simple Formula to Get More of Everything Good in Life”.

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What If? & Why Not?

Tedx

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The post S2E8: Jen Groover|One-Woman Brand appeared first on nine dots.

(Left: Here’s the photo that was voted the favorite from the school community.)

I later went on to serve as the photography editor for my college newspaper.  I was fortunate to learn and engage in the old school processing of negatives and printing photographs with smelly chemicals in a dark room.  Effects such a double exposures or filters on images were often cumbersome and difficult- time consuming and rewarding.

Now I am proud to call myself a Google Trusted photographer and I focus on the power of visual content in my work life.

While I am not a traditional ‘professional’ photographer, I still enjoy snapping images to share on social media and with family and friends.

With the rapid growth of social media and the fact that almost everyone carries a camera around in their pocket in the form of a smartphone – everyone is now a photographer.

There has been a shift in the ease with which people can capture a moment in time. Of course, just because everyone can take photographs, doesn’t mean they should take (and share) photographs.  While social media has catapulted individuals that may never had the opportunity to showcase their photographic talents, there are now billions of images are shared – 24/7, 365.

Has the incredible volume of users taking and sharing images hurt the standard expected of photographs being shared?  Are people thoughtful about what they decide to snap and share?

I believe my amateur photography skills have been diminished due to the fast paced, instant gratification, multi-tasking nature of recent times.  Often, we don’t even stop long enough to capture the moment – we are simply too busy.

Capturing a moment in time is powerful in photography.   Photography allows us to capture and freeze a moment so it can be referred to at another time and repeatedly.  With much of life being ephemeral, images in time let us remember and relive history or provide a window into a life we have not experienced first hand.

Personally, having photographs of loved ones from that past is a way for me to connect with their memory and keep them in my life.

My wife Nita is a wonderful photographer.  She has a keen eye and a creative mind – which is a good combination for a photographer to have.  Part of her talent lies in her natural curiosity and her incredible patience (which continues to come in handy as we raise our three kids).

Despite the advent of digital photography and the snap happy culture of Instagram, there are still many times when we think to take a picture and then let the moment pass.  There are always distractions.

Have you ever had the experience of driving in some picturesque place and seeing a beautiful vista and thought – we should stop and snap a picture? How often do we actually pull over and do so?

This past summer I found myself in this exact situation – driving on a country road in northeast Pennsylvania.  I was headed home and still had quite a drive. As I glanced out at the countryside, I didn’t think too much of the beautiful landscape.  That was until I drove down a hill and stole a glimpse of a pond to my left.

Although it was likely only seconds, there was a conversation in my mind – wow – that’s an incredible reflection in that pond.  I should pull over and stop and get a picture of that. You now what? I am going to pull over.

I pull over and walked up the side of the road to the edge of the pond.  It was worth stopping. There was a moment in time, when the sun was shining onto the pond resulting in a stunning and blinding reflection.  It created a mirror effect in the landscape in the water…. Snap. Snap. Snap.

It could have been a “postcard” picture.  In my reverie I didn’t notice that the owner of the property had come down from the house and was now standing beside me. He asked what I was doing and I explained.  I told him how I had caught the view as I was driving past and wanted to stop and capture the moment.   He seemed a little dubious, but as I showed him the images on my iPhone, he nodded in understanding.

I offer this story as a metaphor for one’s life.   We all rush through life, and while we are not always driving down a country road, there are many opportunities to pull over and stop.  It may lead to capturing a beautiful moment.

One of my guiding beliefs, that I reference often, is that we regret the things we don’t do much more than those we do.  The next time you find yourself having that internal conversation, I hope you listen to the voice that encourages you to indulge your curiosity and take action.

Happy holidays!!

Interested in why STORY MATTERS and creating compelling content for your marketing? Contact Geoffrey at Geoffrey@ninedotsmedia.com or call 267.999.9149

Want to find out more about nine dots, check out our website.

The post Stop and Smell the Photo Op appeared first on nine dots.