This is an OPEN INVITATION to ALL of my friends, colleagues and extended network!
(please read all of this post… kinda long, but VERY important.)
I wanted to make sure I invited all of you to this amazing event, the 2012 Business Growth Summit coming up on the 31st of January!
It’s put on by a group started by some associates and myself about 2 months ago called Above The Line America. We’re a networking group like no other – (no fees, no forced referrals, no stupid clapping – unless you feel like clapping… ).
Above The Line America is focused on building and supporting community first and fostering “Above The Line” business relationships second. It’s geared to bring like-minded leaders and business owners together to change the conversation from “below the line” (blame, denial and irresponsibility) back “Above The Line” (Accountability, Ownership, Respect).
The event is an ALL DAY Business Summit, focused on YOUR business and connecting you with some of the most innovative thought leaders in business and emerging business today.
Learn the process and allow yourself to Dream, Set Goals, Make Plans, and Take Action! Leave the day armed with your overall 2012 Plan and next steps for the first 90 days. Have FUN and connect with 400 of your AboveTheLineAmerica™ partners for success! Eat, drink, plan and CONNECT with the BEST and BRIGHTEST in Business!
I know this invitation doesn’t give much time to decide and some of you may not be in Des Moines, Iowa for the 31st, but I wanted to send out invites to everyone I thought would be able to get value from this amazing event.
If you can’t attend, PLEASE let me know your thoughts and if you’d be willing to attend another event like this on a regularly scheduled basis. And if you know of someone that SHOULD attend that I haven’t reached, PLEASE forward this on to them!
This is a group and an event that is VERY close to my heart. If you can attend, or are interested in Above The Line America membership (go to www.abovethelineamerica.com for more info on that), I’d be MORE than happy to welcome you with OPEN ARMS!
While I try not to mix business, personal life and my public persona with ANYTHING remotely political, I usually refrain from posting content such as this. But in this election season started by the Iowa Straw Polls this week and destined to continue on through the next 18 months and beyond, I had the urge to voice my perspective on our current economic state. Do I think this will “turn on the light or make the issues clearer to the candidates? No.
Maybe this will give some of my readers some perspective on how to address the trouble our economy is in.
Democrat? Republican? I don’t care. I think this issue is RELEVANT to us all.
The 12-Step Evolution of a Down Economy (Or… how to rape the economy and propagate slums in our suburbs):
Step1: Residents tire of rural congestion and discover beautiful, virgin territory
Step 2: Residents settle and develop land for suitable family living (“modernize”) Step 3: Residents draw “new” residents on shiny object & new opportunities Step 4: “Community” develops retail and consumer tax base Step 5: This entices residents into comfort and disillusionment with commercialism and retail tax abatements Step 6: Retail and consumer base offer incentives to “stay and grow” in the area with credit and superficial community amenities (that no one really uses) Step 7: Big Retail and Consumer tax base lulls residents into lethargic, numb zombie-like state of ignorance about economic cycles and surge growth detriments Step 8: Zombies extend credit with little or NO reasonable cognitive control Step 9: Retail and commercial base default on credit as corporate office search “New opportunities” in other beautiful, virgin territories. Step 10: Retail and commercial base close down / move away taking job and retail tax base with. Step 11: Residents default on credit foreclose and lose job opportunities… look for the next shiny object. Step 12: Original beautiful, virgin territory is left — unkempt, uncared for, unmarketable, uninhabitable and is sold or leased to those that will take ANYTHING to call their own, because that’s the American Dream
Are you living the “American Dream?”
Keep Cooking (TRUE Community – not the one we’re being SOLD)
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef
Well, I found one. In an article I read a few months ago, Kohi Vinh brought to the foreground the alarmingly BAD illustration and exposure artists are getting online. While I could have written a post agreeing with his post… I wanted to do one better.
Below is a narrative of the post – Kohi’s article driven down to its core – an automated, web-static dramatization of what’s wrong with online illustration (or the lack thereof).
Video… Feed readers may need to click through to the post to view the video properly.
I know a lot of my readers are artists, or used to be and now find themselves in “The Digital Wonderland.” What say you? Is this digital age making it harder for Illustrators and artists of all kinds to make a living at their chosen trade, or are we just a bunch of crybabies?
Growth is a positive thing. I mean growth that produces great things:
Business opportunities
Professional credibility
Community ties
Industry stability
Economical security
ALL good things, right?
YES!
So why not join the CreateWOW team and grow with us (me)?
If you have a desire to join a nimble, progressive marketing and communications company with a drive to change how companies use media, then I want to hear from you.
CreateWOWmarketing, LLC has brought on a handful of new clients that will require talent and support from:
Public Relations Professionals
Media Buyers and Managers
Account and Marketing Managers
Creatives and Multi-Channel Graphic Designers
And while I want to “Do It ALL,” I just can’t…
I’M not looking for just anyone. The people that are brought into the CreateWOW culture will need to be inspired by creativity and driven to create WOW for our clients using traditional and emerging marketing tactics.
These positions are to be considered “Internships” until the candidate has proven him / herself in the job.
I do pay my interns.
Don’t throw your resume at me and expect a call. Connect with me on a unique, engaging and relevant level to the position YOU hope to fill. And for God’s sake, be Truthful.
I want the team to reflect CreateWOW. I want the team to GROW CreateWOW.
So, there you have it. The proverbial ball is in your court.
Have you ever wondered how I became The Brand Chef? It’s not a story I tell often, but in a recent interview with Johnny Wright (Twitter: @unsecretshopper), better known as The UnSecret Shopper the TRUTH was revealed.
The request came out of the blue (proof of building a good personal brand), but after a few Twitter direct messages and a phone call-or-two, I decided Johnny had some great things to talk about and was very interested in learning more about The Brand Chef, marketing strategies and generally what I do… (go figure).
In 19 short minutes, we covered everything from marketing strategies, social media marketing, customer service (which Johnny is brilliant at, by the way), and we even talked a little about how I became The Brand Chef!
Here’s a link to his post of his full 1-hour show. Or you can listen to just my interview below.
Again, I’d like to thank Johnny Wright for taking the time and giving me the honor of being on his show. It was a great conversation and I look forward to hearing / seeing more from him in the future!
Keep Cooking!
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef
Johnny Wright can also be heard on 1350 AM, KRNT radio in Des Moines Iowa. Every Saturday at 8 AM. Check it out!
I wanted to make sure I invited all of you to this amazing event, the 2012 Business Growth Summit coming up on the 31st of January!
). 
Step 4: “Community” develops retail and consumer tax base
Growth is a positive thing. I mean growth that produces great things:
