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Expert Quotes

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Expert Quotes

“Employees are people. Customers are people. Same for entrepreneurs, business leaders. Conclusion? Companies are created by people and run by people, to service the needs and wants of people. Despite this fairly obvious observation, we tend to manage business and personal matters differently.”

CultureMarketingBrandingExpertEmployeesConsultantAge Of Ideas
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“Tracy Chapman’s music is a reflection of her life experiences, her purpose. Ian Schrager’s hotels are a reflection of his life experiences, his purpose. And Supreme’s hats and skate decks are a reflection of James Jebbia’s dreams and desires. Each of them took their own experiences—the ups, the downs, the good and the bad—and turned them into something sharable, a real-world reflection of themselves. And because it combined their purpose with their singular talent, it flourished.”

PurposeCreativityMarketingBrandingExpertConsultantAlan PhilipsAge Of IdeasReflect Yourself
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“This core idea of reflecting oneself also applies to the audi- ence. People choose products, services, and, ultimately, brands because they see a reflection of who they are or who they want to be in them. We encountered this with Supreme. Yes, it reflected James Jebbia and the original skaters who worked in his store. But it just so happened there were numerous people with similar values and aspirations who grew up enjoying street style and skate cul- ture. And they chose Supreme because they saw parts of who they were or who they wanted to be in the brand, what it stood for, and how it felt. The more people identify with that energy, the more the energy expands. When a product is a pure reflection of a founder’s core values and the customer feels that energy, they’re attracted to that product.”

CreativityExperienceMarketingExpertBrandConsultantAlan PhilipsAge Of IdeasReflect Yourself
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“We’re tribal beings. We build our identities through the people and communities we choose to associate with. There’s no difference between an ancient tribe tattooing its members with unique symbols and a young person wearing a Supreme T-shirt to associate with the tribes of street style and skate culture. It all comes from the same place, and it’s critical that we recognize this behavior so we can apply it to the sharing of our own creations.”

PurposeCreativityMarketingBrandingExpertConsultantAlan PhilipsAge Of Ideas
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“You reflect yourself in your creations, and they reflect themselves in their consumption and self-expression. The combination leaves both sides fulfilled. In a world where human creativity is the last remaining sustainable, competitive advantage and the principle driver of value creation, your most potent weapon is you.”

CreativityEntrepreneurMarketingBrandingExpertConsultantAge Of Ideas
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“The more I research the emotional elements, the more I realize the divided approach—life on one side, business on the other—is not only ridiculous but harmful to the bottom line. Most individuals run their lives focused solely on meeting their financial needs, and most organizations make decisions based solely on their P&Ls. Traditionally, little or no value is placed on understanding the emotional elements. But in the modern market, it’s creativity—a purely emotional element—that has the ability to change the value of a business simply by altering its perception or usage.”

CreativitySelf HelpEntrepreneurMarketingFulfillmentBrandingExpertAlan PhilipsAge Of Ideas
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“Once we’ve met our basic needs—safety, security, sustenance, and shelter—those same emotional elements, not material wealth, determine our level of fulfillment, or, as some may refer to it, our personal success. These parallel truths—that amazing achievement and lasting fulfillment for both individuals and organizations come from understanding and harnessing those emotional elements—are critical to flourishing in our new age, the Age of Ideas.”

SuccessCreativityMarketingFulfillmentBrandingExpertConsultantAlan PhilipsAge Of Ideas
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“For example, the creation or ongoing success of a product is entirely dependent on its ability to influence people’s actions, pri- marily by getting them to make a purchase or use a product. Just think of the Internet, which is designed to get you to take a specific action, such as consuming content, making a purchase, or filling out a lead form. Not a single webpage exists without this inten- tion. And the influencing of people’s actions is based on impacting them emotionally. We’re all emotional beings. To manage, sell to, parent, support, or lead people, we must understand and value the emotional as much as if not more than the practical. Only when you accept and embrace this fact will you be able to fully unlock your potential.”

CreativityEmotionalInternetMarketingFulfillmentBrandingExpertAlan PhilipsAge Of Ideas
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“A few years ago my therapist asked me, “What do you want out of life?” I said the first thing that came to my mind: “I want to be successful.” He looked at me, puzzled, and replied, “What do you mean?” “You know what I mean,” I said. “I want to be successful. I want to be wealthy, powerful, and recognized.” In other words, I framed a conventional vision of success, the one drummed into us by popular culture and other social dimensions. My therapist chuckled at my naïveté for a moment and then asked, “Alan, why do you believe that wealth, power, and recogni- tion are the definition of success?” He then went on to explain to me that success is defined as “accomplishing an aim or purpose,” but the definition of that aim or purpose is up to the individual. My mind was officially blown.”

SuccessFulfillmentExpertCoachConsultantAlan PhilipsAge Of Ideas
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“It’s only when you free yourself from external definitions of success that you’re able to comprehend the folly of this type of pursuit. Ask yourself: What’s the point of attaining a goal if it isn’t going to satisfy your internal needs? All you’re going to end up with is some form of a trophy (money, a big house, a nice watch, some press clippings) alongside a big bowl of unhappiness and dissatis- faction. You can only define yourself as a success if the result of your actions is the satisfaction of your internal desires, not that of some superficial, outside force. It isn’t relevant if society deems you a success—it’s whether you believe you’re achieving success that matters. For some this may mean fame and fortune, but for others it may just mean putting food on the table every night for their family and having a loving relationship with their spouse. The determining factor is how you feel and what you desire on the inside. The first and most powerful step is realizing you have the power to determine what success looks like for you. Only then can you free yourself from the myth and begin the journey of living your truth.”

SuccessCreativityEntrepreneurMarketingFulfillmentBrandingExpertConsultantAge Of Ideas
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“Once you discover your purpose, the goal becomes to live it in all aspects of what you do. This is the integrated life, a life in which there’s no difference between work and play; there’s only your purpose and what you’re doing at that very moment to live that truth, wholly and completely. The closer you get to that point, the closer your entire life comes to being an actualized existence, and the more likely you will enjoy many more of Maslow’s peak experiences.”

PurposeCreativityFulfillmentExpertCoachConsultantAlan PhilipsAge Of Ideas
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“Through this purpose Sweetgreen has become more than a restaurant—it’s become a movement and a community, one that people are so proud to be a part of that they share Sweetgreen content on their social feeds and wear T-shirts emblazoned with the restaurant’s logo. The founders remain committed to their differentiating core values, such as “creating solutions where the company wins, the customer wins, and the community wins,” and have used those values, rooted in their purpose, to drive the company forward.”

RestaurantsBrandingExpertAlan PhilipsAge Of IdeasFood BeverageJonathan NemanSweetgreen
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“The crowds aren’t coming to Sweetgreen stores and the festival simply for great salads or cool music acts. They’re coming because they buy into what Sweetgreen stands for, and because, on a deeper level, they feel a reflection of themselves in Sweet- green’s purpose—which is itself an honest manifestation of what the people behind the business believe and what they stand for.”

MarketingBrandingExpertRestaurantAlan PhilipsAge Of IdeasJonathan NemanSweetgreen
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“Being an independent thinker is the opposite of what we’re taught by most organized groups, from preschool classes to our teams at work. We feel comfortable in communities, so we encour- age the group dynamic and fitting-in above individuality. But cre- ativity and innovation require that you trust yourself and go against the group—that you think for yourself. Nothing truly innovative, visionary, or creative has ever come out of a group of people sitting in a boardroom giving their opinions on an idea, especially when the market is demanding authenticity.”

CreativityInnovationMarketingBrandingExpertConsultantAlan PhilipsAge Of Ideas
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“Trusting yourself enough to go against the grain, to do some- thing that’s truly a reflection of your purpose, isn’t what we’re taught. It only comes when we’ve gained enough experience to choose our own path, trust our instincts, and create from within. That’s what it means to be an experienced creative.”

MarketingBrandingExpertConsultantAlan PhilipsAge Of IdeasExperienced Creative
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“This combination of the internal, intangible emotional jour- ney and the practical skill of making music—the “heartwork and headwork,” as Rubin calls it—is how he’s sustained his craft across genres for so many decades. He taps into something far beyond the type of music or production style, and instead connects to the artist through a first-principle truth: that their greatest work can only come from manifesting and sharing a reflection of their true purpose.”

PurposeExpertBrandConsultantAlan PhilipsAge Of IdeasKanyeRick Rubin
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“Who we are to the outside world and whether we are able to manifest our purpose is the result of work done when no one is looking. Every decision we make has positive and negative implications for our future and therefore must involve a strong framework, one that guides our choices and focuses our energy.”

PurposeCreativityMarketingBrandingExpertAlan PhilipsAge Of Ideas
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“While making inexpensive furniture may be what IKEA does prac- tically, the vision of “creating a better everyday life” for people has emotional resonance we can rally behind. These are the words of a movement, and I would argue that without them, Ikea would be much less successful. Combine commitment to a meaningful purpose with flawless execution and it makes the difference between the world’s largest furniture retailer and a local purveyor of cheap junk.”

PurposeMarketingBrandingFurnitureExpertConsultantAge Of IdeasIkea
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“Your purpose is the emotional and spiritual energy that surrounds the commercial aspects of what you do; it can’t be to make a lot of money or sell a lot of widgets. While generating a significant financial return may be a result of pursuing your purpose, it can’t be why you do what you do. Money isn’t what the journey’s about. We aren’t here to survive; we’re here to self-actualize and thrive.”

PurposeCreativityExperienceMarketingThriveBrandingExpertConsultantAlan PhilipsAge Of Ideas
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“Art is the expression of human creativity and imagination, which produces works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty. It’s emotional. Commerce is the activity of buying and selling, particularly on a grand scale. It’s black and white: either a purchase is made or it isn’t. It’s practical.”

ArtCreativityMarketingCommerceExpertBrandConsultantAlan PhilipsAge Of Ideas
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“Creativity is that special something. It can take you from good to great, from want to need, from admiration to infatuation. It is intangible, emotional, and premium-worthy. It’s honest. It’s simple. It’s generous. It’s beautiful to watch and effortless to enjoy. Once you get in touch with your creativity, nothing else is ever the same. It is an energy deep within, one that connects us all.”

BusinessCreativityMarketingBrandingExpertAge Of Ideas
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“Despite our efforts to be practical and logical, humans remain emotional beings, and we all crave meaningful emotional interaction with other humans. We don’t just want meatballs, we want Grandma’s meatballs; we don’t just want a smartphone, we want to Think Different; we don’t just want to go to any old amusement park, we want to go to the Magic Kingdom; and we don’t want water, we want artesian water from Fiji. The story, the experience—that’s what is critical to creating, and the emotional connection established through that art is what drives commerce in the contemporary market.”

CreativityEmotionalMarketingBrandingExpertConsultantAlan PhilipsAge Of IdeasTribal
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“...creators must deeply believe in what they’re manifesting in order for others to believe. Today’s term of choice for this conviction is authenticity. Walk into any boardroom nowadays and you’ll hear executives asking how they can make their products or services more authentic. The chal- lenge is that there’s no way to be authentic without actually doing something that’s genuine. You must believe in what you’re creating and sharing with the world. Authenticity is exactly that—the point at which you manifest your deep beliefs into something tangible. Therefore, in the modern market there’s more value than ever placed on the level of belief that creators have in their creation.”

CreativitySelf HelpMarketingBrandingExpertConsultantAlan PhilipsAge Of Ideas
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“When artists start out, no one knows who they are or what they do. Despite this, they start manifesting their vision. A painter begins painting and sharing those paintings with the market. Maybe she sells a cou- ple at a low price, or maybe she can’t sell any. So what does she do? Somehow she begins to share the story behind her art. Why does she paint? Where did she come from? What’s her inspiration? What’s the meaning behind her work? Why does she need—not want, need—to paint? And over time people hear her story: some connect with it and others don’t, but the ones who do connect, who see a reflection of themselves in her story, become her tribe. Maybe eventually she gets a gallerist, manager, patron, or publicist, and they share her resonant story with even more people, growing her tribe. Then what happens? Though the paintings are the same, by combining the work with an authentic, resonant story, our painter magically creates value and demand for her art grows.”

ArtCreativityEntrepreneurMarketingBrandingExpertConsultantAlan PhilipsAge Of Ideas
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“While the arrival alone was magnificent, it wasn’t until I entered the lobby that I was swept away: fifty-foot ceilings, a straight-shot visual hundreds of feet from the entrance to the rear orchard, and charming vignettes of whimsical seating and social areas throughout. The beauty was unmistakable, and the energy was so real you could almost drink it. Every step I took built on the drama of the experience. By the time I exited the lobby and stepped into the orchard, I felt changed, as if my appreciation for what the imagination could manifest had been heightened. I didn’t say a word for ten minutes after I walked outside. I just smiled, completely satisfied by what I had just consumed.”

MarketingBrandingExpertConsultantAlan PhilipsAge Of IdeasDelanoIan Schrager
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“Ian and Steve knew there were no hotels cater- ing to the taste and lifestyle of their clientele. It was obvious to them that the hotel business was stale with sameness; if they could infuse art and lifestyle into this segment of commerce, they would disrupt the industry.”

BookCreativityMarketingBrandingExpertConsultantAge Of IdeasIan SchragerMorgans Hotel
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“While many say Schrager’s work is about design, it isn’t—it’s about ideas and experiences. Ian uses the power of his ideas to tap into what he calls the “collective unconsciousness, the ethereal, elusive, and hard-to-define magic and energy.” He understands the power of this intangible, emotional place and uses it to connect deeply with his customers. He knows that “the way a product makes you feel is more important than how it looks. The goal is to create experiences that people will remember, to touch them in emotional and visceral ways, to lift their spirits, to assault their senses, and to wow them in tasteful ways.” But just as important, Schrager under- stands that an amazing experience can’t be created from ideas alone, knowing that “good execution is just as important as a good idea.” And he has consistently manifested his creative potential because he has regularly married the four key elements that create value in our new age: purpose, creativity, execution, and emotion.”

BookMarketingBrandingExperiencesExpertAlan PhilipsAge Of IdeasPodcastHotelsIan Schrager
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“By shifting the perception of a person, product, or place, you will significantly impact their value and how the market interacts with them. Per- ception is closer to reality than ever before, and your ability to positively shift perception directly correlates to how much value you can create in the Age of Ideas.”

CreativityEntrepreneurMarketingBrandingExpertAge Of Ideas
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“Let’s discuss our Swoosh-less Nike sneaker for a moment. My guess is that if you removed the branding from a pair of Nike Dunk sneakers, they would be worth no more than twenty-five percent of their retail price. That means that at least seventy-five percent of the value of a Nike sneaker is tied up in the emotional elements you can’t see or touch, the intangibles. But just because you can’t see them or touch them doesn’t mean they aren’t real.”

CreativityMarketingBrandingExpertNikeConsultantAlan PhilipsAge Of IdeasKanye
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“the ability to reach customers is more cost effective than ever—therefore the intangible and emotional elements have become the key differentiating factor. There are plenty of places to purchase a great spicy tuna roll, but there’s only one Masayoshi Takayama. According to his website, “Masayoshi Takayama’s appreciation for food started at a young age, growing up working for his family’s fish market in a town of Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. From his early years of delivering fresh sashimi to neighbors on his bicycle, to prepping and grilling hun- dreds of fish courses to cater weddings in high school, his relation- ship with food has always been a way of life.” That’s the beginning of a story that makes Takayama’s sushi different and special—that makes it art. And that art is what induces people to pay $600 per person in his New York restaurant for a chance to try it.”

CreativityMarketingBrandingExpertSushiConsultantAlan PhilipsAge Of IdeasMasa
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“The value of story—of creator reputation—was vividly demon- strated in a social experiment conducted by the street artist Banksy during a 2013 New York residency. This is an artist whose work has sold for as much as $1.87 million at auction. Banksy erected a street stall on a sidewalk bordering Central Park and had a vendor sell his prints for sixty dollars each. He then posted a video of his experi- ment. Footage from a hidden camera captures some of his most iconic images displayed on a table. Tourists and locals meander by. His first sale doesn’t come for hours. A woman buys two small works for her children, negotiating a fifty percent discount. Around four in the afternoon, a woman from New Zealand buys two more. A little over an hour later, a Chicago man who “just needs something for the walls,” buys four. With each sale, the vendor gives the buyer a hug or kiss. At 6 p.m., he closes the stall, having made $420. In June 2015, one of these stenciled prints, Love Is in the Air—an image of a masked protestor throwing a bouquet of flowers—sold for $249,000. How much of the value of Banksy’s art is tied up in his name, his global brand?”

ArtCreativityEntrepreneurMarketingBrandingExpertConsultantAge Of IdeasBanksy
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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“Visual art is a compelling illustration of the power of story because art serves no practical purpose. Its value doesn’t grow because more people need paintings, like we need shovels after a blizzard—it grows because people connect with the artist through the art. The combination of the work and the story make them feel, and when that happens, people take action to satisfy their emotional need—in this case, desire—by buying and sharing the art. And it’s occurred this way since the beginning of time, except now the art—the intangibles—have more power than ever before.”

CreativityEntrepreneurMarketingBrandingExpertConsultantAlan PhilipsAge Of Ideas
Author:Alan Philips
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“The beauty, quality, and deeply personal nature of Chapman’s music, which had clearly resonated with so many early listeners in Boston, did so in exactly the same way with a large national audience. While she didn’t fit into any clear category, the fact that she was different and had manifested a deeply personal message resonated powerfully with the world. Chapman was recently asked what advice she might have given herself when she was starting out, and she responded, “It really is okay to be yourself.... If you are living a life that feels right to you, if you’re willing to take creative chances or a creative path that feels like it’s mostly in keeping with your sensibilities, you know, aesthetic and artistic, then that’s what matters.”

CreativityMarketingBrandingExpertConsultantAlan PhilipsAge Of IdeasTracy Chapman
Book:The Age of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential
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