Never take anything for granted
I ama mothera daughtera frienda lovera wifea cooka leadera travellera performera dreamera poeta survivorI am a woman I amkind generousfearlesshopefulpatientimperfectpassionatecourageousemotionalrationalplayfulloyalI am a happy woman I have beenlovedrespectedignoredadoredtaken for granteddesiredhumiliatedpraisedleft in the darkput in the spotlightlet down by fewtrusted by mostI am a happy woman shaped by the scars of life.
Almost 14th of February again, Valentine’s day. This day makes me think of the most beautiful lesson in love I ever got from my grandma when I was only 6. To love is to let go We were walking on the beach in Ostend, and she said to me: “now Ann, you have to watch…
As a linguist (yes, I also have a Master in Linguistics :)), I truly adore Oscar Wilde for his wit: a combination of contrary elements that make his style so full of irony and paradox. On being your true self: “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.” On true friends: “True friends stab you in…
Marketing is no longer about telling the world how great your products and services are. Marketing is not what you think it is.It is more counter-intuitive than you think. “People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole.” said the legendarey Harvard marketing professor Theodore Levitt. And actually, we do not…
The less people are experienced in marketing, the more they want to have a say in marketing. Because they believe their “intuition” rocks? Well, their intuition doesn’t rock. Here’s why: a lot of principles in marketing are counter-intuitive to non-marketeers. Let’s look at just one. The BIG LOGO struggle We still see clients asking for a…
One of the most stunning things we encounter when we run workshops about strategy, is the confidence managers usually have with respect to knowing their customers well. When we confront them with questions such as “how do you know this is exactly what your customers want”, “how do you know this is the way to…
Time flies. Yesterday my parents had their 54th wedding anniversary. It was a anniversary different from all previous ones. It was their first wedding anniversary in separation. My dad’s still doing fine and continues to live in the house where I grew up. My mom is staying in a retirement home because she is no…
Since last Saturday, the nameplate at the top of the Montreal airport terminal shines in alternating red, white and blue. And to underline the importance of ice hockey, the O has been stuffed with the “Canadiens” hockey logo. Gohabsgo ! It is an internal idea, they say. Yes, I can see that from a distance.…
Hi Mr. Trump, Hello from Belgium, the most beautiful country in the world. We totally understand it’s going to be America first, and The Netherlands second. Fair enough. But can we say Belgium third? I couldn’t resist to add some thoughts to this great Dutch clip. Have a look at it first. Can we say…
My desk companion made me smile yesterday. His name? Sempé, the calendar version. I adore Sempé for his simple and subtle way of bringing messages across. This time: showing danger situations… some a bit more dangerous than others. Make it real Make things real to get people’s attention. Communicate in their language if you want…