Tom Petty wasn't the best guitarist on the music scene. He didn't have the most diverse musical repertoire, in terms of styles. And he was never the biggest rock star - certainly not at the level of, say, Springsteen, or Bono.
All in Aspirations
Business IS Personal...
I've never bought the premise that we "shouldn't take it personally, it's just business".
What it suggests is that we are detached from what we do. That we conduct our work devoid of any emotion. That, on any given day, we engage in our work dispassionately.
We Are Deluded By Inspiration
All too often, we're paralyzed by this delusion that is inspiration. We harbor grand ambitions, our dreams to 'be' what we aspire to be. But our movement towards those goals remains stalled, as we wait. For inspiration. For motivation. For some exogenous force to provide us with the impetus to change, act and transform.
"You Can’t Be What You Can’t See" - The Changing Views of Women in Stock Images
The New York Times published a really interesting article last week on the evolving depictions of women in stock photos. It showed the most popular (top selling in terms of downloads) images from 2007 through to 2016, and illustrated how the nature of the top images have changed...
Memories of Shanghai Tang
In 1994, Hong Kong businessman and socialite, David Tang, opened a designer boutique on Pedder street in Hong Kong. Shanghai Tang, as I remember it, was startling in its style, its sophistication, its message. It represented a fusion between traditional Chinese style and Western chic.
Scarlett Offers Us Some Practical Advice
I don't typically expect practical life advice from popular films but every once in a while, I'm surprised. I was watching "Ghost In The Shell" on a transatlantic flight yesterday and two of the main characters (Scarlett Johansson and Juliette Binoche) both said (at different points in the film) something profound.
Classical Music Will Not Save Your Soul
Several years ago, I watched an interview with a world famous classical violinist. The host of the prime time talk show asked the violinist (and I'm paraphrasing), "Why aren't there any famous composers like Mozart and Beethoven these days? Why aren't there any great new pieces that we hear about these days?"
The Murakami Series: The Intersection of Art and Commerce
Today is the final day of my week long series featuring the works of Takashi Murakami.
I hope you've enjoyed this week long series.
The Murakami Series: Creating Art-Creativity, Process, Organization and Commercialism
Today is Day 3 of my week long series featuring the works of Takashi Murakami.
As I've mentioned, through September 24th, 2017, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago is holding an exhibition of the work of Takashi Murakami called "The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg".
The Murakami Series: The Search For Madness
Today is Day 2 of my week long series featuring the works of Takashi Murakami.
If you, like me, believe that there is an art to business, to our careers and to our lives, then I think you'll find this series (along with the quotes and excerpts I've included) especially interesting.
The Murakami Series: Eliminating the Lines Between Low Art, Fine Art and Commerce
Through September 24th, 2017, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago is holding an exhibition of the work of Takashi Murakami called "The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg". The exhibition features 50 works spanning 3 decades of his career.
Stop Asking Your Customers What They Want
In business today, we are told to believe that the customer is always right.
So surely it makes sense to to ask their opinion, listen to them, and actively respond to their advice with new products, adjustments and enhancements.
Podcast #4-From Consulting to Corporate to Private Equity: An Interview with Brian Slobodow Part 2
Welcome back to Part 2 of the Omerisms Podcast and my interview with Brian Slobodow.
In this episode, Brian and I continue our conversation around his experiences in the management consulting industry and where it is headed.
Podcast #4-From Consulting to Corporate to Private Equity: An Interview with Brian Slobodow Part 1
Welcome to Episode 4 of the Omerisms podcast, where I interview interesting people and discuss, explore and debate interesting business, career and personal development topics.
Our Ability to Shape Events
Where we are is a function of our choices, some we've consciously made, others implicitly, still others made for us (for better or for worse).
How 'Realism' Can Distract Us From Our Truth
“The real world isn’t a place – it’s an excuse. It’s a justification for not trying.” (Rework, Jason Fried & David Heinenmeier Hansson)
What's your role?
Omerisms Podcast Episode 3 - Parable of The Chessboard and Luck
Welcome to Episode 3 of the Omerisms podcast, where I discuss, explore and debate interesting business, career and personal development topics.
This month's podcast is a bit different from the first two...
Why You Can Always Have A Second (Or Third) Act
When I was younger, I was obsessed with the idea that I had to get everything exactly right. I had to make the exact right career choices. I had to apply to exactly the right companies. I had to behave, dress in exactly the right way.
It was premised on a notion that if I didn't make exactly the right choices, my career and indeed my life, would go off the rails.
It Starts With a Hunch
All businesses start with a hunch.
A feeling in your gut that "there's something here". That someone (or lots of someones) might actually pay for the product or service that, for now, brews in your head.
The thing about learning guitar is that it’s up to you what path you take to develop your ability. You could learn “by rote”, meticulously absorbing theory, scales, chords, and then recreating famous songs in intricate detail.