Throughout my career(s) in advertising, consulting, and working in startups, I have found that very few leaders, organizations, and brands have a clear intention of what they are really there to do. As a result, most people working at these companies, or for them, are often unclear on how to behave or contribute. When this happens, people feel disconnected from the company mission, don't know the strategy, and have a hard time marketing and building campaigns that bring the brand to life because nobody ever made more than a bible with font and logo rules.Over time, I became obsessed with the intersection of brand and business strategy, of taking the time to work with teams through the hard questions required to be able to articulate a well-crafted plan or intention, as well as a set of rules to play by, or beliefs, that the company will adhere to and become recognized for. I think success is when everyone in the company can recite the elevator speech for the company's mission, articulating who they are there to serve by doing what, along with what differentiates their product and what they need to achieve in the next 3-5 years. I think success is when everyone knows what the company believes in, not just a list of values, but how those apply to product, service, and cultural decisions the company will make or won't make. I think marketing and branding success is when everyone knows what long- and short-term narratives are essential for continued success and differentiation, along with more interesting creatives. This is why I created From Here Forward, to help people focus their organizational intent to create faster and more coordinated action both internally and externally. To not just create a plan, as plans change, but rather a clear intention with navigational tools to help make decisions, not decks. If you think you could get your team moving faster with a sharper vision and articulation of where you want to go and who you want to be, please reach out.