Is it possible to sell snow at the North Pole? in Syracuse? During a recent meeting (panel discussion) in New York City, I saw a presentation by Mary Virginia Swanson where she talked about making the most of marketing efforts and having clear goals. Continuity and sustainability were two of the points that caught my attention. Swanson’s portion of the panel discussion was so impressive, I can’t remember the name of any of the other presenters (nor the firms they represented).
First Impressions
November 21st, 2008Brain Food
November 18th, 2008Author Seth Godin continues to crank out great business books, but he never calls them business books. In some ways this keeps his work from being lost in the pack. I enjoy his titles: Purple Cow, Free Prize Inside, The Dip, The Big Moo, etc.
Here’s a line from his latest offering, Tribes: “Leadership isn’t difficult, but you’ve been trained for years to avoid it.”
Before reading Tribes, I tackled the hefty supplement (a PDF he offered free from his blog/website), but found the book much more valuable.
In these uncertain economic times, a short manifesto like Tribes is just what every business owner needs.
A Syracuse Original
November 14th, 2008 
Photographer Marjory Wilkins shows us that aging gracefully can become a work of art. She has spent most of her life documenting life here in Syracuse. Her gallery show (curated by historian Nancy Keefe Rhodes) opened last night at Light Work.
The show was attended by family members, friends, artists and members of the photographic community. I spoke with her brother Raymond Werts and he said he and Ms. Wilkins playfully argued over the date of a photo in which he appeared. Mr. Werts also pointed out that in one of the photographs (cir. 1940s) there were new cars that cost around 400 dollars.
Ms. Wilkins’ work reminds me a lot of the photo-documentation done by Pittsburgh’s Teenie Harris.
We photographers can learn from her vision and her work, but we could learn more from her giving spirit.
Conserve to Preserve
November 10th, 2008
“Dig your well before you’re thirsty.” Businessman George Fraser said this during a recent interview on the New Inspiration for the Nation with George Kilpatrick. Fraser gave some good strategies to help navigate during uncertain economic times.
Inspiration
November 3rd, 2008A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to meet and gain insight from two pillars of contemporary photography: Chester Higgins, Jr. and Timothy Greenfield-Sanders. I thank Mr. Higgins for meeting me on the way to an editing session and for the gifts. Earlier during my NYC trip, Greenfield-Sanders suggested an alternative route for my next business venture. Thanks also to my business advisors Alton Ritter and Marc Mayo for their hospitality.
Sisterhood on Skates
October 17th, 2008The first rule of Roller Derby, so we’ve heard, is hit…or be hit!
We learned this during a recent conversation with skater Krispy Kremya. We attended a practice for the Assault City Roller Derby last week to find out more about the sport.
To hear part of our conversation and see some of the photographs, visit the SIF site. To hear additional insights (audio) about the sport from Krispy and find out what kind of women participate, click here, here or here.
A September conversation August would have enjoyed
September 30th, 2008
Syracuse Stage Producing Artistic Director Timothy Bond began a series of discussions around the August Wilson play Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, which opened the season. On September 21, I attended a post show forum on the use of the N-word during the play. The forum featured Actor Thomas Jefferson Byrd (standing) along with media personality George Kilpatrick (center) and professor Dr. Adam Banks. Byrd told the crowd of about 50 that he was not offended by the use of the N-word during the play because it was part of the dialogue that showed a true portrait of the world of the featured characters (circa 1920s). Wilson’s work gave those characters, and their world, recognition and worth, Byrd said. Banks added that the word as well as the use of the N-word must be framed within the proper historical and cultural context.
Pictures: Taking and Making
September 12th, 2008SU grad and photographer Stephen Wilkes spoke at Newhouse last night. He presented some incredible examples of layered story-telling from his travels to New Orleans (post Katrina) and China (pre Olympics). Wilkes said when he shoots commercially he makes pictures and when he works for himself he takes pictures. I was surprised to learn that he started out as a street photographer years ago.
Gospel Remix: Of Jesus, For Jesus, by His Disciples
September 10th, 2008
Thanks to the leadership of Joy Community Church in Rochester, NY for their decision to host the Gospel Hip Hop Festival last weekend. We finally got a chance to see Renewed Disciples and they were certainly a crowd favorite. In addition to the music, the festival stayed true to the spirit of the movement by including dance and graffiti art as well. We were particular impressed with the artists Sno and Oz, who were given an old van to serve as their canvas.
Thanks also to cousin Marcus, who told us about this event.
Hip Hop Hallelujah
September 2nd, 2008September is Gospel Music Month. In my many car trips this summer my children memorized a song by the group Renewed Disciples (from New Jersey) called “What Would Jesus Do.” RD will perform in Rochester later this week and in Buffalo later in the fall. The groups contemporary style shows that Hip Hop has just as much influence on Gospel as it does R&B for the younger generation.