Category Archives: Innovations

posted by Teresa

Nov 07, 2011 @ 9:58am

Nonprofits Must Position Themselves for Pro Bono

I had the opportunity to attend a thought-provoking session in DC on Thursday hosted by Taproot Foundation, one of the nation’s strongest voices for pro bono service. It came on the heels of the launch event for a Billion + Change, a national movement to mobilize a billion dollars (now 2 billion) in pro bono services from American corporations by 2013. I sat on a panel alongside leaders from global corporations such as IBM, Dow Corning and HP who talked about their corporations’ pro bono and skills-based volunteering efforts. I was there to talk about CreateAthon® as an example of what a small company can do to build scale around its pro bono efforts.

Taproot’s founder and champion of all things pro bono, Aaron Hurst.

In the Taproot session that followed, there was much discussion around the fact that companies are sometimes reticent to develop pro bono programs for nonprofits because the nonprofits are not ready. That is to say, nonprofits may not have seriously considered or strategically planned for receiving pro bono counsel from professional organizations.

Why on earth would a nonprofit not be ready to accept pro bono services? Consider these stark but unfortunate truths:

The nonprofit has not developed a strategic plan of any kind. Professional service organizations will be wary of committing their employees’ valuable time to work for a nonprofit that has no idea of where it’s really heading or how it can possibly get there.

The nonprofit is not ready to execute the recommendations provided to them. Companies that provide pro bono consulting services to nonprofits offer highly sought-after, professional solutions, and nothing is more frustrating than to see smart planning sitting on a shelf. A nonprofit must have adequate resources —time, money, manpower — to carry out the counsel delivered to them.

The nonprofit is scared of letting “outside” consultants critique their work. Let’s face it: some people just don’t want to hear they have been doing it wrong or could do it better. Could it make them look bad in front of their boards? Heaven forbid.

The pro bono tide is rising, as evidenced by the commitment of A Billion + Change movement. Nonprofits will be wise to consider how they can strategically position their organization to be a worthwhile investment of time for companies that are actively seeking pro bono opportunities in their community and throughout the country. Don’t let tactical shortsightedness get in the way of what can be transformative progress for your organization.

 

 

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posted by Teresa

Nov 04, 2011 @ 5:07pm

A Billion + Opportunities for CreateAthon

Twenty-four hours have passed since Peyton Rowe and I attended the launch event for A Billion+ Change, the national campaign to mobilize pro bono services. To say we are still reeling from it all is the understatement of the year. All day long, we tried to talk about what was going on around us, and we could barely form a sentence. The words simply would not come. You know when Teresa and Peyton are rendered speechless, something big has happened.

And large it was.

Teresa Coles, panelist at the Billion+ luncheon

We were asked at the end of the day to share an interesting takeaway. I’ll start with my response to that question, but I just can’t limit it to one. Instead, here are five takeaways that illuminated the day for me:

  1. There now exists a whole new professional sector of people who are trained and committed to seriously pursuing corporate social responsibility, not just managing donations. I think that’s amazing.
  2. The opportunity to experience the vibe that exists among these people. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen, other than CreateAthon: open, selfless, joyful. “Let me know what I can do to help” ended every conversation.
  3. The willingness to readily connect with others. Never have I been approached by so many people who wanted to trade cards, connect online, stay in touch. There’s a sense that we can all benefit by upholding each other, and it’s readily embraced.
  4. The chance that pro bono can become a permanent fixture of corporate culture. Jean Case stated it repeatedly, and I had never thought about it in those terms. Imagine if pro bono service became a given in every company in America.
  5. The grace that filled every corner of the room, be that a handshake, a smile, a hug. The opportunity to meet and develop relationships with so many incredible people dedicated to doing incredible things will carry me for the days and weeks to come.

in pretty good company

My heart beats a little faster today with the promise of so many good things to come through A Billion + Change, as well as the opportunities for CreateAthon. I truly believe the new relationships that have been formed will impact our ability to help CreateAthon grow in leaps and bounds. Today, Peyton and I are off to tell the CreateAthon story to friends at the ONE Campaign. Just imagine where that conversation could go: CreateAthon International?

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posted by Cathy

Sep 06, 2011 @ 2:26pm

Time to Shine

When you’ve spent years in the creative business, you learn that most ideas – even the best of ideas – peak. Then, in order to keep them relevant, you reinvent. But once in a great while, you develop a gem of an idea with a life bigger than its time.

Fifteen years ago, Teresa Coles and I started CreateAthon simply out of a desire to give back. We joked that we worked in an industry with no redeeming social value – so we put our industry talents to work round the clock for local nonprofits. It was a good idea. It was ahead of its time. And we couldn’t have imagined how it would grow.

Of course, the world has shifted in the last fifteen years. Pretty dramatically, I’d say. From economic downturns to natural disasters to new digital connections, there’s a new attitude of we’re all in this together. The result? The role of nonprofits is more elevated than ever before, because we recognize the need to create good in our world.  The Millennials, the most civic-minded generation America has seen in a long time, are leading the way with their passion, commitment, and willingness to volunteer.

The advertising industry has shifted, too. I’ve watched digital communication repaint the landscapes we were accustomed to, clearing the way for a new spirit of collaboration. It’s an exciting time to work in this business. It’s even more exciting as I’m getting ready to roll up my sleeves for this year’s CreateAthon.

What’s remarkable is not that our little idea grew into a national CreateAthon network providing pro bono marketing to hundreds of deserving nonprofits across the U.S. What’s remarkable is that CreateAthon has become a movement.  In a world that’s embracing powerful movements to impact our communities for good, CreateAthon stands ready to grow faster than we’ve seen yet.

It’s time to shine, baby.

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posted by Julie

Aug 10, 2011 @ 11:00am

A blueprint for innovation

It’s intriguing to think about what makes a company or person innovative. In the business sector, asking too many questions can have negative overtones, yet a questioning nature is at the very heart of innovation.

Clay Christensen, a knight of the Harvard Business School and author of The Innovator’s Dilemma, is publishing a new study this month, The Innovator’s DNA. Co-written with Jeff Dyer and Hal Gregersen, the study is a trip inside the minds of successful innovators. A trip inside economist.com delivered a sneak peak at some insightful information.

Christensen et al detail five mind-based habits that characterize disruptive innovators: associating, questioning, observing, networking and experimenting. It turns out these same characteristics apply to companies as well.

Their study found innovative companies have high innovation premiums, a percentage calculated by looking at the proportion of their market value that cannot be accounted for by their current products. Case in point: Apple. During Steve Jobs’ first tenure, Apple’s innovation premium was 37%. Without him, it was -30%. Today, it’s at 52%.

The study notes innovative companies work hard to recruit creative people and they work equally hard at stimulating observation and questioning.

In today’s economy, innovation is at a premium. Companies who “get there first” or solve a consumer problem, win. It’s guaranteed other companies will follow, but someone always gets there first. More important, truly innovative companies don’t rest on their laurels if they are lucky enough to enjoy success.

Innovative people and companies are unstoppable. That doesn’t mean they won’t ever fail. It just means they’re smart enough to know the path to success is lined with failure.

Being innovative means being brave enough to fail. How brave are you?

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posted by Cathy

Jul 20, 2011 @ 5:39pm

Four very funny rules, for work, for life

May I start by saying I have never seen a single episode of 30 Rock? I’m not sure why that’s so, or even that it’s relevant here. (And I’m certain it makes me look stupid rather than discerning—even more reason to simply not mention it.)

And still I couldn’t wait to read Tina Fey’s book, Bossypants. I love the name.

It is a fantastic read, start to finish. Funny as all get-out. And smart, as in “I-need-to-remember-this” smart. For instance, I was struck by her rules for improvisational comedy and immediately vowed to remember them anytime I am involved in a creative meeting. (And aren’t they all?)

Tina Fey’s “Rules of Improvisation That Will Change Your Life and Reduce Belly Fat”

Improv Rule 1:  Always agree.

The magic of improv is making do with what you are handed, no matter how ridiculous it might be; opening yourself to accepting what comes your way without judgment or editing. I think of it as truly looking at things through someone else’s lens. Tina’s example:

Actor: “Freeze, I have a gun!”

Bad improv response: “No you don’t. You’re pointing your finger at me!”

Good improv response: “The gun I gave you for Christmas? You b@#**#@!”

 

Rule 2:  Say “Yes, and. . .”

Think of the new places you’ll go if you not only accept what you are handed, but you add to it. Take the outrageous and make it outrageous-er; push it someplace farther.

Tina’s example:

Actor: “I can’t believe it’s so hot in here.”

Bad improv response: “Yes, it is.”

Good improv response: “Yes, and this can’t be good for the wax figures.”

(As Tina says, now we’re getting somewhere.)

 

Rule 3:  Make statements instead of asking apologetic questions.

It’s difficult to get any traction when every idea is preceded with a disclaimer. Instead, go boldly. Then everyone is clear about where the idea stands.

Tina’s example:

Bad improve: “Where are we?”

Good improve: “I told you we shouldn’t have crawled into this dog’s mouth.”

 

Rule 4: There are no mistakes, only opportunities.

Go with it. Whatever happens in the scene—props that misfire, lines that get misinterpreted—great improv actors just work with what comes along, and the scene gets richer and funnier.

 

When reading Bossypants, I spent a lot of time thinking about improv and the many similarities it has to creative brainstorming (or creative conversations of any kind, really.) We highly efficient humans are quick to apply “yes, but” to ideas that are simply in their infancy. I made a vow then to remember this lesson from the very funny, and very courageous Tina Fey, who reminded me that by giving an idea an unfettered moment to grow and change, greatness might just emerge.

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posted by Julie

Apr 18, 2011 @ 5:02pm

Think, Feel, Do More

The old mindset of marketing was to be where your customers are. There was limited opportunity (or interest, for that matter) in actual engagement. But what about being in the right place and at a time when consumers are more inclined to receive a message? I got a powerful lesson about the potential of capturing attention in the perfect moment the other night watching TV.

We don’t watch very much TV. It’s not a philosophical mission, just a by-product of having two young kids and jobs that require brainpower. So that means our usual fare is a mix of food show reruns or DVR’d late night shows we slept through. But earlier this week I watched something new in real time: Secret Millionaire.

Secret Millionaire

This show documents self-made millionaires as they anonymously spend a week among the poor and at-risk of a U.S. community. In the end, the millionaire reveals him or herself as they reward community heroes and groups with contributions to their efforts.

As a nonprofit fan and eternal optimist, I tuned in. Plus, I had laundry that wasn’t going to fold itself. By the end of the show, I was crying alongside the millionairess of the week. Watching her generosity and the sheer gratitude of the people and organizations she helped was very touching.

What I saw next sent my marketing brain into overdrive.

There, at the end of the show in the last commercial block was an ad for a national nonprofit. Talk about smart. They were not just there when people were watching; they were there when viewers likely felt an extra surge of generosity.

Holy. Smokes.

Their message unfolded in a very powerful moment, when people were inspired and motivated. That’s great placement, squared.

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posted by Apprentices

Jan 03, 2011 @ 4:31pm

“I Am Now a Role Model”:
Nike Commits to Corporate Social Responsibility

Russ Meyer, columnist at Fast Company, recently released news that Nike, Inc. has plans to distribute a multi-million dollar proprietary technology called the Environmental Design Tool among its competitors. For more, check out his article here.

Nike, Inc. is not a company known for its congeniality. For a time, the Swoosh notoriously leveraged underpaid and underage laborers to produce its vast quantities of overpriced sportswear. Furthermore, Nike resides in an industry that not only caters to competition, but also is embroiled with it at the corporate level. Competition is fierce for market share in the lucrative and ever-expanding universe of sports equipment, especially with powerful newcomers like Under Armour bursting onto the scene, not to mention the recent entry of Chinese giants like Li Ning into the U.S. marketplace. Considering all of these circumstances, why would Nike choose a time like now to begin sharing a proprietary technology that took seven years to develop with its rivals?

That’s correct: Nike has announced a plan to give away a $6 million technology it calls the Environmental Design Tool. Why?  This cutting edge technology optimizes the production of synthetic fabrics from recycled plastic, providing a significant benefit to the environment. If all the world’s sportswear manufacturers use Nike’s tool to amp up recycling and cut down on waste, the result is a cleaner planet.

Nike’s newfound benevolence is another tremendous step in the growing trend of corporate social responsibility. The question is, if this competitive behemoth of an organization can alter its practices for good, why can’t yours? Corporate good: Just Do It!

- Pete Anderson

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posted by Cathy

Sep 09, 2010 @ 3:56pm

You Gotta Love It When Someone Smart As David C. Baker Validates Your Year-Old Business Model.

You also gotta love Julie Turner for asking the question! Check out David Baker and ReCourses. We love.

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posted by Cathy

Aug 17, 2010 @ 8:31am

Where interesting people congregate, interesting things happen

What's in store for the WECO?

We’ve long dreamed of converting the infamous WECO building, a former grocery store/pool hall/charity thrift (and our current home) into a creative salon. It makes sense with the Riggs Partners modular business model; it makes sense with our partnership philosophy; and quite frankly, it makes sense given the real estate we’re sitting on.

So we’re pleased as punch to (officially) announce that interactive usability consultancy firm truematter and inbound marketing specialists keelysaye.com are taking up residence with us, here, in the WECO building at 750 Meeting.

The vision of all parties is that the open, bullpen space of the building be a shared community environment in which the creatives of all three companies work in hive fashion, herman-miller-hexagon to herman-miller-hexagon. While there will undoubtedly be instances in which the companies are collaborating on projects, each remains an independent company with its own clients. And not one new wall is being built to divide the three.

We love this description from Wikipedia:

A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine the taste and increase their knowledge of the participants through conversation.

It’s a French concept we believe applies parfaitement to the way smart businesses are functioning in this new economy: connected, specialized, synergized.

you get the general idea

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posted by Teresa

Jun 22, 2010 @ 6:07pm

What’s NXT in health care?

NXT fusion

Just ask our friends at NXT, a non-profit research collaborative dedicated to advancing innovation in the delivery of patient care. We’re working with them to develop a brand  and audience engagement strategy that will allow them to facilitate some of the most exciting research initiatives we’ve come across in a long time.

For example, NXT has already successfully led two research projects sponsored by the Department of Defense: an architectural study in collaboration with the Clemson University Architecture + Healthcare program on the Patient Room of the Future, as well as an Electronic Medical Record interoperability program. Today, they’re working with MIT scientists on the development of health management tools within the hospital room that make it easier to manage multiple physician specialists, communicate with off-site family members, and access all medical records. At the same time, they’re working with Clemson architecture students on the Provider Room on the Future, exploring new layouts in room design, materials, workflow and communications within the exam room setting.

While these in-hospital communications tools and facility design projects are integral to health care today, people like Tom Jennings and Salley Whitman will tell you that real health care innovation will ultimately happen within the home: in designing tools that will directly link patients to their healthcare providers in real-time. They’re on a mission to bring together other health care planners, product development experts, facility designers, nurses, IT professionals and behavioral scientists from all over the world to make sure this kind of out-there thinking happens right here. Right now.

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