I think achieving cult status is out of reach for most people or brands. Mainly because they’re contrived. But I guess that’s your point…you can’t reverse engineer cultness. And yet there’s a zillion videos on social telling you how to do it.
Exactly. The best you can do at your offsites is to really understand the core energy of the team. If the founder is still involved start there. Then extrapolate that energy out. Too many teams start from the outside and then try to align their strategy, creative, and partners to it.
They’d be better off actually understanding who they are as a team and bringing that forward. Even for mid-size / large-cap companies.
Also, don’t get me started on the social gurus. I feel like 85% looked at a list of niches and picked marketing/business and ran.
I really enjoyed reading this piece. You continue to open my eyes to new ways to run a business well while staying authentic and you're a huge inspiration to me. Also, unrelated but we share the same name lol. I hope to meet you one day and work together in some capacity. Looking forward to reading more articles!
When you said "Cult brands run a single instinct through every layer" 100%
Most businesses lose that thread as they scale. Product says one thing, marketing says another, and distribution says something completely different. Consistency of belief is what makes a brand feel authentic.
I think achieving cult status is out of reach for most people or brands. Mainly because they’re contrived. But I guess that’s your point…you can’t reverse engineer cultness. And yet there’s a zillion videos on social telling you how to do it.
Exactly. The best you can do at your offsites is to really understand the core energy of the team. If the founder is still involved start there. Then extrapolate that energy out. Too many teams start from the outside and then try to align their strategy, creative, and partners to it.
They’d be better off actually understanding who they are as a team and bringing that forward. Even for mid-size / large-cap companies.
Also, don’t get me started on the social gurus. I feel like 85% looked at a list of niches and picked marketing/business and ran.
I really enjoyed reading this piece. You continue to open my eyes to new ways to run a business well while staying authentic and you're a huge inspiration to me. Also, unrelated but we share the same name lol. I hope to meet you one day and work together in some capacity. Looking forward to reading more articles!
Yay! I’m so happy you’re here. Still finding my flow on the writing side. So welcome any commentary and dialogue as we go. <3
When you said "Cult brands run a single instinct through every layer" 100%
Most businesses lose that thread as they scale. Product says one thing, marketing says another, and distribution says something completely different. Consistency of belief is what makes a brand feel authentic.
yes, it’s always in the details!