The Problem with Wine and Marketing

Talking Roots, Adaptability and Culture With Alex Vetter, CEO of CARS.com and CARS Inc.

I find Alex to be a genuine person. There is a deep care and loyalty to his team, a commitment to the industry he serves, and a whole lot of empathy for the modern car buyer.

Read More →

Motivation, Leadership, Company Culture

Leadership, Branding

Why Modern Marketing Metrics are Broken

Leadership, Branding

I’ve been getting myself into a little trouble lately. I just don’t understand how the conflict of interest in the current agency model has lived on for so long. Charging clients fees which are based on a percentage of ad spend just seems crazy to me. Some of the metrics justifying that spend seem even crazier. Most of them aren’t even tied back to meaningful measurables.

Read More →

Leadership, Branding

Why the Ad-Spend Markup Agency Model is Broken and What to Do About It.

Leadership, Branding

Would you rather spend your marketing dollars on ads, or on content that’s created to optimize lasting brand connection? There is an existing conflict in the ad world that is forcing many organizations into ad spend that is out of balance. Because the economy is good right now, I feel like no one is paying attention and I want to start the conversation.

Read More →

Leadership, Branding

Starting a Business: Things I Wish I Knew

Leadership, Branding

A lot has changed in the business world since I first ventured out to start my own business with a few thousand borrowed dollars and a rusty 1984 Chevy Astro. In the 17 years since there are so many things that 2019 Paul would have been able to teach 2003 Paul. I guess that’s why experience really matters.

Read More →

Leadership, Branding

Leadership, Customer Experience

Fitting in Won’t Authenticate Your Brand

Leadership, Customer Experience

I recently visited Bergstrom Automotive, a dealership group out in Wisconsin, and a thought came to me. Are you doing something because it’s relevant to the culture, or are you being authentic with yourself in what you do?

Read More →

Leadership, Customer Experience

Interview, Leadership, Conference

Leadership is Leadership is Leadership (Guest: Kevin Frye)

Interview, Leadership, Conference

One thing I’ve learned throughout my life is that leadership is not a respecter of industry, age, situation or just about anything else. Leaders understand how to serve.

Read More →

Interview, Leadership, Conference

Company Culture, Mindset, Empathy, Digital Retailing

A Follow-Up of ClarityCon: Automotive

Company Culture, Mindset, Empathy, Digital Retailing

It’s been two weeks and I’m STILL having flashbacks about how awesome ClarityCon 2019 was… seriously! I know I touched on the event last week, and how empathy was a key theme across all the speakers, BUT... the reason I threw the event needs to be told, too.

Read More →

Company Culture, Mindset, Empathy, Digital Retailing

Branding, Company Culture

17 Years of Experience in 64 Pages

Branding, Company Culture

Understanding the right way to run a business, both internally and externally, took time. And seeing the old ways of doing things plateau motivated me even more to spread my ideas.

Read More →

Branding, Company Culture

Conference, Mindset, Motivation

Innovation is a Choice

Conference, Mindset, Motivation

We try to control all the things we can’t, and ignore the one thing we can: OUR MIND.

The one thing you can control is choosing how to react to a situation. Life happens… and you can’t control that. BUT reacting positively and with clarity is something YOU CAN control.

Read More →

Conference, Mindset, Motivation