A clean slate.
There’s one award I won that’s not listed on LinkedIn — and it’s one I’m most proud of.
On a freezing January morning at Cincinnati Country Day School, I learned my submission had finally been selected as “Theme of the month” for Mr. Marin’s second grade class! The award-winning January theme, you ask?
‘A clean slate.’
I have always loved beginnings. A new chapter. A fresh Google doc. An opportunity to start anew. A moment to recalibrate and think about what you’re really about, what you’re trying to accomplish, and what the future can look like. Whether a new year, a new season, or a new place, there is a distinct hope that comes from imagining the possibilities of what could be.
My love of dreaming about what could be likely explains why I find such delight in brand marketing. Every season, whether launching a product, celebrating a milestone, or introducing a new reason to believe, is an opportunity to consider where you are today and envision what the future can look like. At its best, marketing is a way to invite and inspire the people who you hope join you on the journey.
Life lately has been full of beginnings. I am grateful this season has included a new apartment, a new office, a new client, a new job for Kyle, a new haircut (just for fun!), new neighbors and friends.
But it turns out, the best part about this clean slate season has been welcoming the familiar along the way. Staying in a neighborhood with our community, Kyle reuniting with coworkers and franchises that have been a part of his lifelong story, investing clients and coworkers I love working alongside.
I will always be here for new beginnings. You can’t take the living-for-that-school-supply-run mindset out of this Enneagram 9w1.
But perhaps, the idea of a clean slate limits us — it claims, “all things must be new.”
Marketing is about inspiring hope in the future, and building on what has worked. It’s about connecting with new audiences, and keeping your promises to those who have already chosen you.
It’s not January, but if we’re taking nominations for July monthly themes — I will throw out Illuminating.
Whether inspired by something new or seeing your daily routine in a new light, I hope you encounter something that makes you see something a little bit differently. Here’s to all that’s ahead — it’s just the beginning.
