The Impact of a Simple Message

Sometimes at a corporate meeting you can learn more about personal development than business acumen.

Just this past weekend, I had the opportunity to produce for the 5th consecutive year the BigMachines BigIdeas Conference in Chicago, and I was fortunate enough to hear journalist Kaihan Krippendorff give a talk called “Outthink the Competition.” It was during this presentation that I was introduced to the Holstee Manifesto. It has been viewed on the web over 50,000,000 times.

The manifesto has helped to make Holstee famous, and it reflects the company’s mission perfectly: they create products and designs that encourage people to follow their dreams. Not only is the manifesto a great reminder to all of us to live our lives with passion — to do what we love and love what we do — but it’s a reminder to customers, as well as conference attendees, of what Holstee stands for. A clear, concise message — a big idea — goes a long way.

I always say that “Content is King” and this is a fabulous example. The most significant thing that I took away from this three-day event that was bursting with ideas and information was the simple message of the manifesto and the power behind it. As Krippendorff noted, Holstee didn’t overthink. They were OUTthinkers. They had their own ideas, a powerful message and product, and it set them apart from the competition.

So, when you start planning an event, consider your message. Make it meaningful and let it reflect who you are. Let your passion for what you do shine through.