I consider myself lucky to be a person who has a lot of passions in life. I am particularly passionate about people and relationships, but also about my interests, pursuits and the hobbies that bring me joy. The opportunity to combine those two things is nirvana and something that I learned in an unexpected way…
Category: Evangalism
Cranberry Pear Chutney.
It’s no secret that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Great food, surrounded by the people I love, laughing and and lots of silly traditions, ensure that each year our celebration is familiar, and yet slightly different from the one before. One of my favorite recipes from this indulgent affair is Cranberry Pear Chutney, a concoction…
Seeing Glasses in a Whole New Light
If you wear glasses you know that shopping for them at the traditional places like LensCrafters and EyeMart etc.. is mildly, well…. antiseptic. One thing it is NOT is sexy or fun. Stores are boring with bad lighting, doctors smocks, mysterious pricing and ultimately, very expensive. I found this out first hand recently when I…
Abercrombie’s Brand DNA Revealed in an Unexpected Moment
Back in 2006, the CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, Mike Jeffries now famously admitted in an interview with Salon.com that his brand was intentionally “exclusionary” and perhaps most offensive… well… I’ll simply quote him: “Candidly, we go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot…
Improving Life on the Road: Inspired Creative Minds
Traveling a lot certainly has its ups and downs (yes.. literally). One of the surprising “ups” is stumbling upon marketing and design brilliance, sometimes in the most unexpected places. For me (admitted marketing geek) I get true inspiration from creative, elegant and insightful solutions that demonstrate deep understanding of the plight of the customer. And…
A Girl’s Weekend in Austin
Austin is the perfect destination for a Girl’s Getaway. It’s a clean, manageable, friendly and fun city and frankly.. there is just so much to do. If I were designing the ideal weekend here for a trip with my girlfriends there are several “must do’s” to ensure a memorable, relaxing and fun time for all….
Memories Last a Lifetime. Blenders Die.
I was not a traditional bride. I know. Not shocking for anyone who knows me. You probably don’t even have to know me WELL to guess that. Yes, it’s true. The white wedding, church/synagogue ceremony, bachelorette party thing was just never my m.o. I get why so many girls grow up planning and envisioning their…
When Good Service Brands Go Bad
Think of brands known for service and you think of Nordstrom, Enterprise Rent a Car, Ritz, Virgin Airlines, Zappos, Starwood. These are brands known for differentiating themselves by their service DNA. And yet, sometimes even the brands that are known for getting it right, get it wrong. Somehow this is even more devastating then if they…
Who Has Hobbies Anymore?
“So, what are your hobbies?” The question completely stumped me. What, you mean like painting, or woodworking, or basket weaving or something? It was our second date and he was trying to get to know me better. It was a sweet question to which I had no answer. Who has hobbies anymore? I work, I…
My Emotional Food Journey
Food is such a basic need. It’s sustenance for your body, yes. But it’s so much more. Many of us have a love hate relationship with food. I love the way you taste – Tater Tots – but I hate the way you make me feel (especially when I eat half the bag). Food is…
History Repeating
My mom has a long history with Sears Roebuck & Co. She has always shared stories about how exciting it was when the massive catalog arrived at their doorstep with a thud, initiating near fist-fights between her and her brothers over who got to browse its’ pages first. They would dog-ear the pages that contained…
Where to Stay and What to Do in Austin
One of the coolest parts about living in Austin is that we have a steady stream of visitors and guests. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been asked where to stay and what to do? Well… I’d at least have a hundred dollars. 🙂 Every time I am asked though.. I whip…
Stephpfef on Life Through a Marketing Lens... 