My Philosophies

Do you have a personal philosophy? A brief statement that encapsulates your beliefs and is your approach to leading your life? 

Ever since my time with Pete Carroll as a student at USC I have been committed to keeping a personal philosophy that is 25 words or less. You’d be surprised to see how few people have this. 

Author Ryan Holiday puts it well: “You need a philosophy and you need to write it down. And re-write it and go over it regularly. Life is too hard (and too complicated) to try to wing it and expect to do the right thing.” 

Sounds good enough to me. 

It ebbs and flows, but I try to spend a lot of time diving into who I am, who I want to be and where I want to be at this point of my life and my career. 

It’s important to keep in mind these visions evolve and shift as life moves forward. These may not have been my philosophies five years ago and they are not my philosophies that will stay with me until the end of time. But at this point (May 2025) these are what I believe, with the help of some of my favorite leaders and books. 

I feel like most people keep this private; possibly out of fear of being vulnerable and judged? 

I have kept this type of stuff close to my chest, too. But I think it’s important to write this down and document.

Personal

First and foremost - from a personal standpoint I have narrowed it down the following statement: I am a passionate, optimistic individual dedicated to bringing joy to others, creating work that matters and loving my family and friends. 

I am an energetic individual who aspires to be inspired. Through that, connecting with people is one of my most favorite parts of that. To be able to influence others is a joy and I can’t take that for granted.

Beyond that ‘mission statement’, I have a few important bullet points and philosipies I strive to live by:

• Be passionate. // I have a lot of energy and I have learned that it can be a strength if I channel it correctly

• Focus on the ONE thing (borrowed from The One Thing)

• Have a belief that something good is right around the corner (borrowed from Pete Carroll)

• The core of my soul includes:

  • Optimism

  • Love

  • Energy

• What makes me come alive?

  • Personal connection

  • Inspiration to become great

  • Family and friends

Professional

From a professional standpoint,  "I bridge brand vision, strategy, and culture to design experiences that delight customers while authentically fulfilling organizational purpose.”

This is concise and I feel it helps grasp what I strive to do in business. Beyond that, here are my professional and leadership principles:

Core Leadership Principles

1. Servant Leadership Focus

• People-first mentality

• Leading by example

• Supporting team growth and development

2. Transparent & Organized Leadership

• Clear communication channels

• Structured processes and systems

• Open-door policy

3. Performance-Driven Culture

• 1-10 rating system (excluding 7) for clear assessment

• Regular performance reviews

• Data-informed decision making

4. Energetic Leadership

• Act as a "spark" and energizer for the team; drives transformational change

• Bring positive energy to meetings, emails, and all interactions

• Inspire and motivate team members

Leadership Style

• Energetic and Inspiring: Bring enthusiasm and motivation to the team.

• Accessible and Approachable: Maintain an "open door" policy for open communication.

• Empowering and Supportive: Delegate responsibilities and provide guidance.

Core Principles

1. Experience-Centric Branding

• Brands are curated experiences woven into consumers' lives

• Every touchpoint is an opportunity for emotional connection

• Focus on sustained attention through storytelling

2. Customer-Centric Excellence & Obsessions

• View all decisions through the consumer lens

• Prioritize customer lifetime value over short-term gains

• Create personalized, friction-free experiences

• Continuous monitoring of customer feedback and sentiment

3. Data-Driven Emotional Resonance

• Blend analytics with emotional intelligence

• Map and optimize customer journeys

• Measure both quantitative metrics and emotional impact

4. The Experience Mirror Effect

• Happy employees create happy customers

• Internal culture directly reflects in external brand perception

• Investment in employee development yields customer satisfaction

• Creating alignment between internal values and external promises

5. Ecosystem Perspective

• Understand interconnections between all business components

• Identify opportunities for synergy and optimization

• Anticipate market shifts and adapt proactively

• Make informed decisions considering all stakeholders

Strategic and Visionary: Develop and communicate a clear "North Star" for the team.

• Be relentlessly committed to self-disruption… Innovate or die. 

• Exceed all expectations rather than satisfy them. (borrowed from Disney) 

• The Customer Lifetime Value is one of the most important factors for a brand - and unlocking all that data is a must in today’s word. 

• Obsess over the customer. (borrowed from Amazon)

• LESS but BETTER. (borrowed from Essentialism)

• I want to empower others to be their BEST

• Post-campaign debrief: Did Well? DO BETTER // Did Poorly? DO BETTER (borrowed from Jocko Willink)

• Think like this: Where do I want to be on Friday? End of month? End of year? 

  • What do I want to accomplish?

  • Who do I want to meet with?

• Provide a first-class experience everywhere 

• Ask why. And then ask again.

So, where do I want to be in an ideal state? 

I want to lead a high-performing team, whatever level that is, at all times. As I continue to grow, that could be a CMO, CEO, etc.

Of course I want to be a great father. 

Since my first daughter was born nearly 7 years ago, I have appreciated what it takes to be there to help guide others through life and it has given me great joy. I also want to be a great and supportive husband to my amazing wife, Annie. 

That’s who I am in May of 2025 and where I look to go. 

Cheers.