Here is one that I’ve encountered time and again: marketing is the mother of revenue. Some of you might wince at the idea of self-promotion and all of your biases with the word marketing. When it comes to gigantic corporations, I do too. But let’s consider this in a small business context, where you work in and with your community. In this sense,... See more

These days many of the best online social experiences happen in very small-scale environments. A few friends, a loose microcommunity, a cozy corner with the right vibes.

It's in the air, thick with it, even, in certain places — the cozyweb, the indieweb, the slow web; tiny internets and run your own social; independent creative communities, local... See more

Above all, artisans care about  connection . Connection to themselves, to their craft, to their traditions, and to the places and people they serve. They don't treat themselves, their collaborators, or their customers as impersonal, economic units. Artisans understand that a creative life is a long game, and the only way to win such games is by

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Good communities incubate innovation and creativity – think of the salons in France where intellectuals used to meet to discuss the latest ideas; the Olympia Academy; la Bande de Picasso. A feeling of belonging allows people to be authentic, to move from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset, and to take risks knowing that they have people to... See more