10 things Idea Creators can be thankful for

1. Aggregators.  Impossible to overexpress my appreciation for people who collect and then redistribute wonderful things.  Like Dave Pell and Maria Popova.   The former collects 10 stories a day and wraps them in his own twisted brand of biting humor.  The latter collects gobs and gobs and gobs of items every day, each one unique and interesting.  Both of them find stuff that save massive amounts of time and provide massive amounts of inspiration.

2. Originators.  People who are out there doing their own thing, which then becomes our thing.  Amy Krouse Rosenthal has been bringing loveliness to us for years.  Unique voices like hers are not easy to find so when you do, do whatever the legal and friendly version of stalking is.

3. Storytellers.  Find them wherever you can.  TED Talks is the obvious go-to; they can be hit or miss, but some of them are incredibly inspiring.  The most amazing talks are usually the most amazing stories.  Case in point:  Bill Strickland.  An unassuming speaker, a ridiculously riveting storyteller.  “There’s nothing wrong with poor people that sunlight, affection and dignity can’t cure.”

4. Collaborators.  Conferences like Chicago Ideas Week and techweek.  Weeklong petri dishes for connection and creativity.  It’s worth the price of admission to be surrounded by smart, creative people. Stock up on keychains and t-shirts but make sure you take part in the speeches, panels and exhibitors. Same's true of creative work spaces/incubators like 1871.  A staggering amount of invaluable fodder at your fingertips.  

5. Good Health.  Waking up every day and having the physical and mental ability to be in the idea business is never to be underestimated.

6. Independent coffee houses like Filter, Swim and Star Lounge in Chicago.  Infinite thanks for allowing us to do business without an office. For others, rent can be late.  For us, rent can be a latte (and a sandwich if you’re there during lunch).   When you’re surrounded by the energy of like-minded creative thinkers, you’re in business.  BTW, please tip heavily.

7. (Saving the best for last) Clients.  I’ve never had a client I didn‘t love.  They all have their quirks and some are more challenging than others, but without them, our ideas would go nowhere.  Be open and honest and Get Naked, and accept every one with a smile of appreciation and when necessary, a grain of salt. And when things get tough, here’s a thought:  turn your most challenging clients into ones that inspire you the most.  Aim to be over-and-above creative for them and solve their problems in ways they would never see. It could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

8, 9, 10.  Red wine, great cheese, and crusty bread.  For all the obvious reasons.

Creativity, Collaboration, and Coffeehouses

This is starting to become familiar...

Please check out another guest post, and this time, on not one but two terrific blogs:  Groupon Grassroots, and Chicago Ideas Week.

Not many places will you find tomes tying together Vincent Van Gogh, Bruce Springsteen, and the wonderful independent coffeehouses of Chicago.

Check out "How to turn coffee into creativity," and hopefully we'll see some of you at our Chicago Ideas Week lab on Monday October 8.

Michael Jordan, Gene Kranz, and harnessing the power of optimism to create success

Last year at Chicago Ideas Week, I hosted a panel titled “Is this economy killing creativity or inspiring it?”  Five panelists discussed the challenges of staying fiercely creative in a less-than-encouraging economic climate.  They all agreed on one thing:

When life gives you lemons, creative people make limoncello.

It’s important to know that these weren’t all super-creative, off-the-charts right brainers.  Along with the owner of an amazing home and garden store (Sprout Home), a clothes designer, and an online entrpreneur, we also had the President of a superhot Chicago ad agency (commonground) and a senior marketing manager for a large packaged goods brand.

I was inspired by their optimism and conviction to take on the challenge of overcoming obstacles, regardless of the climate.  It reminded me of one of my favorite Michael Jordan quotes:

“If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”

I flashed back to that panel when I read an article in yesterday’s Sunday Chicago Tribune about young adults who have graduated college and instead of facing the promise of a great future as in previous generations, are facing enormous obstacles. 

It spoke of “…a historic recalibration among expectations of every generation of Americans” and  continued, “As Europeans are being gripped by dream-crushing austerity, hopes are also being downsized here in ways not seen since the Great Depression…”

Wow.

Wowzer wow wow.  A historic recalibration?  Dream-crushing austerity?

How would that make you feel if you were sending a child to college in the Fall?  Knowing you’re about to spend thousands and in some cases hundreds of thousands of dollars to prepare her for…shredded dreams and crushing austerity?

Well, that would be me, and since I’ve written a post about why I believe college is still worth every penny, I can think of no better person than Apollo 13’s Mission Control Director Gene Kranz to answer the question.  One of the most memorable moments in film.

I think Mr. Kranz would agree with our panelists, and with Michael Jordan, and with anyone in this country and in this world who would argue that there’s always a creative answer for any situation, challenge, or hardship. It starts with enthusiasm and belief.  And above all, a fervent, almost blindless optimism.

And when you get around that wall, a nice cold of limoncello will be waiting on the other side.

Generosity = confidence

A very wise, very good friend told me that many years ago. It stuck with me and I passed it on to many others because it’s wonderfully pithy and powerfully true.

When you give something away, people don’t just see you as likeable, they see you as confident.

So I was blown away by these five very confident people who served on a panel at Chicago Ideas Week, at Twist’s event titled “The Economy’s Effect on Creativity,” and gave away a lifetime’s worth of great advice for creative thinkers in the span of 6o minutes:

Tara Heibel, Founder and Owner of Sprout Home

John Timmons, former Director at Sears Holdings and Social Media Consultant

Sherman Wright, Co-Founder and Co-managing Partner of CommonGround

Catherine Hudon, Digital Producer and owner of Online Clothing line Shorty

Kathleen Luttschyn, Owner of the new maternity blog Style Nine and blogger for Apartment Therapy

Thanks to all five panelists, to all of the people who filled the room at Twist’s session, and to Tribeca Flashpoint Academy, an amazing institution in the heart of Chicago that is filled with ambitious designers of the artistic future.

Here’s to giving great stuff away and the supremely smart and confident people who do it.

Finding creativity in simplicity

The Postal Service is the the nation’s second-largest civilian employer, with 574,000 employees. Who’s #1?

Why, it’s that little company in Bentonville, Arkansas.

What does this mean? It confirms that when it comes to the way we shop, the vast majority of Americans like ‘em big. We want lots and lots and lots of choices; nothing very fancy; please make it friendly, thank you very much; and of course, make it as cheap as possible. But I suppose that’s pretty global.

Not a real complicated formula and I don’t think Sam Walton would argue. Sometimes ideas are great because they strip everything out and become wonderfully beautifully simple. I don't think he'd argue with that either.

PS, please check out Twist's event at Chicago Ideas Week next Tues 10.11. Space is limited and filling up.

Where do you get it from?

You go to the opera and while you’re listening to Tosca you figure out how to solve a 3-4 defense that has kept you out of the end zone.

You listen to a song by an artist you’ve never heard of and pluck out a few words that help you find the right phrase for the legal brief you’ve been struggling with.

You “Sit on the terlet.” (thank you, Uncle Sol.)

Creativity can strike anywhere. For me, it’s totally unpredictable. Matt Lauer asks a question in a way that makes me rethink how I get information.

I hear an Adele song with lyrics that speak to me.

“Throw your soul through every open door
Count your blessings to find what you look for.”

Most often, I think people find inspiration in counterintuitive places. It’s kind of like finding love. Don’t look for it. It’ll find you.

Although going to Chicago Ideas Week sure could help, especially this cool discussion on how the economy has affected creativity.

Who needs socks when you can have cupcakes?

Human instinct is to want stuff, whether it’s stuff you should have or not. We can only hold back for so long. It’s why diets don’t last and professional baseball players who go to jail get to come back to professional baseball. People like to eat yummy treats and general managers like to win games. So red velvet cupcakes and $5 milion pitchers with 5.00 ERA’s re-enter the equation.

This was further confirmed in last Friday’s NYT article that lays out the thinking behind people who are back to buying fun stuff at a faster clip than the necessary stuff. As the founder of Junior’s Cheesecake in Brooklyn so articulately summed it up, “People want to get back to living — it’s become a more adjusted normal.” Water always finds it’s own level, and humans find theirs.

My only fear is that the level they like isn’t one they can afford. My wish for them: Think creatively. When the stuff you want is unhealthy, unaffordable, or just doesn’t seem like a good idea, think about what could replace it, or what you could do instead; maybe find a different place to shop or eat, put on a pair of pants that you always ignored, or try combining two foods in one dish that might normally make you gag. Rumor has it that’s how Grant Achatz got his start.

You can’t always get what you crave. But if you think creatively some time, you’ll find, you’ll get what you need...

Speaking of which, have you checked out the schedule at Chicago Ideas Week? You might find an event on Tues 10/11 that's especially interesting.

Chicago Ideas Week is coming

Something magical always happens when diverse creative thinkers come together.

Ancient Maya, the Algonquin Roundtable, the Big Lebowski conventions, the NFL owners meetings…well, the NFL may disprove the theory a bit, but maybe you need to make sure you’re assembling the right people.

Next October 10-16, the right people will indeed be gathering together right here in our backyard, to create an ecosystem of innovation, exploration, and intellectual recreation. Chicago Ideas Week consists of dozens of intriguing events and over 100 speakers spread out across the city. Amazing creative thinkers representing art, architecture, culinary arts, sports, and much much more (no NFL owners allowed).

Check it out, make a plan, be inspired.