Category: Culture

My Fellow Zillionaires

“Many of us think we’re special because “this is America.” We think we’re immune to the same forces that started the Arab Spring—or the French and Russian revolutions, for that matter. I know you fellow .01%ers tend to dismiss this kind of argument; I’ve had many of you tell me to my face I’m completely bonkers. And yes, I know there are many of you who are convinced that because you saw a poor kid with an iPhone that one time, inequality is a fiction.“

This is a great long read from Nick Hanauer, self-proclaimed Zillionaire. He shares some honest insights as a member of the 1% on what we might be able to do to stop the slippery slope of inequality in our country.

 

 

Andrew WK Has Some Pretty Good Advice For You

7. To constantly remember that life is a fragile and precious miracle which requires all our collective effort to protect.
8. To humbly work to improve our own defects and cut everyone else a little more slack.
9. To remember that being a loving and positive person isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it.

I’m not a fan of Andrew WK, but I am aware of his work. Put This On – of all places – posted this article about his advice column for the Village Voice. The dude seems to know how to live!

Greg Hoy on the Cycle of Agency Life

“Time and time again, ideas were presented to various internal stakeholders, all of whom had their own agendas and budgets. Pushing ideas through the maze of red tape and exhausting levels of buy-in was usually a soul-sucking effort in futility. Even though everyone was theoretically working for the greater good, everyone was working against each other at the same time. Great ideas became mediocre ideas that became ghosts of ideas put on the back burner.”

https://the-pastry-box-project.net/greg-hoy/2014-april-17

Having only worked with and for large internal shops I’m always curious as to what the other side of the table (at a dedicated agency) would be like.

Put Your Phone Away

“I would often catch myself pulling out my phone to merely check the time (and then check the time again since I never actually remembered it the first time). This frequent ‘time check’ reenforced the habit of constantly pulling out my phone and undoubtedly led to unnecessary browsing if a waiting notification piqued my interest. Buy a watch. Wear it.”

https://medium.com/p/15308056cfae

Speaking of distractions, put your damn phone away.

How Chipotle Transformed Itself

“After Flores expressed his frustration, Moran showed him his early notes for the restaurateur program, which is unique among fast food restaurants in that it ties pay and promotion to how well you mentor people, rather than store sales.

“It was a great meeting but I didn’t know what was going to happen. At most companies you meet the top execs and then you never hear from them again,” Flores says.

A few weeks after the October meeting, while vacationing in Houston, Flores got a call on his cell from Ells and Moran letting him know that he had been promoted to restaurateur and was getting a $3,000 bonus. Rather than waiting until he returned to Milwaukee to get him the check, it was delivered to him in Houston the following day. At the time his salary was around $38,000, and the bonus was meaningful.

“That’s when I knew the company was special,” Flores said.”

http://qz.com/183224/how-chipotle-transformed-itself-by-upending-its-approach-to-management/

 

I think the portions are absurdly large at Chipotle, but the few times I’ve gone it’s been a pleasant experience. Different than traditional fast food.