Dear X:

As you’ve become synonymous with the most egregious megalomaniac ever borne by this planet (no, not that megalomaniac), I promised myself I would send you off into the sunset at the culmination of 2024.

When last I checked in, I was in search of a hobby. And for those dying to know, I’m still looking.

Being an overachiever, people pleaser and perfectionist have always been points of pride for me. Those traits have always been central to my success and ability to achieve my goals.

I’m going to confess something terrible. As a PR pro, I don’t always enjoy consuming national broadcast news. I do it, of course—I must—but it’s taxing to the spirit and, I suspect, bad for my brain.

If I had a silver dollar for every time my wife has told me recently that I need to find a hobby, I could make coin collecting my hobby.

We’re going to take a temporary break from ChatGPT today. Instead of focusing on some of the tools that make my job easier, let’s focus on part of the actual job: ghostwriting. Does it sound cool? Sure, I guess. Is it actually cool? Not really. But it’s something I do, so let’s talk about it.

I will make a (very) long story short and report that I have spent the last three years teaching journalism and literature part-time at a nearby high school. This month, I’ll be stopping to focus on beginning my second decade with Resch Strategies.

I’ve been reading a lot of news about where people get their news. In sum: it’s all over the place, depending on age, gender, geography, education, and politics. Largely, many of us get our news from social media.

On March 23, 2009, 15 years ago this week, I sent a press release announcing the start of Resch Strategies. The tree fell, and I was standing right there hitting “send.”

Starting your own business can come with many challenges, but according to Matt Resch, founder of Resch Strategies, patience is the key. From his start in the business to his biggest achievement, this interview covers that and more as I had the pleasure of sitting down with Matt and talking 15 years of Resch.

As a graphic designer, you’re really playing the role of graphic designer and mind reader all at the same time. Quite often when I send design projects for review, I receive a nicer version of “We don’t really know what we want, but we know it isn’t that”.

Trying to decipher what a client really wants can be tricky. And logos might be the worst culprit.

I’ll be honest, guys. I am just plumb out of decent ideas for content that might be even the slightest bit useful and/or interesting. So instead of something new and fresh, and I’m going offer you a retread!

So, here’s a riddle.

How can a text message you received be both completely unsurprising and a happy surprise at the same time?

Answer: it was sent by Kathy Wilbur.

We all know how powerful – and sometimes annoying – digital ads can be. However, it’s only one tool in our arsenal - and can only do so much. To truly make a lasting impact, a holistic approach that encompasses a full creative and marketing plan is essential.

A century from now, we Americans are going to use language that is exponentially different than we do today. The influences of technology, social change, and an overall fear of being wrong about something are not to be underestimated in its ability to impact the way we communicate.

As we celebrate the holiday season, I feel a little like Uncle Scrooge writing this blog… but I must air my grievances before Festivus. What is the deal with social media and the way people treat each other on it these days?

I’m not by nature a very outgoing person. Let me show you.