Good News 5-14-13

Good Economic News

Here are just a few of the recent jobs announcements that have crossed my desk in recent weeks.

In Boone County, Indiana, farm machinery maker CNH Parts & Service will expand and add 100 employees. Congrats to economic developer Bryan Brackemyre.

Ford Motor Company will expand its operation in Kansas City, Missouri, creating 2,000 jobs.

In Greenville, South Carolina, ACS, a provider of engine test services, will open a facility and create 10 jobs.

Enterprise Rent-a-Car will expand and add 8,500 employees companywide.

Hostess Brands, LLC, a maker of snack products, will re-launch its bakery in Columbus, Georgia, creating 300 jobs.

Yogurt retailer Forever Yogurt will expand and add 800 employees companywide.

In Lexington, Kentucky, Tiffany & Company, a jewelry maker, will expand and add 75 employees.

Computer product maker Cisco will expand and add 5,700 workers companywide.

In Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, pharmaceutical maker Medical Products Laboratories, Inc. will expand and add 14 employees.

Blu, a natural gas company, will expand its operation in Utah, adding 73 employees.

Aqua City, Inc., a maker of water filtration products, will establish a new operation in Marion County, South Carolina, creating 50 jobs.

Indigo Wild, a maker of body and household products, will expand its operation in Kansas City, Missouri, creating 6 jobs.

In Murray County, Georgia, Mattex, a maker of carpet backings, will expand and add 200 employees.

In Marion County, Indiana, Fathom Voice, a phone service provider, will expand and add 183 employees.

Quallion, a maker of lithium batteries, will open a new facility in California, creating 50 jobs.

In Sedalia, Missouri, agricultural products distributor QC Supply will open a new facility, hiring 9 people.

A.L. Solutions, a distributor of filtration products, will locate a new facility in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, creating 80 jobs.

In Vanderburgh County, Indiana, DSI Underground Systems, Inc., a provider of mining products, will open a new facility, creating 44 jobs.

Triumph Foods, LLC, a pork processing company, will expand in St. Joseph, Missouri, creating 105 jobs.

In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pharmaceutical maker Medical Products Laboratories, Inc. will expand and add 4 employees.

In DeRidder, Louisiana, Boise, Inc., a provider of paper products, will expand and add 54 employees.

In Oconee County, South Carolina, Technology Solutions of South Carolina, Inc., a managed information technology company, will locate a new data center, creating 7 new jobs. Congrats to economic developer Richard Blackwell on a job well done.

HS Automotive Alabama, Inc., an auto industry supplier, will expand its facility in Enterprise, Alabama, creating 100 jobs.

Healthway, a supplier of environmental cleaning services, will expand and add 60 employees companywide.

In Rolla, Missouri, device maker Brewer Science will expand and create 65 jobs.

Lyons Magnus, a foodservice packaging company, will expand its operation in Boone County, Kentucky, creating 50 jobs.

Overgroup Consulting, a software company, will expand in Atlanta, Georgia, creating 15 jobs.

Contec, Inc., a maker of cleaning products, will expand its operation in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, creating 60 jobs.

Software product maker SolarWinds will expand its operation in Utah, creating 1,040 jobs.

In Lafayette, Indiana, auto maker Subaru of Indiana Automotive will expand and create 900 jobs. Congrats to economic developer and Brand Acceleration client Jody Hamilton. Great job!

In Mayfield, Kentucky, ACE Compressor Parts & Services, Inc. will expand and create 10 jobs.

Shamrock Plank Flooring will locate a new plant in Hernando, Mississippi and add 25 employees.

Emerson Process Management, a valve automation technology company, will expand in Houston, Texas and add 126 employees.

Ernst & Young will expand and add 6,300 employees companywide.

In Atlanta, Georgia, software provider PointClear Solutions will open its headquarters and create 200 jobs.

In Rosemary Beach, Florida, beer maker Grayton Beer Company will expand and add 40 employees.

In Cuba, Missouri, electrical product maker Meramec Electrical Products will expand and create 47 jobs.

PDM US Corporation, a maker of copper pipe, will open an operation in York County, South Carolina, creating 20 jobs.

Garney Construction will expand its operation in Kansas City, Missouri, creating 40 jobs.

In Emporia, Kansas, snackfood maker Hostess Brands, LLC will reopen its bakery and add 250 employees.

ProNamic Industries, a maker of non-woven media, will locate a new operation in Beaufort County, North Carolina, creating 52 jobs.

In West Point, Mississippi, tire maker Yokohama Tire Corporation will locate a new plant and hire 500 people.

BrightStar Care will expand and add 3,000 jobs companywide.

Engineered Floors, LLC, a maker of carpet, will expand its operation in Murray and Whitfield Counties, Georgia, creating 2,000 jobs.

In Lincoln County, North Carolina, engine maker Borghetti Turbos North America, Inc. will open a new plant and hire 127 employees.

Ranpak Corporation, a maker of packaging materials, will open a facility in Kansas City, Missouri, creating 25 jobs.

Soccer Shots will expand and add 400 workers companywide.

Wood products maker Jordan Forest Products will expand its operation in Montgomery County, North Carolina, creating 31 jobs.

Total Jobs Announcements: 33,856

Jim Walton

CEO

Brand Acceleration, Inc.

Branding // Marketing Communications // Public Relations

Indianapolis, Indiana: 317.536.6255

Fax: 317.222.1425

Charlotte, North Carolina: 704.230.0394

Atlanta, Georgia: 404.474.7980

Cell: 317.523.7380

 

jim@brandaccel.com

Brand Acceleration Web Site

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Brand Acceleration is a full-service marketing communications, brand management and public relations firm with a focus on economic development, architecture, engineering and construction.

Good Economic News 4-23-13

Good Economic News

Here are just a few of the recent jobs announcements that have crossed my desk in recent weeks.

In Bay City, Michigan, Gulf Shore Investments, LLC will develop a new multi-use community, creating 30 new jobs.

In Aiken County, South Carolina, Owens Corning, a maker of glass fiber and composite materials, will expand and add a new warehouse facility. Congrats to Brand Acceleration client, Will Williams with the Economic Development Partnership of Aiken and Edgefield Counties.

In Jefferson Parrish, Louisiana, Incitec Pivot, Dyno Noble, and Cornerstone Chemical will open a new ammonia production facility and hire 65 employees.

In Hancock County, Indiana, auto parts maker Spectra Premium Industry, Inc. will expand and add 50 employees. Congrats to Brand Acceleration client, economic developer Skip Kuker.

Aircraft builder Boeing will expand its operation in Charleston, South Carolina, creating 2,000 jobs.

Food retailer Pita Pit will expand and add 800 employees companywide.

In Laurens County, South Carolina, aluminum casting company Alupress AG will establish a manufacturing facility, creating 57 new jobs.

In McMinn County, Tennessee, auto supplier HP Pelzer Automotive Systems will locate a new facility and hire 200 people.

Nishikawa Cooper, LLC, a maker of products for the auto industry, will expand in Bremen, Indiana, creating 34 jobs.

Sunny Z Foods, a maker of pre-packaged instant meals, will open a new facility in Saluda County, South Carolina, creating 150 new jobs.

In Elkhart, Indiana, RV producer Grand Design RV, LLC will open its headquarters and create 500 new jobs.

Kay Manufacturing Company, a provider of machining services, will expand in St. Joseph, Michigan, creating 80 jobs.

Tractor maker Kubota Corporation has opened a new manufacturing facility in Jefferson, Georgia where it will add 200 employees.

In Georgetown, Kentucky, auto maker Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky will begin building Lexus ES350 automobiles, creating 750 jobs.

General Electric will build an oil and gas research center in Oklahoma, creating 125 jobs.

Drew Industries, Inc., a maker of components for the RV industry, will open its headquarters in Elkhart County, Indiana and will hire 800 people.

Repair services franchise company Mr. Handyman will expand and hire 400 people companywide.

In Dillon County, South Carolina, tool retailer Harbor Freight Tools USA, Inc. will expand and add 200 employees.

Imperium Health Management, an information management provider to the healthcare industry, will establish its headquarters in Louisville, KKentucky, creating 40 jobs.

The Entrepreneur Source will expand and add 300 employees companywide.

In Dale County, Alabama, Commercial Jet, Inc. will open an aircraft maintenance facility, creating hundreds if jobs.

Koch Foods will expand its poultry processing operation in Hamilton, Georgia, adding 750 employees.

Disaster recover company Servpro will expand its headquarters in Gallatin, Tennessee, creating 90 new jobs.

SMF, Inc., a metal facbrication company, will establish a new facility in Anderson County, South Carolina, creating 146 jobs.

Borusan Mannesmann, a maker of steel pipe, will open a new facility in Baytown, Texas, creating 250 jobs.

In Wake County, North Carolina, Ipreo Holdings, a provider of market intelegence and data services, will establish operations and create 250 jobs.

Computer maker IBM will open a technology center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, creating 800 jobs.

Auto parts maker Rassini Brakes, LLC will open a new facility in Mt. Morris, Michigan and hire 55 people.

Trinity Frozen Foods, a maker of food products, will open a new operation in Robeson County, North Carolina, creating 149 jobs.

In Salisbury, North Carolina, apparel maker Gildan Activewear, Inc. will open a new operation, expanding its employment to 200 people. Congrats to economic developer Robert Van Geons.

McLaughlin Body Company, a maker of operator protection systems, will open a new facility in Anderson County, South Carolina, creating 250 jobs.

Healthcare facility operator Workout Anytime will expand and add 150 employees companywide.

In Carmel, Indiana, Mainstreet Property Group, LLC, a developer of senior housing and care properties, will expand and create 25 jobs.

In Lenexa, Kansas, Crown Equipment, a materials handling company, has opened a branch and will create 60 jobs.

IEH Laboratories & Consulting group, a food industry service provider , will establish an operation in Scottsville, Kentucky, creating six jobs.

Plastics extrusion company Omega Plastics will expand its headquarters in Clinton, Tennessee and add 80 employees.

In Battle Creek, Michigan, auto parts maker Bleistahl North America LP will open a new facility and hire 58 new employees.

Windham Professionals business centers will expand at two locations in Tennessee and add 245 employees.

Metal Panels, Inc., a maker of metal roofing products, will open a new manufacturing facility in Kansas City, Kansas, creating 23 jobs.

In Columbus County, North Carolina, Ply Gem Industries, a maker of building products, will expand and add 145 employees.

Total Jobs Announcements: 10,513+

Jim Walton

CEO

Brand Acceleration, Inc.

Branding // Marketing Communications // Public Relations

Indianapolis, Indiana: 317.536.6255

Fax: 317.222.1425

Charlotte, North Carolina: 704.230.0394

Atlanta, Georgia: 404.474.7980

Cell: 317.523.7380

jim@brandaccel.com

Brand Acceleration Web Site

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Twitter

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Google+

BrandCoach Blog

Brand Acceleration is a full-service marketing communications, brand management and public relations firm with a focus on economic development, architecture, engineering and construction.

 

 

 

 

 

Good Economic News 1-6-2013

Good Economic News

Here are just a few of the recent jobs announcements that have crossed my desk in recent weeks.

In Novi, Michigan, visual guiding systems maker OPS Solutions, LLC will expand and create 25 new jobs.

Information Technology provider SPARC will expand its Berkley County, South Carolina operation, creating 310 new jobs.

In Louisville, Kentucky, spring maker NHK Spring Precision of America plans to expand and create 50 jobs.

Fertilizer maker Mosaic Company will open a new facility in St. James Parish, Louisiana, creating 53 new jobs.

In Comstock Charter Township, Michigan, mining equipment maker Getman Corporation will expand and create 150 jobs.

Gourmet mushroom producer amFOG Farms, LLC will relocate its headquarters and open a new production facility in Jasper County, South Carolina, creating 7 new jobs.

Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company will expand its Ft. Wayne, Indiana headquarters and add 102 employees.

In Saline County, Missouri, General Electric will expand its operation and hire 115 people.

In El Paso, Texas, business services provider ADP will expand and create 585 jobs.

UPS Midstream Services, a maker of compressor equipment, will open a new machine shop in Jena, Louisiana, creating 95 jobs.

In Tennessee, Bell Helicopter will open a new facility at its Piney Flats operation, creating 125 new jobs.

In Dorchester County, South Carolina, aviation component supplier Aero Precision Products will expand and hire 15 people.

In Burns Harbor, Indiana, Indiana Flame Service, a technology services contractor, will expand and add 24 employees.

Auto parts supplier YH America plans to expand its Versailles, Kentucky operation and create 10 new jobs.

Airline industry supplier Indy Honeycomb will expand its northern Kentucky operation, creating 13 jobs.

The City of Port Huron, Michigan will create a mixed use development, including a convention center, that will create 100 new jobs.

Jasper Engine Exchange, Inc., an engine and transmission remanufacturer, will expand and add 40 new jobs at its Jasper, Indiana facility.

In Loudon, County, Tennessee, tile maker Ceramica Del Conca will build a new manufacturing facility and hire 178 people.

In Shreveport, Louisiana, vehicle maker Elio Motors, Inc. will open a new operation, creating 1,500 new jobs.

In Gloster, Mississippi, Drax Biomass will open a new wood pellet production facility and hire 45 people.

Albemarle Corporation, a producer of specialty chemicals, will expand its operation in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, creating 20 new jobs.

In Elkhart, Indiana, Vista Manufacturing, Inc., a maker of electronic lighting products, will expand and add 15 employees.

In Grand Rapids, Michigan, Founders Brewing Company will expand and create 52 new jobs.

In Paris, Texas, the James Skinner Baking Company will open a new bakery, creating 393 jobs.

In Colleton County, South Carolina, yarn and thread maker Sarla Performance Fibers will open a new facility, creating 100 new jobs.

Kimball Hospitality, Inc., a maker of hotel furniture, will expand its operation in Jasper, Indiana, creating 20 jobs.

In Knoxville, Tennessee, Tomcat USA, a maker of structural trussing, will open a new manufacturing facility and hire 50 people.

In Jasper, Alabama, auto parts supplier Vistech Manufacturing Solutions will expand and add 10 employees.

In Charleston County, South Carolina, Millard Refrigerated Services will open a new cold storage facility and hire 87 people.

The RND Group, Inc. a software provider, will expand its operation in Indianapolis, Indiana, creating 25 new jobs.

Intelsat, a satellite services provider, will move its headquarters to Fairfax County, Virginia, creating 430 new jobs.

La-Z-Boy, a furniture maker, will construct a new headquarters in Monroe, Michigan, creating 50 new jobs.

In Dayton, Tennessee, Automotive Components will expand and create 50 jobs.

LocalMed, a provider of services to the healthcare industry, will open a new operation in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, creating 100 new jobs.

In Louisville, Kentucky, software company ICIM Corporation will establish its headquarters and create 100 jobs.

Drax Biomass, an energy company, will open a new wood pellet facility in Bastrop, Louisiana, creating 63 new jobs.

In Indianapolis, Indiana, actuarial and consulting firm Milliman, Inc. will expand and add 26 new employees.

Teledyne Electronic Manufacturing Services, a maker of micro-electronic products, will expand its Lewisburg, Tennessee operation, creating 96 new jobs.

Agru America, a maker of geosynthetics, will expand its facility in Georgetown and Williamsburg counties in South Carolina, creating 126 new jobs.

In Tipton, Indiana, Chrysler Group, LLC will open a new operation, creating 850 new jobs.

Perfection Clutch, a distributor of auto parts, will locate a new facility in Hazelwood, Missouri, creating 10 new jobs.

In Portage, Michigan, Mueller Plastics, a maker and distributor of copper, plastic, and brass products, will open a new facility and hire 63 people.

Mando Corporation, a supplier of auto parts, will open a facility in Meriwether County, Georgia, creating 660 new jobs.

In Rockcastle County, Kentucky, packaging products maker Anchor Packaging will open a new facility, creating 150 jobs.

In Elkhart, Indiana, Conn-Selmer, Inc., a maker of band and orchestra instruments, will consolidate operations and create 23 new jobs.

Biomaterials maker Purac will open a new facility in Tucker, Georgia, creating 30 new jobs.

Software company TEKsystems Global Services will open a new IT center in Irving, Texas, creating 500 new jobs.

Auto maker Chrysler Group will expand its operation on Kokomo, Indiana, creating 400 new jobs.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, retailer Belk, Inc. will expand and add 150 employees.

Land O’Frost, Inc., a provider of meat products, will relocate its headquarters to Munster, Indiana, creating 50 new jobs.

Time Warner Cable, a provider of television and internet services, will expand its operation in Lexington, County, South Carolina, hiring 644 employees.

Access America Transport will expand and create 550 new jobs at its Chattanooga and Knoxville, Tennessee facilities.

Total Jobs Announcements: 9,435

Jim Walton

CEO

Brand Acceleration, Inc.

Branding // Marketing Communications // Public Relations

Indianapolis, Indiana: 317.536.6255

Fax: 317.222.1425

Charlotte, North Carolina: 704.230.0394

Atlanta, Georgia: 404.474.7980

Cell: 317.523.7380

jim@brandaccel.com

Brand Acceleration Web Site

LinkedIn

Twitter

FaceBook

Google+

BrandCoach Blog

Brand Acceleration is a full-service marketing communications, brand management and public relations firm with a focus on economic development, architecture, engineering and construction.

 

 

 

 

Boring Turkey, Again?

Boring Turkey, Again?

Save room for the old and the new

Last week, our family had the annual discussion about which dishes should be on our Thanksgiving menu. “We always have the same old things. We need to change it up a bit,” one person said. “But, I really like the traditional dishes,” someone else said.

The marketing communications industry faces a similar discussion. On one side of the argument, some people believe such tactics as web, social media, blogs, webinars, e-magazines (such as Rants from the Brand Coach), and e-discussion groups are the only way to go. As a marketer, you must produce powerful content which is interesting, entertaining, and educational, helping the audiences do their job.

On the other side, you have traditionalists who believe tactics such as direct mail, e-mail, phone calls, and media advertising are the best approach. Sadly, there are those who believe these “old” forms of marcom are outdated, old fashion, and useless. They’re wrong!

Just like the Thanksgiving dinner, there’s room for the old and the new. Smart marketers understand how a well thought out program includes a balanced approach, reaching audiences in multiple ways. Just because direct mail isn’t as cool or doesn’t command the buzz of social media doesn’t mean it won’t work. At Brand Acceleration, our team analyses audiences to determine just the right mix of old and new in order to generate results for our clients.

So, whether your Thanksgiving dinner includes turkey and baked beans or tofurkey and vegan stuffing, just remember that life offers vast choices, all of which are great. Marketing techniques vary just as widely. In the right combination, they are all delicious.

Happy Thanksgiving. Eat up!

Jim Walton

CEO

Brand Acceleration, Inc.

Branding // Marketing Communications // Public Relations

Indianapolis: 317.536.6255

Charlotte: 704:230:0394

Atlanta: 404.474.7980

Fax: 317.222.1425

Cell: 317.523.7380

jim@brandaccel.com

Brand Acceleration Web Site

LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

Google+

YouTube

Vimeo

BrandCoach Blog

Brand Acceleration is a full-service marketing communications, brand management and public relations firm with a focus on economic development, architecture, engineering and construction.

Good Economic News

Good Economic News

Here are just a few of the jobs announcements that have crossed my desk in the last few weeks:
 

In Austin, Texas, HID Global Corporation, a distributor of identity products, will open a distribution center, creating 239 jobs.Bevco Engineering Co., Inc., a maker of electrical products, will expand in Sussex, Wisconsin, adding 21 employees.

Tru-Check, Inc., a provider of meter-reading services, will expand in Somerset, Kentucky, creating 10 new jobs.

Avalon Rare Metals will open a new rare metals separation plant and refinery in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, adding 175 employees.

Con-Pearl North America, a maker of recycled pastic products, will open a new facility in Greenville County, South Carolina, creating 51 new jobs.

Faeza Alloyers USA, a metal alloys maker, will locate a new facility in Shelby County, Indiana, creating 47 new jobs.

Brownells, Inc., a provider of firearms parts and supplies, will open a new facility in Montezuma, Iowa, creating 41 new jobs.

In Putnam County, West Virginia, Nippon Thermostat, a maker of auto parts, will expand and hire 30 people.

In Florence, Alabama, parts supplier TASUS Corporation, will build a new plant and hire 135 people.

Carded Graphics LLC, a maker of packaging products, will expand and hire 34 people.

Architecture and engineerinf firm Guidon Design, Inc., will expand its headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana, creating 27 new jobs.

Fram Renewable Fuels, a maker of alternative energy products, will expand its operation in Hazelton, Georgia, creating 80 new jobs.

Custom Aircraft Cabinets, a maker of wood and upholstery products for aircraft, will expand its operation in Sherwood, Arkansas, creating 150 jobs.

In Montgomery County, Virginia, Aeroprobe Corporation, a maker of instrumentation and software, will expand and hire 40 people.

NetApp, a provider of data management services, will expand in Wichita, Kansas, adding 400 employees.

In Princeton, Indiana, Toyota will add 240 new production workers by the end of November.

In Charles City, Iowa, Cambrex Charles City, Inc., a maker of pharmaceutical products, will expand and add 46 employees.

In Indianapolis, Indiana, Crosspoint Solutions, LLC, a maker of electrical auxiliary power units, will expand and create 75 new jobs.

PremierTox, a provider of drug testing services, will expand its operation in Lexington, Kentucky, adding 25 employees.

In Burlington, North Carolina, convenience store operator Sheetz, Inc. will open a distribution center and food manufacturing facility, creating 254 new jobs.

Sempra U.S. Gas & Power, an energy company, will open a regional headquarters in Greenville County, South Carolina, creating 40 jobs.

TRG Customer Service will fill vacant positions in Beckley, Charleston, and Elkins, West Virginia, creating 130 new jobs.

Friedrich Boysen GmbH & Co. KG, a supplier of auto products, will build a new facility in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, creating 100 new jobs.

BorgWarner, a maker of automotive powertrains, will expand its operation in Oconee County, South Carolina, adding 30 employees.

In Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, Ethicon, Inc., a maker of medical products, will expand and hire 75 people.

PGP International, Inc., a maker of food products, will locate a new facility in Evansville, Indiana, creating 41 new jobs.

In DeWitt, Iowa, Black Cat Blades, a maker of cutting edges, will establish a distribution center and expand production, adding 50 employees.

In Hanover, Virginia, The Vitamin Shoppe, Inc., a retailer of vitamins, will open a distribution center and hire 174 people.

Sugar Creek Packing Company, a food company, will open a new operation in Wayne County, Indiana, creating 400 jobs.

In West Des Moines, Iowa, Outcomes, Inc., a provider of medication therapy services, will expand and hire 20 people.

Firestone Building Products will expand its operation in Tuscumbia, Alabama, creating 40 new jobs.

In Clarksdale, Mississippi, conveyor component maker Metso will expand and hire 50 people.

In Lexington, Kentucky, law firm Bingham McCutchen will open a global services center, creating 250 new jobs.

In Ripon, Wisconsin, Alliance Laundry Systems will expand and add 270 employees.

In Shepherdsville, Kentucky, online fashion distributor Nasty Gal will locate a distribution center and hire 300 people.

In St. Martin Parish, Louisiana, Forum Energy Technologies, a maker of drilling equipment, will open a new facility and hire 125 people.

In Chester County, Pennsylvania, ViroPharma, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, will expand and add 151 employees.

Williams Partners LP, a natural gas company, will expand its operation in West Virgina, creating 100 jobs.

In St. Cloud, Minnesota, farm implement maker Geringhoff will expand and add 100 employees.

Rousselot, a maker of gelatin products, will expand in Dubuque, Iowa, creating 10 jobs.

Comfort Revolution, a maker of sleep products, will locate a new operation in Belmont, Mississippi, creating 200 new jobs.

In Burke County, North Carolina, Leviton Manufacturing, a maker of electrical products, will expand and add 152 employees.

Hospira, a provider of injectable medicines, will expand in Nash County, North Carolina, creating 200 new jobs.

Total Jobs Announcements: 5,088

Jim Walton

CEO

Brand Acceleration, Inc.

Branding // Marketing Communications // Public Relations

Indianapolis, Indiana: 317.536.6255

Charlotte, North Carolina: 704.230.0394

Atlanta, Georgia: 404.474.7980

jim@brandaccel.com

Brand Acceleration Web Site

LinkedIn

Twitter

FaceBook

Google+

BrandCoach Blog

Brand Acceleration is a full-service marketing communications, brand management and public relations firm with a focus on economic development, architecture, engineering and construction.

Failure to Launch

Failure to Launch

Just do something

Over my thirty some years in the marketing communications industry, I’ve seen marketers make some amazingly brilliant moves. Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos and a few others come to mind. Likewise, I’ve seen people make real boneheaded mistakes. Remember New Coke? Something that has always puzzled me is when leaders fall flat simply because they did nothing. They failed to launch.

Now, I understand that there are sometimes reasons making it impossible to act. A complete lack of financial resources, for example, although this is often an excuse for an inability to properly prioritizes. A new car is not more important than a powerful and effective web site.

The recent passing of Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon, caused me to remember our astronauts and the courage to crawl into a tin can attached to millions of pounds of rocket fuel. That’s courage. These people took huge, I mean HUGE, risks. They did things that no one had ever done and went places no one had ever gone. Sadly, several died in the process, but that didn’t stop the program.

I once had the honor of spending a few hours with Apollo XIII astronaut Jim Lovell. Admittedly, I was star struck. Here I was, in a car for a few hours with an American here. For those of you who might not know Lovell’s story, he was the Commander of the 1970 moon mission that was aborted when an oxygen tank exploded, crippling the craft in the darkness of space. Despite the lack of electricity, heat, water and breathable air, the crew returned sagely four days later.

In one of my lucid moments, I asked him how scary it was to be trapped, the three of them, more than 200,000 miles from home, knowing that they may never see their families again. His response was quick and clear. “We had no time to be afraid, and we weren’t alone. We knew that our team at home was working day and night to find a solution to our predicament. We had work to do and decisions to make.”

What’s the point to all of this? The point is that sometimes we just have to make decisions and do something. You may not have an answer to every question or a solution to every concern, but you have to act.

As a marketer in the economic development and AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) industries, I bring my clients ideas and suggestions based on experience, research, and industry intelligence, but it’s up to them to make the go or no go decision. This is where leaders excel and losers choke. Some people just can’t move forward without a 100% guarantee of success. Unfortunately, in business, no such guarantee exists.

Real leaders gather intelligence, seek opinions, and then make decisions, accepting the possibility that they could be wrong. They also know that their decision could be hugely successful. That’s leadership!

Winston Churchill once said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

At Brand Acceleration, we’ve seen companies and communities, led by strong leaders; have us develop great web sites, brochures, and effective outbound communications programs that generate outstanding results. We’ve also seen ineffective “leaders” who ponder, consider, waffle, and reconsider every possibility while competitors kick their butts. Like a deer in the headlights, they freeze, ending up as road kill.

Which best describes you? Are you a procrastinator, accomplishing little or nothing or are you a leader with the vision, foresight and courage to launch, regardless of outcome? Think of Neil Armstrong and the fact that his footprints will forever be on the surface of the moon.

I’d love to hear from you, too. Feel free to share your thoughts and personal experiences below.

Have a great week,

Jim Walton

CEO

Brand Acceleration, Inc.

Branding // Marketing Communications // Public Relations

Indianapolis: 317.536.6255

Charlotte: 704:230:0394

Atlanta: 404.474.7980

Fax: 317.222.1425

Cell: 317.523.7380

jim@brandaccel.com

Brand Acceleration Web Site

LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

Google+

YouTube

Vimeo

BrandCoach Blog

Brand Acceleration is a full-service marketing communications, brand management and public relations firm with a focus on economic development, architecture, engineering and construction.