Lipstick on a Pig
Weekend Reading (September 26, 2025): I thought we were done talking about Cracker Barrel, but the pig analogy was too good to pass up. Also touch on more AI (get ready for an AI unload soon).
AI: What Questions Should You Ask
“I think there are two salient questions. One is, has it affected our business to date, and what are the actual, practical effects of it? The answer could be zero. The second question is, if we assume that AI will have the same profound effects as the internet did, what will that mean for our company in terms of impact? Those two simple questions could lead to some profound conversations.”
-Chieh Huang, Technology CEO, Entrepreneur, and Board Director
Branding: Lipstick on a Pig is Still a Pig
As someone who spends a lot of time focused on financial services, this article from CUSO Mag made me laugh enough that I had to share. But it’s true: Rebranding for the wrong reasons is just like putting lipstick on a pig. In the end, you still have a pig.
Branding: What to do when things go wrong.
This story came across my BlueSky this week and I had to share it. Recently, British musician Yungblud was forced to cancel his Philadelphia concert due to illness. He announced the disappointing news to fans via Instagram. He posted: “To apologize and to celebrate My Only Angel coming out tonight, I’ve put some money behind the bar,” he said. “If you have a ticket and still wanna hang out, go to Johnny Brenda’s and say My Only Angel to the bar tenders to get a beer on me. I love you all.”
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Random Link of The Week
As I drove home tonight, The Ripples Podcast popped up and I was finally able to enjoy it. This episode (linked below) touched on goal setting and living life to the fullest (but without the fluff). Just great thoughts from my friend Paul.