On January 25-27, I had the pleasure of joining nearly 100 other professionals representing dozens of creative services firms in Nashville to attend the 2012 ReCourses New Business Summit (NBS). Hosted by ReCourses principal David C. Baker, and Blair Enns of Win Without Pitching, the event’s subtitle reads, “Using Your Positioning for More Reward, Impact, Control, and Fun.”

When it was all over, I asked many of my fellow attendees to provide two words that best describe their takeaways from the event, and the word cloud embedded above reflects their input. For anyone who has not spoken with me or others about our remarkable experiences at the summit, this provides quick insight into its powerful impact.For a bit more background, ReCourses, Inc., is a management consulting firm that works exclusively with marketing firms/departments in the communications industry, including public relations firms, advertising agencies, interactive companies, and design studios. As its principal, David Baker is a frequent contributor to most major industry publications, and as the leading management consultant to the marketing field, since 1994 he has become a widely renowned speaker. He’s also the author of Managing (Right) for the First Time and Financial Management of a Marketing Firm, and the principal of RockBench, an independent publisher of courageous thought leadership content.

Co-presenter Blair Enns is the leading sales consultant to marketing agencies and author of The Win Without Pitching Manifesto. Prior to founding his own firm, he spent 12 years working in client-service and business development roles for agencies big and small. As proven once again during NBS 2012, Blair is a proven expert at selling in this niche and teaching others how to reposition their businesses, set themselves apart and build solid, sustainable business success.

Beginning right away on day one and right through the final session on day three, like every attendee, I was madly scribbling notes and compiling a new agenda that I fully expect to help propel my business to new heights over the months ahead. The epiphanies and surprises came in many forms, and one thing that really stood out to me was the number of attendees who had heard David and Blair present in the past, whether at a previous NBS, at the Mind Your Own Business conference, or elsewhere. Clearly, these gentlemen have an inside track on the key business areas of management and sales, and meeting them once is very likely to lead to a continuing dialogue… which both seem eager to explore.

I left the conference with both David’s and Blair’s books, as well as one from Mark O’Brien, who is the president of Newfangled, a web development firm that has been specializing in helping marketing firms build websites for themselves and their clients since 1995. The author of A Website That Works and also a very accomplished speaker, Mark and his well-known VP Christopher Butler were also on-hand throughout the summit, helping attendees apply lessons and learn more.

Taken altogether, having the opportunity to get face-to-face with David, Blair, Mark, Chris, their colleagues and all the attendees and sponsors was an extraordinary development for me personally and for my business. As a sure-fire recipe for learning how to build and maintain business success through sound, smart, focused strategic communications, I highly recommend that you subscribe to, read, track, follow — and whenever possible, connect with — these genuine innovators and their ongoing efforts. To all my new friends but especially the NBS organizers and presenters, many thanks for making this such a valuable and fun learning experience.

Last week, Hulu introduced its Hulu AdZone, which is presented by Toyota and offers easy access to historic Super Bowl ads extending all the way back to 1973. For the project, Hulu invited Advertising Age to highlight celebrity cameos and present expert picks for the most iconic Super Bowl ads of all time. On Sunday, February 5, tune in to www.hulu.com/adzone to watch all of this year’s ads in real-time, share them with friends and vote for your favorites. The best ad of 2012 will be announced early the next day.

On a personal note, I’m hoping for a well-matched battle between New England and New York, and I’ll also be watching for the first-ever Super Bowl spot for Lexus, which is one part of a multifaceted campaign effort produced by my clients at ATTIK. ATTIK’s work has made high-profile Super Bowl splashes in the past, to include their bold logo for Super Bowl XLIV itself just two years ago. Here’s wishing much success to everyone involved in what is sure to be one of the top media events of 2012!

This spot for the Illinois State Lottery was produced by Energy BBDO in Chicago, directed by Dom Bridges of Bob Industries, and features visual effects from design-focused production studio Leviathan. As Leviathan’s Jason White recently explained to SCREEN Magazine:

“We appreciate this engaging story. Something we can all relate to. Effective and emotive. We really got behind the aspiration of the spot concept – capturing these amazing gift revealing holiday moments.”

Today, White and his colleagues reported on their very successful 2011 in SHOOT Magazine. Here’s wishing you many magical moments and dreams come true over the days ahead.

Tommy and I are very proud to announce that our book “Ewasko: Days and Lights” — which was nominated for Blurb’s “People’s Choice Award” — is now available as an instant ebook download for Apple iBooks (iPad/iPhone).

We’re also very psyched to announce the release of the first wave of high-quality art prints and photographic products of images featured in “Ewasko: Days and Lights.” By visiting RKDfind Ewasko Gallery you can now order prints with mounting and framing services from Mpix Lab and Photobox, and specialty gifts and photo products from vendors such as IYP Photo Products and fotoflot.

If you have any questions on orders, please call me at 1.828.264.8898. Thank you very much for your interest in this project — we hope you enjoy these images and we look forward to hearing from you any time.

This has been an eventful year for everyone at global creative agency ATTIK, including its co-founder and executive creative director Simon Needham. The San Francisco Egotist is currently featuring a brief article Simon contributed entitled, “What I learned this year.” He also shared some career advice with the publishers of Creativepool.co.uk back in November in this ‘5 minutes with Simon Needham‘ article. I thought you might also enjoy the in-depth video interview embedded above. From ATTIK’s humble origins in northern England, Simon’s obviously come a long way, and he has many exciting developments shaping up for 2012 and beyond. For more information, please visit www.attik.com.

I’m not sure of its exact origin, but I’m indebted to ESPN SportsCenter star Stuart Scott for introducing me to this phrase: “Clear eyes, full heart, can’t lose.” Tomorrow (Nov. 24) is Thanksgiving Day here in America, and on the occasion, I am feeling deeply grateful.

Like many other entrepreneurs in America and elsewhere, I find a great deal to be thankful for in my occupation. Writing for OnStartups.com, Dharmesh Shah has posted an excellent short article today entitled “12 Things Entrepreneurs Should Be Thankful For,” which I encourage everyone to read.

Among the story’s growing list of comments, here are a few of my favorites.

. Sean Rosensteel: “I’m thankful for the small (but meaningful) windows of freedom you experience while being an entrepreneur and blazing your own trail.”

. Kathy: “I’m thankful for the folks I’ve met that are willing to help me out, even though the returns for them will be a couple more years down the road!”

. Artin Youssefian: “It’s nice to stop and be thankful once in a while. It reminds us all about why we started down this path to begin with. I’m thankful for everyone that has come before me and being able to stand on the shoulders of giants.”

. Chris Wachowiak: “Another reason I’m thankful for being an Entrepreneur: Giving me the ability to be the change I want to see in the world around me.”

I hope you also have lots to be thankful for today and in every day to follow. With clear eyes and full hearts, together, I believe we can achieve anything, and that optimism is just one of the many blessings I am counting today.

Back on September 6, ATTIK creative director Ron Lim and ten more of San Francisco’s greatest creative minds were invited by the editors of The San Francisco Egotist to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime gathering.

Over the course of the evening, they discussed all aspects of creativity. Thanks to the SF Egotist, you can be a fly on the wall throughout all 10 episodes, and take advantage of this rare opportunity to learn from some of the top minds in one of the world’s most creative cities.

Tomorrow is Veteran’s Day here in America, and it’s a day of honor and celebration that has its roots in “the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” of 1918, when Germany signed the Armistice to end World War I. I have written before about what this day means to me personally, and since America’s businesses are made up of its citizens, it’s natural that our esteem for our military veterans is the inspiration for the explosion of related cause-marketing campaigns detailed this week by Stuart Elliott of The New York Times.

Although my military service was during the relatively peaceful era of 1985 to 1990, it still was not all that easy. I know firsthand about the dread of boot camp, and the difficulty of enduring even basic training… but to me, my motivation was clear: I wanted to serve my country. Through those experiences and others, I came to have ultimate respect for those who have gone far beyond “basic training” to become the Marines, the SEALS, and other elite members of our special forces… whose bravery and daily commitments are seemingly made of granite. It is nearly impossible to duly honor them and express the appreciation they deserve.

Below, I am very proud to share the touching personal message I received from my cousin, whose son will graduate today as a Navy SEAL. Throughout the ordeal of her son, we received updates of the harrowing experiences — one after the other — that this young man, and others like him, were willingly facing in order to serve our country. He was literally knocked back time and again, and each time, he stepped back up with even more determination; he never gave up, and today, his dream of being one of America’s finest and best trained specialists is a reality. And like everyone who wears a military uniform, ultimately, he did all of this to serve us.

As you read this and otherwise participate in Veterans Day in your chosen ways, please think of those young people who have dedicated their lives to the military, and consider reaching out somehow to let them know you appreciate them. Also, I invite you to learn more about the Wounded Warriors Project, and consider making a donation. Thank you!

To all the prayer supporters:

Matthew left for boot camp Feb 11, 2010… and came out of there with the biggest stack of mail. Thank you to all his family and friends that sent him mail… I remember him telling me that he felt so bad for his bunk mate that he let him read some of his mail. On June 23, I stood in the parking lot of Great Lakes and hugged him goodbye. I think that was the hardest thing I have done so far, just knowing that he would begin his induction into the Navy SEAL program, known as INDOC (remember that was 3 weeks), but he made it and then the journey of Phase 1, 2 and 3 of BUD/s began. When I talked to him the other day and expressed how proud I was that he had made it, he said “Oh, mom it really wasn’t that hard.” He was kidding of course. I think he has forgotten, the cold and wet, the log PT, all the timed runs and O-course, the night time evolutions with the boat hitting the rocks, not to mention having to carry that boat on his head everywhere he went…. The inspections, and failing the inspections, and having to get wet and sandy. Not to mention HW, drown proofing, untying knots at the bottom of the pool, the 50-meter swim, supergluing the cracks on his hands from doing push-ups with all his gear on the hot pavement, getting rolled back in Phase 2, and then to have the trouble he did with shooting in Phase 3, but thanks to all the prayers that went up, he passed with high marks, only to have the instructor say, “What got into you? Did the light bulb finally go on?” I think he had failed that test 4 times prior. His swim buddy losing the swim board they used to dive deep, and he had to stand in the Pacific Ocean in the middle of the night with his shorts on and was told to dive in every time his arms dropped. He said he has never been so cold as then, only to face Kodiac, Alaska, in SQT. He graduated from BUD/s Feb 2011, and then on to SQT training. The desert runs to Jump School, and getting rolled back for the second time. He certainly has gone through a lot… but one week from tomorrow, we will be there to watch him graduate and receive his Trident Pin as a Navy SEAL! Along the sides of the ceremony will be guys from Phase 1 standing, and who will have to get wet and sandy after his class graduates. I remember Matthew telling me how he had to stand there and get wet and sandy after watching a class graduate, and he could picture Greg and I sitting there to watch him graduate some day… and November 10th is that day! Language school will follow the graduation and I believe that is about 3 months and then he will be stationed with the East Coast SEAL team. Matthew does have one more thing before graduating and that is this weekend.. He will have SERE training…otherwise thought of as the mock POW camp… he didn’t seem worried about it… just wants to ‘get er done’ I guess. Matthew from the start has wanted to serve his country as a Navy SEAL. I pray for all of our service men and women that serve us in the military. As Veterans Day approaches, may we all be reminded of those that have and are serving, and fly our flags proudly.

Topics include a keynote address by Joe Pytka: A Look At The Past, Present and Future, and these:
. The New Broadcasters: Facebook
. The New Broadcasters: Microsoft
. Lawyers On The Clock
. Meet the Procurers
. The Client POV: Where Production for Agencies and Brands is Heading
. The AICP Green Initiative
. A Look At Industry Etiquette

To learn more about the full program and register to attend, check out this story from SHOOT Magazine: Agenda Announced For 2011 AICP Conference

Courtesy of Ad Age: Attend the Ad Age Digital West Conference on Tuesday, September 20