In the old days, before screens, near New York, Sundays were simple. Late rise, brunch, the New York Times. Arts first, then books, finishing with the Magazine. Tomorrow, business. Today, just art. That's why I'm creating a Sunday Summary looking back at the last week before starting another. Reasons I'm creating Sunday Summary include:
Flipboard Friday Friday posts, like the Vejas Tesla Effect followed by John Kean, a friend and expert in fintech, who suggested "Whiteboard Wednesday". He jokes about my alliteration, and maybe we'll have his Wednesday idea someday. This week, I worked with Eric on a piece about the web design trust journey.
Trust online is built by keeping promises. Even from a chemo chair at the University of Cincinnati, I penned "Flipboard Friday" because keeping commitments matter.
Writing I believe in Gladwell's 10,000 hours. I felt it cycling across America in 2010. Daily practice makes you better. Jeremy taught me to descend mountains fast. Before the ride, I thought I knew cycling. I was wrong. But daily long rides honed me. Writing's the same. With repetition, it gets better and easier. In eighteen months, Grammarly clocked me near a million words. Eric and Cynthia promised pizza at a million. So, I'm writing "Sunday Summary" for that pizza : ).
Sharing Writing anchors me to the present moment. I value every interaction. So, I've started the Sunday Summary.
I'm fortunate. Odd for a man with leukemia to say. But friends like Eric, his wife Cynthia, and reconnected friends from my Cure Cancer Lunches prove it. They tether me away from solitude. I feel good, but my lurking cancer challenges that. Yet, these lunches are as vital as my daily medication. Five lunches, one breakfast later, and more ahead. Recent Cure Cancer meals include:
Phil is like my brother, not just an SEO expert. While I'm fiery and swift with half-formed ideas, Phil is steady, discerning the valuable from the worthless. He understands the heart of SEO, which is hearing the collective voice.
In digital marketing, knowing the essence is the battle. SEO is more than traffic; it's about recognizing the authentic voice. Without Phil, analytics become a maze, and I scatter; with Phil's help, I've made ecommerce millions for companies that still exist and for others that are gone. Phil helped with my startup Curagami. Curagami is sadly gone, at least for the moment, but my dream of a tool that allows content and commerce to live in peace continues. Everyone should have a Phil in their life. I'm lucky to have him in mine.
Karen led my Ride to Cure Cancer. When I envisioned a cross-country journey by a cancer patient to fund research, she made it safe and real. We recently met for breakfast at Guglhupf, beyond the usual Zoom screen. She's now in Florida.
She's like Janet from Found Objects, generous with knowledge, thinking about everything else second. People like Eric, Drew from Moon-Audio, and Karen possess vast knowledge. My task? Bring that knowledge from their minds to websites like PhilanthropyInnovators.com.
AI, especially generative ones, can mimic the richness of a breakfast with Karen. That's why I'm in the office on a Sunday, shaping the core of "Ask Eric". It's our mission to better internal searches. A chatbot should respond like a human, not just spit out links.
With tools like ChatGPT, her expertise will guide a fundraising team towards capital campaign goals.
I watched Mark sell at AtlanticBT. Once, he took me shooting, echoing my M&M/Mars days shooting to relieve stress in Stroudsburg, PA. I can't shoot straight, but Mark can.
He's a skilled salesman and knows SalesForce like the back of his hand. Talking about a service payment method we've discussed for the WTE Startups Incubator, I listened closely. Needing help finding clients, Mark mentioned a universal truth: prospecting is challenging for everyone. He's starting a company, and I hope to assist. I'll set up a talk with Eric in September after seeing Dr. Byrd in Cincinnati. I'm eager to match our lunch with actions.
Michael once worked with me. My e-commerce success? Credit goes to hiring talents like him. When he moved to Jerry'sArtARama, I knew they'd thrive. They have.
Lunch with Michael was enlightening. Reconnecting, once his teacher, now his student, felt right. Michael's rooted in faith, family, friends. We'll share another meal soon.
Nichole and Drew Baird, like Eric and Cynthia, built a company in love. I know that challenge; I lost a marriage while creating Found Objects. That loss weighs more than the company. On WRAL, the Tar Heel Traveler asked if I felt like a failure. It's complex. I've known failures and successes. But I've learned people matter more than profits. Michael, Phil, Nichole, Jake, Mark, Karen, Eric, and Cynthia, their shared wisdom, it's immeasurable.
Soon, I'll discuss lunch with Nichole, Moon Audio's new office, and how Drew's Silver Dragons improve my daily Fostex Th900 listens in more detail.
I borrowed (stole) the Cure Cancer Lunch idea from Phil's Genius Lunches. Phil gathered bright minds, creating lively discussions. My Cure Cancer Lunches show that connections matter as much as medication in battling cancer. Next, I'm lunching with Dolores Dodson, Michelle Cromer and Heather Smith from the UC Health's marketing group.
I'm eager to meet more unique souls. If you wish to join this fight, lunch is my treat, and I'll contribute to UC's new Blood Cancer Center, so our lunch will help cure cancer. You in?
Thanks! Martin
e: martin (at) wte.net li: Martin Wescott Smith (on LinkedIn) c: 919.360.1224