Why is the Magic Castle Hotel the second highest rated hotel in Los Angeles next to the Four Seasons? After all, a room at this modest hotel pales compared to the luxury of the Four Seasons. Much of the Magic Castle’s success has to do with popsicles. Actually, it has to do with how the hotel staff creates moments of memorable – and talkable – delight. Whereas travelers might be loyal to the Four Seasons for reliable quality, other travelers love the Magic Castle – and they love to talk about it.  (more…)

Maybe you’re feeling worn out, empty of ideas, or overworked and depleted.

You can’t always change your circumstances, but you can change your mindset. When we talk about mindset, we talk about attitudes – your attitude towards your work, your team, your business, your long-term goals, your family, your relationships, your vision, your future. Reframing your mindset gives you the power to reshape your life and reimagine your future. Are you eager to make your side hustle your full time gig? Is city life draining you? Are you running out of energy crossing off to-do-list items, leaving no energy for your passions? Are you in a rut and in need of inspiration?  (more…)

Here’s the thing: We spend most of our hours working, and nearly half of us don’t enjoy our work. Is that lack of joy emblematic of the work or is it indicative of how we approach the work at hand?

The Conference Board conducted a study of 1,500 employed individuals and found that 51% were satisfied with their job. Meaning, 49% were not satisfied. Dissatisfaction can result from boredom, working in the wrong industry, being overworked, or simply doing work you dislike.  (more…)

Think about your favorite brands. What do you like about them? A brand is more than just a logo or a website. When you walk into your favorite store(s) or when you engage or collaborate with a company you love, you usually walk away with this feeling of satisfaction, excitement, wonder.

Creating a memorable, impactful brand stems from your purpose. Your purpose contributes to your mission – and this is what will not only attract the right audience, but also motivate employees, lead to more beneficial business, and elevate you to do your best work. (more…)

Embrace Your Young Genius and Enjoy More Meaningful Work

We live in a new world of work, one in which we yearn to bring more meaning and purpose to our offices (or remote work spaces). A 2013 Philips Work/Life Survey revealed that 68% of Americans would take a salary cut if they could apply more of their personal interests to their work. If that were possible, twenty-three percent of that pool said they would cut their salary by a quarter. Those numbers show that we’re lacking meaningful work in our day-to-day jobs.

But here’s the thing: When you feel stuck, it can be tempting to seek another job or completely change your career. Unfortunately, most employers are not equipped to meet your purpose-filled needs. This is something you have to uncover for yourself. (more…)

CELEBRATING BUSINESS-AS-UNUSUAL

Have you heard of “fast fashion?” Research that has been conducted by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has indicated that global clothing production has doubled in the last 15 years, predominantly as a result of what is known as  “fast fashion”. Fast Fashion is on-trend, cheap-to-produce clothing mimicking  luxury and high-end products – and is delivered to customers at a much faster rate. The fast, in fact, indicates that turnaround time is two to four weeks from design to arrival in stores, which is contra the four to nine months that mass retailers typically require. The model has proven so successful that income from “fast fashion” has just hit a new high of £70bn yearly.

Yet there is a dark side to this consumer trend, as this dramatic increase in clothing has seen an even steeper rise in waste. Studies have indicated that popular synthetic materials, such as polyester, are dramatically contributing to the issue of ocean plastic pollution.

But there is an alternative to this fast-paced fashion binge. This month, we’re looking at how fashion and style can be elevated without being manipulative.  With a focus on quality products that are ethically and socially sourced, it’s possible to enjoy long-lasting style which causes much less damage to the earth and can keep you intentional, focused, and healthy.

Never mind fast fashion. We’re looking at slow fashion.

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How do we balance the quest for our best work with the desire to nurture our long-term, loving relationships?

With Season Two’s launch only a short way ahead of us- coming October 9 – we want to invite you to sit with some of the questions raised by Episode 10 of the first season of the Tracking Wonder Podcast.

As entrepreneurs and creatives, we know the feeling of pouring our whole heart into our work. Of devoting all our attention to the project at hand in pursuit of something greater than ourselves.

How do we make room for the people we love—and love us back?

The episode was a conversation with Susan Piver, renowned Shambhala Buddhist teacher, New York Times bestselling author, and founder of the world’s largest virtual mindfulness community, the Open Heart Project.

We also want to invite you to join our free no-hitch Wonderpod Club to talk about this episode with a member of the Tracking Wonder Team.

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You are seven years old…

Who would think that such an invitation of five words could make a difference in how you experience your work, solve creative problems, or otherwise feel fulfilled and on-purpose? Those five words could profoundly shift your creativity.

Yet that’s the invitation Tracking Wonder’s founder Jeffrey Davis extended to the listeners of our first season of the Tracking Wonder Podcast.

With Season Two’s launch just around the corner – coming October 9 – we wanted to invite you to look back at some favorite episodes and the questions they raise, to consider during our “grown-up” years of seeking our best work.

And we want to invite you to join our free no-hitch Wonderpod Club to talk about these episodes together. The first episode we’re diving back into is one of Season One’s most popular.  (more…)

CELEBRATING BUSINESS-AS-UNUSUAL

When it comes to authenticity and integrity in doing business, branding, and marketing, we at Tracking Wonder have a simple tenet: Elevate, don’t manipulate.

In our times we have an opportunity for businesses and brands of all sizes – from the company of one to the mega-corporation – to step up and do business-as-unusual. People in the early 21st century are hungry to engage brands they can trust. They want brands that lead with their ideals and that genuinely provide value in more than a money-for-product/service way.

We want to Elevate & Highlight each month some of our favorite brands who have a keen entrepreneurial eye yet who also don’t sacrifice their mission for the bottom line. We’re also including some of what we see in the conversations and cultural moments of branding and innovation. Let us know what speaks to you.

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Launching is exciting. At least that’s the story you typically see promoted with offers about launching your big program or offer or website.

The story you don’t hear is the full range of emotions you will experience leading up to a launch.

After all, when you launch an offer or website, you are Investing considerable time, resources, cognitive creative bandwidth, and labor into what is being launched. That investment translates to an implicit or explicit emotional investment in the launch. You have expectations of how people will respond and react – which you hope will be favorable.

This is a feeling that I know all too well – such as when we launched the Tracking Wonder Podcast. It took me four years from first seeding the idea through to committing to it. From the moment of commitment to the actual launch six months later, I experienced a full range of emotions – fortunately, tempered now in part because I have gone through this emotional journey numerous times.

For all Tracking Wonder clients, from fashion brands to health & wellness brands, corporate consulting brands to personal growth brands, author platform brands to organizational brands, we ask our clients to put intellectual and emotional skin in the game.

And we’ve realized that the journey follows the same steps, what we refer to as the 8 Emotional Stages of Launching.

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